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DEAR JERRY:It seems the three-inch CD mini single format pretty much flopped, but I find them cute, collectible, and, best of all, inexpensive.
For five bucks I picked up the Beatles “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You,” a 1988 release. The seller said it was among the first CD3s issued in the U.S. True or false?
How many mini discs did the Beatles have, and do they all have just two songs?
Any idea how many CDs total were made before this format went the way of pre-recorded reel-to-reel and 8-track tapes?
—Charlene Applebaum, Evansville, Ind.
DEAR CHARLENE: Since “among” is not a specific quantity, I'll just provide some facts to help you decide the true or false issue.
This short-lived saga began in 1987, when a few promotional samples were made to introduce the media and distributors to the new format. The first five commercially-issued CD3s also went on sale that year, and Dunhill led the pack with two consecutively-numbered selections:
Harry Chapin: “Remember When the Music” (Dunhill DZS45-001)
Ray Charles: “America the Beautiful” (Dunhill DZS45-002)
Frank Zappa: “Peaches en Regalia” (Ryko RCD3-1001)
Scala Featuring Bill Nelson & Daryl Runswick: “Secret Ceremony (Theme From Brond)” (Restless 72269-3)
They Might Be Giants: “Don't Let's Start” (ESD 1)
Over the next two years, nearly 500 CD3s came out in the U.S., covering nearly every genre from the 1950s to present. CD3 discs, which can hold about 20 minutes of content, vary from one to six tracks with most having either two or four.
The number of American CD3s made in 1990 is about the same as 1987 — a mere handful — and the chapter soon closed on this experiment.
Your Beatles disc is but one of over 200 mini singles issued in 1988, making it quite a stretch to say it's among the first.
In 1988 and '89, EMI-Parlophone-Capitol issued about two dozen Beatles CD3s, far more than any other artist. In keeping with the vinyl single tradition, each mini has two tracks. Most have the same tunes as the original 45s (e.g., “Can't Buy Me Love” and “You Can't Do That”), though a few surprised us with an uncommon pairing. Among those is “A Hard Day's Night” backed with “Things We Said Today.” In 1994, Capitol-Cema even produced a vinyl single of this unlikely coupling of 1964 songs (S7-17692).
For just a fin, you paid roughly the same as the then-overpriced retail cost 23 years ago. Now it seems like a bargain.
DEAR JERRY:I just heard a blip during the Entertainment Tonight music news that reminded me very much of something you would be writing about.
It seems someone recently had their album, digital of course, claim the No. 1 spot on Billboard, without the benefit of ever having a hit single.
I know it is more traditional for performers to establish themselves first with one or more hit singles, but I can't believe no one has done it before 2011.
What say you?
—Eddy Kirkendall, Tulsa, Okla.
DEAR EDDY: Having not heard that blip, my reply can only assume your interpretation of the facts to be accurate.
With that disclaimer stated, I definitely agree with your assessment.
Uncommon as it is, in researching just the first two decades of vinyl LPs I still found nine No. 1 albums by artists with no previous chart singles.
Many original cast and soundtrack albums topped the pop charts, but are obviously exempt from this discussion. Chronologically, those nine are:
1950 Yma Sumac “Voice of the Xtabay” (Capitol 244)
1954 Jackie Gleason “Tawny” (Capitol 471)
1954 Jackie Gleason “Music, Martinis, and Memories” (Capitol 509)
1955 Jackie Gleason “Lonesome Echo” (Capitol 627)
1960 Bob Newhart “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” (Warner Bros. 1379)
1962 Allan Sherman “My Son, the Folk Singer” (Warner Bros. 1475)
1962 Vaughn Meader “The First Family” (Cadence 3060)
1963 Frank Fontaine “Songs I Sing on the Jackie Gleason Show” (ABC-Paramount 442)
1969 Blind Faith “Blind Faith” (Atco 304)
In the case of the two spoken-word albums — by Bob Newhart and Vaughn Meader — neither comedian had ANY single releases before their first LP.
Likewise with the British all-star group, Blind Faith (Eric Clapton; Steve Winwood; Rick Grech; and Ginger Baker).
IZ ZAT SO? For the first 16 full years of vinyl LPs, an amazing 62% of the time the nation's No. 1 album was either a movie-TV soundtrack or an original cast recording.
From 1949 through 1965 — specifically, “Words and Music” to “The Sound of Music” — one collection or another of show tunes topped the charts for 516 weeks. This includes both 10- and 12-inch discs.
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368 E-mail: jpo@olympus.net Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com
All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2011 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Exclusive Permission
norm and jane over at Vinyl Record Talkhave this bit of news for the week:
Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen" 45 rpm Record Fetches More Than $17 Thousand
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 10/01/2011
A godly week this week, save for the #2 spot going to a Northern Soul rarity. The pulled A&M "God Save The Queen" sold for a very high price over $17k - the probable reasons being that, for one, the record was mint, and for another it came with the stock box that at one point held 25 copies of this record.
1. 45 - Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen" / "No Feeling" A&M AMS-7284 - $17,179.47
3. LP - Led Zeppelin "I" Atlantic UK Turquoise 1st - $3,435.89
4. LP - Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" DJ Mono Pressing - $3,050.00
5. LP - The Beatles "White Album" Parlophone UK Export Pressing - $2,999.99
More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.
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another list, although there are some oldies missing from it....anyway, it's an enjoyable look at their top ten anyway:
You Spin Me Round: The Ten Best Songs About Records
By Julia Mullen Gordon
Here are a few facts about the history of the record: In 1877, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph. In 1948, the 12" Long Play (LP) 33⅓ rpm microgroove record was introduced by Columbia. This led to rival RCA Victor's introduction of a competing format, the 7" / 45 rpm Extended Play (EP), sparking what is now known as the "War of the Speeds." For the next four decades, vinyl reigned supreme as the dominant music-delivery format, withstanding challenges from reel-to-reel, 8-track, and cassette. But in 1988, the CD overtook the record in popularity, and the rise of digital formats continued to the present.
However, that may not be the end of the story. Nearly 2.9 million records shipped in 2008, the most in any year since 1998. Figures have been on the rise since then. And with a 60-year history (depending on how you're counting), it's only natural that the medium has been celebrated many times in song. Read on for the 10 best songs about vinyl records.
ABOMINATION's Self-Titled Debut To Be Reissueed With Bonus Material
It's been more than 20 years since the release of their self-titled debut album, ABOMINATION, the acclaimed 1990s death/thrash metal band formed by Paul Speckmann, will have its early material re-released on November 4th on Nuclear Blast. The two-CD set includes the albums 'Abomination' (1990) and 'Tragedy Strikes' (1991) as well as rare demos and EP.
Tracklist CD1: Abomination:
1. The Choice 2. Murder, Rape, Pillage and Burn 3. Reformation 4. Redeem Deny 5. Possession 6. Suicidal Dreams 7. Life And Death 8. Victim Of The Future 9. Tunnel Of Damnation 10. Follower (Bonus CD) 11. Impending Doom
Demo (1988): 12. Over The Edge 13. Reformation 14. Impending Doom 15. Curses Of The Deadly Sin 16. Tunnel Of Damnation 17. Follower
CD2:
Tragedy Strikes: 1. Blood For Oil 2. They’re Dead 3. Pull The Plug 4. Will They Bleed 5. Industrial Sickness 6. Soldier 7. Kill Or Be Killed 8. Oppression
Final War (EP): 9. Face In The Crowd 10. You Could Be Next 11. Take A Sip Of Power 12. Man Created God 13. Mistaken Reality
Demo (1987): 14. Victim Of The Future 15. Social Outcast 16. Raping The Grave 17. Possession 18. Doomed By The Living 19. The Truth
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Acoustic Guitar Legend Bert Jansch Dies
Michael Leonard
Bert Jansch, one of the most influential British guitarists of modern times, has died at the age of 67. Jansch passed away in the early hours October 5 after a long battle with cancer.
Jansch, born in Scotland of German parentage, was never a mainstream star. He never had big hit records, even when with pioneering U.K. folk-rock group Pentangle. But Jansch was a “guitarist’s guitarist”.
Here are the Top 10 Albums at Shop Radio Cast for the week of September 27 – October 3, 2011:
1. Brand New – Your Favorite Weapon LP 2. Blink 182 – Neighborhoods LP (Blue/White) 3. New Found Glory – Nothing Gold Can Stay LP 4. Saves The Day Daybreak LP 5. Thursday – Full Collapse LP 6. Mock Orange – Nines & Sixes LP 7. New Found Glory – Radiosurgery 8. Head Automatica – Decadence LP 9. Yellowcard – Ocean Avenue LP 10. Banquets – Top Button, Bottom Shelf LP
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and in music history for today, october 5th. a few legendary singles were released today including "White Room" and "Magic Carpet Ride," "Cat's in the Cradle," however, i am focusing on the beatles' first "Love Me Do"
In 1930, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra was heard on the air over CBS radio from Carnegie Hall for the first time.
In 1958, Cliff Richard and The Shadows played their first gig together when they appeared at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, England.
In 1959, 21 year-old Paul Evans reaches the Billboard chart for the first time with a novelty song called "Seven Little Girls" (sittin' in the back seat, kissin' and huggin' with Fred). As well as his own recording career, Evans wrote many hits for other artists, including Bobby Vinton's "Roses Are Red" and The Kalin Twins "When".
In 1961, Neil Sedaka recorded "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen," which will become his eighth US Top 20 hit. He will go on to have thirteen more.
In 1961, as a follow up to their US #1 smash, "Blue Moon," the Marcels release a similar sounding tune called "Heartaches," which climbed to number seven on the US Pop chart.
In 1962, the Beatles' first single, "Love Me Do," backed with "P.S. I Love You," was released in the UK. The record got its first radio play the same evening on the EMI-owned Radio Luxembourg. When the single was originally released in the United Kingdom, it peaked at #17; in 1982 it was re-issued and reached #4. In the United States the single was a #1 hit in 1964.
45 rpm SingleFacts:
John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote this in 1958, when John was 17 and Paul was 16. They made time for songwriting by skipping school. They had written songs before, but this was the first one they liked enough to record. McCartney wrote this about his girlfriend at the time, Iris Caldwell. When they played this for an audition with Parlophone Records, the producer they auditioned for was George Martin, who became a key figure in Beatles history as he helped shape their sound. He started tinkering with the song right away, adding the harmonica part. Fortunately, John Lennon knew how to play the harmonica and was able to come up with something.
The Beatles recorded versions of this with 3 different drummers. At their first Parlophone audition in June, 1962, Pete Best was still their drummer. When they recorded this on September 4, Ringo was their drummer, but when George Martin decided this would be the single, he had them record it again a week later. At this session, he used a session drummer named Andy White and stuck Ringo with the maracas. The version with Ringo drumming was released as the single, but the version released on the album had Andy White's drumming. Ringo didn't pitch a fit when he got bumped at the session, but was very upset and felt real insecure, especially since The Beatles had just fired a drummer.
The Beatles were very close to releasing another song as their first single. At their September 4 recording session, George Martin decided their first single should be a song called "How Do You Do It?," which was written by someone else. The Beatles were not pleased and did some lackluster takes of the song before they were allowed to record "Love Me Do." Eventually, Martin changed his mind and went with "Love Me Do." "How Do You Do It?" became a hit for Gerry and the Pacemakers in 1964.
No original master tapes of the 4 September version of "Love Me Do" are known to exist. Standard procedure at Abbey Road Studios at the time was to erase the original two-track session tape for singles once they had been "mixed down" to the (usually monaural) master tape used to press records. This was the fate of two Beatles singles (four songs): "Love Me Do", "P.S. I Love You", "She Loves You", and "I'll Get You". However, at some point the mixdown master tape for this song was also lost, and apparently no backup copies had been made. Thus, for many years the only extant recorded copies were the red label Parlophone 45 rpm vinyl records pressed in 1962. This version was also issued in Canada as Capitol 72076.
Around 1980, a reasonably clean, original 45 from EMI's archives was used as the "best available source" for the track's inclusion on the Capitol compilation LP Rarities. A few years later, a new master tape was struck, this time using another, better-sounding 45 supplied by a record collector, and this has served as the official EMI master tape for the original "Love Me Do" ever since.
In 1972, Lennon commented, “Paul wrote the main structure of this when he was sixteen, or even earlier. I think I had something to do with the middle.”
In 1982, McCartney remarked, “In Hamburg we clicked... At the Cavern we clicked... but if you want to know when we knew we'd arrived, it was getting in the charts with 'Love Me Do'. That was the one. It gave us somewhere to go.”
Similarly Starr in 1976 enthused, “The first record, 'Love Me Do', for me that was more important than anything else. That first piece of plastic. You can't believe how great that was. It was so wonderful. We were on a record!”
In 1966, Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding played together for the first time
In 1967, the Association's "Never My Love" reached its peak position of number 2 on Billboard's Hot 100. As of the end of 2001, the Recording Industry Association of America listed it as the second most played song in the 20th century with over 7 million radio plays. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" by The Righteous Brothers was first with over 8 million.
"White Room" by Cream was released in 1968.
"Magic Carpet Ride" was released by Steppenwolf in 1968.
The Who performed on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1969.
In 1974, Olivia Newton-John had her first chart topping album with "If You Love Me, Let Me Know", which contained her third US number one single, "I Honestly Love You".
Also in 1974, the Guess Who's "Clap For The Wolfman" peaked at #6 on Billboard's Hot 100. The track featured the voice of legendary disc jockey, Wolfman Jack.
In 1974, the Beach Boys went to #1 on the US album chart for the second time with "Endless Summer". The LP, which contained altered versions of "Be True to Your School", "Help Me Rhonda" and "Fun, Fun, Fun", would spend 155 weeks on the Billboard Hot 200, selling over 3 million copies.
"Cat's in the Cradle" was released by Harry Chapin in 1975.
In 1982, twenty years after its first release, EMI Records re-issues The Beatles' "Love Me Do" in the UK. It will rise to #4 by the end of the month.
In 1991, Guns N' Roses started a two week run at #1 on the US album chart with Use Your Illusion II.
In 1992, Temptations singer Eddie Kendricks died of cancer, a year after having one lung removed. He was 52.
In 1993, the Beatles' "1962-1966" (The Red Album) and "1967-1970" (The Blue Album) were finally released on CD.
In 1996, “Breakfast At Tiffany's” by American group Deep Blue Something was at #1 on the UK singles chart. The song is a reference to the classic 1960 Audrey Hepburn film of the same name.
In 1999, Paul McCartney released his first album since the death of his wife Linda in April 1998. Entitled "Run Devil Run", the CD is a collection of Rock oldies along with new McCartney songs.
Also in 1999, Roger Daltrey announced that the Who were reforming, making their first performance in Las Vegas. The show was also being planned to be broadcast live on the internet.
In 2001, Michael Jackson gave a 30-year career anniversary concert. A second show was held on October 8th and was planned to be aired on CBS later in the year.
In 2007, the recording industry won a key fight against illegal music downloading when a federal jury found a Minnesota woman guilty of sharing copyrighted music online and levied $220,000 in damages against her. In the first such lawsuit to go to trial, the record companies accused the woman of downloading the songs without permission and offering them online through a Kazaa file-sharing account. The Recording Industry Association of America has filed over 26,000 similar lawsuits since 2003.
In 2010, the three surviving members of John Lennon's first band the Quarrymen were booked to play a special charity concert for Amnesty International, just yards from the late Beatle's former home at the Dakota Apartments in New York, to mark his 70th birthday.
celebrating birthdays today (among others): Carlo Mastrangelo (Belmonts) (73), Brian Johnson (AC/DC) (64), Bob Geldof (60), James Valentine (Maroon 5) (33) and 70's rock icon Steve Miller (68)
Vinylmania explains why audiophiles choose vinyl records over digital music
PASADENA, Calif., Oct 03, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- When Italian disc jockey Paolo Campana travels, it's no surprise he listens to a lot of music. But how he does it turns the heads of other travelers he encounters. Unlike most of them, he doesn't plug into an iPod with 40,000 songs ready for instant playback. Instead he fishes out a 12-inch vinyl record from a large case, drops it onto a battery-operated turntable, lifts the arm over the record and sets the needle down on a track.
This is all too much trouble for most music fans used to the ease of digital media players. But for Paolo the difference between the sound of vinyl and that of mp3s is like the difference between eating a meal at a five-star restaurant versus fast food. "The sound is so much warmer and more satisfying," he states with conviction. "It's the 'slow food' of the music experience."
Paolo is not alone. The Vinyl market has been one of the few bright spots in the music industry in recent years. From 2006 to 2010, vinyl record sales rose over 300% and are still rising. Surprisingly it is young people who have grown up with digital entertainment who are leading this trend.
Writer Owen McCafferty is at work on a book explaining why. "Our generation has grown up in an entirely digital atmosphere. Music for most young people was always so detached and intangible. Vinyl satisfies that void of being so disconnected physically." Owen describes this as the "digital devolution."
Paolo's own obsession with vinyl records prompted his 75-minute film, Vinylmania: When Life Runs at 33 RPMs. Set in 11 different cities worldwide and filled with fascinating characters, the film documents a global road trip exploring the role of vinyl records in the 21st century. The film airs on European TV later this year, but Paolo has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to distribute the film to a broader audience on DVD.
"Devotion, ecstasy, infatuation, agony--all the feelings I experienced from childhood, come out through the characters in this film," says Paolo. The film features some key "vinylmaniacs." Among the more well known are Klaus Flouride, bassist for the Dead Kennedys, and Winston Smith, artist for some of the Green Day and Dead Kennedys albums.
SOURCE: Vision Media Publishing
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EDGE OF SANITY's First Demo Released As 12-Inch Picture-Disc Vinyl
"KUR-NU-GI-A", the first demo by legendary Swedish death metal band EDGE OF SANITY fronted by Dan Swanö has now been made available as a 12-inch picture-disc vinyl via Black Mark.
"This demo showcases the original sound of EDGE OF SANITY. During this period we still listened to a lot of progressive and challenging metal of all kinds and I still believe the songs have their true version on this demo.
"I transferred the original 4-track cassette masters using state-of-the-art digital technology, and remixed them and finally gave them the sound I dreamt of giving them 21 years ago. The dream of finally having this classic recording released on 12" picture disc has come true."
Mastodon are set to release Hunter on vinyl as both a single LP and deluxe double LP. The deluxe double LP will be 45 rpm, 180 gram and on black wax. The single LP is retailed at $24.99 but can be purchased at Shop Radio Cast for only $19.99 when you pre order.
The double LP is retailed at $44.99 and is available for pre order for only $34.99 at Shop Radio Cast.
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A CANOROUS QUINTET Discography To Be Released On Vinyl
The complete discography from the melodic Swedish death metal act A CANOROUS QUINTET will be released for the time time on vinyl via The Crypt.
Strictly limited to a one-time-only pressing of 500 hand-numbered copies, they come housed in a 350-gram, semi-gloss printed, gatefold jacket featuring the original 'As Tears' cover artwork, lyrics, new extensive liner notes by Linus Nirbrant and Mårten Hansen, and exclusive band photos. In addition the layout uses original elements just like the original MCD release, for complete attention to detail — even down to the typeface. In addition to the classic 1995 MCD, this LP features the 1993 'The Time Of Autumn Demo' taken from the original DAT recording. Included in all 500 copies is a luxurious 24" x 36" (60.96 cm x 91.44 cm) poster of the "As Tears" cover artwork. Additionally, 300 copies will be made available on 180-gram magenta vinyl.
BLACK WIDOW's Long-Awaited New Album Due This Halloween
BLACK WIDOW — the groundbreaking occult progressive hard rock group which was allegedly "banned" by the BBC and besieged by religious nutters when it originally emerged in 1970 — returns to the Sabbat in 2011 with a brand new studio album, "Sleeping With Demons", released on October 31, distributed by Cargo Records.
Over the better part of a decade, the people behind the Super Bowl have booked veteran artists who were flush with hits that could get the crowd up and rocking. The Rolling Stones, U2, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Paul McCartney, Prince, Bruce Springsteen and the Who rocked for 12 minutes with, in general, medleys or shortened versions of their biggest songs. Then, last year, they decided to update things a bit with the Black Eyed Peas to generally scathing reviews.
In 1961, Bob Dylan made his concert hall debut at New York's Carnegie Hall, earning $20 for the night. Of the 53 people that attended, most were friends.
In 1963, Billboard magazine reported that hot-rodding songs are the latest teen fad, replacing surfing songs. Among the top tunes is The Beach Boys' "Little Deuce Coupe", which sits at #15 on the Billboard chart. Capitol Records starts supplying DJs and record retailers with a book of hot-rod terms.
Also in 1963, the Beatles make their first appearance on the UK rock and roll TV show Ready Steady Go!, where they are interviewed by fellow performer, Dusty Springfield.
In 1965, Johnny Cash was arrested for bringing 1,163 pills across the border from Mexico.
In 1966, Bobby Hebb received a Gold record for his US #2 hit, "Sunny". It reached #12 on the UK chart. Hebb wrote the song after November 22, 1963, the day US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and Hebb's older brother Harold was killed in a knife fight outside a Nashville nightclub. Hebb would later say "All my intentions were just to think of happier times, basically looking for a brighter day."
In 1968, one of the original super groups, Cream, a trio consisting of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, set out on their farewell tour. Their hit single "White Room" was still climbing the charts, following the success of "Sunshine Of Your Love" earlier in the year.
In 1969, Creedence Clearwater Revival started a four week run at the top of the US album chart with 'Green River,' the group's first number one LP.
In 1969, the song "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" was released by Crosby, Stills & Nash.
45 rpm SingleFacts:
Stephen Stills wrote this about his then-girlfriend, folk singer Judy Collins. In their 1991 boxed set, Stills said: "It started out as a long narrative poem about my relationship with Judy Collins. It poured out of me over many months and filled several notebooks. I had a hell of a time getting the music to fit. I was left with all these pieces of song and I said, 'Let's sing them together and call it a suite,' because they were all about the same thing and they led up to the same point."
This runs 7:22. The single is three minutes shorter then the album version.
This opened Crosby, Stills and Nash's set at Woodstock in 1969. The event ran long, so they didn't go on stage until 3am the third night (The Who set a precedent by going on at 3am the night before). They played 16 songs in their set, the first 9 acoustic and the last 7 electric. Those who left to get to work Monday morning not only missed Crosby, Stills and Nash, but didn't see Jimi Hendrix close out the festival.
Nash Stephen Stills spoke to Rolling Stone magazine about this song: "It was the beginnings of three different songs that suddenly fell together as one. Actually on the demo the middle part is not exactly how they would play. Half of it is it just falls off in its own - but we actually split it in half, and they got started singing and boom, there it went. Once it all was there then we just kept adding parts. When I wrote it I used cardboard shirt-blocking, you know those things from the cleaner's - 'cause they were harder to lose than pieces of paper and they didn't crumple up. I could line them up on music stands and they'd stand up."
Nash revealed to Rolling Stone that of the CS&N trio, Stills was the only to play on this song. All three contributed vocals.
In 1969, the Beatles’ 'Abbey Road' album went to #1 on the U.K. chart. The final studio recordings from the group featured two George Harrison songs “Something” and “Here Comes the Sun” plus “Come Together,” “Sun King” and “Golden Slumbers.” The cover supposedly contained clues adding to the “Paul Is Dead” phenomenon: Paul is barefoot and the car number plate, LMW 281F, supposedly referred to the fact that McCartney would be 28 years old if he was still alive. LMW was said to stand for “Linda McCartney Weeps.” And the four Beatles, represent; the priest (John, dressed in white), the Undertaker (Ringo in a black suit), the Corpse (Paul, in a suit but barefoot), and the Gravedigger (George, in jeans and a denim work shirt).
In 1970, just days after recording what would be her biggest hit, 27 year old Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose at Hollywood's Landmark Hotel . "Me and Bobby McGee" would reach number one in early 1971, her highest chart success since "Piece Of My Heart" with Big Brother and The Holding Company in 1968.
In 1974, 'Walls And Bridges' was released by John Lennon. Recorded during his estrangement from Yoko Ono, it turned out to be the last record that Lennon recorded without input from her.
In 1975, Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' LP hits #1 in the US and the UK. The album features a tribute to former band member Syd Barrett, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond".
In 1976, Elvis Presley attracted a crowd at a gas station in Memphis, Tennessee when he stopped to fill up his Harley. After chatting with fans for a few minutes, the King calmly drove away.
In 1978, Tammy Wynette, the popular country music singer who cracked the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 with "Stand By Your Man," was abducted, beaten and held in her car for two hours by a kidnapper wearing a ski mask. He held a gun on her and forced her to drive 90 miles from Nashville, Tennessee. She was later released and the kidnapper escaped.
In 1980, winners in the Melody Maker’s readers poll included, Kate Bush who won Best female singer, Peter Gabriel won Best male singer, Best guitarist went to Ritchie Blackmore, Phil Collins won Best drummer, Genesis won Band of the year, Best single went to Pink Floyd for Another Brick in the Wall, and Saxon won brightest hope.
In 1980, Carly Simon collapsed on stage in Pittsburgh from a case of nervous exhaustion. The remainder of the tour was cancelled.
Also in In 1980, Queen had their second US number 1 song when "Another One Bites the Dust" hit the top of the Billboard chart.
The group Squeeze broke up in 1982.
In 1990, two separate lawsuits are combined on appeal against CBS Records and Ozzy Osbourne by the parents of 17 year old Harold Hamilton and 16 year old Michael Waller, both of whom are alleged to have committed suicide after listening to Osbourne's "Suicide Solution". The Supreme Court would refuse to reinstate the case. A California court had already dismissed a separate suit in 1988, ruling that suicide was not a foreseeable result of Osbourne's song.
In 1991, J. Frank Wilson, who recorded the teenage death song "Last Kiss", died of a heart attack, a few months shy of his 50th birthday.
Dream Theater released the album 'Awake' in 1994.
Also in 1994, Danny Gatton, who was ranked 63rd on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of all Time in 2003, locked himself in his garage in Newburg, Maryland and shot himself with no explanation. He was 49.
In 1996, Van Halen announced that Gary Cherone (Extreme) would be the group's new lead singer.
Also in 1996, Roger Miller was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In 1997, Boyz II Men went to #1 on the US singles chart with “4 Seasons Of Loneliness,” the group's fifth US #1 hit.
In 2005, Michael Gibbins, drummer for Badfinger on their hits "Come And Get It", "Day After Day" and "No Matter What", died in his sleep at the age of 56.
In 2007, the Rolling Stones set a new record for the top grossing tour of all time with their 'A Bigger Bang' tour. The tour which ran from late 2005 to August 2007, earned the band $437 million with the Stones playing to over 3.5 million people at 113 shows. The previous high was set by U2's Vertigo tour, which took place in 2005 and 2006, $389 million).
birthdays today (among others) include: Arlene Smith (Chantels) (70), Jim Fielder (Blood, Sweat & Tears) (64), Gregg Hubbard (Sawyer Brown) (51), Patti LaBelle (67) and Barbara Kooyman (Timbuk3) (53)
Thanks to all who sent me an email (we had six winners!) and a special thank you for Seth at SoundStageDirect.com for helping out.
Wow, 300,000 visitors....never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that many people would be interested in the posts. A humble thank you to all :O)
I hope to have more contests in the future, so continue stopping by the CVR Blog for your daily vinyl fix!
Abzu - Abzu
Adam & the Amethysts - Flickering Flashlight
Aids Wolf - Ma Vie Banale Avant-Garde
Annie Crane - Jump With a Child's Heart
Aphex Twins - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aqua - Megalomania
Audrey Wheeler - Let It Be Me
Ben Howard - Every Kingdom
Beni - House of Beni
Big Tree - This New Year
Blessthefall - Awakening
Blind Pilot - We Are the Tide (vinyl)
Bobby Darin - Christmas With Bobby Darin
Body Language - Social Studies (EP)
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Wolfroy Goes to Town
Boots Electric - Honkey Kong (vinyl)
Brett Anderson - Black Rainbows
Cerrone - Love in C Minor
Charalambides - Exile
Chicago - Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas Three
Colin Stetson - Those Who Didn't Run (10")(vinyl)
Comet Gain - Howl Of The Lonely Crowd
Connie Smith - Hurtin's All Over: RCA Country Hits 1964 - 1972
Craig Wedren - Wand
Critters - Awake in a Dream: Project 3 Recordings
DJ Shadow - The Less You Know, The Better
Danava - Hemisphere of Shadows
Dave Davies - The Album That Time Forgot
David Crowder Band - Oh For You
Dean Martin - Winter Dreams
Death Songs - Death Songs (EP)
Dessa - Castor, The Twin
Deus - Keep You Close
Dinosaur Jr - Bug (reissue)(vinyl)
Dinosaur Jr - Dinosaur Jr (reissue)(vinyl)
Dinosaur Jr - You're Living All Over Me (reissue)(vinyl)
Doobie Brothers - Livin' on the Fault Line/Minute By Minute (2 CDs)
Doobie Brothers - Stampede/Takin' It to the Streets (2 CDs)
Dottie West - Country Sunshine: RCA Hit Singles 1963 - 1974
Dreamers Of The Ghetto - Enemy/Lover
Eliot Lipp - How We Do: Moves Made
Elvis Presley - Original Album Classics (3 CDs)
Emika - Emika
Erasure - Tomorrow's World
Erasure - When I Start to
Exitmusic - From Silence (EP)
Feist - Metals
Foreigner - Acoustique (2 CDs)
Frank Sinatra - A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra
Freestyle Fellowship - The Promise
Gavin Friday - Catholic
Gloria Estefan - Miss Little Havana
Guineafowl - Hello Anxiety (EP)
Hot Tuna - Yellow Fever
Indigo Girls - Beauty Queen Sister
Jack's Mannequin - People & Things
James Blake - Enough Thunder (EP)
Jean-Claude Vannier - Electro Rapide
Jean-Claude Vannier - Roses Rouge Sang
Jesse Payne - Buffalo
Jesus & Mary Chain - Automatic (remastered with bonus tracks) (2-CDs & DVD)
Jesus & Mary Chain - Honey's Dead (remastered with bonus tracks) (2-CDs & DVD)
Jon McKeil - Tonka War Cloud
Julian Lennon - Everything Changes
K.T. Oslin - 80s Ladies / This Woman
Katherine Jenkins - One Fine Day
LIGHTS - Siberia
La Dispute - Wildlife
Lady Antelbellum - Own The Night
Leonard Cohen - Death of a Ladies Man (vinyl)
Leonard Cohen: Various Positions (reissue)(vinyl)
Lights - Siberia
Loney Dear - Hall Music
Lydia - Paint It Gold
Lynn Anderson - Rose Garden: Country Hits 1970 - 1979
MGMT - Late Night Tales
Man or Astro-man? - Your Weight on the Moon (remastered with bonus tracks)
Masters of the Hemisphere - Maybe These Are the Breaks
Mayday Parade - Mayday Parade
Merle Haggard - Working in Tennessee
Mickey Gilley - Overnight Sensation: Country Hits 1974 - 1984
Miles Davis - Dark Magus (reissue)(vinyl)
Miles Davis - Live-Evil (reissue)(vinyl)
Miles Davis - Perfect Miles Davis Collection (22-CD box set)
Minus the Bear - Highly Refined Pirates (reissue)(vinyl)
Minus the Bear - This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic (reissue)(vinyl)
Misfits - The Devil’s Rain
Modeselektor - Monkeytown
Mute Math - Odd Soul
New Found Glory - Radiosurgery
Nirvana - Nevermind (4-LP box set)(vinyl)
Oberhofer - Gotta Go/Mahwun
Papa - A Good Woman Is Hard To Find
Paul McCartney - Ocean's Kingdom (2 LPs)(vinyl)
Phonte - Charity Starts At Home
Prince Rama - Trust Now
Puddle Of Mudd - Re:discovered
Queen - Queen 40 Limited Edition Collector's Box Set
Radical Face - The Family Tree: The Roots
Relient K - K is for Karaoke
Rodney Atkins - Take A Back Road
Rodney Crowell - Let the Picture Paint Itself / Jewel of the South
Ronan Keating and Burt Bacharach - When Ronan Met Burt
Roots Manuva - 4everevolution
S.C.U.M. - Again Into Eyes
Saint Bernadette - The Nevers
Sarah Jaffe - The Way Sound Leaves A Room
Scotty McCreery - Clear As Day
Siskiyou - Keep Away The Dead
Smithereens - Behind the Wall of Sleep (vinyl)
Sonny James - Come On In: Columbia & Monument Country 1972-1979
Steve Hackett - Beyond the Shrouded Horizon (2 CDs)
Sting - You Still Touch Me + 3 More (single)
Stonewall Jackson - Life of a Poor Boy: RCA Country Hits 1958 - 1972 (2 CDs)
Styles P - Master Of Ceremonies
Styx - Regeneration (2 CDs)
Sóley Stefánsdóttir - We Sink
TV Girl - Girls Like Me (7") (vinyl)
Talkdemonic - Ruins
The Answer - Revival
The Asteroid Shop - The Asteroid Shop
The Cool Kids - When Fish Ride Bicycles
The Drift - Blue Hour
The Hive Dwellers - Lynch the Swan b/w Selector Dub Narcotic - Dub The Swan (7")
The Pine Hill Haints - Welcome to the Midnight Opry
The Smiths - The Smiths Complete - Deluxe Collectors Box Set
The Union - Siren's Song
Tim Buckley - Tim Buckley (remastered with extra tracks)
Tokyo Police Club - Ten Days Ten Covers Ten Years
Tom Vek - Leisure Seizure
Transit - Listen & Forgive
Transit - Listen & Forgive
True Widow - I.N.O. EP
Various Artists - Batman: Arkham City
Various Artists - Dim Mak Records: New Noise Volume 1
Various Artists - James Burton: The Early Years 1957-1969
Various Artists - Northern Soul Collector!
Various Artists - The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams
Various Artists - Cramped!: A Tribute to the Cramps
Various Artists - Hawaii Five-O: Original Songs From The Television Series
Various Artists - Real Steel - Music From The Motion Picture
Wayne Static - Pighammer
We Are The In Crowd - Best Intentions
We Were Promised Jetpacks - In The Pit Of The Stomach
Weather Report - Live in Cologne 1983 (2 CDs)
Whitedog - Triturate
You Me At Six - Sinners Never Sleep
Zola Jesus - Conatus
Zun Zun Egui - Katang
Contest is still open!! ~ I have one more certificate left
To help celebrate the 300,000th visitor, the CVR Blog is running a contest. Seth over at www.soundstagedirect.com has given me 6 $10 gift certificates toward a purchase of vinyl at his website, but I only have one left.
To win the last $10 gift certificate, be the first one to email me at rbenson30@wi.rr.com with Sound Stage Direct in the subject line and you win!
Again, thanks so much got stopping by the CVR Blog!!
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Epic Records Set To Release IMMORTAL The New Album From Michael Jackson On November 21
A MUSIC TAPESTRY FOR THE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW MICHAEL JACKSON THE IMMORTAL WORLD TOUR KICKING OFF LAST NIGHT
EXPERIENCE IMMORTAL AT MICHAELJACKSON.COM
NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 21, Epic Records in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson, will release IMMORTAL – the highly anticipated musical tapestry for Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour. IMMORTAL will be released as both a deluxe double disc version and single disc.
Led by esteemed musical designer, Kevin Antunes (Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Madonna) IMMORTAL takes a fresh, creative approach in redesigning and reimagining more than 40 of Michael Jackson's greatest original recordings into a compilation that allows listeners to experience his music in an entirely new way. After spending a year in the studio working with Michael's original multi-track master recordings, Kevin created IMMORTAL which offers listeners a new soundscape to Michael's artistry while preserving the power and familiarity of his unparalleled voice and his legendary tracks.
Kevin Antunes comments, "Michael's legacy as the greatest entertainer of our lifetime is inspiring beyond words. It was clear from the start that Michael's voice and overall musical essence was the sole/soul source of creative energy driving the project. From the studio to the stage, there's an undeniable integrity and resolute truth in Michael's vocal performances that are highlighted in the Immortal arrangements. It was built with love and respect for Michael's music, his family, and his millions of fans around the world."
IMMORTAL is sure to touch the hearts of passionate Michael fans as the album unfolds his musical legacy with redesigned versions of his hits, electrifying mashups and newly discovered outtakes fans have never heard before including an alternate take on the Jackson 5's "ABC" and a choir that Michael recorded for "They Don't Really Care About Us."
To pre-order IMMORTAL, and view footage from Michael Jackson The IMMORTAL World Tour please visit www.MichaelJackson.com
The North American leg of Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour kicked off last night in Montreal, and will include an extended stay in Las Vegas in December. The epic show, which was written and directed by Jamie King - the leading concert director in pop music today – is a riveting fusion of Michael Jackson music, choreography and Cirque du Soleil creativity that offers fans worldwide a unique view into the spirit, passion and heart of the artistic genius who forever transformed global pop culture.
IMMORTAL DELUXE ALBUM TRACKLISTING:
1. Working Day and Night (Immortal Version) 2. The Immortal Intro (Immortal Version) 3. Childhood (Immortal Version) 4. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Immortal Version) 5. Shake Your Body Down To The Ground (Immortal Version) 6. Dancing Machine/Blame It On The Boogie (Immortal Version) 7. Ben (Immortal Version) 8. This Place Hotel/Smooth Criminal/Dangerous (Immortal Version) 9. The Mime Segment: I Like The Way/Speed Demon/Another Part Of Me (Immortal Version) 10. J5 Medley: I Want You Back/ABC/The Love You Save (Immortal Version) 11. Human Nature/Speechless (Immortal Version) 12 .Is It Scary/Thriller/Ghost/Somebody's Watching Me/Threatened (Immortal Version) 13. You Are Not Alone/I Just Can't Stop Loving You (Immortal Version) 14. Beat It/Jam/State Of Shock (Immortal Version) 15. Earth Song/Planet Earth (Immortal Version) 16. Scream/Little Susie (Immortal Version) 17.Gone Too Soon (Immortal Version) 18.They Don't Care About Us (Immortal Version) 19. I'll Be There (Immortal Version) 20.I mmortal Megamix: Can You Feel It/Don't Stop Til You Get Enough/Billie Jean/Black Or White (Immortal Version) 21. Man In The Mirror (Immortal Version) 22. Remember The Time/Bad (Immortal Version)
IMMORTAL SINGLE ALBUM TRACKLISTING:
1. Working Day and Night (Immortal Version) 2. The Immortal Intro (Immortal Version) 3. Childhood (Immortal Version) 4. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Immortal Version) 5. Dancing Machine/Blame It On The Boogie (Immortal Version) 6. This Place Hotel/Smooth Criminal/Dangerous (Immortal Version) 7. J5 Medley: I Want You Back/ABC/The Love You Save (Immortal Version) 8. Human Nature/Speechless (Immortal Version) 9. Is It Scary/Thriller/Ghost/Somebody's Watching Me/Threatened (Immortal Version) 10. You Are Not Alone/I Just Can't Stop Loving You (Immortal Version) 11. Beat It/Jam/State Of Shock (Immortal Version) 12. Earth Song/Planet Earth (Immortal Version) 13. They Don't Care About Us (Immortal Version) 14. Immortal Megamix: Can You Feel It/Don't Stop Til You Get Enough/Billie Jean/Black Or White (Immortal Version) 15. Man In The Mirror (Immortal Version)
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,400 artists from more than 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in more than 300 cities on six continents. In 2011, Cirque du Soleil will present simultaneously 22 different shows around the world. For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
SOURCE Epic Records
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very intriguing, a rare peek into record collecting in china!
Once illegal, record collection emerges in China
Vinyl record collecting has started to make an appearance in China, with both music enthusiasts and investors digging up rare cuts and popular favorites. A well-preserved record from the 1950s can fetch prices of up to 1 million yuan (US$156,600) at auction.
While out-of-print records of Cantopop legend Leslie Cheung are worth several thousands of yuan, it is reported that Taiwanese sensations Teresa Teng and Tsai Chin are the most widely appreciated.
Since 2007, many musicians in western countries have been re-releasing their records on vinyl, and sales have soared as collecting becomes more popular. Yet in China, LPs are still out of production.
Zheng Anping, executive vice president of Shanghai Symphony Enthusiasts Association, said that although there are many collectors in countries outside of China, they are still confined to a small minority, especially as there is an enormous amount of old records that are hard to track down.
Shou Xiaojun, a record collector with China's Collection Association, pointed out that because the record collection market has not been given enough attention, the prices of vintage records are lower than the market value.
This is especially true of the rare LPs that were acquired before the Cultural Revolution, which were only preserved by people willing to defend their music collections with their lives. According to insiders, 78-rpm records were only circulated in several thousands of households. Following the Cultural Revolution, most of these LPs had been destroyed, and are now regarded as the most valuable collectable items as each of them is pricing over 10,000 yuan (US$1,600).
Experts said that though the gains from LP collection may not be particularly high, investors need only pick out records based on how well-maintained they are, and the record will likely appreciate in value.
DEFTONES To Release 'The Vinyl Collection 1995-2011'
Reprise Records will be releasing a limited edition vinyl box set from the DEFTONES. 'Deftones: The Vinyl Collection, 1995 - 2011' will be available on October 25th exclusively via Deftones.com and BecauseSoundMatters.com. The collection is a seven-album (8 LP) retrospective containing the band's six studio albums -1995's 'Adrenaline,' 1997's 'Around The Fur,' 2000's 'White Pony,' 2003's 'Deftones,' 2006's ,'Saturday Night Wrist,' and 2010's 'Diamond Eyes,' as well as the limited-edition 2011 Record Store Day release 'Covers,' Each album will be exclusively re-cut for vinyl from the original master recordings and pressed on 180-gram European virgin vinyl. The collection, which includes a unique lithograph and cover art, comes packaged in a hand numbered collector's box pressing of 1,000 copies worldwide.
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great to see!
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Pay Tribute To Bandmate At Premiere Of George Harrison Film
The remaining members of The Beatles reunited for the London premiere of new the film 'George Harrison: Living In A Material World' last night (October 2). Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were joined by Harrison's widow Olivia and son Dhani, along with friends, family and high-profile admirers including the director Martin Scorsese, plus Yoko Ono, Sir George Martin, Noel Gallagher, Sir Ben Kingsley, Billy Connolly, Terry Gilliam, Ronnie Wood and Harrison’s first wife Pattie Boyd.
McCartney told BBC News that his bandmate, who died of lung cancer in 2001 aged 58, was "a great man."
"Every time I see something to do with George it brings back more memories than you would believe. He was my little mate on the school bus. A lot of fond memories. He's sorely missed by us all," McCartney stated.
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fantastic article out of the state of new york, well worth the read:
An indie record label discovers a great new century-old platform for its artists
By Michaelangelo Matos
To find talent for a record label, one used to have to attend a lot of shows and listen to a lot of demo cassettes.
Five years ago, another variable came into the equation: MySpace.
British singers Lily Allen and Kate Nash, before they were famous, uploaded new songs onto the social-media network and were each dubbed, for a mercifully brief period, “the queen of MySpace.”
DFA Records released New Orleans musician Walter Jones’s haunting 12-inch “I’ll Keep on Loving You,” (backed with “Living Without Your Love”) in 2009 after label employee Justin Miller became enraptured by the former song on Jones’ MySpace page.
But then labels started headhunting bands online before the latter had even become a band, or the former yet become a label. That’s what happened a few years ago when Mike Sniper—the 34-year-old Brooklyn musician and minimogul who records as Blank Dogs and runs Captured Tracks, New York’s premiere lo-fi indie label—first encountered the music of San Francisco’s The Soft Moon, initially the one-man recording project of musician-songwriter Luis Vasquez.
“I had posted just a few tracks up on the page,” said the 32-year-old Vasquez, who was born in L.A. and raised in the Mojave Desert before heading north for school and punk rock.
“It was just a temporary thing for me," he said. “I just wanted to write a few songs, battle a few demons, or whatever. Literally moments before I was going to take the page down, Mike [left] a message on MySpace about releasing a 7-inch.”
MANKATO — She’s a little more frail, a little grayer. But Maureen Toonkel, sifting through the stack of record albums in the basement of the VFW Sunday morning, probably looked a lot like she did when she was a teenager in New York.
Back then she hit the neighborhood record stores or Lloyd’s just outside of the New York City and thumbed through the stacks for the latest Beatles 45s. She got ’em for 69 cents back then.
Today, she’s still got almost every record she bought — roughly 900 — from back in the day.
“It’s kind of nostalgic,” she said, looking around the room full of vinyl, thinking about 40 years ago.
MASTERWORKS JAZZ CONCLUDES THE CELEBRATION OF THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF CTI RECORDS WITH THE RELEASE OF FOUR MORE CLASSIC REISSUES FROM ESTHER PHILLIPS, HANK CRAWFORD,JOHNNY HAMMOND AND LONNIE SMITH
All Available for the First Time on CD ON OCTOBER 4TH
Also available, critically acclaimed CTI Records: The Cool Revolution deluxe 4-CD box set and California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium 2-CD set featuring previously unreleased tracks, and 24 reissues of classic CTI albums
Masterworks Jazz concludes its celebration of the 40th Anniversary of CTI Records with reissues of four more classic CTI / Kudu albums available on October 4, 2011. Available for the first time on CD are Esther Phillips' Performance, Hank Crawford's Don't You Worry ‘Bout a Thing, Johnny Hammond's Wild Horses Rock Steady and Lonnie Smith's Mama Wailer. All four releases have been remastered for the first time using the original two-track analog tapes. Each 40th Anniversary Edition is packaged in a soft-pack sleeve that replicates the iconic cover design.
While often compared to Nina Simone, Esther Phillips' idiosyncratic vocal style and her ability to sing in a wide range of styles from blues and jazz to straight-up pop and disco, established her as a unique talent. The lush orchestrations heard on Performance feature a backup band consisting of a veritable who's who of ‘70s jazz artists including Bob James, John Faddis, Hubert Laws, Bernard Purdie and Steve Gadd. Edgier than some of her other CTI/Kudu releases, Performance shows Phillips at her most soulful and at the peak of her vocal powers. Available for the first time on CD, Performance includes "Mr. Bojangles" as a bonus track.
"With an unmistakable blues wail, full of emotion and poignancy, altoist Hank Crawford bridges the gap between that tradition and that of jazz more completely than any other living horn player," writes Thom Jurek in All Music Guide (Crawford passed away in 2009). Taking its title from Stevie Wonder's timeless hit, Don't You Worry ‘Bout A Thing features artists emerging from their years as straight-ahead jazz practitioners. Hank Crawford and crew create their own special mix of funk and soul and apply it to popular hits as well as original compositions with a jazz fusion bent. Don't You Worry ‘Bout A Thing is available on CD for the first time.
The title of organist Johnny Hammond's second CTI/Kudu outing is a dead giveaway. Combining the names of The Rolling Stones' classic "Wild Horses" and Aretha Franklin's "Rock Steady" gives a good glimpse into the eclectic nature of this release even before the first notes of the recording are heard. Hammond and an incomparable band of sidemen (including Grover Washingtion, Jr., Ron Carter and Billy Cobham among many others) take on standards from the pop world as well as pop-based Broadway show tunes "Who is Sylvia" from Galt MacDermot's Two Gentleman of Verona and "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar, all with a jazz/soul/funk groove that is as unique as it is unmistakable. Wild Horses Rock Steady is available for the first time ever on CD.
"The doctor of groove," as Lonnie Smith refers to himself, is most definitely in session on Mama Wailer, Smith's only CTI release that is available for the first time on CD. While known as a master of the Hammond B-3 organ, the title track features Smith on clavinet. A distinct departure from the fat sound of the B-3, Smith manages to make this electronic keyboard lay down a strong feeling of urban funk. Half of the album is made up of original compositions - the title track and "Hola Muneca" - the other half covers tracks popular from the time of the recording sessions - Carole King's "You've Got a Friend" and Sly and The Family Stone's "Stand." Several of the usual suspects from the CTI stable of sidemen - Grover Washington, Jr., Billy Cobham and Airto Moreira - make an appearance on some or all of the tracks.
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 2010. 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 Fall 2010 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 24 classic CTI albums: She Was Too Good To Me by Chet Baker, God Bless the Child by Kenny Burrell, Red Clay by Freddie Hubbard, Stone Flower by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Morning Star by Hubert Laws (first time on CD), Stanley Turrentine's Sugar, 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, Milt Jackson's Sunflower, George Benson's Beyond the Blue Horizon, Freddie Hubbard's First Light, Giant Box by Don Sebesky, Stanley Turrentine's Salt Song, George Benson's Body Talk, Hubert Laws' In the Beginning, Freddie Hubbard's Straight Life, and Stanley Turrentine's Don't Mess with Mister T. Airto's Fingers, Jackie Cain & Roy Kral's A Wilder Alias, Joe Farrell's Outback and Randy Weston's Blue Moses are all available for the first time on CD.
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.
Funerus have recently announced that the new 11 track album 'Reduced to Sludge' is set for release on November 22nd via Ibex Moon Records. 'Reduced to Sludge' will be the second full-length release from the Pennsylvania/New York based death metal band that features Incantation guitarist John McEntee, bassist/vocalist Jill McEntee and drummer Sam Inzerra (Mortician, Morpheus Descends).
The album was engineered by Sam Inzerra, Jim Roe and John McEntee. Drums and guitars were recorded at Neanderthal Studios in Plainfield, New Jersey and the bass and vocals were recorded at Aries Studio in Johnstown, PA. "Reduced To Sludge" was mixed and mastered by Dan Swano (Bloodbath, Dark Funeral, Dissection, Hail Of Bullets, Opeth), and the cover artwork was done by Dusty Peterson (Six Feet Under, Cattle Decapitation, Bloodbath). Funerus has also now made the track "Sound Of Oil" available for streaming through band's Facebook profile here.
Jill McEntee comments on the album, "I feel we were able to capture the natural Funerus essence on this album. It continues in the same vein of the first album Festering Earth, in heaviness and songwriting. I think it will be well received."
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another cool cover!
Mystic Prophecy Reveals New Album Cover Artwork
Mystic Prophecy is scheduled to release their new album 'Ravenlord' on November 25th via Massacre Records. The band has now revealed the cover artwork for the album, which you can see
Tracklist: 1. Ravenlord 2. Die Now 3. Eyes Of The Devil 4. Cross Of Lies 5. Hollow 6. Wings Of Destiny 7. Endless Fire 8. Damned Tonight 9. Reckoning Day 10. Miracle Man (Ozzy cover) 11. Back With The Storm
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John Fogerty to Play Creedence Albums in Their Entirety
John Fogerty is the latest artist to join the trend of playing full versions of classic albums in concert but, with him, it's a special treat. For years, Fogerty was banned from playing his Creedence Clearwater Revival material due to a lawsuit with Fantasy Records owner Sal Zantz. Once that was settled, he began to mix CCR music into his sets and has just announced that he will play two of the group's albums in their entirety at November concerts.
The Black Eyed Peas and Sting Raise More Than $7 Million for Robin Hood Over the Weekend to Help New Yorkers in Need
Every cent will go toward anti-poverty projects
NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- New Yorkers joined together over the weekend to help millions of their less fortunate neighbors. Robin Hood – New York's largest private poverty-fighter -- announced today that combined VIP tickets sales and donations made via texts from Friday night's Black Eyed Peas concert in Central Park, donations on robinhood.org as well as ticket proceeds from Sting's 25th anniversary/60th birthday concert at the Beacon Theatre on Saturday night, raised more than $7 million to fight poverty in New York City. These funds will be earmarked to support food pantries, homeless shelters, health clinics and will provide jobs training for New Yorkers in need throughout the five boroughs.
"This was an amazing weekend of music, and it's incredibly gratifying to see New Yorkers come together during difficult times to help their neighbors in need," said David Saltzman, executive director of Robin Hood. "The Black Eyed Peas and Sting have a long history of giving back to their communities and we're truly honored that they've chosen to help the 1.8 million New Yorkers living in poverty through Robin Hood; we hope to do them proud."
Because Robin Hood's board of directors covers all administrative and fundraising costs, 100% of every dollar raised goes to helping individuals and families in need.
On September 30, The Black Eyed Peas performed the largest charity concert ever held on the Great Lawn, with 60,000 in Central Park and thousands more watching live via web stream. Concert-goers participated in a variety of digital media efforts throughout -- including "text-to-donate", instagram, group-me and Twitter – to enter contests and enhance the sense of community and their enjoyment of the show. The "Concert 4 NYC" was presented by Chase, and was supported by Clear Channel's Elvis Duran and the Z100 Morning Show, Eventbrite and Calvin Klein Collection.
As part of the partnership with The Black Eyed Peas, Robin Hood will fund the opening of three Peapod Academies in New York City over the coming years, which will support disadvantaged youth by providing music and artistic education, such as music engineering, sound mixing and video editing, among other opportunities.
The following night -- on October 1 -- Sting generously donated proceeds from his all-star 25th anniversary/60th birthday concert at the Beacon Theatre to Robin Hood. Highlights of the show included incredible performances by Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, will.i.am, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder, Rufus Wainwright, and Billy Joel, among many others. In thanks for his many good works, prior to the show's kick-off, Mr. Saltzman presented Sting with a plaque naming the music room in the Robin Hood-funded KIPP NYC College Prep High School in his honor. The school is currently under construction in the South Bronx and due to be completed in late 2013.
For more information about the Robin Hood Foundation and its mission to fight poverty in New York City, please visit robinhood.org.
About Robin Hood
For more than 20 years, Robin Hood has fought poverty in New York City. It finds, funds and partners with programs that have proven to be an effective remedy to poverty and is a consistent force for good in the lives of New Yorkers in need. Robin Hood employs a rigorous system of metrics and third-party evaluation to ensure accountability from organizations that receive its' funds. The board pays all administrative and fundraising costs, so 100% of donations go directly to helping New Yorkers in need. It works closely with groups that receive grants to make them more effective, enabling them to assist even more people. In 2010, Robin Hood invested over $132 million in more than 200 programs and schools, directly touching the lives of over 650,000 New Yorkers.
William Shatner has recorded a cover of Black Sabbath’s "Iron Man" and has released the in-studio footage of the session. The clip shows an animated Shatner laying down the vocals for the track, which was first released by Ozzy Osbourne and company in 1970.
The track is due to appear on the Star Trek actor’s new album ’Seeking Major Tom,' a concept album album following David Bowie’s Space Oddity character through a selection of suitably spacey covers from the former Captain Kirk. ‘Seeking Major Tom’ is out via Cleopatra Records on October 11.
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and in music history for october 3rd:
In 1901, the Victor Talking Machine Company was incorporated. After a merger with Radio Corporation of America the company became RCA-Victor.
The great Eddie Cochran was born on this date in 1938 (died in 1960).
In 1945, Elvis Presley made his first ever-public appearance in a talent contest at the Mississippi Alabama Dairy Show singing “Old Shep.” Elvis was 10 years old at the time and came second.
The immortal Stevie Ray Vaughan was born today in 1954 (died in 1990).
In 1958, the Biggest Show of Stars tour opened in Worcester, MA with the amazing lineup of Buddy Holly, Bobby Darin, Frankie Avalon, Dion & The Belmonts, Duane Eddy, Clyde McPhatter, The Coasters, The Olympics, Bobby Freeman, The Elegants, Jimmy Clanton, and The Danleers.
In 1961, the Country Music Hall of Fame inducted their first class: Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams.
In 1961, a group of teens from Hawthorne California calling themselves The Pendletones recorded three songs for Hite and Dorinda Morgan, who ran a publishing business and two small record labels. One of those songs was called "Surfin'", which, when pressed on to a Candix Records 45 rpm disc, was credited to The Beach Boys, a name made up by promotion man Russ Reagan, who had taken it upon himself to re-christen the band. "Surfin'" would get to #75 on the Billboard chart and sold 50,000 copies, launching the career of one of America's most successful Rock 'n' Roll acts.
In 1964, the Animals' self-titled album entered the Billboard LP chart. It contained their #1 hit, "House Of The Rising Sun". The British album "The Animals" was released a month later with substantially differing contents.
Also in 1964, the Supremes' "Baby Love" entered Billboard's Hot 100, where it will stay for thirteen weeks, becoming their second number one record in a row.
In 1965, Manfred Mann became the first western band to perform behind the Iron Curtain.
In 1967, folk legend Woody Guthrie passed away of Huntington's chorea in a hospital where he had spent the last ten years. Along with writing "This Land is Your Land", Guthrie was a major influence on Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs and many others. In 1967, his son Arlo would score a hit with "Alice's Restaurant", which was made into a movie in 1969.
In 1969, 'Abbey Road' by the Beatles was released in the US. It was released a week earlier in England.
In 1970, the group Lifetime was formed when Jack Bruce (Cream), John McLaughlin (Miles Davis' group), Larry Young and Tony Williams joined forces.
In 1978, the members of Aerosmith bailed thirty fans out of jail after they were arrested for smoking pot during an Aerosmith concert at Fort Wayne Coliseum.
In 1981, Billy Joel released the first digitally recorded, live album, "Songs in the Attic," a collection of tunes he had recorded before his big breakthrough, "Just The Way You Are."
In 1988, The documentary "Imagine," about John Lennon, premiered in Hollywood, CA.
In 1990, a storeowner in Florida was found guilty of distributing obscene material. The material in question was 2 Live Crew's "As Nasty As They Wanna Be" album. The man was later fined $1,000.
In 1992, Sinead O'Connor did her career some major damage when she appeared on US TV's Saturday Night Live and held up an 8" x 10" color photo of Pope John Paul II, ripped it into pieces and said, "Fight the real enemy." Over the next few days the NBC switchboard in New York received thousands of calls denouncing O'Connor's performance. The network and the show's executive producer, Lorne Michaels, both denied any knowledge of O'Connor's plan and said she had performed the song differently in rehearsal. Catholic groups expressed outrage at the act and called it patently offensive to people of all religious beliefs. NBC has never again aired the O'Connor performance.
Farm Aid '98 was held in Tinley Park, IL in 1998 with Willie Nelson, Phish, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Steve Earle, Del McCoury Band and Wilco
In 2000, the Cars’ singer and bass player Benjamin Orr died of cancer at home in Atlanta at the age of 53. He sang lead vocals on the band’s hits “Just What I Needed,” “Let's Go” and “Drive.”
Also in 2000, John Lennon's assassin Mark Chapman was denied parole after serving 20 years in prison. Chapman was interviewed for 50 minutes by parole board members who concluded that releasing Chapman would 'deprecate the seriousness of the crime.'
In 2002, Darryl DeLoach of Iron Butterfly, died from liver cancer at the age 55.
In 2007, the Rolling Stones set a new record for the top grossing tour of all time when their A Bigger Bang tour, which ran from the Fall of 2005 to August 26, 2007, earned the band a staggering $558,255,524. The previous high was set by U2's Vertigo tour, which took place in 2005 and 2006, earning $389,000,000.
In 2008, singer, producer and songwriter Johnny J (Johnny Jackson) died after jumping from a tier in a Los Angeles jail while serving a sentence for driving under the influence. He produced Tupac Shakur's albums All Eyez on Me and Me Against the World, as well as many of Shakur's subsequent posthumous albums and Candyman.
celebrating birthdays today (among others) are: Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) (42), Lindsey Buckingham (62), Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) (49), Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust) (39), Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters) (33), Chubby Checker (70) and Frank Hannon (Tesla) (67)
DEAR CHARLENE: Since “among” is not a specific quantity, I'll just provide some facts to help you decide the true or false issue.
