Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

wasn't even sure if they were still together after all these years....

Could it really be the end for Jethro Tull?

By Steve Smith

Martin Barre, the 65-year-old guitarist for legendary British band Jethro Tull, said that the group will never record another album.

In a telephone interview with the online Kinston Free Press Daily Podcast that was set up primarily to discuss the 40th anniversary of the band's triple-platinum LP, "Aqualung," Barre was asked about whether there will be a new Jethro Tull studio album, Barre didn't hesitate. "No, there won't be," he immediately answered. When asked for a reason, he said, "Jethro Tull is on ice."

One of rock music's great guitarists, the man, who joined Tull in 1969 and has played on every one of the group's 21 studio albums except its 1968 debut album, "This Was," noted that group leader Ian Anderson is booked with solo projects for the next two years. He then added that he also has solo projects planned during that time. He said he and Anderson will tour the world separately, each playing the music of Jethro Tull.

Read the rest at pasadenastarnews.com

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The Magnetic Fields New Album Due In March

The Magnetic Fields have recently announced that their 10th studio album 'Love at the Bottom of the Sea,' will be released on March 6, 2012 via Merge. The 15-track effort was recorded in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York by mastermind Stephin Merritt and frequent collaborators Claudia Gonson, Sam Davol, John Woo, Shirley Simms, Johny Blood, and Daniel Handle. According to Merge, the end result hears the band returning to their “signature mix of synth and acoustic sounds” and no one song spans over three minutes in length.

Additionally, a limited-edition eggshell-colored vinyl will be available exclusively to those who pre-order the album at the Merge Records store. The first 100 people who order the album from Merge will receive a free signed poster and a Magnetic Fields button, as well.










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cool cover art

Pythia's Cover Art For New Album

Pythia's upcoming new album 'The Serpent's Curse' is currently scheduled for release on February 27th, 2012.

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'100 Greatest Living Rock Stars' Spotlighted In New Issue Of REVOLVER Magazine

Revolver magazine is celebrating the release of its "Mega 100th Issue" by spotlighting the "100 Greatest Living Rock Stars." From Ozzy to Axl to Lemmy, the issue features those who have rocked the hardest and lived to tell about the issue also features Revolver's Top 20 albums of 2011, which crowns KORN's controversial dubstep-infused record, "The Path Of Totality", with top honors.

The "100 Greatest Living Rock Stars" list takes a no-holds-barred look at the rock arena and highlights those artists who embody rock and roll's rebel attitude. Whether it's the well-chronicled debauched exploits OF MÖTLEY CRÜE or newcomer James Durbin bringing metal to pop's biggest forum, "American Idol", these artists have what it takes to stand out from the pack. Included in the feature are rock star tips and tales from Gene Simmons, Chris Cornell, Bret Michaels and Dave Navarro, among others.

Read the rest at Blabbermouth









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this from our friends at www.vinylcollective.com

Top 10 Albums – December 12, 2011

Here are the Top 10 Albums sold at Shop Radio Cast for the week of December 6 – 12, 2011:

1. Brand New – Your Favorite Weapon LP
2. Deftones – Deftones LP
3. Saves The Day Daybreak LP (White)
4. Hit The Lights – Invicta LP
5. Alkaline Trio – From Here To Infirmary LP
6. Blink 182 – Neighborhoods LP (Blue/White)
7. Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dreams 2XLP
8. Boris – New Album 2XLP
9. Mayday Parade – A Lesson In Romantics LP
10. Thursday – Full Collapse LP

and from their store:

Fucked Up – Year Of The Tiger

Since 2006, Fucked Up have been releasing an annual 12" single on each Chinese New Year. Year Of The Tiger is an anthemic progressive rock masterpiece featuring guests Jim Jarmusch, Annie-Claude Deschênes and Austra. The 15-minute long track features the band's familiar layers of guitar and roaring vocals, taken to a new level with the addition of piano, Jarmusch's dark recitations and Deschênes's gorgeous crescendos, in this menacing but uplifting story about the predation of predators. $1 from the sale of each record donated to the Save The Tiger fund.

Buy HERE





Deftones – Self Titled Vinyl Due Out January

Deftones have never been your average hard rock band. As kids, the Sacramento band cut its teeth on Anthrax and The Smiths, Pantera and The Cure, skateboarding and "The Smurfs." As a band out of high school, Deftones mixed trip hop with thrash, melodic vocals with crushing reverb, and yes, pretty with ugly. As chart-toppers and headliners, they've crossed over genres, defied categorization and confused the hell out of your iPod ("Heavy Metal?" "Hard Rock?" "Alternative?")

Buy HERE







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album cover art of the day:

SOULFALLEN To Release New Album In January

Finnish dark metallers SOULFALLEN will release their third album, "The Promise Of Hell", on January 18, 2012 via the band's own label, Grave New Music, with distribution from Inverse Records/Supersounds (Finland), Plastic Head (U.K.), Bertus (Holland), Sound Pollution (Sweden), Disk Union (Japan), The End Records (USA), Rebeat (Austria), Non Stop (Switzerland), and LSP/MetalZone (Belgium). The cover artwork was created by Maija Ranka.

Read the rest at Blabbermouth














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ummm. people, it's a stack of old records,....but furniture? i don't think so....this from retrotogo.com

Vinyl Record Table Tower

Over the years, we’ve featured a lot of products made from old records, but I think this Vinyl Record Table Tower is the first piece of furniture.

The table is handmade with over 200 LP's and topped with the record of your choice. There is a choice of two styles, straight or curved. The table is finished with a thick edged polished toughened glass top to protect and add shine to your favourite record.

The table costs £161.50 from Shop on Your Doorstep.

Buy it HERE









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and for you shoppers out there (you can also get the selections from the CVR Blog HERE)

Sony Music & Legacy Recordings Bringing the Ultimate Box Set Experience to Music Lovers of All Ages for the 2011 Holiday Season

THE COLLECTION Series -- Specially Created Digital Box Sets Offering Complete Album Catalogs of World's Top Artists at Holiday-Only Prices -- Now Available On The iTunes Store

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is bringing the box set experience to music lovers of all ages and tastes this holiday season with the release of incredible value-packed career-spanning collections available in both the physical and digital realms at special holiday-only prices.

SME/Legacy, the world's foremost catalog music label, has long pioneered and championed the box set concept with Grammy Award-winning releases and ongoing popular and critical successes. Whether a simple collection of career-encompassing album titles or a specifically curated selection of tracks, the box set offers listeners a chance to evaluate the depth and complexity of an artist's output, presenting an experience which amplifies and extends the thrill and immediacy of the latest single. For artists who've created a lasting body of work, a well-designed box set is an invaluable experience, for old and new fans alike.

This holiday season, SME/Legacy is bringing the box set to the digital realm with THE COLLECTION available on the iTunes Store, a "multi-disc" one-click digital bundle of albums presenting an artist's album catalog at an incredible holiday-only price. Artists in THE COLLECTION include Alicia Keys (5 titles), Billy Joel (15 titles), Brad Paisley (9 titles), Britney Spears (7 titles), Chevelle (4 titles), Christina Aguilera (6 titles) , Foo Fighters (7 titles), Incubus (6 titles), John Mayer (5 titles), Kings Of Leon (5 titles), Leonard Cohen (11 titles), Sarah McLachlan (8 titles) and Three Days Grace (3 titles).

THE COLLECTION series will include iTunes LPs containing the original artwork and liner notes for each album. Offering new value and convenience to the box set experience, THE COLLECTION will be available online on iTunes beginning Tuesday, December 13.

In addition to THE COLLECTION digital offerings, Legacy Recordings and Sony Music Entertainment is offering great holiday music values in the physical realm with box sets from the world's most iconic and enduring artists.

As digital technology helps restore and archive larger portions of the catalogs of Sony Music's artists, it becomes possible to release rare and previously unreleased material from long-established artists.

Among this season's most luxurious must-have box sets from SME/Legacy:

Tony Bennett - The Complete Collection chronicles the entire career of the great American pop vocalist as documented in the albums and singles he's made for Columbia Records (beginning in 1952 through the present), as well as his recordings for Roulette (an historic encounter with Count Basie and Orchestra in 1959), MGM (1972-73), Improv (Bennett's own label from 1973-76) and Fantasy (a pair of sublime titles with pianist Bill Evans, released in 1975-76) on 73 CDs and 3 DVDs.

Elvis Presley - Young Man with the Big Beat - The Complete '56 Elvis Presley Recordings is a super deluxe 5-CD, 12-inch square box set (with an amazing 80-page book with timeline) focusing on Elvis's studio recordings, from hits to outtakes, alongside live performances and interviews from 1956, the year Elvis (and Rock itself) broke into the pop mainstream. The collection was recently nominated for the year's Best Historical Album Grammy Award.

Jimi Hendrix - Live at Winterland, a four-disc set drawn from six stellar shows recorded over three days (October 10, 11 and 12, 1968) at San Francisco's historic Winterland Ballroom. "Hendrix was a casual slash-and-burn bluesman, a shredder, a gunner, a riffer, a slinger of elevated sustained lines, a feedback screamer and a rhythm guitarist whose chords sang on their own," wrote Jon Pareles in The New York Times 2011 holiday box set round-up. "These are prime performances, spontaneous and searing."

Miles Davis Quintet - Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1, a 3 CD + DVD set culled from original state-owned television and radio sources in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and Sweden, spanning five northern European festival performances over the course of nine days in October-November 1967. The audio shows consist entirely of previously unreleased or previously only bootlegged material.

Phil Spector Presents The Philles Album Collection, a 7 CD box set representing the most expansive collection ever to celebrate Phil Spector's Wall Of Sound productions, "Tomorrow's Sound Today." Released in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Philles Records label (1961-2011), this new box set eclipses all previous collections in its scope, gathering in mini-replica LP sleeves the first six original Philles albums from 1962-1964 (five by the Crystals, the Ronettes, and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, plus the timeless Today's Hits), and a brand-new CD of Spector's never-before-collected instrumental B-sides. Legacy Recordings has also released The Essential Phil Spector, a brand-new 35-song, double-CD collection gathering Spector's game-changing recordings from his peak hit-making years from the Teddy Bears' "To Know Him Is to Love Him" through the litany of 23 hits on the Philles label.

Other SME/Legacy Recordings Box Sets for 2011 include:

WYNTON MARSALIS - Swinging Into The 21st
11-Disc set / Price: $ 79.99
Columbia / Legacy
Available at Popmarket.com
and WyntonMarsalis.org

LEONARD COHEN - The Complete Columbia Albums Collection
17-Disc set / Price: $ 139.99
Columbia / Legacy
Available Exclusively at Popmarket.com

VARIOUS ARTISTS - 15 Minutes: Homage to Andy Warhol
3-CD, 4-LP + 17 12"X12" art prints / Price: $600
(Standard Edition) and $20,000 (Deluxe Edition)
Legacy Recordings
Available at Fifteenminutesonline.com

BEN FOLDS - The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective
3-CD set / Price: $22.98
Epic/Legacy

ALICIA KEYS - songs in A minor: 10th Anniversary Edition
2-CD, 1-DVD set / Price: $29.99
MBK / J Records / Legacy

OZZY OSBOURNE - Blizzard of Ozz & Diary of a Madman: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Collector's Box
3-CD, 2-LP, 1-DVD set / Price: $149.99
Epic / Legacy
Available at Ozzy.com

ROBERT JOHNSON - The Complete Original Masters: Centennial Edition
12-Vinyl, 4-CD, 1-DVD + book / Price: $349.00
Columbia/ Legacy
Available at TheCompleteRobertJohnson.com

ROY ORBISON - The Monument Singles Collection (1960-1964)
2-CD, 1-DVD set / Price: $29.98
Monument / Orbison Records / Legacy

PEARL JAM - vs. and Vitalogy: Limited Edition Collector's Box Set
5-LP, 3-CD, 1-Cassette / Price: $150.00
Epic / Legacy
Available at PearlJam.com

ARETHA FRANKLIN - Take A Look: Aretha Franklin Complete on Columbia
11-CD, 1-DVD set / Price: $129.99
Columbia / Legacy
Available at ArethaFranklin.net

GEORGE MICHAEL - Faith: Deluxe Edition
2-CD, 1-LP, 1-DVD set / Price: $173.92 (Amazon)
Epic / Legacy
Available at Amazon.com
Special edition also available at Amazon.com

SOURCE Legacy Recordings

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in music history for december 13th:

In 1928, George Gershwin's musical work "An American in Paris" was given its premiere by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 1960, Elvis Presley's "It's Now Or Never" sets a new record in the UK for achieving one million sales just six weeks after its release.

In 1961, the Beatles performed at the Cavern Club, Liverpool, playing two shows at lunchtime and then again at night. Decca Records’ Mike Smith attended the night performance with a view to offering The Beatles a recording contract.

In 1962, Elvis Presley had his 13th UK #1 single with "Return To Sender."

In 1962, after scoring a US Top 20 hit with "She Can't Find Her Keys" earlier in the year, 17 year old Paul Peterson re-entered the charts with "My Dad", which would reach #6. The former Disney Mouseketeer and cast member of the TV's Donna Reed Show would go on to found A Minor Consideration, an organization committed to changing the working conditions for child performers.

In 1966, Jimi Hendrix made his TV debut on ITV’s Ready Steady Go! (Marc Bolan was also on the show).

On the same day, Jimi Hendrix recorded "Foxy Lady." The title of this song has two alternate spellings: "Foxey Lady" (for release in America) and "Foxy Lady" (for release in the UK).

"Foxy Lady" was released as a single in the United States on November 27th, 1967, and was backed with "Hey Joe."

Throughout Hendrix's career "Foxy Lady" was one of the most frequently played songs, appearing in the majority of his live set lists. It was first performed as early as January 1967, appeared in the middle of Hendrix's last ever performance on September 6th, 1970 and was one of only eight songs to have been performed by all four of Jimi's main bands.

The single is from their 1967 album 'Are You Experienced.' It can also be found on a number of Hendrix's greatest hits compilations, including Smash Hits (1968/1969) and Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix (1997). Rolling Stone magazine placed the song at #152 in their "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.



In 1969, Bob Dylan was pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

In 1974, George Harrison had lunch with U.S. President Gerald Ford at the White House. They exchanged buttons: Ford gave George a WIN (Whip Inflation Now) pin and Harrison gave the president an OM (Hindu mantra word expressing creation) button. Later in the day, Ford met with Peter Frampton.

In 1975, the Rolling Stones' request to stage a three-day show on Easter Island for 100,000 fans was denied by the government of Chile which claimed "the whole future of the island" would be damaged by such an event.

David Bowie's "Golden Years" was released in 1975.

In 1975, Foghat's "Slow Ride" was released.



In 1985, Phil Collins made his U.S. TV acting debut on Miami Vice playing a drug dealer.

In 1986, Bruce Hornsby and The Range went to #1 on the US singles chart with “The Way it Is,” a #15 hit in the UK.

In 1999, the performing rights organization Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) declared "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" the most played song of the century on American radio and television, with more than eight million airings. The original and most famous recording of the song is by the Righteous Brothers. "Never My Love" was the second most-played song, followed by "Yesterday," "Stand By Me," and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You." Rounding out the Top Ten were "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay," "Mrs. Robinson," "Baby I Need Your Loving," "Rhythm Of The Rain," and "Georgia On My Mind."

In 2000, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that Michael Jackson, Paul Simon, Aerosmith, Queen, Steely Dan, Solomon Burke, Richie Valens and the Flamingos would be inducted in 2001.

In 2001, the two surviving members of Nirvana, Krist Novoselic and David Grohl, filed a countersuit against Courtney Love. The charge was that she has manipulated the memory and work of her dead husband, Kirk Cobain, for the benefit of her own career.

In 2002, guitarist and singer Zal Yanovsky of The Lovin’ Spoonful died of a heart attack. He was a member of The Mugwumps with Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot. He formed The Lovin’ Spoonful with John Sebastian in 1964. They scored the 1966 US #1 and UK #8 single “Summer in the City.”

In 2004, ABC-TV announced that Dick Clark would not be able to host his annual "Rockin' New Year's Eve" broadcast due to a stroke he suffered on December 8th.

In 2005, a check signed by John Lennon made out to the Inland Revenue sold for £2,000 at a U.K. auction. It was sold by former madam Lindi St. Clair, (formerly known as Miss Whiplash), after she decided she had no use for it. St. Clair, who now runs a duck farm in Herefordshire, had bought the check for £4,000 in 1988. It was signed by Lennon on January 23, 1968 on a District Bank Limited form and made out for £6,946.

In 2006, in New York City, police arrested Koral Karsan and charged him with attempted first-degree grand larceny for allegedly trying to extort $2 million from John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. The 50-year-old Karsan had been Ono's chauffeur for more than six years.

In 2010, also in New York, Paul McCartney performed an intimate concert for 1,400 people at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, as part of Sirius XM Radio's celebrations on acquiring 20 million subscribers. The planned 22-song set was followed by two encores of three songs each. Celebrities in attendance included Keith Richards, Jerry Seinfeld, Simon Le Bon, Kevin Bacon, Tony Bennett, Alec Baldwin, John McEnroe and Howard Stern. McCartney told the audience, "I just want to just soak in the Apollo. I've dreamed of playing here for many a year. This is very special for us British boys. The holy grail."

birthdays today include (among others): Robert Martinez (? & the Mysterians) (66), Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers) (63), Berton Averre (Knack) (58), John Anderson (57), Steve Forbert (57), Morris Day (The Time) (54), Dana Strum (Slaughter) (53), Nick McCarthy (Franz Ferdinand) (37), Tom DeLonge (Blink-182) (36), Amy Lee (Evanescence) (30) and the one and only Ted Nugent (63)

New Vinyl Record and Music Releases - December 13, 2011

Slow music release week this week, although I wouldn't mind picking up two Captain Beefheart vinyl reissues (Doc at the Radar Station and Ice Cream for Crow), a vinyl reissue by the Grateful Dead (Built to Last) or the Monkees vinyl reissue of their Greatest Hits

On my vinyl radar are vinyl record releases from Pete Shelley with Sky Yen, a double LP set from Sunn O))) Meets Nurse With Wound (The Iron Soul of Nothing), Amy Winehouse's double LP called Hidden Treasures, Lou Reed and Metallica 's Lulu (180 gram vinyl), Sally Smmit and Her Musicians with Hangahar and Birds of Passage with Winter Lady.

Looking for new and reissued vinyl? Please support the CVR Blog and buy it at insound!


1000Names - Invisible Architect (2-LPs) (vinyl)
Air Cav - Don't Look Indoors
Amy Winehouse - Hidden Treasures (2-LPs) (vinyl)
Anarchist Republic of Bzzz - Anarchistic Republic of Bzzz
Anthony Hamilton - Back To Love
AraabMuzik - Electronic Dream (deluxe edition)
Benni Hemm Hemm - Ff Ekki Cc (vinyl)
Bill Wells - Lemondale (vinyl)
Birds of Passage - Winter Lady (vinyl)
Bowling For Soup - Merry Flippin' Christmas Volumes 1 & 2
Brand New - Your Favorite Weapon (vinyl)
C Joynes - Congo
Captain Beefheart - Doc at the Radar Station (reissue) (vinyl)
Captain Beefheart - Ice Cream for Crow (reissue) (vinyl)
Carl Perkins - Dance Album/Whole Lotta Shakin'
Carter Burwell - The Twilight Saga; Breaking Dawn - Part 1, The Score
Charlotte Gainsbourg - Stage Whisper
Crosby Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash (Gold CD)
Dan Mangan - Oh Fortune (vinyl)
Daphne Oram - The Oram Tapes Volume One (4-LPs) (vinyl)
Dome - 1-4+5 (5-LPs) (vinyl)
Eddy Current Suppression Ring - So Many Things
Elektro Guzzi - Parquet
Esperanza - Esperanza
Eyvind Kang - Visible Breath (vinyl)
Fairewell - Poor, Poor Grendel
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Thuggin (EP)
Fruit Bats - Echolocation (vinyl)
Gaiser Presents Void - No Sudden Movements
Gallows - Birth Is Death (EP)
Gary Numan -1980-81 (5-LPs) (vinyl)
Gary Wright - The Dream Weaver (Gold CD)
George Jackson - Don't Count Me Out: The Fame Recordings Volume 1
Giant Sand - Chore of Enchantment (remastered) (vinyl)
Gnaw Their Tongues - Per Flagellum Sanguemque, Tenebras Veneramus
Graham Repulski - My Color Is Red
Grateful Dead - Built to Last (reissue) (vinyl)
Gregory Isaacs - Mr. Brown
Gucci Mane & V-Nasty - BAYTL
Hans Zimmer - Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (soundtrack)
Hundreds - Hundreds (vinyl)
Jai McDowall - Believe
Jimmy Donley - In The Key Of Heartbreak: The Complete Tear Drop Singles And More (2 CDs)
Jonsi - We Bought A Zoo (soundtrack)
Josh Ritter - Live At The Iveagh Gardens
Keepaway - Black Flute
Kool & the Gang - Hits: Reloaded
Kurt Von Stetten - Cyclops
La Vampires Ft. Matrix Metals - So Unreal
Laura Gibson - La Grande (vinyl)
Lemonheads - Laughing All The Way To The Cleaners
Lou Reed and Metallica - Lulu (vinyl)
Mark Fell - Periodic Orbits of A Dynamic System Related to a Knot (vinyl)
Marvelettes - Forever More: Complete Motown Albums, Volume 2
Mastodon - Remission
Michael Martin Murphey - America's Horses
Moby - Destroyed (deluxe edition)
Monkees - Greatest Hits (vinyl)
Morphine - Cure For Pain (vinyl)
Muslimgauze - Souk Bou Saad
Nat King Cole - Best of
Naughty By Nature - Anthem Inc
Nero - Welcome Reality
Omar Souleyman - Leh Jani (2-LPs) (vinyl)
Othin Spake - The Nethack Dictionary (vinyl)
Paper Dollhouse - A Box Painted Black (vinyl)
Pete Shelley - Sky Yen (vinyl)
Queen - Royal Orb USB Limited Edition Premium Box Set
Rainer Maria - Rainer Maria (box set)
Raleigh Moncriff - Watered Lawn (vinyl)
Rammstein - Made In Germany, 1995-2011
Rapper Big Pooh - Dirty Pretty Things
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (2 LPs) (vinyl)
Rodney Crowell - But What Will the Neighbors Think
Sally Smmit and Her Musicians - Hangahar (vinyl)
Scala & Kolcany Brothers - Scala & Kolcany Brothers
Slow Moving Millie - Renditions
Smokey Robinson - Solo Albums, Volume 6
Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa - Mac and Devin Go to High School (soundtrack)
Souvaris - Souvaris
Strange Men in Sheds With Spanners - Strange Men in Sheds With Spanners (vinyl)
Sunn O))) Meets Nurse With Wound - The Iron Soul of Nothing (2-LPs) (vinyl)
Swahili Blonde - Psycho Tropical Ballet Pink (vinyl)
Swod - Drei
The Callas - Objekt (vinyl)
The Howling Hex - Wilson Semiconductors (vinyl)
The Thirteenth Assembly - Station Direct
Thee American Revolution - Buddha Electrostorm (vinyl)
Tori Amos - Sin Palabras
Travis Tritt - Ten Feet Tall & Bulletproof
Various Artists - The Original Sounds of Cumbia (2 CDs)
Various Artists - Please, Please, Please: A Tribute to the Smiths
Various Artists - Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party
Wives - Roy Tapes (vinyl)
Wold - Freermasonry
Yui Onodera & The Beautiful - Schizophrenic
Zomby - Nothing

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

TouchTunes Releases Year-End Music Charts

Jason Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem" The Most-Played Song of the Year, 900 Million Songs Played in 2011

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TouchTunes Interactive Networks, the largest interactive in-venue entertainment network in North America, today released its top songs and artists of 2011. The results, based on an analysis of over 900 million songs played across TouchTunes' network of 50,000 in-venue music systems, revealed that consumers choose a mix of newly released and classic songs to listen to when they're out in a social setting.

TouchTunes' top played song of the year across every genre was country superstar Jason Aldean's hit single "Dirt Road Anthem." Other notable songs to make TouchTunes' 2011 Top 10 most played list includes Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," Eric Church's "Smoke a Little Smoke" and Kid Rock's "All Summer Long."

"Having the #1 song of the year running on TouchTunes jukeboxes is a cool thing for me. It means my songs are being played in most every bar and honky tonk in the country," stated Jason Aldean. "Those are the kinds of places I used to have gigs when I was a teenager down in Georgia. It's a really cool full circle kind of moment."

Jason Aldean was also the third most played artist on the network, surpassed only by long time fan favorites AC/DC, who was the second most played, and Kid Rock, who was the most played overall. Other top artists on TouchTunes in 2011 include Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

"It's always fun to look at the most played songs and artists on our network," said Vicki Saunders, TouchTunes Vice President, Music Marketing. "TouchTunes provides fans with a unique listening experience, and gives them a chance to find that one perfect song that will set the mood for their night out. For many this year, Jason Aldean did just that."

More information on TouchTunes top music plays of 2011 is available here: www.touchtunes.com

2011 Top 10 Played Songs:

1. Dirt Road Anthem – Jason Aldean

2. Rolling in the Deep – Adele

3. Smoke A Little Smoke – Eric Church

4. All Summer Long – Kid Rock

5. Chicken Fried- Zac Brown Band

6. Down On Me (ft. 50 Cent) – Jeremih

7. Copperhead Road – Steve Earle

8. Country Girl (Shake It For Me) – Luke Bryan

9. Somewhere With You – Kenny Chesney

10. Rockstar – Nickelback


2011 Top 10 Artists

1. Kid Rock

2. AC/DC

3. Jason Aldean

4. Toby Keith

5. Johnny Cash

6. Nickelback

7. Zac Brown Band

8. Lynyrd Skynyrd

9. Rolling Stones

10. Metallica

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DEEP PURPLE, EDGUY, HELLOWEEN, KROKUS Members Featured On 'Help! For Japan' Charity EP

Some of Europe's leading rock artists — including current and former members of DEEP PURPLE, EDGUY, HELLOWEEN, GOTTHARD, MAGNUM, KROKUS and TNT — have joined a campaign initiated by singer Tommy Heart (SOUL DOCTOR, FAIR WARNING) to raise money for the victims of the massive earthquake and tsunami which devastated Japan's northeast coast this past March. The musicians have recorded a cover version of the classic THE BEATLES song "Help" for an EP entitled "Help! For Japan", which will be released in Europe on the German label Avenue Of Allies in early March 2012. All proceeds from the sales of this project will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross.

Read the rest at our friends at Blabbermouth





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it's that time of year, when the 'best of' lists start popping up. i'll try to keep up with it!

Radiohead, Friendly Fires, Bon Iver: The Best Album Covers Of 2011

Gigwise reveals the results to its artiest poll to date...

Gigwise.com



















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pastmagazine chimes in as well:

The 50 Best Album Covers of 2011

pastemagazine.com



















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interesting stories behind some classic LPs:

The Stories Behind 11 Classic Album Covers

www.mentalfloss.com












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in music history for december 12th:

In 1896, Guglielmo Marconi gave the first public demonstration of radio at Toynbee Hall, London

In 1901, Marconi's first transatlantic radio signal, sent from Cornwall, England, was received by Percy Paget in St. John's, Newfoundland.

The immortal Frank Sinatra was born on this date in 1915 (died May 14, 1998)

In 1955, in New York, Bill Haley And His Comets recorded "See You Later, Alligator," popularizing a catchphrase already in use at the time. It became Haley's third and final million-selling single.

In 1957, disc Jockey Al Priddy of KEX, Portland, Oregon, was fired for playing Elvis Presley's rendition of "White Christmas." He had violated the radio station's ban against the song.

In 1959, after being overtaken as the best selling record in the US for a couple of weeks, Bobby Darin's "Mack The Knife" returned to the top spot on the Cashbox chart. It is a feat that is seldom duplicated.

In 1963, 'John Fitzgerald Kennedy - A Memorial Album' became the fastest-selling album in history, selling four million copies at 99 cents each in six days. The tribute was recorded on the day of President Kennedy's assassination.

In 1964, Bobby Vinton scored his fourth Billboard chart topper with "Mr. Lonely." It was a song that Bobby co-wrote and had added to his Greatest Hits album as a filler, but the track was quickly released as a single when it started to get airplay.

Also in 1964, the Zombies reached their highest point on the Billboard Pop chart when "She's Not There" topped out at #2. Although they recorded the track in just one take, it would stay on the Hot 100 for 3 months and climbed to #12 in the UK.

"Love the One You're With" by Steven Stills was released in 1970. Stills wrote the song after being inspired by the tag line -- "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" which was a frequent remark by musician Billy Preston. Stills asked him for permission to use the line in a song which Preston immediately agreed to.

In 1970, the Doors played their last concert with Jim Morrison as lead singer, at the Warehouse in New Orleans. Band members Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore would later recall watching Jim Morrison lose "all his energy" as the show came to a close.

In 1970, although they had enjoyed 26 previous Top 40 Hits, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles reached number one on the Billboard Pop chart for the first time with "The Tears Of A Clown". It was also a #1 in the UK.

In 1971, filming began on the Diana Ross movie, 'Lady Sings the Blues.'

In 1974, saying that he felt that now was the time to move on and do something new, Mick Taylor quit The Rolling Stones 5½ years after replacing Brian Jones as lead guitarist. Former Faces member, Ron Wood would be named to take his place.

In 1982, Karen Carpenter made her last public appearance, singing Christmas carols at Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, California.

In 1985, Ian Stewart, the "Pete Best" of The Rolling Stones, died of a heart attack in his doctor's waiting room. He left the band in May of 1963 when manager Andrew Loog Oldham felt that he didn't fit the bad boy image of the group, but continued to work with them as a road manager and played keyboards on most of The Stones' essential albums from the 1960s until the 1980s.

On this day in 1986, "Walk Like An Egyptian" by the Bangles was the #1 song.



In 1991, Cynthia Lennon, as well as Sean and Yoko Ono attended the funeral of John Lennon's Aunt Mimi. Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all sent floral arrangements. During the service, the funeral home played "Imagine".

In 1998, a seven inch single by The Quarry Men featuring John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison was named as the rarest record of all time. Only 50 copies were made with each one being valued at £10,000 ($20,500).

In 2000, Tony Bennett commemorated the birthday of the late-Frank Sinatra by announcing the September 2001 opening of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts.

In 2001, Arthur Lee of Love was released from prison after serving six years of an eleven-year sentence for possession of a firearm and firing it in the air in a dispute with his neighbor.

In 2001, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic countersue Courtney Love who had previously sued Universal Music Group saying all of Nirvanna's rights reverted to her after the death of Kurt Cobain.

In 2002, Les Paul announced he would be donating 2,000 records and pieces of sheet music along with other memorabilia for an exhibit in his hometown of Waukesha, WI.

In 2003, Mick Jagger was knighted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Jagger's 92 year-old father was in attendance to see his son receive the award.

In 2007, a copy of John Lennon's book, 'A Spaniard in the Works,' which contained a lock of Lennon's hair, sold at Gorringes Auction House for $48,000. Lennon gave the book and the hair to Betty Glasow, the Fab Four's hairdresser during their heyday. He wrote in the book, "To Betty, Lots of Love and Hair, John Lennon xx."

Also in 2007, Ike Turner, whose role as one of Rock and Roll's most innovative architects was overshadowed by his image as the man who abused his former wife and singing partner Tina Turner, suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 76.

birthdays today include (among others): Connie Francis (73), Eric Schenkman (Spin Doctors) (48), Terry Kirkman (Association) (72), Dionne Warwick (71), Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers) (68), Ralph Scala (Blues Magoos) (64), Ray Jackson (Lindisfarne) (63), Sheila E. (born Sheila Escovedo) (54) and Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull) (65)

Top Selling Vinyl Records Sales at eBay - November 2011

Here is the month in review of the top selling ebay vinyl record sales, on a weekly basis, for November 2011. First and foremost, a special thank you to Norm and Jane at Vinyl Record Talk. Be sure to listen to their popular radio show Vinyl Record Talk for more information about the weekly top 5, vinyl record news and as well as weekly guests.


Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 11/05/2011

It's a Cure sandwich this week with a Cure acetate getting the #1 spot and a French 45 getting the #5. Inbetween are all LPs. "Please Please Me" is hardly a suprise anymore. The Captain Marryat record has shown up on the Top 5 twice before, once in '08 and again in '09, where each time it sold for around $4k. It's a rare Prog record out of Scotland from the early 70s.

1. 45 - The Cure "Killing An Arab" Acetate single-sided - $4,006.48

2. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone 3rd Stereo Pressing - $3,677.97

3. LP - Juta Hipp "self titled" Blue Note 1530 - $2,678.00

4. LP - Captain Marryat "self titled" Private Press - $2,267.68

5. 45 - The Cure "Foxy Lady" / "Saturday Night" Polydor French Pressing - $2,151.77



Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 11/12/2011

All 45s this week and the top three are soul or funk 45s, and the bottom two are KBD punk records. Seems the Chicago discovery from the previous week has woken up bidders.

1. 45 - Two Plus Two "I'm Sure" / "Look Around" Velgo - $4,550.00

2. 45 - Sandi & Matues "The World, Part 1" / "The World, Part 2" Matues - $3,383.00

3. 45 - 2. 45 - Ellipsis "People" / "Gregory Moore" Briarmeade - $4,250.00

4. EP - The Necros "Sex Drive" Touch and Go - $3,650.00

5. 45 - The Fix "Vengence" / "In This Town" Touch and Go - $3,516.00



Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 11/19/2011

The #1 record this week is a known entity that first sold at Christie's in London in 2002. It was signed at Brian Epstein's NEMS record store in 1963, at one of only three Beatles record store signings, and included an original bag from NEMS. The Beatles also take the next two spots, before an African pressing of the Sex Pistols most famous single and 78 from Robert Johnson finish out the list.

1. 45 - The Beatles "Please Please Me" / "Ask Me Why" Parlophone UK Signed Authenticated - $12,631.20

2. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Stereo Pressing - $5,183.53

3. LP - The Beatles MFSL Box Set - $4,149.99

4. 45 - The Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen" / "Did You No Wrong" Gallo Zimbabwe - $3,947.25

5. 78 - Robert Johnson "Walking Blues" / "Sweet Home Chicago" Vocalion - $3,550.00



Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 11/26/2011

Santa always takes care of The Beatles and Elvis during the holidays. But this week's list also has some odd treasures. The D A Hunt blues 78 topped the list back in August of '09 selling for over $10k. Mellow Candle and The Churchills are two psychedelic holy grails.

1. LP - The Beatles "Introducing The Beatles" VeeJay Adback - $5,000.00

2. 78 - D A Hunt "Greyhound Blues" / "Lonesome Old Jail" Sun 183 - $4,500.00

3. LP - Mellow Candle "Swaddling Songs" Deram UK Pressing - $3,194.70

4. 7" - Elvis Presley "Good Luck Charm" / "Anything That's Part Of You" RCA Compact 33 Jukebox - $3,161.00

5. LP - The Churchills "self titled" Hed Arzi Israeli Pressing Promo - $3,000.00



Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales ~ Week Ending 12/03/2011

Beatlemania is re-surging in auctions all over. The Beatles take three of five spots this week, with two "Please Please Me" records and an export "White Album".

1. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone Stereo UK 2nd Pressing - $5,146.50

2. 45 - Ray Agee "Hard Loving Woman" / "I'm Losing Again" Soultown 104 - $4,450.00

3. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone Mono UK 1st Pressing - $2,984.52

4. LP - The Beatles "White Album" Parlophone Export Pressing - $2,838.44

5. 45 - The Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen" / "Did You No Wrong" Virgin South African Pressing - $2,591.82

Listen To Vinyl Record Talk With Norm And Jane

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

very good vinyl record article write up north of our border:

ENT cover story: Records still on a roll

By LAURA STRADIOTTO, FOR THE SUDBURY STAR

Almost four decades ago, Tony Anselmo rolled into Sudbury with his record store on wheels.

Paul McCartney and Wings' Band on the Run was the hottest selling vinyl album and Anselmo smiled as people boarded his bus parked where the Farmers Market presently stands.

Overhead was low. It was only Anselmo on the payroll and his rent was the daily parking fee.

Records on Wheels is the only independent music store left in Northern Ontario (although there are stores that specialize in vinyl.)

Even the bigger chains have come and gone. Sam The Record Man and Music World went bankrupt and now HMV is closing stores, including its flagship location in Vancouver come January 2012. The mega company, like most record stores, is struggling to keep afloat in the new digital era.

Anselmo moved with the trends although he didn't like them too much. When CDs replaced cassette tapes, he grumbled, but sold what the customer wanted.

The way people buy music has dramatically changed in the 37 or so years Anselmo has been in business. ITunes and downloading songs have a tremendous impact on CD sales.

"The Internet has killed this industry," he said in his Elm Street store early this week.

So, why has Anselmo stuck around for so long?

Read the rest at thesudburystar.com

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Amos Lee To Release New EP

Amos Lee has recently announced the release of 'As The Crow Flies,' featuring six previously unheard songs as a CD, digital, and 10"-vinyl EP, on February 14th, 2012. The songs were recorded during the sessions for Lee's critically acclaimed album Mission Bell, which was produced by Calexico frontman and multi-instrumentalist Joey Burns. The tracks on As The Crow Flies are also produced by Burns and feature musical backing by Burns and Calexico drummer John Convertino.

Ttracklist:

"The Darkness"
"Simple Things"
"Say Goodbye"
"May I Remind You"
"Mama Sail To Me"
"There I Go Again"

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New Documentary on Alice Cooper Coming in 2012

The man who made the documentaries Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, Iron Maiden: Flight 666 and Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is turning his sights on classic rocker Alice Cooper.

Sam Dunn, whose latest project is the multi-part Metal Evolution, currently showing on VH1 Classic, talked to Spinner about all his films and why he's working on a Cooper doc.

Read more at our friends at vintagevinylnews.com

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i have never seen these covers, but i certainly love the style!

Leif Podhajsky’s Psychedelic Art & Album Covers

Leif Podhajsky is an artist and creative director who makes astounding album covers for numerous labels including Warp Records, Sub Pop, Sony, Warner, Atlantic and others.

Look at more covers at thisiscolossal.com


















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Joe Robinson over at ultimateclassicrock.com has been doing a series of Celeb Look-Alikes photos, some are right on, some not. anyway, for shits and giggles on a sunday, take a look at some:

Jimmy Page + the Quaker Oats Guy – Celeb Look-Alikes

See More At ultimateclassicrock.com













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album cover art for the day:

AMBERIAN DAWN COVER ART & TRACKLIST RELEASED

AMBERIAN DAWN’s fourth studio album called 'CIRCUS BLACK' is scheduled for release February 29, 2012 via Spinefarm Records/Universal Music Group.

Tracklist:

1. Circus Black 3:49
2. Cold Kiss 3:31
3. Crimson Flower 4:25
4. Charnel’s Ball 4:27
5. Fight 3:21
6. Letter 4:31
7. I Share With You This Dream 3:37
8. Rivalry Between Good and Evil (Instrumental) 4:00
9. Guardian 5:09
10. Lily of the Moon 4:12






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told ya we'd see another one (but that was some risk i took!)

Third Metallica Session Song Hits The Web



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in music history for december 11th:

In 1939, the iconic picture of Betty Grable that later became a favorite pinup of American soldiers in World War II, appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine.

In 1957, 22 year old Jerry Lee Lewis secretly marries his 13 year old second cousin, Myra Gale Brown, while still married to Jane Mitcham. The Killer had first married when he was 16 to Dorothy Barton, the daughter of a local preacher. Mitcham became his second wife in a shotgun ceremony and before he had divorced the previous Mrs. Lewis. The marriage to Myra would last until 1970 and at last count, Jerry Lee has been married six times.

In 1959, the Coasters recorded "Charlie Brown." It went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts, and was the first of three top-ten hits for the Coasters that year. It is best known for the phrase, "Why's everybody always pickin' on me?" Towards the end of the bridge of the song, the words "Yeah, You!" were recorded at half speed, so the voices would play back at a higher pitch. King Curtis plays the tenor saxophone during the instrumental and the fade out of the record. There is no connection between this song and the character Charlie Brown from the comic strip Peanuts, though the PBS special American Masters: Charles Schulz seems to suggest a connection.

In 1960, Aretha Franklin made her New York debut at the Village Vanguard.

In 1961, Motown Records achieved their first number one song when The Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman" reaches the top. The session musicians on the track included 22 year old Marvin Gaye on drums.

Also in 1961, Elvis Presley started a twenty week run at the top of the Billboard album chart with "Blue Hawaii", his seventh US #1 album.

In 1964, singer/songwriter Sam Cooke was shot and killed at the Hacienda Hotel in Los Angeles. The married singer had picked up a 22-year-old woman named Elisa Boyer, who claimed Cooke attempted to rape her. When she ran away, according to her testimony, Cooke followed and assaulted the hotel manager while demanding to know the girl's whereabouts. The manager shot him three times. A jury later returned a verdict of justifiable homicide. Cooke was 33 years old.

CVR Blog 45rpm Singles Spotlight:

In 1964, The Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" was released.

In 1999, the performing-rights organization Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) ranked the song as having had more radio and television play in the United States than any other song during the 20th century. Additionally, the song was chosen as one of the Songs of the Century by RIAA and ranked #34 on the list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone.

Written by Barry Mann, Phil Spector and Cynthia Weil, the song is one of the foremost examples of producer Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" technique. Recorded in Studio A of the famed Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, it features 'The Wrecking Crew' instrumentally and lead vocals by Bill Medley. Bobby Hatfield reportedly expressed his annoyance to Spector upon learning that he would have to wait until the chorus before joining Medley’s vocals. When Hatfield asked Spector just what he was supposed to do during Medley’s solo, Spector replied: “You can go straight to the fucking bank.” The strings were arranged by legendary arranger Gene Page. Among the background singers in the song's crescendo is a young Cher.

Cynthia Weil recalled that, "After Phil, Barry and I finished [writing it], we took it over to the Righteous Brothers. Bill Medley, who has the low voice, seemed to like the song." Even with his interest in the song, however, Medley had his doubts. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he recalled, "We had no idea if it would be a hit. It was too slow, too long, and right in the middle of The Beatles and the British Invasion." Indeed, the song ran for nearly four minutes when released. This was much too long by contemporary AM standards, but Spector refused to cut it shorter. On the label where the time is indicated, he had "3:05" printed, instead of the track's actual running time of 3:45. He also added a false ending which made the recording more dramatic, and would also trick radio deejays into thinking it was a shorter song. Upon being played the finished record over the phone, co-writer Barry Mann reacted to Medley’s deep baritone by telling Spector, “Phil, you have it on the wrong speed!”

To Spector's surprise, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" topped the Billboard Hot 100 dated 6 February 1965 and remained at #1 the week of 13 February 1965. In addition the song crossed over to the R&B charts peaking at number two

In 1968, at Wembley studios in Middlesex, England, the Rolling Stones filmed the "Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus" TV special, featuring performances by John Lennon, Eric Clapton, the Who, Jethro Tull, and Marianne Faithful. Filmed in a circus tent and with actual circus people, the show never aired, supposedly because the Stones thought the Who's performance upstaged them. The film was finally released in 1996.

In 1970, Ringo Starr's movie 'The Magic Christian' premiered in London.

In 1970, John Lennon released "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band," his debut solo album. The companion album "Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band" was issued on the same day. The album covers are nearly identical. Lennon pointed out the difference in their 1980 Playboy interview: "In Yoko's, she's leaning back on me; in mine, I'm leaning on her."

In 1971, John Lennon debuted his new song "John Sinclair" at the Free John Sinclair Rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Stevie Wonder, Pete Seeger and Phil Ochs also appeared. Sinclair is a Detroit poet, one-time manager of the band MC5, and for a year in the late 1960s was the leader of the White Panther Party. Following a series of convictions for possession of marijuana, Sinclair had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1969 after giving two marijuana joints to an undercover narcotics officer. Three days after the rally, Sinclair was released from prison when the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the state's marijuana statutes were unconstitutional.

Also in 1971, Carly Simon released the single, "Anticipation." The song related Simon's state of mind as she waited to go on a date with Cat Stevens. During the late 1970s and into the 1980s, the song was used in commercials for Heinz Ketchup.

In 1972, James Brown was arrested and charged with "disorderly conduct" after a concert in Knoxville, Tennessee, when a conversation Brown had with fans was somehow mistaken for an attempt to incite a riot. Charges were dropped when Brown claimed police brutality and threatened to sue the city for $1 million.

In 1972, Genesis played their first show in the US at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.

In 1976, KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted during a concert in Florida. He had touched a short-circuited light. He was carried from the stage but returned 10 minutes later to continue and finish the show.

In 1985, the single "Superbowl Shuffle" by Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew was released.

In 1988, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Graham Nash and Bonnie put on a benefit show at The Wiltern Theatre to pay tribute to Roy Orbison.

In 1989, Four Led Zeppelin albums, 'Physical Graffiti,' 'Led Zeppelin,' 'Presence,' and 'In Through The Out Door,' were certified Multi-Platinum.

In 1997, Jewel, Sinead O'Connor and Emmylou Harris performed the Beatles' "In My Life" together at the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo.

In 2001, Gene Simmons (KISS) did an interview with Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today" to promote his book "Kiss and Make-Up." The book was released for sale on December 4, 2001.

In 2002, Musicologist and author Rob Durkee compiled a list of The Top Ten Christmas Songs Of All Time (according to sales and radio air play)

1. White Christmas - Bing Crosby - 1942
2. Silent Night - Bing Crosby - 1936
3. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry - 1949
4. The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale - 1958
5. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms - 1957
6. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole - 1946
7. The Chipmunk Song - David Seville and the Chipmunks - 1958
8. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee - 1958
9. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley - 1957
10. Jingle Bells - Bing Crosby / The Andrews Sisters - 1943

In 2006, R&B singer Walter Ward, lead vocalist of the Olympics, died at age 66.

In 2008, Roman Catholic Cardinal Jorge Medina criticized Madonna's first concert in Santiago, Chile, saying "This woman comes here and in an incredibly shameless manner, she provokes a crazy enthusiasm, an enthusiasm of lust, lustful thoughts, impure thoughts." About 60,000 fans were expected to attend each of her two scheduled performances.

In 2008, Dartford, England, hometown of Mick Jagger, approved the naming of some of its streets with titles of Rolling Stones songs.

birthdays today include (among others): David Gates - Bread (1940), Brenda Lee (1944), Nikki Sixx (1958) and Jermaine Jackson (1954)

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here Immersion Set Review

DualDisc Reviews

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975) – Immersion Box Set – EMI (5 discs + stuff)

Yes, it's not a box but it IS a box—filled with loads of Pink Floyd material of various sorts.

Published on November 19, 2011

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975) – Immersion Box Set (5 discs) – (Ceci n’est pas une boîte) – 2 CDs, 2 DVDs (one audio-only) + 1 Blu-ray; 36p. printed booklet, 20p. photo book, 12p. credit booklet, Storm Thorgerson art print, collectors’ cards, facsimiles of tickets and other memorabilia in two envelopes, an art scarf, three large clear marbles in small black sack, 9 coasters with Storm Thorgerson sketches, poster – EMI Blu-ray/ Dolby Surround ($120 on Amazon) *****:

(David Gilmour, vocals & guitars; Nick Mason, drums; Richard Wright, keyboards/piano/vocals; Roger Waters, bass guitar & vocals & all lyrics)




Another lavish pop artistic experience, all in a big strong and square box, adorned with a cover illustration obviously an homage to surrealist Rene Magritte. The subtitle of “Ceci n’est pas une boîte” (It’s not a box) is a takeoff on Magritte’s famous painting This is not a pipe, in which he emphasized that it was an image of a pipe — not a pipe for smoking. Pink Floyd’s artwork by Storm Thorgerson and Hipgnosis was frequently influenced by Magritte—along with Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Jeff Beck, Oregon, The Firesign Theatre, Paul Simon, Jean-Luc Godard, Terry Gilliam and many others.

Most of the music materials have not been previously released, except for the first CD, which is a newly remastered version of their original 1975 album with its five tracks: “Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part 1, Welcome to the Machine, Have a Cigar, Wish You Were Here,” and “Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part 2.” CD No. 2 has six previously-unreleased audio tracks, including three from the 1974 live concert at Wembley, a tune from a never-released project, “Household Objects,” an alternative version of “Have a Cigar,” and a special version of “Wish You Were Here” featuring Stephane Grappelli on violin.

The first of the two DVD discs has five tracks in Dolby Surround audio only, at various sampling rates ranging from 448 kbps to 640 kbps. There are mixes for stereo, 4.0-channel quad and 5.1 surround. I tried the 640 kbps versions, but both they and the 448 versions are filtered thru Dolby Digital’s 48K codec, so I couldn’t tell a great deal of difference. Three of these are repeated on the Blu-ray disc (No. 5) in much better uncompressed resolution (96K/24-bit). The second DVD disc has five short videos and is basically duplicated in higher resolution on Disc No. 5, the one Blu-ray disc. I guess it’s for those lacking an SACD player. The audio for the film portions on Disc 5 are either 48K/24-bit or PCM stereo.

The Blu-ray disc is extremely confusing since it has absolutely no on-screen display for the first three audio-only tracks. A screen allowing selection between the audio and video portions appears only when you get to the fourth track. I had thought my Blu-ray player had died on me. Also, the producers evidently didn’t pay for the special license to make the Blu-ray navigable without requiring a video display (as Naxos does with their audio-only Blu-rays). The disc contents are: “Wish You Were Here” in three different formats — 5.1 surround, the original stereo mix of 1975, and a quad mix of 1975. Tracks Nos. 4 & 6 are some concert screen films from 1975, the first with one of the Floyds running across some sand dunes, and second with animation of a rotating floating body in space. The fifth track is a short very surrealistic but well-done six-minute film by artist Storm Thorgerson—the best of the bunch visually. The concert films repeat some of the same Pink Floyd images—both live action, color slides, and animation—and the first two are different visual versions of the beginning only of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” with the same music track. They were often projected on screens behind the band as they performed onstage.

Since there are no SACDs, if you have a Blu-ray deck, the set gives you a chance to enjoy the creative use of surround for which Roger Waters and Pink Floyd have long been known. (He even offered compatible surround sound on one of his LPs. I recall one involved a dog barking behind you, even with two speakers.) While we have found the SACD version of the same surround material usually sounds slightly superior or at least identical to the lossless Blu-ray version, Disc 5 gives those without multichannel SACD a fine opportunity. Some users have even said they actually prefer the 1975 quadraphonic mixes to the new 5.1 surround mixes. There are no credits for DTS-HD Master Audio processing–just for Dolby Surround for the two DVDs, so it appears the first three tracks of the Blu-ray disc are uncompressed 96K/24-bit 5.1 surround—providing the very highest sonic quality (unless you’re youthful enough—and your hearing is totally undiminished by loud rock concerts and poor earbuds—to appreciate 192K sampling…Ed.).

Pink Floyd is one of the most influential rock groups of all time, and one of the most commercial successful. Their progressive and psychedelic music is marked by philosophical—though often rather cynical—lyrics (all printed in one of the included booklets), striking album art, spectacular live shows crowded with electronic gear, and sonic experimentation—especially with surround sound. Rogers and Mason met while studying architecture; Wright died in 2008.

The physical extras/trinkets in the big box are rated by Floyd fanatics as either terrific or worthless. The various booklets and memorabilia could have been all included in a single large booklet, the scarf is artistic but won’t keep you warm, and one reviewer observes “anyone who pays $120 for this set and uses the coasters must have lost their marbles—and not the ones in the box, if you know what I mean.” (Anyway, one of the Thorgerson coasters has a rather disturbing image you probably wouldn’t want to pass out to your party guests. And I understand they were already offered as part of a previous Pink Floyd album.) I’m afraid I’m not enough of a Floyd fan to know the reason for including the little black bag of three marbles. One interesting physical fact about the box are the four raised spider-center holders in its bottom, designed to hold the first four discs. But the discs come in little plain white cardboard sleeves instead of stuck to the box—which is probably more protective from scratches to the discs. Also, there’s no place to stick the Blu-ray disc.

The superb hi-res surround in this set enables both avid fans and those just interested to fully appreciate a complete immersion in Pink Floyd. I understand the next Immersion box set will be devoted to their The Wall album.

—John Henry


Buy From Amazon

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.

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Will Oldham Vinyl Reissues

Folkster Will Oldham and Domino Records explained in a press releases that they will be re-releasing five Palace records: 1993's 'There Is No One What Will Take Care of You,' 1994's 'Days in the Wake and Hope,' 1995's 'Viva Last Blues,' and the 1997' 'Lost Blues and Other Songs' on February 27 in the UK. A US release date has not been set.

Each of the albums will be repressed on vinyl and presented on CD in a "mini LP style pack," save for 'Lost Blues and Other Songs,' which comes as a mini-gatefold card CD pack and on double-gatefold vinyl. The reissues will also feature new artwork and liner notes written by Oldham.




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very interesting read, I know for a fact that there is more unreleased music from Hendrix, that sadly, we may never get to hear:

More previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix coming, Billy Cox releases new album

Phyllis Pollack, Rock Music Examiner

On the heels of the release of his new solo album, Old School Blues, Jimi Hendrix bassist Billy Cox made an appearance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles last night. Paying tribute to the film Blue Wild Angel, Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight, which was shown at the Museum's intimate Clive Davis Theater, Cox was joined by its Academy Award winning filmmaker Murray Lerner and Hendrix historian John McDermott. The late guitarist's sister Janie was aslo in attendance. During the evening, it was announced that Hendrix' legacy would expand to include more previously unreleased material in the future.

later in the article:

A February 24, 1969 Hendrix performance at the Royal Albert Hall, recorded on 16 mm fillm, has never been officially released, although at least four different versions have surfaced in varying quality, none up to today's audiovisual standards. For years, Hendrix fans have hoped that the footage would be technically upgraded and sonically enhanced. Its long-awaited official release has been stalled for years, due to a series of pending legal issues.

Read the rest at examiner.com

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lovely cover art:

Ministry New Album Due In March

Ministry will return with a new album 'Relapse' on March 3, 2012 on 13th Planet Records and fans can follow the sessions via a series of candid behind-the-scenes videos. The videos, viewable at the 13th Planet Records YouTube channel, give fans a sneak peek into everything from band meetings to recording sessions, where very important matters are discussed such as the right way to play a fast riff and how much Ministry founder Al Jourgensen likes cargo pants.

Ministry's current live line-up includes longtime Ministry guitarist and Rigor Mortis alumni Mike Scaccia, Prong's Tommy Victor and Aaron Rossi, Soulfly bassist Tony Campos and Fear Factory keyboardist John Bechdel, in addition to Jourgensen.










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album cover art for the day:

Pre-Order Christian Mistress' 'Possession'


Olympia, Washington’s heavy metal voyagers CHRISTIAN MISTRESS delivers unto us their long-awaited Relapse debut Possession. The follow-up to 2010’s critically-acclaimed Agony & Opium, Possession mines deep from the same vein and sees the band standing on the shoulders of metal luminaries of the past. The quintet, lead by powerhouse vocalist Christine Davis and the twin-axe attack of Ryan McClain and Oscar Sparbel, distill traditional heavy metal into the sound of now.

The release is on green marble colored vinyl.

Pre Order your copy today!











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in music history for december 10th:

In 1927, the Grand Old Opry made its first radio broadcast from Nashville, TN.

In 1949, Fats Domino recorded "The Fat Man," considered to be one of the first rock 'n' roll records, and seven other tracks during his first session at Cosimo Matassa's J&M Studios in New Orleans.

In 1953, after raising $8,800 for the project, Hugh Hefner published the first Playboy magazine, featuring a photo of Marilyn Monroe from her 1949 nude calendar shoot.

In 1959, the four male members of the Platters were acquitted on charges of aiding and abetting prostitution, lewdness and assignation. The charges stemmed from their August 10, 1959 arrest in Cincinnati, OH.

In 1961, one week after first meeting with Brian Epstein to discuss his taking over as the Beatles' manager, John, Paul, George and Pete Best were back in Epstein's office for a second interview. The band was now eager to listen to Epstein's proposal following a booking the night before where they played to only 18 people. After being assured that they were not expected to change their musical style, John spoke for the others, saying, "Right then, Brian, manage us!"

In 1963, "The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite" featured a story about the new British pop music sensations, the Beatles. The report originally had been scheduled to air November 22 but was delayed because of the presidential assassination.

Also in 1963, Donny Osmond made his debut with the Osmonds on NBC's "Andy Williams Show."

In 1965, in San Francisco, the Grateful Dead played their second concert ever, their first at the Fillmore Auditorium.

In 1966, Brian Wilson's masterpiece, "Good Vibrations" becomes The Beach Boys' third Billboard number one hit. At a cost of $16,000, it was the most expensive single ever produced in music history up to that time.

In 1966, new music reaching the US record charts this week included The Electric Prunes "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night", The Monkees' "I'm A Believer", The Blues Magoos' "We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet" and Keith's "98.6".

The Electric Prunes originally formed as The Sanctions at Taft High School in Los Angeles, renaming themselves in 1966. They were introduced to record producer Dave Hassinger, and after a series of rehearsals at Leon Russell's house released a debut single, "Ain't It Hard". Despite its commercial failure, Reprise Records agreed that the band could record a second single.

Convinced that the band could not write their own songs, Hassinger sought material from the professional songwriting team of Annette Tucker and lyricist Nancie Mantz. One of the tunes was "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)", a song that, according to some sources, was originally conceived as an orchestral piano ballad. However, according to Tucker, "I came up with the title one day and called Nancie. She loved it and we wrote it the next day in one half hour....The words were there and my melody came easily. I was influenced by the Rolling Stones at the time and that is how I heard that song being recorded....Nancie and I envisioned this as a rock song." A demo version recorded for Hassinger by singer-songwriter Jerry Fuller (in some sources wrongly identified as Jerry Vale), may have been the source of the story of the song's origin as a ballad.

At the time, the Electric Prunes comprised singer James Lowe, lead guitarist Ken Williams, rhythm guitarist James "Weasel" Spagnola, bassist Mark Tulin, and drummer Preston Ritter. The oscillating, reversed guitar which opens the song originated from the rehearsals at Russell's house, where Williams recorded with a 1958 Gibson Les Paul guitar with a Bigsby vibrato unit. According to Lowe, "We were recording on a four-track, and just flipping the tape over and re-recording when we got to the end. Dave cued up a tape and didn't hit 'record,' and the playback in the studio was way up: ear-shattering vibrating jet guitar. Ken had been shaking his Bigsby wiggle stick with some fuzztone and tremolo at the end of the tape. Forward it was cool. Backward it was amazing. I ran into the control room and said, 'What was that?' They didn't have the monitors on so they hadn't heard it. I made Dave cut it off and save it for later."

The single was released in November 1966. At first it was caught up in the Christmas rush, but in early 1967 it made steady progress up the US chart and finally peaked at #11. It also reached # 49 in the UK chart. Its success enabled the band to tour, and to release an album of the same name and a successful follow-up single "Get Me To The World On Time".

Electric Prunes - (Live/French TV, 1967)



In 1967, the Steve Miller Blues Band signed with Capitol Records for an unheard of $750,000. The group drops the "Blues" from its name.

In 1967, 26 year-old Otis Redding was killed when the twin engine Beechcraft he was flying in crashed into the icy waters of the Squaw Bay area of Lake Monona, just outside of Madison, Wisconsin. His death came just three days after he recorded his only number one hit, "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay". Four teen-aged members of his back-up group, The Bar-Kays also perished. Only 20 year old trumpeter Ben Cauley, who was sitting directly behind Redding on the plane, survived. He and James Alexander would reform The Bar-Kays and went on to record with Stax artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, and The Staple Singers.

In 1969, after songwriter Mark James had released his own unsuccessful version of "Suspicious Minds" Elvis Presley collected his 48th Gold Record for his rendition. It was The King's seventeenth and final number-one single in the United States. Rolling Stone later ranked it #91 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In 1969, testifying at his trial for possession of hashish and heroin in the Toronto Supreme Court, Jimi Hendrix claims that he had experimented with them, but has now outgrown drugs. After eight hours of deliberations, the jury finds him not guilty.

In 1971, Frank Zappa was pushed from a London stage by the jealous boyfriend of a Zappa fan. Zappa spent months in a wheelchair recovering from a broken leg and ankle and fractured skull.

In 1973, the CBGB club opened in the lower east side of New York City; it became the home of new bands such as Blondie, Television, Patti Smith and The Ramones.

'Wings over America,' by Paul McCartney's was released in 1976.

In 1980, the body of John Lennon was cremated at the Ferncliff Mortuary in Hartsdale, New York and his ashes were given to his widow Yoko Ono, who reportedly took them back to her Dakota apartment.

In 1983, Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson started a six week run at #1 on the Billboard singles chart with "Say Say Say". It was Jackson's 10th chart topper, including solo and with The Jacksons, and was McCartney's 29th, including solo and with The Beatles.

In 1988, R&B guitarist/singer ("Love Potion No. 9") Bill Harris of the Clovers died of cancer at 63.

In 1988, Bill Champlin's vocals helped Chicago attain their third and final number one single when "Look Away" hit the top of the Billboard chart. It was one of three Top Ten hits from the "Chicago 19" album, along with "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" and "You're Not Alone".

In 1990, the first Billboard Music Awards took place. Janet Jackson was the big winner with eight trophies.

In 1996, country music singer ("Hello Walls,") and actor ('Country Music Holiday,' 'Hidden Guns,' 'Raiders of Old California') Faron Young, founder and former publisher of Nashville's Music City News magazine, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 64.

In 1998, at Christie's Auction House in London, a recording of a 1963 Beatles 10-song concert was sold for a bid of £25,300 ($41,500 US). A set of autographs signed for a fan in Liverpool in 1961 by five Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best, and Stuart Sutcliffe – went for £5,195 ($8,500).

In 1999, singer/bassist (Caledonia Mission, Long Black Veil, This Wheel's On Fire) Rick Danko of the Band died of heart failure at 56.

In 2002, in Los Angeles, CA, the Oakwood Postal Station was renamed the Nat King Cole Post Office. U.S. President George W. Bush had signed the act for the change on October 30, 2002.

In 2003, singer/keyboardist Bill Deal, lead vocalist of the Rhondels, died at the age of 57.

In 2004, one of three RCA microphones, used during 50 mid-1950s performances by Elvis Presley for the "Louisiana Hayride" radio show on KWKH in Shreveport, was sold for $37,500.

In 2007, at London's 02 Arena, Led Zeppelin played their first concert in 19 years. Original band members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were joined on stage by Jason Bonham, the son of their late drummer John Bonham. More than one million people took part in a drawing for the 20,000 tickets available for the show.

In 2008, the U.S. military used loud music to "create fear, disorient ... and prolong capture shock" for prisoners at military detention centers at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, according to an Associated Press report. Among the songs blasted 24 hours a day were "Born In The USA" by Bruce Springsteen, "White America" by Eminem, "Hell's Bells" by AC/DC, "The Theme From Sesame Street," and "I Love You" from the children's TV program, "Barney and Friends." the barney one would break me.....

In 2009, a rare 1932 Mickey Mouse Christmas card signed by Walt Disney sold at auction in Illinois for $13,987.

In 2009, during an interview with Britain's Q magazine, Paul McCartney was asked if his marriage to Heather Mills was the worst mistake of his life. He replied "OK, yeah. I suppose that has to be the prime contender." The divorce settlement cost him $38.9 million, plus annual payments for their daughter Beatrice.

In 2010, at a New York auction, the original hand-written lyrics of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin" sold for $422,500. holy crap!

Sadly, in 2010, Lady Gaga was named Billboard's Artist of the Year.

And to wrap today's history - In 2010, Jim Morrison was pardoned in the state of Florida by Governor Charlie Christ for his arrest and conviction of public lewdness during a 1969 concert in Miami.

birthdays today include (among others): Chad Stuart (Chad & Jeremy) (70), Ralph Tavares (Tavares) (70), Jessica Cleaves (Friends of Distinction) (63), J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.) (46), Scott Alexander (Dishwalla) (40), Brian Molko (Placebo) (39) and Meg White (White Stripes) (37