By Brock Thiessen
In continued efforts to shed light on our lost musical history, the reissuing minds of the Numero Group are launching Local Customs, a new series out to explore the lost sounds of Middle America from the ’60s and ’70s.
In the words of Numbero, Local Customs “focuses on the woodsheds, basements, and living rooms where these records were made. Entrepreneurs in nowhere towns like Ecorse, MI, Rockford, IL, and Beaumont, TX documented the recordings of their fellow citizens and issued their songs on tiny labels and in even tinier pressings,” all of which will now get the reissue treatment courtesy of the Chicago imprint.
The first release lined up in the series will be Downriver Revival, which will focus on the recordings of obscure American producer Felton Williams and is due out March 3. Included on the comp is an eclectic mix of Willams’s recording between 1967 and 1981, covering everything from gospel to soul to funk to garage punk. Along with the tunes, which were all laid down by Ecrose citizens, the collection comes packaged up with a DVD of over 200 sound recordings culled from Williams's archives, as well as a 30-minute featurette on the making of Downriver Revival.
In related Numero news, the label is also launching what it calls the Numerophon, a vinyl-only imprint geared towards rediscovering primitive American and ethnic recordings. The complete songbook of ’50s NY folkie Niela Miller, dubbed Songs of Leaving, marks the imprint’s inaugural release, which like all the label’s output will be pressed on audiophile-approved 150-gram vinyl. And while Miller’s work continues to be a mystery to most listeners, many will likely recognize her track "Baby Don't Go to Town," which as legend has it was stolen by boyfriend Billy Roberts and “reworked” as ”Hey Joe,” the legendary song brought to fame by Jimi Hendrix, Love, the Creation and countless others.
Here is the tracklisting to Felton Williams’s Downriver Revival, as well as that for Niela Miller’s Songs of Leaving, which is due out February 10.
Downriver Revival:
1. Shirley Ann Lee “There's a Light”
2. Gospel Supremes “Sinner Man”
3. Coleman Family “Peace On Earth”
4. Calvin Cooke “Walk with Me”
5. Shirley Ann Lee “I Shall Not Be Moved”
6. The Revelations “Take Care of Us”
7. Bobby Cook & The Explosion “Untitled”
8. The Organics “Footstumpin' (Alternate Take)
9. The Combinations “While You Were Gone”
10. The Apostles Of Music “Wade in the Water”
11. Deliverance Echoes “Heaven”
12. Bobby Cook & The Explosion “On the Way”
13. Shirley Ann Lee “How Can I Lose”
14. Young Generation “Running Mod”
15. The Burgess Band “Untitled”
16. Bobby Cook Quartette “Ridin' High”
17. Might Voices Of Wonder “Every Year Carries a Number”
18. Shirley Ann Lee “Please Accept My Prayer”
19. Calvin Cooke “What Happens to People”
20. Coleman Family “People Has It Hard”
21. Junior Mays Group “Round n' Round”
22. Pilgrim Wonder “He Never Failed”
23. Mighty Walker Brothers “He'll Make a Way”
24. Voices Of Deliverance “The Power of God”
Songs of Leaving:
1. “Down Hearted Man”
2. “Baby Don't Go to Town”
3. “Too Long Blues”
4. “You Gotta Know How to Love”
5. “Daddy Went to Jail”
6. “Hushabye Blues”
7. “Mean World”
8. “Goodbye New York”
9. “The World Ain't Ready”
10. “Jenny Gal”
SOURCE: http://www.exclaim.ca
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Music News & Notes
Steve Martin Picks And Grins On Banjo Album
Expect a new LP from that 'wild & crazy guy' Steve Martin. Martin points out that his new album, "The Crow: New Songs For the Five-String Banjo," falls under the heading: "I'm not getting any younger..."
That led the actor/comedian/author/musician to work in earnest on "The Crow," which comes out Jan. 27 as a three-month Amazon.com exclusive and features 15 original Martin compositions recorded with guests such as Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Mary Black, Earl Scruggs, Tony Trischka, Tim O'Brien and Pete Wrenick. It was produced by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's John McEuen, a high school friend of Martin's.
"I started (playing banjo) when I was 17," Martin explained to Billboard.com. "I know what my specialty is -- playing songs I write, and if I'm asked to step outside that specialty, I can get a little nervous. It's a dichotomy; on one hand I can play my own songs with anybody, but if I got into a really serious bluegrass crowd, I'd play a couple standards and retire."
Martin says five of the songs on "The Crow" -- named after a track he wrote and performed on Trischka's "Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular" in 2007 -- date back to the late '60s and early '70s, while others are more recent. "Tin Roof" came along while he was filming 2003's "Cheaper By the Dozen," while "Pretty Flowers" was conceived while filming 2006's "The Pink Panther" in Boston.
"I had these songs," Martin says, "and I was up to speed 'cause I sort of got back into the banjo in the last three years. And I thought 'Now it's time...'"
Martin is planning a number of TV appearances to promote "The Crow" -- including hosting "Saturday Night Live" on Jan. 30 -- as well as his new starring role in "The Pink Panther 2," which opens Feb. 6. As for actual touring, he says that "if I do it'll be in the summer," after he wraps another role in an as-yet-untitled Nancy Myers-directed adult romantic comedy with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin.
"I think I would just do a bluegrass festival or something like that," Martin says. "The word (about the album) isn't even out yet, and I don't even know what I'd do. I guess I have to get a band, right? I wouldn't even know how to do an hour show of music. I'd have to think about that."
===========================================
Bruce Springsteen Busy Prepping 'Darkness' Reissue
Bruce Springsteen is all set to release a new album and play in the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show, but there is another project in the works that will be received joyously by fans: a deluxe reissue of 1978's "Darkness on the Edge of Town" that will be similar to Columbia's 2005 30th-anniversary boxed set treatment of "Born to Run."
The "Darkness" package "would involve remastering that record, doing the kind of super-creative reconstruction and documentary of how it all came about and finding usable live footage from that point in time," Springsteen manager Jon Landau tells Billboard. "That's a big one, and not that far from completion, and when we can find six weeks to sit down and finish it I'm sure we will."
Born to Run" included a Grammy-winning documentary about its creation and a 1975 concert from London. It was a huge hit with fans, debuting at No. 18 on The Billboard 200 with first-week sales of more than 53,000 copies.
Additionally, the 'Boss' played at the party for the new president and Springsteen and the E Street Band will return to the road this summer, with a handful of European stadium dates having been announced so far.
===========================================
RAVAGE Taps ED REPKA For New Album Cover
Boston, Massachusetts-based metallers RAVAGE have tapped legendary metal cover artist Ed Repka to create the cover for their forthcoming full-length album, "The End Of Tomorrow". The band is thrilled to be working with Repka, who is well known for the striking metal cover art he has created for such icons as MEGADETH, MISFITS, and DEATH. Additional sleeve art will be provided by Matt Anderson, who completed artwork on the band's previous EPs.
Commented vocalist Al Ravage: "It's amazing to be working with Ed, whose art I have enjoyed since I was a little kid. Just from the preliminary sketches I can tell this is going to be exactly what we were looking for. We wanted to go all out and have the best possible presentation for this album and give the most possible value to our fans — this is just the beginning, there is more to come!"
A release date for the album will be announced shortly.
===========================================
JT to the Rescue
James Taylor came to the rescue of a New York City fan who had to give up her iPod filled with the singer's songs to a taxi cab driver. Natalie Lenhart, 20, had to give up her iPod after the driver could not get her taxi credit card to work in his reader. Taylor read of the situation and sent her a brand new iPod with all of his music.
===========================================
Stand By Me
Pete Townshend publically thanked Roger Daltrey for standing by him when he was facing alegations of child pornography.
"Roger bravely stood by me when I really couldn't speak for myself. He took a chance, as did Jerry Hall and some other people who spoke up for me. They made their public statements of belief in me several months before it was established there was no evidence against me."
===========================================
Reba Sets Country Record
"Cowgirls Don't Cry" by Brooks & Dunn and featuring Reba McEntire jumped from #13 to #9 on the country singles chart and, in doing so, sets two chart records.
The single is Reba's 56th top ten hit, passing Dolly Parton as the female vocalist with the most top tens. It's also Brooks & Dunn's 41st top ten, putting them past Alabama for the most top tens by a duo or group.
===========================================
Aretha Claus
Aretha Franklin came prepared to the inauguration of Barack Obama bearing gifts. For the new President, she brought seventeen sermons that were written by her late father along with her father's biography and a personally engraved bible. For the first lady, she brought a gold brooch with diamonds and her 15-year-old grandson brought gospel/Christian hip-hop music for the girls.
===========================================
New Arkon LP Due In May
Experimental folk group Akron/Family (now a trio) has announced that a new album, Set ‘em Wild, Set ‘em Free, will be released on Dead Oceans on May 5.
===========================================
New Stinking Lizaveta LP
Prog/math rockers Stinking Lizaveta have a new album, Sacrifice and Bliss, that will be released on March 31.
===========================================
Dark Meat Concert Dates
Long-form psychedelic collective Dark Meat, with its 17 members, has announced a string of concert dates that cover the West and the South. The group also has a pair of new 7" records for sale; one is a split with Long Legged Woman.
===========================================
Mastodon Single
Mastodon will debut a new track (”Divinations”) from its upcoming album, Crack the Skye, on next week’s installment of the BBC Radio 1’s “Rock Show.”
===========================================
Jazzy Tortoise
In an interview with Billboard, bassist Doug McCombs shared details on the upcoming album from jazzy post-rock instrumentalists Tortoise — its first full album of original material since 2004. Still untitled, the album will be released April 21 on Thrill Jockey and feature layers of synthesizers as well as “unconventional drumming and percussion.”
===========================================
Think Fast!
Hardcore label Think Fast! Records have announced that starting mid-2009, they will stop producing CD releases altogether and focus on digital and vinyl releases only. They explained:
Think Fast! Records is here to tell you, that the music technology that we know as CDs is, in 2009, borderline obsolete. [...] Releases in mid-2009 and onward will be available on vinyl and digital download formats only, with an instant free digital download with all vinyl purchases.
With this shift in the industry, we were tossing around the idea of turning into a "digital-only label". While we admire anyone who was forward-thinking enough to do just that, we also feel that it is very important to the artists we work with and the people who listen to these bands to not lose sight of the importance of holding a physical copy of a record in our hands. The artwork, lyrics, and substance of the physical product is essential.
The label has previously released albums from The Distance, Between the Wars, Have Heart, Ambitions, Far from Finished, Smartbomb, Wait in Vain and No Harm Done.
===========================================
Albatross LP
The An Albatross Family Album, one of my favorite releases from 2008, is now available on (white) vinyl from the Eyeball Records.
Expect a new LP from that 'wild & crazy guy' Steve Martin. Martin points out that his new album, "The Crow: New Songs For the Five-String Banjo," falls under the heading: "I'm not getting any younger..."
That led the actor/comedian/author/musician to work in earnest on "The Crow," which comes out Jan. 27 as a three-month Amazon.com exclusive and features 15 original Martin compositions recorded with guests such as Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Mary Black, Earl Scruggs, Tony Trischka, Tim O'Brien and Pete Wrenick. It was produced by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's John McEuen, a high school friend of Martin's."I started (playing banjo) when I was 17," Martin explained to Billboard.com. "I know what my specialty is -- playing songs I write, and if I'm asked to step outside that specialty, I can get a little nervous. It's a dichotomy; on one hand I can play my own songs with anybody, but if I got into a really serious bluegrass crowd, I'd play a couple standards and retire."
Martin says five of the songs on "The Crow" -- named after a track he wrote and performed on Trischka's "Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular" in 2007 -- date back to the late '60s and early '70s, while others are more recent. "Tin Roof" came along while he was filming 2003's "Cheaper By the Dozen," while "Pretty Flowers" was conceived while filming 2006's "The Pink Panther" in Boston.
"I had these songs," Martin says, "and I was up to speed 'cause I sort of got back into the banjo in the last three years. And I thought 'Now it's time...'"
Martin is planning a number of TV appearances to promote "The Crow" -- including hosting "Saturday Night Live" on Jan. 30 -- as well as his new starring role in "The Pink Panther 2," which opens Feb. 6. As for actual touring, he says that "if I do it'll be in the summer," after he wraps another role in an as-yet-untitled Nancy Myers-directed adult romantic comedy with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin.
"I think I would just do a bluegrass festival or something like that," Martin says. "The word (about the album) isn't even out yet, and I don't even know what I'd do. I guess I have to get a band, right? I wouldn't even know how to do an hour show of music. I'd have to think about that."
===========================================
Bruce Springsteen Busy Prepping 'Darkness' Reissue
Bruce Springsteen is all set to release a new album and play in the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show, but there is another project in the works that will be received joyously by fans: a deluxe reissue of 1978's "Darkness on the Edge of Town" that will be similar to Columbia's 2005 30th-anniversary boxed set treatment of "Born to Run."
The "Darkness" package "would involve remastering that record, doing the kind of super-creative reconstruction and documentary of how it all came about and finding usable live footage from that point in time," Springsteen manager Jon Landau tells Billboard. "That's a big one, and not that far from completion, and when we can find six weeks to sit down and finish it I'm sure we will."
Born to Run" included a Grammy-winning documentary about its creation and a 1975 concert from London. It was a huge hit with fans, debuting at No. 18 on The Billboard 200 with first-week sales of more than 53,000 copies.
Additionally, the 'Boss' played at the party for the new president and Springsteen and the E Street Band will return to the road this summer, with a handful of European stadium dates having been announced so far.
===========================================
RAVAGE Taps ED REPKA For New Album Cover
Boston, Massachusetts-based metallers RAVAGE have tapped legendary metal cover artist Ed Repka to create the cover for their forthcoming full-length album, "The End Of Tomorrow". The band is thrilled to be working with Repka, who is well known for the striking metal cover art he has created for such icons as MEGADETH, MISFITS, and DEATH. Additional sleeve art will be provided by Matt Anderson, who completed artwork on the band's previous EPs.
Commented vocalist Al Ravage: "It's amazing to be working with Ed, whose art I have enjoyed since I was a little kid. Just from the preliminary sketches I can tell this is going to be exactly what we were looking for. We wanted to go all out and have the best possible presentation for this album and give the most possible value to our fans — this is just the beginning, there is more to come!"
A release date for the album will be announced shortly.
===========================================
JT to the Rescue
James Taylor came to the rescue of a New York City fan who had to give up her iPod filled with the singer's songs to a taxi cab driver. Natalie Lenhart, 20, had to give up her iPod after the driver could not get her taxi credit card to work in his reader. Taylor read of the situation and sent her a brand new iPod with all of his music.
===========================================
Stand By Me
Pete Townshend publically thanked Roger Daltrey for standing by him when he was facing alegations of child pornography.
"Roger bravely stood by me when I really couldn't speak for myself. He took a chance, as did Jerry Hall and some other people who spoke up for me. They made their public statements of belief in me several months before it was established there was no evidence against me."
===========================================
Reba Sets Country Record
"Cowgirls Don't Cry" by Brooks & Dunn and featuring Reba McEntire jumped from #13 to #9 on the country singles chart and, in doing so, sets two chart records.
The single is Reba's 56th top ten hit, passing Dolly Parton as the female vocalist with the most top tens. It's also Brooks & Dunn's 41st top ten, putting them past Alabama for the most top tens by a duo or group.
===========================================
Aretha Claus
Aretha Franklin came prepared to the inauguration of Barack Obama bearing gifts. For the new President, she brought seventeen sermons that were written by her late father along with her father's biography and a personally engraved bible. For the first lady, she brought a gold brooch with diamonds and her 15-year-old grandson brought gospel/Christian hip-hop music for the girls.
===========================================
New Arkon LP Due In May
Experimental folk group Akron/Family (now a trio) has announced that a new album, Set ‘em Wild, Set ‘em Free, will be released on Dead Oceans on May 5.
===========================================
New Stinking Lizaveta LP
Prog/math rockers Stinking Lizaveta have a new album, Sacrifice and Bliss, that will be released on March 31.
===========================================
Dark Meat Concert Dates
Long-form psychedelic collective Dark Meat, with its 17 members, has announced a string of concert dates that cover the West and the South. The group also has a pair of new 7" records for sale; one is a split with Long Legged Woman.
===========================================
Mastodon Single
Mastodon will debut a new track (”Divinations”) from its upcoming album, Crack the Skye, on next week’s installment of the BBC Radio 1’s “Rock Show.”
===========================================
Jazzy Tortoise
In an interview with Billboard, bassist Doug McCombs shared details on the upcoming album from jazzy post-rock instrumentalists Tortoise — its first full album of original material since 2004. Still untitled, the album will be released April 21 on Thrill Jockey and feature layers of synthesizers as well as “unconventional drumming and percussion.”
===========================================
Think Fast!
Hardcore label Think Fast! Records have announced that starting mid-2009, they will stop producing CD releases altogether and focus on digital and vinyl releases only. They explained:
Think Fast! Records is here to tell you, that the music technology that we know as CDs is, in 2009, borderline obsolete. [...] Releases in mid-2009 and onward will be available on vinyl and digital download formats only, with an instant free digital download with all vinyl purchases.
With this shift in the industry, we were tossing around the idea of turning into a "digital-only label". While we admire anyone who was forward-thinking enough to do just that, we also feel that it is very important to the artists we work with and the people who listen to these bands to not lose sight of the importance of holding a physical copy of a record in our hands. The artwork, lyrics, and substance of the physical product is essential.
The label has previously released albums from The Distance, Between the Wars, Have Heart, Ambitions, Far from Finished, Smartbomb, Wait in Vain and No Harm Done.
===========================================
Albatross LP
The An Albatross Family Album, one of my favorite releases from 2008, is now available on (white) vinyl from the Eyeball Records.
This Date In Music History-January 24
Birthdays:
Keech Rainwater- Lonestar (1963)
Jools Holland- Squeeze (1955)
Aaron Neville- The Neville Brothers (1941)
Neil Diamond (1941)
Ray Stevens (1941)
They Are Missed:
Born in 1933, Zeke Carey, The Flamingos (died December 24, 1999).
Born in 1949, John Belushi, actor, singer who played Joliet 'Jake' Blues in The Blues Brothers, died of a drug overdose on March 5, 1982.
In 1963, US songwriter Otto Harbach died at age 90. He co-wrote, “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” US & UK #1 for The Platters in 1958.
Born in 1947, Warren Zevon (died on September 7, 2003).
Born on this day in 1945, Tammi Terrell, singer, who died of a brain tumour on March 16, 1970 after collapsing into Marvin Gaye's arms on stage during a duet of “That’s All You Need To Get By.”
James "Shep" Sheppard of Shep & the Limelites ("Daddy's Home") and the Heartbeats ("A Thousand Miles Away") was found murdered in his car on a New York expressway in 1970.
History:
In 1998, Oasis went to #1 on the UK singles chart with “All Around The World.” It is the longest running-time for a #1 song, clocking in at 9 minutes 38 seconds.
The Clash released their first single in the US in 1979, “I Fought The Law” (written by Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly's Crickets).
Bob Dylan started a five-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1976 with “Desire,” his third US #1 LP.
Diana Ross went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1976 with “Theme From Mahogany,” the singers third US #1 hit.
Brian Epstein signed a management deal with The Beatles in 1962. Epstein was to receive 25% of the bands gross earnings, the normal management deal was 10%.
Elvis Presley was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1958 with “Jailhouse Rock.” It became the first ever single to enter the chart at #1 and was Presley's second UK #1.
Elvis Presley recorded "Teddy Bear" in 1957.
Chubby Checker had four albums in the Top Ten of the Billboard LP chart in 1962. They were "For Twisters Only,” "Your Twist Party,” "Bobby Rydell / Chubby Checker" and "Let's Twist Again.”
After receiving at $25,000 signing bonus, Aretha Franklin recorded her first tracks for Atlantic Records in 1967.
In 1969, New Jersey state prosecutors issued a warning to record dealers that they will be charged with distributing pornography if they were caught selling the John Lennon / Yoko Ono LP "Two Virgins.” The front cover of the album showed the pair frontally nude, while the back cover showed them from behind. The rather unflattering photo would later be described by Lennon as a picture of "two slightly overweight ex-junkies.”
In 1970, the mini-moog synthesizer was introduced by Dr. Robert Moog. Artists could now have the sound of strings and horns on stage without having a full orchestra with them. The American Federation of Musicians considered banning the $2,000 keyboard, fearing that its ability to simulate acoustic instruments could put musicians out of work.
In 2008, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry reported that although music downloads rose by 40% in 2007, global music sales fell by an estimated 10%.
Randy Newman had a lot of people upset when his song "Short People" hit the top of the Cash Box best sellers list in 1978. The song was meant to poke fun at all prejudice and did just that with the line "short people got no reason to live.” Before "Short People,” Newman was most noted for writing Three Dog Night's 1970 chart topper, "Mama Told Me Not To Come.”
Jethro Tull played in America for the first time in 1969, opening for Led Zeppelin in New York City.
It’s ‘50’s night at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 1986. The inductees were: Chuck Berry, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Elvis Presley and the man who hyped it all, DJ/promoter Alan Freed.
In 1978, workers at EMI's record pressing plant refused to press copies of The Buzzcocks forthcoming release “What Do I Get” because of the title on the B-side “Oh Shit.”
Keech Rainwater- Lonestar (1963)
Jools Holland- Squeeze (1955)
Aaron Neville- The Neville Brothers (1941)
Neil Diamond (1941)
Ray Stevens (1941)
They Are Missed:
Born in 1933, Zeke Carey, The Flamingos (died December 24, 1999).
Born in 1949, John Belushi, actor, singer who played Joliet 'Jake' Blues in The Blues Brothers, died of a drug overdose on March 5, 1982.
In 1963, US songwriter Otto Harbach died at age 90. He co-wrote, “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” US & UK #1 for The Platters in 1958.
Born in 1947, Warren Zevon (died on September 7, 2003).
Born on this day in 1945, Tammi Terrell, singer, who died of a brain tumour on March 16, 1970 after collapsing into Marvin Gaye's arms on stage during a duet of “That’s All You Need To Get By.”
James "Shep" Sheppard of Shep & the Limelites ("Daddy's Home") and the Heartbeats ("A Thousand Miles Away") was found murdered in his car on a New York expressway in 1970.
History:
In 1998, Oasis went to #1 on the UK singles chart with “All Around The World.” It is the longest running-time for a #1 song, clocking in at 9 minutes 38 seconds.
The Clash released their first single in the US in 1979, “I Fought The Law” (written by Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly's Crickets).
Bob Dylan started a five-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1976 with “Desire,” his third US #1 LP.
Diana Ross went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1976 with “Theme From Mahogany,” the singers third US #1 hit.
Brian Epstein signed a management deal with The Beatles in 1962. Epstein was to receive 25% of the bands gross earnings, the normal management deal was 10%.
Elvis Presley was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1958 with “Jailhouse Rock.” It became the first ever single to enter the chart at #1 and was Presley's second UK #1.
Elvis Presley recorded "Teddy Bear" in 1957.
Chubby Checker had four albums in the Top Ten of the Billboard LP chart in 1962. They were "For Twisters Only,” "Your Twist Party,” "Bobby Rydell / Chubby Checker" and "Let's Twist Again.”
After receiving at $25,000 signing bonus, Aretha Franklin recorded her first tracks for Atlantic Records in 1967.
In 1969, New Jersey state prosecutors issued a warning to record dealers that they will be charged with distributing pornography if they were caught selling the John Lennon / Yoko Ono LP "Two Virgins.” The front cover of the album showed the pair frontally nude, while the back cover showed them from behind. The rather unflattering photo would later be described by Lennon as a picture of "two slightly overweight ex-junkies.”
In 1970, the mini-moog synthesizer was introduced by Dr. Robert Moog. Artists could now have the sound of strings and horns on stage without having a full orchestra with them. The American Federation of Musicians considered banning the $2,000 keyboard, fearing that its ability to simulate acoustic instruments could put musicians out of work.
In 2008, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry reported that although music downloads rose by 40% in 2007, global music sales fell by an estimated 10%.
Randy Newman had a lot of people upset when his song "Short People" hit the top of the Cash Box best sellers list in 1978. The song was meant to poke fun at all prejudice and did just that with the line "short people got no reason to live.” Before "Short People,” Newman was most noted for writing Three Dog Night's 1970 chart topper, "Mama Told Me Not To Come.”
Jethro Tull played in America for the first time in 1969, opening for Led Zeppelin in New York City.
It’s ‘50’s night at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 1986. The inductees were: Chuck Berry, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Elvis Presley and the man who hyped it all, DJ/promoter Alan Freed.
In 1978, workers at EMI's record pressing plant refused to press copies of The Buzzcocks forthcoming release “What Do I Get” because of the title on the B-side “Oh Shit.”
Friday, January 23, 2009
We Can Only Dream!
Most expensive turntable in the world
The turntable started out as a device used to play music by rotating a phonograph record on a a circular horizontal platform, but it has evolved into a music instrument itself and some models now are just as much as the costliest instrument. The record player was the most popular device for playing sound from the 1870s through the 1980s, but in the modern work-a-day world of iTunes and Sattelite radio, the record player is often overlooked. DJs and Turntablism brought new life and new expensive turntables to the consumer and keeps the record player adapting.
Vinyl is alive and kicking because the most passionate and wealthy audiophiles know that CD’s or mp3’s sound can‘t touch anything on these—the most expensive turntables.
Continuum Caliburn – up to $112,000
Vinyl isn’t dead, and The Continuum Caliburn turntable proves this by aiming for audio perfection. The price for this expensive turntable starts at $90,000 and goes up to $112,000, depending on finishes and includes some amazing technology. The tonearm alone sells for $12,000. The turntable uses a magnetically levitated magnesium platter suspended in a vacuum to assure there are no vibrations.
Clearaudio Statement - $125,000
This 770-pound hunk of wood and aluminum features a magnetically-driven sub-platter that completely eliminates contact with the main platter and real time speed control. A 176 lb pendulum ensures that the platters are always level and a high speed microprocessor-controlled motor drive unit, similar to that used in the Mars rover, keeps the records turning.
Basis Work of Art - $150,000
This Work of Art uses a “mass-spring-dampener” suspension system to completely isolate the turntable from the listening environment while an AC synchronous instrument motor provides the speed-stability necessary to put the most ardent audiophiles at ease. The Work of Art’s support structure is so rigid that audible resonance is eliminated.
Goldmund Reference II - $300,000
The successor to the 25-year-old Goldmund Reference is a high-precision turntable with level calibration to less than 1/100th of a millimeter and its stylus, pivot and counterweight “perfectly aligned for optimal dynamic balance.” Three Teflon tubes prevent vibration of the wires as they carry signal from the turntable. The turntable also features a digital processor that provides RIAA correction which, I’m guessing, has nothing to do with those people who sue people for downloading MP3 files.
The world’s most expensive turntable is limited to a mere twenty-five units with only five being made per year.
(taken from the most expensive journal)
SOURCE: http://www.theaccidentalgeniusblog.com
The turntable started out as a device used to play music by rotating a phonograph record on a a circular horizontal platform, but it has evolved into a music instrument itself and some models now are just as much as the costliest instrument. The record player was the most popular device for playing sound from the 1870s through the 1980s, but in the modern work-a-day world of iTunes and Sattelite radio, the record player is often overlooked. DJs and Turntablism brought new life and new expensive turntables to the consumer and keeps the record player adapting.
Vinyl is alive and kicking because the most passionate and wealthy audiophiles know that CD’s or mp3’s sound can‘t touch anything on these—the most expensive turntables.
Continuum Caliburn – up to $112,000
Vinyl isn’t dead, and The Continuum Caliburn turntable proves this by aiming for audio perfection. The price for this expensive turntable starts at $90,000 and goes up to $112,000, depending on finishes and includes some amazing technology. The tonearm alone sells for $12,000. The turntable uses a magnetically levitated magnesium platter suspended in a vacuum to assure there are no vibrations.
Clearaudio Statement - $125,000
This 770-pound hunk of wood and aluminum features a magnetically-driven sub-platter that completely eliminates contact with the main platter and real time speed control. A 176 lb pendulum ensures that the platters are always level and a high speed microprocessor-controlled motor drive unit, similar to that used in the Mars rover, keeps the records turning.
Basis Work of Art - $150,000
This Work of Art uses a “mass-spring-dampener” suspension system to completely isolate the turntable from the listening environment while an AC synchronous instrument motor provides the speed-stability necessary to put the most ardent audiophiles at ease. The Work of Art’s support structure is so rigid that audible resonance is eliminated.
Goldmund Reference II - $300,000
The successor to the 25-year-old Goldmund Reference is a high-precision turntable with level calibration to less than 1/100th of a millimeter and its stylus, pivot and counterweight “perfectly aligned for optimal dynamic balance.” Three Teflon tubes prevent vibration of the wires as they carry signal from the turntable. The turntable also features a digital processor that provides RIAA correction which, I’m guessing, has nothing to do with those people who sue people for downloading MP3 files.
The world’s most expensive turntable is limited to a mere twenty-five units with only five being made per year.
(taken from the most expensive journal)
SOURCE: http://www.theaccidentalgeniusblog.com
Album Cover Art News
U2 accused of copying American artist's album cover
U2's No Line On The Horizon and Taylor Dupree's Specification Fifteen
The Irish rock band have chosen a design by acclaimed Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto for the sleeve of their fortcoming album No Line On The Horizon.
But Taylor Deupree, a musician from New York, used the same image for his 2006 CD Specification Fifteen, a collaboration with fellow electronic artist Richard Chartier.
Mr Deupree said: "OK, come on people, do some research before you release an album cover. U2's forthcoming album, No Line On The Horizon, is nearly an exact rip-off of mine and Richard Chartier's Specification Fifteen, which came out a couple of years ago.
"Both covers feature a photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto. Specification Fifteen was created directly in conjunction with Sugimoto and his retrospective at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, so before people run off about how cool the new U2 cover is, show them ours first.
"Naturally, when something we have slaved over, fought for recognition over, is so easily undone by pop culture, it feels a bit cheap. What for us is one of the greatest achievements in a career thus far is simply a phonecall for U2."
His claim comes just months after Coldplay were accused of plagiarising the music of guitar legend Joe Satriani for their hit Viva La Vida.
===========================================
The Decemberists Release Cover Art For New Album
This is the new cover art for the new Decemberists record Hazards of Love, due on March 24th.
As usual, Colin Meloy's wife did the honors.
U2's No Line On The Horizon and Taylor Dupree's Specification Fifteen
The Irish rock band have chosen a design by acclaimed Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto for the sleeve of their fortcoming album No Line On The Horizon.
But Taylor Deupree, a musician from New York, used the same image for his 2006 CD Specification Fifteen, a collaboration with fellow electronic artist Richard Chartier.
Mr Deupree said: "OK, come on people, do some research before you release an album cover. U2's forthcoming album, No Line On The Horizon, is nearly an exact rip-off of mine and Richard Chartier's Specification Fifteen, which came out a couple of years ago.
"Both covers feature a photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto. Specification Fifteen was created directly in conjunction with Sugimoto and his retrospective at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, so before people run off about how cool the new U2 cover is, show them ours first.
"Naturally, when something we have slaved over, fought for recognition over, is so easily undone by pop culture, it feels a bit cheap. What for us is one of the greatest achievements in a career thus far is simply a phonecall for U2."
His claim comes just months after Coldplay were accused of plagiarising the music of guitar legend Joe Satriani for their hit Viva La Vida.
===========================================
The Decemberists Release Cover Art For New Album
This is the new cover art for the new Decemberists record Hazards of Love, due on March 24th.
As usual, Colin Meloy's wife did the honors.
Music News & Notes
New ISIS Release Set For May
ISIS, the innovative Los Angeles-by-way-of-Boston-based band, has set a May 5 release date for its much-anticipated new album, "Wavering Radiant" (Ipecac Recordings). The CD, produced by Joe Baressi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), will receive a limited-edition vinyl release on April 21. TOOL's Adam Jones contributed guitar to two songs from the LP.
=======================================
Amoeba-Hosted McCartney Performances Earn Grammy Nods - CD To Be Released On January 27, 2009
On June 27, 2007 Amoeba Music - the legendary Los Angeles music store - hosted an intimate performance with Sir Paul McCartney which Variety called 'a once-in-a-lifetime performance: a relaxed and gregarious McCartney in a setting intimate enough for him to interact with fans.' Four of the songs from the performance were released on the 12' vinyl 'Amoeba's Secret' (Hear Music/MPL Communications Ltd.) and now two of those tracks have garnered McCartney Grammy nominations.
'That Was Me' is up for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, while 'I Saw Her Standing There' is nominated for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance.
What began as an extraordinary night with McCartney has blossomed from a limited run vinyl release to Grammy nominations and a January 27th CD release of the 4-song 'Amoeba's Secret' album on Universal.
The LA Times said of Amoeba hosting the event '[McCartney's] delight proved that Amoeba was the right spot for this event. A club or theater might have made for better sightlines and more predictable sound (actually, the sound was fine), but it wouldn't have had the communal aura of this fan fair.
Here, the 800 or so folks in their Wings T-shirts and Sgt. Pepper jackets - plus a few hard-to-spot celebs, most notably Ringo Starr, who got a shout-out from his old pal at show's end - could bask directly in each other's joy. And with no fourth wall to protect him, McCartney could let that mood get under his skin.'
Photos and video can be seen at: http://www.amoeba.com/content/paul_rocked_amoeba.html
SOURCE: http://top40-charts.com
=======================================
'Watchmen' Original Score and Soundtrack Details Released
By Michael Doran
March 3rd is the street date set for the release of the both the Original Score and Soundtrack for Warner Bros. highly-anticipated big-screen adaptation of Watchmen, Warner Sunset/Reprise Records announced Thursday. The film is due to open nationwide March 6th.
Music From The Motion Picture Watchmen, the film's official soundtrack, includes My Chemical Romance's reinterpretation of Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row," recorded exclusively for the film. The band's frontman Gerard Way is well-known to comic book readers as the creator of the popular Dark Horse Comics title Umbrella Academy. The soundtrack also features a collection of classic songs by such artists as Nat King Cole, Simon & Garfunkel, and Janis Joplin, which according to the announcement, "once heard in the context of the film, will never be thought of the same way again."
Watchmen Original Motion Picture Score features music by recording artist, composer, and music producer Tyler Bates, who was asked to score the film by Watchmen director Zack Snyder. Tyler, who also scored the Snyder-directed films 300 and Dawn of the Dead, has also scored the soundtracks to The Day the Earth Stood Still, Showtime's Californication, Slither, Rob Zombie's Halloween, and The Devil's Rejects. According to the announcement, he is known for his "surprising juxtapositions of music styles and flair for delicate, atmospheric touches, as well as stressing emotional vibrancy over traditional formulas of music compositions."
Bates has also been chosen to score the Watchmen's DVD added story, "Tales From The Black Freighter."
Both collections will be released in multiple formats – the physical CD and a digital album will be available on March 3rd, and a vinyl edition of the soundtrack will be released on March 17th.
SOURCE: http://www.newsarama.com/
=======================================
Harvey Splitting From Cave & Bad Seeds
Mick Harvey is leaving Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds after playing with the group for the last 25 years. The pair formed the band in 1983 after collaborating on the post-punk group the Birthday Party.
In a statement, Harvey said "After 25 years I feel I am leaving the band as it experiences one of its many peaks; in very healthy condition, and with fantastic prospects for the future. I'm confident Nick will continue to be a creative force and that this is the right time to pass on my artistic and managerial role to what has become a tremendous group of people who can support him in his endeavors both musically and organizationally."
=======================================
Springsteen Snubbed
In a big surprise, Bruce Springsteen's theme from The Wrestler was not nominated for an Academy Award today. The song had already won a Golden Globe and a Critic's Choice Award for best song from a motion picture.
Peter Gabriel did receive a nomination for Down to Earth from the movie Wall-E.
=======================================
Faithfull Surrounded By Stars On New Album
Veteran 60's singer Marianne Faithfull will be surrounded by top-shelf collaborators on her new album "Easy Come, Easy Go," which is due March 17 from Decca Records.
The Hal Willner-produced project, his first full album with Faithfull since 1987, features covers of Morrissey's "Dear God Please Help Me," Neko Case's "Hold On, Hold On" and the Decemberists' "The Crane Wife 3."
Cat Power and Sean Lennon will guest on the Case cover, while Nick Cave joins in on the Decemberists song. "Easy Come, Easy Go" also includes takes on Merle Haggard's "Sing Me Back Home" featuring Keith Richards, Espers' "Children of Stone" featuring Rufus Wainwright and Briano Eno's "How Many Worlds" featuring Teddy Thompson.
"The fact we were all in the room together, the musicians and myself," says Faithfull. "That's what gives this recording its urgency,"
Here is the track list for "Easy Come, Easy Go":
"Down From Dover" (written by Dolly Parton)
"Hold On, Hold On" (written by Neko Case, ft. Chan Marshall and Sean Lennon)
"Solitude" (written by Billie Holiday)
"The Crane Wife 3" (written by The Decemberists, ft. Nick Cave)
"Easy Come, Easy Go" (written by Bessie Smith)
"Children of Stone" (written by Espers, ft. Rufus Wainwright)
"How Many Worlds" (written by Brian Eno, ft. Teddy Thompson)
"In Germany Before the War" (written by Randy Newman)
"Ooh Baby Baby" (written by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, ft. Antony Hegarty)
"The Phoenix" (written by Judee Sill, ft. Sean Lennon)
"Dear God Please Help Me" (written by Morrissey)
"Sing Me Back Home" (written by Merle Haggard, ft. Keith Richards)
=======================================
No Stewart, Faces Reunion
Despite reports that the Faces are reuniting for an album as well as a tour with Flea on bass, Rod Stewart's spokesperson told Billboard "there are no plans for a Faces reunion tour this year." Additionally, a spokesperson for Flea tells Billboard the artist "knows nothing" of a Faces tour.
Guitarist Ron Wood reportedly told the U.K.'s Daily Mirror that he and Rod Stewart wrote an album's worth of new material during a Christmas vacation, and that Flea would be participating in an upcoming tour. However, the online version of the piece has since disappeared from the Daily Mirror Web site.
Rumors have swirled since last fall that Stewart, Wood, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones were planning to tour for the first time since splitting in 1975. The musicians reportedly rehearsed last year with Stewart touring bassist Conrad Korsch filling the role of the late Ronnie Laine. But a recent report in the New York Post suggested the members didn't get along during the process and that a tour seemed unlikely.
=======================================
Keith Urban Names New Album
Keith Urban has christened his new album "Defying Gravity" and, as previously reported, will release it March 31 on Capitol Nashville.
First single "Sweet Thing" rises 12-8 this week on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, Urban's 18th top 10 hit there.
Urban says the title phrase "comes from the lyrics of a song on the album and it just struck me at the time as a phrase that really defined the joyous, optimistic and uplifting spirit that seemed to show itself while making the album."
The artist will begin an extensive North American tour in May, with a rotating crew of support acts that will include Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, the Zac Brown Band and Dierks Bentley.
ISIS, the innovative Los Angeles-by-way-of-Boston-based band, has set a May 5 release date for its much-anticipated new album, "Wavering Radiant" (Ipecac Recordings). The CD, produced by Joe Baressi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), will receive a limited-edition vinyl release on April 21. TOOL's Adam Jones contributed guitar to two songs from the LP.
=======================================
Amoeba-Hosted McCartney Performances Earn Grammy Nods - CD To Be Released On January 27, 2009
On June 27, 2007 Amoeba Music - the legendary Los Angeles music store - hosted an intimate performance with Sir Paul McCartney which Variety called 'a once-in-a-lifetime performance: a relaxed and gregarious McCartney in a setting intimate enough for him to interact with fans.' Four of the songs from the performance were released on the 12' vinyl 'Amoeba's Secret' (Hear Music/MPL Communications Ltd.) and now two of those tracks have garnered McCartney Grammy nominations.
'That Was Me' is up for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, while 'I Saw Her Standing There' is nominated for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance.
What began as an extraordinary night with McCartney has blossomed from a limited run vinyl release to Grammy nominations and a January 27th CD release of the 4-song 'Amoeba's Secret' album on Universal.
The LA Times said of Amoeba hosting the event '[McCartney's] delight proved that Amoeba was the right spot for this event. A club or theater might have made for better sightlines and more predictable sound (actually, the sound was fine), but it wouldn't have had the communal aura of this fan fair.
Here, the 800 or so folks in their Wings T-shirts and Sgt. Pepper jackets - plus a few hard-to-spot celebs, most notably Ringo Starr, who got a shout-out from his old pal at show's end - could bask directly in each other's joy. And with no fourth wall to protect him, McCartney could let that mood get under his skin.'
Photos and video can be seen at: http://www.amoeba.com/content/paul_rocked_amoeba.html
SOURCE: http://top40-charts.com
=======================================
'Watchmen' Original Score and Soundtrack Details Released
By Michael Doran
March 3rd is the street date set for the release of the both the Original Score and Soundtrack for Warner Bros. highly-anticipated big-screen adaptation of Watchmen, Warner Sunset/Reprise Records announced Thursday. The film is due to open nationwide March 6th.
Music From The Motion Picture Watchmen, the film's official soundtrack, includes My Chemical Romance's reinterpretation of Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row," recorded exclusively for the film. The band's frontman Gerard Way is well-known to comic book readers as the creator of the popular Dark Horse Comics title Umbrella Academy. The soundtrack also features a collection of classic songs by such artists as Nat King Cole, Simon & Garfunkel, and Janis Joplin, which according to the announcement, "once heard in the context of the film, will never be thought of the same way again."
Watchmen Original Motion Picture Score features music by recording artist, composer, and music producer Tyler Bates, who was asked to score the film by Watchmen director Zack Snyder. Tyler, who also scored the Snyder-directed films 300 and Dawn of the Dead, has also scored the soundtracks to The Day the Earth Stood Still, Showtime's Californication, Slither, Rob Zombie's Halloween, and The Devil's Rejects. According to the announcement, he is known for his "surprising juxtapositions of music styles and flair for delicate, atmospheric touches, as well as stressing emotional vibrancy over traditional formulas of music compositions."
Bates has also been chosen to score the Watchmen's DVD added story, "Tales From The Black Freighter."
Both collections will be released in multiple formats – the physical CD and a digital album will be available on March 3rd, and a vinyl edition of the soundtrack will be released on March 17th.
SOURCE: http://www.newsarama.com/
=======================================
Harvey Splitting From Cave & Bad Seeds
Mick Harvey is leaving Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds after playing with the group for the last 25 years. The pair formed the band in 1983 after collaborating on the post-punk group the Birthday Party.
In a statement, Harvey said "After 25 years I feel I am leaving the band as it experiences one of its many peaks; in very healthy condition, and with fantastic prospects for the future. I'm confident Nick will continue to be a creative force and that this is the right time to pass on my artistic and managerial role to what has become a tremendous group of people who can support him in his endeavors both musically and organizationally."
=======================================
Springsteen Snubbed
In a big surprise, Bruce Springsteen's theme from The Wrestler was not nominated for an Academy Award today. The song had already won a Golden Globe and a Critic's Choice Award for best song from a motion picture.
Peter Gabriel did receive a nomination for Down to Earth from the movie Wall-E.
=======================================
Faithfull Surrounded By Stars On New Album
Veteran 60's singer Marianne Faithfull will be surrounded by top-shelf collaborators on her new album "Easy Come, Easy Go," which is due March 17 from Decca Records.
The Hal Willner-produced project, his first full album with Faithfull since 1987, features covers of Morrissey's "Dear God Please Help Me," Neko Case's "Hold On, Hold On" and the Decemberists' "The Crane Wife 3."Cat Power and Sean Lennon will guest on the Case cover, while Nick Cave joins in on the Decemberists song. "Easy Come, Easy Go" also includes takes on Merle Haggard's "Sing Me Back Home" featuring Keith Richards, Espers' "Children of Stone" featuring Rufus Wainwright and Briano Eno's "How Many Worlds" featuring Teddy Thompson.
"The fact we were all in the room together, the musicians and myself," says Faithfull. "That's what gives this recording its urgency,"
Here is the track list for "Easy Come, Easy Go":
"Down From Dover" (written by Dolly Parton)
"Hold On, Hold On" (written by Neko Case, ft. Chan Marshall and Sean Lennon)
"Solitude" (written by Billie Holiday)
"The Crane Wife 3" (written by The Decemberists, ft. Nick Cave)
"Easy Come, Easy Go" (written by Bessie Smith)
"Children of Stone" (written by Espers, ft. Rufus Wainwright)
"How Many Worlds" (written by Brian Eno, ft. Teddy Thompson)
"In Germany Before the War" (written by Randy Newman)
"Ooh Baby Baby" (written by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, ft. Antony Hegarty)
"The Phoenix" (written by Judee Sill, ft. Sean Lennon)
"Dear God Please Help Me" (written by Morrissey)
"Sing Me Back Home" (written by Merle Haggard, ft. Keith Richards)
=======================================
No Stewart, Faces Reunion
Despite reports that the Faces are reuniting for an album as well as a tour with Flea on bass, Rod Stewart's spokesperson told Billboard "there are no plans for a Faces reunion tour this year." Additionally, a spokesperson for Flea tells Billboard the artist "knows nothing" of a Faces tour.
Guitarist Ron Wood reportedly told the U.K.'s Daily Mirror that he and Rod Stewart wrote an album's worth of new material during a Christmas vacation, and that Flea would be participating in an upcoming tour. However, the online version of the piece has since disappeared from the Daily Mirror Web site.
Rumors have swirled since last fall that Stewart, Wood, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones were planning to tour for the first time since splitting in 1975. The musicians reportedly rehearsed last year with Stewart touring bassist Conrad Korsch filling the role of the late Ronnie Laine. But a recent report in the New York Post suggested the members didn't get along during the process and that a tour seemed unlikely.
=======================================
Keith Urban Names New Album
Keith Urban has christened his new album "Defying Gravity" and, as previously reported, will release it March 31 on Capitol Nashville.
First single "Sweet Thing" rises 12-8 this week on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, Urban's 18th top 10 hit there.
Urban says the title phrase "comes from the lyrics of a song on the album and it just struck me at the time as a phrase that really defined the joyous, optimistic and uplifting spirit that seemed to show itself while making the album."
The artist will begin an extensive North American tour in May, with a rotating crew of support acts that will include Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, the Zac Brown Band and Dierks Bentley.
Record Stores
Long time readers of the blog know how much I love the independent record store. That said, I try to feature as many stories as I can about these wonderful retail outlets, it is the home of vinyl and where memories and friendship merge. This story is about a record store in the Baltimore, Maryland area and the other about a record store in Florida. If you are in the area, please purchase your vinyl records at these outlets.
Never-ending summer
Back-room record store proves vinyl is alive and well
Written by Carrie Wood
If anyone ever wants proof that vinyl isn't dead, they need not look any further than Celebrated Summer Records.
Located inside of Legends Comics on York Road near the traffic circle, Celebrated Summer is a back-room record store that doesn't try to be "everything for everybody," according to owner Tony Pence.
While other, larger record stores have felt the crippling effects of the economic recession and the transition to digital music, Celebrated Summer has survived because of its niche market.
"It seems that those are the types of stores that are hit hardest by downloading and things like that, whereas a store like mine which is much smaller and specific… I can keep going like this," Pence said.
Pence opened his store in August 2006 after splitting off from his original employment at Baltimore-based Reptilian Records. He was also inspired after visiting Japan and seeing how similar stores are laid out there - in the back of other stores.
"Those things kind of coalesced and I just decided I would do my own thing in the county and I would base it off of smaller Japanese stores," he said.
After spending about six months looking for a place to establish his business, Pence presented the owner of Legends Comics with an offer.
"He had a back room that was basically filled with trash. I told him that I would rent that room from him, clean it and paint it, and turn it into a record store," Pence said. "He agreed, and that's really how it all started."
But after starting Celebrated Summer, it took Pence another several weeks to actually establish it.
"It probably took me a good two and a half months to make that room even look like the beginnings of a store, considering how it looked before," he said.
After opening, Celebrated Summer has had a steady flow of business and has remained relatively unaffected by the waning popularity of vinyl records. Pence said that the recent boom in vinyl sales, with stores such as Barnes & Noble carrying records and major labels reprinting albums in vinyl, hasn't had much of an impact on his business.
"There's always people there to support it, whether it's an artificial boom [or not]. There's always a solid base of people that seem to be collecting vinyl," he said.
Pence said he acquires what he sells both by ordering new material and buying other people's collections.
He said he sorts through the used records so that his customers don't have to sort through "crates of scratched-up garbage."
"I don't have room to have crates of flea market, crappy records," Pence said. "My soul section is the best of 60s and 70s soul. The rock section is the records you would want to have - The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, et cetera. I prefer to have small, concise sections."
The store carries mainly punk rock, hardcore and indie rock records and CD's - Pence said the store is "about 60 percent vinyl, 40 percent everything else." Although those genres may sound narrow to some, Pence said that there's more of a variety than a lot of people think.
"Because I'm the only employee, the store kind of directly reflects my tastes as well. I like Belle & Sebastian and I like black metal as well as a lot of stuff in between. I'll always order things for people, too," he said.
Celebrated Summer also carries international punk rock and has had several in-store shows with more to come.
Two of the bands that have played there have been from Japan and one of the upcoming bands is from Sweden.
"There's so much there, even though the store is so small," Pence said. "I try to have a good variety of forgotten and ignored music in one place."
SOURCE: http://media.www.thetowerlight.com
==============================================
Vintage vinyl is back in style
Jen Glantz
Rock 'n' Roll Heaven music store (a retail outlet in central Florida) is a monument to some of the greatest music ever recorded over the last century.
With vinyl records from artists such as Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles, the store is heaven for music lovers young and old.
"People are attracted to this store because of the nostalgia it brings," said Jeff Nowlin, an employee at Rock 'n' Roll Heaven.
Rock 'n' Roll Heaven is home to many different genres of music, from a rap section with vinyls from Jay-Z to Tupac to a disco and soul section to a Top 40 section with names such as Pink and Madonna.
"Mom and dad's record collection and more," Nowlin said about the collection of music. "We offer something for everyone."
Rock 'n' Roll Heaven sells vinyls anywhere from $4 to $100. Jimi Hendrix vinyls go from $20 to $40, and Elton John vinyls sell anywhere from $4 to $40.
The store is also home to CDs, VCR tapes and cassette tapes.
"Things on vinyl sound a lot better," customer Ron Smith said. "Even with the advancement of technology and CDs, the sound is unbeatable."
The store has been around almost as long as the music it sells.
Operating since 1975, Rock 'n' Roll Heaven gets most of the items it sells from trades. The store also gets merchandise from people looking to sell, large auctions and state sales.
"The coolest thing I have seen in the store was a Velvet Underground vinyl with a cover done by Andy Warhol," Nowlin said.
Nowlin finds that a lot of young people frequent the store despite the age of technology.
"I think the younger crowd is burned out on the new stuff," he said. "In the '80s, it was quite an investment and time-consuming to get a variety of music. Now with technology, people can research all different types of music and find sounds and bands that interest them."
Nowlin also thinks that the younger generation is attracted to things that are blatant, which is why he thinks music is no different.
"There is nothing like holding a 12-inch record; nothing is comparable to that," Nowlin said. "The sound is clearer, and you can connect with the music a whole lot better."
SOURCE: http://media.www.centralfloridafuture.com
Rock & Roll Tidbits
The Barry Manilow hit "I Write The Songs", written by The Beach Boys' Bruce Johnson, has been recorded by over two hundred artists and has a cumulative, worldwide sales figure of twenty-five million copies.
Seven-foot drag queen RuPaul appeared with comedy legend Milton Berle at the MTV awards. Uncle Milte said, “You know RuPaul, thirty years ago when I was on television, I used to wear dresses too.” “That’s interesting,” the giant cross-dresser snapped. “You used to wear dresses, now you wear diapers.”
During the last years that Elvis Presley performed live, he opened his shows with "The Theme From 2001". When asked about it, Presley said that he felt the number 2001 had a special significance in his life that he couldn't explain. Elvis died August, 16, 1977, which numerically is 8-16-1977. When these numbers are added up, they equal 2001.
The day after Elvis died, Florists Transworld Delivery (FTD) reported that in one day, the number of orders for flowers to be delivered to Graceland had surpassed the number for any other event in the company's history.
Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" for Julian Lennon after John's divorce from his first wife, Cynthia. The song's original name was "Hey Julian", then changed to "Hey Jules" before settling on the final title.
The members of Exile, who scored a US number one hit in 1978 with "Kiss You All Over", toured with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars in 1965 as back-up band for artists including Brian Hyland and Tommy Roe.
Billboard Magazine printed the first Hot 100 singles chart in August, 1958. Their first number 1 hit was "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson.
When he was a boy, David Bowie took art lessons from Peter Frampton's father, Owen.
In 1963, artists managed by Brian Epstein placed 85 songs in the Top Ten of the British record charts.
In 1966, songwriter Tommy Boyce asked Del Shannon to record the theme for Dick Clark's upcoming TV show Where The Action Is. Shannon didn't like the song and turned it down. It was then offered to Freddy Cannon, who had a #3 US hit with it.
Mary McGregor recorded her 1977, number one hit, "Torn Between Two Lovers" while standing in a bathroom, to take advantage of the room's natural echo.
The Notorious B.I.G. married his flame, Faith Evans, only eight days after he met her. Responding to a reporter’s question on how it was working out, Biggie replied, “She ain’t speaking to me right now.”
Marilyn Manson has always denied rumors that he was a child actor who had appeared on the popular television show “Mr. Belvedere.” “I’ve masturbated during the show when it was on TV,” he explained. “But, I have never been on it.”
At the same time as "Love Will Keep Us Together" was starting to fade from the Billboard Hot 100, The Captain and Tennille had a Spanish version of the same song ("Por Amor Viviremos") enter the chart. It was the only time in Rock history that an act had two versions of the same song in different languages and on different singles, appear simultaneously on the Hot 100.
While Ernie K-Doe's hit "Mother-In-Law" was at the top of the US charts in 1961, Dick Clark decided he would not have K-Doe on American Bandstand because he felt the song was disrespectful towards his Mother-in-Law.
The line from Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode, "That little country boy could play" was originally written as, "That little colored boy can play." Berry knew that in order to get the song played on the radio, he would have to change that lyric.
The world's most expensive record has an estimated value of $180,000 and is in the possession of Paul McCartney. The disc is the first pressing of "That'll Be The Day", recorded in 1958 by the Quarry Men, made up of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Colin Hanton and John Duff Lowe.
It was Paul Simon who actually wrote The Cyrkle's 1966 hit "Red Rubber Ball" under the assumed name of Jerry Landis.
The studio group who helped Boz Scaggs record the bulk of his hits in the 1970s, including "Lido Shuffle" and "Lowdown" would go on to form the nucleus of the band Toto. Jeff Porcaro, David Hungate and David Paich scored four Top Ten hits of their own with "I Won't Hold Back" (#10), "Hold The Line" (#5), "Rosanna" (#2) and "Africa" (#1).
In 1984, former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page founded a new band called The Firm with ex Bad Company and Free vocalist Paul Rodgers. Page said the group was to be a vehicle to show people that he was not a washed up drug user. In the fall of the same year, he was arrested for possession of cocaine.
Janis Ian got the inspiration for her hit "At Seventeen" while sitting at the kitchen table reading a New York Times article about a debutante. The opening line of the story was "I learned the truth at 18." Janis wrote the lyrics as "at seventeen" because it flowed better.
Seven-foot drag queen RuPaul appeared with comedy legend Milton Berle at the MTV awards. Uncle Milte said, “You know RuPaul, thirty years ago when I was on television, I used to wear dresses too.” “That’s interesting,” the giant cross-dresser snapped. “You used to wear dresses, now you wear diapers.”
During the last years that Elvis Presley performed live, he opened his shows with "The Theme From 2001". When asked about it, Presley said that he felt the number 2001 had a special significance in his life that he couldn't explain. Elvis died August, 16, 1977, which numerically is 8-16-1977. When these numbers are added up, they equal 2001.
The day after Elvis died, Florists Transworld Delivery (FTD) reported that in one day, the number of orders for flowers to be delivered to Graceland had surpassed the number for any other event in the company's history.
Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" for Julian Lennon after John's divorce from his first wife, Cynthia. The song's original name was "Hey Julian", then changed to "Hey Jules" before settling on the final title.
The members of Exile, who scored a US number one hit in 1978 with "Kiss You All Over", toured with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars in 1965 as back-up band for artists including Brian Hyland and Tommy Roe.
Billboard Magazine printed the first Hot 100 singles chart in August, 1958. Their first number 1 hit was "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson.
When he was a boy, David Bowie took art lessons from Peter Frampton's father, Owen.
In 1963, artists managed by Brian Epstein placed 85 songs in the Top Ten of the British record charts.
In 1966, songwriter Tommy Boyce asked Del Shannon to record the theme for Dick Clark's upcoming TV show Where The Action Is. Shannon didn't like the song and turned it down. It was then offered to Freddy Cannon, who had a #3 US hit with it.
Mary McGregor recorded her 1977, number one hit, "Torn Between Two Lovers" while standing in a bathroom, to take advantage of the room's natural echo.
The Notorious B.I.G. married his flame, Faith Evans, only eight days after he met her. Responding to a reporter’s question on how it was working out, Biggie replied, “She ain’t speaking to me right now.”
Marilyn Manson has always denied rumors that he was a child actor who had appeared on the popular television show “Mr. Belvedere.” “I’ve masturbated during the show when it was on TV,” he explained. “But, I have never been on it.”
At the same time as "Love Will Keep Us Together" was starting to fade from the Billboard Hot 100, The Captain and Tennille had a Spanish version of the same song ("Por Amor Viviremos") enter the chart. It was the only time in Rock history that an act had two versions of the same song in different languages and on different singles, appear simultaneously on the Hot 100.
While Ernie K-Doe's hit "Mother-In-Law" was at the top of the US charts in 1961, Dick Clark decided he would not have K-Doe on American Bandstand because he felt the song was disrespectful towards his Mother-in-Law.
The line from Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode, "That little country boy could play" was originally written as, "That little colored boy can play." Berry knew that in order to get the song played on the radio, he would have to change that lyric.
The world's most expensive record has an estimated value of $180,000 and is in the possession of Paul McCartney. The disc is the first pressing of "That'll Be The Day", recorded in 1958 by the Quarry Men, made up of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Colin Hanton and John Duff Lowe.
It was Paul Simon who actually wrote The Cyrkle's 1966 hit "Red Rubber Ball" under the assumed name of Jerry Landis.
The studio group who helped Boz Scaggs record the bulk of his hits in the 1970s, including "Lido Shuffle" and "Lowdown" would go on to form the nucleus of the band Toto. Jeff Porcaro, David Hungate and David Paich scored four Top Ten hits of their own with "I Won't Hold Back" (#10), "Hold The Line" (#5), "Rosanna" (#2) and "Africa" (#1).
In 1984, former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page founded a new band called The Firm with ex Bad Company and Free vocalist Paul Rodgers. Page said the group was to be a vehicle to show people that he was not a washed up drug user. In the fall of the same year, he was arrested for possession of cocaine.
Janis Ian got the inspiration for her hit "At Seventeen" while sitting at the kitchen table reading a New York Times article about a debutante. The opening line of the story was "I learned the truth at 18." Janis wrote the lyrics as "at seventeen" because it flowed better.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Top 20 Most Outrageous Heavy Metal Album Covers
Last week we looked at Gigwise.com's list of best & worst album covers for 2008. Switching gears a bit, let's look at www.spike.com's look at The Top 20 Most Outrageous Heavy Metal Album Covers. Actually, I think some of these are classic album covers, I love heavy metal covers! We will look at five a day, sometimes that's all a person can handle. Longtime readers of the blog will certainly recognize some of these classic album covers.
Heavy metal bands have always relied on their album covers. Most metal bands wouldn’t have been half as popular if it wasn’t for their ridiculously awesome album art. But how did it go so wrong? When did bands start thinking it was okay to take their shirts off and pose as medieval warriors? Let's explore #5-#1 on the list:
5. Twisted Sister: Stay Hungry
4. Poison: Look What the Cat Dragged In
3. Manowar: Anthology
2. W.A.S.P: Animal (F*ck Like a Beast)
1. Cannibal Corpse: Wretched Spawn
Now, I have a some of my own, these are classic heavy metal covers: Anybody care to add to the list?
Angel Witch
Burning Point
Disturbed
Violence
Heavy metal bands have always relied on their album covers. Most metal bands wouldn’t have been half as popular if it wasn’t for their ridiculously awesome album art. But how did it go so wrong? When did bands start thinking it was okay to take their shirts off and pose as medieval warriors? Let's explore #5-#1 on the list:
5. Twisted Sister: Stay Hungry
4. Poison: Look What the Cat Dragged In
3. Manowar: Anthology
2. W.A.S.P: Animal (F*ck Like a Beast)
1. Cannibal Corpse: Wretched Spawn
Now, I have a some of my own, these are classic heavy metal covers: Anybody care to add to the list?
Angel Witch
Burning Point
Disturbed
Violence
Music News & Notes
Reba Studio LP
Reba McEntire has returned to the studio to record her first solo album in over five years.
McEntire explained, "It’s not like I ever consciously decided to wait so long between studio albums. We just had these great opportunities along the way-to put out another Greatest Hits, plus the TV show was going on and then we did the Duets project. Before I knew it, six years had gone by."
=====================================
Saxophonist Newman Dies
Saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman passed away Tuesday from pancreatic cancer at the age of 75.
Newman not only recorded his own albums and played with a number of jazz greats, but also worked with Dr. John, Aretha Franklin, Aaron Neville and the Ray Charles Band among others.
=====================================
Neil Young News
Neil Young's The Archives Volume 1, 1963-1972 has been postponed once again until later in the year. He will be releasing the album Fork in the Road on March 31, but early reactions to the new songs have not been positive.
=====================================
Haggard Feeling Better
Merle Haggard has told People magazine that he's feeling better everyday and wants to get back to the studio and on the road. "I'm doing real well, a little better every day.....I'm going into the studio to see how my voice sounds.
"Most of the reports were like, 'He's got six months to live!' There was never any indication of that. I lost the upper lobe of my right lung where there was a tumor suspended like a fruit on a tree. But there was no chemo. I feel like I've extended my life. I'm in better shape than when I went in."
=====================================
Faces Reunion News
The U.K. paper The Sun reports that the reformed Faces have already recorded their first album in over thirty years. Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Kenney Jones, Ian McLagan and an unnamed bass player supposedly were inspired after a trip together to Costa Rica, Bermuda and Miami.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror tempers that a bit by saying that Stewart and Wood are done writing the songs for the album, which they completed in three days on that vacation. The Mirror also "confirms" that Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be the bass player.
=====================================
Falling For Obama
It's been reported that James Taylor was taken to the hospital and received fifty stitches after falling at a rehearsal for the Barack Obama concert last Sunday. A spokesperson for the singer said that he fell, cutting his forehead on a guitar, which would explain why he wore the hat and sunglasses when he performed.
=====================================
New Bowie Music
David Bowie announced that he was working on new music via a Twitter message. "Cheers from a snowy Berlin! Working on some new material!" Bowie has made three other albums in the German city (Low, Heroes, Lodger).
=====================================
Springsteen says music can influence society
Bruce Springsteen would like to think that music played a small part in helping Barack Obama become president.
Springsteen performed during the weekend inaugural festivities, and was a big Obama booster during the campaign.
He tells Rolling Stone magazine he doesn't think rockers have a whole lot of influence, but can create a vision of the world as it should be.
Bob Dylan's classic album "Highway 61 Revisited" did it for him, and Springsteen says he hopes that in some way, his music may have had the same effect.
Springsteen says the world he envisioned for years in his songs was realized when Obama was elected. Says the 59-year-old singer: "It's not just something I dreamed up. It can exist."
Reba McEntire has returned to the studio to record her first solo album in over five years.
McEntire explained, "It’s not like I ever consciously decided to wait so long between studio albums. We just had these great opportunities along the way-to put out another Greatest Hits, plus the TV show was going on and then we did the Duets project. Before I knew it, six years had gone by."
=====================================
Saxophonist Newman Dies
Saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman passed away Tuesday from pancreatic cancer at the age of 75.
Newman not only recorded his own albums and played with a number of jazz greats, but also worked with Dr. John, Aretha Franklin, Aaron Neville and the Ray Charles Band among others.
=====================================
Neil Young News
Neil Young's The Archives Volume 1, 1963-1972 has been postponed once again until later in the year. He will be releasing the album Fork in the Road on March 31, but early reactions to the new songs have not been positive.
=====================================
Haggard Feeling Better
Merle Haggard has told People magazine that he's feeling better everyday and wants to get back to the studio and on the road. "I'm doing real well, a little better every day.....I'm going into the studio to see how my voice sounds.
"Most of the reports were like, 'He's got six months to live!' There was never any indication of that. I lost the upper lobe of my right lung where there was a tumor suspended like a fruit on a tree. But there was no chemo. I feel like I've extended my life. I'm in better shape than when I went in."
=====================================
Faces Reunion News
The U.K. paper The Sun reports that the reformed Faces have already recorded their first album in over thirty years. Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Kenney Jones, Ian McLagan and an unnamed bass player supposedly were inspired after a trip together to Costa Rica, Bermuda and Miami.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror tempers that a bit by saying that Stewart and Wood are done writing the songs for the album, which they completed in three days on that vacation. The Mirror also "confirms" that Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be the bass player.
=====================================
Falling For Obama
It's been reported that James Taylor was taken to the hospital and received fifty stitches after falling at a rehearsal for the Barack Obama concert last Sunday. A spokesperson for the singer said that he fell, cutting his forehead on a guitar, which would explain why he wore the hat and sunglasses when he performed.
=====================================
New Bowie Music
David Bowie announced that he was working on new music via a Twitter message. "Cheers from a snowy Berlin! Working on some new material!" Bowie has made three other albums in the German city (Low, Heroes, Lodger).
=====================================
Springsteen says music can influence society
Bruce Springsteen would like to think that music played a small part in helping Barack Obama become president.
Springsteen performed during the weekend inaugural festivities, and was a big Obama booster during the campaign.
He tells Rolling Stone magazine he doesn't think rockers have a whole lot of influence, but can create a vision of the world as it should be.
Bob Dylan's classic album "Highway 61 Revisited" did it for him, and Springsteen says he hopes that in some way, his music may have had the same effect.
Springsteen says the world he envisioned for years in his songs was realized when Obama was elected. Says the 59-year-old singer: "It's not just something I dreamed up. It can exist."
Rock & Roll Tidbits
Before Glen Campbell had a successful solo career, he was a studio musician who played lead guitar on The Beach Boys' "Dance, Dance, Dance" and Frank Sinatra's "Strangers In The Night".
David Rose, who led his orchestra to Billboard's number one position with "The Stripper" in July, 1962, was a prolific composer of television theme songs in the 1950s. At one point, there were 22 TV shows on the air using his music. He later went on to win Emmy Awards for the theme for "Bonanza", and "An Evening With Fred Astaire", as well as writing music for "Little House On The Prarie" and "Highway To Heaven".
Mr. Aker Bilk, who took "Stranger On The Shore" to Billboard's number one spot in May, 1962, learned to play the clarinet while he was in prison. He had been sentenced to three months in jail after falling asleep while on guard duty for the British Army in Egypt.
Elvis Presley was number 1 in record sales in the US in the 1950s. In the 1960s he was number 2 and in the 70s he was number 13.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney were always on the look-out for interesting titles to write a song around. They did just that when a tired Ringo uttered "God, it's been a hard days night" and again when a chauffer told Paul, "I'm very busy at the moment. I've been working eight days a week."
Ellas Bates was still in grammar school when classmates started calling him "Bo Diddley". He says he doesn't know why. A bo diddley is actually a one-string, African guitar.
Songwriters Felice and Boudleaux Bryant wrote "All I Have To Do Is Dream" in 15 minutes, but the tune would reach the US charts in four straight decades. The Everly Brothers took it to number one in 1958, Richard Chamberlain's version went to number 14 in 1963, Glen Campbell and Bobby Gentry reached number 27 with it in 1970, and Andy Gibb and Victoria Principal peaked at number 51 in 1981.
Dan Whitney, the comedian known as "Larry The Cable Guy" has been influenced by show business all his life. His father used to played guitar with the Everly Brothers.
Herman's Hermits recorded "Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter" as an album filler, never intending it for release as a single. After an American DJ started giving it airplay, MGM issued it as a 45 and it became the group's third Billboard number one hit in a row.
The first time that Del Shannon and his keyboard player, Max Crook, ever played "Runaway" on stage, Crook improvised the organ solo as he went along. When it came time to record the song and in all future performances, he never changed a single note.
John Fred and his Playboy Band hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in January, 1968 with "Judy In Disguise". At one time, John's father, Fred Gourrier was a professional baseball player.
Before Pete Townshend of the Who began working on the rock opera “Tommy,” he had planned to write an opera about a big white rabbit that ruled the world.
After The Tokens achieved a number one record with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in 1961, follow up recordings failed to sell. The group however continued to perform and sang back up vocals for Connie Francis, Del Shannon and Bob Dylan, as well as recording commercials for Pan Am, Ban Deodorant, Wendys and Sunkist.
In the 1960s, during the height of Beatlemania, there were about 90 records released every week in the UK. Only 2 or 3 ever made the charts.
The Shirelles 1962, US Top 10 hit, "Baby, It's You" was actually recorded with only Shirley Alston Reeves' voice over the instrumental demo. The other members of the group don't appear on the record at all, as the original backup vocals, provided by male singers, were left in place.
It took Elvis Presley 31 takes of "Hound Dog" to get the final version that we hear today. In 1988, the song was named the most played record of all time on American juke boxes.
'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go' by Wham! was inspired by a note that group member Andrew Ridgeley left lying in his bedroom.
Paul Evans, who sang the US Top Ten hits "Seven Little Girls" and "Happy-Go-Lucky Me", wrote the music for Bobby Vinton's hit, "Roses Are Red" in 3 minutes, just after seeing Al Byron's lyrics for the first time. After Vinton recorded it, the song went to #1 in the US and sold over 4 million copies.
Poor Ringo. In 1989, after becoming clean and sober, Starr sued to stop the release of an album that he had recorded during his drinking days, claiming he sounded too drunk. The court agreed and the album was never released.
Tommy James and the Shondells' "It's Only Love" album cover was the first professional photo shoot by Paul McCartney's wife, Linda Eastman.
Robert Todd Storz is credited with being the father of the Top 40 radio format. In the early 1950s, he noticed that people would play the same juke box selections over and over, and gradually converted his stable of radio stations from playing dramas and variety shows to an all-hits format. He dubbed the result "Top 40". Storz also pioneered the practice of surveying record stores to determine which singles were the most popular each week. Ironically, he died of a stroke in 1964, in his 40th year.
John Hall, co-founder of the Rock band Orleans, was elected to US Congress in November, 2006, representing New York's 19th congressional district. That's him you hear doing the slick guitar work on "Still The One" and "Dance With Me".
Before they formed The Lovin' Spoonful, John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky were in a group called The Mugwumps, whose other members included Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty, who would rise to fame in The Mamas and The Papas.
David Rose, who led his orchestra to Billboard's number one position with "The Stripper" in July, 1962, was a prolific composer of television theme songs in the 1950s. At one point, there were 22 TV shows on the air using his music. He later went on to win Emmy Awards for the theme for "Bonanza", and "An Evening With Fred Astaire", as well as writing music for "Little House On The Prarie" and "Highway To Heaven".
Mr. Aker Bilk, who took "Stranger On The Shore" to Billboard's number one spot in May, 1962, learned to play the clarinet while he was in prison. He had been sentenced to three months in jail after falling asleep while on guard duty for the British Army in Egypt.
Elvis Presley was number 1 in record sales in the US in the 1950s. In the 1960s he was number 2 and in the 70s he was number 13.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney were always on the look-out for interesting titles to write a song around. They did just that when a tired Ringo uttered "God, it's been a hard days night" and again when a chauffer told Paul, "I'm very busy at the moment. I've been working eight days a week."
Ellas Bates was still in grammar school when classmates started calling him "Bo Diddley". He says he doesn't know why. A bo diddley is actually a one-string, African guitar.
Songwriters Felice and Boudleaux Bryant wrote "All I Have To Do Is Dream" in 15 minutes, but the tune would reach the US charts in four straight decades. The Everly Brothers took it to number one in 1958, Richard Chamberlain's version went to number 14 in 1963, Glen Campbell and Bobby Gentry reached number 27 with it in 1970, and Andy Gibb and Victoria Principal peaked at number 51 in 1981.
Dan Whitney, the comedian known as "Larry The Cable Guy" has been influenced by show business all his life. His father used to played guitar with the Everly Brothers.
Herman's Hermits recorded "Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter" as an album filler, never intending it for release as a single. After an American DJ started giving it airplay, MGM issued it as a 45 and it became the group's third Billboard number one hit in a row.
The first time that Del Shannon and his keyboard player, Max Crook, ever played "Runaway" on stage, Crook improvised the organ solo as he went along. When it came time to record the song and in all future performances, he never changed a single note.
John Fred and his Playboy Band hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in January, 1968 with "Judy In Disguise". At one time, John's father, Fred Gourrier was a professional baseball player.
Before Pete Townshend of the Who began working on the rock opera “Tommy,” he had planned to write an opera about a big white rabbit that ruled the world.
After The Tokens achieved a number one record with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in 1961, follow up recordings failed to sell. The group however continued to perform and sang back up vocals for Connie Francis, Del Shannon and Bob Dylan, as well as recording commercials for Pan Am, Ban Deodorant, Wendys and Sunkist.
In the 1960s, during the height of Beatlemania, there were about 90 records released every week in the UK. Only 2 or 3 ever made the charts.
The Shirelles 1962, US Top 10 hit, "Baby, It's You" was actually recorded with only Shirley Alston Reeves' voice over the instrumental demo. The other members of the group don't appear on the record at all, as the original backup vocals, provided by male singers, were left in place.
It took Elvis Presley 31 takes of "Hound Dog" to get the final version that we hear today. In 1988, the song was named the most played record of all time on American juke boxes.
'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go' by Wham! was inspired by a note that group member Andrew Ridgeley left lying in his bedroom.
Paul Evans, who sang the US Top Ten hits "Seven Little Girls" and "Happy-Go-Lucky Me", wrote the music for Bobby Vinton's hit, "Roses Are Red" in 3 minutes, just after seeing Al Byron's lyrics for the first time. After Vinton recorded it, the song went to #1 in the US and sold over 4 million copies.
Poor Ringo. In 1989, after becoming clean and sober, Starr sued to stop the release of an album that he had recorded during his drinking days, claiming he sounded too drunk. The court agreed and the album was never released.
Tommy James and the Shondells' "It's Only Love" album cover was the first professional photo shoot by Paul McCartney's wife, Linda Eastman.
Robert Todd Storz is credited with being the father of the Top 40 radio format. In the early 1950s, he noticed that people would play the same juke box selections over and over, and gradually converted his stable of radio stations from playing dramas and variety shows to an all-hits format. He dubbed the result "Top 40". Storz also pioneered the practice of surveying record stores to determine which singles were the most popular each week. Ironically, he died of a stroke in 1964, in his 40th year.
John Hall, co-founder of the Rock band Orleans, was elected to US Congress in November, 2006, representing New York's 19th congressional district. That's him you hear doing the slick guitar work on "Still The One" and "Dance With Me".
Before they formed The Lovin' Spoonful, John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky were in a group called The Mugwumps, whose other members included Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty, who would rise to fame in The Mamas and The Papas.
Vinyl Collective Update
Here is the latest from my friend in vinyl, Virgil Dickerson. Head on over to the store and pick up some great collectibles!
http://stores.channeladvisor.com/vinylhome
Got in some great records including one that most of you should pick up, the Frank Turner/Jonah Matranga split 12?. We had a bunch of these ages ago and lost touch with the label that put it out. The 2 songs from Frank are great (1 is a cover) and I know some of you are into collecting his records. We got in 30, but those should move fast. We also got in some Loved Ones, Common Rider, Bouncing Souls, Dwarves, Mr T Experience, and more.
A WILHELM SCREAM “Career Suicide” LP blue vinyl
AS FRIENDS RUST “S/T” 8?
AUGUST BURNS RED “Messengers” LP white vinyl
BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE “Strictly Mixed And Mashed” dbl LP orange/yellow vinyl
BOUNCING SOULS “Maniacal Laughter” LP
BOUNCING SOULS/ ZERO ZERO “Tales of Doomed Romance” 7?
BRAID “Lucky To Be Alive” dbl LP grey vinyl
CHAMBERLAIN/ OLD PIKE split dbl 7?
COMMON RIDER “Last Wave Rocker” LP
DWARVES “Salt Lake City Go! /Kaotica 7?
DWARVES “That’s Rock n Roll” 7?
HEWHOCORRUPTS “Microeconomics” 7? yellow vinyl w/ pie chart
IN PIECES “Learning To Accept Silence” LP picture disc
J CHURCH/ THE PLUNGERS split 7?
JENA BERLIN “This Is Yours as Much as It Is Mine” 7? red vinyl
JONAH MATRANGA/ FRANK TURNER split LP gold vinyl
KEELHAUL “Subject To Change” LP yellow marble vinyl
LIMBECK “Hi, Everything’s Great” LP white vinyl
LOVED ONES “S/T” 10? clear w/ black and red splatter vinyl
MR. T EXPERIENCE “Love Is Dead” LP blue marble vinyl
MR. T EXPERIENCE “Making Things with Light” LP
SAMIAM “Don’t Break Me” LP 10? white vinyl
THE BRONX “Bats” LP
THE MIDDLE CLASS “Out of Vogue” 7?
THIS WILL DESTROY YOU “S/T” dbl LP 1 green 1 black vinyl
VIOLATION “Devoured” LP white vinyl
ANTI FLAG “A New Kind of Army” LP
ANTI FLAG “For Blood and Empire” picture disc LP
ANTI FLAG “Mobilize” LP
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE “Narrow Stairs” 180 gram LP
MAE SHI “Terrorbird” LP
MATES OF STATE “Re-arrange Us” LP
MEWITHOUTYOU “Brother, Sister” LP white vinyl
PINBACK “Blue Screen Life” dbl LP black vinyl
RA RA RIOT “The Rhumb Line” LP orange vinyl
http://stores.channeladvisor.com/vinylhome
Got in some great records including one that most of you should pick up, the Frank Turner/Jonah Matranga split 12?. We had a bunch of these ages ago and lost touch with the label that put it out. The 2 songs from Frank are great (1 is a cover) and I know some of you are into collecting his records. We got in 30, but those should move fast. We also got in some Loved Ones, Common Rider, Bouncing Souls, Dwarves, Mr T Experience, and more.
A WILHELM SCREAM “Career Suicide” LP blue vinyl
AS FRIENDS RUST “S/T” 8?
AUGUST BURNS RED “Messengers” LP white vinyl
BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE “Strictly Mixed And Mashed” dbl LP orange/yellow vinyl
BOUNCING SOULS “Maniacal Laughter” LP
BOUNCING SOULS/ ZERO ZERO “Tales of Doomed Romance” 7?
BRAID “Lucky To Be Alive” dbl LP grey vinyl
CHAMBERLAIN/ OLD PIKE split dbl 7?
COMMON RIDER “Last Wave Rocker” LP
DWARVES “Salt Lake City Go! /Kaotica 7?
DWARVES “That’s Rock n Roll” 7?
HEWHOCORRUPTS “Microeconomics” 7? yellow vinyl w/ pie chart
IN PIECES “Learning To Accept Silence” LP picture disc
J CHURCH/ THE PLUNGERS split 7?
JENA BERLIN “This Is Yours as Much as It Is Mine” 7? red vinyl
JONAH MATRANGA/ FRANK TURNER split LP gold vinyl
KEELHAUL “Subject To Change” LP yellow marble vinyl
LIMBECK “Hi, Everything’s Great” LP white vinyl
LOVED ONES “S/T” 10? clear w/ black and red splatter vinyl
MR. T EXPERIENCE “Love Is Dead” LP blue marble vinyl
MR. T EXPERIENCE “Making Things with Light” LP
SAMIAM “Don’t Break Me” LP 10? white vinyl
THE BRONX “Bats” LP
THE MIDDLE CLASS “Out of Vogue” 7?
THIS WILL DESTROY YOU “S/T” dbl LP 1 green 1 black vinyl
VIOLATION “Devoured” LP white vinyl
ANTI FLAG “A New Kind of Army” LP
ANTI FLAG “For Blood and Empire” picture disc LP
ANTI FLAG “Mobilize” LP
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE “Narrow Stairs” 180 gram LP
MAE SHI “Terrorbird” LP
MATES OF STATE “Re-arrange Us” LP
MEWITHOUTYOU “Brother, Sister” LP white vinyl
PINBACK “Blue Screen Life” dbl LP black vinyl
RA RA RIOT “The Rhumb Line” LP orange vinyl
This Date In Music History-January 22
Birthdays:
Malcolm Mclaren, manager of the Sex Pistols and solo artist (1947)
Steve Perry- Journey (1953)
DJ Jazzy Jeff (1965)
Steven Adler- Guns N' Roses (1965)
Teddy Gentry- Alabama (1952)
Meat Loaf (1946)
They Are Missed:
Born in 1931, Sam Cooke, US soul singer (died December 11, 1964).
Addie Harris, vocals, The Shirelles was born in 1940 (died June 10, 1982).
Steel guitarist Jimmy Day, who was in such demand in Nashville that he became known as "Mr. Country Soul," died in 1999 (age 65).
Born on this day in 1962 the late, Michael Hutchence of INXS.
History:
In 1968, the Beatles' business venture Apple Corps. opened its first London headquarters.
In 1991, twenty-three years after it was released in America, the LP "Elvis' Gold Records" was made available in China on cassette only.
In 1966, the Beach Boys went into the studio to record 'Wouldn't It Be Nice', which would be the opening track on their forthcoming album 'Pet Sounds.'
In 1967, the Monkees performed live for the very first time at The Cow Palace, San Francisco to a sell-out crowd.
In 2001, Santana started a three-week run at #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart with "Supernatural.” The album spent a total of nine weeks at the top during this year.
Don McLean's album 'American Pie' started a seven-week run at #1 in the US album chart in 1972.
Wings went to #1 on the US album chart in 1977 with 'Wings Over America', Paul McCartney's sixth US #1 after The Beatles.
In 1959, Buddy Holly was in the recording studio for the last time. He laid down tracks for "Slippin' and Slidin'", "Wait 'Til the Sun Shines Nellie", "Love Is Strange", "Dearest" and "Smokey Joe's Café". Alone with an acoustic guitar and tape recorder in his New York City apartment, he would make his last recordings, including "Peggy Sue Got Married", "Crying, Waiting, Hoping", "That's What They Say", "What To Do", "Learning The Game" and "That Makes It Tough". The recordings would be overdubbed posthumously and released by Coral Records.
Frank Sinatra's daughter Nancy entered the Hot 100 in 1966 for the second time with what will be her biggest hit, "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'". The song would later go to #1 for one week and spend three and a half months on the chart.
In 1973, a band called Climax had the #3 song in the US with "Precious And Few.” The group's lead singer, Sonny Geraci, was the former vocalist of The Outsiders, who scored a US chart topper in January, 1966 with "Time Won't Let Me".
Peter Green, who had earlier left Fleetwood Mac, was institutionalized in 1977 after firing a pistol in the general direction of a delivery boy who was attempting to deliver a $30,000 royalty check. Green had renounced Rock and Roll in 1970 and didn't want the money. He later worked as a hospital porter and a gravedigger, but came back in 1979 to record "In the Skies,” which did manage some moderate success.
Gene Chandler made his TV debut on "American Bandstand" in 1962.
The Drifters recorded "On Broadway" in 1963.
Elvis Presley recorded "Bossa Nova Baby" in 1963.
L.L. Cool J's album "Mama Said Knock You Out" was certified platinum by the RIAA in 1991.
In 1980, this week's US Top 5 singles: #5, Rupert Holmes, 'Escape, (The Pina Colada Song)', #4, Smokey Robinson, 'Crusin', #3, Kenny Rogers, 'Coward Of The County', #2, Captain and Tennille, 'Do That To Me One More Time', and #1, Michael Jackson, 'Rock With You.'
The Beatles appeared on three UK radio programs in 1963. First The Beatles recorded a session for the show Pop Inn at the BBC Paris studio, they then went to the Playhouse Theatre also in London, to tape a radio appearance on Saturday Club, recording five songs. Then the Beatles went back to the BBC Paris studio to record an appearance on The Talent Spot recording ‘Please Please Me’, ‘Ask Me Why’ and ‘Some Other Guy’ before a live audience.
Malcolm Mclaren, manager of the Sex Pistols and solo artist (1947)
Steve Perry- Journey (1953)
DJ Jazzy Jeff (1965)
Steven Adler- Guns N' Roses (1965)
Teddy Gentry- Alabama (1952)
Meat Loaf (1946)
They Are Missed:
Born in 1931, Sam Cooke, US soul singer (died December 11, 1964).
Addie Harris, vocals, The Shirelles was born in 1940 (died June 10, 1982).
Steel guitarist Jimmy Day, who was in such demand in Nashville that he became known as "Mr. Country Soul," died in 1999 (age 65).
Born on this day in 1962 the late, Michael Hutchence of INXS.
History:
In 1968, the Beatles' business venture Apple Corps. opened its first London headquarters.
In 1991, twenty-three years after it was released in America, the LP "Elvis' Gold Records" was made available in China on cassette only.
In 1966, the Beach Boys went into the studio to record 'Wouldn't It Be Nice', which would be the opening track on their forthcoming album 'Pet Sounds.'
In 1967, the Monkees performed live for the very first time at The Cow Palace, San Francisco to a sell-out crowd.
In 2001, Santana started a three-week run at #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart with "Supernatural.” The album spent a total of nine weeks at the top during this year.
Don McLean's album 'American Pie' started a seven-week run at #1 in the US album chart in 1972.
Wings went to #1 on the US album chart in 1977 with 'Wings Over America', Paul McCartney's sixth US #1 after The Beatles.
In 1959, Buddy Holly was in the recording studio for the last time. He laid down tracks for "Slippin' and Slidin'", "Wait 'Til the Sun Shines Nellie", "Love Is Strange", "Dearest" and "Smokey Joe's Café". Alone with an acoustic guitar and tape recorder in his New York City apartment, he would make his last recordings, including "Peggy Sue Got Married", "Crying, Waiting, Hoping", "That's What They Say", "What To Do", "Learning The Game" and "That Makes It Tough". The recordings would be overdubbed posthumously and released by Coral Records.
Frank Sinatra's daughter Nancy entered the Hot 100 in 1966 for the second time with what will be her biggest hit, "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'". The song would later go to #1 for one week and spend three and a half months on the chart.
In 1973, a band called Climax had the #3 song in the US with "Precious And Few.” The group's lead singer, Sonny Geraci, was the former vocalist of The Outsiders, who scored a US chart topper in January, 1966 with "Time Won't Let Me".
Peter Green, who had earlier left Fleetwood Mac, was institutionalized in 1977 after firing a pistol in the general direction of a delivery boy who was attempting to deliver a $30,000 royalty check. Green had renounced Rock and Roll in 1970 and didn't want the money. He later worked as a hospital porter and a gravedigger, but came back in 1979 to record "In the Skies,” which did manage some moderate success.
Gene Chandler made his TV debut on "American Bandstand" in 1962.
The Drifters recorded "On Broadway" in 1963.
Elvis Presley recorded "Bossa Nova Baby" in 1963.
L.L. Cool J's album "Mama Said Knock You Out" was certified platinum by the RIAA in 1991.
In 1980, this week's US Top 5 singles: #5, Rupert Holmes, 'Escape, (The Pina Colada Song)', #4, Smokey Robinson, 'Crusin', #3, Kenny Rogers, 'Coward Of The County', #2, Captain and Tennille, 'Do That To Me One More Time', and #1, Michael Jackson, 'Rock With You.'
The Beatles appeared on three UK radio programs in 1963. First The Beatles recorded a session for the show Pop Inn at the BBC Paris studio, they then went to the Playhouse Theatre also in London, to tape a radio appearance on Saturday Club, recording five songs. Then the Beatles went back to the BBC Paris studio to record an appearance on The Talent Spot recording ‘Please Please Me’, ‘Ask Me Why’ and ‘Some Other Guy’ before a live audience.
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