Buy Vinyl Here
69 Eyes - Back In Blood
A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes Grammar
Aaron Watson - Deep In The Heart Of Texas: Aaron Watson Live
Ace Frehley - Anomaly
Aluminum Babe - 17
Anvil - This Is Thirteen
Armed for Apocalypse - Defeat
Athlete - Black Swan
Avett Brothers - I and Love and You (2-LP vinyl)
Band of Heathens - One Foot in the Ether
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 1
Big Star - #1 Record (remastered with bonus tracks)
Big Star - Keep An Eye On The Sky (4-CD box set)
Bill Monroe - Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys 1950-1958 (remastered 4-CD box set)
Black Dahlia - Murder Deflorate
Black Whales: Origins
Bruce Hornsby - Levitate
Bunnygrunt - Matt Harnish and Other Delights
Butterfly Boucher - Scary Fragile
Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats - Meet the Meatbats
Chet Chelsea - Silver, Please Come Home
Chris Knight - Trailer II
Claire Lynch - Whatcha Gonna Do
Cougar - Patriot
Cowboy Troy - Demolition Sessions: Studio Blue Sessions
Daft Pink - Alive 2007/Alive 1999
Dappled Cities - Zounds
David Bazan - Curse Your Branches (vinyl)
David Sylvian - Manafon
DD/MM/YYYY - Black Square
Division Day - Visitation (vinyl)
Buy Doors Music Here
Dodos - Time To Die (vinyl)
Doors - L.A. Woman (vinyl reissue)
Doors - Morrison Hotel (vinyl reissue)
Doors - Strange Days (vinyl reissue)
Doors - The Doors (vinyl reissue)
Doors - The Soft Parade (vinyl reissue)
Doors - Waiting for the Sun (vinyl reissue)
Drake - So Far Gone
Dying Fetus - Descend Into Depravity
Dynamites - Burn It Down
Every Time I Die - New Junk Aesthetic
Fink - Sort of Revolution
Franklin Bruno - Local Currency (Solo 1992-1998)
French Miami - French Miami (vinyl)
Fresh & Onlys - Grey-Eyed Girls
Gary Go - Gary Go
Gordon Gano - Under the Sun (vinyl)
Grand Archives - Keep In Mind Frankenstein (vinyl)
Helvetia - Helvetia's Junk Shop
It Dies Today - Lividity
John Fahey - America (2-LP vinyl reissue)
John Mayall - Tough
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon - The End of Day (vinyl)
Kittie - In the Black
Kyle Hollingsworth - Then There's Now
Ladytron - Live at London Astoria 16.07.08
LeE HaRVey OsMOND - A Quiet Evil
Lhasa De Sela - Lhasa
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Living Colour - The Chair in the Doorway
Lo Fidelity Allstars - Northern Stomp
Lovemakers - Let's Be Friends
Maldives - Listen to the Thunder
Manic Street Preachers - Jounal For Plague Lovers
Marie Digby: Breathing Underwater
Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky (6-disc import box set)
Mason Jennings - Blood of Man (vinyl)
Megadeth - Endgame
Miles Davis - Circle in the Round (reissue)
Muse - The Resistance
Natalia Lafourcade - Hu Hu Hu
Nelly Furtado - Mi Plan
New Moneen - The World I Want To Leave Behind
New Order - Brotherhood (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Low-life (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Movement (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Technique (vinyl reissue)
Or, the Whale - Or, the Whale (vinyl)
Pens - Hey Friend, What You Doing? (vinyl)
Pere Ubu - Long Live Pere Ubu
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Break Up
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Relator
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
Protest The Hero - Galop Meets The Earth
Q-Tip - Kamaal the Abstract (vinyl)
Rachel Harrington - The Bootlegger's Daughter
Ricky Skaggs - Ricky Skaggs Solo (Songs My Dad Loved)
Rubik - Data Bandits
Ryan Starr - 11:59
Salt the Wound - Ares
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - …And The Horse You Rode in On (vinyl)
Shadows Fall - Retribution (vinyl)
Shudder To Think - Live From Home
Simian Mobile Disco - Temporary Pleasure (with bonus CD)
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (vinyl reissue)
Simon Joyner - Out Into the Snow (vinyl)
Skinlab - The Scars Between Us
Slaraffenland - We're On Your Side (vinyl)
Smokey Hormel - Smokey's Secret Family [Afrosambas]
Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio (vinyl)
Sonos - SonoSings (vinyl)
Sparklehorse & Fennesz - In The Fishtank 15
Stars of Track and Field: A Time For Lions
Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary (remastered ) (vinyl)
Sunny Day Real Estate - LP2 (remastered with bonus tracks) (vinyl)
Super 400 - Sweet Fist
The Grates - Teeth Lost, Hearts Won (vinyl)
The Idle Hands - The Hearts We Broke On The Way To The Show
the_Network - Bishop Kent Manning
Thomas Dybdahl - Thomas Dybdahl
Thrice - Beggars
Tom Russell - Blood and Candle Smoke
Tyondai Braxton - Central Market
Uncle Cracker - Happy Hour
Various Artists - Bruce Springsteen's Jukebox
Various Artists - Mary Anne Hobbs Presents Wild Angels
Various Artists - Paper Heart (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith
Various Artists - The Best Is Yet To Come: The Songs Of Cy Coleman
Various Artists - The Complete Goldwax Singles Volume 2 1966-1967
Velvet Underground - The Singles 1966-1969 (7-disc vinyl box set)
Windmill - Epcot Starfields
Buy Vinyl Here
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Classic Album Cover Art - Lennon/Ono Two Virgins
John Lennon & Yoko Ono: ‘Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins’
"Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins" is a noise music/art LP released by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1968. The result of an all-night session of musical experimentation in Lennon's home studio at Kenwood, John and Yoko's debut album is known not only for its avant garde content and silly sounds, but also for its cover. The album's title came from the couple's feeling that they were "two innocents, lost in a world gone mad", and because after making the recording, the two consummated their relationship for the first time. Too much information for me.
The recording consists largely of tape loops, playing while Lennon tries out different instruments (piano, organ, drums) and sound effects (including reverb, delay and distortion), changes tapes and plays other recordings, and converses with Ono, who vocalises ad-lib in response to the sounds. Lennon's longtime friend Peter Shotton remembered later in his memoir (The Beatles, Lennon and Me) that many of the loops were made by Lennon and himself, in the days before the recording. Lennon recorded directly to two-track stereo, but much of the source material was monophonic.
The couple used a time-delay camera to take nude photographs of themselves, for the album's cover; the front showed them frontally nude, while the rear showed them from behind. The photos were taken not at Kenwood, but at Ringo Starr's basement apartment at Montagu Square, where Lennon and Ono stayed later that year.
The cover provoked an outrage, prompting distributors to sell the album in a plain brown wrapper. Copies of the album were impounded as obscene in several jurisdictions (including 30,000 copies in New Jersey). Lennon wryly commented that the uproar seemed to have less to do with the explicit nudity, and more to do with the fact that the pair were rather unattractive (and the photo unflattering; Lennon described it later as a picture of "two slightly overweight ex-junkies"). Nevertheless, the taboo-breaking album cover was perhaps the first time that a male celebrity of any consequence had exposed himself so thoroughly to the public.
As a courtesy to people who are offended by male genitalia (and Yoko naked), and to keep my reputation intact, I am posting the 'brown paper' version of the album cover.
Notes:
Two Virgins never charted in the UK (and only 5000 British copies were ever pressed), but managed to reach #124 in the US.
The album was reissued by Ono through Rykodisc in 1997, with an additional bonus track — "Remember Love", Ono's B-Side to "Give Peace A Chance". The Rykodisc reissue however, is an edited version. It is missing about a minute or two of audio from the end of each side. A complete recording was questionably issued on CD in 1991 by a company called Creative Sounds, Ltd., stating on the back cover: "Issued under and in association with Tetragrammaton Records". It was NOT mastered from the original master tapes however, but merely a recording of an Lp copy. While you listen to it, you can hear pops and clicks from the record they used to make the CD.
The album was reprinted in the US and Japan during the 1970s and 1980s. While the American reissues were of inferior quality, the Japanese pressings were made on virgin vinyl and enclosed in rice paper inner sleeves.
Rock/Pop Tidbits
While he was with Van Halen, David Lee Roth spent tens of thousands of dollars designing enormous inflatable statues of the devil that was able to ‘pee’ Jack Daniels a distance of fifteen feet out into the audience. It became an expensive gimmick, so he filled the statues with cheap bourbon in order to save money.
Three Dog Night's 1971 smash, "Joy To The World" was written by Hoyt Axton especially for an animated children's show called "The Happy Song" that never made it to production.
The Allman Brothers were never fond of ‘picture time.’ In fact, when one particular photographer tried to take a photo for the group’s 1971 album cover, “The Allman Brothers Band at Filmore East,” all the band members could do was scowl and glare. But when a friend of Duane’s stopped by with a bag of coke, the band was all smiles. In-the-know fans of the group enjoy pointing out that Duane was hiding dope in his hands on the album cover.
The song "Bye, Bye Love" had been turned down by 30 other artists before The Everly Brothers recorded it. It became their first big hit, rising to number 2 in the US in 1957.
After recording a number of demo songs on January 1st, 1962, The Beatles received a rejection letter from the Decca Recording Company that said "We don't like their sound and guitar music is on the way out."
Although The Ed Sullivan Show was the first TV program in America to host the Beatles, it was not their first US TV appearance. On December 7, 1963, The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite featured footage of Beatles fans at a concert. The Beatles' first US television appearance was on The Jack Parr Show on January 4th, 1964 when Parr showed a film of the band playing "She Loves You.” Before showing the performance, one of Parr's comments was "I understand science is working on a cure for this."
"The Twist" by Chubby Checker is the only song to climb to number one on Billboard's Hot 100 in two separate chart runs. The first was in September, 1960 and the second in January, 1962. The hit version is take number three in a 35 minute recording session.
While performing the song “Lithium” at the 1992 MTV Music Awards, Nirvana bass player Chris Novoselic threw his guitar up into the air. It came down hitting smack in the head, knocking him silly. Band leader Kurt Cobain, who had not seen the mishap screamed at Novoselic for losing the beat.
The only US number one single to be re-recorded by the same artist and become a Top Ten hit all over again is "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" by Neil Sedaka. The original, up-tempo version topped the Billboard chart in 1962, while a ballad rendition reached number 8 in 1975. Other songs have made a second appearance on Billboard's Hot 100, but it was the original version that came back.
Drummer John Peterson played for The Beau Brummels on their 1965 hits "Laugh Laugh" and "Just A Little" before leaving in 1966 to join Harpers Bizarre in time to record their 1967 hit "Feelin' Groovy.”
Rocky Burnette's "Tired Of Toein' The Line" was written in half an hour and was originally released as the "B" side of a single called "Clowns From Outerspace.” After EMI Records re-released it as an "A" side, the song became a #8 hit in the US.
The inspiration for Tommy Tutone's 1982 hit "867-5309 / Jenny" actually came from a girl named Jenny whose parent's phone number really was 867-5309.
In the late 60’s, Maurice Gibb (of the Bee Gees) loved to drive his cars, especially his Rolls-Royce. However, he had a problem; he was so short that he had to sit on a phone book to see over the hood.
Danny and The Juniors got their big break when they were called to fill in for a group that failed to show up for Dick Clark’s American Bandstand show in Philadelphia. They lip-synced "At The Hop,” which then took off like a rocket to #1 in the US. A few years later, Chubby Checker was invited to make his first TV appearance on Bandstand when Danny and The Juniors didn't show.
When Bob Dylan became a born-again Christian in 1978, he tried to convince his record producer Jerry Wexler to join the flock. No matter how hard he tried, Dylan’s efforts were futile as Wexler explained: “Bob, you’re dealing with a sixty-two year old confirmed Jewish atheist. I’m hopeless. Let’s just make an album.”
Elvis Presley was always known as a spiritual person. In fact, he always wore a Christian cross, a Star of David and the Hebrew letter Chi. As Presley stated: “I don’t want to miss out on Heaven due to a technicality.”
For a religious man, Elvis had some odd quirks, including shooting at television sets whenever annoying performers were on. One of his favorite ‘shoot the TV’ episodes was whenever singer Robert Goulet was on a show.
Three Dog Night's 1971 smash, "Joy To The World" was written by Hoyt Axton especially for an animated children's show called "The Happy Song" that never made it to production.
The Allman Brothers were never fond of ‘picture time.’ In fact, when one particular photographer tried to take a photo for the group’s 1971 album cover, “The Allman Brothers Band at Filmore East,” all the band members could do was scowl and glare. But when a friend of Duane’s stopped by with a bag of coke, the band was all smiles. In-the-know fans of the group enjoy pointing out that Duane was hiding dope in his hands on the album cover.
The song "Bye, Bye Love" had been turned down by 30 other artists before The Everly Brothers recorded it. It became their first big hit, rising to number 2 in the US in 1957.
After recording a number of demo songs on January 1st, 1962, The Beatles received a rejection letter from the Decca Recording Company that said "We don't like their sound and guitar music is on the way out."
Although The Ed Sullivan Show was the first TV program in America to host the Beatles, it was not their first US TV appearance. On December 7, 1963, The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite featured footage of Beatles fans at a concert. The Beatles' first US television appearance was on The Jack Parr Show on January 4th, 1964 when Parr showed a film of the band playing "She Loves You.” Before showing the performance, one of Parr's comments was "I understand science is working on a cure for this."
"The Twist" by Chubby Checker is the only song to climb to number one on Billboard's Hot 100 in two separate chart runs. The first was in September, 1960 and the second in January, 1962. The hit version is take number three in a 35 minute recording session.
While performing the song “Lithium” at the 1992 MTV Music Awards, Nirvana bass player Chris Novoselic threw his guitar up into the air. It came down hitting smack in the head, knocking him silly. Band leader Kurt Cobain, who had not seen the mishap screamed at Novoselic for losing the beat.
The only US number one single to be re-recorded by the same artist and become a Top Ten hit all over again is "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" by Neil Sedaka. The original, up-tempo version topped the Billboard chart in 1962, while a ballad rendition reached number 8 in 1975. Other songs have made a second appearance on Billboard's Hot 100, but it was the original version that came back.
Drummer John Peterson played for The Beau Brummels on their 1965 hits "Laugh Laugh" and "Just A Little" before leaving in 1966 to join Harpers Bizarre in time to record their 1967 hit "Feelin' Groovy.”
Rocky Burnette's "Tired Of Toein' The Line" was written in half an hour and was originally released as the "B" side of a single called "Clowns From Outerspace.” After EMI Records re-released it as an "A" side, the song became a #8 hit in the US.
The inspiration for Tommy Tutone's 1982 hit "867-5309 / Jenny" actually came from a girl named Jenny whose parent's phone number really was 867-5309.
In the late 60’s, Maurice Gibb (of the Bee Gees) loved to drive his cars, especially his Rolls-Royce. However, he had a problem; he was so short that he had to sit on a phone book to see over the hood.
Danny and The Juniors got their big break when they were called to fill in for a group that failed to show up for Dick Clark’s American Bandstand show in Philadelphia. They lip-synced "At The Hop,” which then took off like a rocket to #1 in the US. A few years later, Chubby Checker was invited to make his first TV appearance on Bandstand when Danny and The Juniors didn't show.
When Bob Dylan became a born-again Christian in 1978, he tried to convince his record producer Jerry Wexler to join the flock. No matter how hard he tried, Dylan’s efforts were futile as Wexler explained: “Bob, you’re dealing with a sixty-two year old confirmed Jewish atheist. I’m hopeless. Let’s just make an album.”
Elvis Presley was always known as a spiritual person. In fact, he always wore a Christian cross, a Star of David and the Hebrew letter Chi. As Presley stated: “I don’t want to miss out on Heaven due to a technicality.”
For a religious man, Elvis had some odd quirks, including shooting at television sets whenever annoying performers were on. One of his favorite ‘shoot the TV’ episodes was whenever singer Robert Goulet was on a show.
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales
Week Ending 09/12/2009
1. 45 - Pink Floyd "See Emily Play" / "Scarecrow" Odeon Japan WLP Red Wax - $4,716.00
2. LP - Barney Wilen "Tilt" Swing France - $2,250.00
3. 45 - Gene Toones "What More Do You Want" / "How It Feels" Simco - $2,175.00
4. LP - Jimi Hendrix "Axis: Bold As Love" White Label Promo - $2,000.00
4. 45 - The Rolling Stones "Stoned" / "Wanna Be Your Man" London Canada - $2,000.00
5. 45 - Bob & Fred "I'll Be On My Way" / "I'll Be On My Way Instr" Big Mac - $1,947.00
As always, a special thank you to Norm at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data. Stop in and listen to their unique radio show Accidental Nostalgia with Norm & Jane On Radio Dentata Thursdays 4PM PDT/7PM EDT
1. 45 - Pink Floyd "See Emily Play" / "Scarecrow" Odeon Japan WLP Red Wax - $4,716.00
2. LP - Barney Wilen "Tilt" Swing France - $2,250.00
3. 45 - Gene Toones "What More Do You Want" / "How It Feels" Simco - $2,175.00
4. LP - Jimi Hendrix "Axis: Bold As Love" White Label Promo - $2,000.00
4. 45 - The Rolling Stones "Stoned" / "Wanna Be Your Man" London Canada - $2,000.00
5. 45 - Bob & Fred "I'll Be On My Way" / "I'll Be On My Way Instr" Big Mac - $1,947.00
As always, a special thank you to Norm at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data. Stop in and listen to their unique radio show Accidental Nostalgia with Norm & Jane On Radio Dentata Thursdays 4PM PDT/7PM EDT
Music News & Notes
Grammy Award Legend Dies
Pierre Cossette, the man responsible for bringing the Grammy Awards to television, passed away on September 11th at the age of 85 after suffering congestive heart failure in Montreal, the New York Times reports.
Along with music executive Lou Adler, Cossette was a founder of Dunhill Records, a label that oversaw releases by Three Dog Night and the Mamas and the Papas before Cossette segued into television production in the 1970s. It was on the small screen that he would make his biggest mark, helping elevate the Grammy Awards to an international TV event on par with the Oscars and Tonys.
When the Grammys first began in 1957, the ceremony wasn’t televised. Seeing the potential in music’s biggest night, Cossette purchased the awards’ rights from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and managed to convince ABC to broadcast the first Grammys in 1971 with singer Andy Williams serving as host. Two years later, the ceremony jumped to CBS — where it remains to this day. Thirty-eight years later, the Grammy Awards remain one of the most significant nights for both the music and the television industries.
===================================
Veteran Musician Dead
Jim Carroll, who chronicled his early life in the book The Basketball Diaries and went on to form his own punk band, passed away on Friday in Manhattan from a heart attack. He was 59.
In the late 70's, friend Patti Smith encourage Carroll to get into the punk scene, helping him form the Jim Carroll Band. Their 1980 release, Catholic Boy, has been considered one of the last great punk albums. He also wrote lyrics for artists likes Boz Scaggs and Blue Oyster Cult.
Neil Young has announced the artists for this year's Bridge School Benefit, to be held on October 24 & 25 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. On the ticket are Jimmy Buffett, No Doubt, Chris Martin (Coldplay), Sharyl Crow, Monsters of Folk, Fleet Foxes, Wolfmother, Gavin Rossdale and Adam Sandler.
===================================
Mick Taylor Needs Money
Mick Taylor, who joined the Rolling Stones after Brian Taylor left in 1969 and stayed until 1974, has revealed to the BBC that the group has not paid him any royalties in years and that he is broke.
The payments stopped due to a loophole in the agreement the band made to leave Atlantic Records in 1982. Since then, he claims that he has lost millions of dollars. Taylor is looking into a way to recoup the losses for the royalties for the six Stones albums on which he performed.
Taylor says that he would be dead now if he had stayed with the band due to drug addiction. Today, he says he is clean. "My life is so much better now than being a drug-ravaged member of the Stones. So no, I don’t regret leaving."
===================================
MJ Movie Trailer
===================================
Paul McCartney: 'It Would Have Been Wrong For The Beatles To Reform'
But they did talk about it...
Sir Paul McCartney has revealed that The Beatles decided against reforming because they didn't want to “ruin” their legacy.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Sir Paul said the band often discussed getting back together following their split in 1970.
But despite lucrative offers, all four members were against the idea.
"We talked about it a lot and we always said that if we did [reform] it might not be great, whereas The Beatles' career had been great,” he said.
“We'd gone from A to Z and it had been a great journey. If now we were going to go to 'Z plus' and it wasn't very good, you'd ruin the whole thing.”
Sir Paul added: "Even though the offers were huge, and there were people [saying], 'I'll pay you this to do it!' we talked about it and we sort of said 'nah'.
“[There was] something not right about it."
Elsewhere in the interview, former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr described the Liverpool group as “the band of brothers”.
The pair were speaking to promote the release of the video game Rock Band: The Beatles, which was released last week.
Pierre Cossette, the man responsible for bringing the Grammy Awards to television, passed away on September 11th at the age of 85 after suffering congestive heart failure in Montreal, the New York Times reports.
Along with music executive Lou Adler, Cossette was a founder of Dunhill Records, a label that oversaw releases by Three Dog Night and the Mamas and the Papas before Cossette segued into television production in the 1970s. It was on the small screen that he would make his biggest mark, helping elevate the Grammy Awards to an international TV event on par with the Oscars and Tonys.
When the Grammys first began in 1957, the ceremony wasn’t televised. Seeing the potential in music’s biggest night, Cossette purchased the awards’ rights from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and managed to convince ABC to broadcast the first Grammys in 1971 with singer Andy Williams serving as host. Two years later, the ceremony jumped to CBS — where it remains to this day. Thirty-eight years later, the Grammy Awards remain one of the most significant nights for both the music and the television industries.
===================================
Veteran Musician Dead
Jim Carroll, who chronicled his early life in the book The Basketball Diaries and went on to form his own punk band, passed away on Friday in Manhattan from a heart attack. He was 59.
In the late 70's, friend Patti Smith encourage Carroll to get into the punk scene, helping him form the Jim Carroll Band. Their 1980 release, Catholic Boy, has been considered one of the last great punk albums. He also wrote lyrics for artists likes Boz Scaggs and Blue Oyster Cult.
Neil Young has announced the artists for this year's Bridge School Benefit, to be held on October 24 & 25 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. On the ticket are Jimmy Buffett, No Doubt, Chris Martin (Coldplay), Sharyl Crow, Monsters of Folk, Fleet Foxes, Wolfmother, Gavin Rossdale and Adam Sandler.
===================================
Mick Taylor Needs Money
Mick Taylor, who joined the Rolling Stones after Brian Taylor left in 1969 and stayed until 1974, has revealed to the BBC that the group has not paid him any royalties in years and that he is broke.
The payments stopped due to a loophole in the agreement the band made to leave Atlantic Records in 1982. Since then, he claims that he has lost millions of dollars. Taylor is looking into a way to recoup the losses for the royalties for the six Stones albums on which he performed.
Taylor says that he would be dead now if he had stayed with the band due to drug addiction. Today, he says he is clean. "My life is so much better now than being a drug-ravaged member of the Stones. So no, I don’t regret leaving."
===================================
MJ Movie Trailer
===================================
Paul McCartney: 'It Would Have Been Wrong For The Beatles To Reform'
But they did talk about it...
Sir Paul McCartney has revealed that The Beatles decided against reforming because they didn't want to “ruin” their legacy.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Sir Paul said the band often discussed getting back together following their split in 1970.
But despite lucrative offers, all four members were against the idea.
"We talked about it a lot and we always said that if we did [reform] it might not be great, whereas The Beatles' career had been great,” he said.
“We'd gone from A to Z and it had been a great journey. If now we were going to go to 'Z plus' and it wasn't very good, you'd ruin the whole thing.”
Sir Paul added: "Even though the offers were huge, and there were people [saying], 'I'll pay you this to do it!' we talked about it and we sort of said 'nah'.
“[There was] something not right about it."
Elsewhere in the interview, former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr described the Liverpool group as “the band of brothers”.
The pair were speaking to promote the release of the video game Rock Band: The Beatles, which was released last week.
This Date In Music History - September 15
Birthdays:
Jimmy Gilmer ("Sugar Shack") is 70
Les Braid - The Swinging Blue Jeans (1941)
Lee Dorman - Iron Butterfly (1945)
Michel Dorge - Crash Test Dummies (1960)
Zak Starkey - (son of Ringo) (1965)
Kay Gee - Naughty by Nature (1969)
Allen Shellenberger - Lit (1969)
Ivette Sosa - Eden's Crush (1976)
Paul Thomson - Franz Ferdinand (1977)
They Are Missed:
Country singer Roy Acuff was born in 1903 (died November 23, 1992). He was the first living artist to be elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The late Julian "Cannonball" Adderley ("Mercy, Mercy, Mercy") was born in 1928
The great pianist Bill Evans, whose "Sunday at the Village Vanguard" is one of the saddest albums ever, died in 1980 at age 61.
Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone (John Cummings) died in Los Angeles in 2004 after a five-year battle with prostate cancer. Founding member of The Ramones, major influence on many punk and 90’s bands. Scored the 1977 hit single "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker."
Born on this day in 1946, Ola Brunkert, drummer with the Swedish group Abba. He played on every Abba album and toured with the group. He was found dead with his throat cut at his home in Majorca, Spain on March 17, 2008 after he hit his head against a glass door in the dining room at his home.
Pink Floyd keyboard player and founder member Rick Wright died in 2008 (age 65) from cancer. Wright appeared on the group's first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, in 1967 alongside Syd Barrett, Roger Waters and Nick Mason. David Gilmour who joined the band at the start of 1968 said: "He was such a lovely, gentle, genuine man and will be missed terribly by so many who loved him." In 2005, the full band reunited - for the first time in 24 years - for the Live 8 concert in London's Hyde Park. Wright had also contributed vocals and keyboards to Gilmour's 2006 solo album "On An Island."
History:
Elvis Presley started a five-week run at #1 in 1956 with "Don't Be Cruel."
In 1961, a group from Hawthorne, California called The Pendletones attended their first real recording session at Hite Morgan's studio in Los Angeles. The band recorded "Surfin," a song that would help shape their career as The Beach Boys.
The Four Seasons started a five week run at #1 with "Sherry."
The London Daily Mirror interviewed the Beatles in 1962 and concluded they are a “nothing group.” Smart move.
In 1964, the Beatles, on tour in the USA, appeared at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. During the performance a group of fans managed to break through the line of police fronting the stage and get up on-stage. Police ordered The Beatles off-stage in the middle of a song, and the concert only resumed after Derek Taylor got on the PA system and pleaded for order to be restored so that the rest of the performance would not be cancelled by the police.
In 1965, the Ford Motor Company became the first automaker to offer an 8-track tape player as an option for their entire line of vehicles on sale in the US. Tapes were initially only available at auto parts stores, as home 8-track equipment was still a year away.
John Lennon made his first appearance away from the Beatles in 1966 in the role of Private Gripweed in Richard Lester's film 'How I Won the War'. He writes "Strawberry Fields Forever" during the filming.
The Doors were forced to perform as a trio at a concert in Amsterdam in 1968 after singer Jim Morrison collapsed while dancing during the Jefferson Airplane's performance.
In 1970, US Vice-President Spiro Agnew said in a speech that the youth of America were being "brainwashed into a drug culture" by rock music, movies, books and underground newspapers.
Helen Reddy went to #1 in 1973 with "Delta Dawn," the singers second #1 hit.
In 1975, Pink Floyd released their follow-up to "The Dark Side of the Moon" in the US. "Wish You Were Here" consisted only five tracks, one of the tracks "Have a Cigar" featured Roy Harper on vocals.
Bob Dylan released "Slow Train Coming" in 1975, an album of religious songs, including the Grammy Award winning single, ‘Gotta Serve Somebody’. The album alienated many of his long time fans.
Led Zeppelin scored their sixth US #1 album in 1979 when "In Through The Out Door" started a seven-week run at the top of the charts.
Ever hear of Blue Sunday & The Cockroaches? You would have if you were at Sir Morgan’s Cave in Worcester, MA, in 1981, when the Rolling Stones played a warm-up show under that name in advance of their US tour.
Queen played their last US concert with frontman Freddie Mercury in 1982. It was at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, CA.
Mark Knopfler announced the official end of Dire Straits in 1988, (they reformed in 1991).
In 1990, Wilson Phillips had their second #1 hit with "Release Me."
In 1994, a reel to reel tape of The Quarry Men appearing at St Peter's Parish Church garden party Liverpool in July, 1957, sold for $125,000 at a Sotheby's auction.
Pearl Jam went to #1 on the US album chart in 1996 with "No Code."
"Mechanical Animals" was released by Marilyn Manson in 1998.
Jimmy Gilmer ("Sugar Shack") is 70
Les Braid - The Swinging Blue Jeans (1941)
Lee Dorman - Iron Butterfly (1945)
Michel Dorge - Crash Test Dummies (1960)
Zak Starkey - (son of Ringo) (1965)
Kay Gee - Naughty by Nature (1969)
Allen Shellenberger - Lit (1969)
Ivette Sosa - Eden's Crush (1976)
Paul Thomson - Franz Ferdinand (1977)
They Are Missed:
Country singer Roy Acuff was born in 1903 (died November 23, 1992). He was the first living artist to be elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The late Julian "Cannonball" Adderley ("Mercy, Mercy, Mercy") was born in 1928
The great pianist Bill Evans, whose "Sunday at the Village Vanguard" is one of the saddest albums ever, died in 1980 at age 61.
Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone (John Cummings) died in Los Angeles in 2004 after a five-year battle with prostate cancer. Founding member of The Ramones, major influence on many punk and 90’s bands. Scored the 1977 hit single "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker."
Born on this day in 1946, Ola Brunkert, drummer with the Swedish group Abba. He played on every Abba album and toured with the group. He was found dead with his throat cut at his home in Majorca, Spain on March 17, 2008 after he hit his head against a glass door in the dining room at his home.
Pink Floyd keyboard player and founder member Rick Wright died in 2008 (age 65) from cancer. Wright appeared on the group's first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, in 1967 alongside Syd Barrett, Roger Waters and Nick Mason. David Gilmour who joined the band at the start of 1968 said: "He was such a lovely, gentle, genuine man and will be missed terribly by so many who loved him." In 2005, the full band reunited - for the first time in 24 years - for the Live 8 concert in London's Hyde Park. Wright had also contributed vocals and keyboards to Gilmour's 2006 solo album "On An Island."
History:
Elvis Presley started a five-week run at #1 in 1956 with "Don't Be Cruel."
In 1961, a group from Hawthorne, California called The Pendletones attended their first real recording session at Hite Morgan's studio in Los Angeles. The band recorded "Surfin," a song that would help shape their career as The Beach Boys.
The Four Seasons started a five week run at #1 with "Sherry."
The London Daily Mirror interviewed the Beatles in 1962 and concluded they are a “nothing group.” Smart move.
In 1964, the Beatles, on tour in the USA, appeared at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. During the performance a group of fans managed to break through the line of police fronting the stage and get up on-stage. Police ordered The Beatles off-stage in the middle of a song, and the concert only resumed after Derek Taylor got on the PA system and pleaded for order to be restored so that the rest of the performance would not be cancelled by the police.
In 1965, the Ford Motor Company became the first automaker to offer an 8-track tape player as an option for their entire line of vehicles on sale in the US. Tapes were initially only available at auto parts stores, as home 8-track equipment was still a year away.
John Lennon made his first appearance away from the Beatles in 1966 in the role of Private Gripweed in Richard Lester's film 'How I Won the War'. He writes "Strawberry Fields Forever" during the filming.
The Doors were forced to perform as a trio at a concert in Amsterdam in 1968 after singer Jim Morrison collapsed while dancing during the Jefferson Airplane's performance.
In 1970, US Vice-President Spiro Agnew said in a speech that the youth of America were being "brainwashed into a drug culture" by rock music, movies, books and underground newspapers.
Helen Reddy went to #1 in 1973 with "Delta Dawn," the singers second #1 hit.
In 1975, Pink Floyd released their follow-up to "The Dark Side of the Moon" in the US. "Wish You Were Here" consisted only five tracks, one of the tracks "Have a Cigar" featured Roy Harper on vocals.
Bob Dylan released "Slow Train Coming" in 1975, an album of religious songs, including the Grammy Award winning single, ‘Gotta Serve Somebody’. The album alienated many of his long time fans.
Led Zeppelin scored their sixth US #1 album in 1979 when "In Through The Out Door" started a seven-week run at the top of the charts.
Ever hear of Blue Sunday & The Cockroaches? You would have if you were at Sir Morgan’s Cave in Worcester, MA, in 1981, when the Rolling Stones played a warm-up show under that name in advance of their US tour.
Queen played their last US concert with frontman Freddie Mercury in 1982. It was at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, CA.
Mark Knopfler announced the official end of Dire Straits in 1988, (they reformed in 1991).
In 1990, Wilson Phillips had their second #1 hit with "Release Me."
In 1994, a reel to reel tape of The Quarry Men appearing at St Peter's Parish Church garden party Liverpool in July, 1957, sold for $125,000 at a Sotheby's auction.
Pearl Jam went to #1 on the US album chart in 1996 with "No Code."
"Mechanical Animals" was released by Marilyn Manson in 1998.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Classic Album Cover Art - Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland This one is a mystery to me. Naked vinyl cover art was a staple in the early 50's and sold many an album- regardless of how bad the music was. But God forbid a black man be pictured with naked white women. It sure caused a controversary, enough so, that the cover had to be changed.
Electric Ladyland was the third and final album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, released on October 16, 1968 on Reprise Records. Written and produced by Jimi Hendrix, the album is seen as the pinacle of Hendrix's mastery of the electric guitar. It is frequently cited as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. It is not only the last of his albums released as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but also the last of Hendrix's studio albums to be professionally produced under his own supervision. After Electric Ladyland, Hendrix spent the remaining two years of his life attempting to organize a new band and recording a breadth of new songs.
Released as a double album, Electric Ladyland is a cross-section of Hendrix's wide range of his eclectic musical talent. It included samples of several genres and styles of music, including the psychedelia of "Burning of the Midnight Lamp," the bluesy guitar jamming of "Voodoo Chile", the New Orleans-style rock and roll of "Come On," the epic studio production of "1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)", aa well as the political commentary of "House Burning Down." The album also features a cover version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" that was widely praised by many, including Dylan himself, as well as "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", a staple of both radio and guitar repertoire.
Alternate cover art
Electric Ladyland was first released in the U.S. in October 1968 and became a massive hit; it was Hendrix's only #1 album. The UK edition reached #5 upon its release amid considerable controversy. A letter Hendrix wrote to Reprise described exactly what he wanted for the cover, but it was mostly ignored. He expressly asked for a colour photo by Linda Eastman of the group sitting with children on a sculpture from Alice in Wonderland in Central Park, NY, even drawing a picture of it for reference. The company instead used a blurred red & yellow photo of his head, taken by Karl Ferris.
Track Records had its own art department, which produced a cover depicting of several nude women lounging in front of a black background. The original UK & German CD release from the 1980s features the UK artwork cover, while Allan Douglas' re-master CD issue from 1993 features the front half of it.
The U.S. version by Ferris, however, has since become the official cover of Electric Ladyland outside the UK. The company Experience Hendrix, which owns the rights to the album and most of Hendrix's catalogue, has stated that the original UK nudes cover will not be used any longer, since Hendrix himself did not like it; nonetheless Hendrix's own choice, the Eastman photo, is still ignored. A dispute nearly happened with the album's title. In the final stages of production, a studio technician renamed the album "Electric Landlady." The album was almost released under this official title until Hendrix noticed the error, which upset him considerably. Kirsty MacColl later used this alternate title for an album of her own.
Notes
Hendrix's studio perfectionism was legendary – he reportedly made guitarist Dave Mason do over 20 takes of the acoustic guitar backing on "All Along the Watchtower" – yet he was always insecure about his voice and often recorded his vocals hidden behind studio screens. Hendrix sings all the backing vocals himself on the title track and on "Long Hot Summer Night."
In 2005 Q magazine readers voted Electric Ladyland the 38th greatest album of all time; in 2003 the TV network VH1 placed it at number 72. In 2003, Rolling Stone declared it the 54th greatest album of all time. The album is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Rock/Pop Tidbits
In 1959, Tommy Dee reached #11 on the Billboard chart with a record called "Three Stars,” a tune dedicated to the memory or Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper. The song was meant for Eddie Cochran, but he was unable to complete the recording because of the overwhelming sadness caused by the death of his friends.
After enjoying a hit with "Red Rubber Ball,” Tom Dawes of The Cyrkle wrote the famous "plop plop fizz fizz" jingle for Alka-Seltzer.
On September 7, 1976, Eric Clapton wrote his hit song "Wonderful Tonight" for his wife, the former Pattie Boyd Harrison, while waiting for her to get ready to go out to Paul and Linda McCartney's annual Buddy Holly party.
The Osmond Brothers, Allan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, and Donny had their first number one hit in the US in February 1971 with "One Bad Apple.” What most fans don't know is that there are two older brothers, Virl and Tommy, who have both suffered so much hearing loss that the entire family learned how to converse in sign language.
While dining at a London restaurant, Mick Jagger was confronted by a gentleman seated at a nearby table. “Are you a man or a woman? The puzzled eater inquired. Jagger stood up, unzipped his pants, and presented the evidence.
Disc Jockey Rick Dees, the morning man at WMPS in Memphis, recorded a novelty disco song called "Disco Duck" in 1976. After it became a US number one hit, he was forbidden to play the record on his radio show. He simply mentioned the record on the air one day and was promptly fired by the station's manager, who cited him for conflict of interest.
The only Mother and son to both have a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 are Shirley Jones, who sang on the Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You" in November, 1970 and her son Shaun Cassidy for "Da Do Ron Ron" in July 1977.
Glen Campbell, the country star who had a string of hits that crossed over to the pop charts in the late sixties and seventies, began his career as a highly regarded session musician, playing on hits by the Monkees, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, the Association, the Mamas & the Papas, Rick Nelson, the Beach Boys and many others. In 1969, he sold more records than the Beatles and began a three year run hosting his own TV variety series. Despite all of his musical success, he can neither read nor write music.
Depeche Mode took their name from a French magazine that vocalist David Gahan was reading. It means, “fast fashion.” But French detractors of the band liked to call the English rockers “Depede Mode,” which translated means “dirty pedophiles.”
In April 1909 Charles David Herrold, an electronics instructor in San Jose, California, constructed an early radio station. He coined the terms "narrowcasting" and "broadcasting" respectively to identify transmissions destined for a single receiver such as that on board a ship, and those transmissions destined for a general audience.
Although there is some debate among collectors about what was the last commercially released 8-track tape by a major label, many agree it was "Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits" in November 1988. There are reports of bootleg 8-track tapes being produced in Mexico as late as 1995 and some independent artists have released 8-track tapes as late as 2006.
Courtney Love has had her share of troubles. In fact, while appearing at a Seattle benefit dedicated to stopping violence against women, Love got into a fight, slapping a woman and wrestling with her on the floor.
Paul McCartney wrote the song "Lovely Rita, Meter Maid" for the album "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" after getting a parking ticket from a female warden in Abbey Road.
After seeing the 1978 movie, The Buddy Holly Story, Crickets drummer Jerry Allison said he thought it "was a horrible movie." He went on to say "the only thing I saw about it that was real was they spelled Buddy's name right."
The all-time most nominated Grammy artist is Quincy Jones with 77 nominations.
Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols proclaimed, “I wanna be like Iggy Pop and die before I’m thirty.” When a friend explained to him that Iggy Pop was indeed alive, Vicious was dumbfounded.
Iwao Takamoto, the animator who created the cartoon dog Scooby-Doo, said that he got the inspiration to name his character from the closing scat to Frank Sinatra's "Strangers In The Night.” (Dooby-dooby-doo...)
Joe Perry of Aerosmith fame had been partying for more than twenty years before getting sober. When asked how he felt, he replied, “A little hung over.”
When the Righteous Brothers single "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" was reviewed on the British TV show Juke Box Jury in January, 1965, it was voted a "miss" by all four judges. Since that time, it has become US radio's most played rock and roll song of all time, being heard over eight million times.
Paul Anka's first 45 sold just 300 copies. The follow-up, "Diana,” sold nine million.
After enjoying a hit with "Red Rubber Ball,” Tom Dawes of The Cyrkle wrote the famous "plop plop fizz fizz" jingle for Alka-Seltzer.
On September 7, 1976, Eric Clapton wrote his hit song "Wonderful Tonight" for his wife, the former Pattie Boyd Harrison, while waiting for her to get ready to go out to Paul and Linda McCartney's annual Buddy Holly party.
The Osmond Brothers, Allan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, and Donny had their first number one hit in the US in February 1971 with "One Bad Apple.” What most fans don't know is that there are two older brothers, Virl and Tommy, who have both suffered so much hearing loss that the entire family learned how to converse in sign language.
While dining at a London restaurant, Mick Jagger was confronted by a gentleman seated at a nearby table. “Are you a man or a woman? The puzzled eater inquired. Jagger stood up, unzipped his pants, and presented the evidence.
Disc Jockey Rick Dees, the morning man at WMPS in Memphis, recorded a novelty disco song called "Disco Duck" in 1976. After it became a US number one hit, he was forbidden to play the record on his radio show. He simply mentioned the record on the air one day and was promptly fired by the station's manager, who cited him for conflict of interest.
The only Mother and son to both have a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 are Shirley Jones, who sang on the Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You" in November, 1970 and her son Shaun Cassidy for "Da Do Ron Ron" in July 1977.
Glen Campbell, the country star who had a string of hits that crossed over to the pop charts in the late sixties and seventies, began his career as a highly regarded session musician, playing on hits by the Monkees, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, the Association, the Mamas & the Papas, Rick Nelson, the Beach Boys and many others. In 1969, he sold more records than the Beatles and began a three year run hosting his own TV variety series. Despite all of his musical success, he can neither read nor write music.
Depeche Mode took their name from a French magazine that vocalist David Gahan was reading. It means, “fast fashion.” But French detractors of the band liked to call the English rockers “Depede Mode,” which translated means “dirty pedophiles.”
In April 1909 Charles David Herrold, an electronics instructor in San Jose, California, constructed an early radio station. He coined the terms "narrowcasting" and "broadcasting" respectively to identify transmissions destined for a single receiver such as that on board a ship, and those transmissions destined for a general audience.
Although there is some debate among collectors about what was the last commercially released 8-track tape by a major label, many agree it was "Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits" in November 1988. There are reports of bootleg 8-track tapes being produced in Mexico as late as 1995 and some independent artists have released 8-track tapes as late as 2006.
Courtney Love has had her share of troubles. In fact, while appearing at a Seattle benefit dedicated to stopping violence against women, Love got into a fight, slapping a woman and wrestling with her on the floor.
Paul McCartney wrote the song "Lovely Rita, Meter Maid" for the album "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" after getting a parking ticket from a female warden in Abbey Road.
After seeing the 1978 movie, The Buddy Holly Story, Crickets drummer Jerry Allison said he thought it "was a horrible movie." He went on to say "the only thing I saw about it that was real was they spelled Buddy's name right."
The all-time most nominated Grammy artist is Quincy Jones with 77 nominations.
Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols proclaimed, “I wanna be like Iggy Pop and die before I’m thirty.” When a friend explained to him that Iggy Pop was indeed alive, Vicious was dumbfounded.
Iwao Takamoto, the animator who created the cartoon dog Scooby-Doo, said that he got the inspiration to name his character from the closing scat to Frank Sinatra's "Strangers In The Night.” (Dooby-dooby-doo...)
Joe Perry of Aerosmith fame had been partying for more than twenty years before getting sober. When asked how he felt, he replied, “A little hung over.”
When the Righteous Brothers single "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" was reviewed on the British TV show Juke Box Jury in January, 1965, it was voted a "miss" by all four judges. Since that time, it has become US radio's most played rock and roll song of all time, being heard over eight million times.
Paul Anka's first 45 sold just 300 copies. The follow-up, "Diana,” sold nine million.
The Future Of The Music Industry And NYLVI - Where Do We Fit In?
NYLVI started up about a year or so ago and grown by leaps and bounds. Here, one of the founders explains his take on their website and the future of music.
In this post I’ll explain how we at NYLVI see the future of the music industry, furthermore we will explore how independent artists, bands and labels can benefit from alternative revenue streams in the future.
Technological Change, Formats, Distribution And How to Make a Living
For a long time vinyl was the preferred format for music. However, at some point the CD came along and became the dominating format. But, as is clear, the CD has always been a format based on compromises. It is a digital format, but with limited capability to take advantage of the potential of digital music. At the same time the CD also has the cover art and the liner notes, but smaller than on vinyl, and lacking the charm and sound we like so much about vinyl.
As often happens with things that are stuck in the middle they disappear as technology advances and new and more convenient options become available.
Music as digital files has gradually become the preferred option for many people and the way to make a living from it has been to charge on a file by file basis. However, there is a shift under way towards streaming music.
People will still want to download their music for a few more years, but eventually streaming will be the preferred option, and this will continue to accelerate as especially cell phone Internet connections become more available, speedy and cheaper. There are currently tons of services for streaming music, such as well know players like last.fm, Pandora and Rhapsody, which have deals with labels, and others like Mixwit and The Hype Machine, which do not.
Basically there are two ways of making money from legal streaming services. The first option is from advertising and the other is from subscription. For the services, which do not have deals with labels, and instead rely on streaming files available on the net, one could argue that the payment to the content owner is increased attention, which is an increasingly scarce resource.
Further, some of these services have associate deals with other players, like Amazon and eMusic, such that people will buy the music they like from these in the format they prefer. However, these services, to some extent, still remain controversial.
There is no doubt that the shift to digital music in general has made if more difficult to earn money directly from the music. One could make the argument that piracy is one of the reasons, with people downloading music for free instead of paying for it. However, on the other hand one could argue that the increased availability of music increases people’s interest and that people would not have bought the music anyway.
In our opinion piracy is not the factor leading to reduced revenues, although playing a role as a change agent. The way we see it what is leading to lower revenues is the economics concerned with digital music.
When an artist can record a record, distribute it to a huge number of people and promote it almost for free, this will be reflected in the price one will be able to charge. Meaning that what can be earned from ad and subscription based services is less than it used to be, when buying a CD in a record store or on the Internet was the only option.
The consequence is that in order to make a living players in the music industry will in the future have to rely on alternative ways of making money. Some of these ways are playing more concerts, merchandise, commission based work, vinyl records, and probably many many more, which have not yet been thought of. In effect the role of digital music can, to some extent, be thought of as promotion for these alternative revenue streams.
The Democratization of the Music Industry
The shift to digital music files and streaming has over the last few years lead to a democratization of the music industry. Since it is no longer necessary for an artist to sign a deal with a major label to get his/her music out to a large audience the result is that we experience much more musical diversity. The consequence is that we will see much more variation in music taste.
What has up to this point been labeled as mainstream will gradually vanish and be replaced by a niche driven culture. There will be no next The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. Rather we will see a lot of local variation tied to geographical locations or within global networks of people sharing the same music taste. So it will really be all about the edges.
So Where does NYLVI fit In?
The underlying idea behind NYLVI is based on the two aspects described above: The impact of the technological development on format and distribution, the democratization of the music industry and the economics concerned with these two factors. When building a marketplace for buying and selling vinyl records structured after the world’s music scenes in order to support independent artists, labels and record stores this is what we think about.
Vinyl Records
By focusing only on vinyl records we want to support one of the alternative revenue streams artists can make a living from. As we wrote in the last post we believe that vinyl records and digital music is perfectly compatible. Unlike the CD they are located on each end of the scale, and have a distinct set of qualities, which make them preferable.
While writing this post I have been listening to Fleet Foxes on The Hype Machine, where I discovered them, but since I like them a lot I have also bought their record on vinyl. The Hype Machine made it possible for me to discover them, recommend them to my friends and it’s convenient to listen to them while typing on my computer.
However, I will also have a copy of the record on my shelf, be able to appreciate the cover art and look at the liner notes. When I later tonight have friends over we might want to listen to it on vinyl, because it’s a different and more physical experience. Years ahead, although digital music will also be there, I will still be able to take the record out, think about it’s history and maybe at some point pass it on to someone else. And all this has a lot of value to me, which I am more than willing to pay for.
And, I can easily be charged a certain price for it because of the limited availability and the costs involved in making and distributing it.
The World’s Music Scenes
By structuring the marketplace after the world’s music scenes, meaning both geographical scenes and scenes based on musical preferences, we want to take into consideration the trend towards a niche driven culture. We believe the geographical part of the scene structure is a great way to make small local variations available to a global audience.
On the other hand technology has made it a lot easier for people, who share the same taste to connect. We therefore hope that the part of the scene structure, which focuses on scenes based on musical preferences, will help people with the same music taste to connect and share, and make the musical innovation within these networks more available to a wider audience.
So that’s what NYLVI is all about. Supporting local independent artist, labels and record stores by making musical innovation available to a global audience on vinyl.
About Author Nylvi co-founder Thomas Stenumgaard writes about vinyl records and the future of the music industry. A new social marketplace for buying and selling vinyl records. For more information check out http://www.nylvi.com
In this post I’ll explain how we at NYLVI see the future of the music industry, furthermore we will explore how independent artists, bands and labels can benefit from alternative revenue streams in the future.
Technological Change, Formats, Distribution And How to Make a Living
For a long time vinyl was the preferred format for music. However, at some point the CD came along and became the dominating format. But, as is clear, the CD has always been a format based on compromises. It is a digital format, but with limited capability to take advantage of the potential of digital music. At the same time the CD also has the cover art and the liner notes, but smaller than on vinyl, and lacking the charm and sound we like so much about vinyl.
As often happens with things that are stuck in the middle they disappear as technology advances and new and more convenient options become available.
Music as digital files has gradually become the preferred option for many people and the way to make a living from it has been to charge on a file by file basis. However, there is a shift under way towards streaming music.
People will still want to download their music for a few more years, but eventually streaming will be the preferred option, and this will continue to accelerate as especially cell phone Internet connections become more available, speedy and cheaper. There are currently tons of services for streaming music, such as well know players like last.fm, Pandora and Rhapsody, which have deals with labels, and others like Mixwit and The Hype Machine, which do not.
Basically there are two ways of making money from legal streaming services. The first option is from advertising and the other is from subscription. For the services, which do not have deals with labels, and instead rely on streaming files available on the net, one could argue that the payment to the content owner is increased attention, which is an increasingly scarce resource.
Further, some of these services have associate deals with other players, like Amazon and eMusic, such that people will buy the music they like from these in the format they prefer. However, these services, to some extent, still remain controversial.
There is no doubt that the shift to digital music in general has made if more difficult to earn money directly from the music. One could make the argument that piracy is one of the reasons, with people downloading music for free instead of paying for it. However, on the other hand one could argue that the increased availability of music increases people’s interest and that people would not have bought the music anyway.
In our opinion piracy is not the factor leading to reduced revenues, although playing a role as a change agent. The way we see it what is leading to lower revenues is the economics concerned with digital music.
When an artist can record a record, distribute it to a huge number of people and promote it almost for free, this will be reflected in the price one will be able to charge. Meaning that what can be earned from ad and subscription based services is less than it used to be, when buying a CD in a record store or on the Internet was the only option.
The consequence is that in order to make a living players in the music industry will in the future have to rely on alternative ways of making money. Some of these ways are playing more concerts, merchandise, commission based work, vinyl records, and probably many many more, which have not yet been thought of. In effect the role of digital music can, to some extent, be thought of as promotion for these alternative revenue streams.
The Democratization of the Music Industry
The shift to digital music files and streaming has over the last few years lead to a democratization of the music industry. Since it is no longer necessary for an artist to sign a deal with a major label to get his/her music out to a large audience the result is that we experience much more musical diversity. The consequence is that we will see much more variation in music taste.
What has up to this point been labeled as mainstream will gradually vanish and be replaced by a niche driven culture. There will be no next The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. Rather we will see a lot of local variation tied to geographical locations or within global networks of people sharing the same music taste. So it will really be all about the edges.
So Where does NYLVI fit In?
The underlying idea behind NYLVI is based on the two aspects described above: The impact of the technological development on format and distribution, the democratization of the music industry and the economics concerned with these two factors. When building a marketplace for buying and selling vinyl records structured after the world’s music scenes in order to support independent artists, labels and record stores this is what we think about.
Vinyl Records
By focusing only on vinyl records we want to support one of the alternative revenue streams artists can make a living from. As we wrote in the last post we believe that vinyl records and digital music is perfectly compatible. Unlike the CD they are located on each end of the scale, and have a distinct set of qualities, which make them preferable.
While writing this post I have been listening to Fleet Foxes on The Hype Machine, where I discovered them, but since I like them a lot I have also bought their record on vinyl. The Hype Machine made it possible for me to discover them, recommend them to my friends and it’s convenient to listen to them while typing on my computer.
However, I will also have a copy of the record on my shelf, be able to appreciate the cover art and look at the liner notes. When I later tonight have friends over we might want to listen to it on vinyl, because it’s a different and more physical experience. Years ahead, although digital music will also be there, I will still be able to take the record out, think about it’s history and maybe at some point pass it on to someone else. And all this has a lot of value to me, which I am more than willing to pay for.
And, I can easily be charged a certain price for it because of the limited availability and the costs involved in making and distributing it.
The World’s Music Scenes
By structuring the marketplace after the world’s music scenes, meaning both geographical scenes and scenes based on musical preferences, we want to take into consideration the trend towards a niche driven culture. We believe the geographical part of the scene structure is a great way to make small local variations available to a global audience.
On the other hand technology has made it a lot easier for people, who share the same taste to connect. We therefore hope that the part of the scene structure, which focuses on scenes based on musical preferences, will help people with the same music taste to connect and share, and make the musical innovation within these networks more available to a wider audience.
So that’s what NYLVI is all about. Supporting local independent artist, labels and record stores by making musical innovation available to a global audience on vinyl.
About Author Nylvi co-founder Thomas Stenumgaard writes about vinyl records and the future of the music industry. A new social marketplace for buying and selling vinyl records. For more information check out http://www.nylvi.com
Music News & Notes
New Music! Grant Hart from husker Du to Drop New Record
Con D'or Records and MVD Audio are proud to announce the release of Grant Hart - Hot Wax on both CD and vinyl for worldwide distribution on October 6th, 2009.
'80s alternative rock has gone down in the history of music as one of the most fertile and influential musical movements ever - as judged by the amount of notable bands that would subsequently "follow the leaders." And one of the leading lights of the movement was unquestionably Hüsker Dü. After the group's split, drummer Grant Hart moved out front with guitar in hand, and also handled lead vocals on his solo releases. But Hart has spent the last few years working on Hot Wax.
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Woodstock to Broadway?
If you can't get backing for an anniversary rock festival, just take your show to Broadway. That's what Michael Lang, one of the original Woodstock promoters, is planning to do.
Lang is looking towards a 2010-11 season opening of a show with songs drawn from the era of the original festival and story based partly on the book The Road to Woodstock. He is producing with Sam Nappi of Alliance Energy, a green power generation company.
We will hear more very soon.
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MJ Remembered
Madonna surprised the audience at last night's MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) by taking the stage and pouring her heart out in a lengthy speech about Michael Jackson, talking about similarities in their lives and interactions that they had over time.
The speech was followed by a group of dancers performing the signature dances from Thriller, Bad and Smooth Criminal, finishing off with the Janet Jackson performing one last time with her brother as she matched dance moves with the video for Scream.
The following is the text from Madonna's tribute to Michael Jackson:
"Michael Jackson was born in August, 1958. so was I. Michael Jackson grew up in the suburbs of the Midwest. So did I. Michael Jackson had eight brothers and sisters. So do I. When Michael Jackson was 6 he became a superstar and was perhaps the world's most beloved child. When I was 6 my mother died. I think he got the shorter end of the stick.
"I never had a mother, but he never had a childhood. And when you never get to have something, you become obsessed by it. I spent my childhood searching for my mother figures; sometimes I was successful. But how do you recreate your childhood when you are under the magnifying glass of the world for your entire life?
"There is no question that Michael Jackson was one of the greatest talents the world has ever known. ... That when he sang a song at the ripe old age of 8, he could make you feel like an experienced adult was squeezing your heart with his words. ... That the way he moved had the elegance of Fred Astaire and packed the punch of Muhammad Ali. ... That his music had an extra layer of inexplicable magic that didn't just make you want to dance but actually made you believe that you could fly, dare to dream, be anything that you wanted to be. Because that is what heroes do. And Michael Jackson was a hero.
"He performed in soccer stadiums around the world, he sold hundreds of millions of records, he dined with prime ministers and presidents. Girls fell in love with him, boys fell in love with him, everyone wanted to dance like him, he seemed otherworldly, but he was also a human being. Like most performers, he was shy and plagued with insecurities.
"I can't say we were great friends, but in 1991 I decided I wanted to get to know him better. I asked him out to dinner: I said, 'My treat, I'll drive, just you and me.' He agreed and showed up to my house without any bodyguards. We drove to the restaurant in my car. It was dark out, but he was still wearing sunglasses. I said, 'Michael, I feel like I'm talking to a limousine, do you think you could take off those glasses so I could see your eyes?' He paused for a moment, then he tossed the glasses out the window, looked at me with a wink and a smile and said, 'Can you see me now, is that better?'
"In that moment, I could see both his vulnerability and his charm. The rest of the dinner, I was hell-bent on getting him to eat French fries, drink wine, have dessert and say bad words, things he never seemed to allow himself to do. Later, we went back to my house to watch a movie and we sat on the couch like two kids, and somewhere in the middle of the film, his hand snuck over and held mine. It felt like he was looking for a friend more than a romance and I was happy to oblige him. And in that moment he didn't feel like a superstar, he felt like a human being. We went out a few more times together and then for one reason or another we fell out of touch. Then, the witch hunt began and it seemed like one negative story after the other was coming out about Michael. I felt his pain. I know what it's like to walk down the street and feel like the whole world has turned against you. I know what it's like to feel helpless and unable to defend yourself because the roar of the lynch mob is so loud that you are convinced your voice can never be heard.
"But I had a childhood, and I was allowed to make mistakes and find my own way in the world without the glare of the spotlight. When I first heard that Michael had died I was in London, days away from the opening of my tour. Michael was going to perform in the same venue as me a week later. All I could think about in that moment was that I had abandoned him. That we had abandoned him. That we had allowed this magnificent creature that once set the world on fire to somehow slip through the cracks. While he was trying to build a family and rebuild his career, we were all busy passing judgment. Most of us had turned our backs on him.
"In a desperate attempt to hold onto his memory, I went on the Internet to watch old clips of him dancing and singing on TV and onstage and I thought, 'My God, he was so unique, so original, so rare. And there will never be anyone like him again.' He was a king. But he was also a human being and alas, we are all human beings and sometimes we have to lose things before we can truly appreciate them. I want to end this on a positive note and say that my sons, age 9 and 4, are obsessed with Michael Jackson. There's a whole lot of crotch-grabbing and moonwalking going on in my house, and it seems like a whole new generation of kids has discovered his genius and are bringing him to life again. I hope that wherever Michael is now, he is smiling about this.
"Yes, yes Michael Jackson was a human being, but dammit, he was a king. Long live the king."
Con D'or Records and MVD Audio are proud to announce the release of Grant Hart - Hot Wax on both CD and vinyl for worldwide distribution on October 6th, 2009.
'80s alternative rock has gone down in the history of music as one of the most fertile and influential musical movements ever - as judged by the amount of notable bands that would subsequently "follow the leaders." And one of the leading lights of the movement was unquestionably Hüsker Dü. After the group's split, drummer Grant Hart moved out front with guitar in hand, and also handled lead vocals on his solo releases. But Hart has spent the last few years working on Hot Wax.
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Woodstock to Broadway?
If you can't get backing for an anniversary rock festival, just take your show to Broadway. That's what Michael Lang, one of the original Woodstock promoters, is planning to do.
Lang is looking towards a 2010-11 season opening of a show with songs drawn from the era of the original festival and story based partly on the book The Road to Woodstock. He is producing with Sam Nappi of Alliance Energy, a green power generation company.
We will hear more very soon.
=====================
MJ Remembered
Madonna surprised the audience at last night's MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) by taking the stage and pouring her heart out in a lengthy speech about Michael Jackson, talking about similarities in their lives and interactions that they had over time.
The speech was followed by a group of dancers performing the signature dances from Thriller, Bad and Smooth Criminal, finishing off with the Janet Jackson performing one last time with her brother as she matched dance moves with the video for Scream.
The following is the text from Madonna's tribute to Michael Jackson:
"Michael Jackson was born in August, 1958. so was I. Michael Jackson grew up in the suburbs of the Midwest. So did I. Michael Jackson had eight brothers and sisters. So do I. When Michael Jackson was 6 he became a superstar and was perhaps the world's most beloved child. When I was 6 my mother died. I think he got the shorter end of the stick.
"I never had a mother, but he never had a childhood. And when you never get to have something, you become obsessed by it. I spent my childhood searching for my mother figures; sometimes I was successful. But how do you recreate your childhood when you are under the magnifying glass of the world for your entire life?
"There is no question that Michael Jackson was one of the greatest talents the world has ever known. ... That when he sang a song at the ripe old age of 8, he could make you feel like an experienced adult was squeezing your heart with his words. ... That the way he moved had the elegance of Fred Astaire and packed the punch of Muhammad Ali. ... That his music had an extra layer of inexplicable magic that didn't just make you want to dance but actually made you believe that you could fly, dare to dream, be anything that you wanted to be. Because that is what heroes do. And Michael Jackson was a hero.
"He performed in soccer stadiums around the world, he sold hundreds of millions of records, he dined with prime ministers and presidents. Girls fell in love with him, boys fell in love with him, everyone wanted to dance like him, he seemed otherworldly, but he was also a human being. Like most performers, he was shy and plagued with insecurities.
"I can't say we were great friends, but in 1991 I decided I wanted to get to know him better. I asked him out to dinner: I said, 'My treat, I'll drive, just you and me.' He agreed and showed up to my house without any bodyguards. We drove to the restaurant in my car. It was dark out, but he was still wearing sunglasses. I said, 'Michael, I feel like I'm talking to a limousine, do you think you could take off those glasses so I could see your eyes?' He paused for a moment, then he tossed the glasses out the window, looked at me with a wink and a smile and said, 'Can you see me now, is that better?'
"In that moment, I could see both his vulnerability and his charm. The rest of the dinner, I was hell-bent on getting him to eat French fries, drink wine, have dessert and say bad words, things he never seemed to allow himself to do. Later, we went back to my house to watch a movie and we sat on the couch like two kids, and somewhere in the middle of the film, his hand snuck over and held mine. It felt like he was looking for a friend more than a romance and I was happy to oblige him. And in that moment he didn't feel like a superstar, he felt like a human being. We went out a few more times together and then for one reason or another we fell out of touch. Then, the witch hunt began and it seemed like one negative story after the other was coming out about Michael. I felt his pain. I know what it's like to walk down the street and feel like the whole world has turned against you. I know what it's like to feel helpless and unable to defend yourself because the roar of the lynch mob is so loud that you are convinced your voice can never be heard.
"But I had a childhood, and I was allowed to make mistakes and find my own way in the world without the glare of the spotlight. When I first heard that Michael had died I was in London, days away from the opening of my tour. Michael was going to perform in the same venue as me a week later. All I could think about in that moment was that I had abandoned him. That we had abandoned him. That we had allowed this magnificent creature that once set the world on fire to somehow slip through the cracks. While he was trying to build a family and rebuild his career, we were all busy passing judgment. Most of us had turned our backs on him.
"In a desperate attempt to hold onto his memory, I went on the Internet to watch old clips of him dancing and singing on TV and onstage and I thought, 'My God, he was so unique, so original, so rare. And there will never be anyone like him again.' He was a king. But he was also a human being and alas, we are all human beings and sometimes we have to lose things before we can truly appreciate them. I want to end this on a positive note and say that my sons, age 9 and 4, are obsessed with Michael Jackson. There's a whole lot of crotch-grabbing and moonwalking going on in my house, and it seems like a whole new generation of kids has discovered his genius and are bringing him to life again. I hope that wherever Michael is now, he is smiling about this.
"Yes, yes Michael Jackson was a human being, but dammit, he was a king. Long live the king."
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Rock/Pop Tidbits
About the same time that Ringo Starr received an offer from Brian Epstein to join the Beatles, he was also asked to join another Liverpool group called Kingsize Taylor and The Dominoes. Ringo chose the one offering the best wage...25 pounds a week.
Debbie Boone's 1977 hit "You Light Up My Life" became a multi-million selling smash that stayed at the top of Billboard's Hot 100 for ten weeks, becoming a far bigger hit than any of the 38 Top 40 songs her father, Pat Boone ever had.
The tapes for Don McLean's first album were rejected by 34 record companies before Mediarts agreed to release it in 1970. His next LP, "American Pie" would be considered a rock and roll classic and sell millions of copies.
The band Wild Cherry, who had a number one disco hit with "Play That Funky Music" in 1976, took their name from a box of cough drops.
The Miracles first number one hit, 1970's "Tears Of A Clown", was actually taken from an album that was released three years earlier. The song was issued as a single when record executives wanted another "tears" song to follow "Tracks Of My Tears" and found that the group had already recorded one.
Although many fans assumed that the Shirelles were named for their lead singer Shirley Owens, the members of the group say that this is not true. The girls came up with the name while they were still in high school and Doris Kenner was singing most of the lead vocals.
The next time you see the movie Back To The Future III, be sure to look for ZZ Top in a cameo roll. They play in the band that is performing in the Hill Valley party scene where Doc asks Clara to dance. That's drummer Frank Beard who twirls his snare drum around as the band breaks into song.
Due to his horrible singing voice, drummer Keith Moon was banned from the studio while the rest of The Who were recording vocals.
When Diane Renay's mother was pregnant with her, a gypsy fortune teller told her, "you're gonna have a daughter and your daughter one day is going to be a star." That prediction came true in 1964 when 17 year old Diane reached #6 on the Billboard chart with "Navy Blue".
James Brown placed 99 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop chart. 44 of them made the Top 40, but none ever reached number one.
When a snippy journalist complained that AC/DC had made ten records that all sounded alike, Angus Young was insulted. “He’s a liar,” he quipped. “We have made eleven albums that all sound the same.”
During the 1989 invasion of Panama, it is reported that U.S troops blasted AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” at top volume to try and drive Manuel Noriega out of the Vatican Embassy. After he heard that their music was being used as psychological torture, Brian Johnson wryly said, “I guess now we won’t get to play for the pope.”
While still a struggling young musician, Billy Joel recorded a pretzel commercial with Chubby Checker.
In October, 1963, when New York disc jockey Murray “the K” Kaufman played five records for his audience to vote on, The Beatles’ “She Loves You” came in third, behind a Four Seasons single and something called “Coney Island Baby” by The Excellents.
Iggy Pop of the Stooges was famous for his on-stage antics. After playing a concert in New York, he actually ran out of things to do onstage, so he pulled out his pecker. “I didn’t know what to do with it,” he explained. “So I zipped it back up and walked off.” Also, while in New York, he met David Bowie. After a long night of partying he declared: “The only good rock was a dead rocker,” and promptly smashed a beer bottle over his head and passed out.
Upon meeting the band Pink Floyd for the first time, a record company executive asked them "Which one's Pink?"
Terry Jacks recorded his 1974 number one hit, "Seasons In The Sun" in 1973, but the master tape sat on a shelf in his basement for more than a year. One day, a newspaper delivery boy heard Terry playing it and asked if he could bring some friends by to listen to it. Their enthusiasm convinced Jacks to release it on his own label and it soon topped the record charts in the US, Canada, and the UK and sold over six million copies worldwide.
It’s well known that Elvis loved animals. Why he even owned a pet chimpanzee that he named Scatter. Presley taught the primate to drink bourbon and pinch women’s behinds. For a while, the pampered chimp ate at the dinner table with a knife and fork. Why, he was even chauffeured around in a Rolls-Royce. But all good things must come to an end, as Scatter became nasty and was banished to his cage. The poor chimp finally died from cirrhosis of the liver.
Debbie Boone's 1977 hit "You Light Up My Life" became a multi-million selling smash that stayed at the top of Billboard's Hot 100 for ten weeks, becoming a far bigger hit than any of the 38 Top 40 songs her father, Pat Boone ever had.
The tapes for Don McLean's first album were rejected by 34 record companies before Mediarts agreed to release it in 1970. His next LP, "American Pie" would be considered a rock and roll classic and sell millions of copies.
The band Wild Cherry, who had a number one disco hit with "Play That Funky Music" in 1976, took their name from a box of cough drops.
The Miracles first number one hit, 1970's "Tears Of A Clown", was actually taken from an album that was released three years earlier. The song was issued as a single when record executives wanted another "tears" song to follow "Tracks Of My Tears" and found that the group had already recorded one.
Although many fans assumed that the Shirelles were named for their lead singer Shirley Owens, the members of the group say that this is not true. The girls came up with the name while they were still in high school and Doris Kenner was singing most of the lead vocals.
The next time you see the movie Back To The Future III, be sure to look for ZZ Top in a cameo roll. They play in the band that is performing in the Hill Valley party scene where Doc asks Clara to dance. That's drummer Frank Beard who twirls his snare drum around as the band breaks into song.
Due to his horrible singing voice, drummer Keith Moon was banned from the studio while the rest of The Who were recording vocals.
When Diane Renay's mother was pregnant with her, a gypsy fortune teller told her, "you're gonna have a daughter and your daughter one day is going to be a star." That prediction came true in 1964 when 17 year old Diane reached #6 on the Billboard chart with "Navy Blue".
James Brown placed 99 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop chart. 44 of them made the Top 40, but none ever reached number one.
When a snippy journalist complained that AC/DC had made ten records that all sounded alike, Angus Young was insulted. “He’s a liar,” he quipped. “We have made eleven albums that all sound the same.”
During the 1989 invasion of Panama, it is reported that U.S troops blasted AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” at top volume to try and drive Manuel Noriega out of the Vatican Embassy. After he heard that their music was being used as psychological torture, Brian Johnson wryly said, “I guess now we won’t get to play for the pope.”
While still a struggling young musician, Billy Joel recorded a pretzel commercial with Chubby Checker.
In October, 1963, when New York disc jockey Murray “the K” Kaufman played five records for his audience to vote on, The Beatles’ “She Loves You” came in third, behind a Four Seasons single and something called “Coney Island Baby” by The Excellents.
Iggy Pop of the Stooges was famous for his on-stage antics. After playing a concert in New York, he actually ran out of things to do onstage, so he pulled out his pecker. “I didn’t know what to do with it,” he explained. “So I zipped it back up and walked off.” Also, while in New York, he met David Bowie. After a long night of partying he declared: “The only good rock was a dead rocker,” and promptly smashed a beer bottle over his head and passed out.
Upon meeting the band Pink Floyd for the first time, a record company executive asked them "Which one's Pink?"
Terry Jacks recorded his 1974 number one hit, "Seasons In The Sun" in 1973, but the master tape sat on a shelf in his basement for more than a year. One day, a newspaper delivery boy heard Terry playing it and asked if he could bring some friends by to listen to it. Their enthusiasm convinced Jacks to release it on his own label and it soon topped the record charts in the US, Canada, and the UK and sold over six million copies worldwide.
It’s well known that Elvis loved animals. Why he even owned a pet chimpanzee that he named Scatter. Presley taught the primate to drink bourbon and pinch women’s behinds. For a while, the pampered chimp ate at the dinner table with a knife and fork. Why, he was even chauffeured around in a Rolls-Royce. But all good things must come to an end, as Scatter became nasty and was banished to his cage. The poor chimp finally died from cirrhosis of the liver.
Classic Album Cover Art- Nivana In Utero
Nirvana In Utero
In Utero is the third and final studio album by the American grunge band Nirvana and was released on September 21, 1993 by DGC Records. The album's abrasive and aggressive sound was a departure from the polished production of the band's breakthrough second album, Nevermind (1991), due in part to the selection of recording engineer Steve Albini. The subject matters of the songs included dysfunctional family, cancer, issues of privacy, and abortion.
The music was recorded quickly (two weeks) with very few studio embellishments, and the song lyrics and album packaging incorporated medical imagery that conveyed frontman Kurt Cobain's outlook on his publicized personal life and his band's newfound fame. In fact, soon after the recording was completed, rumors circulated in the press that DGC might not release the album in its original state, as the record label felt that it would not be a commercial success. Nirvana publicly denied the statement, instaed stating that they were not fully satisfied with the sound Albini had captured. But, Albini declined to alter the album any further so Nirvana hired Scott Litt to make minor changes to the album's sound and remix the singles "Heart-Shaped Box" and "All Apologies".
Upon release, In Utero entered the Billboard 200 chart at #1 and received critical acclaim as a drastic departure from Nevermind. The record has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and has sold more than four million copies in the United States alone.
The art director for In Utero was Robert Fisher, who had designed all of Nirvana's releases on DGC Records. Most of the ideas for the artwork for the album and related singles came from Cobain. Fisher stated that "[Cobain] would just give me some loose odds and ends and say 'Do something with it.'
The cover of the album is an image of a Transparent Anatomical Mannikin, with angel wings superimposed. Cobain created the collage on the back cover, referred to as "Sex and woman and In Utero and vaginas and birth and death," which includes fetuses and body parts lying in a bed of orchids and lilies. The collage had been set up on the floor of Cobain's living room and was photographed by Charles Peterson after an unexpected call from Cobain. According to Peterson, "one Sunday afternoon, Kurt calls me up, and is like 'Hey, I want you to take that picture now.' I rummaged for whatever film I had in the fridge, and went over." The album's track listing and re-illustrated symbols from Barbara G. Walker's The Woman's Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects were then positioned around the edge of the collage.
Retail chain stores Wal-Mart and Kmart refused to sell the album. The New York Times reported that Wal-Mart claimed it did not carry the album due to lack of consumer demand, while Kmart representatives explained that the album "didn't fit within our merchandise mix". Truth be told, both the retail giants feared that customers would be offended by the artwork on the album's back cover. DGC issued a new version of the album with reworked packaging to the stores in March 1994. This version featured edited album artwork, and listed the name of "Rape Me" as "Waif Me."
Notes:
Interestingly, the original title for "In Utero" was supposed to be "I Hate Myself And Want to Die," sharing its title with a song that was planned for the album. The phrase had originated in mid-1992 from one of Cobain's journal entries, and was meant as humor. It was Cobain's response whenever someone would ask him "how are you?" The tentative album title would be changed after band mate Novoselic convinced Cobain that "I Hate Myself And Want to Die" could potentially result in a lawsuit. The band considered the title "Verse Chorus Verse," a title shared with "Verse Chorus Verse" and an earlier working title of "Sappy". The final title was taken from one of Courtney Love's poems and is a Latin term meaning "in the uterus." Nice one Courtney.
After the recording sessions were completed, Nirvana sent unmastered tapes of the album to several individuals, including the president of DGC's parent company Geffen Records Ed Rosenblatt and the group's management company Gold Mountain. When asked about the feedback he received, Cobain told Michael Azerrad, "The grown-ups don't like it." He said he was told his songwriting was "not up to par", the sound was "unlistenable" and that there was uncertainty that mainstream radio would welcome the sound of Albini's production.
In Utero was released on September 13, 1993 in the United Kingdom, and on September 14 in the United States; it was initially only available in vinyl record and cassette tape formats, with the American vinyl pressing limited to 25,000 copies
Time's Christopher John Farley stated in his review of the album, "Despite the fears of some alternative-music fans, Nirvana hasn't gone mainstream, though this potent new album may once again force the mainstream to go Nirvana."
Rolling Stone reviewer David Fricke wrote, "In Utero is a lot of things – brilliant, corrosive, enraged and thoughtful, most of them all at once. But more than anything, it's a triumph of the will."
Ben Thompson of The Independent commented that in spite of the album's more abrasive songs, "In Utero is beautiful far more often than it is ugly", and added, "Nirvana have wisely neglected to make the unlistenable punk-rock nightmare they threatened us with"
Rolling Stone ranked it at number 439 on its list "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time."
The album was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 1994 Grammy Awards.
In 2004 Blender ranked it at number 94 in its "100 Greatest American Albums of All Time" list and in 2005, Spin placed it at number 51 on its "100 Greatest Albums 1985-2005" retrospective.
Bird and Animal Names In Rock and Roll History-part twenty-nine
Let’s continue our ongoing article series about ‘bird’ and ‘animal’ group names in rock and roll history, again picking up where we left off, exploring indie bands with the word ‘wolf’ in the title.
In the vein of Throbbing Gristles and Black Flag, the Michigan trio called Wolf Eyes creates hypnotic electronica mixed with early industrial noise and rock.
Initially a solo vehicle for Nate Young (formally of Nautical Almanac, Beast People and Minisystems) he recruited fellow musician Aaron Dilloway (of Galen, Couch and the Universal Indians) to join him in the rock-riffed electronica. In 2000 the duo added drummer John Olson (also from the Universal Indians) and they did a series of limited-edition collaborations as Wolf Eyes With Spykes, one of the many an aliases of Olson's. From then on they were known as the trio Wolf Eyes.
The group has released over 100 recordings in their relatively short lifespan, on labels such as Bulb Records, Troubleman Unlimited, Fusetron, and Sub Pop, as well as on Olson's American Tapes label, Dilloway's Hanson Records, Mike Connelly's Gods of Tundra label and Nate Young's AA Records.
Most Wolf Eyes recordings are released as lathe cuts, cassettes or CD-rs, with their first major release called "Dread," which was released in 2001. Mike Connelly replaced Dilloway in early 2005 and the band has continued to tour and self-release their unique brand of electronic and acid drenched industrial noise, firmly establishing themselves as the trailblazers of a genre.
The Montreal three-piece indie electro/shout punk band, We Are Wolves is comprised of Alex Ortiz (bass, guitar, vocals), Vincent Levesque (keyboards, beatbox, vocals) Antonin Marquis (drums and vocals). The trio released their electrifying debut, "Non-Stop Je Te Plie en Deux," on Fat Possum Records in September 2005. They describe their sound as “a post-punk landscape with analogue trees. Like rock after the postmodern explosion."
Nameless until 2002, the group got their name when Alexander showed up band practice wearing a home-made shirt with a skull spitting a synth displaying the inscription, 'We Are Wolves'. At that moment they decided to name the band We Are Wolves.
The band have toured extensively across their native land, Canada, the US and Europe and their second album, "Total Magique," was released September 4, 2007, with a new label Dare To Care Records. They have toured with groups such as Gossip, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and The (International) Noise Conspiracy.
The band have been busy lately recording their third album and wowing audiences with their undeniable sound, or as Pitchfork put it:
“You want sleek, un-perverted dance music, go to a disco. These guys only pump out the vilest of the male condition.”
Indie-pop band Wolfie is from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and their origins date to the fall of 1991, when bassist/singer Joe Ziemba and singer/guitarist Mike Downey first met while attending high school together. After varied musical excursions for the pair, in late 1996 Ziemba's girlfriend, singer/keyboardist Amanda Lyons, joined the group, and upon her arrival the quartet rechristened themselves Wolfie. The band debuted a year later with the single "Don't Turn It Off," and in 1998 they released the effervescent full-length "Awful Mess Mystery." The LP "Where's Wolfie" followed in the spring of 1999, followed by “Tall Dark Hill” in 2001. The band was active from 1996 to 2001 and toured nationally over the years before dissolving.
Members went on to form The Like Young, Beaujolais, The National Splits, The New Constitution, and Mathlete, and Wolfie members Joe and Amenda Ziemba also had a side project, Busytoby. Mike Downey went on to pursue a solo career overseas.
Seasons of the Wolf was formed in October of 1988 by Wes Waddell (vocals), Barry "Skully" Waddell (guitarist/producer), and Dennis Ristow (Keyboards/studio-engineer). Throughout numerous personnel changes, there has been one constant- hell-driven heavy metal guitars and searing vocals.
In 1998, the band's 1st and 2nd albums were marketed to over 500 college radio stations in the US and in the fall of 1998 songs such as "Victim Of Darkness" and "October Moon" made it into top ten at 70 college radio stations. The main riff of "October Moon" was used in a MTV Dennis Rodman video. In the fall the next year the cuts "Lost In Hell," "Interstellar," and "Witchfinder" made it into heavy rotation on several more college stations and also into top ten charts.
Currently Seasons of the Wolf works with seven horror/sci-fi film companies and their songs and music appear in the soundtracks of nine films including: "The Seekers" - "Time Enough"/The Alien Conspiracy - "Betrayal" - "Goregoyles" - "Underbelly" - "The Van" - "Evil Ever After" - "BloodStained Bride" - and "Dead Things." Also, according to the band's MySpace page, they were in the studio recording the 5th release for early 2009.
Formed in 2002, Wolf & Cub are a four-piece band from Adelaide, Australia and their music is predominantly psychedelic with elements of funk. One aspect of the band's music that makes them unique is their use of two drummers which allows the percussive elements of their music to feature more prominently alongside the guitar.
The band released their debut self-titled EP through the Melbourne label Dot Dash in late 2004 and quickly built up a dedicated live following, expanded by show-stealing performances at the Big Day Out festival. In Australia, the band graced stages with TV on the Radio, The Killers, The Music, Wolfmother, Queens of the Stone Age and Death from Above 1979.
Work on their debut album, which had begun in April 2005, was completed in 2006. "Vessels" was released in Australia in September of 2006 and generated a positive response. After switching drummers,the band released the "One to the Other" EP, (produced by Chris Colonna from Bumblebeez) in June 2008. Their most recent album, "Science and Sorcery," was released in April of 2009.
In our next article, we will finish up the ‘wolf’ indie band name and move on to bands that fit our criteria- bands with bird and animal names.
Wolf Eyes Tidbits:
John Olson also performs in Dead Machines with his wife Tovah Olson.
Nate Young performs solo as Hatred and with Steve Kenney and Alivia Zivich in the visual music group Demons.
Wolf Eyes' first two major tours were with Sonic Youth and Andrew W.K.
We Are Wolves Tidbits:
In September 2008, We Are Wolves won a Gémeaux Award for the Best TV Musical Theme for Bazzo.tv theme.
The song "Psychic Kids" is featured on the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles, and the song "Fight and Kiss" is featured on the video game Need for Speed: ProStreet.
Seasons of the Wolf Tidbits
Among the infuences Seasons of the Wolf list: Black Sabbath - Iron Maiden - Judas Priest - Thin Lizzy - Montrose - Deep Purple and according to htier MySpace page " Slayer - King Diamond - Mercyful Fate // and tons more from 3 decades of hardrock and heavy metal music. Also draws inpiration from Horror and Sci-Fi film soundtracks.
Wolf & Cub Tidbits
Wolf & Cub band members: Joel Byrne - vocals, electric guitar, percussion, Joel Carey - drums/percussion, Thomas Mayhew - bass guitar, Marvin Hammond - drums/percussion, saxophone
Their band name comes from a comic from Japan called "Lone Wolf and Cub"
Copyright 2009 Robert Benson
In the vein of Throbbing Gristles and Black Flag, the Michigan trio called Wolf Eyes creates hypnotic electronica mixed with early industrial noise and rock.
Initially a solo vehicle for Nate Young (formally of Nautical Almanac, Beast People and Minisystems) he recruited fellow musician Aaron Dilloway (of Galen, Couch and the Universal Indians) to join him in the rock-riffed electronica. In 2000 the duo added drummer John Olson (also from the Universal Indians) and they did a series of limited-edition collaborations as Wolf Eyes With Spykes, one of the many an aliases of Olson's. From then on they were known as the trio Wolf Eyes.
The group has released over 100 recordings in their relatively short lifespan, on labels such as Bulb Records, Troubleman Unlimited, Fusetron, and Sub Pop, as well as on Olson's American Tapes label, Dilloway's Hanson Records, Mike Connelly's Gods of Tundra label and Nate Young's AA Records.
Most Wolf Eyes recordings are released as lathe cuts, cassettes or CD-rs, with their first major release called "Dread," which was released in 2001. Mike Connelly replaced Dilloway in early 2005 and the band has continued to tour and self-release their unique brand of electronic and acid drenched industrial noise, firmly establishing themselves as the trailblazers of a genre.
The Montreal three-piece indie electro/shout punk band, We Are Wolves is comprised of Alex Ortiz (bass, guitar, vocals), Vincent Levesque (keyboards, beatbox, vocals) Antonin Marquis (drums and vocals). The trio released their electrifying debut, "Non-Stop Je Te Plie en Deux," on Fat Possum Records in September 2005. They describe their sound as “a post-punk landscape with analogue trees. Like rock after the postmodern explosion."
Nameless until 2002, the group got their name when Alexander showed up band practice wearing a home-made shirt with a skull spitting a synth displaying the inscription, 'We Are Wolves'. At that moment they decided to name the band We Are Wolves.
The band have toured extensively across their native land, Canada, the US and Europe and their second album, "Total Magique," was released September 4, 2007, with a new label Dare To Care Records. They have toured with groups such as Gossip, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and The (International) Noise Conspiracy.
The band have been busy lately recording their third album and wowing audiences with their undeniable sound, or as Pitchfork put it:
“You want sleek, un-perverted dance music, go to a disco. These guys only pump out the vilest of the male condition.”
Indie-pop band Wolfie is from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and their origins date to the fall of 1991, when bassist/singer Joe Ziemba and singer/guitarist Mike Downey first met while attending high school together. After varied musical excursions for the pair, in late 1996 Ziemba's girlfriend, singer/keyboardist Amanda Lyons, joined the group, and upon her arrival the quartet rechristened themselves Wolfie. The band debuted a year later with the single "Don't Turn It Off," and in 1998 they released the effervescent full-length "Awful Mess Mystery." The LP "Where's Wolfie" followed in the spring of 1999, followed by “Tall Dark Hill” in 2001. The band was active from 1996 to 2001 and toured nationally over the years before dissolving.
Members went on to form The Like Young, Beaujolais, The National Splits, The New Constitution, and Mathlete, and Wolfie members Joe and Amenda Ziemba also had a side project, Busytoby. Mike Downey went on to pursue a solo career overseas.
Seasons of the Wolf was formed in October of 1988 by Wes Waddell (vocals), Barry "Skully" Waddell (guitarist/producer), and Dennis Ristow (Keyboards/studio-engineer). Throughout numerous personnel changes, there has been one constant- hell-driven heavy metal guitars and searing vocals.
In 1998, the band's 1st and 2nd albums were marketed to over 500 college radio stations in the US and in the fall of 1998 songs such as "Victim Of Darkness" and "October Moon" made it into top ten at 70 college radio stations. The main riff of "October Moon" was used in a MTV Dennis Rodman video. In the fall the next year the cuts "Lost In Hell," "Interstellar," and "Witchfinder" made it into heavy rotation on several more college stations and also into top ten charts.
Currently Seasons of the Wolf works with seven horror/sci-fi film companies and their songs and music appear in the soundtracks of nine films including: "The Seekers" - "Time Enough"/The Alien Conspiracy - "Betrayal" - "Goregoyles" - "Underbelly" - "The Van" - "Evil Ever After" - "BloodStained Bride" - and "Dead Things." Also, according to the band's MySpace page, they were in the studio recording the 5th release for early 2009.
Formed in 2002, Wolf & Cub are a four-piece band from Adelaide, Australia and their music is predominantly psychedelic with elements of funk. One aspect of the band's music that makes them unique is their use of two drummers which allows the percussive elements of their music to feature more prominently alongside the guitar.
The band released their debut self-titled EP through the Melbourne label Dot Dash in late 2004 and quickly built up a dedicated live following, expanded by show-stealing performances at the Big Day Out festival. In Australia, the band graced stages with TV on the Radio, The Killers, The Music, Wolfmother, Queens of the Stone Age and Death from Above 1979.
Work on their debut album, which had begun in April 2005, was completed in 2006. "Vessels" was released in Australia in September of 2006 and generated a positive response. After switching drummers,the band released the "One to the Other" EP, (produced by Chris Colonna from Bumblebeez) in June 2008. Their most recent album, "Science and Sorcery," was released in April of 2009.
In our next article, we will finish up the ‘wolf’ indie band name and move on to bands that fit our criteria- bands with bird and animal names.
Wolf Eyes Tidbits:
John Olson also performs in Dead Machines with his wife Tovah Olson.
Nate Young performs solo as Hatred and with Steve Kenney and Alivia Zivich in the visual music group Demons.
Wolf Eyes' first two major tours were with Sonic Youth and Andrew W.K.
We Are Wolves Tidbits:
In September 2008, We Are Wolves won a Gémeaux Award for the Best TV Musical Theme for Bazzo.tv theme.
The song "Psychic Kids" is featured on the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles, and the song "Fight and Kiss" is featured on the video game Need for Speed: ProStreet.
Seasons of the Wolf Tidbits
Among the infuences Seasons of the Wolf list: Black Sabbath - Iron Maiden - Judas Priest - Thin Lizzy - Montrose - Deep Purple and according to htier MySpace page " Slayer - King Diamond - Mercyful Fate // and tons more from 3 decades of hardrock and heavy metal music. Also draws inpiration from Horror and Sci-Fi film soundtracks.
Wolf & Cub Tidbits
Wolf & Cub band members: Joel Byrne - vocals, electric guitar, percussion, Joel Carey - drums/percussion, Thomas Mayhew - bass guitar, Marvin Hammond - drums/percussion, saxophone
Their band name comes from a comic from Japan called "Lone Wolf and Cub"
Copyright 2009 Robert Benson
Music News & Notes
Weezer Choose Dog Photo for Cover of Raditude and Discover Unlikely Fan
Weezer have unveiled the cover art for their upcoming album, "Raditude," which will perhaps be known as the beige album (based on the color of the carpet and the dog). Frontman Rivers Cuomo first spotted the image when National Geographic ran it as the winning entry of a reader-submitted photo contest. The frontman contacted the photographer, Jason Neely, and asked if he could use the portrait of his jumping pup (named Sidney) for the band's new disc. Neely's response? "Sidney is a big Weezer fan."
====================
UK Beatles' List
Britain's Music Radar polled their readers asking them to name the greatest Beatles albums with the top album being Revolver. For years, it would have been automatically presumed that Sgt. Pepper would top any poll but things seem to be trending away from that landmark album. What is surprising in this vote is that Sgt. Pepper came in at an unexpected number 4.
Here is how they came out (remember that these are the British releases).
1.Revolver
2.Abbey Road
3.Beatles (White Album)
4.Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
5.Rubber Soul
6.Magical Mystery Tour
7.A Hard Day's Night
8.Help!
9.Let It Be
10.Please Please Me
11.Yellow Submarine
12.With the Beatles
13.Beatles For Sale
====================
Official Cover Art for Norah Jones' 'The Fall'
Norah Jones has put out the artwork which will be featured in the front cover of her new album titled "The Fall". Appearing alongside a St. Bernard, she is captured donning a white strapless long dress and black top hat. A follow-up to Jones' second album "Not Too Late", "The Fall" is plotted to be made available for purchase across United States on November 17. This record will witness her "experimenting with different sounds and a new set of collaborators, including Jacquire King, a noted producer and engineer who has worked with Kings of Leon, Tom Waits and Modest Mouse among others."
This Date In Music History-September 13
Birthdays:
Dave Quincy - Manfred Mann (1939)
David Clayton-Thomas - Blood Sweat and Tears (1941)
Ray Elliot - Them (1943)
Peter Cetera - Chicago (1944)
Don Was - Was Not Was (1952)
Randy Jones (the cowboy) - Village People (1952)
Steven John Kilbey - The Church (1954)
Joni Sledge - Sister Sledge (1956)
Dave Mustaine - Megadeth/Metallica (1963)
Stephen Perkins - Jane's Addiction/Porno for Pyros (1967)
Joe Rooney - Rascal Flatts (1975)
Fiona Apple (1976)
They Are Missed:
In 1996, Rapper Tupac Shakur died from the injuries suffered in a drive-by shooting six days earlier in Las Vegas. Shakur was hit by four bullets as he rode in a car driven by the head of Death Row Records, Marion "Suge" Knight, who suffered a minor wound. Neither he nor anyone in Shakur's entourage of at least 10 cars provided any leads to investigators. He was 25.
Bill Monroe, the "father of bluegrass," was born in Rosine, KY in 1911 (died September 9, 1996).
Singer Mel Torme, also know as the "Velvet Fog," is born in Chicago, IL in 1925 (died June 5, 1999).
In 1997, singer Jimmy Witherspoon died. His 1949, single, 'Ain't Nobody's Business,' reached #1 on the R&B charts
History:
Chubby Checker's "The Twist" goes to #1 the first time in 1960 (it will return to the top in 1962)
In 1960, the US House of Representatives officially made the practice of payola — in which record companies paid disc jockeys to play certain records — illegal.
In 1960, a campaign was started in the UK to ban the American hit ‘Tell Laura I Love Her' by Ray Peterson. The song was being denounced in the press as likely to inspire a teen-age "glorious death cult." The story told of a lovesick youngster who drives in a stock car race to win the hand of his sweetheart. He crashes and just before dying, groans out the words of the title.
In 1964, New York DJ Murray the K hosted the conclusion of the ten day rock & roll extravaganza at Brooklyn's Fox Theatre, held to compete against the Animals ten day run at Brooklyn's Paramount Theatre. Acts on the Fox bill included Marvin Gaye, the Miracles, Martha & the Vandellas, the Contours, the Supremes, the Searchers, the Temptations, Jay & the Americans, the Dovells, the Newbeats, Little Anthony & the Imperials, the Shangri-las and the Ronettes. The Fox show outdrew the concurrent Paramount show.
The Beatles released the single, "Yesterday" / "Act Naturally" in 1965. This is also the day they won their first Grammy — for Best Group and for their A Hard Days Night LP.
The Beach Boys reached #1 with "Help Me Rhonda" in 1965.
In 1967, the Beatles formed an electronics company called Fiftyshapes, Ltd. appointing John Alexis Mardas (Magic Alex) to be the company's director. Alex claimed he could build a 72-track tape machine, instead of the 4-track at Abbey Road (this never materialized). One of his more outrageous plans was to replace the acoustic baffles around Ringo Starr's drums with an invisible sonic force field. George Harrison later said that employing Mardas was "the biggest disaster of all time."
Santana's debut album entered the LP chart in 1969.
Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds" was released in 1969. It turned out to be his final #1 single.
In 1969, the Plastic Ono Band, featuring John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Alan White, made a surprise live debut at the Rock n' Roll Revival Concert in Toronto. The concert was recorded for the live album, "Live Peace in Toronto." Also on the bill were the Doors, Chicago, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard and Alice Cooper.
Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" LP entered the charts in 1975.
The Isley Brothers went to #1 on the US album charts in 1975 with "The Heat Is On."
Jackson Browne had the first #1 album of his career in 1980 with the platinum Hold Out, his first LP in well over two years.
"Sports" by Huey Lewis and the News was released in 1983. It went to #1.
Berlin went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1986 with the Giorgio Moroder written and produced 'Take My Breath Away'. On the B side, The Righteous Brothers 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', both songs were featured in the film 'Top Gun'
In 1991, Geffen Records threw a party to launch Nirvana’s single ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit.’ The band ended up being thrown out of their own party after starting a food fight.
Here’s the likely reason The Who’s Roger Daltrey wasn’t in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Actor Johnny Depp trashed his New York hotel room in 1994. The cops were called. In an adjacent room Daltrey endured the raucous. "On a scale of 1 to 10, I give him a 2, because it took so bloody long," says the singer. "The Who could have done the job in one minute."
Mariah Carey started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1997 with 'Honey', her 12th US #1 and third single to debut at #1.
Lauryn Hill started a five week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1998 with 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.'
The home where Jimi Hendrix grew up in Seattle was saved from demolition in 2005 after a new location was agreed at the last minute. The James Marshall Hendrix Foundation and the City of Seattle agreed to renovate the building into a community centre opposite the cemetery where the guitarist was buried in 1970.
In 2005, Green Day's acclaimed "American Idiot" was certified quadruple platinum (4 million copies) by the Recording Industry Association of America. '94's "Dookie" is the band's only album to move more units.
Dave Quincy - Manfred Mann (1939)
David Clayton-Thomas - Blood Sweat and Tears (1941)
Ray Elliot - Them (1943)
Peter Cetera - Chicago (1944)
Don Was - Was Not Was (1952)
Randy Jones (the cowboy) - Village People (1952)
Steven John Kilbey - The Church (1954)
Joni Sledge - Sister Sledge (1956)
Dave Mustaine - Megadeth/Metallica (1963)
Stephen Perkins - Jane's Addiction/Porno for Pyros (1967)
Joe Rooney - Rascal Flatts (1975)
Fiona Apple (1976)
They Are Missed:
In 1996, Rapper Tupac Shakur died from the injuries suffered in a drive-by shooting six days earlier in Las Vegas. Shakur was hit by four bullets as he rode in a car driven by the head of Death Row Records, Marion "Suge" Knight, who suffered a minor wound. Neither he nor anyone in Shakur's entourage of at least 10 cars provided any leads to investigators. He was 25.
Bill Monroe, the "father of bluegrass," was born in Rosine, KY in 1911 (died September 9, 1996).
Singer Mel Torme, also know as the "Velvet Fog," is born in Chicago, IL in 1925 (died June 5, 1999).
In 1997, singer Jimmy Witherspoon died. His 1949, single, 'Ain't Nobody's Business,' reached #1 on the R&B charts
History:
Chubby Checker's "The Twist" goes to #1 the first time in 1960 (it will return to the top in 1962)
In 1960, the US House of Representatives officially made the practice of payola — in which record companies paid disc jockeys to play certain records — illegal.
In 1960, a campaign was started in the UK to ban the American hit ‘Tell Laura I Love Her' by Ray Peterson. The song was being denounced in the press as likely to inspire a teen-age "glorious death cult." The story told of a lovesick youngster who drives in a stock car race to win the hand of his sweetheart. He crashes and just before dying, groans out the words of the title.
In 1964, New York DJ Murray the K hosted the conclusion of the ten day rock & roll extravaganza at Brooklyn's Fox Theatre, held to compete against the Animals ten day run at Brooklyn's Paramount Theatre. Acts on the Fox bill included Marvin Gaye, the Miracles, Martha & the Vandellas, the Contours, the Supremes, the Searchers, the Temptations, Jay & the Americans, the Dovells, the Newbeats, Little Anthony & the Imperials, the Shangri-las and the Ronettes. The Fox show outdrew the concurrent Paramount show.
The Beatles released the single, "Yesterday" / "Act Naturally" in 1965. This is also the day they won their first Grammy — for Best Group and for their A Hard Days Night LP.
The Beach Boys reached #1 with "Help Me Rhonda" in 1965.
In 1967, the Beatles formed an electronics company called Fiftyshapes, Ltd. appointing John Alexis Mardas (Magic Alex) to be the company's director. Alex claimed he could build a 72-track tape machine, instead of the 4-track at Abbey Road (this never materialized). One of his more outrageous plans was to replace the acoustic baffles around Ringo Starr's drums with an invisible sonic force field. George Harrison later said that employing Mardas was "the biggest disaster of all time."
Santana's debut album entered the LP chart in 1969.
Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds" was released in 1969. It turned out to be his final #1 single.
In 1969, the Plastic Ono Band, featuring John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Alan White, made a surprise live debut at the Rock n' Roll Revival Concert in Toronto. The concert was recorded for the live album, "Live Peace in Toronto." Also on the bill were the Doors, Chicago, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard and Alice Cooper.
Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" LP entered the charts in 1975.
The Isley Brothers went to #1 on the US album charts in 1975 with "The Heat Is On."
Jackson Browne had the first #1 album of his career in 1980 with the platinum Hold Out, his first LP in well over two years.
"Sports" by Huey Lewis and the News was released in 1983. It went to #1.
Berlin went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1986 with the Giorgio Moroder written and produced 'Take My Breath Away'. On the B side, The Righteous Brothers 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', both songs were featured in the film 'Top Gun'
In 1991, Geffen Records threw a party to launch Nirvana’s single ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit.’ The band ended up being thrown out of their own party after starting a food fight.
Here’s the likely reason The Who’s Roger Daltrey wasn’t in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Actor Johnny Depp trashed his New York hotel room in 1994. The cops were called. In an adjacent room Daltrey endured the raucous. "On a scale of 1 to 10, I give him a 2, because it took so bloody long," says the singer. "The Who could have done the job in one minute."
Mariah Carey started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1997 with 'Honey', her 12th US #1 and third single to debut at #1.
Lauryn Hill started a five week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1998 with 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.'
The home where Jimi Hendrix grew up in Seattle was saved from demolition in 2005 after a new location was agreed at the last minute. The James Marshall Hendrix Foundation and the City of Seattle agreed to renovate the building into a community centre opposite the cemetery where the guitarist was buried in 1970.
In 2005, Green Day's acclaimed "American Idiot" was certified quadruple platinum (4 million copies) by the Recording Industry Association of America. '94's "Dookie" is the band's only album to move more units.
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