The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced today that their 2010 inductees will include Leonard Cohen, Jackie DeShannon, David Foster, Johnny Mandel and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Hall of Fame Chairman and CEO Hal David said:
“We are looking forward to another memorable evening where we honor their extraordinary accomplishments.” The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 17 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.
DeShannon, Foster and Mandel made the cut from the non-performing songwriter(s) ballot. Failing to be elected were nominees Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, Luther Dixon, Mark James, Mutt Lange, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, Jerry Rogovoy and Bert Berns, Billy Sherrill, Joe South and Paul Vance and Neil Pockriss.
Cohen and Earth Wind and Fire are coming in from the Performer/Songwriter ballot. Those nominated and failing to be inducted were Garth Brooks, Elvis Costello, Dion DiMucci, David Gates, Tommy James, John Mellencamp, Lou Reed, U2 and Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens).
The following are the biographies of each of the inductees from the Songwriters Hall of Fame Press Release:
Leonard Cohen:
Leonard Cohen received the Grammy 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of his legendary career of artistic accomplishments in songwriting and performing. Over 2,000 covers of Cohen’s songs have been recorded by artists such as R.E.M., Bob Dylan, Elton John, Judy Collins, Willie Nelson and most recently, Justin Timberlake’s rendition of “Hallelujah” that appeared on Cohen’s 1984 Various Positions album. Cohen always had an interest in music, but it wasn’t until 1966 that his focus turned to songwriting after gaining international recognition for his poetry. Before he released a single song, Cohen sold the highly successful “Suzanne” to Judy Collins which later was included on his debut album, The Songs of Leonard Cohen in 1967 along with “Sisters of Mercy,” and “So Long, Marianne.” His next two albums, Songs from a Room and Songs of Love and Hate solidified Cohen’s iconic status with “Bird on a Wire” and “Famous Blue Raincoat.” His multidimensional lyrics have captured fans spanning generations and nationalities for decades. He was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (2006) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2008) for his outstanding work. Cohen’s world tour, which inaugurated in May 2008, is still playing to sold-out crowds.
Jackie DeShannon:
Singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon is best known as the soulful voice behind two of the 1960s most enduring, era-defining anthems – Burt Bacharach & Hal David’s “What The World Needs Now Is Love” and DeShannon’s own “Put A Little Love In Your Heart.” Her songs have been performed by such artists as Al Green, Annie Lennox, Van Morrison, Brenda Lee, The Carpenters, The Temptations, Marianne Faithfull, The Searchers, Ella Fitzgerald and Bruce Springsteen. In the early 1960s, Jackie partnered with Sharon Sheeley on dozens of songs (“Dum Dum,” “The Great Imposter,” “Breakaway,” “You Won’t Forget Me”). Collaborations followed with Randy Newman, Jack Nitzsche, Jimmy Page and John Bettis. In 1964, Jackie toured as an opening act for the Beatles. Writing solo, she composed the hits “When You Walk In The Room” and “Come And Stay With Me.” She earned a million-seller in 1969 with “Put A Little Love In Your Heart,” written with Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. DeShannon won a Grammy for Song of the Year in 1982 for “Bette Davis Eyes” with writing partner Donna Weiss.
David Foster:
To say that everything David Foster touches turns to gold—and usually platinum—would be an understatement. This stunningly talented songwriter is a 15-time Grammy Award winner with an unprecedented 46 nominations, a recipient of seven Juno Awards, an Emmy Award in 2004 and a three-time Oscar nominee, all over the course of four extraordinarily successful decades. Foster’s career path soared in the 1980’s as he produced and wrote an extraordinary lineup of No. 1 singles, including Chicago’s “Hard To Say I’m Sorry,” Peter Cetera’s “The Glory of Love,” and John Parr’s “Man in Motion” (St. Elmo’s Fire soundtrack). In 2007 he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Foster has worked with the biggest and best talents in the music industry, including Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Barbra Streisand, Michael Buble’, Seal, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston and many more. Iconic songs in the Foster catalog include “After The Love Is Gone,” “I Have Nothing,” “Look What You’ve Done To Me,” “The Prayer” and “You’re The Inspiration.” Foster recently produced two top ten albums on the Billboard Top 200 Chart - Michael Buble’ (“Crazy Love”) and Andrea Bocelli (“My Christmas).
Johnny Mandel:
Johnny Mandel, the five-time Grammy recipient and Oscar and Emmy Award winner is a composer, arranger, instrumentalist and record producer living a life totally steeped in musical achievement. As a teenager, Mandel was a member of Joe Venuti’s orchestra, followed by employment as a player and/or arranger in bands led by Henry Jerome, Buddy Rich, Jimmy Dorsey, Woody Herman and Artie Shaw. In the late 1940s and early 50s, Mandel was an arranger and composer for radio and the new medium of TV. At the same time, he played trombone and wrote arrangements for the Count Basie Orchestra. The West Coast recording scene beckoned Johnny in 1954 where he began arranging sessions for stars like Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Mel Tormé, Jo Stafford, Tony Bennett, Chet Baker and Andy Williams. Hollywood film assignments began coming in for Mandel as well, beginning with the all-Jazz score he composed for I Want to Live in 1958. Many Mandel film scores have followed, among them The Americanization of Emily, The Sandpiper, M*A*S*H*, Being There and The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. Mandel-composed standards include “The Shadow of Your Smile,” “Emily,” “Where Do You Start?” and “Close Enough for Love.” In recent years, Mandel’s career has continued to flourish as he has remained busy producing and arranging recordings for Natalie Cole, Diana Krall and, most recently, for Barbra Streisand and Willie Nelson, among many others.
Earth, Wind & Fire:
Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the most innovative and commercially invincible contemporary Pop / R&B music forces of the 20th century. Members Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Larry Dunn and Al McKay are known for their signature sound of fusing Pop, R&B, Rock, Latin, Funk, Jazz and African Music to win numerous awards. Earth, Wind & Fire has received 20 Grammy nominations; winning six as a group and its founding members, Maurice White and Philip Bailey, winning two awards each. The band was also awarded the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Signature Governor’s Award. Earth, Wind & Fire have earned more than 50 Gold and Platinum albums and have sold over 90 million albums worldwide. They have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2000) and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1995). The music industry and fans have bestowed Lifetime Achievement honors from ASCAP (Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award - 2002), NAACP (Hall of Fame - 1994) and the BET Awards (Life Time Achievement Award 2002). Two Earth, Wind & Fire classic songs have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame: “That’s The Way of The World” (2004) and “Shining Star” (2007). Earth, Wind & Fire have 12 American Music Awards nominations and four awards. The band is also known as having been the first African-American performers to sell out Madison Square Garden and to receive the MSG Gold Ticket Award. President Obama invited the band to perform at the White House for the first social event of the new administration. Through the decades their songs have been covered by recording artists such as Jerry Garcia Band, D’Angelo, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan and many others.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Songwriters Hall of Fame Announces 2010 Inductees
Music News & Notes
Found this interesting read:
Stuff happens in record shop afterlife
By Robert Plummer
Business reporter, BBC News
What happens to record shops after they die?
We all know how downloads, supermarket CD offers and online shopping are making life tough for music retailers.
But every independent store is a small business in its own right, with a long-suffering owner, knowledgeable staff and a diehard band of loyal customers.
In times past, a good record shop was also a hangout for an entire generation and a focal point for fans' passions, as well as a place to hear the latest music and a barometer of new trends.
So can any of that be preserved when the shop closes down?
And do the owners keep trading in music by other means or do they find something else to do?
Read the rest here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8507703.stm
============================================
New Beach House EP
Beach House are looking to capitalize on their success, releasing a new EP to celebrate Record Store Day on April 17. It's entitled Zebra, and is essentially a single for the Teen Dream song of the same name. As well as a radio edit of the title track, it features two brand new songs plus a remix of the blissed-out, slow-burning "10 Mile Stereo."
Zebra will be released on twelve-inch vinyl via Sub Pop. It will only be available at retailers involved in Record Store Day.
============================================
Alkaline Trio Announces New Album This Addiction and Tour
Recorded and produced by the band with help from longtime cohort Matt Allison at Atlas Studios in Chicago, This Addiction marks Alkaline Trio's first release on their imprint label Heart & Skull and first with their parent label Epitaph Records. The album also finds the Trio revisiting their punk roots while moving forward creatively.
The band's seventh studio album, This Addiction, will be available as a standard CD, a limited Deluxe CD/DVD edition (containing two bonus songs, four acoustic tracks and a full length concert DVD), as well as Gatefold LP vinyl.
Epitaph will also have exclusive items signed by the band, rare vinyl and Limited Collector’s bundles - all with a standard digital download or a Deluxe Digital Download.
Tour Dates:
Feb 16 – Pomona, CA – Glass House (SOLD OUT)
Feb 17 – Los Angeles, CA – House of Blues (Sunset)
Feb 18 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
Feb 19 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Feb 20 – Seattle, WA – Neumo’s
Feb 23 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
Feb 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue
Feb 25 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
Feb 26 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
Feb 27 – Chicago, IL – Metro
Feb 28 – Chicago, IL – Metro
March 2 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak
March 3 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
March 4 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
March 5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Zoo
March 6 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
March 8 – Clifton Park, NY – Northern Light
March 9 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theatre
March 11 – Philadelphia, PA – Tracadero
March 12 – New York, NY – Nokia Theatre
March 13 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland
March 14 – Providence, RI – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
March 16 – Towson, MD – Recher Theatre
March 17 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend
March 18 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm
March 19 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
March 20 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Freebird Live
March 22 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
March 23 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
March 25 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
March 26 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
March 27 – Dallas, TX – Palladium Ballroom
March 28 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
March 30 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
April 1 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
April 2 – Los Angeles – House of Blues
April 3 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
http://www.myspace.com/alkalinetrio
============================================
Ray Charles Foundation Reveals the Ray 80 Celebration Logo
Ray Charles was born September 23, 1930 and the Ray Charles Foundation and Concord Records are celebrating what would have been his 80th birthday with a brand new website at raycharles.com. On it, you'll find updated news on all of the planned events, a thorough album and singles discography and a treasure trove of videos and photos.
The Ray Charles Marketing Group has also just unveiled their special Ray 80 logo (right). Janet Macoska, Brand Manager, stated "We’ve planned a series of events and a rollout of new products designed to draw attention to, and celebrate, this historic anniversary. The Ray 80 logo will be used on all product packaging and at all authorized Ray Charles 80th Birthday Celebration events. The RAY 80 campaign is about us connecting to Ray’s worldwide legion of fans and creating opportunities for them to connect to each other."
Stuff happens in record shop afterlife
By Robert Plummer
Business reporter, BBC News
What happens to record shops after they die?
We all know how downloads, supermarket CD offers and online shopping are making life tough for music retailers.
But every independent store is a small business in its own right, with a long-suffering owner, knowledgeable staff and a diehard band of loyal customers.
In times past, a good record shop was also a hangout for an entire generation and a focal point for fans' passions, as well as a place to hear the latest music and a barometer of new trends.
So can any of that be preserved when the shop closes down?
And do the owners keep trading in music by other means or do they find something else to do?
Read the rest here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8507703.stm
============================================
New Beach House EP
Beach House are looking to capitalize on their success, releasing a new EP to celebrate Record Store Day on April 17. It's entitled Zebra, and is essentially a single for the Teen Dream song of the same name. As well as a radio edit of the title track, it features two brand new songs plus a remix of the blissed-out, slow-burning "10 Mile Stereo."
Zebra will be released on twelve-inch vinyl via Sub Pop. It will only be available at retailers involved in Record Store Day.
============================================
Alkaline Trio Announces New Album This Addiction and Tour
Recorded and produced by the band with help from longtime cohort Matt Allison at Atlas Studios in Chicago, This Addiction marks Alkaline Trio's first release on their imprint label Heart & Skull and first with their parent label Epitaph Records. The album also finds the Trio revisiting their punk roots while moving forward creatively.
The band's seventh studio album, This Addiction, will be available as a standard CD, a limited Deluxe CD/DVD edition (containing two bonus songs, four acoustic tracks and a full length concert DVD), as well as Gatefold LP vinyl.
Epitaph will also have exclusive items signed by the band, rare vinyl and Limited Collector’s bundles - all with a standard digital download or a Deluxe Digital Download.
Tour Dates:
Feb 16 – Pomona, CA – Glass House (SOLD OUT)
Feb 17 – Los Angeles, CA – House of Blues (Sunset)
Feb 18 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
Feb 19 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Feb 20 – Seattle, WA – Neumo’s
Feb 23 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
Feb 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue
Feb 25 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
Feb 26 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
Feb 27 – Chicago, IL – Metro
Feb 28 – Chicago, IL – Metro
March 2 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak
March 3 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
March 4 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
March 5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Zoo
March 6 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
March 8 – Clifton Park, NY – Northern Light
March 9 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theatre
March 11 – Philadelphia, PA – Tracadero
March 12 – New York, NY – Nokia Theatre
March 13 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland
March 14 – Providence, RI – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
March 16 – Towson, MD – Recher Theatre
March 17 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend
March 18 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm
March 19 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
March 20 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Freebird Live
March 22 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
March 23 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
March 25 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
March 26 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
March 27 – Dallas, TX – Palladium Ballroom
March 28 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
March 30 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
April 1 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
April 2 – Los Angeles – House of Blues
April 3 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
http://www.myspace.com/alkalinetrio
============================================
Ray Charles Foundation Reveals the Ray 80 Celebration Logo
Ray Charles was born September 23, 1930 and the Ray Charles Foundation and Concord Records are celebrating what would have been his 80th birthday with a brand new website at raycharles.com. On it, you'll find updated news on all of the planned events, a thorough album and singles discography and a treasure trove of videos and photos.
The Ray Charles Marketing Group has also just unveiled their special Ray 80 logo (right). Janet Macoska, Brand Manager, stated "We’ve planned a series of events and a rollout of new products designed to draw attention to, and celebrate, this historic anniversary. The Ray 80 logo will be used on all product packaging and at all authorized Ray Charles 80th Birthday Celebration events. The RAY 80 campaign is about us connecting to Ray’s worldwide legion of fans and creating opportunities for them to connect to each other."
New Music Releases - Febraury 16, 2010
Adam Green - Minor Love
Aeternam - Disciples of the Unseen
Alkaline Trio - This Addiction (vinyl)
Art Museums - Rough Frame (vinyl)
Backyard Tire Fire - Good to Be
Barn Burner - Bangers
Bear Hands - What a Drag/Can't Stick Em (vinyl)
Bee Gees - Mythology (4 CD)
Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore - Dear Companion
Bill Withers - + 'Justments (remastered)
Black Crowes - Warpaint Live (vinyl)
Bob Blank - Blank Generation Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1985 (vinyl)
Bob Mould Band - Live at ATP 2008
Boy Eats Drum Machine - Hoop + Wire
Brigitte Bardot - Musiques De Films (12-disc vinyl box set)
Carnifex - Hell Choose Me
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig
Charlie Alex March - Home/Hidden
Chelsea Grin - Desolation of Eden
Close Your Eyes - We Will Overcome
Courteeners - You Overdid It Doll Pt. 1 (vinyl)
Cute Lepers - Smart Accessories (vinyl)
DJ Shadow - In LA 10/31/09
Dan Black - Un
Dan Reeder - This New Century
Drive By Truckers - Vol. 2 - Dangerous Highway (vinyl)
Dum Dum Girls - Jail La La (vinyl)
Ellen Allien - Watergate 5
Everybody Was in the French Resistance Now - Fixin the Charts 1
Ewan MacColl - Ballads - Murder Intrigue Love Discord
Ewan Pearson - We Are Proud of Our Choices
Excepter - Presidence
Fanfarlo - Harold T. Wilkins/Comets
Fela Kuti - Gentleman / Confusion (double album reissue)
Fela Kuti - Koola Lobitos 1964-1968 / The 69 La Sessions (double album reissue)
Fela Kuti - Open & Close / Afrodisiac (double album reissue)
Fela Kuti - Roforofo Fight + 2 Singles (reissue)
Field Music - Measure (vinyl)
Freeway and Jake One - The Stimulus Package
Gentle Friendly - Ride Slow (vinyl)
Giant Drag - Swan Song
Gil Scott-Heron - Storm Music: The Best Of
Greg Dulli: Vol. 1 - Dangerous Highway (vinyl)
HIM - Screamworks: Love in Theory & Practice (vinyl with CD)
Heathen - Evolution of Chaos
Ike Reilly - Hard Luck Stories
James Otto - James Otto
Jamie Cullum - Devil May Care
Jason Falkner - I'm OK, You're OK (vinyl)
Jason Urick - Husbands
Jedi Mind Tricks - Army of the Pharaohs: The Unholy Terror
Jenny Whiteley - Forgive or Forget
Jessica Harp - A Woman Needs
Joe Pug - Messenger
Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young (2-CD & DVD & LP luxury edition box set)
Juliana Hatfield - Peace And Love
Karnivool - Sound Awake
Lightspeed Champion - Life Is Sweet! Nice to Meet You
Lightspeed Champion - Marlene (vinyl)
Lisa Hannigan - Live at Fingerprints
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor (vinyl)
Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring (vinyl)
Lusine - Twilight
MC Chris - Knowing's Half the Hassle (reissue)
Madonna - Revolver (Mixes)
Mako Sica - Dual Horizon (vinyl)
Marina & The Diamonds - Family Jewels
Mark Matos - Words of the Knife (vinyl)
Matthew Ryan - Dear Lover
Middle Class Rut - 25 Years EP (vinyl)
Miracle Condition - Miracle Condition
Moon Duo - Escape (vinyl)
Mott The Hoople - Live at the Hammersmith Apollo 2009 (3-CD box set)
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
Nick Curran - Reform School Girl
Overnight Lows - City Of Rotten Eyes (vinyl)
Over the Rhine - Besides (reissue)
Patton Oswalt - 222
Patton Oswalt - Patton Vs. Alcohol Vs. Zach Vs. Patton EP
Perfect - French Connection
Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back
Pixies - Pixies (vinyl reissue)
Pokey LaFarge & the South City Three - Riverboat Soul
Puerto Muerto - Drumming for Pistols
Raheem DeVaughn - The Love & War Masterpeace
Randy Newman - 12 Songs (reissue)
Robert Pollard - We All Got Out of the Army (vinyl)
Sam Weiser - Sam I Am
Santana - Supernatural (Legacy Edition)
Saxon - Innocence Is No Excuse (remastered with bonus tracks)
Scanners - Submarine
Seven Fields of Aphelion - Periphery
Shirley Bassey - EMI/UA Years 1959-1979 (5-CD box set)
Shout Out Louds - Oh Sweetheart
Smoking Popes - It's Been a Long Day (vinyl)
Soft Pack - The Soft Pack (vinyl)
Solas - Turning Tide
Sole - Vol. 1-Nuclear Winter
Son Lux - Weapons EP
Sonic Youth - Eternal (2-LP vinyl)
Story of the Year - The Constant
Tangerine Dream - Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares (vinyl reissue)
The Game - The R.E.D. Album
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Preservation (vinyl)
The Real Tuesday Weld - Ruth Roses & Revolvers (vinyl)
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - Kollaps Tradixionales (vinyl with CD)
Tindersticks - Falling Down a Mountain (vinyl with CD)
Usher - Raymond v. Raymond
Various Artists - Classic Appalachian Blues from Smithsonian Folkways
Various Artists - Helping Haiti: Everybody Hurts
Various Artists - More Psychedelic Guitars / Psychedelic Visions
Various Artists - My Name Is Khan (soundtrack)
Will Hoge - Again Somewhere Tomorrow
Wu-Tang - Return of the & Friends
Aeternam - Disciples of the Unseen
Alkaline Trio - This Addiction (vinyl)
Art Museums - Rough Frame (vinyl)
Backyard Tire Fire - Good to Be
Barn Burner - Bangers
Bear Hands - What a Drag/Can't Stick Em (vinyl)
Bee Gees - Mythology (4 CD)
Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore - Dear Companion
Bill Withers - + 'Justments (remastered)
Black Crowes - Warpaint Live (vinyl)
Bob Blank - Blank Generation Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1985 (vinyl)
Bob Mould Band - Live at ATP 2008
Boy Eats Drum Machine - Hoop + Wire
Brigitte Bardot - Musiques De Films (12-disc vinyl box set)
Carnifex - Hell Choose Me
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig
Charlie Alex March - Home/Hidden
Chelsea Grin - Desolation of Eden
Close Your Eyes - We Will Overcome
Courteeners - You Overdid It Doll Pt. 1 (vinyl)
Cute Lepers - Smart Accessories (vinyl)
DJ Shadow - In LA 10/31/09
Dan Black - Un
Dan Reeder - This New Century
Drive By Truckers - Vol. 2 - Dangerous Highway (vinyl)
Dum Dum Girls - Jail La La (vinyl)
Ellen Allien - Watergate 5
Everybody Was in the French Resistance Now - Fixin the Charts 1
Ewan MacColl - Ballads - Murder Intrigue Love Discord
Ewan Pearson - We Are Proud of Our Choices
Excepter - Presidence
Fanfarlo - Harold T. Wilkins/Comets
Fela Kuti - Gentleman / Confusion (double album reissue)
Fela Kuti - Koola Lobitos 1964-1968 / The 69 La Sessions (double album reissue)
Fela Kuti - Open & Close / Afrodisiac (double album reissue)
Fela Kuti - Roforofo Fight + 2 Singles (reissue)
Field Music - Measure (vinyl)
Freeway and Jake One - The Stimulus Package
Gentle Friendly - Ride Slow (vinyl)
Giant Drag - Swan Song
Gil Scott-Heron - Storm Music: The Best Of
Greg Dulli: Vol. 1 - Dangerous Highway (vinyl)
HIM - Screamworks: Love in Theory & Practice (vinyl with CD)
Heathen - Evolution of Chaos
Ike Reilly - Hard Luck Stories
James Otto - James Otto
Jamie Cullum - Devil May Care
Jason Falkner - I'm OK, You're OK (vinyl)
Jason Urick - Husbands
Jedi Mind Tricks - Army of the Pharaohs: The Unholy Terror
Jenny Whiteley - Forgive or Forget
Jessica Harp - A Woman Needs
Joe Pug - Messenger
Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young (2-CD & DVD & LP luxury edition box set)
Juliana Hatfield - Peace And Love
Karnivool - Sound Awake
Lightspeed Champion - Life Is Sweet! Nice to Meet You
Lightspeed Champion - Marlene (vinyl)
Lisa Hannigan - Live at Fingerprints
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor (vinyl)
Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring (vinyl)
Lusine - Twilight
MC Chris - Knowing's Half the Hassle (reissue)
Madonna - Revolver (Mixes)
Mako Sica - Dual Horizon (vinyl)
Marina & The Diamonds - Family Jewels
Mark Matos - Words of the Knife (vinyl)
Matthew Ryan - Dear Lover
Middle Class Rut - 25 Years EP (vinyl)
Miracle Condition - Miracle Condition
Moon Duo - Escape (vinyl)
Mott The Hoople - Live at the Hammersmith Apollo 2009 (3-CD box set)
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
Nick Curran - Reform School Girl
Overnight Lows - City Of Rotten Eyes (vinyl)
Over the Rhine - Besides (reissue)
Patton Oswalt - 222
Patton Oswalt - Patton Vs. Alcohol Vs. Zach Vs. Patton EP
Perfect - French Connection
Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back
Pixies - Pixies (vinyl reissue)
Pokey LaFarge & the South City Three - Riverboat Soul
Puerto Muerto - Drumming for Pistols
Raheem DeVaughn - The Love & War Masterpeace
Randy Newman - 12 Songs (reissue)
Robert Pollard - We All Got Out of the Army (vinyl)
Sam Weiser - Sam I Am
Santana - Supernatural (Legacy Edition)
Saxon - Innocence Is No Excuse (remastered with bonus tracks)
Scanners - Submarine
Seven Fields of Aphelion - Periphery
Shirley Bassey - EMI/UA Years 1959-1979 (5-CD box set)
Shout Out Louds - Oh Sweetheart
Smoking Popes - It's Been a Long Day (vinyl)
Soft Pack - The Soft Pack (vinyl)
Solas - Turning Tide
Sole - Vol. 1-Nuclear Winter
Son Lux - Weapons EP
Sonic Youth - Eternal (2-LP vinyl)
Story of the Year - The Constant
Tangerine Dream - Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares (vinyl reissue)
The Game - The R.E.D. Album
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Preservation (vinyl)
The Real Tuesday Weld - Ruth Roses & Revolvers (vinyl)
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - Kollaps Tradixionales (vinyl with CD)
Tindersticks - Falling Down a Mountain (vinyl with CD)
Usher - Raymond v. Raymond
Various Artists - Classic Appalachian Blues from Smithsonian Folkways
Various Artists - Helping Haiti: Everybody Hurts
Various Artists - More Psychedelic Guitars / Psychedelic Visions
Various Artists - My Name Is Khan (soundtrack)
Will Hoge - Again Somewhere Tomorrow
Wu-Tang - Return of the & Friends
This Date In Music History - February 16
Birthdays:
Lynn Paul - New Seekers (1949)
James Ingram (1956)
Andy Taylor - Duran Duran (1961)
Tony Kylie - Blow Monkeys (1962)
Dave Lombardo - Slayer (1965)
Taylor Hawkins - Foo Fighters (1972)
Bradley "Brad" Walst - Three Days Grace (1977)
They Are Missed:
The late Bill Doggett ("Honky Tonk") was born in 1916.
Born on this day in 1932, Otis Blackwell, songwriter and producer, wrote "All Shook Up," "Return To Sender," "Don't Be Cruel," "Great Balls Of Fire" and "Fever." Died from a heart attack on May 6, 2002.
Born today in 1935, Sonny Bono, singer, (1965 #1 single "I Got You Babe," with Cher). Became a US Congressman. Killed on 5th January 1997, (age 62), in a skiing accident.
Billy Ward ("Deep Purple" with his Dominoes) died in 2002.
Singer Doris Troy died in 2004. She had been a session singer with Dionne Warwick, sang on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and released an album on The Beatles’ Apple label.
Charlie Ryan ("Hot Rod Lincoln") died of heart disease in 2008.
History:
Today in 1957 the song "Young Love" by Tab Hunter topped the charts and stayed there for 6 weeks.
In 1964, The Beatles made their second live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, exactly one week after the first. Before an audience of 3,500 at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, The Beatles performed "She Loves You," "This Boy," "All My Loving," "I Saw Her Standing There," "From Me to You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
Alan David Pasaro sued the Rolling Stones in 1971 charging them with invasion of privacy. The charge stemmed from the footage of a stabbing in the film "Gimme Shelter." Pasaro was tried and acquitted for the stabbing death.
Ricky Nelson began his first British tour in 1972.
Bob Dylan started a four-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1974 with 'Planet Waves', his first US #1.
During a tour of America in 1974, the members of Emerson, Lake & Palmer were arrested in Salt Lake City after swimming naked in the hotel pool. They were each fined $75.
Cher started her own weekly hour of a music and comedy show on CBS-TV in 1975. The singer had co-presented The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour with her former husband. Cher's new show featured a female guest each week.
Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good” was #1 in 1975.
Bruce Springsteen went to #1 on the UK album chart in 1985 with 'Born In The USA', his first UK #1 album.
"Careless Whisper" started a three-week run at #1 in the US charts in 1985, credited to Wham! Featuring George Michael, this was the duos second US #1.
In 1999 - Rap star Ol' Dirty Bastard was arrested in Hollywood for allegedly wearing body armor, a forbidden garment because of his previous arrests. ODB was initially pulled over for driving eratically.
In 2002, thieves broke into George Michael’s London home and stole over £100,000 ($170,000) worth of paintings, jewellery and designer clothes and drove off in his £80,000 ($136,000) Aston Martin DB7. They also caused £200,000 ($340,000) worth of damage to his home.
50 Cent was at #1 on the US album chart in 2003 with his debut album ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin,'
Jack White appeared on CBS' 60 Minutes Wednesday in 2005. The White Stripes frontman claims he almost gave up Rock & Roll to become a priest. He was accepted by a seminary but decided to go to public school instead. "I had just gotten a new amplifier… and I didn't think I was allowed to take it with me," says White. 2005
In 2005, Jimi Hendrix memorabila went up for sale with a 1965 Fender Stratocaster guitar fetching nearly $190,000. The London auction also features a poem written by Hendrix in 1967 and an autographed copy of the Experience's first single, "Hey Joe."
Britney Spears shaved her head in 2007 (slow news day).
In 2009, Elton John’s songwriting skills are auctioned off to benefit Vancouver General Hospital’s effort to help patients with blood cancer. Two people pay $200,000 each to have John write music to their lyrics and record the finished song. The gala raises over $2 million.
Lynn Paul - New Seekers (1949)
James Ingram (1956)
Andy Taylor - Duran Duran (1961)
Tony Kylie - Blow Monkeys (1962)
Dave Lombardo - Slayer (1965)
Taylor Hawkins - Foo Fighters (1972)
Bradley "Brad" Walst - Three Days Grace (1977)
They Are Missed:
The late Bill Doggett ("Honky Tonk") was born in 1916.
Born on this day in 1932, Otis Blackwell, songwriter and producer, wrote "All Shook Up," "Return To Sender," "Don't Be Cruel," "Great Balls Of Fire" and "Fever." Died from a heart attack on May 6, 2002.
Born today in 1935, Sonny Bono, singer, (1965 #1 single "I Got You Babe," with Cher). Became a US Congressman. Killed on 5th January 1997, (age 62), in a skiing accident.
Billy Ward ("Deep Purple" with his Dominoes) died in 2002.
Singer Doris Troy died in 2004. She had been a session singer with Dionne Warwick, sang on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and released an album on The Beatles’ Apple label.
Charlie Ryan ("Hot Rod Lincoln") died of heart disease in 2008.
History:
Today in 1957 the song "Young Love" by Tab Hunter topped the charts and stayed there for 6 weeks.
In 1964, The Beatles made their second live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, exactly one week after the first. Before an audience of 3,500 at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, The Beatles performed "She Loves You," "This Boy," "All My Loving," "I Saw Her Standing There," "From Me to You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
Alan David Pasaro sued the Rolling Stones in 1971 charging them with invasion of privacy. The charge stemmed from the footage of a stabbing in the film "Gimme Shelter." Pasaro was tried and acquitted for the stabbing death.
Ricky Nelson began his first British tour in 1972.
Bob Dylan started a four-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1974 with 'Planet Waves', his first US #1.
During a tour of America in 1974, the members of Emerson, Lake & Palmer were arrested in Salt Lake City after swimming naked in the hotel pool. They were each fined $75.
Cher started her own weekly hour of a music and comedy show on CBS-TV in 1975. The singer had co-presented The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour with her former husband. Cher's new show featured a female guest each week.
Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good” was #1 in 1975.
Bruce Springsteen went to #1 on the UK album chart in 1985 with 'Born In The USA', his first UK #1 album.
"Careless Whisper" started a three-week run at #1 in the US charts in 1985, credited to Wham! Featuring George Michael, this was the duos second US #1.
In 1999 - Rap star Ol' Dirty Bastard was arrested in Hollywood for allegedly wearing body armor, a forbidden garment because of his previous arrests. ODB was initially pulled over for driving eratically.
In 2002, thieves broke into George Michael’s London home and stole over £100,000 ($170,000) worth of paintings, jewellery and designer clothes and drove off in his £80,000 ($136,000) Aston Martin DB7. They also caused £200,000 ($340,000) worth of damage to his home.
50 Cent was at #1 on the US album chart in 2003 with his debut album ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin,'
Jack White appeared on CBS' 60 Minutes Wednesday in 2005. The White Stripes frontman claims he almost gave up Rock & Roll to become a priest. He was accepted by a seminary but decided to go to public school instead. "I had just gotten a new amplifier… and I didn't think I was allowed to take it with me," says White. 2005
In 2005, Jimi Hendrix memorabila went up for sale with a 1965 Fender Stratocaster guitar fetching nearly $190,000. The London auction also features a poem written by Hendrix in 1967 and an autographed copy of the Experience's first single, "Hey Joe."
Britney Spears shaved her head in 2007 (slow news day).
In 2009, Elton John’s songwriting skills are auctioned off to benefit Vancouver General Hospital’s effort to help patients with blood cancer. Two people pay $200,000 each to have John write music to their lyrics and record the finished song. The gala raises over $2 million.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Music News
Rock Pioneer Dale Hawkins Dies
Seminal rocker Dale Hawkins passed away Saturday in Little Rock, Arkansas from colon cancer at the age of 73.
Hawkins was discovered while playing a Shreveport, Louisiana club in 1957 with his group that also included guitarist James Burton and drummer A.J. Tuminello. While his style had elements of the burgeoning rock and roll, he mixed it with a heavy blues sound that created a unique sound eventually called Swamp Rock.
Dale originally shopped around a record that he had made called See You Soon, Baboon which was picked up for national release by Chess Records on its subsidiary Checker. The group's second record, Suzie Q, broke Hawkins nationally, going to number 7 on the R&B and 27 on the Singles charts.
Hawkins went on to record a mix of his bluesy rock and more pop oriented material for the label over the next few years. He also was becoming well versed in producing and finding talented guitarists. Not only would his sideman James Burton go on to play with Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley, but he would also help launch the careers of Roy Buchannen, who played with Dale's cousin Ronnie Hawkins, and Kenny Paulsen.
In 1960, he was released from Chess and, although he would record for a number of labels in the subsequent years, he never exceeded the success of Suzie Q. The early-60's also found him hosting his own television show on WCAU in Philadelphia.
When Hawkin's wife became pregnant in 1964, he returned home where he became a talent finder and producer for Paula records, bringing them country artist Joe Stampley and rocker John Fred. His productions included Fred's Judy in Disguise and the Five American's Western Union. He became head of A&R for RCA's west coast division in 1970 where he worked with Harry Nilsson, Michael Nesmith and many more.
After a 1981 stint in rehab, Hawkins started a crisis intervention center for wayward teens in Louisiana that he ran for five years. By that time, the music bug had bit him again and he spent the rest of his life recording and performing.
===================================
Balance And Composure & Tigers Jaw announce split
Fellow Pennsylvanians Balance And Composure (Doylestown) and Tigers Jaw (Scranton) have each contributed a handful of brand new songs for an upcoming split release on No Sleep and Run For Cover Records, the former handling the CD version while the latter takes on vinyl duties.
Featuring four new tracks from each band, plus a bonus digital-only offering from Balance And Composure, the split was recorded by Vince Ratti (The Wonder Years, Circa Survive, Valencia) and will be released by the labels in CD and 12" formats on May 11, 2010. A track list an be found below and both bands are currently streaming songs from the album on their respective myspace pages.
http://www.myspace.com/balanceandcomposure
http://www.myspace.com/tigersjaw
===================================
Knack Lead Singer Doug Fieger Passes Away
Doug Fieger, the lead singer for the 70's group the Knack, has passed away after battling lung and brain cancer. He was 57.
Feiger's earliest ambition was to work in the theater and was acting professionally by the time he was 12. One year later, he and John Courey would form the group Sky who opened for acts such as Traffic and it was their relationship with Steve Winwood that would put them in contact with British producer Jimmy Miller. Miller signed the group to a contract and, once Fieger graduated from High School, the group moved to England to record their first album.
Courey and Feiger became fixtures in the London music scene, recording their second album at Mick Jagger's house, but by the end of 1971, the group had broken up and Fieger moved to Los Angeles.
In L.A., Fieger met Bruce Gary and Berton Averre who formed a group to play area clubs. Word of mouth spread, especially after a number of high profile jam sessions and the group was signed to a management contract. The three added Prescott Niles and named their group The Knack who were the subject of a major label bidding war that was eventually won by Capitol.
In 1979, the group released the album Get the Knack which contained their signature song "My Sharona." Both hit #1 on the charts, but the group never managed to hit such heights again. The followup single, Good Girls Don't made it to #11 and their second album, But the Little Girls Understand got to #15 but it was mostly downhill from there. They split up right after the release of their third album, Round Trip.
In 1991, the original group minus Gary reformed and recorded Serious Fun which included the Mainstream Rock hit Rocket O' Love. They followed in 1998 with Zoom and 2001 with Normal As the Next Guy, neither of which found much success.
Seminal rocker Dale Hawkins passed away Saturday in Little Rock, Arkansas from colon cancer at the age of 73.
Hawkins was discovered while playing a Shreveport, Louisiana club in 1957 with his group that also included guitarist James Burton and drummer A.J. Tuminello. While his style had elements of the burgeoning rock and roll, he mixed it with a heavy blues sound that created a unique sound eventually called Swamp Rock.
Dale originally shopped around a record that he had made called See You Soon, Baboon which was picked up for national release by Chess Records on its subsidiary Checker. The group's second record, Suzie Q, broke Hawkins nationally, going to number 7 on the R&B and 27 on the Singles charts.
Hawkins went on to record a mix of his bluesy rock and more pop oriented material for the label over the next few years. He also was becoming well versed in producing and finding talented guitarists. Not only would his sideman James Burton go on to play with Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley, but he would also help launch the careers of Roy Buchannen, who played with Dale's cousin Ronnie Hawkins, and Kenny Paulsen.
In 1960, he was released from Chess and, although he would record for a number of labels in the subsequent years, he never exceeded the success of Suzie Q. The early-60's also found him hosting his own television show on WCAU in Philadelphia.
When Hawkin's wife became pregnant in 1964, he returned home where he became a talent finder and producer for Paula records, bringing them country artist Joe Stampley and rocker John Fred. His productions included Fred's Judy in Disguise and the Five American's Western Union. He became head of A&R for RCA's west coast division in 1970 where he worked with Harry Nilsson, Michael Nesmith and many more.
After a 1981 stint in rehab, Hawkins started a crisis intervention center for wayward teens in Louisiana that he ran for five years. By that time, the music bug had bit him again and he spent the rest of his life recording and performing.
===================================
Balance And Composure & Tigers Jaw announce split
Fellow Pennsylvanians Balance And Composure (Doylestown) and Tigers Jaw (Scranton) have each contributed a handful of brand new songs for an upcoming split release on No Sleep and Run For Cover Records, the former handling the CD version while the latter takes on vinyl duties.
Featuring four new tracks from each band, plus a bonus digital-only offering from Balance And Composure, the split was recorded by Vince Ratti (The Wonder Years, Circa Survive, Valencia) and will be released by the labels in CD and 12" formats on May 11, 2010. A track list an be found below and both bands are currently streaming songs from the album on their respective myspace pages.
http://www.myspace.com/balanceandcomposure
http://www.myspace.com/tigersjaw
===================================
Knack Lead Singer Doug Fieger Passes Away
Doug Fieger, the lead singer for the 70's group the Knack, has passed away after battling lung and brain cancer. He was 57.
Feiger's earliest ambition was to work in the theater and was acting professionally by the time he was 12. One year later, he and John Courey would form the group Sky who opened for acts such as Traffic and it was their relationship with Steve Winwood that would put them in contact with British producer Jimmy Miller. Miller signed the group to a contract and, once Fieger graduated from High School, the group moved to England to record their first album.
Courey and Feiger became fixtures in the London music scene, recording their second album at Mick Jagger's house, but by the end of 1971, the group had broken up and Fieger moved to Los Angeles.
In L.A., Fieger met Bruce Gary and Berton Averre who formed a group to play area clubs. Word of mouth spread, especially after a number of high profile jam sessions and the group was signed to a management contract. The three added Prescott Niles and named their group The Knack who were the subject of a major label bidding war that was eventually won by Capitol.
In 1979, the group released the album Get the Knack which contained their signature song "My Sharona." Both hit #1 on the charts, but the group never managed to hit such heights again. The followup single, Good Girls Don't made it to #11 and their second album, But the Little Girls Understand got to #15 but it was mostly downhill from there. They split up right after the release of their third album, Round Trip.
In 1991, the original group minus Gary reformed and recorded Serious Fun which included the Mainstream Rock hit Rocket O' Love. They followed in 1998 with Zoom and 2001 with Normal As the Next Guy, neither of which found much success.
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales
Week Ending 02/13/2010
1. 45 - The Beatles "I Want To Hold Your Hand" / "I Saw Her Standing There" w/pic sleeve radio promo - $4,109.99
2. 45 - Necros "Sex Drive" Touch and Go Original - $3,550.00
3. LP - Judge "Chung King Can Suck It Up" Revelation white vinyl - $3,383.33
4. LP - Damon "Song Of A Gypsy" Private Press - $3,218.00
5. 45 - Connor Cagle & The Bachelors Four "Always Let Your Good Side Show" / "Nobody Wants To See You When You're Down" Sunshine - $3,000.00
Thanks to Norm over at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data! More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 4:00PM Eastern on Radio Dentata.
1. 45 - The Beatles "I Want To Hold Your Hand" / "I Saw Her Standing There" w/pic sleeve radio promo - $4,109.99
2. 45 - Necros "Sex Drive" Touch and Go Original - $3,550.00
3. LP - Judge "Chung King Can Suck It Up" Revelation white vinyl - $3,383.33
4. LP - Damon "Song Of A Gypsy" Private Press - $3,218.00
5. 45 - Connor Cagle & The Bachelors Four "Always Let Your Good Side Show" / "Nobody Wants To See You When You're Down" Sunshine - $3,000.00
Thanks to Norm over at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data! More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 4:00PM Eastern on Radio Dentata.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
This Date In Music History-February 14
Birthdays:
Phyllis McGuire - The McGuire Sisters (1931)
Vic Briggs - Animals (1945)
Doug Simril - Steve Miller Band (1946)
Roger Fisher - Heart (1950)
Scottish drummer Kenny Hyslop - (1951)
Ice- T (Tracy Morrow) - (1959)
Rob Thomas - Matchbox 20 (1972)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1947, Tim Buckley, singer, songwriter who recorded the 1972 album 'Greetings From LA'. His singer, songwriter son Jeff Buckley drowned while swimming in 1997. Tim himself died on June 29, 1975 of a heroin and morphine overdose.
Buddy Knox ("Party Doll") died of cancer in 1999.
Mick Tucker, drummer with glam rock band Sweet, died of leukaemia in 2002.
History:
The Cuban government banned Rock n’ Roll in 1957, calling it "immoral and profane" and "offensive to public morals."
In 1958, CBS News reported that the Iranian government had banned Rock ‘n’ Roll on the grounds that it goes against Islam and is a health hazard.
In 1961, the Beatles perform at the Cassanova Club, Liverpool, and at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool where they play a special Valentine's Day show. Paul McCartney sang Elvis Presley's "Wooden Heart", wearing wooden heart pinned to his coat, covered with satin and embroidered with the names "John", "Paul", "George", and "Pete". The heart was raffled off, and the winner also won a kiss from Paul.
Neil Diamond recorded "Cherry Cherry" in 1966.
Aretha Franklin recorded "Respect" in 1967.
In 1970, Billboard reported that the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) was “mounting a total war" against taped pirating of pre-recorded music.
The Who appeared at Leeds University, England in 1970. The show was recorded for the bands forthcoming 'Live At Leeds' album.
Sly & The Family Stone landed at #1 in 1970 with “Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin).”
In 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono started a week long run as co-hosts on 'Mike Douglas' US TV show.
David Bowie collapsed from exhaustion after a Madison Square Garden concert in New York in 1973.
In 1977, singer songwriter Janis Ian received 461 Valentine's day cards after indicating in the lyrics of her song "At Seventeen'," she had never received any.
Also in 1977, the B-52's made their first live performance appearing in a Greenhouse at a Valentines day party in Athens.
Dire Straits began recording their first album at Basing Street Studios, London in 1978. The whole project cost $21,250 to produce.
Frank Zappa appeared on an episode of the television series Miami Vice in 1986. Zappa portrayed a crime boss named 'Mr. Frankie.'
Bon Jovi started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1987 with "Livin' On A Prayer," the group's second US #1, (#4 hit in the UK).
In 1990, the Rolling Stones played the first of ten nights at the Korakuen Dome, Tokyo, Japan. The shows were seen by over 500,000 fans, making the band a cool $20 million.
The film 'Waynes World' premiered in the US in 1992.
Usher started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1998 with "Nice & Slow."
In 1998, Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" set a new recorded for the most radio plays in the US with 116 million plays in one week.
Rapper Foxy Brown was at #1 on the US album chart in 1999 with ‘Chyna Doll.’
In 2000, KISS announced that they were going to do a farewell tour in makeup and then sell off the stage props from their career in an auction. And yet, they still carry on.......
In 2003, stolen reel-to-reel studio recordings by The Beatles were found in Australia. Police recovered the tapes of the bands 1968 'White album' and the 'Abbey Road' album after they were advertised for sale in a Sydney newspaper. Australian police had been tipped off by British detectives from Operation Acetone, an investigation into thefts of original Beatles music from Abbey Road studios in London in the 1960's .
In 2008, Boston’s Tom Scholz sends a letter to Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee demanding that he stop using "More Than A Feeling" at campaign events. "By using my song . . . you have taken something of mine and used it to promote ideas to which I am opposed," writes the guitarist, a Barack Obama supporter. Also, ex-Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau had performed the song with Huckabee at rallies.
In 2009, Bruce Springsteen went to #1 on the US album chart with ‘Working on a Dream’, his 16th studio album.
Phyllis McGuire - The McGuire Sisters (1931)
Vic Briggs - Animals (1945)
Doug Simril - Steve Miller Band (1946)
Roger Fisher - Heart (1950)
Scottish drummer Kenny Hyslop - (1951)
Ice- T (Tracy Morrow) - (1959)
Rob Thomas - Matchbox 20 (1972)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1947, Tim Buckley, singer, songwriter who recorded the 1972 album 'Greetings From LA'. His singer, songwriter son Jeff Buckley drowned while swimming in 1997. Tim himself died on June 29, 1975 of a heroin and morphine overdose.
Buddy Knox ("Party Doll") died of cancer in 1999.
Mick Tucker, drummer with glam rock band Sweet, died of leukaemia in 2002.
History:
The Cuban government banned Rock n’ Roll in 1957, calling it "immoral and profane" and "offensive to public morals."
In 1958, CBS News reported that the Iranian government had banned Rock ‘n’ Roll on the grounds that it goes against Islam and is a health hazard.
In 1961, the Beatles perform at the Cassanova Club, Liverpool, and at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool where they play a special Valentine's Day show. Paul McCartney sang Elvis Presley's "Wooden Heart", wearing wooden heart pinned to his coat, covered with satin and embroidered with the names "John", "Paul", "George", and "Pete". The heart was raffled off, and the winner also won a kiss from Paul.
Neil Diamond recorded "Cherry Cherry" in 1966.
Aretha Franklin recorded "Respect" in 1967.
In 1970, Billboard reported that the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) was “mounting a total war" against taped pirating of pre-recorded music.
The Who appeared at Leeds University, England in 1970. The show was recorded for the bands forthcoming 'Live At Leeds' album.
Sly & The Family Stone landed at #1 in 1970 with “Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin).”
In 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono started a week long run as co-hosts on 'Mike Douglas' US TV show.
David Bowie collapsed from exhaustion after a Madison Square Garden concert in New York in 1973.
In 1977, singer songwriter Janis Ian received 461 Valentine's day cards after indicating in the lyrics of her song "At Seventeen'," she had never received any.
Also in 1977, the B-52's made their first live performance appearing in a Greenhouse at a Valentines day party in Athens.
Dire Straits began recording their first album at Basing Street Studios, London in 1978. The whole project cost $21,250 to produce.
Frank Zappa appeared on an episode of the television series Miami Vice in 1986. Zappa portrayed a crime boss named 'Mr. Frankie.'
Bon Jovi started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1987 with "Livin' On A Prayer," the group's second US #1, (#4 hit in the UK).
In 1990, the Rolling Stones played the first of ten nights at the Korakuen Dome, Tokyo, Japan. The shows were seen by over 500,000 fans, making the band a cool $20 million.
The film 'Waynes World' premiered in the US in 1992.
Usher started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1998 with "Nice & Slow."
In 1998, Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" set a new recorded for the most radio plays in the US with 116 million plays in one week.
Rapper Foxy Brown was at #1 on the US album chart in 1999 with ‘Chyna Doll.’
In 2000, KISS announced that they were going to do a farewell tour in makeup and then sell off the stage props from their career in an auction. And yet, they still carry on.......
In 2003, stolen reel-to-reel studio recordings by The Beatles were found in Australia. Police recovered the tapes of the bands 1968 'White album' and the 'Abbey Road' album after they were advertised for sale in a Sydney newspaper. Australian police had been tipped off by British detectives from Operation Acetone, an investigation into thefts of original Beatles music from Abbey Road studios in London in the 1960's .
In 2008, Boston’s Tom Scholz sends a letter to Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee demanding that he stop using "More Than A Feeling" at campaign events. "By using my song . . . you have taken something of mine and used it to promote ideas to which I am opposed," writes the guitarist, a Barack Obama supporter. Also, ex-Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau had performed the song with Huckabee at rallies.
In 2009, Bruce Springsteen went to #1 on the US album chart with ‘Working on a Dream’, his 16th studio album.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Music News & Notes
PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2010 DATES - JULY 16 -18 - AT CHICAGO’S UNION PARK
The 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival celebrates its fifth anniversary this year at Chicago’s Union Park, on Friday, July 16 - Sunday, July 18. This three-day event will once again showcase a variety of cutting-edge, global performers on three stages in one of the most comfortable and positive festival environments in the country, all brought to fans at a fraction of the price of any other nationally renowned music festival.
In previous years, the Pitchfork Music Festival has provided attendees the opportunity to see performances by some of the world’s most innovative and flourishing young acts, often acting as a barometer for what will be popular in the coming years. Over the years artists including Animal Collective, Girl Talk, Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors, Vampire Weekend, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, Owen Pallett, The National, The Antlers, Yeasayer, amongst many others, have been invitedto perform at burgeoning moments in their careers. The festival has also presented a diverse mix of internationally renowned and beloved acts, such as The Flaming Lips, The Jesus Lizard, Spoon, Yoko Ono, Public Enemy, Sonic Youth, Tortoise, Dinosaur Jr., Cat Power, Silver Jews, Yo La Tengo, Slint, Os Mutantes and Iron & Wine.
An independently run, consistently sold-out event, the Pitchfork Music Festival attracts 50,000 fans of all ages from 45 states and 11 countries. In addition to presenting an outstanding musical line-up at a reasonable price, the festival also offers a vast array of other activities for attendees to enjoy. With 50 individual vendors, as well as specialty fairs, the fest not only supports local businesses and the local economy, but also promotes the Chicago arts community as a whole.
Tickets for the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival will be on sale Friday, February 5th, with single-day tickets for $40 and three-day passes for $90. The first round of bands will be announced on Friday, February 5th as well. Two-day passes will not be available for purchase. This year, Friday’s performances will begin earlier to present fans with a longer first day of music. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com/
Pitchfork Media is the premier destination for music criticism, news, features, and audio/video content. With more than 2 million unique readers per month and over 25 million page views, Pitchfork has earned one of the internet’s most loyal followings and a reputation as the music world’s primary tastemaker.
===================================
Luther Russell Releasing New EP in March
Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Luther Russell will release the six-track "Motorbike" EP on March 15, 2010 on Wool Recordings/Ungawa.
The songs on the EP are taken from Russell's upcoming fifth solo album a double entitled "The Invisible Audience" and were selected and sequenced by Sarabeth Tucek, who also sings on "Somehow Or Another."
Musically the EP takes in the psychedelic Americana of the title track, which is reminiscent of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club circa "Howl," the stripped-down blues of "A World Unknown," the power-pop of "Tomorrow's Paper," and the short, but sweet "Dead Sun Blues" and "Et Al," which sound like outtakes from "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" and "Third/Sister Lovers," respectively. What keeps these seemingly disparate influences together is Russell's effortless way with a melody and the warm, analogue sound.
"It was recorded to eight-track one-inch tape with most instruments played by yours truly," says Russell, who has produced records by Richmond Fontaine and the aforementioned Sarabeth Tucek. "People have really responded to the song "Motorbike," so I thought an EP built around it would be a nice way of calling attention to the new album."
He's not wrong, especially as the EP looks so good. As well as a digital release it will be available on an extremely limited-edition white vinyl 12-inch, which comes with a postcard shot by underground filmmaker Cam Archer. Archer, who has previously worked with Gus Van Sant and made videos for the likes of Xiu Xiu and Six Organs Of Admittance, is currently working on a video for "Motorbike."
===================================
Dire Straits Frontman Mark Knopfler Announces Solo Tour
Legendary singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler will hit the road for a North American tour in support of his current solo album, Get Lucky, this spring.
The tour — during which Knopfler will also dip into his illustrious back catalog — begins April 8th in Seattle and criss-crosses the continent before finishing up in Albany, NY, on May 9th.
Released on September 15th, 2009, Get Lucky is the Dire Straits' lead singer and songwriter's sixth studio album and follow-up to 2007's highly successful Kill To Get Crimson.
The album was recorded at Knopfler's award-winning British Grove Studios in West London, and co-produced with longtime collaborators, engineer Chuck Ainlay and keyboardist Guy Fletcher. It also features Richard Bennett, Danny Cummings, John McCusker, Matt Rollings, and Glenn Worf.
===================================
Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Vetiver, Brendan Benson and Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold Team Up for Graham Nash Tribute
In 1971, Graham Nash was on a temporary break from Crosby, Stills and Nash, and had just broken up with long-time girlfriend Joni Mitchell. The emotional state he was in resulted in Songs for Beginners, which is now considered one of his greatest accomplishments.
Nearly 30 years later, Nash's daughter, Nile Nash, has teamed up with a team of indie folk icons to pay tribute to the classic album. The compilation is called Be Yourself: A Tribute to Graham Nash's Songs for Beginners, and features appearances from Port O'Brien, Brendan Benson, Vetiver, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold and many others.
On top of the Songs for Beginners tribute, a handful of artists, including Johnathan Rice and Two Gallants' Tyson Vogel, took on selections from Nash's second solo album, Wild Tales. Those songs will be pressed on a limited seven-inch that will ship with the first 1,000 orders through the Grass Roots Records website. http://www.grassrootsrecordco.com/
Be Yourself will be released on May 25. Pre-orders for the album, along with the bonus seven-inch, begin on February 15.
Be Yourself: A Tribute to Graham Nash's Songs for Beginners:
1. Port O'Brien and the Papercuts “Military Madness”
2. Brendan Benson “Better Days”
3. Nile Nash “Wounded Bird”
4. Vetiver “Used to be a King” 5. Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) “Be Yourself”
6. Bonnie “Prince” Billy “Simple Man (Hombre Sencillo)”
7. Moore Brothers “Man in the Mirror”
8. Alela Diane “There's Only One”
9. Mariee Sioux with Greg Weeks (Espers) “Sleep Song”
10. Sleepy Sun “Chicago”
11. Nile Nash with guests “We Can Change the World (reprise)”
Bonus EP:
1. Tyson Vogel (Two Gallants) “Hey You (Looking at the Moon)”
2. Johnathan Rice “On the Line”
3. Jonathan Wilson “And So It Goes (Music Gets You High)”
4. Bart Davenport “Better Days”
5. Citay “Military Madness”
The 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival celebrates its fifth anniversary this year at Chicago’s Union Park, on Friday, July 16 - Sunday, July 18. This three-day event will once again showcase a variety of cutting-edge, global performers on three stages in one of the most comfortable and positive festival environments in the country, all brought to fans at a fraction of the price of any other nationally renowned music festival.
In previous years, the Pitchfork Music Festival has provided attendees the opportunity to see performances by some of the world’s most innovative and flourishing young acts, often acting as a barometer for what will be popular in the coming years. Over the years artists including Animal Collective, Girl Talk, Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors, Vampire Weekend, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, Owen Pallett, The National, The Antlers, Yeasayer, amongst many others, have been invitedto perform at burgeoning moments in their careers. The festival has also presented a diverse mix of internationally renowned and beloved acts, such as The Flaming Lips, The Jesus Lizard, Spoon, Yoko Ono, Public Enemy, Sonic Youth, Tortoise, Dinosaur Jr., Cat Power, Silver Jews, Yo La Tengo, Slint, Os Mutantes and Iron & Wine.
An independently run, consistently sold-out event, the Pitchfork Music Festival attracts 50,000 fans of all ages from 45 states and 11 countries. In addition to presenting an outstanding musical line-up at a reasonable price, the festival also offers a vast array of other activities for attendees to enjoy. With 50 individual vendors, as well as specialty fairs, the fest not only supports local businesses and the local economy, but also promotes the Chicago arts community as a whole.
Tickets for the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival will be on sale Friday, February 5th, with single-day tickets for $40 and three-day passes for $90. The first round of bands will be announced on Friday, February 5th as well. Two-day passes will not be available for purchase. This year, Friday’s performances will begin earlier to present fans with a longer first day of music. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com/
Pitchfork Media is the premier destination for music criticism, news, features, and audio/video content. With more than 2 million unique readers per month and over 25 million page views, Pitchfork has earned one of the internet’s most loyal followings and a reputation as the music world’s primary tastemaker.
===================================
Luther Russell Releasing New EP in March
Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Luther Russell will release the six-track "Motorbike" EP on March 15, 2010 on Wool Recordings/Ungawa.
The songs on the EP are taken from Russell's upcoming fifth solo album a double entitled "The Invisible Audience" and were selected and sequenced by Sarabeth Tucek, who also sings on "Somehow Or Another."
Musically the EP takes in the psychedelic Americana of the title track, which is reminiscent of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club circa "Howl," the stripped-down blues of "A World Unknown," the power-pop of "Tomorrow's Paper," and the short, but sweet "Dead Sun Blues" and "Et Al," which sound like outtakes from "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" and "Third/Sister Lovers," respectively. What keeps these seemingly disparate influences together is Russell's effortless way with a melody and the warm, analogue sound.
"It was recorded to eight-track one-inch tape with most instruments played by yours truly," says Russell, who has produced records by Richmond Fontaine and the aforementioned Sarabeth Tucek. "People have really responded to the song "Motorbike," so I thought an EP built around it would be a nice way of calling attention to the new album."
He's not wrong, especially as the EP looks so good. As well as a digital release it will be available on an extremely limited-edition white vinyl 12-inch, which comes with a postcard shot by underground filmmaker Cam Archer. Archer, who has previously worked with Gus Van Sant and made videos for the likes of Xiu Xiu and Six Organs Of Admittance, is currently working on a video for "Motorbike."
===================================
Dire Straits Frontman Mark Knopfler Announces Solo Tour
Legendary singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler will hit the road for a North American tour in support of his current solo album, Get Lucky, this spring.
The tour — during which Knopfler will also dip into his illustrious back catalog — begins April 8th in Seattle and criss-crosses the continent before finishing up in Albany, NY, on May 9th.
Released on September 15th, 2009, Get Lucky is the Dire Straits' lead singer and songwriter's sixth studio album and follow-up to 2007's highly successful Kill To Get Crimson.
The album was recorded at Knopfler's award-winning British Grove Studios in West London, and co-produced with longtime collaborators, engineer Chuck Ainlay and keyboardist Guy Fletcher. It also features Richard Bennett, Danny Cummings, John McCusker, Matt Rollings, and Glenn Worf.
===================================
Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Vetiver, Brendan Benson and Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold Team Up for Graham Nash Tribute
In 1971, Graham Nash was on a temporary break from Crosby, Stills and Nash, and had just broken up with long-time girlfriend Joni Mitchell. The emotional state he was in resulted in Songs for Beginners, which is now considered one of his greatest accomplishments.
Nearly 30 years later, Nash's daughter, Nile Nash, has teamed up with a team of indie folk icons to pay tribute to the classic album. The compilation is called Be Yourself: A Tribute to Graham Nash's Songs for Beginners, and features appearances from Port O'Brien, Brendan Benson, Vetiver, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold and many others.
On top of the Songs for Beginners tribute, a handful of artists, including Johnathan Rice and Two Gallants' Tyson Vogel, took on selections from Nash's second solo album, Wild Tales. Those songs will be pressed on a limited seven-inch that will ship with the first 1,000 orders through the Grass Roots Records website. http://www.grassrootsrecordco.com/
Be Yourself will be released on May 25. Pre-orders for the album, along with the bonus seven-inch, begin on February 15.
Be Yourself: A Tribute to Graham Nash's Songs for Beginners:
1. Port O'Brien and the Papercuts “Military Madness”
2. Brendan Benson “Better Days”
3. Nile Nash “Wounded Bird”
4. Vetiver “Used to be a King” 5. Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) “Be Yourself”
6. Bonnie “Prince” Billy “Simple Man (Hombre Sencillo)”
7. Moore Brothers “Man in the Mirror”
8. Alela Diane “There's Only One”
9. Mariee Sioux with Greg Weeks (Espers) “Sleep Song”
10. Sleepy Sun “Chicago”
11. Nile Nash with guests “We Can Change the World (reprise)”
Bonus EP:
1. Tyson Vogel (Two Gallants) “Hey You (Looking at the Moon)”
2. Johnathan Rice “On the Line”
3. Jonathan Wilson “And So It Goes (Music Gets You High)”
4. Bart Davenport “Better Days”
5. Citay “Military Madness”
Friday, February 12, 2010
Michael Fremer Review
Thanks to Michael over at http://www.musicangle.com/ for the exclusive rights to reprint this material.
ALBUM REVIEW:
Neil Young (new reissue)
Neil Young Official Release Series Discs 1-4 Box Set
Warner Brothers/Reprise 4 180g LP, numbered Box Set
Produced by: Neil Young, Jack Nitzsche, David Briggs, Elliot Mazer, others
Engineered by: various engineers
Mixed by: various mixers
Mastered by: Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Review by: Michael Fremer
2010-02-01
When Buffalo Springfield broke up, Neil Young set about building his solo career. The high-production work with Jack Nitzsche that had created classics like “Expecting to Fly” and “Broken Arrow” brought Neil back to the producer/keyboardist/orchestrator, who gained fame working with Phil Spector but the results on Young’s eponymous debut album were not as memorable. In fact, many critics and fans alike back in 1969 considered the album a disappointment and a misstep.
The “overproduction” charge was compounded by two issues: first was the original mix that buried Young’s voice, second was the label’s disastrous choice to master using the Haeco-CSG system. Invented by Howard Holzer, A&M’s chief engineer, Haeco-CSG was about cost cutting not sonic improvement.
By the late ‘60s, stereo had taken hold among album buying youngsters but most rock was still heard on AM radio or FM in the car, which was mostly monophonic. Stereo records played back monophonically usually produced terrible results: folding stereo down to mono upped common L/R information by 3 dB, which is major. That means vocals placed in both channels so they’d appear in the phantom center channel would be way too loud in mono. Not many rock singers of the era needed that kind of exposure, so Holzer invented a system to deal with the problem.
Unfortunately, his solution was to phase-shift common L/R right information so that it didn’t get the 3dB boost. Imagine, though, what happened to image focus and soundstage clarity! It produced a sonic mess that ruined many releases of the era, including Neil’s debut and Roots The Everly Brothers’ superb “comeback” album that inexplicably hasn’t been reissued yet on vinyl.
Neil remixed the first album, made sure it was mastered without Haeco-CSG and put a wide banner with his name on it at the top of the front cover in an effort to save the debut but it was too late. The album never recovered. Relatively rare original pressings with the first cover, mix and Haeco-CSG processing were quite collectible for a time, going for hundreds of dollars. I’m not sure what the going rate is today.
Time has actually been kind to Young’s debut. “The Loner” and “I’ve Been Waiting For You” are fuzz-tone laden standouts. “I’ve Loved Her Too Long” maintains its warm grip and even the surreal, Dylanesque overreach of “The Last Trip to Tulsa,” with Young’s acoustic guitar center stage and his voice off on the right channel, arrives nicely burnished through the time tunnel.
One could argue that the first album isn’t a high priority but no one would say that of the next three in this four, 180g LP box set: Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, After the Goldrush and Harvest.
With a set list that includes “Cinnamon Girl,” the title tune, “Round and Round,” “Down By The River,” and “Cowgirl In The Sand,” the second album with Crazy Horse is a hard-rocking, no-nonsense follow-up to the tentative debut and contains no filler. But surely you didn’t need to be told that.
Nor do you need to be told about the enduring folk/rock brilliance of After the Goldrush or Young’s greatest album chart success Harvest. If you do, you’re not forking over the big bucks for this 180g box set anyway. You’re more likely to opt for a 140g individual album or two.
What you’re really interested in hearing about is the sound quality of these reissues. But first a word about the packaging: Warner Brothers has gone to the trouble and expense of using deluxe paper over cardboard jackets that are authentic to the originals, though there are barcodes, new catalog numbers and updated mastering credits— all tastefully and respectfully done. All original posters and inserts are included. Pick up the new Harvest and you’ll be hard-pressed to tell it from the original, so perfectly does the new, thick outer paper stock match the original.
What’s very different about these reissues though, is the sound: I have multiple originals of all of them, including both the original Haeco-CSG version of the debut album and the re-do (obviously, though Warner Brothers and Young went with the original cover, the second mix was used) and I have to tell you, these reissues, mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman and pressed at Pallas in Germany (buy a copy of my second DVD It’s a Vinyl World, After All and you can take a guided tour of Pallas, shot in high definition), sound far superior to the originals.
Look, I’ve been listening to these four albums for up to forty years now and I was not prepared for what I heard on all four of these albums. Grundman’s chain is sounding better than ever after what I hear are a series of upgrades.
Starting with the second album, Young arranged for multiple voices, often his own multi-tracked, but never before have the individual voices been so clearly locked in three dimensional space and timbrally distinct. The way the voices project into 3D space (including Young’s main centered one) is positively eerie (assuming your system can reproduced this, because trust me, it’s in the grooves in a way it’s not on the originals). Instrumental textures are far richer, fuller and better defined. Harmonics are fully fleshed out. Reverb trails extend to infinity before disappearing into background pitch blackness. There is so much more there there in every respect, it’s almost stupefying.
You can see Young before the microphone and experience every little vocal tick and breath pressurization. It’s not important because you can hear these details. It’s important because hearing them imparts greater meaning to the proceeding and certainly a greater appreciation of his singing and the deliberateness of his communications skills.
I wish I could tell you that the 140g versions, pressed, I assume, from the same stampers, sounded as good, but even correcting for the VTA/SRA differences, they don’t. They do sound plenty good, mind you, and better than the originals, but not quite as good as the 180g versions contained in the box set. And good as the Blu-ray versions are at 192k/24 bit, they don’t touch the vinyl.
So, my advice is: when the numbered, limited edition box is finally introduced shortly, if you’re as big a Neil fan as I am, don’t hesitate until it’s too late. Buy and enjoy this box set.
Warner Brothers, thanks to the tireless and meticulous efforts of Warner Brothers Senior Vice President and vinyl fanatic Tom Biery, demonstrates yet again, that it is possible for a major label to do vinyl correctly: cutting from analog masters, pressing at the best plants and packaging to provide fans with the genuine experience. It’s sad that the others don’t have the will to properly manage the task.
ALBUM REVIEW:
Neil Young (new reissue)
Neil Young Official Release Series Discs 1-4 Box Set
Warner Brothers/Reprise 4 180g LP, numbered Box Set
Produced by: Neil Young, Jack Nitzsche, David Briggs, Elliot Mazer, others
Engineered by: various engineers
Mixed by: various mixers
Mastered by: Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Review by: Michael Fremer
2010-02-01
When Buffalo Springfield broke up, Neil Young set about building his solo career. The high-production work with Jack Nitzsche that had created classics like “Expecting to Fly” and “Broken Arrow” brought Neil back to the producer/keyboardist/orchestrator, who gained fame working with Phil Spector but the results on Young’s eponymous debut album were not as memorable. In fact, many critics and fans alike back in 1969 considered the album a disappointment and a misstep.
The “overproduction” charge was compounded by two issues: first was the original mix that buried Young’s voice, second was the label’s disastrous choice to master using the Haeco-CSG system. Invented by Howard Holzer, A&M’s chief engineer, Haeco-CSG was about cost cutting not sonic improvement.
By the late ‘60s, stereo had taken hold among album buying youngsters but most rock was still heard on AM radio or FM in the car, which was mostly monophonic. Stereo records played back monophonically usually produced terrible results: folding stereo down to mono upped common L/R information by 3 dB, which is major. That means vocals placed in both channels so they’d appear in the phantom center channel would be way too loud in mono. Not many rock singers of the era needed that kind of exposure, so Holzer invented a system to deal with the problem.
Unfortunately, his solution was to phase-shift common L/R right information so that it didn’t get the 3dB boost. Imagine, though, what happened to image focus and soundstage clarity! It produced a sonic mess that ruined many releases of the era, including Neil’s debut and Roots The Everly Brothers’ superb “comeback” album that inexplicably hasn’t been reissued yet on vinyl.
Neil remixed the first album, made sure it was mastered without Haeco-CSG and put a wide banner with his name on it at the top of the front cover in an effort to save the debut but it was too late. The album never recovered. Relatively rare original pressings with the first cover, mix and Haeco-CSG processing were quite collectible for a time, going for hundreds of dollars. I’m not sure what the going rate is today.
Time has actually been kind to Young’s debut. “The Loner” and “I’ve Been Waiting For You” are fuzz-tone laden standouts. “I’ve Loved Her Too Long” maintains its warm grip and even the surreal, Dylanesque overreach of “The Last Trip to Tulsa,” with Young’s acoustic guitar center stage and his voice off on the right channel, arrives nicely burnished through the time tunnel.
One could argue that the first album isn’t a high priority but no one would say that of the next three in this four, 180g LP box set: Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, After the Goldrush and Harvest.
With a set list that includes “Cinnamon Girl,” the title tune, “Round and Round,” “Down By The River,” and “Cowgirl In The Sand,” the second album with Crazy Horse is a hard-rocking, no-nonsense follow-up to the tentative debut and contains no filler. But surely you didn’t need to be told that.
Nor do you need to be told about the enduring folk/rock brilliance of After the Goldrush or Young’s greatest album chart success Harvest. If you do, you’re not forking over the big bucks for this 180g box set anyway. You’re more likely to opt for a 140g individual album or two.
What you’re really interested in hearing about is the sound quality of these reissues. But first a word about the packaging: Warner Brothers has gone to the trouble and expense of using deluxe paper over cardboard jackets that are authentic to the originals, though there are barcodes, new catalog numbers and updated mastering credits— all tastefully and respectfully done. All original posters and inserts are included. Pick up the new Harvest and you’ll be hard-pressed to tell it from the original, so perfectly does the new, thick outer paper stock match the original.
What’s very different about these reissues though, is the sound: I have multiple originals of all of them, including both the original Haeco-CSG version of the debut album and the re-do (obviously, though Warner Brothers and Young went with the original cover, the second mix was used) and I have to tell you, these reissues, mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman and pressed at Pallas in Germany (buy a copy of my second DVD It’s a Vinyl World, After All and you can take a guided tour of Pallas, shot in high definition), sound far superior to the originals.
Look, I’ve been listening to these four albums for up to forty years now and I was not prepared for what I heard on all four of these albums. Grundman’s chain is sounding better than ever after what I hear are a series of upgrades.
Starting with the second album, Young arranged for multiple voices, often his own multi-tracked, but never before have the individual voices been so clearly locked in three dimensional space and timbrally distinct. The way the voices project into 3D space (including Young’s main centered one) is positively eerie (assuming your system can reproduced this, because trust me, it’s in the grooves in a way it’s not on the originals). Instrumental textures are far richer, fuller and better defined. Harmonics are fully fleshed out. Reverb trails extend to infinity before disappearing into background pitch blackness. There is so much more there there in every respect, it’s almost stupefying.
You can see Young before the microphone and experience every little vocal tick and breath pressurization. It’s not important because you can hear these details. It’s important because hearing them imparts greater meaning to the proceeding and certainly a greater appreciation of his singing and the deliberateness of his communications skills.
I wish I could tell you that the 140g versions, pressed, I assume, from the same stampers, sounded as good, but even correcting for the VTA/SRA differences, they don’t. They do sound plenty good, mind you, and better than the originals, but not quite as good as the 180g versions contained in the box set. And good as the Blu-ray versions are at 192k/24 bit, they don’t touch the vinyl.
So, my advice is: when the numbered, limited edition box is finally introduced shortly, if you’re as big a Neil fan as I am, don’t hesitate until it’s too late. Buy and enjoy this box set.
Warner Brothers, thanks to the tireless and meticulous efforts of Warner Brothers Senior Vice President and vinyl fanatic Tom Biery, demonstrates yet again, that it is possible for a major label to do vinyl correctly: cutting from analog masters, pressing at the best plants and packaging to provide fans with the genuine experience. It’s sad that the others don’t have the will to properly manage the task.
Music News & Notes
Japandroids Announce Singles Series
Vancouver's Japandroids have announced that they'll be releasing five new singles this year in order to give the people what they want (raucous, heart-on-sleeve rock, obviously). The singles, the first of which is due out on April 13, will feature songs that were recorded during the Post-Nothing sessions on the a-side and covers on the b-side. Thusly, yhe first single, titled "Art Czars," will be backed with a cover of Big Black's "Racer X."
===============================
Robert Plant Recording Album With Buddy Miller
Led Zeppelin veteran Robert Plant is recording an album for release later this year which is being produced by Americana singer/songwriter Buddy Miller. The word leaked out earlier today in Bristol, Tennessee's Herald Courier as part of an article on songwriter and instrumentalist Darell Scott.
Scott is quoted in the article as saying “Those two-plus weeks were some of the most memorable times I’ve ever had in the studio. The number-one thing is that Robert loves music. You think they’re posing and just getting through it, but I was humbled with how Robert Plant loved the music – old country, blues, rockabilly.”
While the actual contents of the album are not known, the article mentions that Plant recorded the traditional song Cindy.
Plant will be performing February 25 at London's famed Abbey Road Studios with a 72-voice choir and American singer/songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman. The concert is for the charity Cancer Research UK.
===============================
The Apples In Stereo Announce New Album In Their New Musical Scale
On April 20th, studio obsessed indie-pop band The Apples in Stereo will unleash the cosmic happiness that is "Travellers in Space and Time" (Yep Roc/Simian/Elephant 6). And on April 16, the band kicks off a US tour in support of the album.
Continuing the tradition of curating support acts on their tours, The Apples will be joined on the road by New Orleans band Generationals (Park the Van) and Athens band Laminated Cat who recently released their debut album "Umbrella Weather" through Garden Gate Records.
"We choose bands to tour with based on who we want to listen to every single night, and who we want to turn other people on to," enthuses The Apples' Robert Schneider. "The Generationals are a fantastic band with strong songs and interesting productions - plus we have the Louisiana connection going on, with my having grown up in Ruston. Laminated Cat are the best young psychedelic band in the world, in my opinion - one of my favorite bands, beautiful and strange, like Syd Barrett riding on the Olivia Tremor Control. This tour is going to be awesome!"
As some of you may already be aware, Schneider has invented a new musical scale called the Non-Pythagorean Musical Scale. The scale was first included on the band's last studio album, "New Magnetic Wonder." To expand upon it, "Travellers in Space and Time," includes "C.P.U.," the first pop song ever written with this new scale.
===============================
Bonnaroo Announces 2010 Lineup
Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment are excited to announce the initial lineup for the 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The ninth annual four-day camping and music festival will be held on June 10 - 13 on the same beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. A full list of confirmed acts follows, and more will be announced in the coming weeks. The final Bonnaroo 2010 lineup will total over 125 bands and over 20 comedians performing on 13 stages over four days. Tickets are on sale now exclusively at bonnaroo.com.
Perhaps bringing you the most diverse and ambitious lineup to date, the 2010 event draws world-class acts from a staggering range of musical worlds. This year the festival features the Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Weezer, Flaming Lips performing Dark Side Of The Moon, The Dead Weather, Phoenix, John Fogerty, Jimmy Cliff, Tenacious D, Zac Brown Band, Avett Brothers, Norah Jones, LCD Soundsystem, Tori Amos, The National, Jeff Beck, Michael Franti, Against Me!, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Baaba Maal, The Melvins, Thievery Corporation to name but a small portion of the deep lineup. Wonder's Bonnaroo performance marks a rare festival appearance for the legend, whose illustrious songbook continues to be as influential and significant today as ever. Bonnaroo veterans Kings of Leon are the first band in the history of the festival to start on a tent stage and work their way up to the coveted headlining slot. They were first booked to play a tent stage early in the day in 2004. They have gone on to perform at Bonnaroo several times, each appearance bigger than the last. This will be one of the very few appearances the band will make in 2010.
The largest and most revered music and camping event in the country, Bonnaroo has elevated the American rock festival to an unprecedented level. As the only round-the-clock major US music festival, Bonnaroo packs an unparalleled amount of entertainment options into its four days. The event has offered its attendees the amenities and community spirit of a small city, with 24 hours of activities including a comedy theater, cinema festival, jazz club, silent disco, arcade, Internet cafés, restaurants, yoga classes and hundreds of high quality craft vendors. Since its inception, Bonnaroo swiftly earned its status as the country's premier music and arts event. The Wall Street Journal called Bonnaroo "one of rock's best festivals," continuing to hail that the 2009 lineup "fairly bursts with some of the most gifted acts in rock and pop." Entertainment Weekly called it "the best of all sonic worlds," while the New York Times said, "Bonnaroo's very loose mandate - and a wise one for any festival - is to choose performers who deliver in a live performance, with current hits and studio expertise as lower priorities. One of the pleasures of the festival is that it defies narrowcasting: It's not an Americana festival, an indie-rock festival, a gathering of 2008-9 hitmakers or anything but what its producers and, presumably, ticket-buyers are happy to hear." Rolling Stone called Bonnaroo "one of the 50 moments to change the history of rock and roll."
Once again, Bonnaroo has created a couple of unique ticketing options for its fans. The festival is offering a special payment plan in whichtickets will be available for five (5) payments of $50.00 plus applicable fees. In addition, fans will have the option to purchase a Bonnaroo Green Ticket that will help to support the development and implementation of sustainable improvements at the festival for years to come. Festival organizers are constantly looking for ways to be aggressive with mitigating the event's environmental impact and raising awareness about green issues.
As part of Fuse's three-year deal with Bonnaroo, the network will be back as the exclusive television partner of the festival. Fuse will be reporting live from Bonnaroo throughout the weekend and will air a special, featuring interviews with the hottest bands and performances from this year's star-studded lineup.
2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Confirmed Artists:
•Dave Matthews Band
•Kings of Leon
•Stevie Wonder
•Jay-Z
•Tenacious D
•Weezer
•The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs perform "Dark Side of the Moon"
•The Dead Weather
•Damian Marley & Nas
•Phoenix
•Norah Jones
•Michael Franti & Spearhead
•John Fogerty
•Regina Spektor
•Jimmy Cliff
•LCD Soundsystem
•The Avett Brothers
•Thievery Corporation
•Rise Against
•Tori Amos
•The National
•Zac Brown Band
•Les Claypool
•John Prine
•The Black Keys
•Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers
•Jeff Beck
•Dropkick Murphys
•She & Him
•Against Me!
•The Disco Biscuits
•Daryl Hall & Chromeo
•Jamey Johnson
•Clutch
•Bassnectar
•Kid Cudi
•Baaba Maal
•Kris Kristofferson
•Medeski Martin & Wood
•The xx
•GWAR
•Dan Deacon Ensemble
•Tinariwen
•Wale
•Deadmau5
•The Melvins
•Gaslight Anthem
•Miike Snow
•Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
•Dr. Dog
•They Might Be Giants
•Punch Brothers
•Isis
•Blitzen Trapper
•Blues Traveler
•Miranda Lambert
•Calexico
•OK Go
•Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
•Martin Sexton
•Lotus
•Baroness
•Dave Rawlings Machine
•Mayer Hawthorne and the County
•Japandroids
•Jay Electronica
•Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
•Ingrid Michaelson
•The Dodos
•Manchester Orchestra
•The Temper Trap
•Cross Canadian Ragweed
•Big Sam's Funky Nation
•Carolina Chocolate Drops
•Tokyo Police Club
•The Entrance Band
•Local Natives
•Brandi Carlile
•Mumford & Sons
•Rebelution
•Diane Birch
•Monte Montgomery
•Julia Nunes
•The Postelles
•Lucero
•Here We Go Magic
•Hot Rize
•Neon Indian
•B.O.B
•Needtobreathe
Vancouver's Japandroids have announced that they'll be releasing five new singles this year in order to give the people what they want (raucous, heart-on-sleeve rock, obviously). The singles, the first of which is due out on April 13, will feature songs that were recorded during the Post-Nothing sessions on the a-side and covers on the b-side. Thusly, yhe first single, titled "Art Czars," will be backed with a cover of Big Black's "Racer X."
===============================
Robert Plant Recording Album With Buddy Miller
Led Zeppelin veteran Robert Plant is recording an album for release later this year which is being produced by Americana singer/songwriter Buddy Miller. The word leaked out earlier today in Bristol, Tennessee's Herald Courier as part of an article on songwriter and instrumentalist Darell Scott.
Scott is quoted in the article as saying “Those two-plus weeks were some of the most memorable times I’ve ever had in the studio. The number-one thing is that Robert loves music. You think they’re posing and just getting through it, but I was humbled with how Robert Plant loved the music – old country, blues, rockabilly.”
While the actual contents of the album are not known, the article mentions that Plant recorded the traditional song Cindy.
Plant will be performing February 25 at London's famed Abbey Road Studios with a 72-voice choir and American singer/songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman. The concert is for the charity Cancer Research UK.
===============================
The Apples In Stereo Announce New Album In Their New Musical Scale
On April 20th, studio obsessed indie-pop band The Apples in Stereo will unleash the cosmic happiness that is "Travellers in Space and Time" (Yep Roc/Simian/Elephant 6). And on April 16, the band kicks off a US tour in support of the album.
Continuing the tradition of curating support acts on their tours, The Apples will be joined on the road by New Orleans band Generationals (Park the Van) and Athens band Laminated Cat who recently released their debut album "Umbrella Weather" through Garden Gate Records.
"We choose bands to tour with based on who we want to listen to every single night, and who we want to turn other people on to," enthuses The Apples' Robert Schneider. "The Generationals are a fantastic band with strong songs and interesting productions - plus we have the Louisiana connection going on, with my having grown up in Ruston. Laminated Cat are the best young psychedelic band in the world, in my opinion - one of my favorite bands, beautiful and strange, like Syd Barrett riding on the Olivia Tremor Control. This tour is going to be awesome!"
As some of you may already be aware, Schneider has invented a new musical scale called the Non-Pythagorean Musical Scale. The scale was first included on the band's last studio album, "New Magnetic Wonder." To expand upon it, "Travellers in Space and Time," includes "C.P.U.," the first pop song ever written with this new scale.
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Bonnaroo Announces 2010 Lineup
Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment are excited to announce the initial lineup for the 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The ninth annual four-day camping and music festival will be held on June 10 - 13 on the same beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. A full list of confirmed acts follows, and more will be announced in the coming weeks. The final Bonnaroo 2010 lineup will total over 125 bands and over 20 comedians performing on 13 stages over four days. Tickets are on sale now exclusively at bonnaroo.com.
Perhaps bringing you the most diverse and ambitious lineup to date, the 2010 event draws world-class acts from a staggering range of musical worlds. This year the festival features the Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Weezer, Flaming Lips performing Dark Side Of The Moon, The Dead Weather, Phoenix, John Fogerty, Jimmy Cliff, Tenacious D, Zac Brown Band, Avett Brothers, Norah Jones, LCD Soundsystem, Tori Amos, The National, Jeff Beck, Michael Franti, Against Me!, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Baaba Maal, The Melvins, Thievery Corporation to name but a small portion of the deep lineup. Wonder's Bonnaroo performance marks a rare festival appearance for the legend, whose illustrious songbook continues to be as influential and significant today as ever. Bonnaroo veterans Kings of Leon are the first band in the history of the festival to start on a tent stage and work their way up to the coveted headlining slot. They were first booked to play a tent stage early in the day in 2004. They have gone on to perform at Bonnaroo several times, each appearance bigger than the last. This will be one of the very few appearances the band will make in 2010.
The largest and most revered music and camping event in the country, Bonnaroo has elevated the American rock festival to an unprecedented level. As the only round-the-clock major US music festival, Bonnaroo packs an unparalleled amount of entertainment options into its four days. The event has offered its attendees the amenities and community spirit of a small city, with 24 hours of activities including a comedy theater, cinema festival, jazz club, silent disco, arcade, Internet cafés, restaurants, yoga classes and hundreds of high quality craft vendors. Since its inception, Bonnaroo swiftly earned its status as the country's premier music and arts event. The Wall Street Journal called Bonnaroo "one of rock's best festivals," continuing to hail that the 2009 lineup "fairly bursts with some of the most gifted acts in rock and pop." Entertainment Weekly called it "the best of all sonic worlds," while the New York Times said, "Bonnaroo's very loose mandate - and a wise one for any festival - is to choose performers who deliver in a live performance, with current hits and studio expertise as lower priorities. One of the pleasures of the festival is that it defies narrowcasting: It's not an Americana festival, an indie-rock festival, a gathering of 2008-9 hitmakers or anything but what its producers and, presumably, ticket-buyers are happy to hear." Rolling Stone called Bonnaroo "one of the 50 moments to change the history of rock and roll."
Once again, Bonnaroo has created a couple of unique ticketing options for its fans. The festival is offering a special payment plan in whichtickets will be available for five (5) payments of $50.00 plus applicable fees. In addition, fans will have the option to purchase a Bonnaroo Green Ticket that will help to support the development and implementation of sustainable improvements at the festival for years to come. Festival organizers are constantly looking for ways to be aggressive with mitigating the event's environmental impact and raising awareness about green issues.
As part of Fuse's three-year deal with Bonnaroo, the network will be back as the exclusive television partner of the festival. Fuse will be reporting live from Bonnaroo throughout the weekend and will air a special, featuring interviews with the hottest bands and performances from this year's star-studded lineup.
2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Confirmed Artists:
•Dave Matthews Band
•Kings of Leon
•Stevie Wonder
•Jay-Z
•Tenacious D
•Weezer
•The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs perform "Dark Side of the Moon"
•The Dead Weather
•Damian Marley & Nas
•Phoenix
•Norah Jones
•Michael Franti & Spearhead
•John Fogerty
•Regina Spektor
•Jimmy Cliff
•LCD Soundsystem
•The Avett Brothers
•Thievery Corporation
•Rise Against
•Tori Amos
•The National
•Zac Brown Band
•Les Claypool
•John Prine
•The Black Keys
•Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers
•Jeff Beck
•Dropkick Murphys
•She & Him
•Against Me!
•The Disco Biscuits
•Daryl Hall & Chromeo
•Jamey Johnson
•Clutch
•Bassnectar
•Kid Cudi
•Baaba Maal
•Kris Kristofferson
•Medeski Martin & Wood
•The xx
•GWAR
•Dan Deacon Ensemble
•Tinariwen
•Wale
•Deadmau5
•The Melvins
•Gaslight Anthem
•Miike Snow
•Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
•Dr. Dog
•They Might Be Giants
•Punch Brothers
•Isis
•Blitzen Trapper
•Blues Traveler
•Miranda Lambert
•Calexico
•OK Go
•Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
•Martin Sexton
•Lotus
•Baroness
•Dave Rawlings Machine
•Mayer Hawthorne and the County
•Japandroids
•Jay Electronica
•Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
•Ingrid Michaelson
•The Dodos
•Manchester Orchestra
•The Temper Trap
•Cross Canadian Ragweed
•Big Sam's Funky Nation
•Carolina Chocolate Drops
•Tokyo Police Club
•The Entrance Band
•Local Natives
•Brandi Carlile
•Mumford & Sons
•Rebelution
•Diane Birch
•Monte Montgomery
•Julia Nunes
•The Postelles
•Lucero
•Here We Go Magic
•Hot Rize
•Neon Indian
•B.O.B
•Needtobreathe
Local brewfest combines beer and vinyl
KLCC’s Microbrew Festival showcases a variety of exclusive brews and vintage tracks
By Andrew Hitz | Scene reporter
Radio station KLCC’s annual Microbrew Festival is bringing some of Oregon’s best brewers to town.
The two-day festival kicks off Friday and will showcase 50 small breweries from as near as the Pacific Northwest and from as far away as Belgium, and many of the brews were made exclusively for the festival.
KLCC, Lane Community College’s licensed National Public Radio broadcaster, has been hosting the event for nearly two decades as the station’s primary fundraiser. “Our motto is ‘Keeping the fun in fundraiser,’” organizer Gayle Chisholm said.
The event is more than just a beer-tasting extravaganza. The festival has more than 100
different small-batch beers, but also has opportunities for people to collect old vinyl records.
“Our first year, we were clearing out the records at KLCC and decided that we would sell some of them at the festival,” co-organizer Kris Fox said.
Now the station has people donate albums for them to sell at the festival to supplement what they pick from their archives.
“It’s kind of a fun activity when you’re holding a beer and flipping through vinyls,” Chisholm said.
Read the rest of the article here:
http://www.dailyemerald.com/scene/local-brewfest-combines-beer-and-vinyl-1.1125004#
By Andrew Hitz | Scene reporter
Radio station KLCC’s annual Microbrew Festival is bringing some of Oregon’s best brewers to town.
The two-day festival kicks off Friday and will showcase 50 small breweries from as near as the Pacific Northwest and from as far away as Belgium, and many of the brews were made exclusively for the festival.
KLCC, Lane Community College’s licensed National Public Radio broadcaster, has been hosting the event for nearly two decades as the station’s primary fundraiser. “Our motto is ‘Keeping the fun in fundraiser,’” organizer Gayle Chisholm said.
The event is more than just a beer-tasting extravaganza. The festival has more than 100
different small-batch beers, but also has opportunities for people to collect old vinyl records.
“Our first year, we were clearing out the records at KLCC and decided that we would sell some of them at the festival,” co-organizer Kris Fox said.
Now the station has people donate albums for them to sell at the festival to supplement what they pick from their archives.
“It’s kind of a fun activity when you’re holding a beer and flipping through vinyls,” Chisholm said.
Read the rest of the article here:
http://www.dailyemerald.com/scene/local-brewfest-combines-beer-and-vinyl-1.1125004#
This Date In Music History-February 12
Birthdays:
Ray Manzarek - Doors (1939)
Rick Frank - Elephant's Memory (1942)
Joe Schermie - Three Dog Night (1945)
Stanley Knight - Black Oak Arkansas (1949)
Steve Hackett - quit Genesis in 1977 for solo work (1950)
Michael McDonald - Doobie Brothers (1952)
Neil Conti - Prefab Sprout (1959)
Gary Whelan - Happy Mondays (1966)
Paul Crook - guitarist, worked with Meat Loaf, Anthrax and Sebastian Bach (1966)
Chynna Phillips, Wilson Phillips (1968)
Jim Creeggan - Barenaked Ladies (1970)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1915, Lorne Greene, star of the NBC TV show Bonanza. He had a US #1 single "Ringo," which made him the second Canadian to have a US #1 single. Greene died on September 11,1987.
Oliver ("Good Morning Starshine") died of cancer in 2000.
American bassist and songwriter John London died in 2000 (age 58). Worked with The Monkees, James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt.
Blues singer Screamin' Jay Hawkins died in 2000 (age 70). A Golden Gloves boxing champion at 16, he was married nine times, spent two years in jail, was temporary blinded by one of his flaming props on stage in 1976. He recorded "I Put A Spell On You" in 1956, covered by The Animals, CCR and Nina Simone.
Born today in 1958, Grant McLennan, bass, vocals, songwriter, The Go-Betweens and solo. McLennan died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane, Australia on May 6, 2006.
Eldee Young of the Ramsey Lewis Trio ("Hang On Sloopy") and Young/Holt Unlimited ("Soulful Strut") died of a heart attack in 2007.
History:
The Miracles' "Shop Around" became Motown's first million-selling single in 1961.
In 1964, the Beatles returned to New York City by train from Washington, D.C. for two performances at Carnegie Hall. There was such a demand for tickets that some extra seating was arranged surrounding the stage. Tickets ranged from $1.65 to $5.50.
In 1965, Pye Records announced that they'd signed 'the British Bob Dylan,' when they added Donovan to the label.
The law raided Rolling Stone Keith Richards’ house in 1967where they find “various substances of suspicious nature.” Richards’ legal troubles along with the drug related arrests of Mick Jagger and Brian Jones nearly halts the Stones.
Jimi Hendrix returned home to Seattle in 1968 where he received a key to the city and an honorary high school diploma. He also played for the students of Garfield High School from which he had dropped out.
In 1970, John Lennon performed "Instant Karma," on BBC TV's 'Top Of The Pops,' becoming the first Beatle to have appeared on the show since 1966.
"Roundabout" was released by Yes in 1972.
Al Green went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1972 with "Let's Stay Together," his only US chart topper.
Barbra Streisand started a six-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1977 with 'A Star Is Born.'
The Police recorded their first single, 'Fall Out ' for £150 ($255) at Pathway Studios, London in 1977.
In 1977, Blondie, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and the Ramones all appeared at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, California.
Axl Rose walked off the stage during a Guns N’ Roses concert in Phoenix in 1988. Their subsequent shows supporting David Lee Roth are canceled as rumors circulate that Rose has a) lost his voice or b) been fired from the group.
Alice In Chains’ “Jar Of Flies” tops the U.S. album chart in 1994. It’s the first EP to hit #1 on the survey.
Celine Dion started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1994 with "The Power Of Love," the singers first US #1 hit.
In 1995, Van Halen, scored their first US #1 album with ‘Balance.’
Mariah Carey started a two-week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 2000 with "Thank God I Found You."
In 2001 - The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Napster to stop its users from trading copyrighted material without charge.
In 2003, Former Doors drummer John Densmore took out legal action against The Doors keyboard player Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger for breach of contract, trademark infringement and unfair competition. The band had reformed with Ex- Cult singer Ian Astbury and former Police drummer Stewart Copeland. Densmore said "It shouldn't be called The Doors if it's someone other than Jim Morrison singing." I agree.
During a press conference at West Hollywood's Whisky a Go Go club in 2007, Sting confirmed that The Police were getting back together. The band were set to kick off a world tour on May 28 in Vancouver, Canada, supported by Sting's son Joe Sumner's band, Fiction Plane.
In 2009, Limp Bizkit announced that they have reunited to tour and record an album, with all five original members. "We decided we were more disgusted and bored with the state of heavy popular music than we were with each other," reads a joint statement from singer Fred Durst and guitarist Wes Borland.
Also in 2009, Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen landed in second and third place (behind Madonna) on Billboard's Moneymakers list, after raking in more than $157 million and $156 million, respectively, in ’08 music sales and tour revenue. The Police were #4 earning just under $110 million.
Ray Manzarek - Doors (1939)
Rick Frank - Elephant's Memory (1942)
Joe Schermie - Three Dog Night (1945)
Stanley Knight - Black Oak Arkansas (1949)
Steve Hackett - quit Genesis in 1977 for solo work (1950)
Michael McDonald - Doobie Brothers (1952)
Neil Conti - Prefab Sprout (1959)
Gary Whelan - Happy Mondays (1966)
Paul Crook - guitarist, worked with Meat Loaf, Anthrax and Sebastian Bach (1966)
Chynna Phillips, Wilson Phillips (1968)
Jim Creeggan - Barenaked Ladies (1970)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1915, Lorne Greene, star of the NBC TV show Bonanza. He had a US #1 single "Ringo," which made him the second Canadian to have a US #1 single. Greene died on September 11,1987.
Oliver ("Good Morning Starshine") died of cancer in 2000.
American bassist and songwriter John London died in 2000 (age 58). Worked with The Monkees, James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt.
Blues singer Screamin' Jay Hawkins died in 2000 (age 70). A Golden Gloves boxing champion at 16, he was married nine times, spent two years in jail, was temporary blinded by one of his flaming props on stage in 1976. He recorded "I Put A Spell On You" in 1956, covered by The Animals, CCR and Nina Simone.
Born today in 1958, Grant McLennan, bass, vocals, songwriter, The Go-Betweens and solo. McLennan died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane, Australia on May 6, 2006.
Eldee Young of the Ramsey Lewis Trio ("Hang On Sloopy") and Young/Holt Unlimited ("Soulful Strut") died of a heart attack in 2007.
History:
The Miracles' "Shop Around" became Motown's first million-selling single in 1961.
In 1964, the Beatles returned to New York City by train from Washington, D.C. for two performances at Carnegie Hall. There was such a demand for tickets that some extra seating was arranged surrounding the stage. Tickets ranged from $1.65 to $5.50.
In 1965, Pye Records announced that they'd signed 'the British Bob Dylan,' when they added Donovan to the label.
The law raided Rolling Stone Keith Richards’ house in 1967where they find “various substances of suspicious nature.” Richards’ legal troubles along with the drug related arrests of Mick Jagger and Brian Jones nearly halts the Stones.
Jimi Hendrix returned home to Seattle in 1968 where he received a key to the city and an honorary high school diploma. He also played for the students of Garfield High School from which he had dropped out.
In 1970, John Lennon performed "Instant Karma," on BBC TV's 'Top Of The Pops,' becoming the first Beatle to have appeared on the show since 1966.
"Roundabout" was released by Yes in 1972.
Al Green went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1972 with "Let's Stay Together," his only US chart topper.
Barbra Streisand started a six-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1977 with 'A Star Is Born.'
The Police recorded their first single, 'Fall Out ' for £150 ($255) at Pathway Studios, London in 1977.
In 1977, Blondie, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and the Ramones all appeared at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, California.
Axl Rose walked off the stage during a Guns N’ Roses concert in Phoenix in 1988. Their subsequent shows supporting David Lee Roth are canceled as rumors circulate that Rose has a) lost his voice or b) been fired from the group.
Alice In Chains’ “Jar Of Flies” tops the U.S. album chart in 1994. It’s the first EP to hit #1 on the survey.
Celine Dion started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1994 with "The Power Of Love," the singers first US #1 hit.
In 1995, Van Halen, scored their first US #1 album with ‘Balance.’
Mariah Carey started a two-week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 2000 with "Thank God I Found You."
In 2001 - The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Napster to stop its users from trading copyrighted material without charge.
In 2003, Former Doors drummer John Densmore took out legal action against The Doors keyboard player Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger for breach of contract, trademark infringement and unfair competition. The band had reformed with Ex- Cult singer Ian Astbury and former Police drummer Stewart Copeland. Densmore said "It shouldn't be called The Doors if it's someone other than Jim Morrison singing." I agree.
During a press conference at West Hollywood's Whisky a Go Go club in 2007, Sting confirmed that The Police were getting back together. The band were set to kick off a world tour on May 28 in Vancouver, Canada, supported by Sting's son Joe Sumner's band, Fiction Plane.
In 2009, Limp Bizkit announced that they have reunited to tour and record an album, with all five original members. "We decided we were more disgusted and bored with the state of heavy popular music than we were with each other," reads a joint statement from singer Fred Durst and guitarist Wes Borland.
Also in 2009, Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen landed in second and third place (behind Madonna) on Billboard's Moneymakers list, after raking in more than $157 million and $156 million, respectively, in ’08 music sales and tour revenue. The Police were #4 earning just under $110 million.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne
FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 8, 2010
DEAR JERRY: In the early '60s, when answer songs were very popular, it seemed like nearly every big hit was answered by someone.
What are some notable ones from that period?
—Jamie Kendell, Sandusky, Ohio
DEAR JAMIE: First, be assured we will not confuse answer songs with sequels (e.g., “It's My Party” / “Judy's Turn to Cry” [Lesley Gore]); response songs (e.g., “Southern Man” [Neil Young]) / “Sweet Home Alabama” [Lynyrd Skynyrd]; or parodies (e.g., “Downtown” [Petula Clark] / “Crazy Downtown” [Allan Sherman]); all of which are often lumped in with answer songs.
A true answer song needs to respond directly to the matters set forth in the tuneful object of its inspiration. Usually this is best accomplished by a singer of the opposite gender. They should also be released as soon as possible after the one they are answering.
For just the first half of the 1960s, I chose some first-rate examples of answer songs, each inspired by an all-time Top 40 classic:
1960: “Tell Laura I Love Her” (Ray Peterson) / “Tell Tommy I Miss Him” (Marilyn Michaels)
1960: “Please Help Me, I'm Falling” (Hank Locklin) / “(I Can't Help You) I'm Falling, Too” (Skeeter Davis)
1960: “Save the Last Dance for Me” (Drifters) / “I'll Save the Last Dance for You” (Damita Jo)
1960: “Are You Lonesome To-night?” (Elvis Presley) / “Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight (Dodie Stevens)
1960: “Chain Gang” (Sam Cooke) / “The Sound of My Man (On the Chain Gang)” (Theola Kilgore)
1960: “He'll Have to Go” (Jim Reeves) / “He'll Have to Stay” (Jeanne Black)
1960: “There's Something on Your Mind” (Bobby Marchan) / “There's Nothing on My Mind” (Teen Queens)
1960: “Shop Around” (Miracles) / “Don't Let Him Shop Around” (Debbie Dean)
1961: “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (Shirelles) / “Yes I Will Love You Tomorrow” (Jon E. Holiday) and “Not Just Tomorrow, But Always” (Bertell Dache)
1961: “Daddy's Home” (Shep and the Limelites) / “Sorry, Daddy” (Sweethearts)
1961: “Mother-in-Law” (Ernie K. Doe) / “Son-in-Law” (Blossoms)
1961: “Tower of Strength” (Gene McDaniels) / “You Don't Have to Be a Tower of Strength” (Gloria Lynne)
1961: “Wooden Heart” (Joe Dowell) / “Your Heart's Not Made of Wood” (Terri Dean)
1961: “Take Good Care of My Baby” (Bobby Vee) / “You Should Know I'm Still Your Baby” (Sammi Lynn)
1961: “Hit the Road Jack” (Ray Charles) / “Well, I Told You” [to hit the road Jack] (Chantels)
1961: “Runaround Sue” (Dion) / “I'm No Run Around” (Ginger Davis and the Snaps)
1961: “Stand By Me” (Ben E. King) / “I'll Be There” (Damita Jo)
1961: “I Like It Like That” (Chris Kenner) / “I Don't Like It Like That” (Bobbettes)
1961: “Walk on By” (Leroy Van d**e) / “I'll Just Walk on By” (Margie Singleton)
1961: “Hello Walls” (Faron Young) / “Hello Fool” (Ralph Emery)
1961: “Big Bad John” (Jimmy Dean) / “Small Sad Sam” (Phil McLean)
1962: “Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello” (Elvis Presley) / “Just Tell Him Jane Said Hello” (Gerri Granger)
1962: “Roses Are Red (My Love)” (Bobby Vinton) / “Long as the Rose Is Red” (Florraine Darlin)
1962: “Bring It on Home to Me” (Sam Cooke) / “I'll Bring It on Home to You” (Carla Thomas)
1962: “Sherry” (4 Seasons) / “Jerry (I'm Your Sherry)” (Tracey Dey)
1962: “Duke of Earl” (Gene Chandler) / “Duchess of Earl” (Pearlettes)
1962: “Wolverton Mountain” (Claude King) / “I'm the Girl from Wolverton Mountain” (Jo Ann Campbell)
1962: “You Beat Me to the Punch” (Mary Wells) / “You Threw a Lucky Punch” (Gene Chandler)
1963: “Easier Said Than Done” (Essex) / “I'll Believe It When I See It” (Sierras)
1963: “Sugar Shack” (Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs) / “Sugar Shack Queen” (Georgia Lynn)
1965: “King of the Road” (Roger Miller) / “Queen of the House” (Jody Miller)
1965: “This Diamond Ring” (Gary Lewis and the Playboys) / “Gary, Please Don't Sell My Diamond Ring” (Wendy Hill)
1965: “Eve of Destruction” (Barry McGuire) / “Dawn of Correction” (Spokesmen)
IZ ZAT SO? The highest ranking answer song is “He'll Have to Stay,” by Jeanne Black, which peaked at No. 4 nationally. “He'll Have to Go” did slightly better, reaching No. 2.
Five others did make the Top 40: Jody Miller's “Queen of the House”; “I'll Be There” and “I'll Save the Last Dance for You,” both by Damita Jo; “Dawn of Correction,” by the Spokesmen; and Jo Ann Campbell's “I'm the Girl from Wolverton Mountain.”
The Spokesmen; Jon E. Holiday; Gene Chandler; and Bertell Dasch (a.k.a., Tony Orlando) are the only males on our answer song list.
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368 E-mail: jpo@olympus.net
Visit his Web site: http://www.jerryosborne.com/.
All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
Music News & Vinyl Record Notes
Operator Please announce new album tracklisting
Operator Please have announced the release date and tracklisting of new album 'Gloves'. The Australian band release the record on April 26, preceded by new single 'Logic', which is available now on 7-inch vinyl and as a free download from Operatorplease-logic.com.
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Shane MacGowan, Bobby Gillespie, Nick Cave announce Haiti single release date Mick Jones-produced track also features Chrissie Hynde, Glen Matlock and Paloma Faith
The Pogues' singer Shane MacGowan is to release his star-studded version of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' hit 'I Put A Spell On You' on March 1 to raise money for earthquake-stricken Haiti, it has been announced.
MacGowan instigated the recording of the cover version of Hawkins' 1956 song shortly after the devastating earthquake struck on January 12, calling on a number of his musical friends including Nick Cave, Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and The Clash's Mick Jones to help out.
The track (which Jones co-produced) will be available to download from IRL Records from March 1. All proceeds will go to the Concern charity, which strives to help the world's poorest countries.
'I Put A Spell On You' also features appearances from The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde, Glen Matlock, Paloma Faith, Eliza Doolittle and Cait O'Riordon.
MacGowan said the track is an appropriate choice for the release because he feels it is a modern day "hymn for hope and love".
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Darkthrone to release new album
The unrelenting Norwegian duo, Darkthrone, will welcome a new decade with a new album, to be released on Peaceville Records. 'Circle The Wagons,' a creative feast of metal and punk, will initially be released on vinyl on March 8th, through the Peaceville Records webstore, as an exclusive taster for the legions of metal supporters out there who still care about great music delivered the classic way. The vinyl will also include a link to download a digital version of the album, which will be available when the regular and special edition CD versions of the album are released on April 6th.
The vinyl edition can be pre-ordered now at www.peaceville.com/darkthrone. The packaging and contents of the special edition CD will be announced shortly, and will be available to pre-order from the Circle The Wagons mini-site, which will launch on February 12th.
Circle the Wagons was self-recorded at Necrohell II Studios.
Artwork for the album comes once again courtesy of Dennis Dread, notable for his talents on previous Darkthrone albums, F.O.A.D and 2008’s Dark Thrones and Black Flags
.
From their thrash and death beginnings to their ascension to the pantheon of black metal greats, Darkthrone has always refused to stand still. They continue to embrace and explore their roots and capture the real spirit of sonic greatness on Circle the Wagons.
Darkthrone sails against the tides of trend and disposable metal, uncompromising and defiant as ever, an ideology expanded upon by Darkthrone drummer/lyricist, Fenriz, when explaining the meaning behind the title...
"The new metal decade starts with our album. It is a message to the invaders of our metal domain to circle their wagons! With our own brand of heavy metal/speed metal-punk we are a constant ambush on the modern overground metal traitors. Join us in our fight against instant gratification, and let's see who stands when the smoke clears."
For more information on Darkthrone, and Circle the Wagons…
www.myspace.com/officialdarkthrone
www.peaceville.com/darkthrone
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As I Lay Dying Announce the Title of their Upcoming Album
San Diego CA Grammy nominated metal outfit As I Lay Dying are pleased to announce the title of their upcoming, 5th full-length album (4th for Metal Blade) as 'The Powerless Rise.' The band is currently finishing up recording of The Powerless Rise in San Diego with producer Adam D. (Killswitch Engage). Fans can expect The Powerless Rise. to be released this spring with plans for a headline tour also slated around the same time. More information on the tour and the street date for The Powerless Rise will be made available in the coming months.
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Late Of The Pier Announce New Single Details
It's out next month...
Late Of The Pier have unveiled details about their new single. 'Best In The Class', which is taken from the band's forthcoming album, is released on March 1.
The double A-side single will be available on limited edition vinyl and digital download. Late Of The Pier's debut album, 'Fantasy Black Channel', was released in 2008.
Their new record is due out later this year along with some "something very special and very secret".
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New Millions EP To See Release on Limited Edition Vinyl this March
Brutal Panda Records is proud to announce the release of MILLIONS` new EP, Panic Program. The EP will be available in 7" vinyl format and will feature 4 brand new tracks. The tracks were recorded this past November at Bricktop Recording in Chicago, IL with the band and Andy Nelson (Harpoon, Weekend Nachos) handling production duties, with mastering being taken care of by Carl Saff (Young Widows, The Atlas Moth). The press will be limited to 500 copies with 300 on green and 200 on black.
The band will hit the road in support of the EP beginning late-spring and continuing into the summer. Panic Program will see an early March vinyl-only release with pre-orders being taken via the official Brutal Panda site here. http://brutalpandarecords.com/
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JAVELINA ‘Beasts Among Sheep’ To See Limited Edition Vinyl Release!
BRUTAL PANDA RECORDS is proud to announce the forthcoming release of Philadelphia sludge warriors, JAVELINA’s second full-length LP, ‘Beasts Among Sheep’ on vinyl this October! ‘Beasts Among Sheep’ features eight brand new tracks and was recorded and mixed by Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Pelican, The Gates of Slumber) at Volume Studios. The press will be limited to 500 copies with 300 on black ash vinyl and 200 on scorched red.
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RAMMING SPEED ‘Brainwreck’ Vinyl LP Now Available!
Brutal Panda Records is proud to announce the release of their second LP, ‘Brainwreck’, by Boston’s new thrash heroes, Ramming Speed. ‘Brainwreck’ was recorded at New Alliance Studios (Isis, Converge, Bones Brigade) and released earlier this year via TDB Records. Available on wax for the first time this January, the record has been mastered for maximum speed and optimal sound using a vinyl-specific album master at Prairie Cat Mastering. It is strictly limited to 500 hand-numbered copies, each with a full color Ramming Speed poster insert and hypersonic neon green jackets. Order a copy now at www.brutalpandarecords.com and catch the band on tour this winter.
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FIGHT AMP ‘Manners and Praise’ To See Limited Edition Vinyl Release!
Brutal Panda Records is teaming up with Red Sun Industries to release NJ noise-rockers FIGHT AMP’s newest full-length, ‘Manners & Praise’, on limited pearl-necklace white vinyl this winter.
‘Manners & Praise’ features 13 brand new tracks and was recorded this past summer at The Jam Room with Philip Cope (Kylesa, Baroness). Vinyl mastering will take place at Prairie Cat Mastering for optimal sound quality, and each record comes packaged with an 11?x16? poster insert. The press will be strictly limited to 500 copies
=====================================
DANTESCO's Cover Of CANDLEMASS' 'Darkness In Paradise'
Puerto Rico's epic doom metallers DANTESCO have posted their cover version of the CANDLEMASS classic "Darkness In Paradise" on their MySpace page. The track will appear on the band's new covers CD, "The Ten Commandments Of Metal", which will be released later in the year via Cruz Del Sur Music. The album will feature additional songs from BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, MERCYFUL FATE, SANCTUARY, WARLORD, SAVATAGE, METAL CHURCH, SORCERER and MANOWAR.
DANTESCO's new studio album, "We Dont Fear You God", will be released later this year through Cruz Del Sur Music. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Betrayer", "The Blood Of The Saints", "The Conqueror Worm" and "We Dont Fear You God".
=====================================
Depeche Mode designed watches to be auctioned
A dozen unique watches featuring designs based on Depeche Mode album covers are being auctioned by the band to raise money for charity. The timepieces, created by Swiss watchmaker Hublot, are being sold in conjunction with Geneva auction house Patrizzi & Co and LiveAuctioneers.com to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Each watch is based on one of Depeche Mode's twelve studio albums and also come with a variety of extras such as a deluxe vinyl version of the album, a print of the original album artwork, framed gold CD and a photograph signed by all members of the line up at the time the album was made.
The internet-only auction is currently underway and will run to February 24th.
Depeche Mode are also taking part in the Teenage Cancer Trust series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. They will take to the stage on February 17th and are supported by fellow Essex boys The Horrors.
The band follows that up with a gig at the London's O2 Arena on February 20th.
Operator Please have announced the release date and tracklisting of new album 'Gloves'. The Australian band release the record on April 26, preceded by new single 'Logic', which is available now on 7-inch vinyl and as a free download from Operatorplease-logic.com.
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Shane MacGowan, Bobby Gillespie, Nick Cave announce Haiti single release date Mick Jones-produced track also features Chrissie Hynde, Glen Matlock and Paloma Faith
The Pogues' singer Shane MacGowan is to release his star-studded version of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' hit 'I Put A Spell On You' on March 1 to raise money for earthquake-stricken Haiti, it has been announced.
MacGowan instigated the recording of the cover version of Hawkins' 1956 song shortly after the devastating earthquake struck on January 12, calling on a number of his musical friends including Nick Cave, Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and The Clash's Mick Jones to help out.
The track (which Jones co-produced) will be available to download from IRL Records from March 1. All proceeds will go to the Concern charity, which strives to help the world's poorest countries.
'I Put A Spell On You' also features appearances from The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde, Glen Matlock, Paloma Faith, Eliza Doolittle and Cait O'Riordon.
MacGowan said the track is an appropriate choice for the release because he feels it is a modern day "hymn for hope and love".
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Darkthrone to release new album
The unrelenting Norwegian duo, Darkthrone, will welcome a new decade with a new album, to be released on Peaceville Records. 'Circle The Wagons,' a creative feast of metal and punk, will initially be released on vinyl on March 8th, through the Peaceville Records webstore, as an exclusive taster for the legions of metal supporters out there who still care about great music delivered the classic way. The vinyl will also include a link to download a digital version of the album, which will be available when the regular and special edition CD versions of the album are released on April 6th.
The vinyl edition can be pre-ordered now at www.peaceville.com/darkthrone. The packaging and contents of the special edition CD will be announced shortly, and will be available to pre-order from the Circle The Wagons mini-site, which will launch on February 12th.
Circle the Wagons was self-recorded at Necrohell II Studios.
Artwork for the album comes once again courtesy of Dennis Dread, notable for his talents on previous Darkthrone albums, F.O.A.D and 2008’s Dark Thrones and Black Flags
.
From their thrash and death beginnings to their ascension to the pantheon of black metal greats, Darkthrone has always refused to stand still. They continue to embrace and explore their roots and capture the real spirit of sonic greatness on Circle the Wagons.
Darkthrone sails against the tides of trend and disposable metal, uncompromising and defiant as ever, an ideology expanded upon by Darkthrone drummer/lyricist, Fenriz, when explaining the meaning behind the title...
"The new metal decade starts with our album. It is a message to the invaders of our metal domain to circle their wagons! With our own brand of heavy metal/speed metal-punk we are a constant ambush on the modern overground metal traitors. Join us in our fight against instant gratification, and let's see who stands when the smoke clears."
For more information on Darkthrone, and Circle the Wagons…
www.myspace.com/officialdarkthrone
www.peaceville.com/darkthrone
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As I Lay Dying Announce the Title of their Upcoming Album
San Diego CA Grammy nominated metal outfit As I Lay Dying are pleased to announce the title of their upcoming, 5th full-length album (4th for Metal Blade) as 'The Powerless Rise.' The band is currently finishing up recording of The Powerless Rise in San Diego with producer Adam D. (Killswitch Engage). Fans can expect The Powerless Rise. to be released this spring with plans for a headline tour also slated around the same time. More information on the tour and the street date for The Powerless Rise will be made available in the coming months.
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Late Of The Pier Announce New Single Details
It's out next month...
Late Of The Pier have unveiled details about their new single. 'Best In The Class', which is taken from the band's forthcoming album, is released on March 1.
The double A-side single will be available on limited edition vinyl and digital download. Late Of The Pier's debut album, 'Fantasy Black Channel', was released in 2008.
Their new record is due out later this year along with some "something very special and very secret".
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New Millions EP To See Release on Limited Edition Vinyl this March
Brutal Panda Records is proud to announce the release of MILLIONS` new EP, Panic Program. The EP will be available in 7" vinyl format and will feature 4 brand new tracks. The tracks were recorded this past November at Bricktop Recording in Chicago, IL with the band and Andy Nelson (Harpoon, Weekend Nachos) handling production duties, with mastering being taken care of by Carl Saff (Young Widows, The Atlas Moth). The press will be limited to 500 copies with 300 on green and 200 on black.
The band will hit the road in support of the EP beginning late-spring and continuing into the summer. Panic Program will see an early March vinyl-only release with pre-orders being taken via the official Brutal Panda site here. http://brutalpandarecords.com/
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JAVELINA ‘Beasts Among Sheep’ To See Limited Edition Vinyl Release!
BRUTAL PANDA RECORDS is proud to announce the forthcoming release of Philadelphia sludge warriors, JAVELINA’s second full-length LP, ‘Beasts Among Sheep’ on vinyl this October! ‘Beasts Among Sheep’ features eight brand new tracks and was recorded and mixed by Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Pelican, The Gates of Slumber) at Volume Studios. The press will be limited to 500 copies with 300 on black ash vinyl and 200 on scorched red.
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RAMMING SPEED ‘Brainwreck’ Vinyl LP Now Available!
Brutal Panda Records is proud to announce the release of their second LP, ‘Brainwreck’, by Boston’s new thrash heroes, Ramming Speed. ‘Brainwreck’ was recorded at New Alliance Studios (Isis, Converge, Bones Brigade) and released earlier this year via TDB Records. Available on wax for the first time this January, the record has been mastered for maximum speed and optimal sound using a vinyl-specific album master at Prairie Cat Mastering. It is strictly limited to 500 hand-numbered copies, each with a full color Ramming Speed poster insert and hypersonic neon green jackets. Order a copy now at www.brutalpandarecords.com and catch the band on tour this winter.
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FIGHT AMP ‘Manners and Praise’ To See Limited Edition Vinyl Release!
Brutal Panda Records is teaming up with Red Sun Industries to release NJ noise-rockers FIGHT AMP’s newest full-length, ‘Manners & Praise’, on limited pearl-necklace white vinyl this winter.
‘Manners & Praise’ features 13 brand new tracks and was recorded this past summer at The Jam Room with Philip Cope (Kylesa, Baroness). Vinyl mastering will take place at Prairie Cat Mastering for optimal sound quality, and each record comes packaged with an 11?x16? poster insert. The press will be strictly limited to 500 copies
=====================================
DANTESCO's Cover Of CANDLEMASS' 'Darkness In Paradise'
Puerto Rico's epic doom metallers DANTESCO have posted their cover version of the CANDLEMASS classic "Darkness In Paradise" on their MySpace page. The track will appear on the band's new covers CD, "The Ten Commandments Of Metal", which will be released later in the year via Cruz Del Sur Music. The album will feature additional songs from BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, MERCYFUL FATE, SANCTUARY, WARLORD, SAVATAGE, METAL CHURCH, SORCERER and MANOWAR.
DANTESCO's new studio album, "We Dont Fear You God", will be released later this year through Cruz Del Sur Music. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Betrayer", "The Blood Of The Saints", "The Conqueror Worm" and "We Dont Fear You God".
=====================================
Depeche Mode designed watches to be auctioned
A dozen unique watches featuring designs based on Depeche Mode album covers are being auctioned by the band to raise money for charity. The timepieces, created by Swiss watchmaker Hublot, are being sold in conjunction with Geneva auction house Patrizzi & Co and LiveAuctioneers.com to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Each watch is based on one of Depeche Mode's twelve studio albums and also come with a variety of extras such as a deluxe vinyl version of the album, a print of the original album artwork, framed gold CD and a photograph signed by all members of the line up at the time the album was made.
The internet-only auction is currently underway and will run to February 24th.
Depeche Mode are also taking part in the Teenage Cancer Trust series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. They will take to the stage on February 17th and are supported by fellow Essex boys The Horrors.
The band follows that up with a gig at the London's O2 Arena on February 20th.
This Date In Music History-February 10
Birthdays:
Don Wilson - Ventures (1937)
Roberta Flack (1937)
Jimmy Merchant - Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers (1940)
Nigel Olsson - drummer with the Elton John band (1949)
Robbie Neville (1961)
Cliff Burton - Metallica (1962)
Rosanna Tavarez –Eden’s Crush (1977)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day i n 1914, Larry Adler, mouth organist, worked as a soloist with many of the world's major symphony orchestras. He played with countless artists from Fred Astaire to George Gershwin and later with Elton John and Sting. Recorded the 1994 tribute album 'Glory Of Gershwin'. He died on August 7, 2001 (age 87).
Born today in 1929, Jerry Goldsmith, who created the music for scores of classic movies and television shows ‘Star Trek,' ‘Planet of the Apes,' ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ and ‘Dr. Kildare.’ He died after a long battle with cancer on July 21, 2004 (aged 75).
Born on this day in 1943, Ral Donner, US singer. Donner died on April 6, 1984.
Born today in 1958, Norman Harris, guitarist, songwriter and producer. He worked with The Delfonics, The Trammps and MFSB. Harris died of a heart attack on March 21, 1987.
Born on this day in 1962, Cliff Burton, bass player with Metallica. Burton was killed on September 27, 1987, when the band’s tour bus crashed as it was traveling between Stockholm and Copenhagen. He was found crushed to death under the bus.
Dave Alexander, the original bassist for The Stooges died from pneumonia in 1975 (age 28). He was fired from the band in August 1970 after showing up at a gig too drunk to play.
Brian Connolly singer with the 1970's Glam rock group Sweet died of kidney and liver failure in 1997 (age 47). Connolly replaced Ian Gillan (later of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath) in Wainwright's Gentlemen who became Sweetshop and then shortened to Sweet.
History:
Orchestra leader Ben Selvin recorded the first known million-seller in 1919, and it was also a two sided hit, featuring "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" and "Darandella."
In 1942, Glen Miller became the first person to be awarded a Gold disc, for his "Chattanooga Choo Choo" single.
Elvis Presley recorded his 'million-seller' "Heartbreak Hotel" on the RCA label in 1956. The 'flip' side was "I Was the One" and the record received two gold records, one for each side.
Little Richard recorded "Long Tall Sally" in 1956.
Frank Sinatra started a five week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1958 with 'Come Fly With Me.'
Henry Mancini went to #1 on the US album chart in 1962 with the soundtrack to 'Breakfast At Tiffany's.'
Chad & Jeremy guest starred on CBS-TV's "Dick Van Dyke Show" in 1965.
In 1967, the Beatles recorded the orchestral build-up for the middle and end of ‘A Day in the Life’. At the Beatles' request, the orchestra members arrived in full evening dress along with novelty items. One violinist wore a red clown's nose, while another a fake gorilla's paw on his bow hand. Others were wearing funny hats and other assorted novelties. The recording was filmed for a possible ‘Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band’ television special which was ultimately abandoned. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mike Nesmith from The Monkees and Donovan also attended the session.
One hit wonder Paul Mauriat started a five week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1968 with "Love Is Blue."
Also in 1968 - The Beatles turned all of their business affairs over to the newly formed Apple record company.
Carole King's "Tapestry" was released in 1971.
In 1972, David Bowie appeared at the Tolworth Toby Jug, London, on the opening date of his Ziggy Stardust tour.
Already hugely popular in their native U.K., T-Rex makes their U.S. debut in Seattle in 1972.
Record producer Phil Spector was injured in a car crash in 1974. He needed extensive plastic surgery that dramatically altered his looks. Details of how the accident happened were kept secret.
Elvis Presley was made a police reserve for the Memphis police in 1976.
The Clash started recording their debut album at CBS studios in London, England in 1977
Van Halen's debut album was released in 1978.
Dire Straits released “Sultans Of Swing” in 1979.
Rod Stewart started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1979 with the insipid single "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" his third US #1. (and a No.1 hit in the UK). Also today Rod started a three-week run at #1 on the US album chart with 'Blondes Have More Fun.'
Expose's debut album "Exposure" was released in 1987.
Eric Clapton played the last of eighteen straight shows at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1990.
Paula Abdul started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1990 with the cut "Opposites Attract," her fourth US #1, a #2 hit in the UK.
In 1993, Michael Jackson granted his first interview in 15 years to Oprah Winfrey. In the interview, Jackson claimed that he has a disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin and that he had had very little plastic surgery.
In 2001, police were investigating Eminem over suspected drugs offences after he appeared to consume Ecstasy pills and encouraged the audience at his Manchester show to take drugs. Over 100 gay rights protesters picketed the show.
In 2004, Diana Ross was sentenced to two days in jail after pleading 'no contest' to a drink driving charge. She was allowed to enter her plea over the telephone from New York; her lawyer said the singer would serve her term at a prison near her Los Angeles home. Ross was arrested in December 2002 after tests indicated she was twice over the drink- drive limit.
Prince topped Rolling Stone magazine’s 2005 annual list of the year’s biggest money earners after his 2004 tour grossed over $90 million. Madonna came in second place after earning $54.9 million and Metallica came third with $43 million.
Kid Rock, members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and ex-Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickie Betts performed at the Jam Sessions Concerts in West Hollywood in 2005. Proceeds benefited the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.
In 2006, the Rolling Stones topped Forbes magazine's list of Music's Top Money Makers for 2005 by generating $168 million in music and concert-ticket sales in the United States. U2 finishes a close second, grossing $150 million. Must have been a slow year for them. The Top 10 include Green Day (#4 - $99 million), the Eagles (#5 - $84 million), Paul McCartney (#6 - $83 million) and Elton John (#10 - $66 million).
In 2008, the Eagles' song "How Long," was named Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal at the Grammys. Don Henley calls the honor "particularly sweet." "I always secretly hoped that we could pull off something like this," says the Eagles singer.
Don Wilson - Ventures (1937)
Roberta Flack (1937)
Jimmy Merchant - Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers (1940)
Nigel Olsson - drummer with the Elton John band (1949)
Robbie Neville (1961)
Cliff Burton - Metallica (1962)
Rosanna Tavarez –Eden’s Crush (1977)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day i n 1914, Larry Adler, mouth organist, worked as a soloist with many of the world's major symphony orchestras. He played with countless artists from Fred Astaire to George Gershwin and later with Elton John and Sting. Recorded the 1994 tribute album 'Glory Of Gershwin'. He died on August 7, 2001 (age 87).
Born today in 1929, Jerry Goldsmith, who created the music for scores of classic movies and television shows ‘Star Trek,' ‘Planet of the Apes,' ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ and ‘Dr. Kildare.’ He died after a long battle with cancer on July 21, 2004 (aged 75).
Born on this day in 1943, Ral Donner, US singer. Donner died on April 6, 1984.
Born today in 1958, Norman Harris, guitarist, songwriter and producer. He worked with The Delfonics, The Trammps and MFSB. Harris died of a heart attack on March 21, 1987.
Born on this day in 1962, Cliff Burton, bass player with Metallica. Burton was killed on September 27, 1987, when the band’s tour bus crashed as it was traveling between Stockholm and Copenhagen. He was found crushed to death under the bus.
Dave Alexander, the original bassist for The Stooges died from pneumonia in 1975 (age 28). He was fired from the band in August 1970 after showing up at a gig too drunk to play.
Brian Connolly singer with the 1970's Glam rock group Sweet died of kidney and liver failure in 1997 (age 47). Connolly replaced Ian Gillan (later of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath) in Wainwright's Gentlemen who became Sweetshop and then shortened to Sweet.
History:
Orchestra leader Ben Selvin recorded the first known million-seller in 1919, and it was also a two sided hit, featuring "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" and "Darandella."
In 1942, Glen Miller became the first person to be awarded a Gold disc, for his "Chattanooga Choo Choo" single.
Elvis Presley recorded his 'million-seller' "Heartbreak Hotel" on the RCA label in 1956. The 'flip' side was "I Was the One" and the record received two gold records, one for each side.
Little Richard recorded "Long Tall Sally" in 1956.
Frank Sinatra started a five week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1958 with 'Come Fly With Me.'
Henry Mancini went to #1 on the US album chart in 1962 with the soundtrack to 'Breakfast At Tiffany's.'
Chad & Jeremy guest starred on CBS-TV's "Dick Van Dyke Show" in 1965.
In 1967, the Beatles recorded the orchestral build-up for the middle and end of ‘A Day in the Life’. At the Beatles' request, the orchestra members arrived in full evening dress along with novelty items. One violinist wore a red clown's nose, while another a fake gorilla's paw on his bow hand. Others were wearing funny hats and other assorted novelties. The recording was filmed for a possible ‘Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band’ television special which was ultimately abandoned. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mike Nesmith from The Monkees and Donovan also attended the session.
One hit wonder Paul Mauriat started a five week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1968 with "Love Is Blue."
Also in 1968 - The Beatles turned all of their business affairs over to the newly formed Apple record company.
Carole King's "Tapestry" was released in 1971.
In 1972, David Bowie appeared at the Tolworth Toby Jug, London, on the opening date of his Ziggy Stardust tour.
Already hugely popular in their native U.K., T-Rex makes their U.S. debut in Seattle in 1972.
Record producer Phil Spector was injured in a car crash in 1974. He needed extensive plastic surgery that dramatically altered his looks. Details of how the accident happened were kept secret.
Elvis Presley was made a police reserve for the Memphis police in 1976.
The Clash started recording their debut album at CBS studios in London, England in 1977
Van Halen's debut album was released in 1978.
Dire Straits released “Sultans Of Swing” in 1979.
Rod Stewart started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1979 with the insipid single "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" his third US #1. (and a No.1 hit in the UK). Also today Rod started a three-week run at #1 on the US album chart with 'Blondes Have More Fun.'
Expose's debut album "Exposure" was released in 1987.
Eric Clapton played the last of eighteen straight shows at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1990.
Paula Abdul started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1990 with the cut "Opposites Attract," her fourth US #1, a #2 hit in the UK.
In 1993, Michael Jackson granted his first interview in 15 years to Oprah Winfrey. In the interview, Jackson claimed that he has a disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin and that he had had very little plastic surgery.
In 2001, police were investigating Eminem over suspected drugs offences after he appeared to consume Ecstasy pills and encouraged the audience at his Manchester show to take drugs. Over 100 gay rights protesters picketed the show.
In 2004, Diana Ross was sentenced to two days in jail after pleading 'no contest' to a drink driving charge. She was allowed to enter her plea over the telephone from New York; her lawyer said the singer would serve her term at a prison near her Los Angeles home. Ross was arrested in December 2002 after tests indicated she was twice over the drink- drive limit.
Prince topped Rolling Stone magazine’s 2005 annual list of the year’s biggest money earners after his 2004 tour grossed over $90 million. Madonna came in second place after earning $54.9 million and Metallica came third with $43 million.
Kid Rock, members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and ex-Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickie Betts performed at the Jam Sessions Concerts in West Hollywood in 2005. Proceeds benefited the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.
In 2006, the Rolling Stones topped Forbes magazine's list of Music's Top Money Makers for 2005 by generating $168 million in music and concert-ticket sales in the United States. U2 finishes a close second, grossing $150 million. Must have been a slow year for them. The Top 10 include Green Day (#4 - $99 million), the Eagles (#5 - $84 million), Paul McCartney (#6 - $83 million) and Elton John (#10 - $66 million).
In 2008, the Eagles' song "How Long," was named Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal at the Grammys. Don Henley calls the honor "particularly sweet." "I always secretly hoped that we could pull off something like this," says the Eagles singer.
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