The vinyl record collecting blog - with news about new vinyl record releases, vinyl record sales, new music releases, album cover art and weekly features
Take an inside look at the new state of the art stage set for The Steve Miller Band's upcomming tour in support of their much anticipated June 15th release "Bingo!".
The Rendering, 'Protector' -- Album Art of the Week
Arizona's the Rendering just signed on to the Authentik Artists roster, and their debut release, 'The Protector' EP, is out June 6. The three-headed dog battling the snake seen on the release's cover was created by 19-year-old artist Edgil Pagaduan. "We didn't really give him any specifics at all for this art," Rendering vocalist Erik Van Acker told Noisecreep. "We just told him that the CD was called 'Protector,' and a few weeks later the art arrived and we were so stoked. He is an incredible artist and a very awesome dude."
Pagaduan is a native of Sydney, Australia, and despite his youth, he has five years of hard experience in the art world. Besides selling non-commissioned art, he has done designs for bands like Vegas in Ruins, Resist the Thought and In the Midst of Lions.
"Well, the story behind the art is the guys' new CD is called 'Protector,'" Pagaduan told Noisecreep. "So I drew Cerberus, the three-headed dog who protects hell in Greek mythology. What really inspired it was me watching Hercules at my friend Martee's house one night and the idea clicking in my head!"
------------------------------------------------------------- This from noisecreep.com:
Ozzy Osbourne Makes Museum Visitors Scream -- Video
With a new album called 'Scream' due on June 22, what better promotional campaign for the Lord of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, than to film ordinary people screaming? And if you can have a good laugh while you're at it, all the better.
That's why, during a recent press visit to New York City to promote the upcoming album, Ozzy stopped off at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and sat motionless on a display bench until visitors got too close. Of course, a camera crew was there to film all the fun.
Paper + Plastick Records Announce Summer 7" Series
Paper + Plastick Records has announced that they are partnering with some of the biggest names in modern punk rock to collaborate on a series of 7" splits. For the vinyl nerd in all of us, there will be exclusive artwork, special b-side etchings, and a choice of multi-coloured vinyl options. The first release in the series, released on Tuesday features a brand new track from Anti-Flag entitled Queens and Kings (white or rainbow vinyl). Also available is Jonxer b/w Get Up and Go (Root Beer or Violet vinyl) from St. Alvia.
Head of P+P, Vinnie Fiorello of Less Then Jake, explains his reasoning behind the releases and relationship with the vinyl record, “Out of all the formats of vinyl, I have the most love for the 7” record. This was the easiest way to get to know a band when I was getting into punk music. It was a trophy, and a badge of honor. If you were in a band and had a 7” record coming out, you felt like you made it”
Bands on deck for the rest of the summer include The Ataris and Weatherbox. A shortlist of the announced bands and release dates can be found below.
Santana Collaborates With Nas and Chris Cornell for Classic Rock Covers Album
It's being reported that music legend Carlos Santana has enlisted a number of stars to perform on his forthcoming new album of classic rock covers, including Nas, Chris Cornell, Joe Cocker and Ray Manzarek. According to Contactmusic, in what is surely one of the oddest combinations in recent times, Nas will take on AC/DC's classic track "Back in Black" with Santana in tow on guitar.
Soundgarden frontman Cornell is tasked with producing vocals for Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," while Cocker will perform on a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing."
Former Doors keyboard player Manzarek meanwhile will collaborate on a remake of his old band's song, 'Riders on the Storm'.
Santana revealed to Rolling Stone magazine that he tried to ensure the new album was especially pleasing for females.
He said: "I paid special attention to the groove so the females would get completely aroused."
The guitarist has been keeping a relatively low profile in recent years, although in 2009 he called upon President Obama to legalize marijuana, claiming that all the money made could be reinvested in teachers and education.
The Complete DIO Vinyl Collection Due Out Later This Year
Due out before the end of the year is 'For The Record: The Complete DIO Vinyl Collection,' featuring 16 Dio LP's all on 180 gram vinyl, each LP on different color vinyl with a deluxe book and 16 different tour laminates all in a deluxe album carrying case.
Ronnie James Dio's wife/manager Wendy Dio comments: "We hope to have this very special item out for Christmas! Ronnie came up with the title!"
In other news, the first release from the Niji Entertainment Group will be Super Rock Japan: Live 1985 on August 31st from Dio on both DVD and CD.
DEAR JERRY:Most would say that the music of a song is more important than its lyrics.
Can you think of any hit songs that became popular more because of words rather than music? — Barry Wise, Milwaukee
DEAR BARRY: In a general sense, I would rate both components equally, which would likely exclude me, and most lyricists, from membership in your club. There are thousands of hits in each category — made by lyrics and made by music — and just as many popular thanks to a combination of the two.
Immediately coming to mind are songs that tell a story, a tiny sampling of which are: “Candle in the Wind” (Elton John); “The Battle of New Orleans” and “North to Alaska” (Johnny Horton); “My Way” and “It Was a Very Good Year” (Frank Sinatra); “Me and Bobby McGee” (Janis Joplin and Jerry Lee Lewis); “Creeque Alley” (Mamas and the Papas); “In the Ghetto” (Elvis Presley); “Garden Party” (Rick Nelson); “Like a Rolling Stone” (Bob Dylan); “Harper Valley P.T.A.” (Jeannie C. Riley); the poems of Rod McKuen put to music; and most anything by Marty Robbins or Tom T. Hall.
Novelty and teen tragedy hits, such as these, almost always owe their success to the lyrics: “M.T.A.” and “Tijuana Jail” (Kingston Trio); “The Purple People Eater” (Sheb Wooley); “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron” (Royal Guardsmen); “The Name Game” (Shirley Ellis); “Tell Laura I Love Her” (Ray Peterson); “Last Kiss” (J. Frank Wilson); “Teen Angel” (Mark Dinning); “Ebony Eyes” (Everly Brothers); etc.
Most holiday, inspirational, message, and protest hits rely entirely on words to make the point: “Sleigh Ride” (Ronettes); “Pretty Paper” (Roy Orbison); “Amen” (Impressions); “Turn, Turn, Turn” (Byrds); “If I Can Dream” (Elvis Presley); “Everything Is Beautiful” and “Mr. Businessman” (Ray Stevens); “Eve of Destruction” (Barry McGuire); “For What It's Worth” (Buffalo Springfield); etc.
Then there are countless garden variety tunes whose sales soared because of some marvelous lyrics, for example: “Too Many Rivers” (Brenda Lee); “The Long and Winding Road” (Beatles); “King of the Road” (Roger Miller); “The Tracks of My Tears” and “Shop Around” (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles); “Everybody Needs a Rainbow” (Ray Stevens); “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (Sammi Smith); “Life” (Marty Robbins); “My Eyes Adored You” and “Can't Take My Eyes Off You” (Frankie Valli); “Rock N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)” and “I'll Paint You a Song” (Mac Davis); “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” and “Rose Garden” (Joe South); “The Glow Worm” (Mills Brothers); “For the Good Times” (Ray Price); “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (Tony Williams and the Platters); “Crazy” and “I Fall to Pieces” (Patsy Cline); “A Change Is Gonna Come” (Sam Cooke); “What a Difference a Day Makes” and “Manhattan” (Dinah Washington); “Operator” and “Time in a Bottle” (Jim Croce); “Photographs” and “There's a Place in My Heart” (Nana Mouskouri); etc. There are thousands more.
DEAR JERRY:Based on my fondness for the 1982 hit, “Everybody Wants You,” I decided to search eBay for more records by Billy Squier.
I was surprised to find about a hundred listings that identify him as Billy Squire. Are those dealers just not reading their records right, or is he really credited both ways?
What are his biggest hits? —Jessie Garcia, Flagstaff, Ariz.
DEAR JESSIE: Billy's last name is definitely Squier. Transposing the last two letters is a typo caused by sellers not looking closely at the record they hold in their hands.
The two homophonic names sound the same, but most folks are far more familiar with the “squire” spelling.
Besides “Everybody Wants You,” his other Top 40 hits are: “The Stroke” (1981); “In the Dark” (1981); and “Rock Me Tonite” (1984).
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368 E-mail: jpo@olympus.net
Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition. Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
Have news of new vinyl record releases or new music releases? Email me at rbenson30@wi.rr.com and I will add it to the list!
7th Wonder - Words Dont Say Enough / Thunder
ABBA - Voulez-Vous: Deluxe Edition
AC/DC - Iron Man 2 (soundtrack) (vinyl)
A Forest of Stars – Opportunistic Thieves of Spring
Art Garfunkel - Playlist: the Very Best
Atlanta Rhythm Section - Anthology: Greatest & Latest
Beres Hammond - Just a Man
Big Tree - Home (Here) EP
Born Ruffians - Say It (vinyl)
Charlie Daniels Band - Playlist: the Very Best
Charlie Wilson - Girl Belongs to Me
Cherryholmes - Cherryholmes IV Common Threads
Clay Aiken - Tried & True
Coltrane Motion - Hello Ambition!
Common Prayer - There Is a Mountain
Corrosion of Conformity - Playlist: the Very Best
Dire Straits - Alchemy (20th Anniversary Edition) (2-Blu-Ray) (Vinyl)
Dire Straits - Love Over Gold (vinyl reissue)
Disco Ensemble – The Island of Disco Ensemble
Dixie Chicks - Playlist: The Very Best of the Dixie Chicks
Doc & Merle Watson - Best of the 70s: Columbus Stockade Blues
Doobie Brothers - Takin It to the Streets (Mobile Fidelity)
Drive-By Truckers - The Big To-Do (vinyl)
Elk City - House of Tongues
Elvis Presley - Elvis Sings the British Songbook (2 CDs)
Elvis Presley - Viva Las Vegas
Fela Kuti - Open & Close/Afrodisiac (reissue)
Funki Porcini - On
Fursaxa - Mycorrhizae Realm
Futureheads - The Chaos (vinyl)
Gemma Ray - It's a Shame About Gemma Ray (vinyl)
Get Up Kids - Simple Science
God Help the Girl - Baby You're Blind (vinyl)
Good Old War - Good Old War
Hawthorne Heights - Skeletons
Hooray for Earth - Momo
Iggy Pop - California Hitchhike
Infesticons – Bedford Park (features Saul Williams, Creature, more; Ninja Tune)
J.J. Cale - Troubador / Okie
Jack Johnson - To the Sea (vinyl)
Jeff Beck - Performing This Week: Live at Ronnie Scott's Jazz (Vinyl)
Jim Kerr - Lostboy!
John Mayall - Tough (2 LPs) (Vinyl)
King - Steps in Time
Kinks - Preservation Act 2
Klaatu - 3 47 Est
Krayzie Bone - Lyrical Paraphernalia
Lamb of God - Hourglass: The CD Anthology
Land of Kush's Egyptian Light Orchestra - Monogamy (vinyl)
Lindsey Buckingham & Little Big Town - By Invitation Only- Live In Nashville (Vinyl)
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Playlist: the Very Best
Mac Davis - Song Painter / I Believe in Music
Mark Knopfler - Sailing To Philadelphia/Ragpickers Dream (reissue)
Mas Rapido - Dumb Is King!
Melvins - The Bride Screamed Murder
Mike Oldfield - Hergest Ridge
Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn
Moe. - Smash Hits 1
Molly Hatchet - Justice
Neil Diamond - Live At The Greek Theatre 1976 (Vinyl)
Orianthi - Believe Again
Ozric Tentacles - Erpland (with DVD)
Paul Weller - Wake Up The Nation
Peggy Sue - Fossils & Other Phantoms
Quitzow - Juice Water
Richie Havens - Mixed Bag & Something Else Again
Rod Stewart & the Faces - Changing Faces
Roland White – I Wasn’t Born to Rock ‘N Roll
Rush - Clockwork Angels
School - Loveless Unbeliever (vinyl)
Sea of Bees – Songs for the Ravens
Sergio Mendes - Bom Tempo Brasil - Remixed (Preview)
Setting Sun - Fantasurreal
Shlohmo – Shlomoshun Deluxe (vinyl only)
Sleepy Sun - Fever (vinyl)
Sleigh Bells - Treats
Steve Howe Trio - Travelling [Live]
Stone Temple Pilots - Stone Temple Pilots (vinyl)
Taio Cruz - Rokstarr
Tanya Tucker - Delta Dawn
Television Personalities - A Memory Is Better Than Nothing
Tift Merritt - See You on the Moon
Townes Van Zandt - Legend: The Very Best of
Trap Them - Filth Rations (vinyl)
Trees on Fire – Organica
Trentemoller - Into the Great Wide Yonder (vinyl)
Unbunny: Moon Food
Various Artists - 1960s Rock & Roll From the Nashville Indies
Various Artists - Beehives & Bumper Bullets
Various Artists - Get Down With the Philly Sound
Various Artists - Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album
Various Artists - Motown for Kids
Various Artists - Music From Motor City
Various Artists - Space Hymns: An Introduction To Prog Rock
Various Artists - Volunteer Jam III & IV
Various artists – Warped Tour Compilation 2010
Wanda Jackson - Love Me Forever/Blues In My Heart
Watermelon Slim - Ringers
Wintersleep - New Inheritors
Woodsman - Mystery Tape
Yardbirds - Roger the Engineer
ZZ Top - Live From Texas (2 LPs)
James William McCarty - Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels (1945)
Ron Wood - Jeff Beck Group, The Faces. Joined The Rolling Stones in 1975 (1947)
Graham Russell - Air Supply (1950)
John Ellis - Vibrators (1952)
Ronnie Dunn - Brooks and Dunn (1953)
Alan Wilder - Depeche Mode (1959)
Simon Gallup - The Cure (1960)
Mike Joyce - The Smiths (1963)
Alanis Morissette, singer, songwriter- Her LP 'Jagged Little Pill' has sold more then 30 million copies, making it the best ever selling record by a female performer. (1974)
They Are Missed:
The late Nelson Riddle ("Lisbon Antigua") was born in 1921.
The late Johnny Bond ("Hot Rod Lincoln") was born in 1915.
Soul singer David Ruffin died of a drug overdose in 1991. After taking a large amount of cocaine Ruffin passed out, a friend drove him to a hospital in Philadelphia, where he later died.
History:
Doris Day signed a 5-year recording contract with Columbia Records in 1956 for the cool sum of $1 million.
Elvis Presley's two-sided hit single, "Teddy Bear" and "Loving You" was released in 1957.
Sam Cooke recorded his signature cut "You Send Me" in 1957.
In 1958, Private Elvis Presley completed basic Army training at Ft. Hood, Texas, earning a two-week furlough.
"The Battle Of New Orleans" by Johnny Horton went to #1 on both the Country and Pop charts in the US in 1959, where it stayed for two months. The song was originally a poem written by high school teacher James Morriss in 1936, which he put to the music of an old fiddle tune known as "The Eighth Of January." Horton later won a Grammy Award for the song.
Lesley Gore started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1963 with the Quincy Jones (then a staff producer for Mercury Records) produced "It's My Party."
In 1964, the Rolling Stones arrived on BA flight 505 at Kennedy Airport for their debut US tour. The first date was on 5th of June in San Bernardino, California.
During a 12 hour session at Abbey Road studios in 1966, the Beatles added overdubs on "Yellow Submarine," with John Lennon blowing bubbles in a bucket of water and shouting "Full speed ahead Mister Captain!" Roadie Mal Evans played on a bass drum strapped to his chest, marching around the studio with The Beatles following behind (conga-line style) singing "We all live in a yellow submarine."
The Beatles released their "Sgt. Pepper" album in England in 1967 (it's released in the U.S. the next day).
Simon and Garfunkel went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1968 with "Mrs Robinson." Featured in the Dustin Hoffman and Ann Bancroft film 'The Graduate,' the song was also a hit for the Lemonheads in 1992.
“All we are saying is give peace a chance.” The anti-war anthem “Give Peace A Chance” was recorded during John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s bed-in for peace in Montreal in 1969. Holed up in room 1742 of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel with John and Yoko are acid guru Timothy Leary, singer Petula Clark, comedian Dick Gregory, poet Allen Ginsberg and comedian Tommy Smothers (who plays acoustic guitar with Lennon).
The two-room shack in Tupelo, Mississippi, where Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935 was opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 1971.
Pink Floyd were working at Abbey Road studios, London on their 'Dark Side Of The Moon' album in 1972.
“Eagles,” the band’s self-titled debut containing “Take It Easy,” was issued in 1972.
In 1973, former Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt broke his spine after attempting to leave a party by climbing down a drainpipe and falling three stories. It left Wyatt permanently crippled and confined to a wheelchair.
In 1975, The Rolling Stones kicked off their biggest ever US tour at Louisiana State University. The tour would take in 45 shows in 26 cities. Guitarist Ron Wood joined The Stones on tour for the first time, replacing Mick Taylor.
Bob Marley and The Wailers played the first of four nights at the Rainbow Theatre in London in 1977 There were six nights booked at the Rainbow, but the last two shows were cancelled due to a serious toe injury Marley received, (in a friendly football game with French journalists just before the tour's start in Paris). Subsequently the tour's second leg in the United States was postponed and then cancelled.
Prince & The Revolution started a three-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1985 with 'Around The World In A Day.'
In 1991, Sting appeared on the first airing of a new Soviet TV rock show, called 'Rock Steady'.
Blink 182 released “Enema Of The State” in 1999, with singles “Adam’s Song” and “All The Small Things.”
Staind were at #1 on the US album chart in 2003 with ‘14 Shades Of Gray’, the bands second US #1.
Pink Floyd's latter-day lineup reunited onstage in 2006 when drummer Nick Mason makes a surprise appearance during the last of guitarist David Gilmour's solo concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall. Gilmour, Mason and Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright perform during the encore.
In 2007, contemporary musicians recorded their own versions of songs from the Beatles' Sgt Pepper's album to mark 40 years since it was released. Acts including Oasis, Travis, The Fray, Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, Bryan Adams and The Magic Numbers all worked with Geoff Emerick - the engineer in charge of the original 1967 sessions, using the original analogue 4-track equipment to demonstrates the techniques employed for the recording at Abbey Road studios in 1967.
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl joined Paul McCartney onstage at the Liverpool Sound Concert in 2008. Grohl played guitar on the Wings hit "Band On The Run," then moved to the drums for the Beatles classics "Back In The U.S.S.R." and "I Saw Her Standing There." Liverpool, McCartney’s hometown, is the ‘08 European Capital of Culture. The show also marks the 41st anniversary of the U.K. release of "Sgt. Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band."
In 2008, ZZ Top appeared on the two-hour NBC special America United: In Support of Our Troops. The show's finale features ZZ Top teaming up with soul legend Sam Moore.
Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr make a surprise appearance at the E3 electronics-industry expo in L.A. in 2009 to mark the unveiling of The Beatles: Rock Band. The video game goes on sale a few months later.
The Rough Guide To Jimi Hendrix, a reference book written by music journalist Richie Unterberger, was published in 2009. The 288-page volume includes in-depth analyses of the guitarist's albums and playing style.
In 2010, Lamb Of God celebrate their fifteenth anniversary with the a "best of" compilation titled, 'Hourglass.'
Stephen Duffy - Duran Duran and member of Lilac Time, Me Me Me, solo (1960)
Tom Morello - Rage Against The Machine (1964)
Wynonna Judd (1964)
Sven Pipien - Black Crowes (1967)
Tim Burgess - Charlatans (1968)
Patrick Dalheimer - Live (1971)
Cee-Lo Green (Thomas Callaway) (1974)
The Donnas’ vocalist Brett Anderson (Donna A.). 1979
They Are Missed:
Carl Radle, bass player with Derek and the Dominoes, died of kidney failure in 1980 (age 38). Also worked with Gary Lewis & the Playboys, George Harrison, Joe Cocker, Dave Mason & Delaney and Bonnie.
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986)
Record producer Mickie Most died in 2003 (age 64). Member of The Most Brothers during late 50's, and Mickie Most and the Playboys, produced hits for The Animals, Hermans Hermits, Donovan, Kim Wilde, Lulu and Jeff Beck. Ran his own record label RAK in the 1970's, having hits with Hot Chocolate, Suzi Quatro and Mud.
History:
Elvis Presley appeared at the Fair Park Auditorium, Abilene, Texas in 1955.
On his birthday in 1962, Benny Goodman led the first American jazz band to play in the Soviet Union.
The Beatles went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1964 with "Love Me Do," the group's fourth US #1 in five months. Interestingly, the version released in America had Andy White playing drums while Ringo played the tambourine. The British single was a take on which Ringo played the drums.
The Rolling Stones played the final night of a US tour at the New York Academy of Music in 1965. During the afternoon the band recorded six songs for the Clay Pole TV show.
The Doors appeared at the Hullabaloo, West Hollywood, California in 1966.
In 1968, the Beatles began recording what became known as the 'White Album.' The double-LP whose official title was simply ‘The Beatles,’ became the first Beatles album released with the Apple label. The first track they recorded was "Revolution."
In 1969, Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at The Fillmore East in New York City.
Ray Stevens went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1970 with "Everything Is Beautiful." The former DJ had a string of novelty hits, including "Jeremiah Peabody's Poly Unsaturated Quick Dissolving Fast Acting Pleasant Tasting Green & Purple Pill."
On "Midnight Special" in 1975, Joan Baez welcomed Kool & the Gang into the studio.
Led Zeppelin began recording "In Through the Out Door" in 1978.
In 1987, David Bowie kicked off his 87-date Glass Spider world tour at the Feynoord Stadium, Rotterdam, Holland.
In 1990, Midnight Oil played in front of the Exxon Building in New York to protest the corporation's global polluting.
In 1992, singer, songwriter Paul Simon married singer Edie Brickell.
The Black Crowes went to #1 on the US album chart in 1992 with 'The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion.'
Neil Young canceled his 1997 European tour because he had cut his finger while slicing a ham sandwich.
In London, a bomb threat at a Kenny Rogers concert being held at Royal Albert Hall in 1999, caused the evacuation of more than 3,000. No bomb was found and no injuries were reported.
Also in 1999 - In New Jersey, Lenny Kravitz walked off stage after 40 minutes and collapsed from heat exhaustion. He had been performing in a fur coat.
In 2005, Coldplay's new album was illegally put on the internet a week before its UK and US release. The leak took place on the day copies were sent to UK radio stations and the day before it went on sale in Japan. Security measures around the release included hosting album playbacks at Abbey Road studios for journalists instead of sending them copies of the album, any CDs that were sent out were labelled with a false name - The Fir Trees - to throw would-be pirates off the scent.
Despite efforts by the Greek Orthodox Church, Slipknot performed at the Lykavittos Theatre in Athens in 2005. The church campaigned to cancel the show because they disapproved of the band's "shocking" appearance and felt their song lyrics and concerts promoted Satanism. The devil? Naw....
In 2007, a coroner told the murder trial of music producer Phil Spector that US actress Lana Clarkson's death was a homicide. Dr Louis Pena said bruising suggested the barrel of a gun may have been forced into Ms Clarkson's mouth before she was fatally shot in 2003. Spector was accused of murdering Clarkson on 3 February 2003 at his home in California.
A leaked copy of the new White Stripes album ‘Icky Thump’ was played completely on Chicago's radio station Q101-WKQX in 2007. Jack White personally called the US radio station from Spain, where he was touring, to voice his displeasure.
In 2007, Paul McCartney used the Home Shopping Network to promote his album. A 30-minute special on "Memory Almost Full," premiered on HSN. There’s in-studio footage as McCartney discusses the recording of the album. Of course, you can buy the album through the network.
Green Day went to #1 on the US album chart in 2008 with ‘21st Century Breakdown,’ the bands eighth studio album.
In 2009, Mick Jagger offered to buy an ice cream van but was turned down by its owner - who'd promised his daughter he would drive her to her wedding in it. Guiseppe Della Camera, had spent ten years restoring the rusting van to perfection after he spotted it on a farm - being used as a chicken shed. The restoration was such a success Sir Mick offered to buy the vehicle when he saw it at a show on Wandsworth Common. Camera said, 'Jagger told me he'd really fallen in love with my van and asked me if I would consider selling it. I was stunned when he offered me £100,000.'
Ozzy Osbourne was suing the band's guitarist Tony Iommi over royalty payments in 2009. The 60-year-old had accused Iommi of falsely claiming to have sole rights to the band's name which has cost him royalties from merchandise sales. Osbourne was seeking unspecified damages, lost profits and a declaration he is a half-owner of the trademark. Iommi claims Osbourne legally relinquished rights to the band's name in the 1980s. Osbourne said he believed all four original members of the band should share Black Sabbath's name equally.
Six people were stabbed at a War concert in Mountain View California in 2009.
Music Engineers Cut Old Path With Vinyl Recordings
JOE BOONE | Special to The Daily News
Producing vinyl records – those albums that most people 40 and older grew up with – has rapidly become a lost art as technology has sent that format the way of the 8-track tape.
But a few local music engineers are turning back the clock by refurbishing a Neumann VMS 70 lathe – a machine that is used to cut vinyl discs – that Stax founder Jim Stewart began using in 1970.
Mastering engineer Larry Nix, owner of L. Nix Mastering Inc., and Jeff Powell and John Fry of Ardent Studios are using the lathe that was used to master vinyl recordings of many classic Stax recordings.
“We literally spent days in here replacing parts and electronics,” Nix said of refurbishing the antique equipment, which sells for about $49,000. “But now it’s in like-new condition.”
The lathe had fallen out of use because of economic pressures in the changing music industry. With the industry having long ago turned to compact discs as the preferred recording, and with people now downloading music, the market for music played on a turntable has diminished.
But vinyl has been making a comeback recently. Sales of compact discs have been slumping as MP3, Windows Media files and Apple have been claiming market share.
So while CD sales have been declining over the past decade, LP sales have been up. Many current artists are releasing their discs on vinyl and a lot of older albums are being re-pressed and re-released on vinyl – or pressed for the first time.
Soundscan, a music sales tracking service, reported a 33 percent increase in sales of vinyl LPs from 2008 to 2009, with sales soaring from 1.8 million to 2.5 million.
“I would love to see everything be more purist,” Ardent engineer Powell said.
Mastering audio for vinyl is a mechanical process, and it’s exactly the kind of process that digital media was supposed to price out of the market.
And the competitive pressure posed by digital recording and mastering were only part of the problem; distribution costs also effectively disappeared in a networked world. The lathe seemed doomed.
“I pretty much shut it down,” said Nix, who was the mastering engineer at Stax from 1970 to 1975 and has worked with prominent musicians like ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Al Green and Parliament.
Nix, who with his son, Kevin, has helped define the Memphis rap aesthetic, now maintains a separate studio within Ardent. He specializes in preparing mixed audio for its final format, be that radio, CD, television or vinyl disc.
With the lathe virtually obsolete, he made arrangements for the historic piece to go to a museum.
Powell asked him to demonstrate how it worked before it got away. When arrangements with the museum fell through, one client – Super 400 from Troy, N.Y. – lobbied hard to start using the lathe again.
“They were really, really persistent,” Nix said.
It is a daunting mechanical challenge to cut tiny grooves into hard plastic, and the margin for error is minimal given the high cost relative to digital mastering.
“If one thing goes wrong, you start over,” Powell said. “Making two or three cuts can ruin your profit margin.”
The process is also done in real time, which means the engineer must seamlessly cut not only all of the songs to disc, but the lead-in, the spaces between the songs and the loop at the end.
The groove is microscopic and must be precise, so there was a refurbishing challenge. Nix is mastering about one project per week, usually in combination with a separate digital master.
While most of the work once came from labels, Nix gets most of his business from independent producers.
The City Champs are a Memphis soul powerhouse and are gaining critical praise. Their album “Safecracker” was recorded without digital technology.
Engineer Scott Bomar, owner of Electraphonic Recording, tracked the album on a Stax-era tape machine and mastered the discs straight to vinyl.
“Watching Larry Nix master vinyl is something really special to behold,” Bomar said.
Powell sees the market for better audio and is glad to have had the opportunity to work with Nix.
Produced by: Jimmy Miller Engineered by: Eddie Kramer Mixed by: Eddie Kramer Mastered by: Bob Irwin (LP cut by "WG" at Nashville Record Productions)
Review by: Michael Fremer 2010-05-01
I once pissed next to Dave Mason in the Cambridge Boathouse bathroom back in 1970 something. That has nothing to do with this review except that it’s a review of a Traffic album and Dave Mason was in Traffic but you wouldn’t know that from the cover of their first American album.
Mason is missing from the cover of Heaven Is In Your Mind (United Artists UAL3651 mono /UAS6651 stereo/Sundazed LP 5316 mono), though he’s on the cover of the original UK Island Records Traffic debut called Mr.Fantasy (though the jacket just says "Traffic" (ILPS 9061) produced by Jimmy Miller and engineered by Eddie Kramer at Olympic and packaged in a gatefold jacket with a completely different cover and many different songs.
What’s more, while the original stereo American copy (UAS 6651) was originally called Heaven is in Your Mind, it was quickly changed to Mr. Fantasy with a credit box added on the back cover. Sundazed reissued using the original cover.
Even though Mason’s mug is missing from the cover, two Mason songs appear on the album and he’s credited on the back of the second issue jacket.
Was this any way for a group to make its American debut? Of course not. Not helping was that UA had picked up the record from Island, which at the time didn’t have an American presence. United Artists was not exactly a rock and roll dynamo at the time, or ever, though it had previously signed 17 year old singing sensation Stevie Winwood’s previous band The Spencer Davis Group.
What United Artists did correctly though was package the debut with the UK hit singles that were customarily left off of albums in the UK (that’s why, for instance, “Paint It Black” wasn’t on the UK Aftermath).
So this album includes the catchy, tuneful “Paper Sun,” and “Smiling Phases” (popularized by BS&T) while the UK original does not. This also has Dave Mason’s “Hole in My Shoe” that’s not on the UK original either. A track called “We’re a Fade, You Missed This” ends the album and it’s nothing more than “Paper Sun”’s fade out!
You’d think someone was high on drugs here and listening to Mason’s contributions (on this record and on ones on the UK original omitted here) and his “I’m in the group, I’m outta the group” behavior, he probably was!
This mono reissue doesn’t list the tracks on the back cover so let me do it (in addition to the aforementioned): “Dealer,” “Coloured Rain,” “Hole in My Shoe,” “No Face, No Name and No Number,” “Heaven is in Your Mind,” “House For Everyone,” “Berkshire Poppies,” “Giving to You,” “Dear Mr. Fantasy.”
The highlights are “No Face, No Number,” “Coloured Rain,” and “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” in my opinion though even the wacky Bonzo Dog Band/psychedelic Sgt. Pepper’s…” inspired tunes offer something interesting. Dave Mason was definitely fixated on George Harrison’s sitar drenched raga-rock! His psychedelic, flange-y “Hope I Never Find Me There” is a definite “sign of the times” extravaganza found only on the original UK pressing.
Sundazed’s choice to reissue the mono mix was an interesting one, particularly for hardcore fans who will hear some differences ala the mono and stereo mixes of Beatles albums. The mono is punchier, meatier and more coherent but you lose some of the spatial effects the stereo mix offers.
The team of Winwood, Mason, multi-faceted Chris Wood and drummer Jim Capaldi was one of the era’s most versatile and talented. While the next album, simply called Traffic, was more consistent and definitely more tuneful and less gimmicky, this one has plenty to offer, if just to hear Winwood’s soaring voice still in its teen years.
Heaven Is In Your Mind is one of Sundazed’s most attractive mono reissues, especially if you have a mono cartridge, or at least a “mono” button on your preamp. But even if you have neither, this one is highly recommended!
BTW: even though the original pink label Island lacks the hits, the sound is far superior to the original UA and this reissue too, though it's 100% faithful to the original UA release.
Tony Mansfield - Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas (1943)
Billy Vera (1944)
Gladys Knight (1944)
John Fogerty - Creedence Clearwater Revival (1945)
Ray Laidlan - Lindisfarne (1948)
Larry Gatlin - Gatlin Brothers (1948)
Roland Gift - Fine Young Cannibals (1962)
Chris Ballew - Presidents Of The United States Of America (1965)
Kylie Minogue (1968)
Mark Feehily - Westlife (1981)
Colbie Caillat (1985)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1910, T- Bone Walker - blues guitarist, influenced Albert Collins, BB King, Buddy Guy, Freddy King. Died on 16th March 1975.
Born today in 1917, Papa John Creech - violinist with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. Died in 1994 (age 76).
Born on this day in 1949, Wendy O. Williams - singer with The Plasmatics. She died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds on April 6, 1998.
Born today in 1955, John McGeoch - guitar, member of Magazine. Also worked with Siouxsie And The Banshees, Armoury Show, Public Image Ltd. Died in his sleep 5th March 2004 (age 49).
Derek Frigo guitarist from 80’s glam band Enuff Z' Nuff died of a drug overdose in 2004 (age 36).
History:
In 1955, "Billboard" reported that "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" was the most popular song in the U.S.
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) was established in 1957. The NARAS is known for organizing the Grammy Awards.
Buddy Holly's draft notice arrived in 1958, but he was refused induction because of his 20/800 eyesight and a stomach ulcer.
In 1960, "Cathy’s Clown" by the Everly Brothers began a five-week run at #1 in the US.
In 1964, the BBC received over 8,000 postal applications for tickets for The Rolling Stones appearance on Juke Box Dury.
Elvis Presley's 'Tickle Me' movie opened nationally in 1965.
Produced by Phil Spector (as his crowing achievement), Ike & Tina Turner’s epic “River Deep Mountain High” was released in 1966. The song stiffs in the U.S. (though it enters the Top 5 in England) causing Spector to briefly retire from the music business. 1966
Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass went to #1 on the US album chart in 1966 with 'What Now My Love', setting a new American record with four albums in the US Top Ten. The other three were; ‘South of the Border,' ‘Going Places’ and ‘Whipped Cream and Other Delights.'
Percy Sledge started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1966 with "When A Man Loves A Woman."
All four Beatles spent the day with Bob Dylan in his room at the Mayfair hotel in London in 1966.
The Association makde their TV debut on the "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on CBS in 1967.
Rolling Stone Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull were arrested at their London home in 1969 and charged with possession of cannabis, they were released on $85 bail.
Bassist Ronnie Lane left The Faces in 1973 and went on to form Slim Chance.
The Allman Brothers Band broke up in 1976 after Gregg Allman testified against his personal road manager in a drug case. The band reformed in 1978.
The epic song "Barracuda" was released by Heart in 1977.
In 1977, Bruce Springsteen settled out of court with his former manager Mike Appel. The settlement allowed Springsteen to began recording again.
Also in 1977, Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers played together for the first time when they performed as part of Mike Howletts band, Strontium 90 in Paris France.
In 1982, Promoter Bill Graham staged a special Vietnam Veterans benefit concert in San Francisco starring The Jefferson Starship, The Grateful Dead and Country Joe.
Actress and singer Irene Cara started a six-week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1983 with "Flashdance...What A Feeling." Taken from the film 'Flashdance.'
In 1983, the four day US Festival '83' took place in California, featuring The Clash, U2, David Bowie, The Pretenders, Van Halen, Stray Cats, Men At Work, Judas Priest, Stevie Nicks, Willie Nelson. INXS, Joe Walsh, Motley Crue and Ozzy Osbourne. Headlimers Van Halen received $1 million for their time and effort. Over 750,000 fans attended the festival.
Whitney Houston released her album "Whitney" in 1987.
George Michael started a three-week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1988 with "One More Try."
Hootie & the Blowfish started a four-week run at #1 on the US album charts in 1995 with 'Cracked Rear View.' The album went on to sell over 15m copies.
In 1998 - Elton John and Bernie Taupin won an Ivor Novello Award for their re-written version of "Candle in the Wind '97."
Britney Spears was at #1 on the US album chart in 2000 with 'Oops!... I Did It Again.'
In 2006, Beck and the members of his band are accompanied on stage by marionette puppets of themselves during their headlining performance at the Sasquatch! Festival in George (about 125 miles east of Seattle), WA.
The Police launched a North American reunion tour to celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2007. The trek began in Vancouver, B.C.
In 2008, Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee and Rapper Ludacris headline a benefit concert in L.A. for the Griffith Park Recovery Fund.
Moving coil cartridge with .34mV output; >400 ohms recommended loading; 12.2 grams; Compliance of 15; 1.8-2.0 recommended tracking force; VTA 20-22 degrees; 40 ohm internal impedance; two-year warranty against defects. Also available in SHR version (.7mV output).
Design Features
Information from Musical Surroundings: “The Gullwing is a hybrid of the LP S class, Ruby and Glider cartridges...it uses a brass frame and is Rhodium-plated for superior electrical characteristics. The generator is based on the Ruby square plate. The SLR low output is best used with phono stages offering greater than 60dB gain, loaded at 400 ohms or higher. The SHR at .7mV is ideal for tube phono stages in the 50-60dB gain range, less efficient systems, and prefers a 47k load. The open-air design is based on the Glider, but with the much heavier brass material and the very large Neodymium magnet used with the Ruby.” This means 12.2 grams weight versus 6.8 grams for the Glider. Additionally, the Gullwing uses the Micro-ridge stylus (that is on all the Benz Swiss-made cartridges). The new stylus is claimed to have “enhanced trackability, resolution and [I assume less]groove wear.” Based on the compliance of 15, recommended effective tonearm mass should be between 10 grams and 14 grams to ensure a combined resonance above 8 Hz.
Associated Equipment
Sonneteer Sedley Phono Preamplifier, Linn LP12 Turntable with Ittok LVII tonearm and Valhalla board, Clearaudio Champion Basic with RB300 tonearm, Benz Wood L2 cartridge (for comparison), Krell S-300i Integrated Amplifier, McIntosh MA6300 Integrated Amplifier, Bowers & Wilkins 804 Diamond speakers, Bowers & Wilkins CM9 speakers, Audioquest cabling, PS Audio Power Plant Premier Conditioner.
Setup
I had hoped to get a couple of cartridges to do a comparison between the Benz and other well-known brands (Lyra and Dynavector). Time, availability and my workload got in the way. Rather than sit on this review I felt it would be important to get it written, so people would know about this cartridge (as it's a new model and the one I had was a prototype).
There were two basic setups that I auditioned. One utilized a fellow audiophile's gear and included tracks using both the Benz Wood and Gullwing cartridges and burning them to a CD to audition later. Also, I spent hands-on time listening with the equipment above. After the last few reviews (of vinyl equipment), setting up the Gullwing was a snap. Even though the sample I used was a prototype and had time on it, my friend suggested it got better after he used it for hours (before he burned the recording).
Listening
With a comparison of “Big Blue Spanish Sky” from Chris Issak's Heart Shaped World the Gullwing offered better focus and more depth. This made instruments more natural and vocals more realistic. There was less record noise without any seeming reduction in high frequency and reverberation.
The difference with “Like A Rose” from Lucinda Williams' self-titled LP was even more prominent. With the lesser cartridge there was sibilance and distortion on the vocals when the level increased and although this problem was most likely record copy related, the sound with the Gullwing was an entirely different story. First, the guitar sounded more lively. The vocals improved dramatically in regards to focus and the distortion heard earlier was no longer bothersome at all. Bass went deeper and the presentation was more accurate overall. These were not small differences, but clearly audible and worthwhile improvements.
Some of the other tracks auditioned were: “Carry On My Wayward Son” by Kansas, “Eye in the Sky” by The Alan Parson's Project, “What I Am” from Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians, “How Deep is Your Love” off the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack and “Tell Everybody I Know” off Keb Mo's self-titled album. I could go on and on about the sound, but in truth, this is the best sounding cartridge I've used so far. Of course, I've heard much more expensive cartridges and setups in others homes and at shows, but for me, this answered a big question which is: “Is paying $3000 for a cartridge worth it?” Read the conclusion below for the answer.
Conclusion
Simply put, the Gullwing is an outstanding phono cartridge. It presented the music in the way I felt it should. It didn't cover up musical details or smooth over rough edges, but it definitely managed to eek out what it could from a bad recording and made a quality recording shine. Since I don't have any similarly priced cartridges to compare it with I can't say it is “best-in-class,” but what I can say is that if you are wondering whether there is any reason or benefit to going above the $1500 range for a cartridge the answer is: “absolutely.” Highly recommended.
The Dandy Warhols Announce Of "The Capitol Years 1995-2007"
The Dandy Warhols have announced the upcoming release of "The Capitol Years 1995-2007," featuring fourteen of the band's most popular tunes from their years with the historic Capitol Records label. The compilation also features one all-new, never before heard bonus track. The Dandy Warhols' "The Capitol Years 1995-2007" is set for international release June 21st, August 24th in the United States. In support of this release, live dates for the United States and Australia, in addition their previously announced summer dates in Europe, will be announced very soon.
====================================
EELS Reveal Cover Art
The EELS have unveiled the cover artwork and announced the track list for the new Tomorrow Morning album, out August 24 via E Works Records.
Eels front man Mark Oliver Everett, aka E, calls the 14 track album the final installment of a trilogy that began with Hombre Lobo(June 2009) and End Times (January 2010). Tomorrow Morning is the ninth studio effort from Eels. The tour is the first since 2007’s “An Evening with Eels” tour.
====================================
ALLEGAEON: New Album Artwork, Track Listing Unveiled
Colorado's ALLEGAEON has unveiled the cover art for its Metal Blade Records debut, "Fragments Of Form And Function". The art was created by none other than Colin Marks, who is known for his intense artwork for the likes of SCAR SYMMETRY, NEVERMORE and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, among others.
ALLEGAEON's full-length debut, "Fragments" was produced by Dave Otero (CEPHALIC CARNAGE) at Flatline Audio in January 2010.
Commented vocalist Ezra Haynes: "The concept of 'Fragments Of Form And Function' is in one way or another science related theories. Some of the topics we touch base on are cryonics, stem cell research, evolution, pharmaceutical structure and so on."
====================================
HELSTAR: 'Rising From The Grave' Box Set Due In July
Metal Blade Records will release the "Rising From The Grave" box set from legendary Texas metallers HELSTAR, featuring remastered versions of the "A Distant Thunder" and "Nosferatu" albums. The package will also include the brand new DVD "Twas The Night Of A Hellish Xmas".
The first authorized live video recording by HELSTAR, the DVD was recorded at the Backstage Club in Houston, Texas on December 25, 1989 and it features original HELSTAR members James Rivera on vocals along with Larry Barragan and Jerry Abarca. It was mastered by Ty Tabor (KING'S X) and James Rivera.
====================================
Arcade Fire release new album title and release date
Exciting and quirky indie-rockers Arcade Fire haven't been very prolific and drawn a lot of attention in the states. Despite having two best-selling albums, their lack of material has disappointed some fans, so it was fantastic news to hear that Arcade Fire's third album has a title-'The Suburbs.' Due out Aug. 2 in the UK and Aug. 3 in the U.S. and Canada, the band will release the album via Merge and the band’s own Sonovox record label and was recorded in both New York and Montreal, It will be preceded by a 12-inch single for “Month of May” and it's futurist/apocalyptic title track. The single has already been streaming in full, thanks to their pretty ingenious record player widget posted on their website, as well as play on select radio stations. Anticipation for the new album is high, sensed from the two previously heard songs, their style continues to progress in yet another, folksier, dark, and dense direction. The vinyl is out today, also digital download for the single, as well as a pre-order in vinyl, digital, or a limited, special edition package.
DEAR JERRY:A couple of years ago, I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
I was so surprised that Connie Francis and Neil Diamond were not inducted that I wrote them a letter, which they never answered.
How do you feel about this situation? Maybe you can put something in your column about it. —Fred C. Nelson, Milwaukee
DEAR FRED: You have no idea how many times this topic has been thrashed about in this feature.
We have gotten countless letters over the years, expressing pretty much the same frustration as you, though most with a great deal more rage.
You can bet your unanswered letter to them is but one among many. It's hard to imagine what answer they could possibly come up with to justify inducting dozens of lesser qualified artists while ignoring some true superstars, such as the two you ask about.
Percy Sledge (five Top 40 hits) and Patti Smith (one Top 40 hit) inducted ahead of Connie Francis (35 Top 40 hits) and Neil Diamond (37 Top 40 hits)? Are you kidding me?
Pick any criteria: number of hit singles; albums; total sales; worldwide impact;, years performing; idol factor; etc., etc, there is still no comparison. No contest.
Since this goes far beyond ignorance it must be political, but I have given up trying to make any sense of it. Many in the industry feel the R&R Hall's credibility is nil because of such lunacy. I even hear from people who root against Cleveland's sports teams because of this issue, a tactic that strangely enough seems to be working quite well.
You will be pleased to know both Connie Francis and Neil Diamond are among the charter batch of 2007 inductees in the Hit Parade Hall of Fame, where the choices are made by votes from general public, who, in this case, are infinitely more informed than the RRHOF.
Finally, here is a note I received to one of my columns in 2004 on this touchy topic, sent by an equally mystified and frustrated Floridian:
DEAR JERRY:Thanks so much for the kind words and support in your column. I trust you got the cassette I sent of some songs for a new album.
As for the R&R Hall of Fame, I'm as much in the dark as you are.
Sincerely, —Connie Francis, Parkland, Fla.
DEAR CONNIE: Grrrrrrrrrrrr! Just thinking about this again makes me growl. (I did get the tape, and love it. Thanks!)
We best move on to something else ... like a nice pre-Bread story:
DEAR JERRY:Readers in general, and especially the person who wrote about the early David Gates record, “Jo-Baby,” may enjoy knowing it also came out on a small Baltimore label, Rescue Records. Oddly though, it was released under the names “Jennie & Jay.”
I found it on a record hunt while working for a Washington D.C. radio station. —Bob O'Brien, WYUU-FM, Tampa Bay, Fla.
DEAR BOB: This hyphenless “Jo Baby” (Rescue 102) came out in 1962, five years after the original Gates issue.
Made for a tiny label in Tulsa (Perspective 500), this 1957 single credits “The Accents (Vocal By David Gates).”
One year later, the same “Jo-Baby” resurfaced on a Nashville label (Robbins 1008), this time by “Dave Gates & the Accents.”
Both the Perspective and Robbins singles have “Lovin' At Night” as the flip side. David was just 16 when he recorded these two songs.
By just looking at the Rescue label, which reads “Jo Baby (David Gates), Jennie and Jay, (Arranged & Conducted by Jack Gale),” one might assume Gates is either “Jay,” or is somehow involved with this track. However, his name on the label is merely an indication that he wrote the song — for Jo Rita, his high school sweetheart whom he later married.
Also of interest, the Rescue single is not even the first recording of “Jo Baby” by Jennie and Jay. Their first single of David's beautiful ballad came out in 1959 (Town 1963), a follow-up to “Ruthie” (Jay Wing 5803). Jennie and Jay is a pseudonym for Patricia and Joe Ritter, a sister-brother duo from the Baltimore area.
As for Jack Gale, while working as a dee jay at WITH-AM, he discovered the Ritters and got them into the studio in 1958 to record “Ruthie,” then again to make “Jo Baby.”
IZ ZAT SO? Between 1957 and '60, David Gates made five records, all of which are now in the $150 to $350 range.
Except the two issues of “Jo-Baby” mentioned above, they are credited to David Gates: “Jo-Baby” (Perspective 500); “Jo-Baby” (Robbins 1008); “Walkin' and Talkin'” (East West 123); “Kiss and Tell” (Jads 301); and “You'll Be My Baby” (Mala 413).
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
Born on this day in 1904, George Formby, UK singing comedian and ukulele player. He made over 20 films and his best-known song is "Leaning On A Lamp Post." He was made an OBE in 1946, and died on March 6, 1961. Formby also influenced George Harrison, among others.
In 1968, blues artist Little Willie John died in prison after being convicted of manslaughter. Co-wrote and was the first to record the song "Fever" (covered by Peggy Lee in 1958). James Brown recorded a tribute album 'Thinking Of Little Willie John... And A Few Other Nice Things.'
Billy Powell, singer with The O'Jays, died of cancer in 1977. Originally known as The Triumphs, and then The Mascots, they took the name 'The O'Jays,' in tribute to radio disc jockey Eddie O'Jay.
Born today in 1949, Mick Ronson, guitarist, producer, member of The Rats, then worked with David Bowie. Also worked with Mott The Hoople, Bob Dylan, Ian Hunter. Ronson died on April 28, 1993.
Peggy Lee (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002)
History:
In 1953, Elvis Presley hitchhiked to Meridian, Mississippi to perform in the first Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Talent Show (he took second place).
Acker Bilk went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1962 with "Stranger On The Shore."
Elvis Presley recorded the classic cut "(You're) The Devil In Disguise" in 1963.
In 1964, Marianne Faithful recorded the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards song "As Tears Go By," accompanied by future Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass.
The Beatles recorded ‘Yellow Submarine’ at Abbey Road studios in London in 1966. Recovering from a case of food poisoning, producer George Martin missed this recording, EMI engineer Geoff Emerick worked on the session.
In 1969, John and Yoko began an eight-day 'bed in', in room 1742 of The Hotel La Reine Elizabeth, Montreal, Canada, to promote world peace. They recorded "Give Peace a Chance" in the hotel room (Petula Clark can be heard on the chorus). The song was credited to Lennon & McCartney, even though Paul had nothing to do with the record.
In 1970, George Harrison began work on what will become the album “All Things Must Pass.” Phil Spector produced the triple album set.
Don McLean recorded "American Pie" in 1971.
In 1972, at the point of the band splitting up David Bowie offered Mott The Hoople two of his new songs, "Suffragette City," which they turned down and "All The Young Dudes," which they recorded.
The Beatles '1967-1970' album went to #1 on the US chart in 1973.
The Edgar Winter Group went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1973 with "Frankenstein," the bands only US #1. The group featured ex-McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer.
Deep Purple's single "Smoke On The Water" was released in 1973.
Tragedy struck at a 1974 David Cassidy concert at London's White City when over 1,000 fans had to be treated by first aid workers due to the frenzied excitement. One fan, Bernadette Whelan, died from heart failure four days later.
Former backing singer with Stevie Wonder, Deniece Williams started a 2 week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1984 with "Let's Hear It For The Boy," taken from the film 'Footlose.'
In 1990, for the first time ever the Top five positions on the US singles chart were held by female artists: Madonna was at #1 with "Vogue," Heart were at #2, Sinead O'Connor #3, Wilson Phillips at #4 and Janet Jackson was at #5
Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley in 1994. The couple divorced in 1995.
In 1996, a fire at the home of Eric Clapton caused over one-milliondollars worth of damage. Firemen arrived on the scene to find Clapton braving the blaze to save his collection of guitars.
The Manic Street Preachers refused to play a concert in 1999 because Queen Elizabeth II was present. The group had vowed to never perform for the monarchy because they considered it an outdated institution.
In 1999, it was announced that the Backstreet Boys album 'Millennium' had sold 1.13 million units in its first week of release.
In 2000, Drummer Tommy Lee was jailed for five days for drinking alcohol. Lee appeared in front of a LA court charged with violating his probation by consuming alcohol, an act that directly contravenes the terms of his parole. Smart.....
Cam'ron, was at #1 on the US album chart in 2002 with ‘Come Home With Me.’
Rush kick off their 30th anniversary tour in Nashville in 2004.
Nine Inch Nails mastermind, Trent Reznor, pulled his band from the MTV Movie Awards in 2005 over the stage's design. "We were set to perform 'The Hand That Feeds' with an unmolested straightforward image of George W. Bush as the backdrop," says Reznor. Not wanting to get political MTV vetoes the idea. "Apparently, the image of our president is as offensive to MTV as it is to me," concludes Reznor.
In 2009, a US judge ended a bitter two-year battle over the late soul singer James Brown's estate. Judge Jack Early ruled half of his assets will go to a charitable trust, a quarter to his wife and young son, and the rest to his six adult children. Brown's family and wife Tomi Rae Hynie Brown had fought over his fortune since he died of heart failure in 2006.
Adam Kesher - Challenging Nature
All Time Low - Straight To DVD [Live CD/DVD]
Andy Bell [Erasure] - Non-Stop
Bar-Kays - Too Hot to Sleep / Flying High on Your Love
Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils
Beth Nielsen Chapman - Back to Love
Bettye LaVette - Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook
Big Boi - Shutterbugg (vinyl)
Black Keys - Tighten Up/I Got Mine (vinyl)
Black Sunshine - Black Sunshine
Bobby Caldwell - Songs For Lovers Only Vol. 1
Born Ruffians - What to Say (vinyl)
Brooklyn Dreams - Brooklyn Dreams
Burton Cummings - Above the Ground (CD/DVD)
Caw! Caw! - Bummer Palace
Cheap Trick - Music of Cheap Trick (3 CDs)
Chick Corea - Solo Piano Improvisations / Children's Songs
Christina Aguilera - Not Myself Tonight (Eu Mixes)
Common - Go!: Common Classics
Corey Dargel - Someone Will Take Care of Me
Crystal Castles - Days Difference
Cure - Disintegration (digital remastered) (digital deluxe remastered edition)
Cute Lepers - Smart Accessories (vinyl)
D.M. Stith - Heavy Ghost: Appendices
Damien Jurado - Saint Bartlett (vinyl)
Daniel Johnston - Story of An Artist (6-disc box set)
David Cross - Bigger and Blackerer
Deftones - Diamond Eyes (vinyl)
Dionne Warwick - How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye / Friends In Love
Dogg Pound - Keep On Ridin'
Elephant Stone - The Glass Box EP
Ella Fitzgerald - Performance
Ellen Allien - dust (vinyl)
Eric Clapton - Behind the Sun (2 LPs)
Evelyn Champagne King - Get Loose
Fall - Bury! (vinyl)
Far - At Night We Live
First Aid Kit - Big Black And The Blue
First Class - Beach Baby: The Best of
Foreigner - Can't Slow Down
Fyfe Dangerfield - Fly Yellow Mood
Get Up Kids - Simple Science
God Help the Gir - Baby You're Blind
Grails - Black Tar Prophecies 1, 2 & 3 (vinyl)
Grails - Black Tar Prophecies 4 (vinyl)
Greg Ashley - Requiem Mass And Other Experiments (vinyl)
Grovesnor - Soft Return
Hank Williams III - Rebel Within (vinyl & CD)
Harlan T. Bobo - Sucker (vinyl)
Heartless Bastards - All This Time (vinyl reissue)
It's Alive - Human Resources
James Holden - DJ-Kicks (vinyl)
Jamie Drake - When I Was Yours
Jeremy Jay - Splash (vinyl)
Jimmy Somerville - Suddenly Last Summer
John Prine - In Person & On Stage (Preview)
Judas Priest - British Steel: 30th Anniversary: Deluxe Edition (2 CDs/1 DVD)
Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith (2 LPs)
Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance (2 LPs)
Junip - The Rope and The Summit
Kansas - Music of Kansas (3 CDs)
Karen Elson - The Ghost Who Walks (vinyl)
Katrina & the Waves - Walking on Sunshine: 25th Anniversary (Single)
Keith Jarrett & Charlie Haden - Jasmine
Keller & The Keels - Thief
Keller Williams - Thief
Kim Richey - Wreck Your Wheels
Kool & the Gang - Very Best of-Live in Concert
Kris Kristofferson - Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends: 1968-72 (vinyl)
Krokus - Hoodoo
Kurt Vile - Square Shells EP (vinyl)
Laurel Aitken - You Got Me Rockin: Best of Blue Beat Years 60-64
Lee Dorsey - New Lee Dorsey
Leela James - My Soul
Lower Dens - I Get Nervous b/w Johnssong
Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire (180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl) Ltd. Edition
Manatee - Indecision (vinyl)
Marc Almond - Open All Night (reissue with bonus CD)
Marc Anthony - Iconos
Marina And The Diamonds - The Family Jewels
Masterplan - Time To Be King
Micah P. Hinson - Micah P. Hinson & the Pioneer Saboteurs
Modern English - Soundtrack
Neverever - Angelic Swells (vinyl)
Ohio Players - Angel / Jass-Ay-Lay-Dee
Otis Rush - Stand the Test of Time
Peter Wolf Crier - Inter-Be (vinyl)
Piebald - Volume II
Plies - Goon Affiliated
Qua - Q&A
Rebbie Jackson - Centipede / Reaction
Rick Derringer - The Three Kings of the Blues
Rihanna - Rated R: Remixed
Robin Zander - Countryside Blvd.
Rolling Stones - Boxed (14-disc box set)
Secret Chiefs 3 - Vol. 1 - Satellite Supersonic
Shlohmo - Shlohmoshun Deluxe (vinyl)
Smashing Pumpkins - Teargarden By Kaleidyscope Vol. 1: Songs For A Sailor [EP]
Soft Machine - NDR Jazz Workshop, Germany, May 17, 1973 (CD/DVD)
Solvent - Subject To Shift (vinyl)
Stone Temple Pilots - Stone Temple Pilots (deluxe edition) (vinyl)
Tanya Tucker - Greatest Hits
Teenage Fanclub - Baby Lee (vinyl)
This Piano Plays Itself - As The House...
Tobacco - Maniac Meat (vinyl)
Tomorrows Bad Seeds - Sacred For Sale
Trampled By Turtles - Palomino (vinyl)
Transient Songs - Cave Syndrome
Truth & Salvage Co. - Truth & Salvage Co. (vinyl)
Twin Sister - Color Your Life (vinyl)
Ty Segall - Melted (vinyl)
Various Artists (as the John Hartford String Band) - Memories Of John
Various Artists - Be Yourself: Tribute to Graham Nash's Songs for Beginners (vinyl)
Various Artists - Get Down With the Philly Sound 3
Various Artists - Rough Guide to Scottish Folk
Various Artists - Sex and the City 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Various Artists - The Bobby Sheen Anthology 1958-1975
Various Artists - The Story Of British Folk
Various Artists - True Blood: Music From The HBO Original Series Volume 2
Villagers - Becoming a Jackal
Walking Sleep - Measures
Widespread Panic - Dirty Side Down (vinyl & CD)
Wild Nothing - Gemini
Will Young - Leave Right Now
Wynonna Judd - Love Heals (Cracker Barrel Exclusive)
The Roots have unveiled the cover art for their forthcoming 11th album, ‘How I Got Over‘. The band are set to release the new album on June 22.
The album is set to feature guests John Legend and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James.
The album is also set to feature a sample track of Joanna Newsom’s “Book of Right-On“.
=========================================
Ryan Adams Releases "Fully-Realized Sci-Fi Metal Concept Album" ORION
Ryan Adams' "first fully-realized sci-fi metal concept album" is here, according to an email newsletter. It is a real thing called ORION that was recorded in 2006 and features artwork by Away, aka Michel Langevin from real life metal band Voivod.
You can order ORION on limited edition clear vinyl at Ryan's website right now (http://store.pax.am). It comes with a download card and a poster. This album won't be released on CD.
=========================================
Madden Lands Top Artist For Album Cover
GOOD CHARLOTTE's new album CARDIOLOGY will feature cover art from reclusive artist DANIEL MARTIN DIAZ after bassist BENJI MADDEN wrote to him and asked him to consider a commission.
The rocker was thrilled when his art idol replied - because he rarely accepts album cover jobs.
Madden says, "He's my favourite artist in the world. He does religion-based pop-surrealism. A lot of people approach him to design album covers, but he hasn't done one in over 10 years.
"I blindly emailed him... on his website. I told him that I was in a dark place during our last record, but that in the last two years I fell in love with music all over again.
"He came down and listened to some rough mixes and agreed to do it. It's my dream come true."
=========================================
LAMB OF GOD’S HOURGLASS RELEASES NOW AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE
In anticipation of the June 1st release of the Hourglass anthologies and special packages, LAMB OF GOD and Epic Records are immediately making all of the Hourglass packages available for pre-order in 41 countries through www.lamb-of-god.com. The band is currently in the midst of a month long tour of Asia and Europe that has already visited India and Turkey, with stops still to be made in Russia, Israel, Greece and other cities in Eastern and Western Europe. The tour ends June 12th with a main stage appearance at the Download Festival in Donnington, England.
The Hourglass packages include:
Hourglass: Vol 1 – The Underground Years
13 of the most choice Lamb of God songs from their early years. Culled from their first album Burn The Priest, their debut as Lamb of God, New American Gospel, and the album that put them on the map, As The Palaces Burn.
Hourglass: Vol 2 – The Epic Years
13 of the most choice Lamb of God songs from their career on Epic Records to this point. Both Grammy nominated songs “Redneck” and “Set To Fail” are surrounded by fan favorite anthems and crushing riffs from Ashes Of The Wake to Sacrament to 2009’s #2 debut Wrath.
Hourglass: The 3 CD Anthology
The ultimate Lamb of God retrospective. 44 tracks on 3 CDs. Vol 1 and 2 join Vol 3 containing 18 rare or never heard before songs. Included are Japanese issued bonus tracks, multiple rehearsal demos, along side the 8 songs recorded prior to Burn The Priest.
Hourglass: The Vinyl Box Set
All 6 Lamb of God Studio albums for the first time on 180 Gram vinyl in a Linen-wrapped collectors box. Includes Burn The Priest, New American Gospel, As The Palaces Burn, Ashes of the Wake, Sacrament, and Wrath.
Hourglass: The USB Box Set
All 6 Lamb of God studio albums on individual USB drives in a cigarette box shaped collectors package. Includes Burn The Priest, New American Gospel, As The Palaces Burn, Ashes of the Wake, Sacrament, and Wrath.
Hourglass: The Deluxe Set
The collectors set including The 3 CD Anthology, The Vinyl Box set, The USB Box Set, and a Linen bound 144 page book of the art of Lamb of God as created by K3n Adams including designs for tour passes, albums, t-shirts, and his commentary on them.
Hourglass: The Super Deluxe Set
The limited edition definitive collectors set including The 3 CD Anthology, The Vinyl Box Set, The USB set, the Book, a Mark Morton Signature Series Jackson Dominion D2, A 4’x6’ Pure American metal Flag, an Hourglass sticker, and a signed 8×10 in a personalized Lamb of God Coffin Case.
=========================================
Rolling Stones's Exile on Main Street tops UK chart
The Rolling Stones have scored their first UK number one album for 16 years with a re-release of their classic LP Exile On Main Street.
The album, which was first released in 1972, has been reissued with previously unheard tracks. Their last number one album was 1994's Voodoo Lounge.
Exile On Main Street has been dusted off to tie in with the release of a documentary about the making of the album, which includes tracks such as Tumbling Dice and Rocks Off.
David Joseph, chairman of the Stones's label Universal Music UK, said: "It's quite a result for an album from 1972 to be back at number one. It proves the Stones's music is as powerful today as when it was created."
=========================================
The Rolling Stones 1969-1974 - The Mick Taylor Years Coming To DVD
Sometimes regarded as the period in which The Rolling Stones recorded the finest music of their career, the years during which Mick Taylor was the fifth Stone remain the band's "Golden Age." Notably, on albums "Let It Bleed," "Sticky Fingers" and "Exile On Main Street" the Stones' sound changed as they developed new ideas and were informed by a range of new influences. But crucially it was Taylor's sophisticated blues and jazz licks that gave The Rolling Stones an added dimension between 1969 and 1974 - one they lacked both before and afterward. The film "The Rolling Stones 1969-1974 - The Mick Taylor Years" tells the behind the scenes story of this hugely productive era for the group. The film will be released on DVD on July 27.
Featuring interviews with Taylor himself and further contributions from his old boss, John Mayall; author and group colleague, Robert Greenfield; Village Voice music editor, Robert Christgau; Stones session musicians, Al Perkins and Bill Plummer; highly regarded UK music critic, Barney Hoskyns and many others. The program also includes liberal performance footage of The Stones, archive footage and interviews, numerous seldom seen photographs and a host of other features.
Extras include:
•'Meet Mick' - John Mayall and music historian Alan Clayson tell the Mick Taylor story, prior to his entry into The Rolling Stones.
•Contributor Biographies
•Beyond DVD section
=========================================
Elvis Presley's Record Collection Up For Auction
Elvis Presley's first record collection will be auctioned on Thursday at the U.K.'s Fame Bureau Auction House.
The collection of vinyl records was given by Presley to his guitarist, manager and friend Scotty Moore in 1968, when Presley asked Moore to transfer the records to reel-to-reel tapes.
The 26-record collection includes classics by Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, and the Billy Vaughn Orchestra.
It also includes an authenticated letter by Moore, which states, "Elvis left me the briefcase with the records and asked me to mail the tape back to his house in Memphis. I made a safety copy for myself and kept the records and tape in my studio in Nashville. Elvis never asked for the records to be returned."
The Fame Bureau's James Wilkinson, tells the U.K.'s Mirror, "These records really were the birth of rock 'n' roll because they influenced Elvis in his very early days."
The collection is expected to earn as much as $187,500.
=========================================
Phil Spector Releases New Album From Jail Cell It's his first in 30 years...
Music producer Phil Spector, who is serving a prison sentence for murder, has released his first new studio album since 30 years.
Spector recorded ‘Out Of My Chelle’ with his wife, Rachelle, before he was imprisoned.
The producer, famed for his pioneering Wall of Sound recording technique, said his wife was “fantastic” on the record.
‘Out Of My Chelle’ will be available from June 8 as a digital download.
=========================================
Kiss Announces U.S. Tour
Kiss has announced a summer tour of the U.S. which will include stops in 28 cities. The Hottest Show on Earth will showcase the many hits from their 37-year career along with songs from their latest album, 2009's Sonic Boom.
The tour is being produced by Live Nation and opens on July 23 in Cheyenne, WY, running through September 24 in Phoenix, AZ. Tickets for some shows go on sale on June 4 at LiveNation.com; however, Citi cardmembers can get presale tickets on June 2 through their Private Pass program. Dr. Pepper is sponsoring the tour.
Paul Stanley told Reuters that the group isn't concerned about the current state of the economy. "The bands that have to worry about the recession are the ones who don't give their money's worth to the audience. If you come to see us, your money will blind you and deafen you and pummel you."
The tour schedule:
•07/23 - Cheyenne, WY - Cheyenne Frontier Days
•07/24 - Minot, ND - North Dakota State Fair
•07/29 - Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
•07/30 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
•07/31 - Hershey, PA - Hershey Park Stadium
•08/06 - Philadelphia, PA - Susquehanna Bank Center
•08/07 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center
•08/09 - Indianapolis, IN - Indiana State Fairgrounds
•08/13 - Buffalo, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
•08/14 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
•08/15 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion
•08/19 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
•08/20 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
•08/21 - Washington DC - Jiffy Lube Live
•08/27 - Virginia Beach, VA - Virginia Beach Amphitheater
•08/28 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
•08/29 - Raleigh, NC - Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
•09/02 - Milwaukee, WI - Marcus Amphitheatre
•09/03 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
•09/04 - St. Paul, MN - Minnesota State Fair
•09/10 - Toronto, ON - Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
•09/11 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
•09/12 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center
•09/17 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
•09/18 - Dallas, TX - Pizza Hut Park
•09/19 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
•09/22 - Sandy, UT - Rio Tinto Stadium
•09/24 - Phoenix, AZ - Cricket Wireless Pavilion
Sales of old-fashioned albums rose by more than five per cent last year, figures from the Official UK Charts Company showed.
CD sales have fallen by a fifth over the same period, leading to some manufacturers threatening to halt their production.
Despite accounting for less than one per cent of music purchases, American sales of vinyl topped almost three million, an increase of a million records. Music website Amazon.co.uk said it had more than 250,000 vinyl albums in stock to meet the growing demand. Internet search engine Yahoo meanwhile, has reported a 210 per cent increase in searches of the phrase "blank cassette tapes" and a 110 per cent rise in users seeking “music cassette tapes”.
The new trend is believed to have originated from New York teenagers, leading to a boom in record player and turntable sales. Most vinyl records bought over the past 10 years were by DJs and dance music fans, but recently more rock and country music albums have been sold.
Some of the most popular records include music from Florence and the Machine and The Courteeners and re-released Jimi Hendrix and The Red Hot Chili Pepper albums.
Music experts said that vinyl sales figures could be even higher because official British statistics do not include sales from smaller record shops and albums sold at concerts. British sales of seven-inch records peaked in 1979, with 89 million copies sold, but as CDs became more popular they slumped to less than 180,000 in 2001. Last year sales rose to 223,000.
