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Just found this, I thought it may be of interest to hard rock vinyl record collectors. It looks like a lot of great heavy metal vinyl will change hands, maybe into yours! (Closes November 07, 2010 at 2:00pm or 10 minutes after the last bid)
The Rock Gods 'n Metal Monsters Auction
October 31st - November 7th, 2010
The Auction is Live
Bidding Opens: Sunday, October 31st
Auction Ends: Sunday, November 7th - close process begins at 2:00 pm EST
(see auction rules for detailed close process)
On behalf of the entire Backstage Auctions Crew we wish to extend a hard rockin' welcome to The Rock Gods 'n Metal Monsters Auction. We are very excited about this event and we think you will agree after you feast your eyes on the amazing rock relics coming direct from the personal collections of legendary rock 'n metal gods *Al Jourgensen (Ministry), *Kip Winger (Winger), *Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Dio), *Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, Alcatrazz, Michael Schenker Group, Impellitteri), *Scott Rockenfield (Queensryche), *Bobby Rondinelli (Black Sabbath, BOC), *Andy Laroque (King Diamond), *John 5 (Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson), *Walter O'Brien ( Manager - Pantera, White Zombie, Metal Church) *Philip Kamin (Rock Photographer), *Bob Nalbandian (Editor, Metal Rendevouz) and *Ole Bang ( Manager - Mercyful Fate, King Diamond).
The auction will showcase hundreds of rare collectibles featuring Ministry, Revco, Pantera, White Zombie, Whitesnake, Dio, Winger and Queensryche, but with over 500 auction lots up for grabs this online event will also present fabulous finds featuring Metal Church, Grim Reaper, Rainbow, Alcatrazz, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Guns n' Roses, Bon Jovi, Marilyn Manson...and that's the short list!
Whether you're in the market for a fully signed Pantera guitar, original art by Marilyn Manson, a Buck Satan guitar (or two) or a few White Zombie RIAA record awards, this auction has it all, including artist signed collectibles, recordings, rare photos, original art work, promotional and concert posters, record awards, backstage passes, promotional merchandise, stage gear and artist worn apparel, drum sticks, exclusive ephemera, tour books and even a some really cool road cases.
And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, at the 11th hour we have been able to add an incredible collection of over 200 sealed - early 1980s - heavy metal albums that will make your head spin. Among them are amazingly rare release from legendary labels such as Neat Records, Road Runner Records, Metal Blade Records, Heavy Metal Records, Killwah Records, Shrapnel Records and Enigma Records. This is "once in a lifetime" vinyl that you don't want to miss out on.
If you were around when the second Jimi Hendrix album was released you probably got ripped off. After Reprise’s success with Are You Experienced?Capitol dusted off a Curtis Knight and the Squires album that Hendrix had played on as a sideman before forming The Jimi Hendrix Experience and using a recent photo, issued it as Get That FeelingJimi Hendrix Plays and Curtis Knight Sings.
Many were fooled into spending their hard earned money on that deviously labeled rip off but when the realsecond Hendrix Experience album was released in January of 1968, all of that was quickly and easily forgotten.
The outrageous Hindu devotional art cover that most cloistered college students at the time had never before seen was sufficiently mind-blowing but once the needle hit the lead in groove area it was “up, up and away” time!
The flying saucer opening was kind of corny (if your audio system is correctly set up the “saucer” will circle around the room) but the jazzy “Up From the Skies” was a smooth glide into the heart of Hendrix’s sophisticated music making helped considerably by Eddie Kramer’s outrageous post Sgt. Pepper’s… production work.
“Travel by dragonfly?” Hendrix’s lyrical, dream-like imagery combined with the musical and sonic intensity lifted listeners to new heights of aural pleasure, many aided by the fast spreading marijuana “scourge” of the time. From the shimmering high frequencies to the spatial movement between the speakers, this album was just made for weed!
No point in a tune-by-tune play by play. This album is the bridge between the harder rocking first album and the extended, jammy double LPElectric Ladyland that lost many fans initially but grows in stature as the years pass.
Songs like “One Rainy Wish” with the unexpected break “I have never laid eyes on you, not before this timeless day…” produced a powerful, surprising thrust that works its magic as effectively today as it did all of these years ago.
And of course the title song with its squishy, flange-y, cosmic time travel finale set tens of thousands of stoned young hippies into ecstatic overload. I remember listening to this album and the first two Doors albums (okay, and Days of Future Passed too, I’m ashamed to admit) with my college roommates late Friday nights.
It became our weekend ritual. We sat there zonked in the dark between my AR 2ax speakers cranked way up and when the lights went up at the end, we’d each been to places and seen things words couldn’t begin to describe. The smiles did though!
Of course all these years later, that thrill is gone, but it’s replaced by an appreciation of Hendrix’s guitar wizardry and the rhythm section’s suppleness. This is the album that let the other guitar greats of the era know that Hendrix was the greatest—that he’d transcended the blues riffs, the Chuck Berry-isms and the electrified C&W picking and taken string bending to new territory.
Sonically, this was a huge step forward compared to Are You Experience?, which was issued in mono only in the UK with a different cover and track order. The high frequencies, in particular, were pristine, crystalline and extended. The cymbals shimmered and Hendrix’s guitar line attacks were fast, clean and well-articulated. Bass lines were also clean and extended and the kick drum was deep, clean and well-textured.
The original UK Track issue (Track 613003) was smoother, more extended and went deeper and tighter than the U.S. Reprise tri-color “steamboat” original and of course it was pressed on much quieter vinyl. It had tremendous “depth of field.”
George Marino’s first 180g reissue for Experience Hendrix MCA back in the late 1990s was very good but at the time Sterling Sound no longer had a preview head so the cut was sourced from a 96K/24 bit file. Plating at UNI’s Gloversville, NY factory and the pressing itself were pretty good but not up to RTI’s standards.
So considering that this latest version is all analogue, and was plated and pressed at RTI, you would expect it to be quieter, more detailed and more transparent and you’d better believe it is all of that and more, particularly in terms of bass weight and body.
In fact, the original, while still magical and worth owning if you can find one, sounds polite and slightly compressed dynamically compared to this new reissue, though the top end on the original, cut from the fresh tape can’t be beat. Good luck finding a clean copy for a reasonable price.
Still, in most ways, this reissue is better so I recommend grabbing it while you can.
Thanks to Michael over at http://www.musicangle.com/ for the exclusive rights to reprint this material. Stop by MusicAngle.com for more reviews and features.
Rural Rhythm Christian releases "Acoustic Christmas Carols" by award-winning singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Nov 04, 2010 – RURAL RHYTHM CHRISTIAN is proud to announce the new album, “ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS CAROLS, Cowboy Christmas II ” by multi-awarding winning singer-songwriter, Michael Martin Murphey. The artist kicks off his 17th Annual Cowboy Christmas Ball Tour™ November 26, 2010 in Benton, Texas with stops in at least 15 cities before Christmas. A complete itinerary can be found at his website.
Murphey provides lead and harmony vocals, guitar, and tambourine on “ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS CAROLS, Cowboy Christmas II ” and is joined by Ryan Murphey (guitar), Laura Murphey (vocals), Brennan Murphey (guitar), Bea McTye (pipe organ), Paul Sadler (hammer dulcimer), John McEuen (guitar, banjo, mandolin, tambourine, Indian drum), Tony Laupheimer (percussion), Joey Miskulin (accordion), and produced by Joey Miskulin and Michael Martin Murphey. The album is now available to radio via Airplay Direct and available for sale at iTunes, Amazon, Rural Rhythm Records, MichaelMartinMurphey.com, and many other retail outlets.
TRACKS INCLUDE:
01 Home, Sweet Home
02 O Little Town of Bethlehem
03 The First Noël
04 In the Bleak Midwinter
05 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime
06 Away in a Manger
07 Joy to the World
08 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
09 We Three Kings
10 Go Tell It on the Mountain
11 Silent Night
12 What Child Is This?
13 I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
14 Home, Sweet Home (Reprise)
The arrangements are reflective of the sounds of a solitary minstrel, or a small group of friends and family singing in a tiny chapel or around the fireside,“ explained Murphey. The cover art for “ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS CAROLS, Cowboy Christmas II” was provided by award-winning Utah artist and cowboy, Pete Plastow.
Rural Rhythm Records has released two previous CDs by Murphey including: the Grammy™ nominated BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS; and this year’s BUCKAROO BLUE GRASS II: Riding Song that includes two power country vocal collaborations – “Wildfire” with Carrie Hassler and “Running Gun” with Audie Blaylock.
Thirty-three year-old Johnny Horton, who had a number one hit with "Battle of New Orleans," died in 1960 when his Cadillac was hit by a drunken truck driver in Milano, Texas. Ironically, Johnny had just played his last show at the Skyline in Austin, where Hank Williams had played his last show as well. Horton's widow, Billy Joe, was also Hanks Williams' widow.
Born on this day in 1946, Gram Parsons, singer, songwriter. Member of The International Submarine Band, The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers. Released the 1973 solo album 'Grievous Angel.' Died on September 19, 1973 from a heroin overdose (age 26).
Bobby Nunn of The Coasters died of heart failure in Los Angeles in 1986. Scored the 1958 US No.1 single "Yakety Yak" and 1959 US #2 single "Charlie Brown."
In 1989, former US Army Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler died at a Veterans Administration hospital in Nashville from complications brought on by an un-explained gun shot wound to the head, suffered 14 months earlier in Guatemala City. Sadler is best remembered for his hit "The Ballad of the Green Berets," which stayed on top of Billboard's Pop chart for five weeks in 1966. He was 49 years old at time of his death.
Fred “Sonic” Smith, MC5 guitarist and husband of Rocker Patti, died of a heart attack in 1994. He was 45.
In 2003, Bobby Hatfield of The Righteous Brothers was found dead in hotel room in Michigan, 30 minutes before he was due on stage (age 63). The autopsy report from the Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner gave the opinion that Hatfield suffered a sudden, unexpected death due to acute cocaine toxicity. The Righteous Brothers had the 1965 UK & US #1 single "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" and the 1990 UK #1 ( #4 US) single "Unchained Melody." It became one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, by some counts having spawned over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages.
Surf guitarist Link Wray died in 2005 (age 76). Wray was credited with inventing 'fuzz' guitar after punching a hole in a speaker giving him a distorted guitar sound. Famous for his 1958 US #16 single "Rumble" which was banned on several radio stations, on the grounds that it glorified juvenile delinquency. A rare feat for a song with no lyrics.
Isaac Wister (Ike) Turner (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) was an American musician, bandleader, talent scout, and record producer. Considered to be one of the fathers of rock and roll, his first recording, "Rocket 88" by "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats," in 1951, is considered by some to be the "first rock and roll song" ever. 1971 US #4 single with then Tina Turner with the John Fogerty cut and wedding bar band staple "Proud Mary."
History:
Elvis Presley made his only commercial, for Southern-Made Doughnuts, on the Louisiana Hayride radio program in 1954.
"The Nat King Cole Show" debuted on NBC-TV in 1956. The Cole program was the first of its kind hosted by an African-American.
The Who released a song called "My Generation" in 1965 which will become a sort of anthem for British teens, rising to number two on the UK chart. In the US however, despite performing the tune on 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,' the song will be mostly ignored and would get no higher than number 74 on the Billboard chart.
The Monkees were on top of the Billboard singles chart in 1966 with "Last Train To Clarksville," the group’s first #1 hit. It was later revealed that due to filming commitments on their TV series, none of the group had played on this or most of the group’s early recordings. Eight weeks after their TV series debuted, the Monkees had the number one record in the US with the Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart written song.
In 1967, Bee Gee Robin Gibb was a passenger on a train which crashed in South East London in England killing 49 people and injuring 78. Robin was treated for shock after the accident.
Kenny Rogers and The First Edition made their TV debut in 1967 on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Groovey, man.....
Also in 1967 more than 2,000 people attended an auction of Elvis Presley's personal belongings at his Circle G Ranch in Horn Lake, Mississippi, ten miles from Graceland.
Jerry Reed recorded the immortal cut "Amos Moses" in 1969.
In 1970, while making one of his rare stage appearances, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson lost his balance several times and had to be helped backstage. His right ear, the better of the two, sustained severe damage because of the volume level on-stage.
In 1971, Elvis Presley kicked off a 15-date North American tour at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Minneapolis. Announcer Al Dvorin uttered the well known phrase: "Elvis has left the building" at the end of the show. He was asked to make the announcement in an effort to quiet the fans who continued to call for an encore.
The manager of a Virgin Records store in Nottingham England is arrested in 1977 and charged under the UK's 1898 Indecent Advertising Act for displaying a poster that read "Never Mind The Bollocks: Here's The Sex Pistols". At his trial two weeks later, defense lawyers called Professor James Kingsley, who testified that the word "bollocks" had several different meanings, both slang and proper. After a twenty minute deliberation, the court returned a verdict of not guilty.
In 1977, Ozzy Osbourne quits Black Sabbath, only to rejoin a few weeks later. He eventually leaves again to pursue a solo career.
Brian Wilson was officially fired from The Beach Boys by his former colleagues in 1982.
Billy Joel was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1983 with "Uptown Girl" his only UK #1 stayed at the top of the chars for five weeks. A #3 hit in the US, the song was written about his relationship with his girlfriend then-wife, supermodel Christie Brinkley.
In 1983, Topper Headon of The Clash was arrested for walking his dog while drunk on London's Fulham Road. No word on the dog's condition, however, Headon was led home by his furry friend.
The Beach Boys went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1988 with "Kokomo." The track had been featured in the film Cocktail. It had been 22 years since the group had their last US chart topper with "Good Vibrations." Their only other Top Ten hit in that time had been "Rock and Roll Music" in 1976.
"The Locomotion," became the first song to reach the US Top 5 in three different versions, when Kylie Minogue's 1988 effort reached #3 on the US chart. The song had also been a hit for Little Eva and Grand Funk Railroad.
Sheryl Crow scored her first UK Top 10 single in 1994 when "All I Wanna Do" entered the charts at #.4. The US singer songwriter went on to become the first US female to score six UK hits off her debut album 'Tuesday Night Music Club.'
Producer Butch Vig's new band Garbage made their US live debut in 1995 when they played at The 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis. Vig produced Nirvana's album 'Nevermind.'
In 1995, 'The Wizard of Oz in Concert' took place for a Children's Defense Fund. The show featured Jackson Browne as the Scarecrow, Roger Daltrey as the Tin Man, Nathan Lane as the Cowardly Lion and Jewel as Dorothy.
Also in 1995, Queen released their first studio album since the death of Freddie Mercury. Mercury died November 24, 1991 of AIDS.
Creed were at #1 on the US singles chart in 2000 with 'With Arms Wide Open.'
In 2002, the funeral took place of Jam Master Jay, (Jason Mizell) from Run-DMC who was murdered by an assassin's single bullet on 30th October 2002. A $30,000 reward was offered in connection with the murder, to this day nobody has ever been convicted of the killing.
In 2007 there was the London premiere of Amazing Journey: The Story Of The Who and Amazing Journey: Six Quick Ones. Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend host the event. Also, a two-CD compilation, "The Very Best Of The Who Live In Concert 1969-1976" is available exclusively on the band's website.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page received the Living Legend Award at the 2007 Classic Rock Roll of Honour ceremony in London.
In 2008, artwork created Queen's Brian May, Deep Purple's Roger Glover, Alice Cooper, Paul Rodgers and Pink Floyd's Nick Mason goes on the block at a benefit auction hosted by veteran British band Status Quo. The musicians redesigned "classic Quo single/album covers" for the event in honor of the 40th anniversary of the group's hit "Pictures Of Matchstick Men." The sale aids the Prince's Trust, a U.K. youth charity.
Ozzy Osbourne was presented with the Legend of Live honor at the 2009 Billboard Touring Awards in New York.
Exclusive Teaser and Song to be Unveiled on MichaelJackson.com
New York, NY – The much anticipated album of newly completed recordings from Michael Jackson entitled MICHAEL will be released on December 14 by Epic Records in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson. Tomorrow, an exclusive teaser for the project will appear on www.michaeljackson.com; on Monday, November 8th the world premiere of “Breaking News,” a full track from the album, will stream on the site for one week only.
The creative process never stopped for the King of Pop who was always planning for his next album; unbeknownst to many fans around the world Michael Jackson was writing and recording songs continuously everywhere from a friend’s home in New Jersey to studios in Las Vegas and Los Angeles with a small group of handpicked collaborators. Now, through the unique stories that will be told about the songs that comprise MICHAEL, fans will get mind-blowing insight into how this artist worked and a chance to hear the songs he most recently created along with tracks that Michael had a desire to bring to fruition.
“Breaking News,” a never heard before song by Michael that appears on the new album was recorded in New Jersey in 2007 and recently brought to completion. Fans can begin pre-ordering the album on www.michaeljackson.com in the next 24 hours.
The attached image of the album cover of MICHAEL was created by painter Kadir Nelson in 2009. In the oil painting, Kadir – who is known for story telling through his art – takes us on a journey through some key moments and important people in Michael Jackson’s life.
Stay tuned for the worldwide launch of the official first single from MICHAEL later this month. http://www.michaeljackson.com/
Here is the month in review of the top selling ebay vinyl record sales, on a weekly basis, for September of 2010. First and foremost, a special thank you to Norm and Jane at CCdiscoveries.blogspot.com for putting together this interesting data. Be sure to listen to their popular radio show Vinyl Record Talk for more information about the weekly top 5, vinyl record news and as well as weekly guests.
The honor of our top seller for the month of September 2010 belongs to Led Zeppelin, with their “Road Box” Test Pressing collecting a cool $6,100 (another sold for $3,500). Next up are a self-titled LP from Madigral going for an even $5,100, followed by a Mark Everett album which sold at $5,000.
An Odeon labeled copy of "Yellow Submarine" from the lads from Liverpool sold for almost $5k, about half what it sold for sometime around 2003. The other two Beatles entries to the list are the very familiar LP by the Beatles, 'Please Please Me' Parlophone' (UK Gold Black label 1st Mono), one which sold for a shade under four grand and the other coming in at around $2,500.
Two 78 rpm records made our montly list with a pre-war blues effort from Blind Willie McTell ("Warm It Up To Me" / "Runnin' Me Crazy") on Vocalion selling for $4,000 and the other from Henry Brown and Ike Rodgers ("Blues Stomp" / "Blind Boy Blues") on the Paramount record label hitting the hammmer at $2,500.
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 09/05/2010
Two private press LP's top the list this week, one from the early 70s beats one from 1985 by $100.00. An Odeon labeled copy of "Yellow Submarine" sells for almost $5k, but that's half what it sold for sometime around 2003. The Odeon label continued to be used on Apple records pressed in the UK but intended for distribution in Commonwealth countries. We'll have more on the Madrigal and Mark Everett LP's and what they are and where they come from VRT this Tuesday.
4. 78 - Blind Willie McTell "Warm It Up To Me" / "Runnin' Me Crazy" Vocalion - $4,000.00
5. LP - Nirvana "Never Mind" Czech Picture Disc EP Sample - $3,250.00
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 09/11/2010
Jack White's personally designed 7" test pressing with sleeve and inserts from Third Man Record Store's opening night tops the list, in what's the youngest record to make the top, having been given away at the invitation only opening a little over a year ago. Three soul records make the list, the most in many weeks, and another pre-war blues 78 appears as well.
1. 45 - Dead Weather "Hang You From The Heavens" / "Are Friend Electric?" Test Pressing "Opening Night" $3,901.11
2. 45 - Scorpio and His People "The Unforgiven" / "Theme From The Movietown Sound" International Hits - $3,827.77
3. 78 - Henry Brown and Ike Rodgers "Blues Stomp" / "Blind Boy Blues" Paramount - $2,500.00
4. 45 - Psychodelic Frankie "Putting You Out Of My Life" / "Donna" Hi Speed - $2,247.00
5. LP - People's Pleasure with Alive And Well "Do You Hear Me Talking To You?" Brownstone - $2,051.00
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 09/18/2010
Mostly the gods of record collecting this week with two Beatles "Please Please Me" LPs and a Led Zeppelin Road Box on the list this week.
1. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Mono - $3,988.23
2. 12" - Led Zeppelin “Road Box” - $3,500.00
3. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Mono - $2,501.44
4. LP - Hank Mobley with Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan Blue Note 1540 - $2,382.00
5. Georges Arvanitas "Soul Jazz" Columbia French Pressing - $2,080.55
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 09/25/2010
A test pressing of the Led Zeppelin "Road Box" gets twice the price of one of the regular releases (there were only five released test pressings) and the #1 spot. Also, a bootleg makes the list for only the second time ever, with a Neil Young recording from the early 70s.
1. 12" - Led Zeppelin “Road Box” Test Pressing - $6,100.00
3. 45 - The Admirations "I Want To Be Free" / "You Left Me" Peaches - $3,664.00
4. LP - New Young "I'm Glad Y'all Came Down" Bootleg - $3,250.00
5. 10" - Lazare Levy "Mozart Piano Sonatas" Ducretet - $3,161.98
Hinder's New Cover Art Revealed
Rockers Hinder have revealed the cover art and track list for the band's upcoming album 'All American Nightmare.'
"Our new album, 'All American Nightmare,' is almost two years in the making," the band told Noisecreep. "This is an album that really shows what Hinder is all about, and we feel our experiences and maturity as a band really translates in the songs. We've never worked so hard on a project or been more proud of anything we've ever done."
'All American Nightmare' is due out Dec. 7.
'All American Nightmare'
1. 'All American Nightmare'
2. 'What Ya Gonna Do'
3. 'Waking Up the Devil'
4. 'Red Tail Lights'
5. 'Hey Ho'
6. 'Put That Record On'
7. 'This Is the Life'
8. 'Two Sides of Me'
9. 'Everybody's Wrong'
10. 'Striptease'
11. 'Bad Mother F---er'
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The Estate Of Doug Fieger Releases 2nd Album Of Commemorative Series, 'Hankerings: A Tribute To Hank Williams'
The family of Doug Fieger, lead singer of The Knack is making available for a collection of recordings by the Fieger that have never before released in any format. 'Hankerings: A Tribute to Hank Williams' by Doug Fieger, was Fieger's dream - to release an album of Williams covers. Unfortunately that dream was never realized during his lifetime due to his battle with cancer (he died on Valentine’s Day, 2010)
"All of Doug's friends knew he had been recording these songs. But very few had ever heard them," explains Doug's sister, Beth Falkenstein. "After he died, everyone was asking me if I had found the tapes yet. They were all just so curious to hear them... and to hear his voice again."
Track Listing:
1. Hey, Good Lookin'
2. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
3. Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
4. I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)
For his first solo album in 14 years, Gregg Allman is paying tribute to blues legends such as Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Junior Wells. Titled 'Low Country Blues,' the LP was produced by T Bone Burnett and is expected on Jan. 18, 2011 via Rounder Records.
"When you have new record it always feels different," Allman said in a statement. "It's been too long. I guess I was just born with a lot of gypsy in my soul."
The release is named for the coastal region of Georgia where Allman lives. The album was recorded at Burnett's Village Recorder studio in Los Angeles and includes pianist Dr. John, guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, bassist Dennis Crouch and drummer Jay Bellerose.
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Amy Winehouse Covers Lesley Gore's Classic "It's My Party"
Troubled singer Amy Winehouse has delivered a powerful, gutsy performance of Lesley Gore's #1 smash hit from 1963. The recording was produced by Mark Ronson and will appear on Quincy Jones' upcoming Q Soul Bossa Nostra album. This new collection is a tribute to Quincy Jones and includes a wide range of cover version of songs associated in some way with Quincy Jones. "It's My Party" was one of the first songs produced by Quincy Jones to become a significant hit. Among other artists included on the album are Akon, Jennifer Hudson, and Usher.
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Third Man Records releases Laura Marling 7" single
Laura Marling and Third Man announced yesterday that a limited edition7" single will be issued Tuesday, Nov. 9 as part of Third Man's Blue Series of vinyl releases.
Marling performed a couple of cuts, Jackson C Frank's "Blues Run The Game" and Neil Young’s epic anti-drug song "The Needle And The Damage Done" for her Blue Series contribution, and White sat in the producer's chair for the session, done at White's studio here in Nashville.
"It was perfect — one take," White told BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat in June. "She's gorgeous. Gorgeous voice and an incredible person. A wonderful girl."
Fans can pick up the 7-inch at Third Man Records' Nashville outpost, 623 7th Ave. S., or via mail order. Visit http://www.thirdmanrecords.com/ for more info.
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MASTODON "CRACK THE SKYE WORMHOLE TUNNEL BOX EDITION
Mastodon is releasing a super deluxe, super-limited edition of Crack The Skye to Metal Club stores on Black Friday. Only 600 are being made. This version will come housed in a hard box case featuring a third-dimension wormhole design that contains exclusive and additional album art by long-time Mastodon artist Paul Romano. Inside is a full length Crack The Skye CD plus a DVD on the Making of Crack The Skye with photo gallery, track-by-track band commentary and more, by director Jimmy Hubbard. In Stores: 11/26/2010
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Tom Waits Releasing More Vinyl
Tom Waits recorded a series of groundbreaking albums in the early 70s. Nearly 40 years later and several musical evolutions later, Waits’ Asylum years still hold a special place in the hearts of many music lovers.
Rhino will celebrate the career of Waits this December by reissuing the Grammy-winning/Oscar nominated artists’ first four Asylum albums on 180-gram heavy vinyl each packaged with their original artwork. Released on December 21 at retail outlets, including http://www.rhino.com/
Prior to this December 21 Rhino retail release, TomWaits.com is now offering limited edition 180 gram red vinyl versions of the LPS 'Closing Time,' 'The Heart of Saturday Night,' 'Nighthawks at the Diner' and 'Small Change.' The red vinyl limited editions (only 1000 pressed of each title) will be available exclusively at http://www.tomwaitsstore.com/ and are available for pre-order now.
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Donovan To Perform 'Sunshine Superman' Next June
60's flower-child Donovan has recently announced that he will be performing his 1996 album 'Sunshine Superman' in its entirety in London next year. Joined by The London Contemporary Orchestra, Donovan will appear at The Royal Albert Hall on June 3.
The one-off gig is due to the request of his wife, as an anniversary present.
Donovan stated: '"This year of 2010 Linda and I celebrate our ruby anniversary. When I asked my muse what she wanted to do, she said, 'Perform the complete 'Sunshine Superman' album at the Royal Albert Hall.' Her wish is my command!"
There was a time when everyone thought records were dead. The aging and suddenly cumbersome technology was seemingly left for obsessive collectors or those just clinging to nostalgia.
But vinyl sales have been growing, jumping 33 percent in 2009 over the previous year, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and younger pop stars have embraced the format - Justin Timberlake saying he likes the sound better, and Taylor Swift releasing her latest album, Speak Now, on vinyl.
The 2.5 million vinyl units is still just a tiny piece of the 1.5 billion units sold, but the audience for records appears to be growing, even locally.
A new music store opened in New London over the summer, The Telegraph, featuring new and used vinyl, run by music promoter Rich Martin and his wife, musician Daphne Martin.
"I learned from Mystic Disc back in the day," Martin says. "(Owner) Dan Curland had always railed against CDs... I thought he was just an old curmudgeon."
But Martin quickly became a vinyl devotee.
"Viscerally it's much warmer and a better way to go," he says. "Everybody's got their own ear for it… you feel it around you more. On digital, the sound dissipates quicker, it's more treble-y."
Tara Wyatt, the owner of Niantic's record store, Tumbleweeds, loves the vintage sound quality, "the crackle and pop," which she says younger people can appreciate from inheriting their parents' collections.
Though Martin still sells (and owns) CDs, Martin believes they made music less valuable and more disposable.
"A plastic CD feels like a piece of trash. I have a bag of them in the back of my car and they kinda get wet sometimes," he says.
In contrast, you can still find records from the '40s in great shape that have retained their value, he says.
A record, Martin says, is simply "more engaging by its nature."
"Instead of throwing it in and forgetting about it, or putting your iTunes on shuffle... you're there with the record," Martin says. "You listen to it halfway through and then flip it over. You're thinking about it and talking about it."
Wyatt agrees that records are a more social way of listening to music.
"I have an entire room in my house that's all vinyl," she says. "You can connect with the artist and how the process took place."
Of course, older technology is much more limited. You can't carry it with you or listen in the car. But record companies have helped vinyl advance by including free download codes in albums so listeners can enjoy music in both formats.
Two out of every three vinyl albums sold, according to Nielsen, were purchased at an independent music store.
The Telegraph boasts more than 5,000 records, about one-third of which are new. Although the store has an indie vibe - most recently advertising new albums by Fleet Foxes, Belle & Sebastian and Deerhunter - Martin tries to cater to all types of music lovers. He carries music from crooners to motown to classical to country, in addition to the local music scene, along with record players.
He has a John Coltrane album that collectors would value at $300 to $500, and, he says with a smile, "We have some Toto records I'll sell ya for two bucks."
There's also a certain pleasure in browsing the racks and checking out the album art, lyrics and liner notes.
Karrie Bulger, who helps out in Martin's store, says she recently heard someone on NPR reminiscing about the artwork on a Flaming Lips album grabbing them, even though they didn't know anything about the band.
"They wonder, 'Does that happen anymore? Do a lot of the kids even know what an album looks like?' It's such a tangible thing. It's romantic to buy an album and read all the stuff that comes along with it," she says.
Martin actually didn't set out to open a music store. He needed office space for his small record label and came up with the idea when landlord Frank McLaughlin suggested a retail side. But what he now values is the museum-like atmosphere record stores manage to retain.
"You talk about everybody's personal experience, when they first heard a song, when they saw them live," he says.
He hopes it can also be a new place for musicians to find inspiration, he says.
DEAR JERRY:My late brother was a teenager in the 1960s, and among his things are many records from those days.
Most are plainly marked and obvious as to what they are, except for one mysterious item, a picture sleeve with no record inside.
This plain white paper sleeve has a pencil drawing, credited to Ted Sully, of Davy Jones. This is the same young man who was a member of the Monkees. The only other print reads "Davy Jones Presents" (presents what, we're not told), and "Davy Jones Record Co., New York & Beverly Hills."
My online searches for "Davy Jones and Ted Sully" came up with nothing.
Since no mention is made of anyone else, I assume this sleeve was originally accompanied by a Davy Jones recording, unless Mr. Sully is also a recording artist, which I doubt.
If not Davy, which record belongs to this sleeve?
—Pauline Mason, Santa Ana, Calif.
DEAR PAULINE: Can't say exactly which, but we are certain it is one of four.
We know this because the entire record output of the Davy Jones Presents series numbers four singles, all packaged in the exact same nameless picture sleeve.
The short-lived Davy Jones Presents vanity label came and went in the summer of 1967, perhaps in part because being a Monkee at the peak of their popularity left Davy little time for anything other than Monkee business.
The fledgling label's executive vice-president was industry veteran, Jack Angel, co-founder of the Herald label. Among his more successful Herald artists are: Mello-Kings ("Tonite, Tonite"); Nutmegs ("Story Untold"); Faye Adams ("Shake a Hand"); Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs ("Stay"); and Turbans ("When You Dance").
Staying with what he knew best, in one of the company's first press releases, Angel says: "We're sticking to R&B-oriented and Pop-R&B music, mostly by newly-discovered talent."
That the company made only generic picture sleeves probably indicates they printed the sleeves before they knew the artists and titles of their eventual contents.
The same Ted Sully drawing of Davy, and text you see on the sleeve, is also used as the company logo on the record labels — peculiar because Jones is not heard on the songs, and there are no images of those who are.
As a tie-in when launching their new label, 50 of the nation's top radio stations ran a "Weekend with Davy Jones" contest, with listeners submitting their responses to "Why Davy Jones is Your Favorite Monkee."
The 50 winners, one from each radio market, were treated to dinner and a recording session with Davy Jones in Los Angeles, and other fun stuff.
Each teen winner was accompanied by the parent or guardian of their choice.
Here then is the complete Davy Jones Presents discography:
Davy Jones Presents 661: "Gypsy Girl" / "Girl" (Vinnie Basile)
Davy Jones Presents 662: "Fly Superman Fly" / "Have You Been Dreaming" (Randy Johnson)
Davy Jones Presents 663: "White House Happening" / "President Johnson" (Dickie Goodman)
Davy Jones Presents 664: "Back to the Beach" / "Too Proud to Let You Know" (Relations)
IZ ZAT SO? Davy Jones, the first member chosen to be a Monkee, must have liked "Gypsy Girl," an obscure 1966 release by the Staccatos (Syncro 661).
One of the first moves by Davy Jones Presents was to reissue both sides of the Syncro single on their label, and to use its selection number (661) as a starting point for his company's numbering.
Rather than credit the Staccatos, the DJP single is shown as by Vinnie Basile, the featured vocalist of the Staccatos.
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
John Barry - John Barry Orchestra (1933) (film themes 'James Bond Theme', 'Zulu', & 'The Magnificent Seven.'
Brian Poole - Tremeloes (1941)
UK folk singer Bert Jansch (1943)
Tommy Dee - John Fred and His Playboy Band (1946)
Marie Lawrie, (Lulu) (1948)
Stuart Goddard (Adam Ant) (1954)
Ian McNabb - Icicle Works (1962)
They Are Missed:
One of the most successful recording artists of the pre-Beatles era, Lonnie Donegan, died in 2002 mid-way through a UK tour and shortly before he was due to perform at a memorial concert for George Harrison with The Rolling Stones (age 71). Donegan who launched the skiffle craze in the UK had the 1959 hit "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour On The Bedpost Over Night", the 1960 UK #1 single "My Old Man's A Dustman," "Rock Island Line," plus over 30 other UK Top 40 singles.
History:
In 1956, Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender" took over the top spot on the Billboard chart, pushing his double sided hit "Don't Be Cruel"/"Hound Dog" to number two.
In 1957, Sun Records released "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis. It will be his biggest hit, reaching number two on the Billboard Pop chart, number three on the R&B and number one on the Country and Western chart. The single went on to sell over five million copies worldwide.
ABC-Paramount released Danny and The Juniors' first hit, "At the Hop" in 1957. The song sold 7,000 copies in and around Philadelphia when it was first issued on the small independent Singular label.
Elvis Presley had his fifth UK No.1 single in 1960 with "It's Now Or Never," it stayed at #1 for eight weeks. The song which was based on the Italian song, "O Sole Mio," gave Presley his first post-army #1.
In 1962 a song called "He's A Rebel" topped the Billboard Hot 100, credited to The Crystals. In reality, the song was recorded by a trio known as the Blossoms, featuring lead singer Darlene Love. Phil Spector had hastily put the song together while The Crystals were out of town and put their name on the label because they had already had two top twenty hits with "There's No Other" and "Uptown."
During a Rolling Stones North American tour in 1964, a 17 year-old Rolling Stones fan fell from the balcony during a gig in Cleveland, Ohio. The Mayor of Ohio banned all future pop concerts, saying; "Such group's do not add to the community's culture or entertainment."
The filming for The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour was completed in 1967, finishing with a sequence at Ringo's country house in Weybridge, Surrey. BBC television bought the rights to broadcast the film twice, the first broadcast, in black-and-white was scheduled for December 26, 1967. The second showing, on the color channel BBC2, was not yet available to all Britons, was set for January 5, 1968.
Pink Floyd make their US debut at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco in 1967. The tour will come to an early end when Syd Barrett displays increasingly strange behavior, refusing to lip sync to "Arnold Layne" on American Bandstand and refusing to answer questions on The Pat Boone Show.
Carly Simon and James Taylor married in 1972.
During a concert at the Empire Pool in London in 1977, Elton John announces that he will not tour anymore. He would stay retired for fifteen months, but on February 3, 1979, he will resume touring with a concert in Sweden.
One hit wonder M went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1979 with "Pop Muzik."
The Eagles started a nine-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1979 with 'The Long Run', the group's fourth US #1 album.
RCA records signed Latin teen sensations Menudo for $30m in 1983. The line up of five young boys all had to sign a contract agreeing to leave the group when they reached 16, (when too old for the group). Ricky Martin was once a member.
Billy Ocean started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1984 with "Caribbean Queen" (the song was originally called "European Queen").
The U2 concert movie "Rattle And Hum" opened in 1988.
In 1990, 25 years after their version was recorded, The Righteous Brothers went to #1 on the UK singles chart with "Unchained Melody." The track had been featured in the Patrick Swayze film 'Ghost.' Written by Alex North and Hy Zaret, "Unchained Melody" is one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, with over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages.
In 1990, "Ice Ice Baby," by Vanilla Ice became the first rap record to top the US singles chart. The track was initially released as the B-side to the rapper's cover of "Play That Funky Music," and became the A-side after US DJ's started playing the track.
A free concert was held in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco in 1991 to honor the memory of promoter Bill Graham, who was killed in a helicopter crash the week before. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Grateful Dead, Journey and Joan Baez were the featured acts.
"Keep The Faith" by Bon Jovi was released in 1992. It was their first album in 5 years.
In 1995, Hootie and the Blowfish reach an out of court settlement with Bob Dylan for the group's unauthorized use of Dylan's lyrics in their song "Only Want To Be With You."
In 1997, Metallica came to a out of court agreement with a fan who claimed he lost his sense of smell after being dropped on his head by fans at one of their shows four years earlier.
The live Bee Gees album "One Night Only" was released in 1998.
EMI Records announced they had dropped Simple Minds in 2000. The Scottish band had sold over 30m albums during the 1980's.
Eminem started a 12 week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 2002 with "Lose Yourself."
Santana were at #1 on the US alum chart in 2002 with ‘Shaman’ their fourth US #1 album.
In 2003, P Diddy ran in the New York City Marathon and raised $2,000,000 for the educational system for the children of New York. He finished the marathon in four hours and eighteen minutes. Awesome!
Winners at this years 2005 MTV Europe awards included Coldplay, who won best UK act and best song for "Speed Of Sound," Green Day won best rock act and best album, Alicia Keys was named best R&B act, System of a Down won best alternative act, The Black Eyed Peas won the best pop award and for the first time, the awards included a category for best African act, won by 2 Face. Madonna, in her first live TV performance since a riding accident, launched the show by emerging from a giant disco ball. Madonna also presented MTV's 'Free Your Mind' humanitarian award to Live 8 organiser Bob Geldof.
In 2006, a man who had been stalking US singer, actress Hilary Duff was arrested for threatening to kill her. According to legal papers, Maksim Miakovsky had gone to the U.S. "for the sole purpose of meeting and becoming romantically involved with Ms. Duff". He was later sentenced to 117 days in jail and five years probation after pleading no contest to the charges.
The Killers were awarded the Best Rock honor at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2006. They also performed. The Red Hot Chili Peppers got the Best Album nod for 'Stadium Arcadium.'
Also in 2006, former Beatle Paul McCartney presented the live debut of his classical album, 'Ecce Cor Meum (Behold My Heart),' a four-part oratorio, at London's Royal Albert Hall. The special concert features the same ensemble that appears on the disc.
In 2008, Neil Young addressed the Dreamforce conference in San Francisco. He tells the audience that his experimental, energy-efficient Linc Volt car is an example of what independent automotive innovation can accomplish. "Guys in garages around the world have come together, and this is one of the results," says the musician.
Slayer unleashed, 'World Painted Blood,' their tenth studio effort in 2009. “Things were kept as pure as possible, and I think it shows on this record,” says drummer Dave Lombardo. “Things aren't polished. It's great. I am so proud of this record." The set is the follow-up to ‘06’s 'Christ Illusion.'
The release of a remastered “Bleach” celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Nirvana album in 2009. It’s available on two formats - an expanded CD and a double-vinyl LP. Part of the package is a previously unreleased ’90 Portland, OR, concert. In addition, “The Live At Reading” CD/DVD, chronicling the band's ‘92 headlining show in England, is out. Sanctioned by surviving Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, the DVD has the band's entire Reading set in remastered in 5.1 Surround Sound, plus never-before-seen bonus footage.
As always a hearty thank you to Michael Goldstein over athttp://www.rockpopgallery.com/for his exclusive permission to post this material on the blog:
UnCovered Interview - United Abominations album cover by John Lorenzi
UnCovered Interview - John Lorenzi and the making of the cover for Megadeth's United Abominations album
Subject - the making of the cover of the Megadeth album titled United Abominations, released in 2007 on RoadRunner Records.
As it is true in most of the careers of "creative types" - the folks that rely on whatever it is inside them that makes them want to devote themselves to making things (art, music, literature, etc.) that somehow stimulate others - sometimes, you just need a break to be discovered and for your career to get some sort of a boost. Not that that break will necessarily lead to fame, riches and the adoration of the masses...sometimes, it just serves to introduce you to a patron or two and helps kick-start your fan base to some degree. From there, it usually just takes a tireless work ethic, marketing savvy and gobs of luck before you can have a life-long career doing what you're passionate about.
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine has long shown a flair for invention, both in his music and how his musical efforts are promoted visually. In a song ("Skull Beneath The Skin") from their first record release in 1985, Mustaine describes a character - a macabre manifestation of "See/Hear/Speak No Evil" - who he then realized in an initial sketch he did (and then worked with a series of artists over the years to recreate to fit applications including album cover art, merchandise, music video/stage props, etc.). And, like other examples of iconic rock images done before and since, each artist's interpretation of Mr. Rattlehead would reflect - some more successfully than others (according to fans/critics) - the status of both the band's music, internal politics and the state of the world in which Vic "lived". In some cases, it seems clear that even a guy with all of his facial orifices sealed shut just can't get a break.
In the case highlighted here though - that of artist/illustrator John Lorenzi - his own break came as the result of an almost-first-place (!!) finish in a contest to redesign an iconic image - that of Vic Rattlehead - where he just hoped to gain a little notice and, perhaps, win a guitar for his kid. As luck would have it, the designs he submitted caught the eye of just the right guy - Dave Mustaine (who, according to the website - deviantART.com - that sponsored the contest, "not only discovered a new Vic, but a new group of artists to work with on future projects") - and, quite suddenly, John was now tasked with a much-larger project than he had ever thought he'd see arise from his contest entry, the details of which are covered in today's UnCovered interview...
In the words of the artist, John Lorenzi - (interviewed Summer, 2010) -
In the wake of a previous job, my wife and I were both looking for new work when she read that DeviantArt was sponsoring a contest - it's biggest ever, I think - to redesign Megadeth's mascot, Vic Rattlehead. The task was to take Vic Rattlehead to a time shortly after he had those terrible atrocities happen to him, using the song "Skull Beneath The Skin" as a guide ("Prepare the patients scalp, To peel away, Metal caps his ears, He'll hear not what we say, Solid steel visor, Riveted across his eyes, Iron staples close his jaws. So no one hears his cries..."). I don't recall that there was any mention that any of this art could be used for the next album, but there was certainly that kind of potential.
I thought about what I might do and then submitted three designs thinking that, if I was to win this thing, I might get a pretty nice guitar for one of my kids. Three months later, I learned that, out of over 3000 submissions reviewed by Dave Mustaine himself, I had two out of the three pieces I submitted in the final 11(?!). This in itself was pretty exciting compared to the corporate art I was doing at the time to pay the bills. I hadn't really had my art looked at by so many at one time.. not this kind of stuff - my stuff - unedited by someone else. The initial image that I guess really grabbed Dave was my second contest entry that showed an angel with one hand on Vic Rattlehead's shoulder (and I have to give full credit to my wife, who suggested that I add the angel).
Anyway, by the end of the contest, I had lost twice (Editor's Note - the winner was Polish artist Michal Loranc, who received a LTD AXXION, a Dave Mustaine Signature Serious electric guitar from ESP), but it was fun while it lasted and, as it turned out, I had competed with some pretty well-known artists, including an artist who'd done a previous Megadeth album cover (Another Editor's Note - other noted artists who've done Megadeth covers over the years include Ed Repka and Hugh Syme), and . This was all very cool to me, as it represented most of the reasons why I had gotten into this business in the first place. I thought that was the end of it until a month and a half later, when I received a call from Megadeth's management, asking me if I would work with them on the artwork for the cover of their next album.
Megadeth in itself has quite a history and has become an institution within their genre. With that stature, the band pretty much dictates its own look - with its own set of rules that you need to stay within to maintain its reputation - so they let me know those rules up front, making sure I was up for the task ahead before letting me talk to Dave Mustaine himself. From that moment forward, Dave became the art director for everything I did that was Megadeth.
This being my first job doing a cover for anything, I really didn't have much to go by. Having worked with other labels since gave me the realization that it could have been a better deal. Whatever fee I was going to make on this job was going to be more than I was making at that moment, and the fact that it was for Megadeth certainly had an added value, so we took care of the paperwork and moved ahead.
From the start, as a reference, there was a huge body of past work for me to look at and listen to when it seemed like things were starting to veer off course. I did get to listen to some tracks from the new album beforehand (very cool) and was able to reference the lyrics to a lot of the new songs as well. Naturally, you don't want to be doing the art for the band's worst album, so when I actually heard some of the music, I got pretty excited, because it was damn good!
I was never physically in any meetings and only teleconferenced a few times with the label so, as far as I knew, it was mostly Dave, his manager and myself working on this. I never really knew what other influences there were at the other end and what impact they might have had on the final outcome.
Once, when we were brainstorming, Dave broke into a Bowie tune - Young Americans I think - which was unexpected and very cool. He then described to me how the angel on the cover should be an androgynous character. I think that, under Dave's heavy metal exterior, he has a huge personality that probably would take two maybe three people to contain. With everything that he is, I don't think people realize he's also an art director with a good eye.
Originally. the front of the cover was wrapping around to the back of the jewel case. All I had by the time I thought I was done was this one guy standing there looking alone and defeated. Everything thereafter was built around this image.
All my work was painted digitally on some pretty dated equipment with some pretty dated software, although it is the same stuff I'm using now! I was only about two sketches in and I think Dave was getting a good idea of what he wanted so, after that, we made what seemed like a million tweaks to the same image. Had I painted it on canvas, I imagine the paint would've been pretty thick. Time is always the enemy when doing something like this. Not because you can't produce fast enough, but because the work you're doing isn't necessarily at the top of the overall project's priority list. Regardless, you're supposed to be ready with the goods when the time comes.
Contracts for projects like this usually always say that they can reject your work at any time, for whatever reason so, from day one, with every new version I submit, I'm thinking this isn't gonna' happen, they're going to use something else. We sent this art back and forth for about two and half months, tweaking and refining until it was what he wanted. Fast-forward six months, about a month to go before the release of United Abominations, we were at it again making a few more finishing touches.
It's hard to gauge the exact length of time it took to make this cover, what with all the Megadeth-related projects I had on the side as they ramped up for the coming tour. While I waited for the latest revisions to get the once-over, they kept me busy doing artwork for merchandise until, one day, it all just stopped and everything was finished. They then had me tweak the three pieces I did for the contest and prepped them to be used for some interior fills. I'm now thinking that this is the point of no return and that, if this didn't end up, being the actual cover, I was going to make it the actual cover, even if it was just my own personal copy that I made at Kinko's.
No one from the label really talked to me throughout the process until at one point towards the end after someone leaked the cover image when no one was supposed to have seen it yet. All of a sudden, everyone wanted to talk to me. I was the only person that knew it wasn't me so all I'm thinking is that someone wanted me off the project.
By the time it was released, everything was on the very front, like a letter-boxed image. I didn't get to assemble the package - I just provided them with the artwork that was filling placeholders and their art director did the rest. Somehow, my final contest entry ended up on the disc unchanged, though I think it was supposed to match what was on the tray. The back of the album has a revised version of that initial image along with the song list. I think that, if the label had been more involved and knew where the front image came from, they wouldn't have put the redundant image on the back.
In the end, I only have my own theories as to why they turned to the public to reinvent Vic Rattlehead. As far as I know it was an elaborate plot to get me to do artwork for them :-) I really don't know the answer to this.
(Editor's final note - John continues to work for the band, so their plan seems to have worked!)
About the artist, John Lorenzi -
John Lorenzi is a freelance artist living in Colorado with his wife and two kids. As he puts it - " I don't have a lot of formal training. I've been drawing as long as I can remember. Prior to my freelance work, I did mostly unrelated things, so I didn't really start doing art professionally until about 17 years ago, when I first moved to Colorado. One of the first jobs I had was designing creatures and props for a local studio. I've since written a children's book, a science fiction novella (I'm in the process of illustrating them and looking for a publisher), and pitching a comic book all the while looking for next gig so we can eat and pay the bills. I'm looking forward to doing more covers for whomever let's me."
He continues to produce art for Megadeth and has done artwork on four albums (under two labels) including: United Abominations, Warchest (Box Set), Anthology: Set The World Afire and Endgame. He's created art for Gigantour II, stage and tour merchandise for Megadeth and has provided art for merchandise for other bands including Black Sabbath, Pantera and Insane Clown Posse. You can purchase a variety of things featuring his art at http://www.megadeth.com/ or you can visit his Flash development site at: http://www.obliterator.com/.
About UnCovered -
Our ongoing series of interviews will give you, the music and art fan, a look at "The Making Of" the illustrations, photographs and designs of many of the most-recognized and influential images that have served to package and promote your all-time-favorite recordings.
In each UnCovered feature, we'll meet the artists, designers and photographers who produced these works of art and learn what motivated them, what processes they used, how they collaborated (or fought) with the musical acts, their management, their labels, etc. - all of the things that influenced the final product you saw then and still see today.
We hope that you enjoy these looks behind the scenes of the music-related art business and that you'll share your stories with us and fellow fans about what role these works of art - and the music they covered - played in your lives.
All images featured in this UnCovered story are Copyright 2006 John Lorenzi and David Mustaine - All rights reserved - and are used with their permission. Except as noted, all other text Copyright 2010 - Mike Goldstein & RockPoP Gallery (http://www.rockpopgallery.com/) - All rights reserved.
The new record is out on the band's own label, Motorhead Music (under EMI). It's set to arrive in Britain on Dec. 13. No word on an American release date for 'Wörld is Yours' yet. Check the track list below.
The 'Wörld is Yours' track list:
1 Born To Lose
2 I Know How To Die
3 Get Back In Line
4 Devils In My Head
5 Rock ‘N’ Roll Music
6 Waiting For The Snake
7 Brotherhood Of Man
8 Outlaw
9 I Know What You Need
10 Bye Bye Bitch Bye Bye
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Paul Westerberg Releasing 7" Single
Ex-Replacements leader Paul Westerberg is issuing a pair of new songs — under the pseudonym Mr. F — on limited-edition, multicolored 7-inch vinyl that comes with a code to download a third, digital-only track.
The new 7-inch — featuring “This Machine” and “Foolish Hand Shake,” plus the code to download the “epic” digital track “Grandpaboy’s Last Stand” — is available for $8 plus shipping exclusively through Nimbit Music. There’s a limit of one per customer.
The new songs are the first from Westerberg since he released the six-song EP PW & The Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys in September 2009, which followed a string self-released digital projects, including the 2008 album 49:00 and individual song offerings such as “3oclockreep,” “Finally Here Come,” “Bored of Edukation” and “Always in a Manger.”
Tracklist: Mr. F, “This Machine”
A. “This Machine”
B. “Foolish Hand Shake”
Digital bonus track: “Grandpaboy’s Last Stand”
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GLOOMY GRIM: 'Grim Fate' Single Available For Streaming
Finnish black metallers GLOOMY GRIM recently completed work on a new two-track single containing a cover version of the MERCYFUL FATE classic "Black Funeral" and a new song, "Let My Enemy Suffer As I Do!" Entitled "Grim Fate", the single's cover art was created by Mario E. López M. (IRON MAIDEN, BURNING DARKNESS, HANGMAN).
GLOOMY GRIM's latest album, "Under the Spell of the Unlight", was released in May 2008 via Anticulture Records.
Now, I normally don't blog about digital releases, but you gotta love the artwork here....looks like something I did in high school......
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CALM HATCHERY Cover Art Revealed
Northern Polish death metal squadron CALM HATCHERY have revealed the cover artwork for their upcoming second album, and first for Selfmadegod Records, Sacrilege Of Humanity!
Featuring past and present members of Dead Infection and Tehace, CALM HATCHERY have just completed putting the final touches on Sacrilege Of Humanity. The band signed a worldwide deal with Selfmadegod, and the album shall hit the stores on November 15th 2010. The striking cover artwork was designed by Mentalporn (Deathstars, Behemoth).
Again, marvelous album cover art!
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Lord Symphony : New Album's Cover Artwork and Tracklist Revealed
Lord SYMPHONY, epic Power Metal band from Solo, Indonesia, previously one of the opening band for Helloween - Hellishrock Indonesia Tour 2008 has officially announced their new album BHARATAYUDHA PART 1 cover artwork and tracklist.
And here is the complete traclist:
1. KURAWA
2. PERJAMUAN TERAKHIR
3. SETIA BISMA
4. THE JEALOUSY
5. THE QUESTION AND HELP OF THE Blind DESTRARASTRA
6. BLOODY WAR WILL NOT END UNTIL THE Judgement Day
7. THE BEAUTY WITHIN THE WAR
8. BLACK Dawn
9. THE Journey AND RELEASE
10. THE STAIN OF CASTE
11. BIMA SUCI
12. THE Blind [THE BEGINING]
Furnace MFG proudly announces its selection as the official Vinyl Record, CD and DVD manufacturing partner for Record Store Day 2011.
(PRWEB) November 2, 2010 - Furnace MFG proudly announces its selection as the official Vinyl Record, CD and DVD manufacturing partner for Record Store Day 2011.
Entering its fourth year, Record Store Day celebrates the unique music culture found in over 1400 independently owned record stores in the USA and around the world.
Notable/platinum-selling artists rally for the cause by making in-store appearances and performances and by releasing exclusive/special products for independent retailers.
“We selected Furnace MFG as our official manufacturing partner because of their reputation for high quality manufacturing and fast turnaround times,” said Michael Kurtz, co-founder of Record Store Day. Fairfax, VA.
“Store owners value high-quality product that is released on time because this promotes strong sales and minimizes costly returns. Furnace is a favorite amongst participating RSD labels because they always deliver on both fronts.”
The previous Record Store Day featured more than 200 retail-only, special releases. RSD 2011 promises to produce even greater participation. Coinciding with this year's RSD is an exhibit about the grunge band Nirvana at Seattle’s The Experience Music Project.
Furnace MFG and RSD make a natural partnership. Furnace specializes in high quality vinyl pressing and also offers CD and DVD manufacturing – all under one roof.
Furnace, working with a large and varied group of artists and labels, has the capability and capacity to assure all RSD participants that their products will be on retail shelves in time for RSD 2011: Saturday, April 16th.
Eric Astor, Furnace MFG’s CEO says, “We are excited to begin our relationship with Record Store Day. RSD is a wonderful event that draws attention to the 1000+ independent record stores still catering to the record buying culture that I valued growing up. To encourage increased participation in RSD, we intend to create special discounts for artists and labels wishing to press their music with us.”
About Furnace MFG:
Furnace MFG (http://www.furnacemfg.com/vinyl), in business since1996, is a recognized leader in CD and DVD duplication, replication, and vinyl record manufacturing and packaging. Furnace MFG has over 40 active vinyl record presses offering the most capacity of audiophile quality vinyl in the world. Furnace MFG is also the co-owner of Pallas USA, a partnership with the Pallas Group of Germany, widely known as the world’s finest vinyl pressing facility.
About Record Store Day:
Music Monitor Network manages Record Store Day in partnership with the Alliance of Independent Music Stores (AIMS), the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) and celebrates the culture of independent record stores by playing host to in-store events/performances, signings and special product releases on a global scale. It takes place this coming year on Saturday, April 16th, 2011.
