Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Let Him Rot
Mark David Chapman, the man who killed John Lennon, has been denied parole for the fifth time. I am all for rehabilitation, but there is none for this idiot.
New Glen Campbell Vinyl LP
"Meet Glen Campbell" is now avaliable on vinyl from Capitol Records. Not available on CD until next week, this marks the former Beach Boy's return to Capitol Records.
This special limited edition LP includes all ten tracks which will be on the CD, including Glen's cover of John Lennon's "Grow Old With Me", and a bonus track, Glen's original version of his hit song "Galveston". The vinyl edition also includes a digital card for the entire album.
This special limited edition LP includes all ten tracks which will be on the CD, including Glen's cover of John Lennon's "Grow Old With Me", and a bonus track, Glen's original version of his hit song "Galveston". The vinyl edition also includes a digital card for the entire album.
This Date In Music History- August 13
Birthdays:
Dave "Baby" Cortez ("Happy Organ") is 70.
Danny Bonaduce of the Partridge Family (though he never actually sang) turns 49.
Jimmy McCracklin ("The Walk") is 87.
History:
In 1924, "The Prisoner's Song" by Vernon Dalhart, became the first country music record to sell one million copies.
Anti-Beatlemania followed Lennon's remark that the group is "more popular than Jesus" in 1966. A Cleveland reverend says he will demand excommunication for any parishioner caught listening to the Fab Four.
Two days after John Lennon's apology for saying the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ, radio station KLUE in Longview, Texas organizes a Beatles Bonfire, where the group's records and memorabilia were destroyed. The next morning, the station's transmission tower was struck by lightning, halting all broadcasting.
In 1952, Big Mama Thornton recorded the first version of "Hound Dog," which becomes an R&B No. 1. It's the first composition by the young rock 'n' roll songwriting team of Leiber & Stoller to make an impact on the charts.
In 1938, Robert Johnson died three days after he was poisoned by the jealous husband of a woman he began seeing during a stint at the Three Forks juke joint in Greenwood, Mississippi.
The Matrix, a pizza parlor turned rock club, featured Jefferson Airplane as its opening act in 1965. Vocalist Marty Balin is a co-owner, and the still-legal hallucinogen LSD is sold at the bar.
In 1966, "Summer in the City" topped the charts for three weeks, displacing "Wild Thing," by the Troggs. The song started out as a poem written by John Sebastian's brother, Mark, before the band changed some words and then set it to music by the Lovin’ Spoonful.
The Jackson 5 won an amateur-night competition at Harlem's famed Apollo Theatre in 1967.
In 1971, King Curtis was stabbed to death outside his apartment on New York's Upper West Side.
Curtis Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after high winds cause a lighting rig to fall on him at a concert in Brooklyn, New York in 1990. Mayfield passed away on December 26, 1999.
Crosby, Stills & Nash returned to the scene of an early triumph, performing at the Woodstock '94 festival. This year was the 25th anniversary of both Crosby, Stills and Nash's formation and the original Woodstock festival.
Bobby Darin signed a six-picture deal with Paramount Studios worth $1 million in 1959.
In 1972, John Lennon and Stevie Wonder performed at New York's "One-To-One Concert" to aid the retarded.
Todd Rundgren, best remembered for his 1978 hit, "Hello, It's Me", was held hostage while his house is robbed by four masked men in 1980. Rundgren, his girlfriend and three houseguests were bound and gagged during the theft. It was reported that one of the intruders had been humming Todd's hit "I Saw The Light" during the robbery.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played the first of five sold-out nights at the Bottom Line in New York City in 1975. The shows received rave reviews and created a buzz in the music industry.
Tubes release their self-titled debut album in 1975, featuring the band's anthem "White Punks On Dope.”
Legendary Stax soul singer Joe Tex ("The Love You Save [May Be Your Own]") died of a heart attack in Navasota, Texas in 1982. He was 44.
Dave "Baby" Cortez ("Happy Organ") is 70.
Danny Bonaduce of the Partridge Family (though he never actually sang) turns 49.
Jimmy McCracklin ("The Walk") is 87.
History:
In 1924, "The Prisoner's Song" by Vernon Dalhart, became the first country music record to sell one million copies.
Anti-Beatlemania followed Lennon's remark that the group is "more popular than Jesus" in 1966. A Cleveland reverend says he will demand excommunication for any parishioner caught listening to the Fab Four.
Two days after John Lennon's apology for saying the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ, radio station KLUE in Longview, Texas organizes a Beatles Bonfire, where the group's records and memorabilia were destroyed. The next morning, the station's transmission tower was struck by lightning, halting all broadcasting.
In 1952, Big Mama Thornton recorded the first version of "Hound Dog," which becomes an R&B No. 1. It's the first composition by the young rock 'n' roll songwriting team of Leiber & Stoller to make an impact on the charts.
In 1938, Robert Johnson died three days after he was poisoned by the jealous husband of a woman he began seeing during a stint at the Three Forks juke joint in Greenwood, Mississippi.
The Matrix, a pizza parlor turned rock club, featured Jefferson Airplane as its opening act in 1965. Vocalist Marty Balin is a co-owner, and the still-legal hallucinogen LSD is sold at the bar.
In 1966, "Summer in the City" topped the charts for three weeks, displacing "Wild Thing," by the Troggs. The song started out as a poem written by John Sebastian's brother, Mark, before the band changed some words and then set it to music by the Lovin’ Spoonful.
The Jackson 5 won an amateur-night competition at Harlem's famed Apollo Theatre in 1967.
In 1971, King Curtis was stabbed to death outside his apartment on New York's Upper West Side.
Curtis Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after high winds cause a lighting rig to fall on him at a concert in Brooklyn, New York in 1990. Mayfield passed away on December 26, 1999.
Crosby, Stills & Nash returned to the scene of an early triumph, performing at the Woodstock '94 festival. This year was the 25th anniversary of both Crosby, Stills and Nash's formation and the original Woodstock festival.
Bobby Darin signed a six-picture deal with Paramount Studios worth $1 million in 1959.
In 1972, John Lennon and Stevie Wonder performed at New York's "One-To-One Concert" to aid the retarded.
Todd Rundgren, best remembered for his 1978 hit, "Hello, It's Me", was held hostage while his house is robbed by four masked men in 1980. Rundgren, his girlfriend and three houseguests were bound and gagged during the theft. It was reported that one of the intruders had been humming Todd's hit "I Saw The Light" during the robbery.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played the first of five sold-out nights at the Bottom Line in New York City in 1975. The shows received rave reviews and created a buzz in the music industry.
Tubes release their self-titled debut album in 1975, featuring the band's anthem "White Punks On Dope.”
Legendary Stax soul singer Joe Tex ("The Love You Save [May Be Your Own]") died of a heart attack in Navasota, Texas in 1982. He was 44.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Vinyl Record Day- Aug 12
Tommorow is Vinyl Record Day, a day to celebrate this historical audio medium with friends and family. To celebrate this day, please take time out of your hectic life and place a couple of records on the turntable and appreciate the sound quality, the social importance of records and most of all, whatever you listen to; please enjoy the music.
I recieved an email from the founder of Vinyl Record Day, Gary Freiberg, and there is some news to report:
"To celebrate the 2008 Vinyl Record Day, we are announcing submission has been made to the US Postal Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee to encourage the preservation of America's audio history on the vinyl record by issuing a stamp series based on the cultural influences of vinyl over the past sixty years."
"Many music artists have been honored with stamps but never has the medium that brought theirs and many other artists performances to the world been commemorated and recognized. Vinyl Record Day is looking to the near future when this culturally important recording medium will be honored and preservation of recordings on vinyl will be encouraged through the US post system."
Let's hope that this becomes a reality. If you would like to support Vinyl Record Day, stop by the site and make a donation, it is that important. And remember, it is always about the music.
www.VinylRecordDay.org
I recieved an email from the founder of Vinyl Record Day, Gary Freiberg, and there is some news to report:
"To celebrate the 2008 Vinyl Record Day, we are announcing submission has been made to the US Postal Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee to encourage the preservation of America's audio history on the vinyl record by issuing a stamp series based on the cultural influences of vinyl over the past sixty years."
"Many music artists have been honored with stamps but never has the medium that brought theirs and many other artists performances to the world been commemorated and recognized. Vinyl Record Day is looking to the near future when this culturally important recording medium will be honored and preservation of recordings on vinyl will be encouraged through the US post system."
Let's hope that this becomes a reality. If you would like to support Vinyl Record Day, stop by the site and make a donation, it is that important. And remember, it is always about the music.
www.VinylRecordDay.org
This Date In Music History- August 11
Birthdays:
Eric Carmen ("All By Myself" and the Raspberries) turns 59.
Joe Jackson ("Is She Really Going Out With Him") is 53.
Producer Kenny Gamble, who with Leon Huff perfected the Philly soul sound turns 65.
Benjamin Gibbard, vocalist for Death Cab For Cutie, was born in Bremerton, WA in 1976.
History:
In 1956, Elvis Presley released "Don't Be Cruel." The single became a No. 1 pop, country, and R&B hit.
Elvis Presley earned his first gold record in 1958 for "Hard Headed Woman.” By 2002, he will have sold over 100 million records.
In 1966, The Beatles held a press conference at the Astor Towers Hotel in Chicago where John Lennon apologized for his remarks that The Beatles were "more popular than Jesus now." The US media mis-quoted Lennon and rallies were held all over the country to smash and burn Beatle records. Lennon said later that he was trying to say, "the way they (some fans) carry on, it's like we're more popular than Jesus Christ." Meanwhile, the city of Memphis asks the Beatles not to play any concerts there and the price of Capitol Records' stock drops.
Apple Records was formed in 1968.
In 1968, the Beatles released "Hey Jude," their first single to bear the Apple imprint. The single, backed with "Revolution," went to No. 1. In England, today marks the start of National Apple Week, named in honor of the Beatles' fledgling record label.
The Beatles' "Help!" film opened in New York in 1965 (nearly two weeks after its London premiere).
In 1973, Bill Aucoin approached Kiss after seeing them play in New York to offer his services as manager. He also promised them a record deal, which they later made with Casablanca. The rest is Rock & Roll history.
In 2005, Mariah Carey sat atop the U.S. singles chart for a staggering 11th week with "We Belong Together."
In 1962, a flood of new releases hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart- that will go on to be hit records. Mary Wells' "You Beat Me to the Punch,” Ray Stevens' "Ahab the Arab,” Johnny Tillotson's "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On,” The Marvelettes' "Beechwood 4-5789,” The Contours' "Do You Love Me,” The Beach Boys' "Surfin' Safari,” Booker T and the MGs' classic instrumental "Green Onions" and crooner Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
After eight previous songs landed in the Billboard Top 40, Neil Sedaka scored his first US number one hit in 1962 with "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do". It reached #7 on the UK chart.
In 1984, Ray Parker Jr. had Billboard's number one song with "Ghostbusters.” Huey Lewis would later launch a successful plagiarism suit, claiming the song was a rip-off of his "I Want a New Drug".
Although they were nearly 20 years old, six Monkees albums that had been re-released, re-entered Billboard's Hot 200 LP chart in 1986.
In 1987, The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was named 'the best album made during the last 20 years' by Rolling Stone magazine.
The Kingston Trio were the mystery guests on TV's "What's My Line" in 1963.
The Edgar Winter Group's "Free Ride" was released in 1973.
Aerosmith goes gold with their “Toys In The Attic” LP in 1975.
Eric Carmen ("All By Myself" and the Raspberries) turns 59.
Joe Jackson ("Is She Really Going Out With Him") is 53.
Producer Kenny Gamble, who with Leon Huff perfected the Philly soul sound turns 65.
Benjamin Gibbard, vocalist for Death Cab For Cutie, was born in Bremerton, WA in 1976.
History:
In 1956, Elvis Presley released "Don't Be Cruel." The single became a No. 1 pop, country, and R&B hit.
Elvis Presley earned his first gold record in 1958 for "Hard Headed Woman.” By 2002, he will have sold over 100 million records.
In 1966, The Beatles held a press conference at the Astor Towers Hotel in Chicago where John Lennon apologized for his remarks that The Beatles were "more popular than Jesus now." The US media mis-quoted Lennon and rallies were held all over the country to smash and burn Beatle records. Lennon said later that he was trying to say, "the way they (some fans) carry on, it's like we're more popular than Jesus Christ." Meanwhile, the city of Memphis asks the Beatles not to play any concerts there and the price of Capitol Records' stock drops.
Apple Records was formed in 1968.
In 1968, the Beatles released "Hey Jude," their first single to bear the Apple imprint. The single, backed with "Revolution," went to No. 1. In England, today marks the start of National Apple Week, named in honor of the Beatles' fledgling record label.
The Beatles' "Help!" film opened in New York in 1965 (nearly two weeks after its London premiere).
In 1973, Bill Aucoin approached Kiss after seeing them play in New York to offer his services as manager. He also promised them a record deal, which they later made with Casablanca. The rest is Rock & Roll history.
In 2005, Mariah Carey sat atop the U.S. singles chart for a staggering 11th week with "We Belong Together."
In 1962, a flood of new releases hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart- that will go on to be hit records. Mary Wells' "You Beat Me to the Punch,” Ray Stevens' "Ahab the Arab,” Johnny Tillotson's "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On,” The Marvelettes' "Beechwood 4-5789,” The Contours' "Do You Love Me,” The Beach Boys' "Surfin' Safari,” Booker T and the MGs' classic instrumental "Green Onions" and crooner Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
After eight previous songs landed in the Billboard Top 40, Neil Sedaka scored his first US number one hit in 1962 with "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do". It reached #7 on the UK chart.
In 1984, Ray Parker Jr. had Billboard's number one song with "Ghostbusters.” Huey Lewis would later launch a successful plagiarism suit, claiming the song was a rip-off of his "I Want a New Drug".
Although they were nearly 20 years old, six Monkees albums that had been re-released, re-entered Billboard's Hot 200 LP chart in 1986.
In 1987, The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was named 'the best album made during the last 20 years' by Rolling Stone magazine.
The Kingston Trio were the mystery guests on TV's "What's My Line" in 1963.
The Edgar Winter Group's "Free Ride" was released in 1973.
Aerosmith goes gold with their “Toys In The Attic” LP in 1975.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Got Vinyl?
Rolling Stone published a piece in its June 12, 2008 issue noting a resurgence in vinyl sales -- a smart follow-up to the magazine’s piece a few months before on the decline in recording quality and mastering. As more music fans become dissatisfied with digital formats, especially MP3s, they’re turning to vinyl for better sound. The numbers the article quoted won’t keep Apple’s Steve Jobs awake at night -- the biggest seller was Sundazed Records’ reissue of Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde, at 25,000 copies since its release in 2004 -- but they’re enough to help ensure that LPs will keep a healthy enough following to keep them alive.
The analog advocates quoted in the piece, including mastering engineer Bob Ludwig, defend LPs for the reasons most of us remain loyal to a format that’s been repeatedly pronounced dead. Records sound warmer and give you a better sense of the way the music actually feels -- you can hear the attack of the bass, and drums often have a more visceral punch. I was reminded of vinyl’s power to connect me to music in ways that CDs don’t a few months ago while listening to Frank Zappa’s music in both formats. I preferred the vinyl by far. The soundstage was deeper, and the music sounded more natural. The kickdrums on the close of "Holiday in Berlin, Full-Blown," from Burnt Weeny Sandwich, moved more air via vinyl than they did via CD. They hit me harder.
But I’m not such a diehard record lover that I avoid CDs altogether. CD players have improved vastly in the last few years, and, in theory, digital mastering technology is better (it’s what some engineers do with that technology that’s disturbing). I won’t even argue that a recording on vinyl always sounds better than its CD counterpart. Verve’s 1960s pressings, made after the company became a subsidiary of MGM, are often noisy, and the CDs released under the Verve moniker are usually well mastered. I do enjoy listening to CDs, and a lot of the music in my collection isn’t easily or affordably available on LP. On the other hand, some titles aren’t available on CD at all. As far as I can tell, Dizzy Gillespie’s A Portrait of Duke Ellington has been released on CD only in Japan. I was able to pick it up on vinyl, along with a number of other hard-to-find titles, from a friend of mine whose uncle was a jazz collector.
Another gem I picked up from that collection was Dale’s Wail, a two-LP reissue of Roy Eldridge’s mid-’50s Verve sessions. The music is available as part of a Mosaic set, but otherwise, you won’t find it on CD. Same for mono versions of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour, and Blonde on Blonde. If you love those recordings, or Miles Ahead, Miles Davis’s first collaboration with Gil Evans for Columbia Records, you owe it to yourself to hear them in mono. As much as I enjoy Phil Schapp’s work on the CD version of Miles Ahead, I like the mono LP better -- the tape splices are less jarring, and the music flows more easily.
If you’ve heard Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks only on the edgy CD that’s been around since 1988, then you really must hear it on LP -- it’s so much richer and more enveloping on vinyl. You can find a copy of Astral Weeks on eBay, but be careful. One seller currently lists two copies of the LP and is asking $45 for each. He tells you the condition of the record and cover, but doesn’t describe the label or list the matrix numbers from the deadwax. A seller asking $45 for an LP is pitching to collectors and should know that they’re looking for such arcana. A seller who isn’t aware of that fact doesn’t know what he’s doing, and can’t be counted on to accurately describe a record’s condition.
Here are a few more tips I’ve gained from 10 years’ experience of shopping on eBay:
1) Try to learn some history of the LP. An olive-green Warner/7Arts-label Astral Weeks is collectible; an olive-green WB label is less so but still sonically good and may command a few bucks. Check the "Completed Items" listings on eBay for an idea of what each pressing might be going for. Later pressings may sound OK, but they’re not worth more than $10 even in mint condition.
2) Look at the seller’s history. Buy only from one with a long history of sales and a high rating.
3) Read the product description carefully. The seller may think his copy of Revolver is rare, but if he hasn’t played it, and/or doesn’t list the condition of the record and the label, and/or doesn’t include a photo, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
4) Buy from sellers who use PayPal, unless they have an extensive history (for me, it’s at least 100 transactions with a 98% or higher rating). I’ve been stung only once by an eBay seller, and it was because I didn’t follow these guidelines.
Because vinyl shops are now unheard of outside urban areas or college towns, the Web has been a boon to vinyl collectors. Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds, and Elusive Disc are great sources for vinyl on the Web, and while they carry many of the same titles, each has unique selections. True Blue Music, a subsidiary of Mosaic Records, sells mostly jazz vinyl; you can pick up Original Jazz Classics pressings from them for about $10 each. (The other three retailers mentioned also sell OJCs, so check them all if you’re looking for a particular title.) True Blue also sells jazz on some other labels, such as VSOP and obscure Japanese record companies. In many cases, I haven’t seen these LPs anywhere else. Finally, check out the vinyl site of Amazon.com, which carries a wide variety of LPs and offers free shipping for orders over $25. I've had mixed results with Amazon.com's shipping, but the rest of these retailers take great care in packaging LPs. A little Web searching ("online LP retailers" should do it) can help you find other online sellers. Start with www.buyvinylrecords.net.
Buying records via the Web won’t ever take the place of rifling through a stack of LPs and finding something you really want. I often stop by flea markets to look for record dealers, or I’ll swing by a Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift shop. There’s nothing like finding an old Blue Note or other gem for a buck. I also like to find out if there’s a record shop in a town I’m visiting. When, a few months ago, my wife and I visited Albany, she did a Web search and found three record stores there. She also knew we’d be stopping for lunch on the way and found a shop in Scranton, PA. Sometimes, I think vinyl collectors develop a sixth sense. On the way to a concert in Washington, DC, I stopped in Silver Springs, MD for a cup of coffee. Wandering around, I ran into a record shop and found three great jazz LPs, two of which are not in print on CD.
Cleaning is a must for LPs. Again, the Web is a good source of information, but articles on record cleaning read like case studies in obsessive compulsive disorder. In this instance, the sufferers are on to something. The cleaner the record, the better it will sound. Whatever’s in the grooves is picked up by the stylus and magnified. For years, I used a solution of one part isopropyl alcohol to four parts distilled water, which I then wiped off and followed with a rinse of distilled water. I tried other cleaning products and noticed no difference -- until I bought Audio Intelligent’s vinyl-cleaning fluids, after reading Marc Mickelson’s review in SoundStage!. Every word he wrote is true. I noticed a significant difference in the sound of LPs I cleaned using Audio Intelligent, which removed nearly all the background noise on the Verve pressings I referred to earlier. Even new records benefit from cleaning, which can remove the mold-release compounds that remain from the manufacturing process.
Record-cleaning machines are great, but they’re expensive, starting at about $300. Until you can save up for one, try Spin Clean, originally manufactured for sale by Record Rama in Pittsburgh. Record Rama should be returning to business this month, but you can pick up a Spin Clean from Garage-A-Records -- at $65, a cheap and viable alternative. The Spin Clean consists of a water reservoir, two rollers adjustable for record size, and two cleaning brushes that grip the record as you spin it through the unit. By the time I use the Spin Clean on my own LPs, I’ve already cleaned them with Audio Intelligent; the machine merely provides a final rinse to make sure any residue is gone. The cleaning solution provided (you add it to the water) is good if you want to do a quick clean and dry, but in most cases I use distilled water alone.
And if you just want to put an LP on the platter and spin it, pick up a Mobile Fidelity record brush for a quick clean.
But obviously, while LPs can be more work than CDs, I think there are advantages to the effort required by vinyl. Cleaning and carefully preparing an LP for play helps you focus -- you’re telling your brain you’re going to concentrate on listening to music. In addition, you’ll learn more about the music. It’s not only because I have weak, middle-aged eyes that I know less about who produced or mastered many of my CDs -- I’ve had trouble reading the print on CD cases since the beginning. And even the most ingeniously designed CD case lacks the impact and visual flair of a foot-square LP cover.
In the end, though, what matters is the sound. Even after 25 years, analog still beats digital.
Source: http://soundstageav.com/onmusic.html
written by Joseph Taylor
The analog advocates quoted in the piece, including mastering engineer Bob Ludwig, defend LPs for the reasons most of us remain loyal to a format that’s been repeatedly pronounced dead. Records sound warmer and give you a better sense of the way the music actually feels -- you can hear the attack of the bass, and drums often have a more visceral punch. I was reminded of vinyl’s power to connect me to music in ways that CDs don’t a few months ago while listening to Frank Zappa’s music in both formats. I preferred the vinyl by far. The soundstage was deeper, and the music sounded more natural. The kickdrums on the close of "Holiday in Berlin, Full-Blown," from Burnt Weeny Sandwich, moved more air via vinyl than they did via CD. They hit me harder.
But I’m not such a diehard record lover that I avoid CDs altogether. CD players have improved vastly in the last few years, and, in theory, digital mastering technology is better (it’s what some engineers do with that technology that’s disturbing). I won’t even argue that a recording on vinyl always sounds better than its CD counterpart. Verve’s 1960s pressings, made after the company became a subsidiary of MGM, are often noisy, and the CDs released under the Verve moniker are usually well mastered. I do enjoy listening to CDs, and a lot of the music in my collection isn’t easily or affordably available on LP. On the other hand, some titles aren’t available on CD at all. As far as I can tell, Dizzy Gillespie’s A Portrait of Duke Ellington has been released on CD only in Japan. I was able to pick it up on vinyl, along with a number of other hard-to-find titles, from a friend of mine whose uncle was a jazz collector.
Another gem I picked up from that collection was Dale’s Wail, a two-LP reissue of Roy Eldridge’s mid-’50s Verve sessions. The music is available as part of a Mosaic set, but otherwise, you won’t find it on CD. Same for mono versions of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour, and Blonde on Blonde. If you love those recordings, or Miles Ahead, Miles Davis’s first collaboration with Gil Evans for Columbia Records, you owe it to yourself to hear them in mono. As much as I enjoy Phil Schapp’s work on the CD version of Miles Ahead, I like the mono LP better -- the tape splices are less jarring, and the music flows more easily.
If you’ve heard Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks only on the edgy CD that’s been around since 1988, then you really must hear it on LP -- it’s so much richer and more enveloping on vinyl. You can find a copy of Astral Weeks on eBay, but be careful. One seller currently lists two copies of the LP and is asking $45 for each. He tells you the condition of the record and cover, but doesn’t describe the label or list the matrix numbers from the deadwax. A seller asking $45 for an LP is pitching to collectors and should know that they’re looking for such arcana. A seller who isn’t aware of that fact doesn’t know what he’s doing, and can’t be counted on to accurately describe a record’s condition.
Here are a few more tips I’ve gained from 10 years’ experience of shopping on eBay:
1) Try to learn some history of the LP. An olive-green Warner/7Arts-label Astral Weeks is collectible; an olive-green WB label is less so but still sonically good and may command a few bucks. Check the "Completed Items" listings on eBay for an idea of what each pressing might be going for. Later pressings may sound OK, but they’re not worth more than $10 even in mint condition.
2) Look at the seller’s history. Buy only from one with a long history of sales and a high rating.
3) Read the product description carefully. The seller may think his copy of Revolver is rare, but if he hasn’t played it, and/or doesn’t list the condition of the record and the label, and/or doesn’t include a photo, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
4) Buy from sellers who use PayPal, unless they have an extensive history (for me, it’s at least 100 transactions with a 98% or higher rating). I’ve been stung only once by an eBay seller, and it was because I didn’t follow these guidelines.
Because vinyl shops are now unheard of outside urban areas or college towns, the Web has been a boon to vinyl collectors. Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds, and Elusive Disc are great sources for vinyl on the Web, and while they carry many of the same titles, each has unique selections. True Blue Music, a subsidiary of Mosaic Records, sells mostly jazz vinyl; you can pick up Original Jazz Classics pressings from them for about $10 each. (The other three retailers mentioned also sell OJCs, so check them all if you’re looking for a particular title.) True Blue also sells jazz on some other labels, such as VSOP and obscure Japanese record companies. In many cases, I haven’t seen these LPs anywhere else. Finally, check out the vinyl site of Amazon.com, which carries a wide variety of LPs and offers free shipping for orders over $25. I've had mixed results with Amazon.com's shipping, but the rest of these retailers take great care in packaging LPs. A little Web searching ("online LP retailers" should do it) can help you find other online sellers. Start with www.buyvinylrecords.net.
Buying records via the Web won’t ever take the place of rifling through a stack of LPs and finding something you really want. I often stop by flea markets to look for record dealers, or I’ll swing by a Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift shop. There’s nothing like finding an old Blue Note or other gem for a buck. I also like to find out if there’s a record shop in a town I’m visiting. When, a few months ago, my wife and I visited Albany, she did a Web search and found three record stores there. She also knew we’d be stopping for lunch on the way and found a shop in Scranton, PA. Sometimes, I think vinyl collectors develop a sixth sense. On the way to a concert in Washington, DC, I stopped in Silver Springs, MD for a cup of coffee. Wandering around, I ran into a record shop and found three great jazz LPs, two of which are not in print on CD.
Cleaning is a must for LPs. Again, the Web is a good source of information, but articles on record cleaning read like case studies in obsessive compulsive disorder. In this instance, the sufferers are on to something. The cleaner the record, the better it will sound. Whatever’s in the grooves is picked up by the stylus and magnified. For years, I used a solution of one part isopropyl alcohol to four parts distilled water, which I then wiped off and followed with a rinse of distilled water. I tried other cleaning products and noticed no difference -- until I bought Audio Intelligent’s vinyl-cleaning fluids, after reading Marc Mickelson’s review in SoundStage!. Every word he wrote is true. I noticed a significant difference in the sound of LPs I cleaned using Audio Intelligent, which removed nearly all the background noise on the Verve pressings I referred to earlier. Even new records benefit from cleaning, which can remove the mold-release compounds that remain from the manufacturing process.
Record-cleaning machines are great, but they’re expensive, starting at about $300. Until you can save up for one, try Spin Clean, originally manufactured for sale by Record Rama in Pittsburgh. Record Rama should be returning to business this month, but you can pick up a Spin Clean from Garage-A-Records -- at $65, a cheap and viable alternative. The Spin Clean consists of a water reservoir, two rollers adjustable for record size, and two cleaning brushes that grip the record as you spin it through the unit. By the time I use the Spin Clean on my own LPs, I’ve already cleaned them with Audio Intelligent; the machine merely provides a final rinse to make sure any residue is gone. The cleaning solution provided (you add it to the water) is good if you want to do a quick clean and dry, but in most cases I use distilled water alone.
And if you just want to put an LP on the platter and spin it, pick up a Mobile Fidelity record brush for a quick clean.
But obviously, while LPs can be more work than CDs, I think there are advantages to the effort required by vinyl. Cleaning and carefully preparing an LP for play helps you focus -- you’re telling your brain you’re going to concentrate on listening to music. In addition, you’ll learn more about the music. It’s not only because I have weak, middle-aged eyes that I know less about who produced or mastered many of my CDs -- I’ve had trouble reading the print on CD cases since the beginning. And even the most ingeniously designed CD case lacks the impact and visual flair of a foot-square LP cover.
In the end, though, what matters is the sound. Even after 25 years, analog still beats digital.
Source: http://soundstageav.com/onmusic.html
written by Joseph Taylor
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition Coming in September
MILES DAVIS - Kind of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition 2-CD + DVD + LP + book + poster (Columbia/Legacy)
Originally released by Columbia Records on August 17, 1959, Kind of Blue heralded the arrival of a revolutionary new American music, a post-bebop modal jazz structured around simple scales and melodic improvisation. Trumpeter/band leader/composer Miles Davis assembled a sextet of legendary players -- Cannonball Adderley (alto sax), Paul Chambers (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums), John Coltrane (tenor sax), Bill Evans (piano) (Wynton Kelly plays piano on “Freddie Freeloader") -- to create a sublime atmospheric masterpiece. Fifty years after its release, Kind of Blue continues to transport listeners to a realm all its own while inspiring musicians to create to new sounds -- from acoustic jazz to post-modern ambient -- in every genre imaginable.
Disc 1 of Kind of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition will feature the original album in its entirety with the “Flamenco Sketches" alternate take, the rare “Freddie Freeloader" false start, and a selection of in-the-studio dialog from the Kind of Blue sessions. Disc 2 is a CD of rare musical material circa the Kind of Blue recordings including the very first session by the classic Miles Davis sextet (May 26, 1958 -- Davis's 32nd birthday -- with Adderley, Coltrane, Evans, Chambers and Cobb), more than a half hour's worth of studio material -- “On Green Dolphin Street," “Fran-Dance," “Stella By Starlight," “Love For Sale" -- previously available only on the two-time Grammy award winning Miles Davis & John Coltrane boxed set ("The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961); and the first authorized release of two extended live performances: “So What" from the April 9, 1960 Den Haag Concert featuring Miles, Coltrane, Kelly, Chambers and Cobb; and “All Blues" from the April 8, 1960 Zurich Concert (featuring the same band). The final disc, Disc 3, is a DVD including an in-depth documentary illuminating the story behind Kind of Blue; and the historic April 2, 1959 television program “Robert Herridge Theater: The Sound of Miles Davis" starring Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
This deluxe Collector's Edition will also include a vinyl LP copy of Kind of Blue, a poster, and an LP-sized 60-page hardbound book.
Sub Pop Records’ 20th Anniversary
Happy Birthday, Sub Pop
Most of you are probably scratching your heads right about now and saying “Who?” “What?” “Huh?”
2008 is Sub Pop Records’ 20th anniversary, and if you’re one of those who believes good music isn’t sponsored by Ford Trucks or a by-product of the American Idol scrap heap, then you need to celebrate this one. They’re the guys who signed Mudhoney
, Nirvana, and Soundgarden - and instead of becoming some shack-house relic to grunge, they’ve managed to profit from actually fostering bands the major labels wouldn’t event touch. Thus, enabling the rest of us to shoulder a feeling of superiority to have even heard of these groups years later. In other words, they’re always ahead of the curve.
Want proof? How about acts like The Shins, Sleater-Kinney, Afghan Whigs, L7, Band of Horses, Iron & Wine, The Postal Service…ah sweet Jesus, I could go on forever. Take a look at the following…and folks, this ain’t even their entire catalogue… Just a taste of the Sub Pop musicians:
10 Minute Warning, 5ive Style, A Frames, Afghan Whigs, The Album Leaf, All Night Radio, Band of Horses, The Baptist Generals, Beachwood Sparks, Steven Jesse Bernstein, Big Chief, The Black Halos, Blitzen Trapper, The Blue Rags, Broken Girl, The Brunettes, Sera Cahoone, The Catheters, Chappaquiddick Skyline, Billy Childish, Chixdiggit, Chris and Carla, Codeine, Combustible Edison, Comets on Fire, Constantines, Cosmic Psychos, David Cross, CSS, Damon and Naomi Davis, Dead Moon, Death Vessel, Dntel, Julie Doiron, Heather Duby, Dwarves, Earth, The Elected, Elevator Through, Elevator to Hell, Jeremy Enigk, Eric’s Trip, The Evil Tambourines, Fastbacks, Steve Fisk, Fleet Foxes, Flight of The Conchords, Fluid Fruit Bats, Gardener, Gluecifer, Go! Team, The Go, godheadSilo, Grand Archives, Green Magnet School, Green River, The Grifters, The Gutter Twins, Handsome Furs, The Helio Sequence, The Hellacopters, Holopaw, Hot Hot Heat, Mike Ireland, Iron and Wine, Jale, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Damien Jurado, Mark Lanegan, Les Thugs, Jason Loewenstein, Loney, Dear Looper, Love as Laughter, Love Battery, Nebula, Nirvana, No Age, Patton Oswalt, Oxford Collapse, Pernice Brothers, Pigeonhed, The Postal Service, Radio Birdman, The Rapture, Red House Painters, Red Red Meat, Rein Sanction, The Reverend Horton Heat, Rogue Wave, The Ruby Suns, Sebadoh, The Shins, Six Finger Satellite, Sleater-Kinney, Soundgarden, The Spinanes, Rosie Thomas, The Vaselines, The Walkabouts, Wipers, Wolf Parade, The Yo-Yo’s, Michael Yonkers, Zen Guerrilla, Zumpano
Source: http://mixtapetherapy.wordpress.com/
Most of you are probably scratching your heads right about now and saying “Who?” “What?” “Huh?”
2008 is Sub Pop Records’ 20th anniversary, and if you’re one of those who believes good music isn’t sponsored by Ford Trucks or a by-product of the American Idol scrap heap, then you need to celebrate this one. They’re the guys who signed Mudhoney
, Nirvana, and Soundgarden - and instead of becoming some shack-house relic to grunge, they’ve managed to profit from actually fostering bands the major labels wouldn’t event touch. Thus, enabling the rest of us to shoulder a feeling of superiority to have even heard of these groups years later. In other words, they’re always ahead of the curve.Want proof? How about acts like The Shins
, Sleater-Kinney, Afghan Whigs, L7, Band of Horses, Iron & Wine, The Postal Service…ah sweet Jesus, I could go on forever. Take a look at the following…and folks, this ain’t even their entire catalogue… Just a taste of the Sub Pop musicians:10 Minute Warning, 5ive Style, A Frames, Afghan Whigs, The Album Leaf, All Night Radio, Band of Horses, The Baptist Generals, Beachwood Sparks, Steven Jesse Bernstein, Big Chief, The Black Halos, Blitzen Trapper, The Blue Rags, Broken Girl, The Brunettes, Sera Cahoone, The Catheters, Chappaquiddick Skyline, Billy Childish, Chixdiggit, Chris and Carla, Codeine, Combustible Edison, Comets on Fire, Constantines, Cosmic Psychos, David Cross, CSS, Damon and Naomi Davis, Dead Moon, Death Vessel, Dntel, Julie Doiron, Heather Duby, Dwarves, Earth, The Elected, Elevator Through, Elevator to Hell, Jeremy Enigk, Eric’s Trip, The Evil Tambourines, Fastbacks, Steve Fisk, Fleet Foxes, Flight of The Conchords, Fluid Fruit Bats, Gardener, Gluecifer, Go! Team, The Go, godheadSilo, Grand Archives, Green Magnet School, Green River, The Grifters, The Gutter Twins, Handsome Furs, The Helio Sequence, The Hellacopters, Holopaw, Hot Hot Heat, Mike Ireland, Iron and Wine, Jale, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Damien Jurado, Mark Lanegan, Les Thugs, Jason Loewenstein, Loney, Dear Looper, Love as Laughter, Love Battery, Nebula, Nirvana, No Age, Patton Oswalt, Oxford Collapse, Pernice Brothers, Pigeonhed, The Postal Service, Radio Birdman, The Rapture, Red House Painters, Red Red Meat, Rein Sanction, The Reverend Horton Heat, Rogue Wave, The Ruby Suns, Sebadoh, The Shins, Six Finger Satellite, Sleater-Kinney, Soundgarden, The Spinanes, Rosie Thomas, The Vaselines, The Walkabouts, Wipers, Wolf Parade, The Yo-Yo’s, Michael Yonkers, Zen Guerrilla, Zumpano
Source: http://mixtapetherapy.wordpress.com/
Most of Wolfmother Quits Band
If you have ever had the chance to see Wolfmother, then you will be saddened by this news. But, I have a feeling that Andrew Stockdale will be able to land on his feet, he is a true marvel.
Aug 08, 2008
Wolfmother is getting a major facelift.
The Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath worhsipping classic rockers endured a lineup meltdown, which saw bassist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett throw in the towel, leaving singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale to mind the shop alone. He plans to regroup with a new lineup and continue under the Wolfmother name.
Aug 08, 2008
Wolfmother is getting a major facelift.
The Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath worhsipping classic rockers endured a lineup meltdown, which saw bassist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett throw in the towel, leaving singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale to mind the shop alone. He plans to regroup with a new lineup and continue under the Wolfmother name.
Vinyl records are getting back in the spin
by Brian Anthony Hernandez
Vinyl records are like fruits and vegetables, insists Saul Moss. "When they're in season, you've got to have it, and when they're not, you get rid of them," said Moss, owner of Cleveland's Downtown Records & Tapes, which sells new records of current and oldies styles.
Seduced by compact discs and byte-sized digital formats, music fans found the 1980s and '90s the ripe time to abandon the classic audio format. Moss saw his store's vinyl inventory dwindle from 95 percent of all its merchandise when it opened in 1950 to 5 percent earlier this decade.
But recently, the season for vinyl records has returned, bringing with it reborn vinyl fanatics and a new generation of addicts, say Moss and other sellers throughout Northeast Ohio.
"We saw an increase in sales starting about five years ago," said Rob Pryor, general manager of Cleveland Heights' Record Revolution, which has been in business since 1968. The store sells used records.
"We definitely get more and more people coming in for vinyl," Pryor said.
The most recent sales report from the Recording Industry Association of America shows the U.S. music industry sold 36.6 percent more extended-play and long-play records in 2007 than it did in 2006. That upswing increased vinyl-record sales revenue by 46.2 percent, taking a toll on CD sales revenue, which decreased 20.5 percent during the same period.
Collectors seek vinyl for the album art. DJs get them to scratch. But many people turn to the format for its audio quality.
"The analog sound of vinyl is where it's at, because the digital sound is just a reproduced sound. Analog might have a couple of crackles and pops, but on a good system, it sounds like the band is right in the room for you," Pryor said.
Other signs point to the revival of the classic format that emerged in the 1930s, when RCA launched the first commercially available long-playing record.
When Radiohead's album "In Rainbows" came out in October, Music Saves in Cleveland sold more of it on vinyl than on CD.
Coffeehouses and lounges in cities such as Portland, Ore., are featuring vinyl-record listening sessions. Stores like Urban Outfitters are selling portable record players.
Last fall, Amazon.com started a vinyl-only section. Vinyl-record pressing plants are ramping up production, and some musicians, such as Hell's Information from Akron and other indie-rock bands, are selling albums primarily on vinyl.
Events such as Record Store Day in April and Vinyl Record Day this Tuesday celebrate the vinyl culture.
"One main reason for the vinyl resurgence among the younger people is [that] labels offer free digital downloads with the purchase of their records," said Kevin Neudecker, co-owner of Music Saves, which carries 10 times more new and used vinyl than it did when it opened in 2004.
"That crowd gets disappointed and mad now if they can't get the coupon for the free download."
Used vinyl records cost $1 to $12 at Music Saves, while new recordings there sell for $12 to $30, co-owner Melanie Hershberger said. Compared with prices for new CDs ($10-$24) and MP3s ($1 for a single on iTunes), new vinyl can be a little more expensive, but people are willing to shell out a few more dollars for the analog sound it produces, owners agreed.
Out West, an organization called the Vinyl Preservation Society of Idaho meets each month to promote the format's history and foster activity within the industry. At one meeting, members brought CDs, MP3s and records to see which sounded the best. They preferred the warmer audio from the turntables.
Cleveland's John Richmond, an avid jazz record collector for more than 50 years, agrees. "I could play you example after example of LPs that sound much better than the reissued CD versions of the same music," he said.
Richmond, 65, never lost faith in vinyl records. He's been a fan ever since his father first played him turntable tunes in 1948. The walls of his house in Cleveland are lined with album covers, and he's a member of the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors.
Last week, he stopped into Record Revolution and bought a few vinyl records, including ones from jazz artists Don Patterson and Jimmy Smith. He isn't quite sure where the vinyl-record industry is heading either.
"If more people give up vinyl, the more there will be for me to buy," he said jokingly. "On the other hand, when -- if -- I want to get rid of my collection, I want people out there who want to buy them."
Adam Gravatt, who is part of the newer generation of vinyl admirers and manager of the Record Exchange in Cleveland, which mainly sells used vinyl, has a different thought.
"I don't think vinyl records will ever go away," the 23-year-old said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com
Vinyl records are like fruits and vegetables, insists Saul Moss. "When they're in season, you've got to have it, and when they're not, you get rid of them," said Moss, owner of Cleveland's Downtown Records & Tapes, which sells new records of current and oldies styles.
Seduced by compact discs and byte-sized digital formats, music fans found the 1980s and '90s the ripe time to abandon the classic audio format. Moss saw his store's vinyl inventory dwindle from 95 percent of all its merchandise when it opened in 1950 to 5 percent earlier this decade.
But recently, the season for vinyl records has returned, bringing with it reborn vinyl fanatics and a new generation of addicts, say Moss and other sellers throughout Northeast Ohio.
"We saw an increase in sales starting about five years ago," said Rob Pryor, general manager of Cleveland Heights' Record Revolution, which has been in business since 1968. The store sells used records.
"We definitely get more and more people coming in for vinyl," Pryor said.
The most recent sales report from the Recording Industry Association of America shows the U.S. music industry sold 36.6 percent more extended-play and long-play records in 2007 than it did in 2006. That upswing increased vinyl-record sales revenue by 46.2 percent, taking a toll on CD sales revenue, which decreased 20.5 percent during the same period.
Collectors seek vinyl for the album art. DJs get them to scratch. But many people turn to the format for its audio quality.
"The analog sound of vinyl is where it's at, because the digital sound is just a reproduced sound. Analog might have a couple of crackles and pops, but on a good system, it sounds like the band is right in the room for you," Pryor said.
Other signs point to the revival of the classic format that emerged in the 1930s, when RCA launched the first commercially available long-playing record.
When Radiohead's album "In Rainbows" came out in October, Music Saves in Cleveland sold more of it on vinyl than on CD.
Coffeehouses and lounges in cities such as Portland, Ore., are featuring vinyl-record listening sessions. Stores like Urban Outfitters are selling portable record players.
Last fall, Amazon.com started a vinyl-only section. Vinyl-record pressing plants are ramping up production, and some musicians, such as Hell's Information from Akron and other indie-rock bands, are selling albums primarily on vinyl.
Events such as Record Store Day in April and Vinyl Record Day this Tuesday celebrate the vinyl culture.
"One main reason for the vinyl resurgence among the younger people is [that] labels offer free digital downloads with the purchase of their records," said Kevin Neudecker, co-owner of Music Saves, which carries 10 times more new and used vinyl than it did when it opened in 2004.
"That crowd gets disappointed and mad now if they can't get the coupon for the free download."
Used vinyl records cost $1 to $12 at Music Saves, while new recordings there sell for $12 to $30, co-owner Melanie Hershberger said. Compared with prices for new CDs ($10-$24) and MP3s ($1 for a single on iTunes), new vinyl can be a little more expensive, but people are willing to shell out a few more dollars for the analog sound it produces, owners agreed.
Out West, an organization called the Vinyl Preservation Society of Idaho meets each month to promote the format's history and foster activity within the industry. At one meeting, members brought CDs, MP3s and records to see which sounded the best. They preferred the warmer audio from the turntables.
Cleveland's John Richmond, an avid jazz record collector for more than 50 years, agrees. "I could play you example after example of LPs that sound much better than the reissued CD versions of the same music," he said.
Richmond, 65, never lost faith in vinyl records. He's been a fan ever since his father first played him turntable tunes in 1948. The walls of his house in Cleveland are lined with album covers, and he's a member of the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors.
Last week, he stopped into Record Revolution and bought a few vinyl records, including ones from jazz artists Don Patterson and Jimmy Smith. He isn't quite sure where the vinyl-record industry is heading either.
"If more people give up vinyl, the more there will be for me to buy," he said jokingly. "On the other hand, when -- if -- I want to get rid of my collection, I want people out there who want to buy them."
Adam Gravatt, who is part of the newer generation of vinyl admirers and manager of the Record Exchange in Cleveland, which mainly sells used vinyl, has a different thought.
"I don't think vinyl records will ever go away," the 23-year-old said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com
This Date In Music History- August 9
Birthdays:
Benjamin Orr, bassist with the Cars, was born in Cleveland in 1955. He also sang the lead vocal on one of their biggest hits, "Drive."
Golden Earring bassist and keyboardist Rinus Gerritsen was born in the Hague, Netherlands in 1946. The Dutch group's biggest hit was 1983's "Twilight Zone." (“Radar Love” peaked at #13 and was on the charts for 20 weeks while “Twilight Zone” peaked at #10 and charted for 27 weeks)
Happy birthday to Whitney Houston (born in 1963).
Barbara Mason ("Yes, I'm Ready") is 61.
History:
The Ramones split up in 1996.
In 1967, Jerry Lee Lewis' set at England's Sunberry Jazz and Blues Festival inspired such fervor in the audience that the organizers tell him to cut his set short. He does it again in 1968 when Jerry Lee kills ‘em at the England's National Jazz and Blues Festival. The audience is so revved up that the next act (The Herd) refused to go on.
In 1952, Kitty Wells became the first woman to top the country charts with "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels."
Bill Chase and three other members of the group Chase ("Get It On") died in a Jackson, Minnesota plane crash in 1974.
53 year old Jerry Garcia, leader of The Grateful Dead died on August 9, 1995 at a California rehabilitation centre. The official cause of death was a heart attack brought on by hardening of the arteries. He was reportedly buried in a red T-shirt and sweatpants.
Robert Zimmerman legally changed his name to Bob Dylan in 1962.
In 1958, Billboard Magazine changed the name of its weekly music chart from the Top 100 to the Hot 100, a name that will stick until 1996. Their first number one was "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson, his sixth hit record in the US.
In 1975, the Bee Gees had the first of several disco style hits in the US when "Jive Talkin" topped the Billboard Hot 100. The inspiration for the song came to Barry Gibb as his car passed over a Florida bridge on the way to a recording studio. His wife said "Hey, listen to that noise. It's the same every evening. It's our drive talking." The record made it to #5 in the UK.
The BBC's Rock & Roll television show Ready! Steady! Go! made its debut in 1963. The first episode featured The Searchers, Jet Harris, Pat Boone, Billy Fury and Brian Poole and The Tremeloes. The final show aired in December 1966 after 175 episodes.
Queen gave what would be their last ever live performance when they appeared at Knebworth Festival in 1986. It was their 658th and final concert performance.
In 2004, England`s Classic Rock magazine named AC/DC's Bon Scott the #1 frontman of all time. Scott, who died of a barbiturates and alcohol overdose in 1980, beat out Ozzy Osbourne, Freddie Mercury and Jim Morrison. Certainly up for debate, what about John Lennon?
The James Gang embarked on their first tour in 35 years in 2006. All three members of the group's definitive lineup are present: singer-guitarist Joe Walsh of Eagles fame, drummer Jimmy Fox and bassist Dale Peters. The first stop was in Morrison, CO.
Johnny Horton cut "North To Alaska" at his last recording session in 1960.
Muddy Waters performs for President Jimmy Carter at the White House in 1978.
In 1969, Jethro Tull scored their only UK No.1 album with their second release 'Stand Up'.
Paul McCartney recorded ‘Mother Natures Son’ at Abbey Road Studio’s London in 1968. No other Beatles were featured on the track, which was included on the ‘White Album.’
Promoter Don Kirshner held the first Rock Music Award Show in Santa Monica, California in 1975. Big winners included the Eagles, Bad Company, and Stevie Wonder.
Benjamin Orr, bassist with the Cars, was born in Cleveland in 1955. He also sang the lead vocal on one of their biggest hits, "Drive."
Golden Earring bassist and keyboardist Rinus Gerritsen was born in the Hague, Netherlands in 1946. The Dutch group's biggest hit was 1983's "Twilight Zone." (“Radar Love” peaked at #13 and was on the charts for 20 weeks while “Twilight Zone” peaked at #10 and charted for 27 weeks)
Happy birthday to Whitney Houston (born in 1963).
Barbara Mason ("Yes, I'm Ready") is 61.
History:
The Ramones split up in 1996.
In 1967, Jerry Lee Lewis' set at England's Sunberry Jazz and Blues Festival inspired such fervor in the audience that the organizers tell him to cut his set short. He does it again in 1968 when Jerry Lee kills ‘em at the England's National Jazz and Blues Festival. The audience is so revved up that the next act (The Herd) refused to go on.
In 1952, Kitty Wells became the first woman to top the country charts with "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels."
Bill Chase and three other members of the group Chase ("Get It On") died in a Jackson, Minnesota plane crash in 1974.
53 year old Jerry Garcia, leader of The Grateful Dead died on August 9, 1995 at a California rehabilitation centre. The official cause of death was a heart attack brought on by hardening of the arteries. He was reportedly buried in a red T-shirt and sweatpants.
Robert Zimmerman legally changed his name to Bob Dylan in 1962.
In 1958, Billboard Magazine changed the name of its weekly music chart from the Top 100 to the Hot 100, a name that will stick until 1996. Their first number one was "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson, his sixth hit record in the US.
In 1975, the Bee Gees had the first of several disco style hits in the US when "Jive Talkin" topped the Billboard Hot 100. The inspiration for the song came to Barry Gibb as his car passed over a Florida bridge on the way to a recording studio. His wife said "Hey, listen to that noise. It's the same every evening. It's our drive talking." The record made it to #5 in the UK.
The BBC's Rock & Roll television show Ready! Steady! Go! made its debut in 1963. The first episode featured The Searchers, Jet Harris, Pat Boone, Billy Fury and Brian Poole and The Tremeloes. The final show aired in December 1966 after 175 episodes.
Queen gave what would be their last ever live performance when they appeared at Knebworth Festival in 1986. It was their 658th and final concert performance.
In 2004, England`s Classic Rock magazine named AC/DC's Bon Scott the #1 frontman of all time. Scott, who died of a barbiturates and alcohol overdose in 1980, beat out Ozzy Osbourne, Freddie Mercury and Jim Morrison. Certainly up for debate, what about John Lennon?
The James Gang embarked on their first tour in 35 years in 2006. All three members of the group's definitive lineup are present: singer-guitarist Joe Walsh of Eagles fame, drummer Jimmy Fox and bassist Dale Peters. The first stop was in Morrison, CO.
Johnny Horton cut "North To Alaska" at his last recording session in 1960.
Muddy Waters performs for President Jimmy Carter at the White House in 1978.
In 1969, Jethro Tull scored their only UK No.1 album with their second release 'Stand Up'.
Paul McCartney recorded ‘Mother Natures Son’ at Abbey Road Studio’s London in 1968. No other Beatles were featured on the track, which was included on the ‘White Album.’
Promoter Don Kirshner held the first Rock Music Award Show in Santa Monica, California in 1975. Big winners included the Eagles, Bad Company, and Stevie Wonder.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Elvis Presley, Inside Love Me Tender -NEW Book Release
Elvis Unlimited Productions
2008-08-08 - Elvis Unlimited Productions has just released Inside Love Me Tender. A complete box set with a full color book, a DVD, vinyl record and many extras. Author Megan Murphy documents Elvis Presley's first film, Love Me Tender in this limited edition box set.
Elvis Unlimited's latest box set from the "Inside" series has now been released. This is their fifth release in the "Inside" Series.
"Inside Love Me Tender" is a deluxe box set that contains a high quality book, dvd, postcard, vinyl single and a certificate from the limited edition printing of 2000 copies.
The book is a 152 page full color book featuring many unknown stories about Elvis' first movie, many rare and unpublished pictures of Elvis during the filming, at the photo sessions, in the recording studio, and at various meetings that were held during the filming.
The "Inside Love Me Tender" book also contains a lot of beautiful memorabilia from all over the world. The very informative book has been written by Megan Murphy. And the foreword is written by Ger Rijff.
The DVD contains some super rare footage from the movie set and of course the original movie trailer. The special 45 RPM vinyl single is a replica of the original, The Truth About Me single which was recorded on the Love Me Tender set.
Other "Inside" releases from Elvis Unlimited and Megan Murphy include Inside G I Blues, Inside Roustabout, Elvis Is Back!, and Inside Graceland. For more information on these releases, please visit their web site at www.elvisunlimited.com
Author:
Megan Murphy
Web: www.elvisunlimited.com
Phone: 458-642-9696
Guns N' Roses reissue
Universal Music will re-release Guns N' Roses' classic debut album "Appetite For Destruction" on vinyl. The LP is due on Tuesday, September 9, 2008 and the cover features the controversial original artwork by Robert Williams.
Already a legend in its own meagre lifetime, this startling debut shrouded itself in controversy, from its original Robert Williams artwork to Axl Rose's unblinking accounts of L.A.'s underbelly. This mawkish storytelling, combined with a brattish collective swagger and a surprisingly mature approach to their songs, guaranteed Guns N' Roses a speedy notoriety that was to serve their legend brilliantly. From the laconic "Paradise City" to the achingly beautiful "Sweet Child O' Mine", or the furious "Welcome To The Jungle", the record brims with a brutal integrity. An album they could never surpass even if they had stayed together.
120-gram vinyl LP pressing of their genre-defining debut full-length album, originally released in 1987. The LP cover features the controversial original artwork.
Already a legend in its own meagre lifetime, this startling debut shrouded itself in controversy, from its original Robert Williams artwork to Axl Rose's unblinking accounts of L.A.'s underbelly. This mawkish storytelling, combined with a brattish collective swagger and a surprisingly mature approach to their songs, guaranteed Guns N' Roses a speedy notoriety that was to serve their legend brilliantly. From the laconic "Paradise City" to the achingly beautiful "Sweet Child O' Mine", or the furious "Welcome To The Jungle", the record brims with a brutal integrity. An album they could never surpass even if they had stayed together.
120-gram vinyl LP pressing of their genre-defining debut full-length album, originally released in 1987. The LP cover features the controversial original artwork.
Top 5 Vinyl Record Sales at eBay
Week Ending 07/26
1) 45 rpm - John English III & Heathers Sabra - $4,999.00
2) 12" - U2 "Three" - $3,500.00
3) LP - Jutta Hipp Zoot Sims Blue Note 1350 - $2,727.00
4) 45 rpm - Nivana "Love Buzz" = $2,551.00
5) 45 rpm- Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen" South Africa - $2,247.22
Week Ending 08/02
1) LP - Tool Aenima 2LP Promo Test Pressing - $7,500.00
2) LP - Chet Atkins & Marcel Dadi "And Then Came Chet" - $4,050.00
3) 45 rpm - The Bacardis "This Time" - $3,627.77
4) LP - Hank Mobley self titled Blue Note - $3,000.00
5) 78 rpm- Winnie-The-Pooh RCA Victor Record Set - $2,706.99
SOURCE: http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com/
1) 45 rpm - John English III & Heathers Sabra - $4,999.00
2) 12" - U2 "Three" - $3,500.00
3) LP - Jutta Hipp Zoot Sims Blue Note 1350 - $2,727.00
4) 45 rpm - Nivana "Love Buzz" = $2,551.00
5) 45 rpm- Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen" South Africa - $2,247.22
Week Ending 08/02
1) LP - Tool Aenima 2LP Promo Test Pressing - $7,500.00
2) LP - Chet Atkins & Marcel Dadi "And Then Came Chet" - $4,050.00
3) 45 rpm - The Bacardis "This Time" - $3,627.77
4) LP - Hank Mobley self titled Blue Note - $3,000.00
5) 78 rpm- Winnie-The-Pooh RCA Victor Record Set - $2,706.99
SOURCE: http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com/
Elvis demoted in new Billboard historic chart
By Dean Goodman
Thu Aug 7, 4:00 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Poor Elvis. Random sightings of the King of Rock 'n' Roll have tapered off in recent years, and now he has mysteriously disappeared from the upper echelons of a new list that ranks the artists with the most No. 1 hits on the U.S. pop singles chart.
Until April, Elvis Presley and Mariah Carey tied at No. 2 on Billboard's list of the top acts of the rock era with 17 No. 1 tunes each, behind the Beatles with 20.
But then Carey took sole possession of the silver medal when her single "Touch My Body" hit the top spot. That should still make Presley No. 3, but not according to Billboard which has demoted him to No. 14 with seven No. 1 hits, a ranking he now shares with Phil Collins.
The music publication, which has a news distribution arrangement with Reuters, is rolling out a series of charts to mark the 50th anniversary of its Hot 100 singles chart. The problem for Presley fans is that 10 of his chart-toppers predated the August 4, 1958, birth of the Hot 100.
From November 12, 1955, it was known as the Top 100, the first all-encompassing chart determined by radio play, retail sales and juke box usage.
In those 141 weeks before Billboard debuted the Hot 100 name to differentiate it from copycats, Presley ruled the chart for 57 weeks, according to Billboard. He never regained his commercial or creative momentum after he was inducted into the U.S. Army in March, 1958, according to some fans.
Billboard's director of charts, Geoff Mayfield, defended the chart as still relevant despite the fact it ignores the heyday of the first real rock 'n' roll star.
"We are not pretending that the observation of the chart's 50th anniversary is anything more than a look at those 50 specific years," he wrote in an email.
"We take great care to couch comparisons of younger artists' Hot 100 feats to those of Elvis, by informing readers that his chart feats predated the Hot 100's launch."
Upcoming specialty Billboard rankings will include the biggest one-hit wonders ever and the No. 1 songs of every year since 1958. The series culminates on September 10 with what it bills as the first ranking of the Hot 100 songs of all time.
Just don't expect to see "Heartbreak Hotel" or "Hound Dog" on the list.
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
Thu Aug 7, 4:00 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Poor Elvis. Random sightings of the King of Rock 'n' Roll have tapered off in recent years, and now he has mysteriously disappeared from the upper echelons of a new list that ranks the artists with the most No. 1 hits on the U.S. pop singles chart.
Until April, Elvis Presley and Mariah Carey tied at No. 2 on Billboard's list of the top acts of the rock era with 17 No. 1 tunes each, behind the Beatles with 20.
But then Carey took sole possession of the silver medal when her single "Touch My Body" hit the top spot. That should still make Presley No. 3, but not according to Billboard which has demoted him to No. 14 with seven No. 1 hits, a ranking he now shares with Phil Collins.
The music publication, which has a news distribution arrangement with Reuters, is rolling out a series of charts to mark the 50th anniversary of its Hot 100 singles chart. The problem for Presley fans is that 10 of his chart-toppers predated the August 4, 1958, birth of the Hot 100.
From November 12, 1955, it was known as the Top 100, the first all-encompassing chart determined by radio play, retail sales and juke box usage.
In those 141 weeks before Billboard debuted the Hot 100 name to differentiate it from copycats, Presley ruled the chart for 57 weeks, according to Billboard. He never regained his commercial or creative momentum after he was inducted into the U.S. Army in March, 1958, according to some fans.
Billboard's director of charts, Geoff Mayfield, defended the chart as still relevant despite the fact it ignores the heyday of the first real rock 'n' roll star.
"We are not pretending that the observation of the chart's 50th anniversary is anything more than a look at those 50 specific years," he wrote in an email.
"We take great care to couch comparisons of younger artists' Hot 100 feats to those of Elvis, by informing readers that his chart feats predated the Hot 100's launch."
Upcoming specialty Billboard rankings will include the biggest one-hit wonders ever and the No. 1 songs of every year since 1958. The series culminates on September 10 with what it bills as the first ranking of the Hot 100 songs of all time.
Just don't expect to see "Heartbreak Hotel" or "Hound Dog" on the list.
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
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