Let's start a rerun of a popular daily feature here at
CollectingVinylRecords Blog, a feature I call Rock/Pop Tidbits; interesting facts about rock and pop music and artists, some humorous, some informative and some just silly. Long time readers will recognize some of these, but I have written up some new ones, so now you can win at trivial pursuit! Feel free to leave comments or add more of your own:
The night before their recording session, The Kingsmen played a 90-minute version of Louie Louie during a gig at a local teen club. Once they got into the studio, the song was recorded in one take.
Courtney Love of the band Hole gained the distinction of being the first AOL subscriber to have her e-mail account shut down, mainly for the death threats she posted against people she thought deserved them.
Eagles' bassist Timothy B. Schmit sang backing vocals on Firefall's 1977 hit, Just Remember I Love You.
Anne Murray's 1969 hit Snowbird was released as the "B" side of a 45 RPM single, with a song called Bidin' My Time as the A side. A radio station in the Eastern United States flipped it over and Snowbird caught on. Record sales soon topped one million copies, marking the first time in history that an American gold record was awarded to a solo Canadian female.
Although singer / songwriter Harry Nilsson placed eight songs on Billboard's Top 40 chart, including the Grammy Award winning, million seller Everybody's Talkin, he disliked performing in public so much that he seldom appeared in concert and rarely made televised appearances.
While Elvis only recorded twenty Christmas songs, his holiday albums have sold more than twenty-five million copies in the US alone.
Elvis Presley's 1957 LP Elvis' Christmas Album is the top selling holiday release of all time, racking up over nine million in sales.
Scotland's hard rock group Nazareth recorded a tune called Love Hurts as a B-side filler, never intending it to be a hit. Record buyers felt differently and the single rose to number 8 in the US and number 15 in the UK. One count revealed that over 42 different artists have recorded the song, including The Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison.
Bobby Helms Jingle Bell Rock entered the Billboard Pop chart only two days before Christmas in 1957, but still managed to climb to number 6 during a six week stay.
The chords and structure of Tommy James' 1967 Billboard #10 single, Mirage, were actually the chords to his previous hit, I Think We're Alone Now in reverse, created when it was accidentally played backwards during a writing session.
Bruce Hornsby's demo tapes were rejected by over 70 record companies. A year after RCA signed him in 1985, his tune The Way It Is topped the Billboard chart, followed by five more Top 40 hits, including Mandolin Rain (#4) and The Valley Road (#5).
Friday, August 21, 2009
Michael Fremer Review
I am very proud to continue our new feature (look for this every Friday), music reviews that are written by the senior contributing editor of Stereophile magazine- Michael Fremer. It has been a pleasure to speak with Michael and learn more about audio sound and equipment. In fact, his new DVD, "It's A Vinyl World, After All" has hit the shelves and is selling out very quickly. This is a must have for anybody who loves vinyl, it is a true masterpiece.
Additionally, make sure to stop by his site, www.musicangle.com and bookmark it for further exploration. I certainly want to thank Michael for the exclusive rights to reprint his fantastic material.
ALBUM REVIEW:
Thelonious Monk (new release)
The Complete Thelonious Monk At The It Club
Mosaic MRLP 3001 4 180g LPs
Produced by: Teo Macero
Engineered by: N/A
Mixed by: Mark Wilder (from the original 3 track masters)
Mastered by: Kevin Gray at AcousTech
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-08-01
The mid-sixties may not have been Monk’s most creative period but it was arguably his strongest and most focused both in the studio and onstage. If any jazz musician was poised to withstand the rock era it was Monk the performer and Monk the composer.
A live set culled from these six sets recorded to three track by an anonymous Columbia records staff engineer October 31st and November 1st 1964 at Los Angeles’ It Club probably wasn’t issued back then because so many other performances of the same material had already been released. The tapes certainly weren’t left in the can because either the performances or the recording quality were lacking!
In fact, edited versions of three of the tracks did make it onto Monk’s Misterioso album (Columbia CS 9216) issued shortly after the material was recorded and Columbia issued an edited two LP version of Live at the It Club (C2-38030) in the 1980s.
About a decade ago Columbia issues the complete and unedited Live at the It Club on a double CD set (C2K-65288) and now Mosaic returns to vinyl with this 4 LP set cut from Mark Wilder’s two channel analog mixdown from the original 3 track tapes.
I don’t know how you came to Monk or if you’re familiar at all, but for me it was the Columbia album Criss-Cross (CS 8838) issued in 1963 featuring John Ore on bass and the crisp Frankie Dunlop on drums. Monk’s humorous deconstruction of “Tea For Two” and his almost heavy-metal (before there was such a thing) rendering of the ballad “Don’t Blame Me” provide an invaluable roadmap to the artist’s heart and soul.
Here Larry Gales and Ben Riley replace Ore and Dunlop. They weren’t chosen for their button-down approach to jazz and by the time this set was recorded both were well invested in Monk’s musical game plan. Larry Gales’ long bass solo on set three’s opener on October 31st is nimble, understated and captures well Monk’s playfulness.
This completist set, which gives you every note of three sets per night for two nights includes six “Epistrophy” variants as Monk chose it as a set closer every time. Leaving in all of the various solos and giving you the six complete sets opens a window onto ‘60s jazz clubbing that’s difficult to otherwise obtain. Were you to sit nursing a gin and tonic or whatever, for an entire evening at the It Club, this is what you’d hear.
You’d also hear signature Monk tunes like “Blue Monk,” “Well You Needn’t,” “Bemsha Swing,” “Round Midnight,” “Evidence” and of course “Epistrophy,” played confidently as reliable set pieces, with Monk working easily and playfully around the comfortable edges of the tunes and so investing them with extra, straightforward energy and clarity.
Mark Wilder’s mix is on the dry, literal side, close to the instruments; less about club ambience and more about instrumental honesty and clarity. The drums are spread across an arc between the right speaker and phantom center channel, Rouse is mid-stage right while Monk is left-of-center stage. The talkative, raucous crowd can be heard in the background. Who says audience verbosity is a product of the cell phone age?
Monk fans should be delighted with this fine sounding set (except for the occasions where the musicians step back from the microphones), while the curious will find this a great (albeit expensive) intro to the wit and musical wisdom of one of jazz’s true originals. Excellent sound, great music and a unique window on two complete nights of performances so many years ago make this a set worth owning and enjoying often.
SOURCE: http://www.musicangle.com Reprinted By Permission
Additionally, make sure to stop by his site, www.musicangle.com and bookmark it for further exploration. I certainly want to thank Michael for the exclusive rights to reprint his fantastic material.
ALBUM REVIEW:
Thelonious Monk (new release)
The Complete Thelonious Monk At The It Club
Mosaic MRLP 3001 4 180g LPs
Produced by: Teo Macero
Engineered by: N/A
Mixed by: Mark Wilder (from the original 3 track masters)
Mastered by: Kevin Gray at AcousTech
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-08-01
The mid-sixties may not have been Monk’s most creative period but it was arguably his strongest and most focused both in the studio and onstage. If any jazz musician was poised to withstand the rock era it was Monk the performer and Monk the composer.
A live set culled from these six sets recorded to three track by an anonymous Columbia records staff engineer October 31st and November 1st 1964 at Los Angeles’ It Club probably wasn’t issued back then because so many other performances of the same material had already been released. The tapes certainly weren’t left in the can because either the performances or the recording quality were lacking!
In fact, edited versions of three of the tracks did make it onto Monk’s Misterioso album (Columbia CS 9216) issued shortly after the material was recorded and Columbia issued an edited two LP version of Live at the It Club (C2-38030) in the 1980s.
About a decade ago Columbia issues the complete and unedited Live at the It Club on a double CD set (C2K-65288) and now Mosaic returns to vinyl with this 4 LP set cut from Mark Wilder’s two channel analog mixdown from the original 3 track tapes.
I don’t know how you came to Monk or if you’re familiar at all, but for me it was the Columbia album Criss-Cross (CS 8838) issued in 1963 featuring John Ore on bass and the crisp Frankie Dunlop on drums. Monk’s humorous deconstruction of “Tea For Two” and his almost heavy-metal (before there was such a thing) rendering of the ballad “Don’t Blame Me” provide an invaluable roadmap to the artist’s heart and soul.
Here Larry Gales and Ben Riley replace Ore and Dunlop. They weren’t chosen for their button-down approach to jazz and by the time this set was recorded both were well invested in Monk’s musical game plan. Larry Gales’ long bass solo on set three’s opener on October 31st is nimble, understated and captures well Monk’s playfulness.
This completist set, which gives you every note of three sets per night for two nights includes six “Epistrophy” variants as Monk chose it as a set closer every time. Leaving in all of the various solos and giving you the six complete sets opens a window onto ‘60s jazz clubbing that’s difficult to otherwise obtain. Were you to sit nursing a gin and tonic or whatever, for an entire evening at the It Club, this is what you’d hear.
You’d also hear signature Monk tunes like “Blue Monk,” “Well You Needn’t,” “Bemsha Swing,” “Round Midnight,” “Evidence” and of course “Epistrophy,” played confidently as reliable set pieces, with Monk working easily and playfully around the comfortable edges of the tunes and so investing them with extra, straightforward energy and clarity.
Mark Wilder’s mix is on the dry, literal side, close to the instruments; less about club ambience and more about instrumental honesty and clarity. The drums are spread across an arc between the right speaker and phantom center channel, Rouse is mid-stage right while Monk is left-of-center stage. The talkative, raucous crowd can be heard in the background. Who says audience verbosity is a product of the cell phone age?
Monk fans should be delighted with this fine sounding set (except for the occasions where the musicians step back from the microphones), while the curious will find this a great (albeit expensive) intro to the wit and musical wisdom of one of jazz’s true originals. Excellent sound, great music and a unique window on two complete nights of performances so many years ago make this a set worth owning and enjoying often.
SOURCE: http://www.musicangle.com Reprinted By Permission
USS Enterprise Record Player?
Taken from the Star Trek Model Gallery we have here an Enterprise record player. It was designed from the NCC-1701 from the new Star Trek movie and uses the saucer section as the turntable where the music entitled “Space” can be seen playing.
Unfortunately it’s not real and just designed along with 24 other real random looking Enterprises from the film.
Heck, if it played great, I might be interested as would millions of 'Trekie' fans all across the galaxy!
Music News & Notes
Cavo opening for Daughtry; lands on Billboard 200
St. Louis rock band Cavo’s new CD “Bright Nights, Dark Days” makes its debut on the Billboard 200 this week after selling 10,600 copies its first week out.
That’s good enough for a No. 48 debut on the charts.
Also, Cavo has been tapped to open for Daughtry on an arena tour this fall.
==================
Metal-Hardcore Leaders HATEBREED Set to Release New, Self-Titled Album
Metal-Hardcore juggernauts HATEBREED are set to release its new album, the ferocious, self-titled "HATEBREED," on September 29th, 2009.
The album will be available on CD, digital download, vinyl and special edition with a bonus 65-minute DVD. HATEBREED's follow up to 2006's "SUPREMACY" will be released on E1 Music in North America and Roadrunner in all other territories.
Front-man Jamey Jasta comments, "This is our fifth studio album and it's a monster! We've survived some pretty rough times and the music shows it. There was no reason to change the recipe that our fans know and love but we added a few brutal new ingredients and we're more than amped on the results. Violence is a given!"
To date, HATEBREED has sold over 1 million albums in the U.S. alone and toured the world with the likes of Slayer, Slipknot, System of a Down, Lamb of God, Korn, Killswitch Engage, Disturbed, Black Sabbath and much more.
==================
Lynyrd Skynyrd, 'Still Unbroken' -- Video Premiere
When it came time to shoot a video for 'Still Unbroken,' the first single from Lynyrd Skynyrd's new album, 'God & Guns,' the southern rockers kept true to their live performance roots. "[It's] a very raw, rock 'n' roll, grainy video that we hope you all enjoy!" guitarist Rickey Medlocke tells Spinner.
Director P.R. Brown captured the performance shots of Skynyrd at the Verizon Amphitheater in Indianapolis, while the clips of the band on the bus were from the same night as they rode to the next gig in Chicago. Check out the exclusive premiere of the video, and look for 'God & Guns' Sept. 29.
==================
Ex Dementia Cover Art
New Jersey's Ex Dementia has revealed the cover artwork for their new album "The Red Mass." The art can be viewed here. Ex Dementia is also streaming the track "Mud and Blood" from the new album on their MySpace page. "The Red Mass" is currently set for an October release.
Some great cover art, one of my favorites of the year so far.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Ask Mr. Music - Jerry Osborne
I am continuing our new feature: Ask "Mr. Music." Now in its 23rd year of syndication (1986-2008), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will be a regular post every Wednesday from now on. Be sure to stop by Jerry's site (www.jerryosborne.com) for more Mr. Music archives, record price guides, anything Elvis, buy & sell collectibles, record appraisals and much more. I thank Jerry for allowing the reprints.
FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 17, 2009
DEAR JERRY: When will someone release a compilation CD of Jerry Fuller's many great songs? I think he is one of the most overlooked of the teen-pop artists.
I have several of his 1950s and '60s Challenge singles, but I know there are lots more songs out there.
A few that are digital disc worthy are “Betty My Angel”; “Shy Away”; “Tennessee Waltz”; “Guilty of Loving You”; “Double Life;” “First Love Never Dies;” and “I Only Came to Dance with You,” with its amazing violins at the end.
I know that Jerry worked closely with Ricky Nelson, another favorite of mine. How many of Rick's hits did Fuller write?
—Chip Bickford, Milwaukee
DEAR CHIP: Wait no longer. Thanks to Britain-based Ace Records, the compilation CD you seek is now easily available from numerous online sources.
Titled “Jerry Fuller - A Double Life: The Challenge Recordings 1959-1966” (Ace CHD-1209), this 24-track collection has one or both sides of 17 of Jerry's 20 total singles during those years: from “Betty My Angel” (1959) through “Double Life” (1966).
The only cut of the ones you list that is missing here is “First Love Never Dies,” originally the flip side of “Guilty of Loving You” (1961). Since it also received a lot of air play, it definitely should be included and it's unfortunate they missed it.
Jerry Fuller loved working with Rick, and wrote 23 songs for him in the early 1960s.
One particularly impressive stretch for Nelson-Fuller team came in 1961 and '62. In that two-year span, four of Rick's biggest hits are from the pen of Jerry Fuller: “Travelin' Man”; “A Wonder Like You”; “Young World”; and “It's Up to You.” In total, these four sold approximately 10 million singles.
The other three significant hits of that period, and their writers, are: “Hello Mary Lou” (Gene Pitney); “Everlovin'” (Dave Burgess); and “Teen Age Idol” (Jack Lewis).
It first came to my attention in 1996 that Jerry Fuller, one of the most influential people in the music industry, and with 20 consecutive singles for Challenge, somehow never warranted an LP.
It isn't that Challenge was a singles-only label, as they issued four Jerry Wallace and four Champs albums. While these were their top acts at the time, in that order, Challenge also released LPs for artists not nearly as famous, or successful, as Jerry Fuller. A few among those are Diane Maxwell; Ray De Michel; Yvonne Shubert; Rhythm Rockers; and Jerry Wiggins (the third Jerry in their stable).
I brought this up in a March '96 phone conversation with Jerry Fuller, telling him it is certainly time for a compilation CD, and that I would push for the project if I knew who to push.
He agreed, and gave me the contact information for Jack Jackson, in Master Licensing and Compilations of the Challenge Masters at Sony's Nashville office.
I spoke with Mr. Jackson about getting Jerry's music on CD, but it wasn't among their immediate plans. Unfortunately it wasn't in Sony's plan at all, at least not until December 2008, when Ace came to the rescue.
IZ ZAT SO? Some might be curious about the “Double Life” part of the title on “Jerry Fuller - A Double Life: The Challenge Recordings 1959-1966.”
Though not known to the general public, “Double Life” (Challenge 59329) is wildly popular among collectors, especially in the UK, of Northern Soul music.
Its popularity has driven prices for this 1966 single into the $100 to $200 range, about 10 times as much as Jerry's other Challenge records.
And the correct title is just “Double Life,” not “A Double Life.”
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 17, 2009
DEAR JERRY: When will someone release a compilation CD of Jerry Fuller's many great songs? I think he is one of the most overlooked of the teen-pop artists.
I have several of his 1950s and '60s Challenge singles, but I know there are lots more songs out there.
A few that are digital disc worthy are “Betty My Angel”; “Shy Away”; “Tennessee Waltz”; “Guilty of Loving You”; “Double Life;” “First Love Never Dies;” and “I Only Came to Dance with You,” with its amazing violins at the end.
I know that Jerry worked closely with Ricky Nelson, another favorite of mine. How many of Rick's hits did Fuller write?
—Chip Bickford, Milwaukee
DEAR CHIP: Wait no longer. Thanks to Britain-based Ace Records, the compilation CD you seek is now easily available from numerous online sources.
Titled “Jerry Fuller - A Double Life: The Challenge Recordings 1959-1966” (Ace CHD-1209), this 24-track collection has one or both sides of 17 of Jerry's 20 total singles during those years: from “Betty My Angel” (1959) through “Double Life” (1966).
The only cut of the ones you list that is missing here is “First Love Never Dies,” originally the flip side of “Guilty of Loving You” (1961). Since it also received a lot of air play, it definitely should be included and it's unfortunate they missed it.
Jerry Fuller loved working with Rick, and wrote 23 songs for him in the early 1960s.
One particularly impressive stretch for Nelson-Fuller team came in 1961 and '62. In that two-year span, four of Rick's biggest hits are from the pen of Jerry Fuller: “Travelin' Man”; “A Wonder Like You”; “Young World”; and “It's Up to You.” In total, these four sold approximately 10 million singles.
The other three significant hits of that period, and their writers, are: “Hello Mary Lou” (Gene Pitney); “Everlovin'” (Dave Burgess); and “Teen Age Idol” (Jack Lewis).
It first came to my attention in 1996 that Jerry Fuller, one of the most influential people in the music industry, and with 20 consecutive singles for Challenge, somehow never warranted an LP.
It isn't that Challenge was a singles-only label, as they issued four Jerry Wallace and four Champs albums. While these were their top acts at the time, in that order, Challenge also released LPs for artists not nearly as famous, or successful, as Jerry Fuller. A few among those are Diane Maxwell; Ray De Michel; Yvonne Shubert; Rhythm Rockers; and Jerry Wiggins (the third Jerry in their stable).
I brought this up in a March '96 phone conversation with Jerry Fuller, telling him it is certainly time for a compilation CD, and that I would push for the project if I knew who to push.
He agreed, and gave me the contact information for Jack Jackson, in Master Licensing and Compilations of the Challenge Masters at Sony's Nashville office.
I spoke with Mr. Jackson about getting Jerry's music on CD, but it wasn't among their immediate plans. Unfortunately it wasn't in Sony's plan at all, at least not until December 2008, when Ace came to the rescue.
IZ ZAT SO? Some might be curious about the “Double Life” part of the title on “Jerry Fuller - A Double Life: The Challenge Recordings 1959-1966.”
Though not known to the general public, “Double Life” (Challenge 59329) is wildly popular among collectors, especially in the UK, of Northern Soul music.
Its popularity has driven prices for this 1966 single into the $100 to $200 range, about 10 times as much as Jerry's other Challenge records.
And the correct title is just “Double Life,” not “A Double Life.”
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
Music News & Notes
Memory Tapes Reveals Debut Album
Moniker-crazed one-man-band Dayve Hawk splits the difference between his Weird Tapes project (dancey, electro) and his Memory Cassette project (hazy, wistful) with Memory Tapes (dancey, yet wistful!). After the incredible, New Order-style single "Bicycle", we now get news of the debut Memory Tapes LP, dubbed Seek Magic and out September 29 via Sincerely Yours/Acephale.
To start, the record is primarily being released on vinyl-- first run records will be light blue with some special "white/blue haze" LPs thrown in just in case you didn't get the idea that this shit is fucking hazy. But if you're still into CDs, you'll have to travel to London's Rough Trade shop to pick up Seek Magic because that's the only place on earth selling it on compact disc.
=======================
Kraftwerk Announce Massive Eight-Disc Box Set, Reissue Series
Kraftwerk, the German legends that pretty much invented electronic pop music as we know it, are due to reissue eight of their albums in a massive box set called 12345678: The Catalogue. Five of the albums will also be reissued as individual titles.
The box is due October 6 in the U.S. from EMI. It'll feature the following discs: 1974's Autobahn, 1975's Radio-Activity, 1977's stone classic Trans-Europe Express, 1978's The Man Machine, 1981's Computer World, 1986's Techno Pop, the 1991 remix comp The Mix, and 2003's Tour De France. (The band's first three albums are not included.)
=======================
Of Montreal Multi-Instrumentalist James Husband Readies Solo Album
James Huggins, one of the Athens, Georgia band's multi-instrumentalists, is getting set to do just that. Huggins, who records as James Husband, will release A Parallax I, his proper solo debut, on October 27 via Polyvinyl. Husband recorded the album between 2003 and 2008 in Athens and Stockholm, with help from his of Montreal bandmate Dottie Alexander, Swedish pop starlet Jenny Wilson, and Andy LeMaster of Now It's Overhead.
=======================
Portishead's Barrow Forms New Band
Portishead producer and multi-instrumentalist Geoff Barrow is such a perfectionist that his group has only managed to release three albums in the past 15 years. So it's probably good that Barrow and his new band Beak> are putting some restrictions on themselves; it's the only way they'll ever get anything done.
Barrow formed Beak> earlier this year with two fellow Bristol musicians, Billy Fuller and Matt Williams. The band already has an album ready to go. Their self-titled debut will be out October 19 in the UK on Barrow's own Invada, and Ipecac will release it the next day in the U.S. So how did Barrow make an album so quickly after spending more than a decade on Portishead's Third? Easy: He forced himself.
The band has some pretty rigorous guidelines in place. They record all their music in one room and they don't use overdubs. The band wrote their entire album over the course of one 12-day session. In a statement about Beak>, Barrow says, "It's really good to create music under different conditions than you're used to."
=======================
Dr. Dre's The Chronic To Get Expanded Re-Release
The Chronic Re-Lit will be in stores September 1, with seven bonus tracks and a DVD.
One of the most iconic rap albums of all time, Dr. Dre's 1992 solo debut, The Chronic, will be re-released on September 1. The digitally remastered version of the multiplatinum gangsta rap landmark, with such hits as "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" and "Let Me Ride," will feature all 16 original songs and seven new tracks uncovered in the Death Row Records vaults, according to the label's new CEO.
In addition to the extras on the Chronic disc, there will also be a link to the new Death Row Web site, where six more songs from the vault will be available as well as information on a remix contest that will result in a promo-only vinyl album that will be serviced to club DJs.
=======================
Warhol's Jackson Sells For $1 Mil
Andy Warhol's 1984 portrait of Michael Jackson has sold at auction for over $1million.
The auction took place at The Vered Gallery in Long Island, New York with the painting going to an anonymous bidder.
The gallery has remained tight-lipped about the exact price, but it was confirmed that the portrait sold for in excess of $1million
=======================
New Sinatra Live Box Set Coming on November 3
It has been a great decade for Frank Sinatra fans. Due to an ongoing effort by his various labels and the Sinatra family, fans have gotten a number of new recordings including the box set of Las Vegas performances from 2006 and, now, a new 4-CD/1-DVD box of New York based concerts.
Sinatra: New York features performances from over a 35-year periods, starting with a 1955 appearance with Tommy Dorsey up through a June 1990 show at Radio City Music Hall. Overall, there are 77 previously unreleased tracks (55 on CD and 16 on DVD) along with a book with rare photos and tributes from Martin Scorsese, Tony Bennett, Yogi Berra, and Twyla Tharp, liner notes by Nat Hentoff, and essays by William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist and French Connection; George Kalinsky, official photographer for Madison Square Garden for over 40 years; Tom Young, engineer for Sinatra; Joe & Sal Scognamillo, owners of Patsy’s Italian Restaurant in New York City; and Frank Sinatra Jr.
The included performances are:
•February, 1955 at the Manhattan Center as a surprise guest during a Tommy Dorsey show.
•September, 1963 at the United Nations Manhattan Office, accompanied only by the piano of Skitch Henderson.
•April 8, 1974 at Carnegie Hall during his first tour after "retiring" in 1971.
•October 12, 1974 at Madison Square Garden. This is the show the night prior to the Main Event concert that was broadcast live on ABC-TV.
•June 28, 1980 at Carnegie Hall (DVD) during a two-week engagement at the venue.
•June 1984 at Carnegie Hall.
•June 1990 at Radio City Music Hall
Note that the last two shows, both contained on the fourth CD, appear to be highlights and not complete concerts.
For a preview from the DVD, go to sinatra.com to see a performance of The Lady is a Tramp.
=======================
Three Days Grace Unveil Album Cover
Three Days Grace have premiered the album art for Life Starts Now! The album is set to hit stores September 22nd via Jive Records, with the first single off the record titled “Break.”
=======================
SECRETS OF THE MOON: 'Privilegivm' Release Pushed Back A Week
Due to "the complex production," the release date of "Privilegivm", the new album from German progressive black metallers SECRETS OF THE MOON, has been pushed back one week, and will now be made available in Germany and Austria on September 18, and in other European countries on September 21 via Prophecy Productions.
A release date for North America will be announced soon.
The "Privilegivm" cover art, which was designed by "France's best media artist" Metastazis, can be viewed below.
According to the band, "Privilegivm" will be available in three different formats:
* First edition digipack CD, including the bonus track "A Million Suns"
* Limited gatefold double LP, including the bonus track "A Million Suns" and poster
* Limited luxus box featuring the digipack CD, two seven-inch singles with remixes by Esoteric, In Slaughter Natives, Melek-Tha and Inswarm plus one patch/armlet.
Moniker-crazed one-man-band Dayve Hawk splits the difference between his Weird Tapes project (dancey, electro) and his Memory Cassette project (hazy, wistful) with Memory Tapes (dancey, yet wistful!). After the incredible, New Order-style single "Bicycle", we now get news of the debut Memory Tapes LP, dubbed Seek Magic and out September 29 via Sincerely Yours/Acephale.
To start, the record is primarily being released on vinyl-- first run records will be light blue with some special "white/blue haze" LPs thrown in just in case you didn't get the idea that this shit is fucking hazy. But if you're still into CDs, you'll have to travel to London's Rough Trade shop to pick up Seek Magic because that's the only place on earth selling it on compact disc.
=======================
Kraftwerk Announce Massive Eight-Disc Box Set, Reissue Series
Kraftwerk, the German legends that pretty much invented electronic pop music as we know it, are due to reissue eight of their albums in a massive box set called 12345678: The Catalogue. Five of the albums will also be reissued as individual titles.
The box is due October 6 in the U.S. from EMI. It'll feature the following discs: 1974's Autobahn, 1975's Radio-Activity, 1977's stone classic Trans-Europe Express, 1978's The Man Machine, 1981's Computer World, 1986's Techno Pop, the 1991 remix comp The Mix, and 2003's Tour De France. (The band's first three albums are not included.)
=======================
Of Montreal Multi-Instrumentalist James Husband Readies Solo Album
James Huggins, one of the Athens, Georgia band's multi-instrumentalists, is getting set to do just that. Huggins, who records as James Husband, will release A Parallax I, his proper solo debut, on October 27 via Polyvinyl. Husband recorded the album between 2003 and 2008 in Athens and Stockholm, with help from his of Montreal bandmate Dottie Alexander, Swedish pop starlet Jenny Wilson, and Andy LeMaster of Now It's Overhead.=======================
Portishead's Barrow Forms New Band
Portishead producer and multi-instrumentalist Geoff Barrow is such a perfectionist that his group has only managed to release three albums in the past 15 years. So it's probably good that Barrow and his new band Beak> are putting some restrictions on themselves; it's the only way they'll ever get anything done.
Barrow formed Beak> earlier this year with two fellow Bristol musicians, Billy Fuller and Matt Williams. The band already has an album ready to go. Their self-titled debut will be out October 19 in the UK on Barrow's own Invada, and Ipecac will release it the next day in the U.S. So how did Barrow make an album so quickly after spending more than a decade on Portishead's Third? Easy: He forced himself.
The band has some pretty rigorous guidelines in place. They record all their music in one room and they don't use overdubs. The band wrote their entire album over the course of one 12-day session. In a statement about Beak>, Barrow says, "It's really good to create music under different conditions than you're used to."
=======================
Dr. Dre's The Chronic To Get Expanded Re-Release
The Chronic Re-Lit will be in stores September 1, with seven bonus tracks and a DVD.
One of the most iconic rap albums of all time, Dr. Dre's 1992 solo debut, The Chronic, will be re-released on September 1. The digitally remastered version of the multiplatinum gangsta rap landmark, with such hits as "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" and "Let Me Ride," will feature all 16 original songs and seven new tracks uncovered in the Death Row Records vaults, according to the label's new CEO.
In addition to the extras on the Chronic disc, there will also be a link to the new Death Row Web site, where six more songs from the vault will be available as well as information on a remix contest that will result in a promo-only vinyl album that will be serviced to club DJs.
=======================
Warhol's Jackson Sells For $1 Mil
Andy Warhol's 1984 portrait of Michael Jackson has sold at auction for over $1million.
The auction took place at The Vered Gallery in Long Island, New York with the painting going to an anonymous bidder.
The gallery has remained tight-lipped about the exact price, but it was confirmed that the portrait sold for in excess of $1million
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New Sinatra Live Box Set Coming on November 3
It has been a great decade for Frank Sinatra fans. Due to an ongoing effort by his various labels and the Sinatra family, fans have gotten a number of new recordings including the box set of Las Vegas performances from 2006 and, now, a new 4-CD/1-DVD box of New York based concerts.
Sinatra: New York features performances from over a 35-year periods, starting with a 1955 appearance with Tommy Dorsey up through a June 1990 show at Radio City Music Hall. Overall, there are 77 previously unreleased tracks (55 on CD and 16 on DVD) along with a book with rare photos and tributes from Martin Scorsese, Tony Bennett, Yogi Berra, and Twyla Tharp, liner notes by Nat Hentoff, and essays by William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist and French Connection; George Kalinsky, official photographer for Madison Square Garden for over 40 years; Tom Young, engineer for Sinatra; Joe & Sal Scognamillo, owners of Patsy’s Italian Restaurant in New York City; and Frank Sinatra Jr.
The included performances are:
•February, 1955 at the Manhattan Center as a surprise guest during a Tommy Dorsey show.
•September, 1963 at the United Nations Manhattan Office, accompanied only by the piano of Skitch Henderson.
•April 8, 1974 at Carnegie Hall during his first tour after "retiring" in 1971.
•October 12, 1974 at Madison Square Garden. This is the show the night prior to the Main Event concert that was broadcast live on ABC-TV.
•June 28, 1980 at Carnegie Hall (DVD) during a two-week engagement at the venue.
•June 1984 at Carnegie Hall.
•June 1990 at Radio City Music Hall
Note that the last two shows, both contained on the fourth CD, appear to be highlights and not complete concerts.
For a preview from the DVD, go to sinatra.com to see a performance of The Lady is a Tramp.
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Three Days Grace Unveil Album Cover
Three Days Grace have premiered the album art for Life Starts Now! The album is set to hit stores September 22nd via Jive Records, with the first single off the record titled “Break.”
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SECRETS OF THE MOON: 'Privilegivm' Release Pushed Back A Week
Due to "the complex production," the release date of "Privilegivm", the new album from German progressive black metallers SECRETS OF THE MOON, has been pushed back one week, and will now be made available in Germany and Austria on September 18, and in other European countries on September 21 via Prophecy Productions.
A release date for North America will be announced soon.
The "Privilegivm" cover art, which was designed by "France's best media artist" Metastazis, can be viewed below.
According to the band, "Privilegivm" will be available in three different formats:
* First edition digipack CD, including the bonus track "A Million Suns"
* Limited gatefold double LP, including the bonus track "A Million Suns" and poster
* Limited luxus box featuring the digipack CD, two seven-inch singles with remixes by Esoteric, In Slaughter Natives, Melek-Tha and Inswarm plus one patch/armlet.
This Date In Music History- August 20
Birthdays:
John Lantree - Honeycombs (1940)
Dave Brock - Hawkwind (1941)
John Povey - Pretty Things (1944)
Ralf Hutter - Kraftwerk (1946)
James Pankow - Chicago (1947)
Robert Plant - Led Zeppelin (1948)
Rudy Gatlin - Gatlin Brothers (1952)
Doug Fieger - Knack (1952)
John Hiatt (1952)
Fred Durst - Limp Bizkit (1971)
They Are Missed:
The late Isaac Hayes ("Theme From Shaft") was born in 1942
Born today in 1949 - Phil Lynott Irish singer, songwriter, bass player, Thin Lizzy. Lynott died on Jan 4, 1986 of heart failure and pneumonia after being in a coma for eight days following a drug overdose. A life-size bronze statue of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street in Dublin in 2005.
Blues Traveler bassist Bobby Sheehan was found dead in his New Orleans apartment in 1999. He was 31.
Born on this day in 1924, Jim Reeves, US country singer. The first country singer to crossover into the pop market. Reeves was killed in a plane crash on July 31, 1964 when the single engine aircraft flying from Arkansas to Nashville crashed in thick fog.
Born today in 1966 - Dimebag Darrell, guitarist, Pantera. Darrell was killed on December 8, 2004 after a man stormed the stage during a Damageplan show at the Alrosa Villa Club in Columbus, Ohio and began firing shots at the band and crowd.
Born on this day in 1931, Paul Robi, The Platters (died of cancer on February 1, 1989).
Born today in 1934 - 'Sneaky' Pete Kleinow, US country-rock steel guitar player. Died Jan 6, 2007 (age 72). He was one of the original members of the Flying Burrito Brothers with the Byrds' Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons. Also worked with John Lennon and Joni Mitchell.
History:
The first commercial radio station in the United States, 8MK in Detroit, began daily broadcasting in 1920. The station will later become WWJ.
Bo Diddley appeared at the Apollo Theatre, Harlem, New York in 1955.
Chuck Berry’s "Maybellene," his debut single, is #1 on the R&B chart in 1955.
The Beatles, touring America for the last time in 1966, were forced to cancel and reschedule their performance in Cincinnati's open-air stadium, Crosley Field. Heavy rain (and no cover provided) made electrocution a virtual certainty if The Beatles had attempted to perform. Smart move.
In 1967, the New York Times reported about a new noise reduction system for album and tape recording developed by technicians R. and D.W. Dolby. Elektra Record's new subsidiary, Checkmate Records, will be the first label to use the new Dolby process in its recordings.
In 1968, the director of the University of Tennessee's audio lab, Dr. David M. Lipscomb, reported a guinea pig subjected over a three month period to 88 hours of rock music recorded at a Knoxville disco at 120 decibels suffered acute damage to the inner ears. The New York Times was told by Steve Paul, owner of the New York disco, The Scene, "Should a major increase in guinea pig attendance occur at the Scene, we'll certainly bear their comfort in mind."
In 1969, after finishing “I Want You, (She’s So Heavy),” the Beatles worked on the running order for the Abbey Road album. A preliminary master tape was compiled, the medley was originally slated for side one of the album, and the placement of “Octopus's Garden” and “Oh! Darling” was reversed from the final version. The album was to end with the slashed guitar chord that finishes “I Want You (She's So Heavy).” This was the last time all four Beatles were together in Abbey Road studios.
Frank Zappa disbands the Mothers of Invention in 1969 right after an eight day tour in Canada. Zappa says he's "tired of playing for people who clap for all the wrong reasons."
The Rolling Stones released their epic cut "Angie" in 1973.
Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," about an ore carrier which sank on Lake Superior, was released as a single in 1976.
John Lennon began recording his final album, "Double Fantasy" in 1980.
In 1986, Rick Allen drummer with Def Leppard made his first live appearance with the band after losing an arm in a car accident, when they appeared at the Monsters Of Rock Festival, Castle Donington, England.
Performing at the Donington rock festival in England in 1988, Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose told the audience to "try not to kill yourselves." Ironically, two people die in a crowd surge while the band plays.
In 1992, a doctor filed a $35m lawsuit against the Southwest Bell phone company. He alleged that his wife died because he could not reach 911 due to all lines being jammed by demand of Garth Brooks concert tickets.
In 1991, Freedom Williams of the dance music act C&C Music Factory passed out from exhaustion in front of 2,500 fans at a show in Tucson, Arizona. His tape-recorded voice continued rapping and the crowd cheered, thinking the fall was part of the act. Lesson- Sing for real.
In 2004, a gent from Stoke-on-Trent, England, named Bryan Adams as the ‘other man’ in his divorce papers after years spent trying to cope with his wife’s obsession with the singer. Rob Tinsley said he had to live with a 6ft cut-out of Adams which stood at the foot of the bed and posters on the bedroom walls.
John Lantree - Honeycombs (1940)
Dave Brock - Hawkwind (1941)
John Povey - Pretty Things (1944)
Ralf Hutter - Kraftwerk (1946)
James Pankow - Chicago (1947)
Robert Plant - Led Zeppelin (1948)
Rudy Gatlin - Gatlin Brothers (1952)
Doug Fieger - Knack (1952)
John Hiatt (1952)
Fred Durst - Limp Bizkit (1971)
They Are Missed:
The late Isaac Hayes ("Theme From Shaft") was born in 1942
Born today in 1949 - Phil Lynott Irish singer, songwriter, bass player, Thin Lizzy. Lynott died on Jan 4, 1986 of heart failure and pneumonia after being in a coma for eight days following a drug overdose. A life-size bronze statue of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street in Dublin in 2005.
Blues Traveler bassist Bobby Sheehan was found dead in his New Orleans apartment in 1999. He was 31.
Born on this day in 1924, Jim Reeves, US country singer. The first country singer to crossover into the pop market. Reeves was killed in a plane crash on July 31, 1964 when the single engine aircraft flying from Arkansas to Nashville crashed in thick fog.
Born today in 1966 - Dimebag Darrell, guitarist, Pantera. Darrell was killed on December 8, 2004 after a man stormed the stage during a Damageplan show at the Alrosa Villa Club in Columbus, Ohio and began firing shots at the band and crowd.
Born on this day in 1931, Paul Robi, The Platters (died of cancer on February 1, 1989).
Born today in 1934 - 'Sneaky' Pete Kleinow, US country-rock steel guitar player. Died Jan 6, 2007 (age 72). He was one of the original members of the Flying Burrito Brothers with the Byrds' Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons. Also worked with John Lennon and Joni Mitchell.
History:
The first commercial radio station in the United States, 8MK in Detroit, began daily broadcasting in 1920. The station will later become WWJ.
Bo Diddley appeared at the Apollo Theatre, Harlem, New York in 1955.
Chuck Berry’s "Maybellene," his debut single, is #1 on the R&B chart in 1955.
The Beatles, touring America for the last time in 1966, were forced to cancel and reschedule their performance in Cincinnati's open-air stadium, Crosley Field. Heavy rain (and no cover provided) made electrocution a virtual certainty if The Beatles had attempted to perform. Smart move.
In 1967, the New York Times reported about a new noise reduction system for album and tape recording developed by technicians R. and D.W. Dolby. Elektra Record's new subsidiary, Checkmate Records, will be the first label to use the new Dolby process in its recordings.
In 1968, the director of the University of Tennessee's audio lab, Dr. David M. Lipscomb, reported a guinea pig subjected over a three month period to 88 hours of rock music recorded at a Knoxville disco at 120 decibels suffered acute damage to the inner ears. The New York Times was told by Steve Paul, owner of the New York disco, The Scene, "Should a major increase in guinea pig attendance occur at the Scene, we'll certainly bear their comfort in mind."
In 1969, after finishing “I Want You, (She’s So Heavy),” the Beatles worked on the running order for the Abbey Road album. A preliminary master tape was compiled, the medley was originally slated for side one of the album, and the placement of “Octopus's Garden” and “Oh! Darling” was reversed from the final version. The album was to end with the slashed guitar chord that finishes “I Want You (She's So Heavy).” This was the last time all four Beatles were together in Abbey Road studios.
Frank Zappa disbands the Mothers of Invention in 1969 right after an eight day tour in Canada. Zappa says he's "tired of playing for people who clap for all the wrong reasons."
The Rolling Stones released their epic cut "Angie" in 1973.
Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," about an ore carrier which sank on Lake Superior, was released as a single in 1976.
John Lennon began recording his final album, "Double Fantasy" in 1980.
In 1986, Rick Allen drummer with Def Leppard made his first live appearance with the band after losing an arm in a car accident, when they appeared at the Monsters Of Rock Festival, Castle Donington, England.
Performing at the Donington rock festival in England in 1988, Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose told the audience to "try not to kill yourselves." Ironically, two people die in a crowd surge while the band plays.
In 1992, a doctor filed a $35m lawsuit against the Southwest Bell phone company. He alleged that his wife died because he could not reach 911 due to all lines being jammed by demand of Garth Brooks concert tickets.
In 1991, Freedom Williams of the dance music act C&C Music Factory passed out from exhaustion in front of 2,500 fans at a show in Tucson, Arizona. His tape-recorded voice continued rapping and the crowd cheered, thinking the fall was part of the act. Lesson- Sing for real.
In 2004, a gent from Stoke-on-Trent, England, named Bryan Adams as the ‘other man’ in his divorce papers after years spent trying to cope with his wife’s obsession with the singer. Rob Tinsley said he had to live with a 6ft cut-out of Adams which stood at the foot of the bed and posters on the bedroom walls.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Bird and Animal Names In Rock And Roll History- part twenty-six
Let’s continue our ongoing series about “bird” and “animal” group names and individuals in rock and roll history, this time, let’s devote some time to some of the ‘indie’ bands that are making a name for themselves.
After an eight-year run with the band Carissa’a Weird, multi-instrumentalists Ben Bridwell and Mat Brooke founded the indie rock outfit Band Of Horses in 2004.
The band received attention and critical acclaim after a tour opening for another indie band Iron & Wine. In 2005, the native Northwesterners released an EP that was sold exclusively at their shows and at their record label’s website, Sub Pop. Their full length debut “Everything All The Time” was released in March of 2006 to positive reviews.
However, Brooke did not tour in support of the releases and ultimately quit the band to form another Sub Poop act, Grand Archives. Bridwell recruited two new bandmates, Rob Hampton (bass) and Creighton Barrett (drums) to tour and the pair became permanent members; although the full lineup has changed and is listed below.
After relocating to South Carolina to be closer to his family, Bidwell and his band cut their second LP “Cease To Begin” in October of 2007. It was voted as one of the best ten albums of 2007 by Paste magazine and featured the cuts “The General Specific” and “Detlef Schrempf.”
Amazingly, you have probably heard their music, but not know who the artist was. Their song, “The Funeral” appeared in the television commercials for SUVs, in the trailer for the movie Penelope and in the television series’ CSI, Criminal Minds, One Tree Hill and Numb3rs. In 2008, the band stated that they planned on entering the studio to begin recording their third LP, with Bridwell claiming to have twenty seven songs already written.
Hailing from London is a post-punk band called Dogs. The band acquired a loyal fan base by touring with Paul Weller, Razorlight and The Enemy and is consistently ranked as one of Britain’s best live bands.
Their first album "Turn Against This Land," was released on in September of 2005 and was recorded at Sawmills Studio in Cornwall and was produced by John Cornfield. It was released via Island Records. The LP contains the singles “London Bridge/End Of An Era” (double A-side), “Tuned to a Different Station” and “Selfish Ways."
The Dogs returned in 2007, this time under Weekender Records, with three singles: “Soldier On," followed by “This Stone Is A Bullet” and thirdly “Dirty Little Shop”, released on June 18, 2007. The song "Chained to No-One" was released at the end of 2007 as a download only single. The band released its second album, "Tall Stories from Under the Table" on June 25, 2007.
Their music may remind some of the peppy pop sounds of the Talking Heads or XTC, but Scotland’s Dogs Die In Hot Cars cut their teeth absorbing the music of stalwarts such as Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The band, vocalists/guitarists Craig Macintosh and Gary Smith, bassist Lee Worrall, keyboardist/vocalist Ruth Quigley, and drummer Laurence Davey was formed while all were in high school. Playing cover songs at local pubs, the group started sprinkling in a few of their own songs into the set list. After a few years of saving money, upgrading their equipment and sound and writing songs, they relocated to Glasgow to focus on their music. In summer 2003, the band released their first single on Radiate, "I Love You Cause I Have To," and the mix of ska rhythms and new wave pop won the band critical and commercial acclaim.
In early 2004, the group released the EP “Man Bites Man” and their debut album was released in July of that same year. The LP, “Please Describe Yourself” included the tracks "I Love You 'Cause I Have To,” "Godhopping" and "Lounger.” "Godhopping" peaked at #24 on the UK Singles Chart and remains the band's biggest hit. "I Love You 'Cause I Have To" peaked at #32 on the UK Singles Chart and narrowly missed the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States.
On September 18, 2007 the band posted a blog on their MySpace website indicating that they had decided to end all work on a new album. With this news they also said that they are going their separate ways and may or may not reunite. In April 2008 the band began to release their second album demos along with their individual track files, free for all to download from their website. Visitors could these songs to make their own versions of the songs and then send those versions back to the band. The band would then later announce a closing date (closing date was announced for May 1, 2009), and then the band would compile the second album using ideas from the submitted versions from their fans, and share 50% of the royalties that come from its release with everyone who has contributed towards making it. The project is called "Dogs Die In Hot Cars is making Pop Nonsense” and is certainly a novel concept and the submissions and finished songs are now available on the band’s Facebook page.
The Golden Dogs are a pop-rock band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada that formed in 2000. Dave Azzolini is the songwriting force, supported by Jessica Grassia on keyboards, vocals, and percussion, and Taylor Knox (musician) on drums. The group released their debut, “Everything in 3 Parts,” and the single "Can't Get Your Face Out of My Head" was very popular in the indie music scene. The band enjoyed even more success with the release of their follow-up single "Yeah!" In 2006 the band followed up with “Big Eye Little Eye” with the single "Never Meant Any Harm" proving to be quite popular.
In 2008, the band had a busy year in the USA, touring with the likes of Feist, Sloan and Electric Six. As of late 2008, the Golden Dogs were currently recording their third studio album in Toronto. Expect great things from this band and more infectious music in the near future.
In part twenty-seven, we will continue our look at some of the indie bands that have made and are making a name for themselves in the music industry.
Band Of Horses Tidbits:
The band often draws comparisons to My Morning Jacket, largely due to the vocal similarities between Bridwell and My Morning Jacket lead singer Jim James, the occasional Southern rock tendencies that the two groups have in common and a penchant for glimmering reverb.
The band's current lineup includes Ben Bridwell, Creighton Barrett, Ryan Monroe and Tyler Ramsey, who also provides opening performances on tour, as well as bassist Bill Reynolds and guitarist Blake Mills.
In 2007, the band's song "No One's Gonna Love You" was played in the first season of Chuck, in the season 1 finale of 90210, and in the season 5 finale of Numb3rs. In 2008, they appeared in a Ford commercial for the company's new SYNC voice recognition audio control system.
Buy Band Of Horses Music
Dogs Tidbits:
Dogs are: Johnny Cooke (vocals), Luciano Vargas (vocals, guitar), Rikki Mehta (guitar), Duncan Timms (bass guitar) and Paul Warren (drums).
Dogs Die In Hot Cars Tidbits:
The band's name comes from a RSPCA campaign to advise dog owners not to leave their pets in hot cars and has often been a strong talking point of polarized views.
In an interview with U.S. Rolling Stone magazine, singer/guitarist Craig Macintosh mentioned that "Rolling Stone in Australia said it was the best band name in the history of rock & roll. But then the NME said it was the worst.”
Buy Dogs Die In Hot Cars Music
After an eight-year run with the band Carissa’a Weird, multi-instrumentalists Ben Bridwell and Mat Brooke founded the indie rock outfit Band Of Horses in 2004.
The band received attention and critical acclaim after a tour opening for another indie band Iron & Wine. In 2005, the native Northwesterners released an EP that was sold exclusively at their shows and at their record label’s website, Sub Pop. Their full length debut “Everything All The Time” was released in March of 2006 to positive reviews.
However, Brooke did not tour in support of the releases and ultimately quit the band to form another Sub Poop act, Grand Archives. Bridwell recruited two new bandmates, Rob Hampton (bass) and Creighton Barrett (drums) to tour and the pair became permanent members; although the full lineup has changed and is listed below.
After relocating to South Carolina to be closer to his family, Bidwell and his band cut their second LP “Cease To Begin” in October of 2007. It was voted as one of the best ten albums of 2007 by Paste magazine and featured the cuts “The General Specific” and “Detlef Schrempf.”
Amazingly, you have probably heard their music, but not know who the artist was. Their song, “The Funeral” appeared in the television commercials for SUVs, in the trailer for the movie Penelope and in the television series’ CSI, Criminal Minds, One Tree Hill and Numb3rs. In 2008, the band stated that they planned on entering the studio to begin recording their third LP, with Bridwell claiming to have twenty seven songs already written.
Hailing from London is a post-punk band called Dogs. The band acquired a loyal fan base by touring with Paul Weller, Razorlight and The Enemy and is consistently ranked as one of Britain’s best live bands.
Their first album "Turn Against This Land," was released on in September of 2005 and was recorded at Sawmills Studio in Cornwall and was produced by John Cornfield. It was released via Island Records. The LP contains the singles “London Bridge/End Of An Era” (double A-side), “Tuned to a Different Station” and “Selfish Ways."
The Dogs returned in 2007, this time under Weekender Records, with three singles: “Soldier On," followed by “This Stone Is A Bullet” and thirdly “Dirty Little Shop”, released on June 18, 2007. The song "Chained to No-One" was released at the end of 2007 as a download only single. The band released its second album, "Tall Stories from Under the Table" on June 25, 2007.
Their music may remind some of the peppy pop sounds of the Talking Heads or XTC, but Scotland’s Dogs Die In Hot Cars cut their teeth absorbing the music of stalwarts such as Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The band, vocalists/guitarists Craig Macintosh and Gary Smith, bassist Lee Worrall, keyboardist/vocalist Ruth Quigley, and drummer Laurence Davey was formed while all were in high school. Playing cover songs at local pubs, the group started sprinkling in a few of their own songs into the set list. After a few years of saving money, upgrading their equipment and sound and writing songs, they relocated to Glasgow to focus on their music. In summer 2003, the band released their first single on Radiate, "I Love You Cause I Have To," and the mix of ska rhythms and new wave pop won the band critical and commercial acclaim.
In early 2004, the group released the EP “Man Bites Man” and their debut album was released in July of that same year. The LP, “Please Describe Yourself” included the tracks "I Love You 'Cause I Have To,” "Godhopping" and "Lounger.” "Godhopping" peaked at #24 on the UK Singles Chart and remains the band's biggest hit. "I Love You 'Cause I Have To" peaked at #32 on the UK Singles Chart and narrowly missed the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States.
On September 18, 2007 the band posted a blog on their MySpace website indicating that they had decided to end all work on a new album. With this news they also said that they are going their separate ways and may or may not reunite. In April 2008 the band began to release their second album demos along with their individual track files, free for all to download from their website. Visitors could these songs to make their own versions of the songs and then send those versions back to the band. The band would then later announce a closing date (closing date was announced for May 1, 2009), and then the band would compile the second album using ideas from the submitted versions from their fans, and share 50% of the royalties that come from its release with everyone who has contributed towards making it. The project is called "Dogs Die In Hot Cars is making Pop Nonsense” and is certainly a novel concept and the submissions and finished songs are now available on the band’s Facebook page.
The Golden Dogs are a pop-rock band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada that formed in 2000. Dave Azzolini is the songwriting force, supported by Jessica Grassia on keyboards, vocals, and percussion, and Taylor Knox (musician) on drums. The group released their debut, “Everything in 3 Parts,” and the single "Can't Get Your Face Out of My Head" was very popular in the indie music scene. The band enjoyed even more success with the release of their follow-up single "Yeah!" In 2006 the band followed up with “Big Eye Little Eye” with the single "Never Meant Any Harm" proving to be quite popular.
In 2008, the band had a busy year in the USA, touring with the likes of Feist, Sloan and Electric Six. As of late 2008, the Golden Dogs were currently recording their third studio album in Toronto. Expect great things from this band and more infectious music in the near future.
In part twenty-seven, we will continue our look at some of the indie bands that have made and are making a name for themselves in the music industry.
Band Of Horses Tidbits:
The band often draws comparisons to My Morning Jacket, largely due to the vocal similarities between Bridwell and My Morning Jacket lead singer Jim James, the occasional Southern rock tendencies that the two groups have in common and a penchant for glimmering reverb.
The band's current lineup includes Ben Bridwell, Creighton Barrett, Ryan Monroe and Tyler Ramsey, who also provides opening performances on tour, as well as bassist Bill Reynolds and guitarist Blake Mills.
In 2007, the band's song "No One's Gonna Love You" was played in the first season of Chuck, in the season 1 finale of 90210, and in the season 5 finale of Numb3rs. In 2008, they appeared in a Ford commercial for the company's new SYNC voice recognition audio control system.
Buy Band Of Horses Music
Dogs Tidbits:
Dogs are: Johnny Cooke (vocals), Luciano Vargas (vocals, guitar), Rikki Mehta (guitar), Duncan Timms (bass guitar) and Paul Warren (drums).
Dogs Die In Hot Cars Tidbits:
The band's name comes from a RSPCA campaign to advise dog owners not to leave their pets in hot cars and has often been a strong talking point of polarized views.
In an interview with U.S. Rolling Stone magazine, singer/guitarist Craig Macintosh mentioned that "Rolling Stone in Australia said it was the best band name in the history of rock & roll. But then the NME said it was the worst.”
Buy Dogs Die In Hot Cars Music
KISS: Behind The 'Sonic Boom' Album Cover Art
The cover art for the new KISS album, "Sonic Boom," was created by Michael Doret, who also designed the band's classic "Rock And Roll Over" album cover.
Doret explains the process of how the new artwork came to be and writes on his blog:
"When Paul Stanley [KISS guitarist/vocalist] came by my studio to discuss how to proceed on the art for the cover of their upcoming CD/DVD package, 'Sonic Boom', I had no idea what to expect. I hadn't met with him since working on 'Rock And Roll Over', and had very little memory of what that had been like.
"Any anxiety I had melted away when we started talking. Paul is a 'gentlemen's gentleman' and I immediately felt at ease talking with him — as if all those years had not intervened since the last time we had spoken.
"After some small talk, he explained what he was after with the new cover art. His vision for this album was to make it as vital and raw as it had been when they did 'Rock And Roll Over'. He felt that that had been some of the best work that they had ever done, and wanted the new album to recreate that energy both musically and visually. While he didn't want me to reprise what I had done with my art for the earlier cover, he did want me to try to capture some of the same spirit, attitude, energy, and look that I had instilled in that piece. Also, one of his stipulations was that unlike 'Rock And Roll Over' (where I had created abstract, graphic versions of the KISS personas), this time he wanted photographic representations of the four group members in full makeup.
"When I did 'Rock And Roll Over', I had a 12" canvas to work on. Now with CD covers and digital booklets, that canvas had been reduced to less than 40% of its original size. Designing in a 4¾" space poses some very different problems from what I faced while working on covers for vinyl releases. In fact, the older cover design would not have worked at that size; its many elements would have felt crowded into a small space. So the elements of 'Sonic Boom' had to be bigger, bolder — and fewer. I made the decision to make the title the main focus of the graphics, moving the other elements (faces, KISS logo) into prominent — but subordinate—roles.
"So I set about putting pencil to paper and trying to solve this the way I solve any other design problem. I did not want to get psyched-out by thinking too much about how the new design would compare with 'Rock And Roll Over'. That cover had taken on a life of its own and had become a pop culture icon. Creating an iconic cover could not have been one of my goals. All I was capable of doing was to try to create the most compelling graphics possible within the parameters and limitations that had been set out for me. So I started out at the core of this design by creating what I call a 'word constellation' out of the title. I tried to make it communicate its meaning visually by not only making it angular and 'explosive,' but also by creating a shape that was somewhat suggestive of flight — a 'flying wing,' if you will. Bearing in mind the symmetrical, mandala-like layout of 'Rock And Roll Over', I started designing the new piece as a field growing out of the center of the square, with the four members faces moving outwards from the center, and capped with my version of the ubiquitous KISS logo.
"It took about a week for me to develop my sketch to the point where I felt confident in what I had come up with. As I had done with 'Rock And Roll Over', I felt so strongly about this cover design that I decided to not present any other options — I wanted this to be the ONE.
"This is the rough pencil [see below] I first presented to Paul. I held my breath as he first took it in, and then was able to exhale when I saw a big smile appear on his face."
Doret explains the process of how the new artwork came to be and writes on his blog:
"When Paul Stanley [KISS guitarist/vocalist] came by my studio to discuss how to proceed on the art for the cover of their upcoming CD/DVD package, 'Sonic Boom', I had no idea what to expect. I hadn't met with him since working on 'Rock And Roll Over', and had very little memory of what that had been like.
"Any anxiety I had melted away when we started talking. Paul is a 'gentlemen's gentleman' and I immediately felt at ease talking with him — as if all those years had not intervened since the last time we had spoken.
"After some small talk, he explained what he was after with the new cover art. His vision for this album was to make it as vital and raw as it had been when they did 'Rock And Roll Over'. He felt that that had been some of the best work that they had ever done, and wanted the new album to recreate that energy both musically and visually. While he didn't want me to reprise what I had done with my art for the earlier cover, he did want me to try to capture some of the same spirit, attitude, energy, and look that I had instilled in that piece. Also, one of his stipulations was that unlike 'Rock And Roll Over' (where I had created abstract, graphic versions of the KISS personas), this time he wanted photographic representations of the four group members in full makeup.
"When I did 'Rock And Roll Over', I had a 12" canvas to work on. Now with CD covers and digital booklets, that canvas had been reduced to less than 40% of its original size. Designing in a 4¾" space poses some very different problems from what I faced while working on covers for vinyl releases. In fact, the older cover design would not have worked at that size; its many elements would have felt crowded into a small space. So the elements of 'Sonic Boom' had to be bigger, bolder — and fewer. I made the decision to make the title the main focus of the graphics, moving the other elements (faces, KISS logo) into prominent — but subordinate—roles.
"So I set about putting pencil to paper and trying to solve this the way I solve any other design problem. I did not want to get psyched-out by thinking too much about how the new design would compare with 'Rock And Roll Over'. That cover had taken on a life of its own and had become a pop culture icon. Creating an iconic cover could not have been one of my goals. All I was capable of doing was to try to create the most compelling graphics possible within the parameters and limitations that had been set out for me. So I started out at the core of this design by creating what I call a 'word constellation' out of the title. I tried to make it communicate its meaning visually by not only making it angular and 'explosive,' but also by creating a shape that was somewhat suggestive of flight — a 'flying wing,' if you will. Bearing in mind the symmetrical, mandala-like layout of 'Rock And Roll Over', I started designing the new piece as a field growing out of the center of the square, with the four members faces moving outwards from the center, and capped with my version of the ubiquitous KISS logo.
"It took about a week for me to develop my sketch to the point where I felt confident in what I had come up with. As I had done with 'Rock And Roll Over', I felt so strongly about this cover design that I decided to not present any other options — I wanted this to be the ONE.
"This is the rough pencil [see below] I first presented to Paul. I held my breath as he first took it in, and then was able to exhale when I saw a big smile appear on his face."
Music News & Notes
Details of Beatles Remasters summarized in Chicago
by David Haber, Beatles News Editor
On August 15 at the 2009 Fest for Beatles Fans in Chicago, respected journalist and Beatles historian Matt Hurwitz and Beatles author Bruce Spizer gave a presentation to the large audience of Beatles fans about the remastering of the Beatles catalogue, which will be released this September 9th, 09-09-09. Both Mr. Hurwitz and Mr. Spizer have had the privilege of hearing some of the remasters. Below is a summary of what we know about the 09-09-09 Beatles remasters.
Read the rest here:
www.beatlesnews.com
=============================
Bouncing Souls Stick Together for '20th Anniversary Series'
New Jersey punk band the Bouncing Souls are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. To celebrate the milestone, the New Brunswick-based band decided to release a new album in an unconventional way. Beginning in January, they began digitally releasing songs from their '20th Anniversary Series' on a monthly basis, collecting them quarterly on 7" vinyl EPs via their record label, Chunksaah.
"It seemed like it would be fun because, without having any money for marketing or advertising, we would be able to expand the awareness of the record coming out," frontman Greg Attonito says. "When a record came out, it used to be an event. Nowadays, when you release one, it's on everyone's iPod mixed up with all the old songs within a week. So this has helped us."
As for the band's ability to stick together, Attonito says it hasn't always been easy -- especially when the band split with original drummer Shal Khichi in 2000 -- but they've figured out how to cope.
"There's the drive, the music, the uplifting feeling that we get from performing, creating and sharing the music with the audience," he says. "All the relationships we've developed drive us through all the financial crap and long hours of travel and being uncomfortable and away from people we want to be with. It's what we do. It's what we were born to do. It truly is great."
=============================
Les Paul Coming Home
Les Paul, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 94, will be buried on Friday in his hometown of Waukesha, Wisconsin.
A private funeral service will be held in New York on Wednesday followed by a reception at the Gibson Showroom. On Friday from 10 to 2 (CDT), there will be a public viewing at the Discovery World Museum in Milwaukee followed by a private family service at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Waukesha. I live about 100 miles from the city, I may go pay my respects to this guitar and music icon.
=============================
The Happy Hollows Announce October Release Of Debut Full Length
Acclaimed Los Angeles trio The Happy Hollows have announced the release of their debut full length on October 6th. The album, "Spells" is a culmination of their work with producer and former Mighty Lemon Drops guitarist David Newton (The Little Ones, The Blood Arm), who also produced the group's 2008 EP "Imaginary."
The rock outfit has been getting rave reviews of late with the BBC picking them as a band to watch for 2009, the Los Angeles Times has described the group's sound as a "pugilistic mix of stinging guitars, turbulent rhythms, and shouted vocals" that "alternates between childlike experimentation and ferocious firestorm." AllMusic wrote that the band's "appeal is immediate" and LAist has labeled them "a must see!"
=============================
SOIL 'Wanted To Move In More Of A Clean, Classic-Rock Style' For New Album Artwork
Stephen Jensen, the art director, photographer, and graphic designer and founder of F3 Studios in Crystal Lake, Illinois, created the cover artwork for "Picture Perfect", the new album from Chicago heavy rockers SOIL.
Regarding how the design for the new CD was conceived, a posting on the F3 web site reads: "[SOIL] wanted to take a different direction with their artwork. The band returned to Stephen and F3 Studios, who also created their last album, 'True Self', to help take them in a new direction. They were growing tired of the typical dark, edgy design styles in metal music lately and wanted to move in more of a clean, classic-rock style and more photography-driven for the album cover. Stephen was excited about the idea because it's much more of the style that he was influenced by early in his career and was certainly down for the challenge."
"Picture Perfect" will be released in the U.S. on October 20 via Bieler Bros. Records and three days later in Europe through AFM Records/Soulfood.
Looks like a 'squeaky clean' album cover to me.....
=============================
R.E.M. Reveal Live Album Details
“R.E.M. Live At The Olympia,” is a two-CD set featuring 39 songs from their acclaimed 2007 working rehearsals in Dublin, Ireland. R.E.M. set up camp at the venerable Olympia Theatre in Ireland’s capital city and tested new material over five nights before passionate, capacity crowds. This live album was produced by Dublin native Jacknife Lee who, along with R.E.M., co-produced Accelerate, the album which emerged from these shows. “Live At The Olympia” gives fans an opportunity to hear those songs at their earliest stages of development. In addition to the new material, the band also served up twenty-nine other songs, spanning their entire career, all of which can be found on this album.
A special edition 2 CD & DVD set will contain a film of the Dublin shows by Vincent Moon and Jeremiah, who previously worked with R.E.M. on Ninetynights, Six Days and the Supernatural Superserious Video.
This may disappoint some casual fans who insist that every R.E.M. concert have their most popular songs (i.e. "Man On The Moon" "Losing My Religion" "Orange Crush" among others) rehashed again - but for me, I love it, a chance to hear and see some new music. And, coming from R.E.M., I already know it is great!
1 Living Well is the Best Revenge
2 Second Guessing
3 Letter Never Sent
4 Staring Down the Barrel of the Middle Distance
5 Disturbance at the Heron House
6 Mr. Richards
7 Houston
8 New Test Leper
9 Cuyahoga
10 Electrolite
11 Man-Sized Wreath
12 So. Central Rain
13 On The Fly
14 Maps and Legends
15 Sitting Still
16 Driver 8
17 Horse to Water
18 I'm Gonna DJ
19 Circus Envy
20 These Days
21 Drive
22 Feeling Gravitys Pull
23 Until the Day is Done
24 Accelerate
25 Auctioneer
26 Little America
27 1,000,000
28 Disguised
29 The Worst Joke Ever
30 Welcome to the Occupation
31 Carnival of Sorts
32 Harborcoat
33 Wolves, Lower
34 I've Been High
35 Kohoutek
36 West of the Fields
37 Pretty Persuasion
38 Romance
39 Gardening at Night
===================
You Go George!
George Strait will have the number one album when the charts are released on Friday with Twang. Hits Daily Double estimates it will have sold about 157,000 copies.
Strait's isn't the only big debut for the week. Neil Diamond's Hot August Night/NYC looks to move around 60,000 which is good for number three on the week.
In between the two is Michael Jackson's Number Ones with sales of around 80,000 with his Essential moving an additional 42,000 (number 6).
=============================
No Go For Alice
Alice Cooper's new live show, "Theatre of Death," has been banned from playing in Tampere, Finland due to a lack of "Christian values." A letter was sent to Cooper stating:
“Performances including representation of false gods, demons, evilness and forces of darkness and all these kind of symbols, words or markings are highly prohibited. These rules are valid also in all of the advertisement and material related to the concert. Breaking this rule causes immediate cancellation of the contract, and a 100,000 € penalty fee.”
Cooper's management expressed their disappointment to the fans in Tampere and said they hoped they could make it to Helsinki where the show would still go on.
by David Haber, Beatles News Editor
On August 15 at the 2009 Fest for Beatles Fans in Chicago, respected journalist and Beatles historian Matt Hurwitz and Beatles author Bruce Spizer gave a presentation to the large audience of Beatles fans about the remastering of the Beatles catalogue, which will be released this September 9th, 09-09-09. Both Mr. Hurwitz and Mr. Spizer have had the privilege of hearing some of the remasters. Below is a summary of what we know about the 09-09-09 Beatles remasters.
Read the rest here:
www.beatlesnews.com
=============================
Bouncing Souls Stick Together for '20th Anniversary Series'
New Jersey punk band the Bouncing Souls are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. To celebrate the milestone, the New Brunswick-based band decided to release a new album in an unconventional way. Beginning in January, they began digitally releasing songs from their '20th Anniversary Series' on a monthly basis, collecting them quarterly on 7" vinyl EPs via their record label, Chunksaah."It seemed like it would be fun because, without having any money for marketing or advertising, we would be able to expand the awareness of the record coming out," frontman Greg Attonito says. "When a record came out, it used to be an event. Nowadays, when you release one, it's on everyone's iPod mixed up with all the old songs within a week. So this has helped us."
As for the band's ability to stick together, Attonito says it hasn't always been easy -- especially when the band split with original drummer Shal Khichi in 2000 -- but they've figured out how to cope.
"There's the drive, the music, the uplifting feeling that we get from performing, creating and sharing the music with the audience," he says. "All the relationships we've developed drive us through all the financial crap and long hours of travel and being uncomfortable and away from people we want to be with. It's what we do. It's what we were born to do. It truly is great."
=============================
Les Paul Coming Home
Les Paul, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 94, will be buried on Friday in his hometown of Waukesha, Wisconsin.
A private funeral service will be held in New York on Wednesday followed by a reception at the Gibson Showroom. On Friday from 10 to 2 (CDT), there will be a public viewing at the Discovery World Museum in Milwaukee followed by a private family service at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Waukesha. I live about 100 miles from the city, I may go pay my respects to this guitar and music icon.
=============================
The Happy Hollows Announce October Release Of Debut Full Length
Acclaimed Los Angeles trio The Happy Hollows have announced the release of their debut full length on October 6th. The album, "Spells" is a culmination of their work with producer and former Mighty Lemon Drops guitarist David Newton (The Little Ones, The Blood Arm), who also produced the group's 2008 EP "Imaginary."
The rock outfit has been getting rave reviews of late with the BBC picking them as a band to watch for 2009, the Los Angeles Times has described the group's sound as a "pugilistic mix of stinging guitars, turbulent rhythms, and shouted vocals" that "alternates between childlike experimentation and ferocious firestorm." AllMusic wrote that the band's "appeal is immediate" and LAist has labeled them "a must see!"
=============================
SOIL 'Wanted To Move In More Of A Clean, Classic-Rock Style' For New Album Artwork
Stephen Jensen, the art director, photographer, and graphic designer and founder of F3 Studios in Crystal Lake, Illinois, created the cover artwork for "Picture Perfect", the new album from Chicago heavy rockers SOIL.
Regarding how the design for the new CD was conceived, a posting on the F3 web site reads: "[SOIL] wanted to take a different direction with their artwork. The band returned to Stephen and F3 Studios, who also created their last album, 'True Self', to help take them in a new direction. They were growing tired of the typical dark, edgy design styles in metal music lately and wanted to move in more of a clean, classic-rock style and more photography-driven for the album cover. Stephen was excited about the idea because it's much more of the style that he was influenced by early in his career and was certainly down for the challenge."
"Picture Perfect" will be released in the U.S. on October 20 via Bieler Bros. Records and three days later in Europe through AFM Records/Soulfood.
Looks like a 'squeaky clean' album cover to me.....
=============================
R.E.M. Reveal Live Album Details
“R.E.M. Live At The Olympia,” is a two-CD set featuring 39 songs from their acclaimed 2007 working rehearsals in Dublin, Ireland. R.E.M. set up camp at the venerable Olympia Theatre in Ireland’s capital city and tested new material over five nights before passionate, capacity crowds. This live album was produced by Dublin native Jacknife Lee who, along with R.E.M., co-produced Accelerate, the album which emerged from these shows. “Live At The Olympia” gives fans an opportunity to hear those songs at their earliest stages of development. In addition to the new material, the band also served up twenty-nine other songs, spanning their entire career, all of which can be found on this album.
A special edition 2 CD & DVD set will contain a film of the Dublin shows by Vincent Moon and Jeremiah, who previously worked with R.E.M. on Ninetynights, Six Days and the Supernatural Superserious Video.
This may disappoint some casual fans who insist that every R.E.M. concert have their most popular songs (i.e. "Man On The Moon" "Losing My Religion" "Orange Crush" among others) rehashed again - but for me, I love it, a chance to hear and see some new music. And, coming from R.E.M., I already know it is great!
1 Living Well is the Best Revenge
2 Second Guessing
3 Letter Never Sent
4 Staring Down the Barrel of the Middle Distance
5 Disturbance at the Heron House
6 Mr. Richards
7 Houston
8 New Test Leper
9 Cuyahoga
10 Electrolite
11 Man-Sized Wreath
12 So. Central Rain
13 On The Fly
14 Maps and Legends
15 Sitting Still
16 Driver 8
17 Horse to Water
18 I'm Gonna DJ
19 Circus Envy
20 These Days
21 Drive
22 Feeling Gravitys Pull
23 Until the Day is Done
24 Accelerate
25 Auctioneer
26 Little America
27 1,000,000
28 Disguised
29 The Worst Joke Ever
30 Welcome to the Occupation
31 Carnival of Sorts
32 Harborcoat
33 Wolves, Lower
34 I've Been High
35 Kohoutek
36 West of the Fields
37 Pretty Persuasion
38 Romance
39 Gardening at Night
===================
You Go George!
George Strait will have the number one album when the charts are released on Friday with Twang. Hits Daily Double estimates it will have sold about 157,000 copies.
Strait's isn't the only big debut for the week. Neil Diamond's Hot August Night/NYC looks to move around 60,000 which is good for number three on the week.
In between the two is Michael Jackson's Number Ones with sales of around 80,000 with his Essential moving an additional 42,000 (number 6).
=============================
No Go For Alice
Alice Cooper's new live show, "Theatre of Death," has been banned from playing in Tampere, Finland due to a lack of "Christian values." A letter was sent to Cooper stating:
“Performances including representation of false gods, demons, evilness and forces of darkness and all these kind of symbols, words or markings are highly prohibited. These rules are valid also in all of the advertisement and material related to the concert. Breaking this rule causes immediate cancellation of the contract, and a 100,000 € penalty fee.”
Cooper's management expressed their disappointment to the fans in Tampere and said they hoped they could make it to Helsinki where the show would still go on.
Dream sleeves: How a 40-year-old idea could save the music industry
I found this write up very interesting, but the writer seems to omit the most important element of why people bought vinyl then, and now. As we all know it is about the sound quality, but hte article makes some great points about the status of owning a certain copy of a record.
By Rob Sharp
Digital downloads and free streaming have changed the music industry for ever. Now record labels have hatched a plan to revive the album format with 1960s-influenced, art-laden packaging. John Walsh thinks the idea rocks.
Remember the days when you bought a record not only because you wanted to hear the music but also because you wanted to own the packaging? Those days may be coming back.
The music market is in dire trouble. Album sales here (UK) and in the USA were down by 14 per cent last year, while digital downloads, perversely, went up. No matter how much record companies discount brand-new CDs, they remain on the shelves of HMV; potential buyers prefer to select a few tracks of a new album and download them from iTunes, rather than shell out on the whole work. Young listeners, the companies claim, have lost the acquisitive impulse that makes you want to own a record album, or build up a collection of the things in your wobbling CD tower.
So how does the industry plan to persuade music fans to buy albums again? By changing the packaging to echo the design of albums from 35-40 years ago.
Apple, creator of the iPod and the iTunes store – the sworn enemies of commercially-packaged music – is getting into bed with the four largest record labels, to help them stimulate album sales. They're working with EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music and Universal Music Group on something called "Project Cocktail" that will produce all manner of extras to go with albums: interactive booklets, sleeve notes, photographs, lyric sheets, even video clips. Buyers will be able to call up album tracks through the interactive booklet, while leafing through pictures of the band and trying to make sense of the lyrics.
Does this remind you of anything? Of course it does – it describes the experience, among slightly older rock 'n' roll fans, of Owning An LP Record. The people at Apple, to their credit, recognise this as a calculated piece of applied nostalgia. "It's all about recreating the heyday of the album," said one (unnamed) Apple executive, "when you could sit around with your friends looking at the artwork while you listened to the music."
Yes yes – but it was about so much more than that. To a generation that grew up and went to university in the 1960s and 1970s, the long-playing album was a thing of wonder: a thin but substantial 12in square package of cultural signifiers and quirky allusions, a window onto a world of psychedelic weirdness and fey romanticism, rock posturing and folkie dreaminess. It was, even more than the clothes you wore, the main signifier of your identity. The album you were currently digging, in 1967 or 1971 or 1976, said more about you than money, uniform or Ben Sherman shirt ever could.
Read the rest here:
www.independent.co.uk
By Rob Sharp
Digital downloads and free streaming have changed the music industry for ever. Now record labels have hatched a plan to revive the album format with 1960s-influenced, art-laden packaging. John Walsh thinks the idea rocks.
Remember the days when you bought a record not only because you wanted to hear the music but also because you wanted to own the packaging? Those days may be coming back.
The music market is in dire trouble. Album sales here (UK) and in the USA were down by 14 per cent last year, while digital downloads, perversely, went up. No matter how much record companies discount brand-new CDs, they remain on the shelves of HMV; potential buyers prefer to select a few tracks of a new album and download them from iTunes, rather than shell out on the whole work. Young listeners, the companies claim, have lost the acquisitive impulse that makes you want to own a record album, or build up a collection of the things in your wobbling CD tower.
So how does the industry plan to persuade music fans to buy albums again? By changing the packaging to echo the design of albums from 35-40 years ago.
Apple, creator of the iPod and the iTunes store – the sworn enemies of commercially-packaged music – is getting into bed with the four largest record labels, to help them stimulate album sales. They're working with EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music and Universal Music Group on something called "Project Cocktail" that will produce all manner of extras to go with albums: interactive booklets, sleeve notes, photographs, lyric sheets, even video clips. Buyers will be able to call up album tracks through the interactive booklet, while leafing through pictures of the band and trying to make sense of the lyrics.
Does this remind you of anything? Of course it does – it describes the experience, among slightly older rock 'n' roll fans, of Owning An LP Record. The people at Apple, to their credit, recognise this as a calculated piece of applied nostalgia. "It's all about recreating the heyday of the album," said one (unnamed) Apple executive, "when you could sit around with your friends looking at the artwork while you listened to the music."
Yes yes – but it was about so much more than that. To a generation that grew up and went to university in the 1960s and 1970s, the long-playing album was a thing of wonder: a thin but substantial 12in square package of cultural signifiers and quirky allusions, a window onto a world of psychedelic weirdness and fey romanticism, rock posturing and folkie dreaminess. It was, even more than the clothes you wore, the main signifier of your identity. The album you were currently digging, in 1967 or 1971 or 1976, said more about you than money, uniform or Ben Sherman shirt ever could.
Read the rest here:
www.independent.co.uk
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
New Music Releases - August 18, 2009
Buy New Vinyl Here: vinyluniverse/CollectingVinyl
Ana Popovic- Blind For Love
Ann Peebles - If This Is Heaven
Ann Peebles - Part Time Love
Antlers - Hospice
Arlo Guthrie Arlo Guthrie- Tales of '69
Bad Religion- Stranger Than Fiction (vinyl reissue)
Bad Veins- Bad Veins
Beat Farmers- Fulmination
Bert Jansch- A Rare Conundrum (remastered with bonus tracks)
Bert Jansch -L.A. Turnaround (remastered with bonus tracks)
Bert Jansch -Santa Barbara Honeymoon (remastered with bonus tracks)
Bettye LaVette -Change Is Gonna Come Sessions
Bill Frisell- Disfarmer
Birds of Avalon- Uncanny Valley (vinyl)
Bish- Surrounded by Mountains (vinyl)
Blue Roses- Blue Roses (vinyl)
Bo Diddley- Ride On: The Chess Masters, Vol. 3 - 1960-1961
Bob Dylan - Essential 3.0
Bob Dylan - The Best of Bob Dylan (Limited Edition Collector's Crate)
Brendan Benson - My Old Familiar Friend
Cable - The Failed Convict
Cave Singers -Welcome Joy
Charlie Patton - Electrically Recorded: High Water Everywhere
Charlie Patton - Electrically Recorded: Jesus Is a Dying - Bed Maker
Charlie Patton - You're Gonna Need Someone When You Die: The Recorded Works
Choir of Young Believers- This Is for the White in Your Eyes
Christopher O'Riley - Out Of My Hands
Chthonic - Mirror Of Retribution
Chuck Willis - Hit & Run Blues
Clint Mansell - Moon
Colin Hay - American Sunshine
Cult - Love (Expanded Edition)
Decoder Ring - They Blind the Stars & the Wild Team
Delbert McClinton - Acquired Taste (with DVD)
Delbert McClinton - Honky Tonkin' All Night
Destroyer Bay Of Pigs [EP] Vinyl-only
Discovery - LP (vinyl)
Divisible- Less Than Lion
Doors - Morrison Hotel (Audio Fidelity)
Doors - The Soft Parade (Audio Fidelity)
Dreaming In Stereo - Dreaming In Stereo
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Essential 3.0
Eric B. & Rakim - Follow the Leader (vinyl reissue)
Eric Copeland - Alien in a Garbage Dump
Eyedea & Abilities - By The Throat
Fiery Furnaces - I'm Going Away (vinyl)
Floating Action - Floating Action (vinyl)
Florence & the Machine -Lungs
Frank Turner - Love Ire & Song
Generationals - Con Law (vinyl)
Greg Davis - Mutually Arising
Gwar - Lust In Space
Hall & Oates - Essential 3.0
He Is Legend - It Hates You
Heart - Greatest Hits (Limited Edition Collector's Crate)
Her Space Holiday - Sleepy Tigers
Herb Alpert & Lani Hall - Anything Goes
Ian Hunter -Man Overboard
Impressions - Complete A & B Sides: 1961-1968 (2 CDs)
J. Geils Band - "Live" Full House
Jack Penate - Everythig Is New
Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
Jay-Z: D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) (vinyl)
Jeff Garlin - Young And Handsome: A Night With Jeff Garlin
Jefferson Airplane - Thirty Seconds Over Winterland (remastered)
Jimi Hendrix - Live at Woodstock (3-CD box set)
Johann Johannsson - Englaborn (vinyl)
John Denver - Essential 3.0
John Lee Hooker - Driving Blues
John Phillips: Andy Warhol Presents Man on the Moon
Josh Mease - Wilderness
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.: -Ice-9 Ballads
La Roux - Bulletproof
Light This City - The Hero Cycle Re-Release
Lights - Rites (vinyl)
Lil Wayne - Rebirth
Lydia Lunch: Big Sexy Noise (vinyl)
Madness - The Liberty Of Norton Folgat
Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine (vinyl)
Maher Shalal Hash Baz - C est La Derniere Chanson
Major Lazer -Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do
Mando Diao - Mean Street EP
Matthew Sweet, Susanna Hoffs - Under The Covers: Vol. 2
Megafaun - Gather, Form And Fly (vinyl)
Michael Jackson - The Ultimate Collection (5 CDs)
Mt. Eerie - Wind Poem
Mungolian Jetset - We Gave It All Away… Now We Are Taking It Back
MuteMath –Armistice
Nathan Maxwell and the Originally Bunny Gang -White Rabbit
Neil Young - Fork In The Road (2-LP vinyl)
Nerves - One Way Ticket (vinyl)
Netherfriends - Calling You Out
Nick Lowe - Brentford Trilogy Box Set (3-CD box set)
O'Jays - Essential 3.0
Otep - Smash The Control Machine
Patti Smith - Peace and Noise (reissue)
Paul Dianno - Classics: The Maiden Years
Peter Hammill: Thin Air
Pissed Jeans - King of Jeans
Portugal. The Man - The Satanic Satanist
R.E.O. Speedwagon - Essential 3.0
Rainbow Arabia - Kabukimono
Ramona Falls - Intuit
Ravage - The End Of Tomorrow
Ray Charles: The Genius of Ray Charles (remastered vinyl)
Reba McEntire - Keep on Loving You
Riceboy Sleeps -Riceboy Sleeps
Richard Thompson - Walking on a Wire: Richard Thompson (1968-2009) (4 CDs)
Robert Pete Williams - Broken - Hearted Man
Robert Wyatt - Radio Experiment Rome, February 1981
Rod Stewart - A Night on the Town (Remastered)
Rod Stewart - Atlantic Crossing (Remastered)
Roger Chapman - Riff Burglars / Live at Munster Hall
Rolling Stones - Jump Back: The Best of the Rolling Stones 1971-1993
Roy Orbison - Essential 3.0
Rural Alberta Advantage: -Hometowns (vinyl)
Rx Bandits -Mandala (vinyl)
School of Seven Bells -Alpinisms (with bonus tracks)
Sean Bones: -Rings
Sean Paul - Imperial Balze
Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot - Bonnie and Clyde (vinyl)
Sinkane - Sinkane (vinyl)
Sister Hazel -Release
Skygreen Leopards: -Gorgeous Johnny (vinyl)
Soulsavers - Broken
Spindrift - The Legend Of God's Gun (vinyl)
Starlight Mints - Change Remains
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Essential 3.0
Strawbs - Dancing to the Devil's Beat
Supersuckers - Split 10" Christmas EP (vinyl)
Talbot Tagora - Lessons In The Woods Or A City (vinyl)
Teddy Pendergrass - Essential 3.0
Television Personalities - And Don't the Kids Just Love It (vinyl)
Television Personalities -Mummy Your Not Watching Me (vinyl)
Third Eye Blind -Ursa Major
U2 - Rattle and Hum [Blu-ray] (dvd)
Various Artists - Funky Frauleins - Female Beat, Groove, Disco, Funk in Germany 1968-1978
Various Artists - Mad Men -Music From The Series Volume 2
Various Artists - Wild Thing: The Songs of Chip Taylor
Various Artists – Woodstock - 3 Days of Peace and Music
Various Artists: New York City Hardcore
Wheat - White Ink, Black Ink
Willie Mitchell - Ooh Baby You Turn Me On
Willie Nelson - Essential 3.0
Working Title - Bone Island
Wye Oak - The Knot
Young Widows & My Disco - Young Widows Split Series Vol. 4 (vinyl)
Zak Sally's Fear Of Song - Why We Hide
Ana Popovic- Blind For Love
Ann Peebles - If This Is Heaven
Ann Peebles - Part Time Love
Antlers - Hospice
Arlo Guthrie Arlo Guthrie- Tales of '69
Bad Religion- Stranger Than Fiction (vinyl reissue)
Bad Veins- Bad Veins
Beat Farmers- Fulmination
Bert Jansch- A Rare Conundrum (remastered with bonus tracks)
Bert Jansch -L.A. Turnaround (remastered with bonus tracks)
Bert Jansch -Santa Barbara Honeymoon (remastered with bonus tracks)
Bettye LaVette -Change Is Gonna Come Sessions
Bill Frisell- Disfarmer
Birds of Avalon- Uncanny Valley (vinyl)
Bish- Surrounded by Mountains (vinyl)
Blue Roses- Blue Roses (vinyl)
Bo Diddley- Ride On: The Chess Masters, Vol. 3 - 1960-1961
Bob Dylan - Essential 3.0
Bob Dylan - The Best of Bob Dylan (Limited Edition Collector's Crate)
Brendan Benson - My Old Familiar Friend
Cable - The Failed Convict
Cave Singers -Welcome Joy
Charlie Patton - Electrically Recorded: High Water Everywhere
Charlie Patton - Electrically Recorded: Jesus Is a Dying - Bed Maker
Charlie Patton - You're Gonna Need Someone When You Die: The Recorded Works
Choir of Young Believers- This Is for the White in Your Eyes
Christopher O'Riley - Out Of My Hands
Chthonic - Mirror Of Retribution
Chuck Willis - Hit & Run Blues
Clint Mansell - Moon
Colin Hay - American Sunshine
Cult - Love (Expanded Edition)
Decoder Ring - They Blind the Stars & the Wild Team
Delbert McClinton - Acquired Taste (with DVD)
Delbert McClinton - Honky Tonkin' All Night
Destroyer Bay Of Pigs [EP] Vinyl-only
Discovery - LP (vinyl)
Divisible- Less Than Lion
Doors - Morrison Hotel (Audio Fidelity)
Doors - The Soft Parade (Audio Fidelity)
Dreaming In Stereo - Dreaming In Stereo
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Essential 3.0
Eric B. & Rakim - Follow the Leader (vinyl reissue)
Eric Copeland - Alien in a Garbage Dump
Eyedea & Abilities - By The Throat
Fiery Furnaces - I'm Going Away (vinyl)
Floating Action - Floating Action (vinyl)
Florence & the Machine -Lungs
Frank Turner - Love Ire & Song
Generationals - Con Law (vinyl)
Greg Davis - Mutually Arising
Gwar - Lust In Space
Hall & Oates - Essential 3.0
He Is Legend - It Hates You
Heart - Greatest Hits (Limited Edition Collector's Crate)
Her Space Holiday - Sleepy Tigers
Herb Alpert & Lani Hall - Anything Goes
Ian Hunter -Man Overboard
Impressions - Complete A & B Sides: 1961-1968 (2 CDs)
J. Geils Band - "Live" Full House
Jack Penate - Everythig Is New
Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
Jay-Z: D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) (vinyl)
Jeff Garlin - Young And Handsome: A Night With Jeff Garlin
Jefferson Airplane - Thirty Seconds Over Winterland (remastered)
Jimi Hendrix - Live at Woodstock (3-CD box set)
Johann Johannsson - Englaborn (vinyl)
John Denver - Essential 3.0
John Lee Hooker - Driving Blues
John Phillips: Andy Warhol Presents Man on the Moon
Josh Mease - Wilderness
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.: -Ice-9 Ballads
La Roux - Bulletproof
Light This City - The Hero Cycle Re-Release
Lights - Rites (vinyl)
Lil Wayne - Rebirth
Lydia Lunch: Big Sexy Noise (vinyl)
Madness - The Liberty Of Norton Folgat
Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine (vinyl)
Maher Shalal Hash Baz - C est La Derniere Chanson
Major Lazer -Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do
Mando Diao - Mean Street EP
Matthew Sweet, Susanna Hoffs - Under The Covers: Vol. 2
Megafaun - Gather, Form And Fly (vinyl)
Michael Jackson - The Ultimate Collection (5 CDs)
Mt. Eerie - Wind Poem
Mungolian Jetset - We Gave It All Away… Now We Are Taking It Back
MuteMath –Armistice
Nathan Maxwell and the Originally Bunny Gang -White Rabbit
Neil Young - Fork In The Road (2-LP vinyl)
Nerves - One Way Ticket (vinyl)
Netherfriends - Calling You Out
Nick Lowe - Brentford Trilogy Box Set (3-CD box set)
O'Jays - Essential 3.0
Otep - Smash The Control Machine
Patti Smith - Peace and Noise (reissue)
Paul Dianno - Classics: The Maiden Years
Peter Hammill: Thin Air
Pissed Jeans - King of Jeans
Portugal. The Man - The Satanic Satanist
R.E.O. Speedwagon - Essential 3.0
Rainbow Arabia - Kabukimono
Ramona Falls - Intuit
Ravage - The End Of Tomorrow
Ray Charles: The Genius of Ray Charles (remastered vinyl)
Reba McEntire - Keep on Loving You
Riceboy Sleeps -Riceboy Sleeps
Richard Thompson - Walking on a Wire: Richard Thompson (1968-2009) (4 CDs)
Robert Pete Williams - Broken - Hearted Man
Robert Wyatt - Radio Experiment Rome, February 1981
Rod Stewart - A Night on the Town (Remastered)
Rod Stewart - Atlantic Crossing (Remastered)
Roger Chapman - Riff Burglars / Live at Munster Hall
Rolling Stones - Jump Back: The Best of the Rolling Stones 1971-1993
Roy Orbison - Essential 3.0
Rural Alberta Advantage: -Hometowns (vinyl)
Rx Bandits -Mandala (vinyl)
School of Seven Bells -Alpinisms (with bonus tracks)
Sean Bones: -Rings
Sean Paul - Imperial Balze
Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot - Bonnie and Clyde (vinyl)
Sinkane - Sinkane (vinyl)
Sister Hazel -Release
Skygreen Leopards: -Gorgeous Johnny (vinyl)
Soulsavers - Broken
Spindrift - The Legend Of God's Gun (vinyl)
Starlight Mints - Change Remains
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Essential 3.0
Strawbs - Dancing to the Devil's Beat
Supersuckers - Split 10" Christmas EP (vinyl)
Talbot Tagora - Lessons In The Woods Or A City (vinyl)
Teddy Pendergrass - Essential 3.0
Television Personalities - And Don't the Kids Just Love It (vinyl)
Television Personalities -Mummy Your Not Watching Me (vinyl)
Third Eye Blind -Ursa Major
U2 - Rattle and Hum [Blu-ray] (dvd)
Various Artists - Funky Frauleins - Female Beat, Groove, Disco, Funk in Germany 1968-1978
Various Artists - Mad Men -Music From The Series Volume 2
Various Artists - Wild Thing: The Songs of Chip Taylor
Various Artists – Woodstock - 3 Days of Peace and Music
Various Artists: New York City Hardcore
Wheat - White Ink, Black Ink
Willie Mitchell - Ooh Baby You Turn Me On
Willie Nelson - Essential 3.0
Working Title - Bone Island
Wye Oak - The Knot
Young Widows & My Disco - Young Widows Split Series Vol. 4 (vinyl)
Zak Sally's Fear Of Song - Why We Hide
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