Songwriter Ellie Greenwich Dies

If you listened to music in the 1960’s you heard some of the songs that Ellie Greenwich wrote or co-wrote during her illustrious songwriting career and it reads among early rock’s elite. Songs such as "Chapel of Love," "Be My Baby," "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Leader of the Pack," just to name a few, are instantly recognizable and certainly stand the test of time. Sadly, on August 26, 2009, Greenwich died of a heart attack at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, New York City, where she had been admitted a few days earlier for treatment of pneumonia. She was 68 years old.

Greenwich was a native of Brooklyn and while she garnered her greatest success as a songwriter, Greenwich actually started out as a performer. She performed in talent shows as a child, and by the time she was a teen, she had her own group, called The Jivettes. Seeking an outlet for her singing, she began making demonstration tapes of other writers’ songs and in the early 1960s she was referred to as the "Demo Queen of New York."

While attending college, she met Jeff Barry, and shortly after graduation, began working for songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, where she got her big break. She had her first chart success with the Jay and the Americans song "This Is It," which she wrote with Doc Pomus and Tony Powers. In October 1962, Barry and Greenwich married, and shortly afterwards decided to write songs exclusively with each other.

Within a couple of years, the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich would be among the most successful and prolific of Brill Building composers. Greenwich and Barry also recorded singles and an album under the name The Raindrops, with Greenwich providing all the female vocals through overdubbing, and Barry singing backgrounds in a bass voice; releasing songs such as "What a Guy" and "The Kind of Boy You Can't Forget." The couple also wrote and recorded "Hanky Panky," which became a hit for Tommy James & the Shondells and the following year, "Do Wah Diddy Diddy," which was taken to the #1 by Manfred Mann.

She had a rich musical partnership with the legendary Phil Spector, whose "wall of sound" technique helped to change pop music. With Spector, she wrote some of pop's most memorable songs, including "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "River Deep, Mountain High." Some of Greenwich’s finest compositions were supplied to Spector, including the Ronettes’ "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You,”"Then He Kissed Me" and Darlene Love’s "(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Going To Marry." She also worked closely with the Red Bird label, owned by Leiber, Stoller, and George Goldner, providing such hits as the Dixie Cups’ "Chapel of Love" and "People Say" and the Shangri-Las’ "Leader of the Pack," (years later, Broadway would stage a Tony-nominated musical with the same name based on her life).

Even after the couple’s divorce, Barry and Greenwich continued to work together for much of 1966, partly due to Greenwich's discovery of a talented singer-songwriter named Neil Diamond. She and her ex-husband turned to publishing and production work in the mid-1960s and during these years Greenwich reigned as one of New York's top demo/session singers and vocal arrangers, working with artists ranging from Dusty Springfield and Lesley Gore to Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra. One of her most exciting sessions was re-arranging the background vocals on Aretha Franklin's "Chain Of Fools" and working with Cissy Houston and the “Sweet Inspirations.” She did studio work for her ex-husband as well, singing backgrounds for Andy Kim and The Archies. It was during one of her many demo sessions, Greenwich met and "discovered" Neil Diamond and went on to co-produce all his early hits such as "Cherry, Cherry" and "Kentucky Woman," doing background vocals as well.

Changes in popular music led to a drop-off in productivity by the late 1960s, but she revived her career by focusing on radio and television commercials through her firm, Pineywood Productions. In the early 1970s, Greenwich wrote advertising material for Ford, Cheerios, Prince Albert Tobacco, and other companies. She also contributed vocals to jingles for the likes of Beechnut, Clairol, Coca-Cola, Noxzema, and Helena Rubenstein.

In recent years Greenwich has worked with Desmond Child, Nona Hendryx, Cyndi Lauper and Paul Shaffer, among others. In 1984, "Leader Of The Pack," a show about her life and music, opened at New York's The Bottom Line. The success of this show led to a 1985 Broadway run at the Ambassador Theater, where it swept up an extraordinary trio of honors: A Tony Award nomination for Best Musical, a Grammy nomination for Best Cast Album and The New York Music Award for Best Broadway Musical.

Greenwich’s songs have earned her over 25 gold and platinum records and sales in the tens of millions. Ellie Greenwich was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame in 1991 and her music will be heard and appreciated for generations to come.

"Ellie Greenwich was one of the most important people in my career. She discovered me as a down-and-out songwriter and with her then-husband Jeff Barry co-produced all my early hits on Bang records," said Diamond in a statement. "She has remained a great friend and mentor over the years and will be missed greatly."

Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron




The Ronettes - Be My Baby




Shangri Las - Leader of the Pack

Entire Green Day Discography Released on Vinyl: Furnace MFG Completes Pressings of All Green Day Releases on Vinyl Format

With the manufacture and release of "21st Century Breakdown", Furnace MFG completes a project to release every Green Day album on vinyl record. Furnace MFG continues to increase market share for vinyl record manufacturing based on audiophile quality vinyl production capabilities and fast turnaround times.

Fairfax, VA (PRWEB) August 26, 2009 -- 19 years ago, Green Day released their debut album entitled "1039/Smooth" on punk upstart label Lookout Records. Since then, they have undeniably become one of the most successful rock bands of our time. Nine albums later, the band released "21st Century Breakdown" to wide critical acclaim.

In anticipation of this latest release and the accompanying concert tour, Warner Brothers/Reprise decided to re-issue all previous Green Day releases on vinyl -including the band's vast collection of 7" singles. Warner/Reprise selected Furnace MFG to manufacture, assemble, and prep each title for retail-ready distribution.

Furnace was especially proud to work on two additional limited edition, direct-to-consumer, multi-disc sets during this process. The first was a comprehensive custom box set including all 21 of Green Day's 7" singles. The second was a multi-record set of "21st Century Breakdown", which broke out each of the three acts of this "punk rock opera" onto its own 10" record. This set was packaged in a hardbound cover containing a 60 page book and the complete retail CD.

"Working on this series has been especially exciting for me," relates Furnace MFG President, Eric Astor. "The first time I saw Green Day was in 1990. They played in a friend's living room in Tempe, Arizona and they completely blew us away! I've been a huge fan ever since". He adds, "It's a great feeling to know the same DIY work ethic that has made Green Day a huge success in the music business is also the reason why Furnace MFG is still standing strong today, after 13 years in business."

About Furnace MFG: In business since 1996, Furnace MFG is a recognized leader in CD and DVD duplication, replication, and vinyl record manufacturing and packaging.
http://www.furnacemfg.com/vinyl

About Green Day http://www.greenday.com

# # #


Buy Green Day Vinyl Records Here

Classic Rock Videos

ROLLING STONES LIVE IN RIO 1995 - Start me up

Rock/Pop Tidbits

Sam and Dave were a Soul singing duo who scored a half dozen hits on the US pop and R&B charts in the mid 1960s, including "Hold On, I'm Comin'". The two didn't get along very well and seldom spoke to each other off stage. Sam Moore said he lost all respect for his partner Dave Prater after Prater shot his own wife during a 1968 domsestic dispute, an incident for which he was never prosecuted.

There have been over 30 different members of The Drifters and two entirely seperate sets of singers known by that name. The first group of Drifters had a couple of hits on the R&B chart in the mid-fifties, but after Clyde McPhatter left in 1956, the remaining members had a falling out with their manager and were all fired. A new version of the Drifters featured Ben E. King on "There Goes My Baby", "This Magic Moment" and "Save The Last Dance For Me" before he quit. Rudy Lewis replaced King as lead vocalist for "Some Kind Of Wonderful", "Up On The Roof" and "On Broadway", but he suffered a fatal heart attack in 1964. Johnny Moore, from the original set of Drifters then re-joined to sing "Under The Boardwalk", as well as a series of moderate British hits.

Even though the members of the three piece band called America are all from the US, they actually met and formed the group while they were living in the UK.

Diana Ross has recorded 18 US number one songs, but has never won a Grammy Award.

Lesley Gore was given the first chance to record "A Groovy Kind of Love", but her then-producer Shelby Singleton did not want her to record a song with the word "groovy" in it. The Mindbenders seized the opportunity and took the song to #2 on the Billboard charts.

Gladys Knight's "Pips" were named after her manager / cousin James "Pip" Patten. Later on, Gladys said it stood for "Perfection In Performance."

Several meanings for The Rolling Stones' hit "Brown Sugar" have been suggested over the years, including Mick Jagger's alleged affair with a black woman, African slaves being raped by their white masters and the perils of being addicted to Brown Heroin. It has even been rumored that Jagger wrote the song as "Black Pussy" before commercializing it to "Brown Sugar".

With less than ten minutes of studio time left, The Marcels recorded a doo-wop version of a song called "Blue Moon", written in 1934 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. The result was a US number one hit in April, 1961.

The yardstick for every aspiring young drummer in the sixties was an instrumental called "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris. The record has sold millions and has become a classic rock standard, yet was put together as a b-side filler in about 15 minutes and recorded in just two takes.

Elvis Presley's former home, Graceland is the second most-visited house in America after the White House.

The original title of KISS' 1976 hit "Beth" was "Beck", a nickname given to songwriter Stan Penridge's girlfriend Becky. Penridge was the guitar player in a band that Peter Criss was in before he joined KISS. Additional lyrics were added by Criss and producer Bob Ezrin and resulted in a #7 Billboard hit.

William Ashton, who used the stage name Billy J. Kramer and scored hits with "Bad To Me" and "Little Children" during the British Invasion, took the last part of his name at random from a telephone directory. At the suggestion of John Lennon, Billy added a middle initial to give his name more appeal and used "J" in memory of John's mother, Julia and for his newly born son, Julian.

When The Guess Who performed at the White House in 1970, First Lady Pat Nixon, undoubtedly breifed as to the scathing anti-US sentiment of the band's hit "American Woman", asked that the band delete the song from their show.



Franki Valli's 1975 number one hit "My Eyes Adored You" was originally titled "Blue Eyes In Georgia", but was altered by Valli when he recorded it.

After "Good Lovin'" became Billboard's number one song in April, 1966, organist Felix Cavaliere admitted, "We weren't too pleased with our performance. It was a shock to us when it went to the top of the charts."

On the Mamas and Papas 1966 album "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears", the group's name was spelled with an apostrophe before the "s" - The Mama's and Papa's. Subsequent albums opted for grammatical correctness and the apostrophes were dropped.

According to songwriter Burt Bacharach, his first choice of artist to record "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" was Ray Stevens. Fortunately for BJ Thomas, Stevens didn't like the song and passed on the opportunity.

Music News & Notes

Jerry Lee Lewis releases country single, "Mean Old Man"

Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him number 24 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. The singer, songwriter, and outstanding pianist, Jerry Lee Lewis has turned back to his roots of country.

The first single, "Mean Old Man," was released for digital download today on Shangri-La Music. Here's the kicker, Lewis recorded the song with Kris Kristofferson. Kristofferson is a songwriting genius.

The upcoming CD will be the first country CD from Lewis since the 1970s.

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Allen Thompson Releases New Album

Singer-songwriter Allen Thompson announces the release of his third CD 26 Years on August 25, 2009. Born and raised in Virginia and recently transplanted to Nashville, Allen Thompson's 26 Years is a reflection in ten original songs.

Like many a fine songwriter before him, Thompson has lived a lifetime of experiences in his short time here. With family tragedy of Southern Gothic proportion, Thompson was exposed to addiction and mental illness from a young age, ultimately losing both his maternal grandfather and his mother to the diseases. The heartbreak and uncertainty that haunted him throughout his youth permeate the writing on this album. 26 Years is Thompson's coming of age. "Writing and recording these songs allowed me to come to terms with the end of my childhood and the beginning of the rest of my life," Allen explains in his liner notes.

Thompson has not gone unnoticed. Relix magazine named Allen the Jam Off Competition Winner in their Sept/Oct 2008 issue and he has shared the studio with Bonnie Bramlett, Jack Pearson, Harry Stinson, Jimmy Nalls, and Dave Pomeroy to name a few. Check out Allen Thompson as he takes his 26 Years on the road. The new album will be available online and in select stores on August 25th with several new songs streaming at http://www.myspace.com/allenthompsonmusic

===================

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Denies Drunken Stage Fall

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler spoke with Rolling Stone to clear up some of the reports that surfaced last week, including a Boston Herald report based on band "insiders" who claimed that Tyler was drunk during his recent fall of the stage and that has created problems within the band. He tells Rolling Stone that he was "As sober as you can be" while discussing the fall. Here are a couple of excerpts from that exchange:

What happened that night?:

I don't really know. There was a torrential downpour and the guys [at the campground] said, "Look, it's still slippery." I watched myself on YouTube, and it could have been my knee buckling or any ankle. The last thing I remember before I hit the ground was people grabbing for me, but they couldn't reach me because of the barricade. At any other Aerosmith show I probably would've been caught and thrown back onto the stage — naked and without jewelry [laughs]. I stood up and couldn't raise my arm and knew I'd broken something.

Care to comment on that clip [on a tabloid site] of you in a liquor store?:

Oh, Jesus Christ. A good friend of mine and Joe's — the brother of the guy who works on my house, my housekeeper — passed away. I was at the funeral. And after the funeral, they're Italian and had a feast at the house, a wake, and I stopped at the liquor store and paid for the booze. I did not buy any for myself. It was never proven that I did. Some kid whipped out a phone and took a picture. Anything to sell papers. It was for the wake. I would do it over and over a million times.

===================

KISS Announce North American Tour


As they celebrate 35 years of rockin', KISS today announced the dates of the KISS ALIVE 35 North American tour. The tour kicks off with a rapidly-selling, special multiple-show engagement in Detroit Rock City beginning September 25th, where KISS will be playing the classic album that started it all: KISS ALIVE! The tour leg will then hit more than 40 additional cities before concluding in December.

This incredible show will feature a new stage set, pyro effects that only the "hottest band in the world" could deliver, and all new costumes. Fans will be treated to a 2½ hour set of some of rock's greatest hits, including "Rock and Roll All Nite," "I Was Made for Lovin' You," "Detroit Rock City," "God Gave Rock & Roll to You" and "Shout It Out Loud," as well as songs from the band's new album SONIC BOOM. Buckcherry will be main support on all of the KISS ALIVE 35 North American dates.

Said Gene Simmons, "For 35 years, KISS raised the bar for what a rock concert should really be. This year is no different - all new, all killer... all KISS! The master's class in rock is in session! KISS rules. Oh yeah!"

"Bigger IS better!" said Paul Stanley. "SONIC BOOM is our future and KISS Alive is our proud past. On this tour you get KISS Alive plus a slew of other classics and soon to be classics. New stage, new battle gear and a pyro arsenal that will again show everyone that there is only one KISS!"

After completing their biggest tour ever of South America, selling out stadiums once again in Europe, and leaving fans clamoring for more in Australia, KISS is excited to give North America its due. KISS ALIVE 35 North America marks the first leg of the world's first fan-routed tour -- more than 10,000 individual cities across Canada and the U.S. mounted their own unique campaigns to bring KISS to their towns.

===================

Yellow Sub Re-Do?

Nothing is sacred in Hollywood and they will remake anything. Case in point:

Robert Zemeckis is in negotiations to direct a remake of "Yellow Submarine" for Disney.

"Submarine" was a 1968 animated feature based on music by the Beatles. It was produced by United Artists and King Features Syndicate.

Disney had no comment on the dealmaking, which is in the thick of trying to acquire the rights to the music to the film, which included the title track as well as classics such as "Eleanor Rigby," "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," "When I'm Sixty-Four" and "With a Little Help From My Friends."

Like all Zemeckis productions, "Submarine" would be done in performance capture and would also be a digital 3D endeavor.

The movie, a hit when it was released, is about a soldier called Old Fred who meets up with the Beatles and travels in a yellow submersible to Pepperland. Among the group's encounters are the Blue Meanies, music-hating creatures.

===================

The Black Crows - new CD and Free 2nd Album

THE BLACK CROWES will release their new studio CD, Before the Frost... on 31st August 2009.

A second album, titled …Until The Freeze, will be given away for free exclusively through a unique download code which is included in Before The Frost… as a “thank you” to their fans for two decades of continued support.

Before the Frost..., and its corresponding free album …Until The Freeze, were recorded over a series of five nights at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY. Although both are studio albums, all the new material was performed and recorded in front of an intimate audience of the band’s fans, making them a part of The Black Crowes musical history.

The innovative technique of inviting fans into the studio to become part of the process during recording is a rare experience.

Before the Frost... features eleven new and previously unreleased Black Crowes songs including Good Morning Captain, I Ain’t Hiding, Been a Long Time (Waiting on Love), and other original songs that will serve to spotlight the bands ability to make emotional connections through their music. The free album …Until The Freeze is a nine-song collection featuring eight new original Black Crowes songs plus a cover version of the Stephen Stills classic So Many Times.

A limited edition vinyl release of Before The Frost…Until The Freeze, featuring all 20 tracks, will also be available on 31st August 2009.

Vinyl Collective Restocks

This news from www.vinylcollective.com Stop by and pick up some great vinyl and restock your collection!

We just got a ton of restocks and new records and records people have pre-ordered in. Most notable is we finally got in one of the Wilco LPs, Summerteeth. We also got in As Tall as Lions, Set Your Goals, the Smiths, Oasis, Braid, Darkest Hour, Streetlight manifesto and more.


AGAINST ME! “New Wave” LP yellow vinyl + CD
AS TALL AS LIONS “You Can’t Take It With You” dbl LP
BAD VEINS “S/T” LP
BLOC PARTY ìA Weekend In The Cityî dbl LP
BOB MOULD “Life And Times” LP
BRAID “Frame And Canvas” LP
CAT POWER “The Covers Record” LP 180 gram vinyl
CAT POWER “What Would The Community Think” LP 180 gram vinyl
CIVET “Hell Hath No Fury” LP
CURSIVE ìDorothy At Fortyî 7î
CURSIVE ìUgly Organî LP
DARKEST HOUR “Hidden Hands Of The Sadist Nation” dbl LP dark putty vinyl VC excl
DAVID DONDERO “South Of The South” LP
DAYS IN DECEMBER /SWEATER WEATHER split 7″
DINOSAUR JR. “Farm” LP
DIRTY PROJECTORS “Bitte Orca” LP
DR. DOG “Fate” LP
DREDG “The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion” dbl LP
DROPKICK MURPHYS “Warriors Code” LP green vinyl
FAINT ìBlank Wave Arcadeî LP
FALL OUT BOY “Take This To Your Grave” LP blue vinyl
FLEET FOXES “Mykonos” 7″
FOREIGN BORN “Person To Person” LP
GREEN DAY “International Superhits!” LP
GREEN DAY “Warning” LP reissue
GYM CLASS HEROES “As Cruel As School Children” LP blue vinyl
JANE’S ADDICTION “Nothing’s Shocking” LP
JAY REATARD “Watch Me Fall” LP
JOAN OF ARC “Flowers” LP
LEFTOVER CRACK ìMediocre Genericaî LP
LUCERO ìAttic Tapesî LP + 7
MAN MAN “Rabbit Habits” LP w/ mp3 download
MASTODON “Crack The Skye” LP
METALLICA “S&M” triple LP
MILLENCOLIN “Pennybridge Pioneers” LP
MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK “Even If It Kills Me” LP
MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK “I Am The Movie” LP
MUSE “Black Holes And Revelations” dbl LP
MUTEMATH “Armistice” LP
NO TRIGGER “Canyoneer” LP clear vinyl
OASIS “Be Here Now” dbl LP
OASIS “Definitely Maybe” dbl LP
OASIS “Don’t Believe The Truth” LP
OASIS “Heathen Chemistry” dbl LP
OASIS “Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants” LP
ONE DAY AS A LION “S/T” LP
OWEN “The EP” LP
OWEN/ THE RUTABEGA split LP
PARAMORE “Riot!” LP
PENNYWISE “From The Ashes” LP
PENNYWISE “Full Circle” LP
PENNYWISE “Land Of The Free?” LP
SET YOUR GOALS “This Will Be The Death Of Us” LP
SLEEP “Dopesmoker” LP
SLIPKNOT “All Hope Is Gone” dbl LP
STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO “Everything Goes Numb” dbLP white vinyl VC exclusive color
TAKING BACK SUNDAY “Louder Now” LP
THE ACADEMY IS “Fast Times At Barrington High” blue marble vinyl
THE AGGROLITES “IV” LP
THE DEAD WEATHER “Horehound” dbl LP 180 gram vinyl
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA “With Roots Above And Branches” LP
THE HONORARY TITLE “Scream and Light Up The Sky” dbl LP
THE SLACKERS “Redlight” LP
THE SMITHS “Meat Is Murder” LP 180 gram vinyl
THE SMITHS “S/T” LP 180 gram vinyl
THE SMITHS “Strangeways, Here We Come” LP 180 gram vinyl
THE SMITHS “The Queen Is Dead” LP 180 gram vinyl
THE USED “Blood On My Hands” LP picture disc
THE USED “In Love And Death” LP
THE USED “Lies For The Liars” dbl LP
THE USED “S/T” dbl LP
THE WEAKERTHANS “Reunion Tour” LP 180 gram vinyl
TIGER ARMY ìThe Early Yearsî 10″
TOM WAITS “Mule Variations” LP
V/A “Dr. Strange Records 20th Anniversary” LP picture disc
WILCO “Sky Blue Sky” 180 gram dbl LP
WILCO “Summerteeth” 180 gram double LP w/ CD
WILCO “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” 180 gram dbl LP
WILL HOGE “The Wreckage” LP

This Date In Music History-August 26

Birthdays:

Nik Turner - Hawkwind (1940)
Vic Dana (1942)
Valerie Simpson - Ashford and Simpson (1948)
Bill and Dick Cowsill - Cowsills (1950)
Billy Rush - Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (1952)
Jet Black - Stranglers (1958)
Jimmy Olander - Diamond Rio (1961)
Annie Holland - Elastica (1965)
Dan Vickrey - Counting Crows (1966)
Shirley Manson - Garbage (1966)
Jeff Tweedy - Wilco (1967)
Adrian Young - No Doubt (1969)
Allison Richardson - The Donnas (1979)


They Are Missed:

Ronnie White, an original member of The Miracles, died in 1995 at the age of 57.

Gov't Mule and Allman Brothers bassist Allen Woody was found dead in a Queens, NY hotel room in 2000. He was 44.

In 2004, singer Laura Branigan died of a brain aneurysm.

Born today in 1941, Chris Curtis, drums, The Searchers. Died on March 1, 2005 at the age of 63 after a long illness.


History:

In 1964, the Supremes topped the singles chart for the first time with "Where Did Our Love Go?"

Jimi Hendrix's classic cut "Purple Haze" was released in 1967.



Today in 1967 the song "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.

In 1967, the Beatles appeared at a press conference with their new guru, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The Maharishi, with the Beatles seated next to him, gave strong and sincere answers to the press' sarcastic and sometimes silly questions. Paul McCartney announced that the bandmates have given up drugs. "It was an experience we went through," he says. "We don't need it anymore. We're finding different ways to get there." For John Lennon, "different ways" would later mean Brandy Alexanders.

In 1968, Apple Corps released its first products: five singles including the Beatles' "Hey Jude" backed by "Revolution." It became the bands biggest hit.

Duane Allman started recording as a member of Eric Clapton's new band, Derek & the Dominoes in 1967. A double album was finished in less than 10 days. Clapton called Allman "the catalyst" of the whole project.

In 1970, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, (his last ever UK appearance), Donovan, Jethro Tull, Miles Davis, Arrival, Cactus, Family, Taste, Mungo Jerry, ELP, The Doors, The Who, Spirit, The Moody Blues, Chicago, Procol Harum, Sly and the Family Stone and Free all appeared over three days at the third Isle Of Wight Festival.

Argent's "Hold Your Head Up" peaked at #5 on the chart in 1972.



Looking Glass started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1972 with 'Brandy You're A Fine Girl."

Aerosmith was featured on the cover of "Rolling Stone" in 1976.

The Pretenders played their first public gig in 1977, opening for Strangeways.

Frankie Valli went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1978 with the Barry Gibb song "Grease." It went on to sell over 2 million copies in the US alone.

Cheap Trick bassist Tom Peterson quit the group in 1980 due to the inevitable "personal and musical differences." He was replaced by Pete Comita. However, he returned to the group in 1988.

In 1987, Sonny Bono announced he was running for mayor of Palm Springs. He won the election in 1988 and went on to win a seat in Congress in 1996.

In 1989, Ringo Starr won a court order to prevent a record producer from releasing material Starr considered to be of inferior quality due to the impaired state Starr was in when it was recorded.

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble played Alpine Valley, Wisonsin in 1990. For an encore, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, and Robert Cray joined the band for a jam. Flying to Chicago the next morning, Vaughan was killed when his helicopter crashed

Seal went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1995 with "Kiss From A Rose," taken from the film Batman Forever.

In 2003, Rolling Stone Magazine named Jimi Hendrix as the greatest guitarist in Rock history. Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Ry Cooder also made the top 10 list.

An "official bootleg, "Live In Paris & Ottawa 1968" from the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was released in 2008. Among the set’s dozen tracks is a cover of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

In 2008, Led Zeppelin issues their "Mothership" retrospective in a vinyl box set with audiophile-quality.

New Music Releases - August 25, 2009

Here is a comprehensive list of the new recordings being released today, August 25, 2009.

Buy Vinyl Records Here: vinyluniverse


16 Horsepower -Secret South (reissue with bonus DVD) (vinyl)
Adam & the Ants - Manners & Physique
Alan Singley & Pants Machine - Feelin' Citrus
Amy Grant - Legacy...Hymns & Faith
Arctic Monkeys – Humbug (vinyl)

Buy Arctic Monkeys New Release


VINYL FORMAT. Humbug, the third album from Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys, finds the band brimming with vim, vigor and new ideas. They brought in a new production accomplice, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), for some of the recording. He generously hosted and produced tracks with them at his Joshua Tree studio. Then they rejoined forces with James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco), producer of the previous two Arctic Monkeys and Last Shadow Puppets albums, in Brooklyn, NY to complete the tracks that became Humbug. The album is a stunning set of songs both heavier and more lush than previous albums, but still full of the Monkeys usual punch and vitality




Asobi Seksu - Transparance (vinyl)
Awaken Demons - The Mirror
Beach Boys - Christmas Harmonies
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty (reissue)
Bela Fleck - Melody of Rhythm: Triple Concerto and Music for Trio
Biffy Clyro - That Golden Rule
Billy Ocean - Billy Ocean/City Limit (Remastered)
Black Moor - The Conquering
Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer
Bloody Beetroots - Romborama (vinyl)
Bob Dylan - The Best of Bob Dylan (Limited Edition Collector's Crate) (CD & t-shirt)
Bob Dylan - The Essential Bob Dylan (3-CD set)
Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - Closer to It/Straight Ahead
Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - Live Oblivion
Brown Recluse - The Soft Skin EP
Casualties - We Are All We Have
Cate Brothers - Fire on The Tracks
Cate Brothers - In One Eye and Out the Other
Cate Brothers - The Cate Brothers
Cheap Trick - Sgt. Pepper Live
Colbie Caillat - Breakthrough
Collective Soul - Collective Soul
Collective Soul - Rabbit
Colosseum - Morituri Te Salutant
Cross Country - Cross Country
Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks - It Happened One Bite
Datarock - Red (vinyl)
David Bazan - Curse Your Branches
David Guetta - One Love
David Mead - Almost and Always
Dolores O'Riordan - No Baggage
Eric Burdon - Mirage
Felix Da Housecat - He Was King
Fred Eaglesmith - Tinderbox
Fun - Aim and Ignite (vinyl)
George & Gwen McRae - Together
Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs
Gospel Gossip - Dreamland (vinyl)
Graeme Edge Band - Kick Off Your Muddy Boots
Graeme Edge Band - Paradise Ballroom
Hank Williams - Hank Williams: The Unreleased Recordings (vinyl)
Imogen- Heap Ellipse
Ingrid Michealson - Everybody
Irma Thomas - 50th Anniversary Celebration
Jackie DeShannon - Me About You / To Be Free
Jeff Beck - Beck-Ola
Jeff Beck - Truth
Jeff Healey - Songs from the Road
Jet - Shaka Rock
John Denver - John Denver (5-CDs)
John Fogerty - The Blue Ridge Rangers Ride Again
Johnny Cash - Hayride Anthology
Kitty Daisy & Lewis - Kitty Daisy & Lewis
Liturgy - Renihilation
Mama Cass - Cass Elliot / The Road Is No Place For A Lady
Matisyahu - Light (vinyl)
Mellowdrone - Angry Bear
Merrimack - Grey Rigorism
Merzbow - 13 Japanese Birds, Vol. 8
Mew - No More Stories
Michael Jackson - Definitive Collection
Michael Jackson - Forever, Michael
Mississippi John Hurt - Stack O' Lee: The Very Best of
Mott the Hoople - Live (Expanded Deluxe Edition)
Municipal Waste - Massive Aggressive
Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (remastered)
New Lost City Ramblers - 50 Years: Where Do You Come From? Where Do You Go? (3 CDs)
New Seekers - Together Again/Anthem
Patton Oswalt - My Weakness Is Strong
Paul Revere & the Raiders - Hungry for Kicks Singles & Choice Cuts 1965-69
Pilot - From the Album of the Same Name
Pilot - Morin Heights
Pilot - Second Flight
Pinx - Look What You Made Me Do
Postmarks - Memoirs at the End of the World
Radiohead – Amnesiac-Collectors Edition
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief- Collectors Edition
Radiohead - Kid A- Collectors Edition

Buy Radiohead Music

Radiohead's critically acclaimed Kid A, re-released in an expanded Collector's Edition! Includes the whole, original album plus a second CD of rarities, demos, sessions and live recordings.

"Instead of simply adding club beats or sonic collage techniques, Radiohead strives to incorporate the unsettling 'intelligent techno' sound of Autechre and Aphex Twin, characterized by its skittering beats and stylishly dark sonic surfaces, for Kid A. To their immense credit, Radiohead don't sound like carpetbaggers, because they share the same post-post-modern vantage point as their inspirations. As a result, Kid A is easily the most successful electronica album from a rock band - it doesn't even sound like a rock band, even if it does sound like Radiohead." - All Music Guide

Reigning Sound - Love and Curses (vinyl)
Rory Gallagher - Crest of a Wave: The Best of
Roy Hargrove - Big Band Emergence
Sally Shapiro - My Guilty Pleasure
Salt Water Taffy - Finders Keepers
Sandra Bernhard - Whatever It Takes
Science Fiction Corporation - Science Fiction Dance Party: Dance with Action (vinyl)
Shonen Knife - Super Group
Sic Alps - L Mansion
Smile Empty - Soul Consciousness
Smiths - Meat is Murder (Remastered)
Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come (Remastered)
Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (Remastered)
Smiths - The Smiths (Remastered)
Smokey Robinson - Time Flies When You're Having Fun
Soulsavers - Broken
Spider Bags - Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World (vinyl)
Still Life Still - Girls Come Too (vinyl)
Strawbs - Dancing to the Devil's Beat
Subnoize - Souljaz Blast From The Past
Sun Ra - The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Vol. 1 (vinyl reissue)
Sweetwater - Sweetwater
Tamar Kaprelian - Delicate Soul
Tenet - Sovereign
Tim Buckley - Live at the Folklore Center, NYC: March 6th, 1967
Trey Songz - Ready
Vandaveer - Divide & Conquer
Various Artists - Karaoke Kings of Leon
Various Artists - Halloween 2 (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Megadeth String Tribute
Various Artists - Taking Woodstock Soundtrack
Various Artists Wayfaring Strangers - Lonesome Heroes
Victims Of Circumstance - Roll The Dice
Vladislav Delay - Tummaa
Wilco - A.M. (Vinyl)
Wilco - Being There (Vinyl)

Buy Wilco Vinyl Albums

Special reissue on double 180 gram vinyl! Comes with a bonus CD of the complete album.

While Wilco's debut, A.M., spread its wings in an expectedly country-rock fashion, their sophomore effort, Being There, is the group's great leap forward, a masterful, wildly eclectic collection shot through with ambitions and ideas. Although a few songs remain rooted in their signature sound, here Jeff Tweedy and band are as fascinated by their music's possibilities as its origins, and they push the songs which make up this sprawling set down consistently surprising paths and byways.

Wilco - Summerteeth (Vinyl)
Wildbirds & Peacedrums - The Snake
Will Hoge - The Wreckage (vinyl)
Willie Nelson - American Classic
Willie Nelson - The Essential Willie Nelson (3-CD set)
Woody Guthrie - My Dusty Road (4-CDs
Woody Guthrie - Woody the Agitator (vinyl)
Woody Guthrie - Woody, Cisco and Son (vinyl)
Woody Guthrie - Woody's Greatest Hits (vinyl)
Woody Guthrie - Woody's Roots (vinyl)
Woody Guthrie - My Dusty Road (4-CD box set)
YACHT - See Mystery Lights (vinyl)
Zechs Marquise - Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare

Rock/Pop Tidbits

Helen Reddy's husband, Jeff Wald, was also her manager. He was also the manager for Sylvester Stallone, George Foreman, James Brolin, George Carlin, Elliot Gould, Deep Purple, Donna Summer, Flip Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Chicago and Crosby, Stills & Nash, to name only a few.

In 1959, Philadelpia's Overbrook Highschool boys basketball team won their league championship. Members of the team included future NBA stars, Walt Hazzard and Wally Jones, along with Len Borisoff, who would later change his name to Len Barry and become a member of The Dovells, who had a hit with "The Bristol Stomp" as well as having a solo hit with "1-2-3".

Chip Taylor is the stage name of American songwriter James Wesley Voight, brother of actor Jon Voight and uncle of actress Angelina Jolie. Besides writing The Troggs' hit "Wild Thing", he also penned "Angel of the Morning", by both Merrilee Rush and Juice Newton as well as "I Can Make It With You" by The Pozo Seco Singers and many other hit records.

When a poem called "Too Many Teardrops" was put to music, it was re-titled "69 Tears". Knowing that a song with such a name would never get any radio air play, it was re-named "96 Tears" and by October, 1966 became a number one hit for Question Mark and The Mysterians.

Vee Jay Records was the most successful Black owned and operated record company before Motown. The firm was founded in 1953 by Vivian Carter (the "Vee") and her husband, James Bracken (the "Jay").

The first 'live' television satellite program to air worldwide was a two-hour show called Our World, in which The Beatles performed "All You Need is Love" on June 25, 1967.




Brian Jones, the original lead guitarist of The Rolling Stones, is said to have fathered six illegitimate children before his untimely death on July 3rd, 1969.

Although Ernie K-Doe had a US number one smash with "Mother-in-law" in 1961, he failed to match that song's success with any other release. His career came to a halt in the 70s and 80s and he often wandered the streets singing for spare change. In the mid-90s he turned his fortunes around and opened a successful night club.

The husband and wife song-writing team of Felice and Boudleaux Byant have said that they wrote the Everly Brothers' 1958 number one hit "All I Have To Do Is Dream" in about 15 minutes.

According to legend, to add the authentic sound of a motorcycle engine to The Shangri-Las' "Leader Of The Pack", one was driven through the lobby of the hotel and up to the floor of the recording studio. However, in an interview four decades later, Shangri-Las lead singer Mary Weiss scoffed at this story and said that the motorcycle sound was simply taken from an effects record.

Bruce Springsteen was once the opening act for Canadian singer, Anne Murray, of "Snowbird" fame.

The Lovin' Spoonful's John Sebastian played harmonica on The Doors' recording of "Road House Blues". He is credited on the album as G. Puglese.

Although AM radio broadcasts were tested in 1906 and used for voice and music broadcasts up until WW1, it wasn't until 1916, when 8XK in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania began regularly scheduled broadcasts.

The Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream" was included in John Lennon's personal jukebox along with "Do You Believe In Magic?". Paul McCartney later said that "Daydream" was a major influence on his composition "Good Day Sunshine".

Ask Mr. Music- with Jerry Osborne

Now in its 23rd year of syndication (1986-2008), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will be a regular post here at collectingvinylrecords blog. 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 24, 2009


DEAR JERRY: When my family came to America from Denmark, they also brought along their small record collection, mostly by European jazz artists.

Since you recently wrote about Jutta Hipp, the German pianist with high values given for her LPs, I am wondering about two of ours, and if they are of interest to collectors.

One is by Bent Jadig, titled “Danish Jazzman” (Debut Records 1149), and the other is “Shihab Shihab,” “by the Danish Radio Jazz Group (Oktav 111). Neither of these names are the least bit familiar to me, or anyone I know.

Might their obscurity and overseas origin increase their values?
—Eva Hoglund, Solvang, Calif.

DEAR EVA: Ah, picturesque Solvang, the city whose motto is “Velkommen! No passport needed to visit our little Danish replica village.” A village in which its two most valuable record albums are likely to be yours.

Bent Jadig's “Danish Jazzman,” which he definitely is, came out in 1967. The label name is appropriate, since it is indeed his debut album.

The most recent sales of Debut 1149 have seen prices in the $2,000 to $3,000 range paid by eager collectors.

Even a Japanese reissue on CD (Debut/Think THCD-088) sells for around $100.

There is some understandable confusion on your Oktav LP. It is actually a self-titled item, “Sahib Shihab and the Danish Radio Jazz Group,” released in 1965, and only in Scandinavia.

Georgia-born Shihab (nee: Edmund Gregory), left the U.S. in 1959 taking up residence in Copenhagen.

Buyers of this recording have been paying in the $1,500 to $2,500 range.

Selling either of these two LPs would surely keep you in Danishes for quite awhile.


DEAR JERRY: I am looking for the name of the movie that contains the song “If You Were the Only Girl in the World.”

I saw this movie in 1951, about two teenagers who lived next door to each other and fell in love.

It seems to me the male star was Roddy McDowell, but that may be wrong. Can you fill in the blanks for me?
—Alfred Cloum, Evansville, Ind.

DEAR ALFRED: I'm not certain I can, only because I can't match your recollection to any information in my files.

What we do know is “If You Were the Only Girl in the World” is one side of a big hit single for Perry Como (RCA Victor 1857) in the summer of 1946. The reverse side, “They Say It's Wonderful,” was actually the more popular of the two.

The only film from the early '50s with “If You Were the Only Girl in the World” in its soundtrack is “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” but co-stars Doris Day and Gordon MacRae do the singing. Plus, this is a 1953 (not '51) movie in which Roddy McDowell has no part, and the storyline bears no resemblance to your description.

Cross-checking McDowell's acting credits shows nearly all of his roles in the 1950s being for television, and none of those episodes include the song in question. It is likely they contain no singing at all.

In the 1957 biographical film, “The Helen Morgan Story,” star Ann Blyth lip-synchs “If You Were the Only Girl in the World” (vocal provided by Gogi “The Wayward Wind” Grant), but nothing about this movie corresponds to your memories.

Come to think of it, I don't believe I've ever heard Roddy sing, either on records or in films.

Write again if you come up any new clues.

IZ ZAT SO? There may never be a more appropriate opportunity to mention four other European jazz albums from the '60s, all sought-after by collectors and each selling in the $1,500 to $2,500 range. Two more are from Denmark, and two hail from Italy:

Both Danish albums are self-titled “Jazz Quintet 60,” one on Metronome (MLP-15124), the other Fontana (TL687.527). They are completely different collections.

From Italy comes “Franco Cerri International Jazz Meeting” (Columbia 33QPX 8018), and “Peter Pietra and His Orchestra” (Embassy ER8031).

Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission

Music News & Notes

R.E.M. Release Date Set

R.E.M. and Warner Brothers Records have announced an October 27 release date for the new 2-CD release Live at the Olympia by R.E.M.

The new album chronicles the band's five night stand at Dublin's Olympia Theatre from July 2007 where they were doing "working rehearsals" prior to recording the Accelerate album. Crowd reaction was especially exuberant as the band was performing for fan-club members, family and friends along with fans from around the world.

The group called the stand and "experiment in terror" as they were trying out many new songs and older material that they hadn't performed in many years. Guitarist Peter Buck said, "We were just trying to do something we hadn't done before which meant there was no relaxing during the set. Every second we were playing something we didn't know all that well. Which was kind of good — there were all kinds of terror elements going on during that show."

======================

Michael Jackson's 'Body Contained Lethal Levels Of Propofol'

Michael Jackson had lethal levels of the powerful anaesthetic propofol in his body when he died, it’s been reported.

The Los Angeles Coroners' findings were revealed in a search warrant affidavit, which was made public today in Houston. Furthermore, the Associated Press claims an unnamed police source has said the coroner ruled the star’s death as homicide.

The drug propofol is normally given to patients ahead of surgery, has come to be the focus of Jackson’s death.

The affidavit also revealed that Jackson’s personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray, told police he had been giving the singer the drug for six weeks to treat insomnia.

He said he left the singer to make phone calls and when he returned Jackson was not breathing.

The Jackson family released a statement Monday afternoon commending the authorities on their hard work. "The Jackson family has full confidence in the legal process, and commends the ongoing efforts of the L.A. County Coroner, the L.A. District Attorney and the L.A. Police Department," the statement said. "The family looks forward to the day that justice can be served."


I, along with the rest of the world, cannot figure why he was getting this for insomnia. When you can't sleep, take a sleeping pill, not inject a powerful sedative used in surgery into your body! I mean, who hasn't fallen asleep watching late night TV? I hope they prosecute whoever is responsible and get a handle on the Dr. Feelgood's that surround the LA area. In the end it's all about $$$$ and I guess if you have it, then you can hire the right doctor to get the drug of your choice.

Any thoughts?

======================

Restocks at Vinyl Collective

Stop by www.vinylcollective.com and pick up some great vinyl for your collection!

FLOGGING MOLLY ìWithin A Mile of Homeî LP green vinyl
FUGAZI “3 Songs” 7? reissue
FUGAZI “Red Medicine” LP w/ digital download
FUGAZI “Repeater” LP
FUGAZI “The Argument” LP REISSUE
MAKE UP “Destination Love” LP reissue
MINOR THREAT “First 2 7?s” LP
MINOR THREAT “Out Of Step” LP
MINOR THREAT “Salad Days” 7?
NATHEN MAXWELL & THE ORIGINAL BUNNY GANG “White Rabbit” LP black vinyl
NATHEN MAXWELL & THE ORIGINAL BUNNY GANG “White Rabbit” LP white vinyl
Q AND NOT U “3 Songs” 7?
Q AND NOT U “Different Damage” LP reissue color vinyl
Q AND NOT U “No Kill No Beep Beep” LP clear gold vinyl
RITES OF SPRING “S/T” LP
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “The 59 Sound” 7? (RE-RELEASE)
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “The 59 Sound” LP black vinyl
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM ”The ‘59 Sound” 7”
WAX “Hangin’ On” 7? clear yellow vinyl

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Beatles: Rock Band Creators Bring in Paul and Ringo to Get the Details Right

by Dan Reilly

On Sept. 9, The Beatles: Rock Band will hit shelves after more than two years in development. Josh Randall, the creative director and project leader at Rock Band developer Harmonix, has been at the heart of the game since its inception, and he recently spoke with Spinner about turning the concept into one of the most anticipated video games in recent memory. "It's a stressful thing, trying to re-create someone's loved one or an icon that's important to so many people," he says. Read on to hear how Randall and his colleagues painstakingly researched details about the band, overcame the difficult task of choosing which songs to include and won the approval of Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison, Dhani Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

What was the process for selecting the songs used in the game?

We worked closely with [producer] Giles Martin, the son of [Beatles producer] Sir George Martin, and our main focus was trying to pick songs that would be fun to play in the game. That was our first criteria, and from there we wanted to get a balance of songs that would spread throughout their entire career. We wanted one of the modes in the game to have a linear campaign through the whole history of the Beatles starting at the Cavern Club [circa 1962] and going up to the Apple Corps rooftop [in 1969], so we wanted to evenly spread it out that way. Then we threw some of our favorite songs in there, as well.

read the rest here:

www.spinner.com

======================

No Guitar Record

James Burton didn't set his record. The Elvis and Ricky Nelson guitarist was attempting to break the record for most guitarist simultaneously playing the same song at his International Guitar Festival this past weekend. Burton was able to assemble 877 guitarists to play That's All Right and Hound Dog. That's far short of the record of 1,802.

Beatles' music crosses generations

Reissues will introduce new generation to tunes

By MARTIN LEWIS


The upcoming and very welcome reissue of the Beatles' canon Sept. 9 in digitally remastered form is an inspiring event -- and, to borrow the words of President Obama, presents us with a "teachable moment" about one of the unspoken prejudices that still plague us. We have rightly refuted racism, sexism and ageism. But still rampant in society is the pointless notion that judges the value of a work by when it was created as distinct from its inherent value. I call this foolishness "dateism."

The entertainment industry's obsession with the youth market and its misperception that the young will only like things that are new can be mostly blamed -- this in the face of overwhelming evidence that what today's savvy kids are drawn to does not necessarily carry an expiration date. Try telling a teenager that he/she shouldn't be listening to Hendrix or Zeppelin. This especially applies to the Fab Four's music.

For the work of the Beatles -- like all great creations from Shakespeare's plays to Dickens' novels to Beethoven's symphonies -- should be appreciated for its intrinsic qualities and not whether it seems "old-fashioned" or mired in "nostalgia."

Read the rest of the article here:

www.variety.com

Classic Rock Videos

ROLLING STONES - Tumblin' Dice

Rock/Pop Tidbits

John Fogerty's comeback album, 1985's "Centerfield", included a couple of songs titled "Zantz Can't Dance" and "Mr. Greed", which were believed to be attacks on Fogerty's former boss at Fantasy Records, Saul Zaentz. Zaentz responded with a lawsuit, which forced Fogerty to issue a revised version of "Zaentz Can't Dance", changing the lead character's name to Vanz.

The Knack's lead vocalist, Doug Fieger, is the older brother of famed attorney Jeffrey Fieger, who defended doctor-assisted suicide advocate, Dr. Jack Kervorkian.

Three Dog Night's 1972, #1 hit "Black And White" was written in the mid-1950s about the 1954 US Supreme Court's landmark decision banning segregation in public schools. Some of the verses were changed in the Three Dog Night version. The original second verse went "Their robes were black, Their heads were white, The schoolhouse doors were closed so tight. Nine judges all set down their names, To end the years and years of shame".

Diane Renay, who was born Renne Diane Kushner, initially wanted to be billed as Renay Diane. She chose the "Renay" spelling to keep it from being mis-pronounced as "Ree-nee". Unfortunately, Atco Records misunderstood and printed early copies of her first recordings that said "Diane Renay". Rather than make an issue out of it, she decided to leave it that way. The record, "Navy Blue", went on to reach #6 in the US in 1964.

Joey Scarbury, who reached #2 on the Billboard chart with "Believe It Or Not" in 1981, was discovered by singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb's father, who wandered into a furniture store and heard the 14 year old's mom praising her son's singing ability. His initial recordings were not successful and it took another 12 years for Joey to have his big hit. Although he never cracked the Top 40 again, he did record the soundtracks for ER, The 40 Year Old Virgin and Fahrenheit 9/11.

By 1968, around eighty-five different manufacturers had sold over 2.4 million cassette players world wide and in that year alone, the cassette business was worth about $150 million.

In August, 2008, ABBA's "Gold" compilation rose to #1 on the UK album chart for the fifth time since being released in 1992, making it the oldest ever UK #1 album to return to the top of the chart, 16 years after release.

"For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield got its title when Stephen Stills first played the song for the group, saying "Here's a new song I wrote, for what it's worth." When he finished playing, he was asked what the title was. Stills said he didn't have one. Someone then replied, "Sure you do. You just said it."

David Rose, who had a Billboard #1 hit in 1962 with an instrumental called "The Stripper", also wrote the theme for the TV show Little House On The Prairie.

In January, 2005, on what would have been Elvis Presley's 70th birthday, "Jailhouse Rock" was re-released in the UK where it went straight to #1. At over 47 years after its original release, it became the oldest recording ever to top the UK charts.

The lightest Elvis ever weighed as a six foot tall adult was 170 lbs in 1960 following his discharge from the U.S. Army. The heaviest was at the time of his death, which was 260 lbs.

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales

Week Ending 08/22/2009


1. LP - David Bowie "Ziggy Stardust" Acetate alternate tracks - $4,772.00

2. LP - Velvet Underground & Nico self-titled Mono White Label Promo - $3,119.00

3. 45 - The Suedes "13 Stories High" / "My Girl" Psychedelic - $2,375.00

4. 78 - The New Yorkers "There's A Cradle In Caroline" / "I'm Living On Love" - $2,246.00

5. LP - The Beatles "A Hard Days Night" Record Club Issue - $2,226.99


As always, a special thank you to Norm at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data. Stop in and listen to their unique radio show Accidental Nostalgia with Norm & Jane On Radio Dentata Thursdays 4PM PDT/7PM EDT