Birthdays:
Bill Medley - Righteous Brothers (1940)
Sylvia Tyson - Ian and Sylvia (1940)
Lee Dorman - Iron Butterfly (1941)
Freda Payne (1945)
David Bromberg (1945)
John Coghlan - Status Quo (1946)
Lol Creme - 10CC (1947)
Daniel Lanois - producer, singer (1951)
Nile Rodgers - Chic (1952)
Lita Ford - Runaways (1958)
Jarvis Cocker - Pulp (1963)
Trisha Yearwood (1964)
Alan Jay "A. Jay" Popoff - Lit (1973)
Ryan Dusick - Maroon 5 (1977)
They Are Missed:
Billy Ward (Billy Ward and the Dominoes) was born in 1921. (died February 16, 2002)
Born today in 1931, Brook Benton. He died on April 9, 1998.
Born on this day in 1934, Brian Epstein, Beatles manager and manager of other Liverpool acts. Died of an accidental overdose of brandy and barbiturates on August 27, 1967.
Born today in 1935, Nick Massi of The Four Seasons. Massi died on December 24, 2000.
Born on this day in 1943, Cass Elliott, singer, Mamas and the Papas. Died from a heart attack on July 29, 1974 while staying at Harry Nilsson's London flat.
In 1973, country rock singer, songwriter 26-year-old Gram Parsons, formerly of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, died under mysterious conditions in Joshua Tree, California. His death was attributed to heart failure but later was officially announced as a drug overdose. His coffin was stolen by two of his associates, manager Phil Kaufman and Michael Martin, a former roadie for The Byrds, and was taken to Cap Rock in the California desert, where it was set on fire, in accordance to Parson's wishes. The two were later arrested by police.
American country music star Red Foley died in 1998 (age 58). Foley sold over 25 million records, hosted the first popular country music series on network television, Ozark Jubilee.
Edward Cobb died of leukaemia in 1999 (age 61). Singer songwriter & producer, member of The Four Preps and also wrote the infectious "Tainted Love," a hit for Soft Cell in 1981.
Australian country music singer-songwriter David Gordon "Slim Dusty" Kirkpatrick died in 2003 (age 76). He sold more than five million albums and singles in Australia. During his time with EMI, he released 105 albums.
Skeeter Davis, a country singer who went to #1 in 1963 with "The End of the World," died in 2004 (age 72). Davis also performed on the Grand Ole Opry show for over 40 years
Drummer Earl Palmer died in 2008. Worked with The Beach Boys, Little Richard (‘Tutti Frutti’), Frank Sinatra, Ike And Tina Turner (‘River Deep, Mountain High’), The Monkees, Fats Domino (‘I'm Walkin’), Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, The Righteous Brothers (‘You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin’), and Randy Newman, Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Buckley, Little Feat and Elvis Costello.
History:
16 year-old UK singer Cliff Richard, still known by his real name, Harry Webb, joined the Dick Teague Skiffle Group in 1957.
Former chicken plucker Chubby Checker went to #1 in 1960 with "The Twist."
In 1960, Hank Ballard and The Midnighters had the honour of being the first group to have three songs in the US Top 100 at the same time. "Finger Poppin’ Time," "Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go" and "The Twist" all made the Top 30.
The Lovin’ Spoonful got their first #1 single in 1966 with “Summer In The City.”
In 1968, recording starts on the Beatles song "Piggies."
In 1969, Child (featuring Bruce Springsteen) played the first of two nights at the Free University, Richmond, Virginia.
Diana Ross started a three week run at #1 in 1970 with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."
"Loaded," the Velvet Underground's fourth album, was released in 1970. Contains classic songs including "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll."
Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush" album entered the charts in 1970.
"Get Yer Ya Ya's Out" was released by the Rolling Stones in 1970.
In 1974, Max Weinberg made his debut as the drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
In 1976, readers of The New York Times opened their papers and discovered a full-page ad placed by promoter Sid Bernstein asking the Beatles to reunite. Bernstein had organized the Beatles shows at Shea Stadium in the mid-'60s. But his intentions are honorable. He asks the band to do it as a "symbol of hope."
The No Nukes concert was held at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1979. Performers included Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Poco, Tom Petty, Carly Simon, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen.
Also in 1979 - The New York Post claims The Beatles are considering a performance for a charity event. Paul McCartney was quoted as saying the group would “have to rehearse for six months” before they could play live. Since one of John and George’s big complaints about Paul back in The Beatle days was his desire to constantly rehearse, this idea dies.
Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York's Central Park in 1981. Over 400,000 fans attended the show. The performance was recorded for a record and video release.
The Rolling Stones album 'Tattoo You' started a nine-week run at #1 on the US chart in 1981, the band's ninth US #1.
"Press To Play" was released by Paul McCartney in 1986.
A reunited Pink Floyd, minus Roger Waters, released "A Momentary Lapse of Reason," in 1987, their first studio album since 1984's "The Final Cut."
In 2005, U2's Bono made a surprise appearance during Pearl Jam's Toronto concert. They do a version of Neil Young's "Keep On Rocking In The Free World."
In 2006, Willie Nelson was charged with drugs possession after being pulled over in Louisiana for a routine check. Police allegedly find 0.7g of marijuana and 91 grams of magic mushrooms on the country stoner's bus. Mushrooms Willie?
In 2008, ex-Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker is seriously injured when his plane crashes during take-off following a free concert in West Columbia, SC (University of South Carolina). A blown tire is the suspected cause. Two members of Barker’s personal staff, the pilot and co-pilot die in the accident. Barker and another passenger survive by sliding down the craft's wing.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Classic Album Cover Art - Black Sabbath Born Again
Black Sabbath- "Born Again" - Black Sabbath's eleventh studio album and was released in 1983. It was panned by critics at the time of its release, but reached #4 in the UK charts as well as the top 40 in the U.S. and has gained a strong cult following among a number of fans.
The album cover, which featured the image of an infant with horns and vampire fangs, with a purple background, was designed by Steve Joule. He also handwrote the lyrics that appear on the inner bag. The deliberately lurid design was submitted by Joule in a vain attempt to be rejected from this design commission, as he was also retained on a lucrative contract by Ozzy Osbourne's organization for his sleeve designs. To Joule's horror and surprise, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler approved the image for the album. Gillan and Ward were not present when the decision was made, though they later noted that they hated the finished cover. Gillan reportedly hated the cover so much, that he threw a box of 50 records out a window. Joule reports that he was drunk and high on speed when he drew the finalized designs for the album.
The cover is hated by many fans, but also has a cult following (much as the album itself), most notably with Max Cavalera and Glen Benton both stating that it is their favorite album over. Chris Barnes of Six Feet Under also said he likes the artwork, stating; "It's really the birth of the Antichrist in a Pop Art way which is scary of sorts on a few different levels for me."
Notes:
The album also featured the vocals of Ian Gillan, former lead singer for Deep Purple. Gillan joined the band in 1983 to replace departed vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward returned to the band as a replacement for Vinny Appice, who had left with Dio to form the band Dio, and quit the band right before the 1983 tour.
In the US and Canada, the album has never officially been released on Compact Disc by Warner Bros. Records. It is only available as an import.
Rock/Pop Tidbits
Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote "The Loco-Motion" with the hope that Dee Dee Sharp would record it. For the demo, they asked their infant daughter's baby sitter, Eva Boyd to sing the song. Sharp's producers turned it down, but their publishing firm liked the demo so much, they released it as a single, giving Little Eva a number one record.
The videos for Neil Young’s song “This Note’s For You” lampooned corporate rock sponsorship. The video featured a faux Michael Jackson with his hair on fire, an obvious reference to the accident that occurred while the gloved one was shooting a Pepsi commercial. Stunned MTV immediately banned the video, only to declare it Best Video of the Year at the 1989 Video Music Awards.
Bobby Vinton found his biggest hit, "Roses Are Red" in a pile of reject demo records while he was waiting to be told of his release from his recording contract. He talked Epic Records management into letting him record the song and soon after, he and the label had their first million selling, number one smash.
Gale Garnett, who sang the Top 40 song, "We'll Sing In The Sunshine,” appeared in a number of episodes of the TV show Bonanza.
Madonna is a glutton for publicity. In a 1994 appearance on the David Letterman Show, she said the “F-Word” a total of thirteen times. Then she demanded that Letterman sniff her undies, to which a startled Letterman declined to do.
None of The Beatles played instruments on "Eleanor Rigby” though John Lennon and George Harrison did contribute harmony and backing vocals. Instead, Paul McCartney used a string octet of studio musicians, composed of four violins, two cellos, and two violas all working off a score written by producer George Martin.
The Eagles were not satisfied with record producer Glyn Johns. In fact, while they were recording their LP “Desperado” in 1973, drummer Don Henley asked Johns to make him sound like Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. But John’s could only sigh and say, “You don’t play like John Bonham.”
Shock rock artist G.G.Allin had his share of classic escapades during his brief career (he died in 1993 from a heroin and cocaine overdose). Before a gig in New York, Allin entered a women’s restroom and asked for a volunteer to urinate in his mouth. One gal declined, but did give him the sanitary product that she had just removed. As Allin explained: “I just ate it right in front of her, just swallowed the whole thing.”
Even in death, strange circumstances followed G.G.Allin. He was buried in a leather jacket and a jockstrap upon which was written the epitaph “Eat Me.” At his open-coffin funeral, a microphone was positioned in his hand as well as a bottle of Jim Beam bourbon. His friends all took turns taking swigs from the bottle and put pills into the corpse’s mouth. Others pulled down the jockstrap, posed for pictures and drew on Allin’s corpse with a marker. Some friends.
In 1977, Pink Floyd created a forty-foot inflatable pig for a photo shoot. However, during the session, the renegade pig broke free from its moorings and drifted toward London’s Heathrow Airport. Pilots approaching Heathrow were amused to hear British aviation officials warn, “Pig on the loose!” The Pink Floyd pig eventually crashed into a farmer’s field and no injuries were reported. I guess pigs really do fly, or at least they did for one day.
The song "Happy Birthday" brings in about $2 million a year in licensing revenue to Warner Communications, who hold the copyright to the song.
The harmonica that John Lennon used to record The Beatles "Love Me Do" was one that he shoplifted from a store in Arnhem, Holland.
Even though Barry Manilow wrote many of his chart makers, he did not write three of his most popular hits. "Mandy" was written by Scott English and Richard Kerr, "Looks Like We Made It,” was penned by Will Jennings and Richard Kerr, and "I Write The Songs" was composed by Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys.
Iggy Pop is one strange character. His concerts included exhibitionism, jumping into the crowds, and smearing himself with peanut butter, why he even performed a gig while zippered inside a military duffel bag. Even his personal hygiene was questionable as he would keep an empty glass next to his bed at night so if he had to pee in the middle of the night, he didn’t have to walk all the way to the bathroom. His most humiliating concert occurred in 1997 when he jumped off the stage into the arms of his adoring fans. Apparently, they were not so adoring, and they failed to catch the airborne rock star. He slammed to the ground, dislocating his shoulder and had to cancel the rest of his tour.
The videos for Neil Young’s song “This Note’s For You” lampooned corporate rock sponsorship. The video featured a faux Michael Jackson with his hair on fire, an obvious reference to the accident that occurred while the gloved one was shooting a Pepsi commercial. Stunned MTV immediately banned the video, only to declare it Best Video of the Year at the 1989 Video Music Awards.
Bobby Vinton found his biggest hit, "Roses Are Red" in a pile of reject demo records while he was waiting to be told of his release from his recording contract. He talked Epic Records management into letting him record the song and soon after, he and the label had their first million selling, number one smash.
Gale Garnett, who sang the Top 40 song, "We'll Sing In The Sunshine,” appeared in a number of episodes of the TV show Bonanza.
Madonna is a glutton for publicity. In a 1994 appearance on the David Letterman Show, she said the “F-Word” a total of thirteen times. Then she demanded that Letterman sniff her undies, to which a startled Letterman declined to do.
None of The Beatles played instruments on "Eleanor Rigby” though John Lennon and George Harrison did contribute harmony and backing vocals. Instead, Paul McCartney used a string octet of studio musicians, composed of four violins, two cellos, and two violas all working off a score written by producer George Martin.
The Eagles were not satisfied with record producer Glyn Johns. In fact, while they were recording their LP “Desperado” in 1973, drummer Don Henley asked Johns to make him sound like Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. But John’s could only sigh and say, “You don’t play like John Bonham.”
Shock rock artist G.G.Allin had his share of classic escapades during his brief career (he died in 1993 from a heroin and cocaine overdose). Before a gig in New York, Allin entered a women’s restroom and asked for a volunteer to urinate in his mouth. One gal declined, but did give him the sanitary product that she had just removed. As Allin explained: “I just ate it right in front of her, just swallowed the whole thing.”
Even in death, strange circumstances followed G.G.Allin. He was buried in a leather jacket and a jockstrap upon which was written the epitaph “Eat Me.” At his open-coffin funeral, a microphone was positioned in his hand as well as a bottle of Jim Beam bourbon. His friends all took turns taking swigs from the bottle and put pills into the corpse’s mouth. Others pulled down the jockstrap, posed for pictures and drew on Allin’s corpse with a marker. Some friends.
In 1977, Pink Floyd created a forty-foot inflatable pig for a photo shoot. However, during the session, the renegade pig broke free from its moorings and drifted toward London’s Heathrow Airport. Pilots approaching Heathrow were amused to hear British aviation officials warn, “Pig on the loose!” The Pink Floyd pig eventually crashed into a farmer’s field and no injuries were reported. I guess pigs really do fly, or at least they did for one day.
The song "Happy Birthday" brings in about $2 million a year in licensing revenue to Warner Communications, who hold the copyright to the song.
The harmonica that John Lennon used to record The Beatles "Love Me Do" was one that he shoplifted from a store in Arnhem, Holland.
Even though Barry Manilow wrote many of his chart makers, he did not write three of his most popular hits. "Mandy" was written by Scott English and Richard Kerr, "Looks Like We Made It,” was penned by Will Jennings and Richard Kerr, and "I Write The Songs" was composed by Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys.
Iggy Pop is one strange character. His concerts included exhibitionism, jumping into the crowds, and smearing himself with peanut butter, why he even performed a gig while zippered inside a military duffel bag. Even his personal hygiene was questionable as he would keep an empty glass next to his bed at night so if he had to pee in the middle of the night, he didn’t have to walk all the way to the bathroom. His most humiliating concert occurred in 1997 when he jumped off the stage into the arms of his adoring fans. Apparently, they were not so adoring, and they failed to catch the airborne rock star. He slammed to the ground, dislocating his shoulder and had to cancel the rest of his tour.
Music News & Notes
U2's THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE REMASTERED
U2's fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire, has been remastered and will be released by Mercury Records on 26th October.
This special edition marks 25 years since the album's original release in October 1984. Recorded at Slane Castle, Ireland, The Unforgettable Fire was the first U2 album to be produced by Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, and spawned two top 10 UK singles - 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)' and 'The Unforgettable Fire'.
Special formats of The Unforgettable Fire will also feature bonus audio material, including two previously unheard tracks from the Slane Castle sessions: 'Yoshino Blossom', and 'Disappearing Act' (a track which the band recently completed), and a DVD including music videos, a documentary and unreleased live footage from the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope Tour in 1986.
The Unforgettable Fire has been remastered from the original audio tapes, with direction from The Edge and the album will be available in four formats:
* Limited Edition Box Set: containing 2 CDs (remastered album and bonus audio CD), a DVD with live footage, documentary and videos, a 56 page hardback book with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois, Bert Van de Kamp and Niall Stokes, and 5 photographic prints
* Deluxe Edition: containing 2 CDs, the remastered album, and the bonus audio CD which features B-sides and previously unreleased material, a 36 page booklet with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Bert Van de Kamp
* CD format: featuring the remastered album
* 12" vinyl format: 16 page booklet with liner notes by Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Bert Van de Kamp
=======================
Jawbox Reissue Set
Seminal DC post-punk band Jawbox will reissue their consummate release, For Your Own Special Sweetheart, on November 24th. The album, which was originally released on Atlantic Records in 1994, sees the band returning to their roots at the renowned Dischord Records as well as their own DeSoto label, which will work together to release this reissue. Jawbox was one of the cornerstones of the pivotal DIY punk label, in good company with bands such as Fugazi, Minor Threat, Rites of Spring and Shudder To Think.
With the help of Dischord and engineer Bob Weston (Pixies, Jawbox, and member of Shellac), For Your Own Special Sweetheart is meticulously remastered and will be re-released on both CD and vinyl. And, according to bass player, Kim Coletta, "it just sounds a whole lot better." The collection will include the entire original song line-up along with three additional tracks that appeared on the Savory +3 EP released by Atlantic in 1994. The vinyl version will include a coupon redeemable for free digital download of all songs including the bonus tracks.
=======================
Devo Whips Up New Major Deal And Tour
Devo is headed back to the future thanks to new deal with Warner Bros. Records, the group's original major label, and a series of concerts celebrating a pair of older albums.
The company has announced a "unique, ground-breaking worldwide partnership" during which it will "internationally service all aspects of the band's career, including recorded music, touring, merchandising, web services, promotion, e-commerce, sponsorships, licensing and endorsements."
It begins with the November 3 release of deluxe editions of 1978's gold album "Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!" and 1980's platinum "Freedom of Choice" on both CD and limited-edition colored vinyl, as well as a seven-inch vinyl single featuring "Jocko Homo" and "Mongoloid."
======================
Buckcherry Set Album Release
Buckcherry will release their first live album, Live & Loud 2009, on September 29th. Buckcherry are giving their fans what they've never had before – a live album that combines their raw and explosive on-stage energy with their catalogue of smash rock staples. The album will be released on Eleven Seven Music with distribution through RED.
Live & Loud 2009 will feature the band's biggest hits like 'Sorry' (#2 on Billboard's Hot AC chart), 'Crazy Bitch' (#3, Mainstream Rock), 'Lit Up' (#1, Mainstream Rock), 'Ridin'' (#9, Mainstream Rock) and 'Everything' (#5, Active Rock). The new live album will also feature songs from Buckcherry's current release Black Butterfly (named Album of the Year for 2008 by Entertainment Weekly and Best Rock Album of 2008 by iTunes critics), including 'Talk To Me' which was recently the #1 most added track at active rock radio.
This fall, Buckcherry will tour with KISS on a trek being routed through www.eventful.com/KISS. The site allowed fans to vote at the website to "demand" what cities they want to see the tour hit. More than 8,000 cities and towns were represented on the fan-submitted list.
=====================
Floyd To Rock Band or Guitar Hero?
Say it ain't so. Despite how some musicians feel about music 'n' rhythm games, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason isn't entirely ruling it out for his band. With The Beatles: Rock Band having just released, the BBC asked him if we could be seeing a Pink Floyd Rock Band or Guitar Hero game, to which he replied, "I think we'd consider it."
While he isn't a big supporter of the genre (he thinks it deters kids from learning real instruments, just like other celebs do), he did add, "Everyone's looking at new ways of selling the music because the business of selling records has almost disappeared."
=====================
Trumpeter Chris Tedesco Releases New Jazz CD
Los Angeles Trumpeter Chris Tedesco has officially released his new Jazz Big Band and Studio Orchestra CD entitled Living the Dream.
Eight big band tracks along with two, thirty piece orchestra tracks along, four of those with vocals by Tony Galla. The CD reminds one of visions of 1962 Capitol Reocrds with Sinatra and Basie live in the studio.
=====================
OBITUARY: ‘Left To Die’ EP Released On Limited-Edition Hand-Splattered Bloody Vinyl
Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records has released a limited-edition vinyl version of OBITUARY’s “Left To Die” EP. Only 500 hand-numbered copies were made available on hand-splattered bloody vinyl, including an insert.
“Left to Die” contains four songs: two new originals (“Forces Realign”and “Left To Die”), a 2008 studio recording of “Slowly We Rot”, and a cover of “Dethroned Emperor” by CELTIC FROST.
=====================
PARADISE LOST: Entire New Album Available For Streaming
"Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us", the new album from British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST, is being streamed in its entirety on the band's MySpace page. The CD will be released via Century Media Records on the following dates:
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy: September 25
Spain, Portugal: September 29
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: September 30
Rest Of Europe: September 28
USA: October 6
The limited formats of this landmark gothic metal opus will include two orchestral versions of the album tracks "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" and "Last Regret", which were recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra in July 2008.
The limited-edition deluxe two-CD includes special packaging (DVD-sized Mediabook with O-Card in a special leather look) and a bonus track, "Cardinal Zero", on Disc 1 plus a separate bonus CD featuring the "Lost In Prague" tracks. All vinyl lovers will be delighted to hear that the album is going to be available as limited edition gatefold LP, including the bonus track "Cardinal Zero", the orchestra mixes on a separate bonus 7" EP, the entire album on CD (in a blank sleeve), and an exclusive poster.
=====================
Joe Perry Gives Steven Tyler Silent Treatment Over Canceled Aerosmith Tour
Fans aren’t the only ones frustrated over the cancellation of Aerosmith’s summer trek. In an interview with the AP, guitarist Joe Perry expressed extreme disappointment that the band was unable to see the tour to its end—so much so that Perry hasn’t spoken to lead singer Steven Tyler in over a month.
“The tour was building up to be a great tour, and I was pretty [upset], you know,” Perry told the AP. “I haven’t talked to him in over five weeks. I don’t know what’s going on with him. I hear he’s getting better, but I don’t know I really don’t know what’s going on with him.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers had to cancele their trek with ZZ Top after Steven Tyler fell off the stage during a concert in South Dakota on August 5th, suffering a broken shoulder and requiring 20 stitches to the back of his head. Tyler’s fall was one of several health-related pitfalls that found Aerosmith postponing dates and using substitute members.
In a candid interview, Perry said the incident - and Tyler's other recent problems - proved the band needed to examine their current status.
"All I know is he's got to get his act together,” Perry said.
“I mean, he and I haven't written a song together alone in the same room in over ten years, so there's been some changes in paradigm of what Aerosmith is.”
Maybe they needed a break in the action and Tyler is recovering from his missed dance step. Time, my friends, give it time.
=====================
Ozzy Honored
Ozzy Osbourne will receive the Legend of Live Award at the Billboard Touring Awards on November 5 in New York. The award is given to those who have made a significant and lasting contribution to live music and the touring business.
Ray Waddell of Billboard said "Ozzy has altered the course of rock music and live performance through his work with Black Sabbath and as a hugely popular solo artist, and his continued commitment to playing live makes him the perfect choice for the Billboard Legend Of Live award. There is no doubt that Ozzy's impact on live music, including pioneering the multi-act rock festival touring with Ozzfest, will be felt for many years to come, and his efforts continue to shape the touring landscape in this century."
U2's fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire, has been remastered and will be released by Mercury Records on 26th October.
This special edition marks 25 years since the album's original release in October 1984. Recorded at Slane Castle, Ireland, The Unforgettable Fire was the first U2 album to be produced by Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, and spawned two top 10 UK singles - 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)' and 'The Unforgettable Fire'.
Special formats of The Unforgettable Fire will also feature bonus audio material, including two previously unheard tracks from the Slane Castle sessions: 'Yoshino Blossom', and 'Disappearing Act' (a track which the band recently completed), and a DVD including music videos, a documentary and unreleased live footage from the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope Tour in 1986.
The Unforgettable Fire has been remastered from the original audio tapes, with direction from The Edge and the album will be available in four formats:
* Limited Edition Box Set: containing 2 CDs (remastered album and bonus audio CD), a DVD with live footage, documentary and videos, a 56 page hardback book with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois, Bert Van de Kamp and Niall Stokes, and 5 photographic prints
* Deluxe Edition: containing 2 CDs, the remastered album, and the bonus audio CD which features B-sides and previously unreleased material, a 36 page booklet with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Bert Van de Kamp
* CD format: featuring the remastered album
* 12" vinyl format: 16 page booklet with liner notes by Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Bert Van de Kamp
=======================
Jawbox Reissue Set
Seminal DC post-punk band Jawbox will reissue their consummate release, For Your Own Special Sweetheart, on November 24th. The album, which was originally released on Atlantic Records in 1994, sees the band returning to their roots at the renowned Dischord Records as well as their own DeSoto label, which will work together to release this reissue. Jawbox was one of the cornerstones of the pivotal DIY punk label, in good company with bands such as Fugazi, Minor Threat, Rites of Spring and Shudder To Think.
With the help of Dischord and engineer Bob Weston (Pixies, Jawbox, and member of Shellac), For Your Own Special Sweetheart is meticulously remastered and will be re-released on both CD and vinyl. And, according to bass player, Kim Coletta, "it just sounds a whole lot better." The collection will include the entire original song line-up along with three additional tracks that appeared on the Savory +3 EP released by Atlantic in 1994. The vinyl version will include a coupon redeemable for free digital download of all songs including the bonus tracks.
=======================
Devo Whips Up New Major Deal And Tour
Devo is headed back to the future thanks to new deal with Warner Bros. Records, the group's original major label, and a series of concerts celebrating a pair of older albums.
The company has announced a "unique, ground-breaking worldwide partnership" during which it will "internationally service all aspects of the band's career, including recorded music, touring, merchandising, web services, promotion, e-commerce, sponsorships, licensing and endorsements."
It begins with the November 3 release of deluxe editions of 1978's gold album "Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!" and 1980's platinum "Freedom of Choice" on both CD and limited-edition colored vinyl, as well as a seven-inch vinyl single featuring "Jocko Homo" and "Mongoloid."
======================
Buckcherry Set Album Release
Buckcherry will release their first live album, Live & Loud 2009, on September 29th. Buckcherry are giving their fans what they've never had before – a live album that combines their raw and explosive on-stage energy with their catalogue of smash rock staples. The album will be released on Eleven Seven Music with distribution through RED.
Live & Loud 2009 will feature the band's biggest hits like 'Sorry' (#2 on Billboard's Hot AC chart), 'Crazy Bitch' (#3, Mainstream Rock), 'Lit Up' (#1, Mainstream Rock), 'Ridin'' (#9, Mainstream Rock) and 'Everything' (#5, Active Rock). The new live album will also feature songs from Buckcherry's current release Black Butterfly (named Album of the Year for 2008 by Entertainment Weekly and Best Rock Album of 2008 by iTunes critics), including 'Talk To Me' which was recently the #1 most added track at active rock radio.
This fall, Buckcherry will tour with KISS on a trek being routed through www.eventful.com/KISS. The site allowed fans to vote at the website to "demand" what cities they want to see the tour hit. More than 8,000 cities and towns were represented on the fan-submitted list.
=====================
Floyd To Rock Band or Guitar Hero?
Say it ain't so. Despite how some musicians feel about music 'n' rhythm games, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason isn't entirely ruling it out for his band. With The Beatles: Rock Band having just released, the BBC asked him if we could be seeing a Pink Floyd Rock Band or Guitar Hero game, to which he replied, "I think we'd consider it."
While he isn't a big supporter of the genre (he thinks it deters kids from learning real instruments, just like other celebs do), he did add, "Everyone's looking at new ways of selling the music because the business of selling records has almost disappeared."
=====================
Trumpeter Chris Tedesco Releases New Jazz CD
Los Angeles Trumpeter Chris Tedesco has officially released his new Jazz Big Band and Studio Orchestra CD entitled Living the Dream.
Eight big band tracks along with two, thirty piece orchestra tracks along, four of those with vocals by Tony Galla. The CD reminds one of visions of 1962 Capitol Reocrds with Sinatra and Basie live in the studio.
=====================
OBITUARY: ‘Left To Die’ EP Released On Limited-Edition Hand-Splattered Bloody Vinyl
Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records has released a limited-edition vinyl version of OBITUARY’s “Left To Die” EP. Only 500 hand-numbered copies were made available on hand-splattered bloody vinyl, including an insert.
“Left to Die” contains four songs: two new originals (“Forces Realign”and “Left To Die”), a 2008 studio recording of “Slowly We Rot”, and a cover of “Dethroned Emperor” by CELTIC FROST.
=====================
PARADISE LOST: Entire New Album Available For Streaming
"Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us", the new album from British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST, is being streamed in its entirety on the band's MySpace page. The CD will be released via Century Media Records on the following dates:
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy: September 25
Spain, Portugal: September 29
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: September 30
Rest Of Europe: September 28
USA: October 6
The limited formats of this landmark gothic metal opus will include two orchestral versions of the album tracks "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" and "Last Regret", which were recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra in July 2008.
The limited-edition deluxe two-CD includes special packaging (DVD-sized Mediabook with O-Card in a special leather look) and a bonus track, "Cardinal Zero", on Disc 1 plus a separate bonus CD featuring the "Lost In Prague" tracks. All vinyl lovers will be delighted to hear that the album is going to be available as limited edition gatefold LP, including the bonus track "Cardinal Zero", the orchestra mixes on a separate bonus 7" EP, the entire album on CD (in a blank sleeve), and an exclusive poster.
=====================
Joe Perry Gives Steven Tyler Silent Treatment Over Canceled Aerosmith Tour
Fans aren’t the only ones frustrated over the cancellation of Aerosmith’s summer trek. In an interview with the AP, guitarist Joe Perry expressed extreme disappointment that the band was unable to see the tour to its end—so much so that Perry hasn’t spoken to lead singer Steven Tyler in over a month.
“The tour was building up to be a great tour, and I was pretty [upset], you know,” Perry told the AP. “I haven’t talked to him in over five weeks. I don’t know what’s going on with him. I hear he’s getting better, but I don’t know I really don’t know what’s going on with him.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers had to cancele their trek with ZZ Top after Steven Tyler fell off the stage during a concert in South Dakota on August 5th, suffering a broken shoulder and requiring 20 stitches to the back of his head. Tyler’s fall was one of several health-related pitfalls that found Aerosmith postponing dates and using substitute members.
In a candid interview, Perry said the incident - and Tyler's other recent problems - proved the band needed to examine their current status.
"All I know is he's got to get his act together,” Perry said.
“I mean, he and I haven't written a song together alone in the same room in over ten years, so there's been some changes in paradigm of what Aerosmith is.”
Maybe they needed a break in the action and Tyler is recovering from his missed dance step. Time, my friends, give it time.
=====================
Ozzy Honored
Ozzy Osbourne will receive the Legend of Live Award at the Billboard Touring Awards on November 5 in New York. The award is given to those who have made a significant and lasting contribution to live music and the touring business.
Ray Waddell of Billboard said "Ozzy has altered the course of rock music and live performance through his work with Black Sabbath and as a hugely popular solo artist, and his continued commitment to playing live makes him the perfect choice for the Billboard Legend Of Live award. There is no doubt that Ozzy's impact on live music, including pioneering the multi-act rock festival touring with Ozzfest, will be felt for many years to come, and his efforts continue to shape the touring landscape in this century."
Vinyl records still find niche with music lovers
Longtime readers of the blog know that I like to feature any 'brick and mortar' store articles, and I have another to share. I want to thank the kind folks at http://temple-news.com and specifically the author Kevin Brosky for allowing me to reprint this story:
by Kevin Brosky
City record stores are in agreement: Vinyl is still in high demand. In fact, it may just be keeping those stores in business during a recession.
Before iPods and MP3 players, there was a time when far less portable vinyl records were king. It would make sense if these relics from the past were now obsolete – only, they’re not.
In fact, the city’s record store owners seem to be in agreement: Not only are people still buying vinyl, but records are in high demand, particularly because they’re becoming more and more difficult to find.
“We used to throw vinyl out,” said Bernie Carville, who works at Rustic Music at 13th and Pine streets. “Now, we don’t throw anything out.”
Rustic Music began as a used guitar store, but it quickly became clear that there was a demand for selling music as well, and it eventually became half a music store.
“We just had a couple records sitting around, and we put them out the one day,” Carville said. “People were buying them. Instead of spending more for a CD, people can buy a good copy on vinyl for cheap.”
Rustic Music’s ever-popular $2 bins are sure to contain a hidden gem or lucky find. All across Philadelphia, on any given day, avid music listeners scour local record stores like Rustic Music, AKA Music, Repo Records and the Philadelphia Record Exchange looking for cheap vinyl.
In a city that has seen a handful of record stores wilt and die over the past decade, these four seem to be doing fine. And they all carry vinyl. Even superstore f.y.e. has jumped onboard the vinyl bandwagon, offering new copies of albums in vinyl from bands that have also noted the high demand for the vintage format.
“It might be bigger than ever with young people,” Carville said. “Bands are pressing new vinyl, even though it’s expensive to do so. And it’s still easy to find turntables, even though people think it’s not.”
Along with used guitars and instruments, Rustic Music sells used turntables. Carville noted that “there were always the collectors,” but there are still plenty of people buying records to play them.
Jacy Webster opened the Philadelphia Record Exchange in 1985 and has been doing pretty much the same thing ever since. Apart from gradually adding a few racks of used CDs over time, Webster said vinyl is practically all he sells at his store on Fifth Street, a half block from South Street.
“We really wanted to never stop selling records,” he said. “Other stores were switching over to CDs, and we kept selling records. People kept buying them.”
Webster acknowledges that the draw of vinyl often stems from its authentic appeal.
“I see people come in here and hold up a classic record for the person they’re with to see,” he said. “It’s like they’re excited to be able to say, ‘This is the real thing.’”
Because MP3s and other digital formats of music are so compressed, music purists like Webster appreciate the impressive sound quality of a fresh, vinyl record. It’s impossible to ignore the scowl on the record store veteran’s face when a customer mentions digital music. A record, to him, is a product.
“You can hold it in your hand. It’s a physical object,” he said passionately, adding one final bit of rationale.
“Those records still sound freaking good.”
Source: http://temple-news.com
by Kevin Brosky
City record stores are in agreement: Vinyl is still in high demand. In fact, it may just be keeping those stores in business during a recession.
Before iPods and MP3 players, there was a time when far less portable vinyl records were king. It would make sense if these relics from the past were now obsolete – only, they’re not.
In fact, the city’s record store owners seem to be in agreement: Not only are people still buying vinyl, but records are in high demand, particularly because they’re becoming more and more difficult to find.
“We used to throw vinyl out,” said Bernie Carville, who works at Rustic Music at 13th and Pine streets. “Now, we don’t throw anything out.”
Rustic Music began as a used guitar store, but it quickly became clear that there was a demand for selling music as well, and it eventually became half a music store.
“We just had a couple records sitting around, and we put them out the one day,” Carville said. “People were buying them. Instead of spending more for a CD, people can buy a good copy on vinyl for cheap.”
Rustic Music’s ever-popular $2 bins are sure to contain a hidden gem or lucky find. All across Philadelphia, on any given day, avid music listeners scour local record stores like Rustic Music, AKA Music, Repo Records and the Philadelphia Record Exchange looking for cheap vinyl.
In a city that has seen a handful of record stores wilt and die over the past decade, these four seem to be doing fine. And they all carry vinyl. Even superstore f.y.e. has jumped onboard the vinyl bandwagon, offering new copies of albums in vinyl from bands that have also noted the high demand for the vintage format.
“It might be bigger than ever with young people,” Carville said. “Bands are pressing new vinyl, even though it’s expensive to do so. And it’s still easy to find turntables, even though people think it’s not.”
Along with used guitars and instruments, Rustic Music sells used turntables. Carville noted that “there were always the collectors,” but there are still plenty of people buying records to play them.
Jacy Webster opened the Philadelphia Record Exchange in 1985 and has been doing pretty much the same thing ever since. Apart from gradually adding a few racks of used CDs over time, Webster said vinyl is practically all he sells at his store on Fifth Street, a half block from South Street.
“We really wanted to never stop selling records,” he said. “Other stores were switching over to CDs, and we kept selling records. People kept buying them.”
Webster acknowledges that the draw of vinyl often stems from its authentic appeal.
“I see people come in here and hold up a classic record for the person they’re with to see,” he said. “It’s like they’re excited to be able to say, ‘This is the real thing.’”
Because MP3s and other digital formats of music are so compressed, music purists like Webster appreciate the impressive sound quality of a fresh, vinyl record. It’s impossible to ignore the scowl on the record store veteran’s face when a customer mentions digital music. A record, to him, is a product.
“You can hold it in your hand. It’s a physical object,” he said passionately, adding one final bit of rationale.
“Those records still sound freaking good.”
Source: http://temple-news.com
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Mary Travers of Peter, Paul & Mary Loses Her Fight With Cancer
Written By Robert Benson
Folk music legend Mary Travers passed away on September 16, 2009 from complications related to leukemia. She was 72. Along with her singing partners Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey, the trio were perhaps the most influential folk music trio in American history and together they performed some of the most enduring folk anthems of the 1960s. In fact, the group's first album came out in 1962 and immediately scored hits with their versions of "If I Had a Hammer" and "Lemon Tree," a song which won them Grammys for best folk recording and best performance by a vocal group.
Mary Travers was born in Louisville, Kentucky and in 1938 the family moved to Greenwich Village in New York City, New York. She attended the Little Red School House in New York City, but left in the eleventh grade to pursue her singing career. While in high school, she joined the Song Swappers, a folk group that sang backup for folk icon Pete Seeger. The folk group, Peter, Paul and Mary, began with Mary and “the boys,” as she called them, in Noel Paul’s East Village apartment singing “Mary Had A Little Lamb.” After seven months of rehearsals, the group Peter, Paul and Mary made their debut in 1961 and the aforementioned self-titled debut album made them stars.
In 1963, the group famously performed Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “If I Had a Hammer” at the March on Washington, the latter appearing on their second LP Moving, which also boasted Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” and the playful cut “Puff (The Magic Dragon).”
The trio's third album, In the Wind, featured three songs by the 22-year-old Bob Dylan. “Don't Think Twice, It's All Right” and “Blowin' in the Wind” reached the top 10, bringing Dylan's material to a massive audience with “Blowin’ In The Wind” shipping more than 300,000 copies during one two-week period. At one point in 1963, three of their albums were in the top six Billboard best-selling LPs as they became the biggest stars of the folk revival movement.
Peter, Paul and Mary became famous for their ability to convey powerful personal and political messages through a repertoire of songs and impeccable harmonies that became, for millions of Americans, an introduction to political awareness and activism in the movements born in the 60’s; movements for freedom, justice and social equity. With her stoic, yet playful stature, and her long, flowing blonde hair and signature bangs, and her arresting and passionate vocal delivery, Mary Travers became an irresistible force in Peter, Paul and Mary’s performances and legacy.
They sang together over a span of almost 50 years during their career. Together, they won five Grammy Awards, produced thirteen Top 40 hits, six of them reaching into the Top 10 - as well as eight gold and five platinum records. The trio split up to work on solo projects in 1970, and Travers released five albums between 1971 and 1978. The group re-formed in 1978, toured extensively and issued many new albums. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.
Both Yarrow and Stookey released statements about the passing of their singing partner and friend:
Statement by Peter Yarrow:
“Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of my relationship with Mary Travers over the last, almost, 50 years, is how open and honest we were with each other, and I include Noel Paul Stookey in this equation. Such honesty comes with a price, but when you get past the hurt and shock of realizing that you're faulted and frequently wrong, you also realize that you are really loved and respected for who you are, and you become a better person. The trio's growth, our creativity, our ability to emerge over the years completely accepting of one another, warts and all, was a miracle. This gift existed, I believe, because of the music itself, which elicited from each of us the best of who we were. When we performed together, we gave our best to each other and to the audiences who came to hear us.”
“I have no idea what it will be like to have no Mary in my world, in my life, or on stage to sing with. But I do know there will always be a hole in my heart, a place where she will always exist that will never be filled by any other person. However painful her passing is, I am forever grateful for Mary and her place in my life.”
Statement by Noel Paul Stookey:
"as a partner...she could be vexing and vulnerable in the same breath. as a friend she shared her concerns freely and without reservation. as an activist, she was brave, outspoken and inspiring - especially in her defense of the defenseless. and, as a performer, her charisma was a barely contained nervous energy - occasionally (and then only privately) revealed as stage fright.”
"i am deadened and heartsick beyond words to consider a life without mary travers and honored beyond my wildest dreams to have shared her spirit and her career."
On a personal note, I took my parents to see Peter, Paul and Mary perform at the State Fair in Wisconsin in the late 80’s. I remember it vividly, it was a cool August day and it had rained all day and continued to rain as we found our seats. As we were being seated, I saw Mary Travers in the crowd and I got close enough to brush by her, I remember how elated she was to see so many people brave the elements to hear them sing. She alluded to that as she and her partners put on a show for the ages. Her face lit up with glee with every spot on note she delivered. I will miss her, as millions of other fans will as well.
Folk music legend Mary Travers passed away on September 16, 2009 from complications related to leukemia. She was 72. Along with her singing partners Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey, the trio were perhaps the most influential folk music trio in American history and together they performed some of the most enduring folk anthems of the 1960s. In fact, the group's first album came out in 1962 and immediately scored hits with their versions of "If I Had a Hammer" and "Lemon Tree," a song which won them Grammys for best folk recording and best performance by a vocal group.
Mary Travers was born in Louisville, Kentucky and in 1938 the family moved to Greenwich Village in New York City, New York. She attended the Little Red School House in New York City, but left in the eleventh grade to pursue her singing career. While in high school, she joined the Song Swappers, a folk group that sang backup for folk icon Pete Seeger. The folk group, Peter, Paul and Mary, began with Mary and “the boys,” as she called them, in Noel Paul’s East Village apartment singing “Mary Had A Little Lamb.” After seven months of rehearsals, the group Peter, Paul and Mary made their debut in 1961 and the aforementioned self-titled debut album made them stars.
In 1963, the group famously performed Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “If I Had a Hammer” at the March on Washington, the latter appearing on their second LP Moving, which also boasted Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” and the playful cut “Puff (The Magic Dragon).”
The trio's third album, In the Wind, featured three songs by the 22-year-old Bob Dylan. “Don't Think Twice, It's All Right” and “Blowin' in the Wind” reached the top 10, bringing Dylan's material to a massive audience with “Blowin’ In The Wind” shipping more than 300,000 copies during one two-week period. At one point in 1963, three of their albums were in the top six Billboard best-selling LPs as they became the biggest stars of the folk revival movement.
Peter, Paul and Mary became famous for their ability to convey powerful personal and political messages through a repertoire of songs and impeccable harmonies that became, for millions of Americans, an introduction to political awareness and activism in the movements born in the 60’s; movements for freedom, justice and social equity. With her stoic, yet playful stature, and her long, flowing blonde hair and signature bangs, and her arresting and passionate vocal delivery, Mary Travers became an irresistible force in Peter, Paul and Mary’s performances and legacy.
They sang together over a span of almost 50 years during their career. Together, they won five Grammy Awards, produced thirteen Top 40 hits, six of them reaching into the Top 10 - as well as eight gold and five platinum records. The trio split up to work on solo projects in 1970, and Travers released five albums between 1971 and 1978. The group re-formed in 1978, toured extensively and issued many new albums. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.
Both Yarrow and Stookey released statements about the passing of their singing partner and friend:
Statement by Peter Yarrow:
“Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of my relationship with Mary Travers over the last, almost, 50 years, is how open and honest we were with each other, and I include Noel Paul Stookey in this equation. Such honesty comes with a price, but when you get past the hurt and shock of realizing that you're faulted and frequently wrong, you also realize that you are really loved and respected for who you are, and you become a better person. The trio's growth, our creativity, our ability to emerge over the years completely accepting of one another, warts and all, was a miracle. This gift existed, I believe, because of the music itself, which elicited from each of us the best of who we were. When we performed together, we gave our best to each other and to the audiences who came to hear us.”
“I have no idea what it will be like to have no Mary in my world, in my life, or on stage to sing with. But I do know there will always be a hole in my heart, a place where she will always exist that will never be filled by any other person. However painful her passing is, I am forever grateful for Mary and her place in my life.”
Statement by Noel Paul Stookey:
"as a partner...she could be vexing and vulnerable in the same breath. as a friend she shared her concerns freely and without reservation. as an activist, she was brave, outspoken and inspiring - especially in her defense of the defenseless. and, as a performer, her charisma was a barely contained nervous energy - occasionally (and then only privately) revealed as stage fright.”
"i am deadened and heartsick beyond words to consider a life without mary travers and honored beyond my wildest dreams to have shared her spirit and her career."
On a personal note, I took my parents to see Peter, Paul and Mary perform at the State Fair in Wisconsin in the late 80’s. I remember it vividly, it was a cool August day and it had rained all day and continued to rain as we found our seats. As we were being seated, I saw Mary Travers in the crowd and I got close enough to brush by her, I remember how elated she was to see so many people brave the elements to hear them sing. She alluded to that as she and her partners put on a show for the ages. Her face lit up with glee with every spot on note she delivered. I will miss her, as millions of other fans will as well.
Classic Album Cover Art - Van Halen Balance
Van Halen: 'Balance' "Balance" was the tenth studio album by the hard rock band Van Halen. It was released in 1995 and, to date, is the final Van Halen album featuring lead singer Sammy Hagar.
Van Halen is a hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California in 1972. They enjoyed success from the release of their self titled debut album in 1978. As of 2007 Van Halen has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide and have had the most number one hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. During the 1980's they also had more Billboard Hot 100 hits than any other hard rock, heavy metal band of the decade. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Van Halen is the 19th best selling band/artist of all time with sales of over 56 million albums in the USA and is one of five rock bands that have had two albums sell more than 10 million copies in the USA.
The cover was the brainchild of American photographer Glen Wexler whose first album cover commission was to photograph The Brothers Johnson (“Blam!” 1978), for Quincy Jones Productions and A&M Records. It was censored in Japan.
Other album cover projects include, Van Halen, “Balance”, Black Sabbath, “Reunion”, Rush “Hold Your Fire”, ZZ Top, “Greatest Hits”, Missing Persons “Spring Session M”, Slaughter's “Stick It to Ya”, and Chaka Kahn, “Naughty”. Wexler also created images for Michael Jackson, KISS, Yes, Kansas, Whitesnake, Black Crows, Boston, Steve Miller Band, Peter Frampton, Bob Weir, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and many others.
Notes:
Wexler created a fantasy album cover for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum exhibition “The Greatest Album Covers That Never Were,” which toured nationally 2003-2006. Wexler was invited to lecture about album cover work at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum along with designer John Van Hamersveld in June 2003.
In the fall of 2006, Wexler’s album cover artwork was featured at the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' (NARAS) “The Art Of Music” event in Los Angeles.
The instrumental "Strung Out" was actually recorded in 1983, prior to the recording of 1984. The actual recording is Eddie "playing" the strings of a Grand Piano with various objects including ping pong balls, D-cell batteries, knives and forks.
Rock/Pop Tidbits
When Alice Cooper and his band mates auditioned for musician Frank Zappa, he put his hands over his ears and screamed: “Alright, alright I’ll sign you! I’ll sign you! Just stop playing!” He wanted the band to become a comedy act called Alice’s Cookies.
Alice Cooper’s band invited a prospective manager to attend on of their gigs and soon after the group started playing, the crowd of more than 3,000 people got up and left. This actually impressed the manager, he stated, “Do you know how hard it is to get three thousand people to do anything all at once!”
David Bowie proposed to his first wife Angie with the words: “Can you handle the fact that I don’t love you?”
Rocker John Mellencamp was born with spina bifida, a potentially crippling neural tube defect that required surgery and a lengthy hospitalization.
Despite having a long list of hit records to her credit, there were two more that Cher could have had. In 1973 she was offered "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia,” but turned it down. Vicki Lawrence took it to number one. She also had first crack at "Angie Baby" in 1974, but again felt it wasn't her kind of song. Helen Reddy's version would top the US chart.
The Strawberry Alarm Clock had a 1967, number one hit with "Incense and Peppermints.” As a part of their live act, drummer Randy Seol played the bongos with his hands on fire.
Apparently playing guitar for Fleetwood Mac drove musicians crazy. Guitarist Peter Green would cry while watching the TV news, wore white robes onstage and fought very hard to give all the band’s money away to charity. In fact, when the band’s manager tried to present Green with a royalty check, Green attached him with an air rifle and was sent away to a mental hospital.
Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer was a bit eccentric. He traveled with a tiny bible sewn into the lining of his coat and he filled condoms with milk and would hang them from the pegs of his guitar. In Hawaii, he left the hotel where they were staying, stating: “I’ll be right back.” However, he changed his name to Jonathan and joined a religious cult known as the “Children of God.”
In 1972, Fleetwood Mac guitarist Danny Kirwan got so stressed out that five minutes before a gig, he vanished into a bathroom, bashed his head against the all, smashed his guitar, and stated: “I’m not going on.” He wound up watching the gig from the soundboard and was later admitted to a mental institution.
Before Neil Young joined Crosby, Stills and Nash, the original trio had already asked George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood to become the fourth member of their group.
Paul Simon took the title of his song "Mother and Child Reunion" from the name of a chicken-and-egg dish he saw on a Chinese restaurant's menu.
Trent Reznor of Nine Inch nails really disliked Axl Rose. According to Reznor, the Guns N’ Roses front man was surrounded by people who said things like: “Yes, Mr. Rose, that does smell good, can I flush it for you?”
If you listen carefully to Marvin Gaye's 1971 smash "What's Going On,” you can hear former Detroit Lions Mel Farr and Lem Barney talking and singing in the background.
During the recording of Ted Nugent's 1976 album "Free For All,” singer/guitarist Derek St. Holmes left the band for personal reasons. A singer named Marvin Aday, who would one day be known as Meat Loaf, replaced him on five songs.
After Nino Tempo and April Stevens hastily recorded a song called "Deep Purple", the master tape was sent to Atlantic Records producer Ahmet Ertegun, who said that the effort was not only embarrassing, but the worst thing Nino and April had ever done. After some pressure from Nino, Ertegun gave in and released the song as a single. It quickly soared to #1 on the Billboard Pop chart and enjoyed a twelve week run. The following year it won a Grammy Award for the Best Rock and Roll Recording of 1963.
Although she is mostly remembered for her hit "Stand By Your Man,” country singer Tammy Wynette has been married five times.
In the fall of 1958, Neil Diamond entered New York University on a fencing scholarship.
Brothers Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks took sibling rivalry to new heights. Dining in a Manhattan establishment in 1971, Dave tried to steal one of Ray’s french fries and was promptly stabbed in the chest with a fork by Ray.
Alice Cooper’s band invited a prospective manager to attend on of their gigs and soon after the group started playing, the crowd of more than 3,000 people got up and left. This actually impressed the manager, he stated, “Do you know how hard it is to get three thousand people to do anything all at once!”
David Bowie proposed to his first wife Angie with the words: “Can you handle the fact that I don’t love you?”
Rocker John Mellencamp was born with spina bifida, a potentially crippling neural tube defect that required surgery and a lengthy hospitalization.
Despite having a long list of hit records to her credit, there were two more that Cher could have had. In 1973 she was offered "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia,” but turned it down. Vicki Lawrence took it to number one. She also had first crack at "Angie Baby" in 1974, but again felt it wasn't her kind of song. Helen Reddy's version would top the US chart.
The Strawberry Alarm Clock had a 1967, number one hit with "Incense and Peppermints.” As a part of their live act, drummer Randy Seol played the bongos with his hands on fire.
Apparently playing guitar for Fleetwood Mac drove musicians crazy. Guitarist Peter Green would cry while watching the TV news, wore white robes onstage and fought very hard to give all the band’s money away to charity. In fact, when the band’s manager tried to present Green with a royalty check, Green attached him with an air rifle and was sent away to a mental hospital.
Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer was a bit eccentric. He traveled with a tiny bible sewn into the lining of his coat and he filled condoms with milk and would hang them from the pegs of his guitar. In Hawaii, he left the hotel where they were staying, stating: “I’ll be right back.” However, he changed his name to Jonathan and joined a religious cult known as the “Children of God.”
In 1972, Fleetwood Mac guitarist Danny Kirwan got so stressed out that five minutes before a gig, he vanished into a bathroom, bashed his head against the all, smashed his guitar, and stated: “I’m not going on.” He wound up watching the gig from the soundboard and was later admitted to a mental institution.
Before Neil Young joined Crosby, Stills and Nash, the original trio had already asked George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood to become the fourth member of their group.
Paul Simon took the title of his song "Mother and Child Reunion" from the name of a chicken-and-egg dish he saw on a Chinese restaurant's menu.
Trent Reznor of Nine Inch nails really disliked Axl Rose. According to Reznor, the Guns N’ Roses front man was surrounded by people who said things like: “Yes, Mr. Rose, that does smell good, can I flush it for you?”
If you listen carefully to Marvin Gaye's 1971 smash "What's Going On,” you can hear former Detroit Lions Mel Farr and Lem Barney talking and singing in the background.
During the recording of Ted Nugent's 1976 album "Free For All,” singer/guitarist Derek St. Holmes left the band for personal reasons. A singer named Marvin Aday, who would one day be known as Meat Loaf, replaced him on five songs.
After Nino Tempo and April Stevens hastily recorded a song called "Deep Purple", the master tape was sent to Atlantic Records producer Ahmet Ertegun, who said that the effort was not only embarrassing, but the worst thing Nino and April had ever done. After some pressure from Nino, Ertegun gave in and released the song as a single. It quickly soared to #1 on the Billboard Pop chart and enjoyed a twelve week run. The following year it won a Grammy Award for the Best Rock and Roll Recording of 1963.
Although she is mostly remembered for her hit "Stand By Your Man,” country singer Tammy Wynette has been married five times.
In the fall of 1958, Neil Diamond entered New York University on a fencing scholarship.
Brothers Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks took sibling rivalry to new heights. Dining in a Manhattan establishment in 1971, Dave tried to steal one of Ray’s french fries and was promptly stabbed in the chest with a fork by Ray.
Music News & Notes
Smashing Pumpkins New LP
Billy Corgan posted on the Smashing Pumpkins’ official Website yesterday and revealed that the barely recognizable band has begun work on a massive new 44-song album called "Teargarden by Kaleidyscope." You’d figure it’d be a while between now and when you’ll hear the fruits of the Pumpkins’ labors, but Corgan also revealed on an innovative release plan that’ll allow fans to freely download the songs as the band finishes them.
“My desire is to release a song at a time beginning around Halloween of this year, with each new release coming shortly after until all 44 are out. Each song will be made available absolutely for free, to anyone anywhere. There will be no strings attached,” Corgan writes. “Free will mean free, which means you won’t have to sign up for anything, give an email address, or jump through a hoop. You will be able to go and take the song or songs as you wish, as many times as you wish.”
Corgan knows his audience and fans and he realizes that there are thousands of fans eager to purchase one or all eleven of the limited-edition four song EPs he planned to carve out of Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. When the album is completely finished, all 44 songs will be packed into a single Kaleidyscope box set. For those plotting to skip the EP process and wait for the complete set, Corgan foils that plan by writing “the box set will not be a recompilation of the limited edition pieces.”
=====================
Break For Bruce & E Street Band
You may not see Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band touring for at least one to two years once their current shows are done in November. Not that anyone could really deny them the chance to rest a bit after this marathon run of performances over the last couple of years.
Steven Van Zandt, guitarist for the band, told reporters "We are going to take a break. I don't know how long, one year, year-and-a-half, two years off. This is a good time to see us. We may not be as pretty, [but] we seem to be getting better in funny ways.
"You never know. This could be be the last tour. We do every show like it's our last show anyway."
The group has been touring on a regular basis since the rehearsals started for the Magic tour back in September of 2007. Since then, they've played every month except for January and February 2008 and September 2008 to late-March 2009 when they started the Working on a Dream rehearsals and tour. There are still 31 shows left in the current run.
=====================
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Announces Full Lineups
For 25th Anniversary Shows
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have announced the full lineups for their 25th Anniversary shows, to be held on October 29 and 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
A previous announcement was made with the main performers while Wednesday added the special guests that will join the others for special collaborations.
October 29
•Main Performers
•Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band
•Stevie Wonder
•Simon & Garfunkel
•Paul Simon
•Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends
•Special Guests
•Jackson Browne
•James Taylor
•Sting
•Smokey Robinson
•Bonnie Raitt
•Little Richard
October 30
•Main Performers
•U2
•Aretha Franklin
•Eric Clapton
•Metallica
•Special Guests
•Jeff Beck
•Van Morrison
•Jerry Lee Lewis
=====================
Pavement Confirm Plans To Reform For 2010 World Tour
Alternative giant Pavement has confirmed that they are to reform in 2010 for a series of shows around the world.
The band, who have been widely rumoured to get back together, will consist of Mark Ibold, Scott Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West.
Their first confirmed show will take place at Rumsey Playfield in New York's Central Park on September 21, 2010.
Pavement, who formed in 1989, developed a significant cult following following the release of their 1992 debut 'Slanted and Enchanted'.
The group played their last gig together at Brixton Academy in London in November 1999.
In a statement, their record label Domino said “the band would like it to be known that the tour does not constitute a full on permanent reformation”.
Billy Corgan posted on the Smashing Pumpkins’ official Website yesterday and revealed that the barely recognizable band has begun work on a massive new 44-song album called "Teargarden by Kaleidyscope." You’d figure it’d be a while between now and when you’ll hear the fruits of the Pumpkins’ labors, but Corgan also revealed on an innovative release plan that’ll allow fans to freely download the songs as the band finishes them.
“My desire is to release a song at a time beginning around Halloween of this year, with each new release coming shortly after until all 44 are out. Each song will be made available absolutely for free, to anyone anywhere. There will be no strings attached,” Corgan writes. “Free will mean free, which means you won’t have to sign up for anything, give an email address, or jump through a hoop. You will be able to go and take the song or songs as you wish, as many times as you wish.”
Corgan knows his audience and fans and he realizes that there are thousands of fans eager to purchase one or all eleven of the limited-edition four song EPs he planned to carve out of Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. When the album is completely finished, all 44 songs will be packed into a single Kaleidyscope box set. For those plotting to skip the EP process and wait for the complete set, Corgan foils that plan by writing “the box set will not be a recompilation of the limited edition pieces.”
=====================
Break For Bruce & E Street Band
You may not see Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band touring for at least one to two years once their current shows are done in November. Not that anyone could really deny them the chance to rest a bit after this marathon run of performances over the last couple of years.
Steven Van Zandt, guitarist for the band, told reporters "We are going to take a break. I don't know how long, one year, year-and-a-half, two years off. This is a good time to see us. We may not be as pretty, [but] we seem to be getting better in funny ways.
"You never know. This could be be the last tour. We do every show like it's our last show anyway."
The group has been touring on a regular basis since the rehearsals started for the Magic tour back in September of 2007. Since then, they've played every month except for January and February 2008 and September 2008 to late-March 2009 when they started the Working on a Dream rehearsals and tour. There are still 31 shows left in the current run.
=====================
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Announces Full Lineups
For 25th Anniversary Shows
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have announced the full lineups for their 25th Anniversary shows, to be held on October 29 and 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
A previous announcement was made with the main performers while Wednesday added the special guests that will join the others for special collaborations.
October 29
•Main Performers
•Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band
•Stevie Wonder
•Simon & Garfunkel
•Paul Simon
•Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends
•Special Guests
•Jackson Browne
•James Taylor
•Sting
•Smokey Robinson
•Bonnie Raitt
•Little Richard
October 30
•Main Performers
•U2
•Aretha Franklin
•Eric Clapton
•Metallica
•Special Guests
•Jeff Beck
•Van Morrison
•Jerry Lee Lewis
=====================
Pavement Confirm Plans To Reform For 2010 World Tour
Alternative giant Pavement has confirmed that they are to reform in 2010 for a series of shows around the world.
The band, who have been widely rumoured to get back together, will consist of Mark Ibold, Scott Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West.
Their first confirmed show will take place at Rumsey Playfield in New York's Central Park on September 21, 2010.
Pavement, who formed in 1989, developed a significant cult following following the release of their 1992 debut 'Slanted and Enchanted'.
The group played their last gig together at Brixton Academy in London in November 1999.
In a statement, their record label Domino said “the band would like it to be known that the tour does not constitute a full on permanent reformation”.
This Date in Music History-September 17
Birthdays:
Guitar legend B.B. King (1925)
Lamonte McLemore - 5th Dimension (1939)
Lol Creme - 10cc (1947)
Kenney Jones – Faces/Who (1948)
Fee Waybill - The Tubes (1950)
Rapper Doug E. Fresh (1966)
John Penney - Neds Atomic Dustbin (1968)
Keith Flint – Prodigy (1969)
Vinnie - Naughty By Nature (1970)
Anastacia (1973)
Flo Rida (1979)
Jonathan Jacob Walker - Panic at the Disco (1985)
They Are Missed:
Marc Bolan of T. Rex died in 1977 at the age of 29.
Born on this day in 1947, Jim Hodder, drums, Steely Dan. Hodder drowned at his home swimming pool on June 5, 1990.
The late Bill Black (bass player for Elvis Presley) was born in 1926.
Born today in 1923 Hank Williams, one of the biggest country stars ever. He scored 36 Top 10 Country hits including, “Your Cheating Heart” and “Hey Good Lookin.” Williams died in the backseat of a Cadillac on January 1, 1953 on the way to a gig.
Born in 1933, Jeanine Deckers, The Singing Nun, (1963 US #1 & UK #7 single “Dominique”). Deckers died on March 29, 1985 of an overdose of sleeping pills in a suicide pact with a friend.
Rob Tyner lead singer with the American hard rock band MC5 died in 1991 after he suffered a heart attack in the seat of his parked car in his hometown of Berkley, Michigan. MC5, (shortened from the Motor City Five), formed in Detroit, in 1965, they released their first album, ‘Kick Out the Jams’ in 1969.
In 1999, English singer Frankie Vaughan died of heart failure (age 71). During the 1950's he scored twenty UK Top 30 singles including the UK #2 “Green Door.” He was awarded an OBE in 1965 and a CBE in 1996.
History:
In 1931, the first 33 1/3 record players were launched by RCA victor at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in New York.
"Tennessee" Ernie Ford recorded "16 Tons" in 1955.
In 1955, Capitol Records released "Magic Melody, Part Two.” The song consisted only of the last two notes of the musical phrase, "Shave and a haircut, two bits." It was the shortest song to ever to be released.
"She Loves You" backed by "I'll Get You" by the Beatles was released by Swan Records in the US in 1963. However, "She Loves You" doesn't do anything until 1964 when it finally goes to #1.
In 1964, during a US tour, the Beatles appeared at the Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. The Beatles were paid $150,000 for the show, which was more than any other act had ever been paid for a live show. Tickets cost $4.50.
"Shindig!" premiered on ABC-TV in 1964. It was inspired by the success of British Invasion groups on "The Ed Sullivan Show." The show featured both British and American performers plus a cast of go-go dancers and a house band. Within a few months NBC has an imitation, "Hullabaloo."
In 1967, the Doors were banned from The Ed Sullivan Show after Jim Morrison broke his agreement with the show’s producers. Morrison said before the performance that he wouldn’t sing the words, “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher,” from 'Light My Fire' but did anyway. The Doors also performed their new single “People Are Strange.”
Also in 1967, on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, in one of the greatest rock TV moments ever, Keith Moon rigged his drum set to explode at the end of the Who's performance of "My Generation." The resulting detonation cuts Moon's leg, singes Pete Townshend's hair, and does some serious damage to his hearing.
Jimi Hendrix' debut LP, “Are You Experienced?” entered the album charts in 1967.
Also in 1970, Hendrix made his final public appearance, jamming with Eric Burdon and War at Ronnie Scott's club in London.
In 1969, media on both sides of the Atlantic were running stories that said Paul McCartney was dead. He was supposedly killed in a car accident in Scotland on November 9th, 1966 and that a double had been taking his place for public appearances. In fact, Paul and his girlfriend Jane Asher were on vacation in Kenya at the time.
Billy Joel began recording "Piano Man" in 1973.
In 1978, the Grateful Dead play a concert before the pyramids of Egypt. The concert was recorded, but has yet to be released on record.
In 1979, Rap makes it onto vinyl with the release of the Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight." Sylvia Robinson (formerly of Mickey & Sylvia) formed the company to produce rap records despite industry warnings that rap had no commercial appeal. "Rappers Delight" was recorded over the instrumental break from Chic's "Good Times." The single becomes a disco smash, selling over two million copies in the US.
In 1991, Guns ‘N’ Roses released “Use Your Illusion I & II” at midnight. It’s either two single albums or a double album that can be bought separately. Their label shipped 4.2 million copies (the largest shipment to date).
In 1996, a bomb was found at a South London sorting office addressed to Icelandic singer Bjork. Police in Miami had alerted the post office after finding the body of Ricardo Lopez who had made a video of himself making the bomb and then killing himself.
Eminem had a $10 million lawsuit filed against him in 1999. The suit, brought by his mother, claimed that he had made defamatory remarks in several interviews.
Kelly Clarkson's first single "Before Your Love/A Moment Like This" was released in 2002.
Moving more than 490,000 copies in less than a week in 2008, Metallica's "Death Magnetic" debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. Metallica is the first band ever to have five albums debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 (U2, The Beatles and Dave Matthews Band each have four).
Guitar legend B.B. King (1925)
Lamonte McLemore - 5th Dimension (1939)
Lol Creme - 10cc (1947)
Kenney Jones – Faces/Who (1948)
Fee Waybill - The Tubes (1950)
Rapper Doug E. Fresh (1966)
John Penney - Neds Atomic Dustbin (1968)
Keith Flint – Prodigy (1969)
Vinnie - Naughty By Nature (1970)
Anastacia (1973)
Flo Rida (1979)
Jonathan Jacob Walker - Panic at the Disco (1985)
They Are Missed:
Marc Bolan of T. Rex died in 1977 at the age of 29.
Born on this day in 1947, Jim Hodder, drums, Steely Dan. Hodder drowned at his home swimming pool on June 5, 1990.
The late Bill Black (bass player for Elvis Presley) was born in 1926.
Born today in 1923 Hank Williams, one of the biggest country stars ever. He scored 36 Top 10 Country hits including, “Your Cheating Heart” and “Hey Good Lookin.” Williams died in the backseat of a Cadillac on January 1, 1953 on the way to a gig.
Born in 1933, Jeanine Deckers, The Singing Nun, (1963 US #1 & UK #7 single “Dominique”). Deckers died on March 29, 1985 of an overdose of sleeping pills in a suicide pact with a friend.
Rob Tyner lead singer with the American hard rock band MC5 died in 1991 after he suffered a heart attack in the seat of his parked car in his hometown of Berkley, Michigan. MC5, (shortened from the Motor City Five), formed in Detroit, in 1965, they released their first album, ‘Kick Out the Jams’ in 1969.
In 1999, English singer Frankie Vaughan died of heart failure (age 71). During the 1950's he scored twenty UK Top 30 singles including the UK #2 “Green Door.” He was awarded an OBE in 1965 and a CBE in 1996.
History:
In 1931, the first 33 1/3 record players were launched by RCA victor at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in New York.
"Tennessee" Ernie Ford recorded "16 Tons" in 1955.
In 1955, Capitol Records released "Magic Melody, Part Two.” The song consisted only of the last two notes of the musical phrase, "Shave and a haircut, two bits." It was the shortest song to ever to be released.
"She Loves You" backed by "I'll Get You" by the Beatles was released by Swan Records in the US in 1963. However, "She Loves You" doesn't do anything until 1964 when it finally goes to #1.
In 1964, during a US tour, the Beatles appeared at the Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. The Beatles were paid $150,000 for the show, which was more than any other act had ever been paid for a live show. Tickets cost $4.50.
"Shindig!" premiered on ABC-TV in 1964. It was inspired by the success of British Invasion groups on "The Ed Sullivan Show." The show featured both British and American performers plus a cast of go-go dancers and a house band. Within a few months NBC has an imitation, "Hullabaloo."
In 1967, the Doors were banned from The Ed Sullivan Show after Jim Morrison broke his agreement with the show’s producers. Morrison said before the performance that he wouldn’t sing the words, “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher,” from 'Light My Fire' but did anyway. The Doors also performed their new single “People Are Strange.”
Also in 1967, on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, in one of the greatest rock TV moments ever, Keith Moon rigged his drum set to explode at the end of the Who's performance of "My Generation." The resulting detonation cuts Moon's leg, singes Pete Townshend's hair, and does some serious damage to his hearing.
Jimi Hendrix' debut LP, “Are You Experienced?” entered the album charts in 1967.
Also in 1970, Hendrix made his final public appearance, jamming with Eric Burdon and War at Ronnie Scott's club in London.
In 1969, media on both sides of the Atlantic were running stories that said Paul McCartney was dead. He was supposedly killed in a car accident in Scotland on November 9th, 1966 and that a double had been taking his place for public appearances. In fact, Paul and his girlfriend Jane Asher were on vacation in Kenya at the time.
Billy Joel began recording "Piano Man" in 1973.
In 1978, the Grateful Dead play a concert before the pyramids of Egypt. The concert was recorded, but has yet to be released on record.
In 1979, Rap makes it onto vinyl with the release of the Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight." Sylvia Robinson (formerly of Mickey & Sylvia) formed the company to produce rap records despite industry warnings that rap had no commercial appeal. "Rappers Delight" was recorded over the instrumental break from Chic's "Good Times." The single becomes a disco smash, selling over two million copies in the US.
In 1991, Guns ‘N’ Roses released “Use Your Illusion I & II” at midnight. It’s either two single albums or a double album that can be bought separately. Their label shipped 4.2 million copies (the largest shipment to date).
In 1996, a bomb was found at a South London sorting office addressed to Icelandic singer Bjork. Police in Miami had alerted the post office after finding the body of Ricardo Lopez who had made a video of himself making the bomb and then killing himself.
Eminem had a $10 million lawsuit filed against him in 1999. The suit, brought by his mother, claimed that he had made defamatory remarks in several interviews.
Kelly Clarkson's first single "Before Your Love/A Moment Like This" was released in 2002.
Moving more than 490,000 copies in less than a week in 2008, Metallica's "Death Magnetic" debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. Metallica is the first band ever to have five albums debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 (U2, The Beatles and Dave Matthews Band each have four).
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Vinyl Record Sound Quality Thrives At US Plant
Written By Robert Benson
Our music is sounding better than ever because we can hear it on vinyl again. Millions of music lovers all over the world are discovering and rediscovering why vinyl is the best sound reproduction format. Along with the growth of this historic sound medium is a renewed interest in record companies and manufacturers who produce the vinyl records that the music community is buying. Let’s explore a company dedicated to the quality of their vinyl products and most importantly, the sound of the music.
I spoke with Eric Astor, CEO and Manish Naik, COO of Furnace MFG (www.furnacecd.com) and although the company offers a multitude of sound and promotional services, we will focus on the vinyl record aspects of the company. The company has secured exclusive North American partnerships with two of the best audiophile quality pressing plants in Europe and as we will learn, it is all about producing the best sounding vinyl that can be manufactured. Let’s learn more about them:
Who are you and what does your company do?
“Furnace MFG is located in the Washington, DC metro area and we are a one-stop source for CD, DVD and vinyl manufacturing. Furnace MFG has been hard at work pressing CDs and DVDs for the independent music community since 1996. We have made exclusive agreements with two of the best pressing plants in the world to provide the best sounding records on the planet,” explained Eric.
“Many people ask why our prices are more expensive than pressing plants in the US. The answer is simple: we offer the best quality sound and physical product on the planet and it costs a bit more to produce this kind of quality. Vinyl pressing is a refined art - unlike a modern CD plant. It takes decades of experience to produce consistent quality records and by teaming up with our partners we have over 120 years of knowhow in the pressing business. We also work with our partners overseas to press and package sleeved vinyl that is then shipped to Furnace MFG in Fairfax, Virginia. The meticulous staff at Furnace MFG inspects each record for quality and consistency. It is then assembled, packaged, boxed and shipped right from our state of the art packaging facility on to your location. We are your one stop source for vinyl, jackets, inserts, posters, dropcards, mastering, cutting or anything else vinyl related.”
Why is the vinyl record making a resurgence?
“We think there are two main reasons that vinyl is making a resurgence. The first is that consumers are re-discovering (or discovering for the first time) that listening to a vinyl record is completely different than listening to a CD or a downloaded song. The quality of sound is clearly better with richer tones since a vinyl record plays exactly how an artist recorded the song with no loss of translation to a digital format. There is also an entire experience of listening to a record which is missing from CDs and MP3’s. Selecting the record, taking it out of the sleeve, putting it on the turntable, looking over the jacket and liner notes; these actions combine to create an actual ‘experience’ of listening. Listening to a record is in and of itself, the activity. Listening to an MP3 is generally done while doing something else and is more often than not, a background activity,” said Manish.
“The second reason for the resurgence in vinyl records is that artists and labels are once again embracing the format. Artists love the sound of vinyl and feel it’s a truer representation of their music. Labels are realizing that although the raw sales of vinyl are low compared to CDs, the margins are much higher and are paying attention to this new revenue source in the face of decreasing CD sales and increasing digital downloads.”
“The combination of consumer interest and interest from the labels is what is fueling this growth. One couldn’t exist without the other and we feel that this trend will continue for years. Vinyl will never overtake CD sales but there will continue to be a core group of consumers interested in this format,” continued Manish.
“One thing that the music industry must take into consideration though is that vinyl will only grow and expand if the quality is there. If a buyer’s first experience with vinyl is a negative one, they will not be coming back to the format. There are a lot of poorly pressed records out there that do not enrich the listening experience. If this is what buyers come to expect, they will stop buying vinyl and go back to buying CDs or sharing files. This is where we think Furnace provides the most help in the marketplace – ensuring that each and every record we produce is amongst the best pressed in the world and something that a band or label can stand behind and be proud of.”
Is the PVC made in America and then shipped to the pressing plants?
“Each plant that Furnace has a formed an exclusive partnership with source their own PVC. They are the experts in understanding which products work best with their pressing machines and which products produce the best sounds,” explained Manish. “Both Pallas (Germany) and Record Industry (The Netherlands) have their own PVC formula that is made specifically for their plant.”
“All vinyl is pressed in Europe and then shipped on pallets via airplane to our facility in northern Virginia (just outside Washington DC) where we assemble the final product and finish for retail distribution. Vinyl is usually from the plant to our dock in less than 24 hours which preserves the quality of the product and allows us to offer industry leading lead times.”
What are the costs associated with releasing a vinyl record?
“There are various costs associated with vinyl records. Some of these are mastering/cutting, test pressings, actual vinyl production, jacket & insert printing, assembly costs, and final finishing costs,” said Eric. “The costs varies greatly depending on the weight of the record (120 g, 140g, or 180g), the turnaround time desired (either 4 weeks or 8 weeks), and the complexity of the assembly and finishing. For someone just getting into vinyl production, here’s a helpful list of the production steps (post recording), all of which Furnace offers to our clients:
-EQ / Leveling / Audio Mastering
-Lacquer or DMM Cutting
-Galvanics / Metalwork (father, mother and stamper creation)
-Producing Test Pressings for customer approval
-Label design and printing
-Jacket, insert and marketing sticker design and printing
-Vinyl Pressing
-Assembly, wrapping/bagging, boxing and shipping
You tell me the vinyl is pressed in different countries, can you elaborate, why ship the work overseas?
“As we entered the business of vinyl manufacturing, we knew that there was really only one plant in the US that has the quality that the audiophile market craves,” explained Eric. “There are other domestic options but the quality produced in these plants was less than we were willing to put our name on. We signed exclusive relationships with two of Europe’s best vinyl plants (Pallas Group, and Record Industry). These plants have a long tradition in the vinyl business and the craftsmanship of their employees is amazing. To give you an example, the mother plate inspector at Pallas worked as an apprentice for 10 years before taking over that job. At Record Industry, they have produced some of the world’s best selling releases on vinyl including “Dark Side of the Moon” and various Michael Jackson, Pearl Jam and Beatles titles. Record Industry’s main cutting engineer has cut all of the aforementioned records during his 33 year career with a variety of labels and plants. We are confident that any record produced by our partners will be of very high quality and consistency – because that’s what our customers and record buyers demand.”
What is the difference between ‘regular’ vinyl and the ‘audiophile’ releases that are becoming more popular these days?
“It’s all about the sound quality. If you take two plants and give them lacquers cut from the finest cutting studio in the world and ask them to press up some records – you will often times get two completely different products. The PVC material used, the galvanics process and the pressing formulas at our two facilities are the secret weapon to creating some of the best records in the world. If a plant does not put the care and expense into creating superior metal parts, you will hear it in the vinyl. If a plant treats each record the same and doesn’t factor in the cut and the other 9,000 things you need to consider when pressing vinyl records, you can have problems there as well. You will get non-fill, poor tracking, etc when inexperienced people are running the equipment. Both of our plants have been around for decades and the experience on the floor is not something you can buy or learn overnight,” explained Manish.
“Most of the records that are marketed as Audiophile releases are pressed on heavyweight vinyl. 180g records, for example, are less prone to warp or dish. When pressed correctly, you will get a superior and long lasting product from a heavyweight record.”
Tell me about the picture discs manufacturing process.
“These are really old-school in that they are all made on hand presses, unlike our regular vinyl products that are pressed on automatic presses. The actual playable surface is a laminate similar to the flexi records of yesteryear. These make for great collector items that sell well as novelties. Although they are great for business, they are extremely inefficient and difficult to make and the sound quality leaves much to be desired,” said Eric.
What attracts you to records?
“We are consumers of records much like all other consumers. For us, records enable us to connect with the music in ways that CDs and digital music just won’t allow. We all have MP3 players and love them for the storage capacity and flexibility but there are times when putting on a record is an unbeatable experience. Also, some records I have owned for 25 years plus and I remember the money I saved to buy them, the smell of the record when I opened it and the store I bought it from. Each time I put on one of those records it brings me back to a place and time of my life – most of the time it’s a positive memory.”
Discuss the clear vinyl vs. black vinyl debate, does it matter?
Eric explains: “There is a debate in the audiophile market on whether the carbon in black vinyl creates a magnetic resonance that can be heard in playback. Some labels have gone so far as to start pressing their releases on clear vinyl to sidestep this perceived issue. We have talked to many in the industry about this and feel that with anything audiophile, this is up to each person’s personal experience. From a pressing plant’s perspective, we know for a fact that the sound quality and consistency of pressing with black PVC is night and day difference over any colored vinyl including clear. Considering there is equipment that will help you rid yourself of such carbon created audio atrocities, we feel black vinyl will always be the best choice for the audiophile client.”
What is the best way to clean records, what do you use?
“There are many different ways to clean records from simple soap and water to super expensive cleaning machines and formulas,” said Naik. “At the end of the day, the important thing is to take care of your records, not store them in fluctuating temperatures and handle them with care. Simple things can make records last a lifetime! Internally, we use a VPI cleaning machine because we clean a lot of records, it does a great job and it’s FAST. If you can afford one, they are a huge convenience and do a fantastic job. For normal cleaning we just use a static free brush to get all of the dust off the surface prior to play. That one two combo works really well.”
Do you or can you do the cover art ‘in house’?
“Most of our major label clients (i.e. Warner, Universal) have art directors in house who will prepare all the artwork files and send us the final, print ready files. But for the thousands of other clients we have serviced over the last 13 years, we have a full, in-house creative and production design staff who create unique designs for anyone who asks. Our rates are competitive and we have worked within the entertainment industry for a long time so we’re known for our creative side as much as our mechanics.”
Tell us about some of your clients:
“We have a wide variety of clients from major music labels like Warner Music and Universal to independent labels as well. We also work with licensed reissue labels that focus on high quality vinyl such as Mobile Fidelity, Acoustic Sounds and Original Recordings Group. These guys produce ultra high quality records and packaging that are amongst the leaders in the field – going as far as flying out the original tapes to the cutting studio or going through 3 and 4 sets of lacquers until they have the perfect cut.
“We also work with a wealth of independent labels and bands. This is where we are put to the test. Everyone is looking to do something different and unique and everyone is on a budget. We have enough experience to work with people to collect their wants and desires, talk budget and then match them up with a package that most closely meets their needs. Since most of our customers are either new to vinyl or new to getting back to vinyl, we act as a consultant sometimes as much as we do a pressing plant.”
Tell us more about the Quentin Tarantino/Inglourious Basterds project and what has been released.
“Warner Bros. approached us with this project based on our long standing relationship with them and the fact that we could put a rush on this project,” detailed Manish. “The film was widely released in the US in August and the desire was to have the soundtrack available when the film released. We were able to turn this project around in three weeks which is far shorter than the average turn around times in the industry which can range from 4-8 weeks. We also produced a promotional 7” and jacket that they used in stores and elsewhere to promote the LP release. I believe it is now available in stores and online. Warner has all of their vinyl on their own site at www.becausesoundmatters.com. Warner USA is VERY serious about their vinyl releases. They are very meticulous with their quality control and demand the VERY best in terms of vinyl, sound and packaging quality. I think that’s why they have the respect in the industry and why their vinyl sells the best – people know they are going to get the very best when they buy a Warner release.”
Where do you see the record industry in 5 years, is this just a fad or will vinyl continue to be in demand?
“We expect the record industry to continue its growth for the next few years eventually flattening out in about 5 years," explained Eric. "We do not think the resurgence in vinyl is a fad but rather a new/old format that more and more people will continue to discover. As long as labels are willing to put out a high quality record for their bands, fans will be there to buy them. Vinyl never died. The customer never rejected the format. The labels, seeing higher profit margins, inflated MSRPs for the Compact Disc and shoved vinyl aside and told record stores to make way for CDs and liquidate their vinyl. Indie stores and mail-order houses/websites always sold vinyl and they always will. Let’s hope the labels and bands keep running with it and keep the customer base happy.”
It’s amazing to learn that a company actually cares about the most important element of the vinyl record, the quality of the sound. It’s why many mainstream artists and indie bands are returning to this glorious recording format and why the music consumers are clamoring for more vinyl record releases. It’s all about the sound, which is why we love our music in the first place and why so many musical acts are seeking the services of Furnace MFG.
Ask Mr. Music - September 14, 2009
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 SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
DEAR JERRY: A few years ago you gave the longest song titles in each of several categories, such as charted hits, non-charted songs, medleys, with and without subtitles, etc.
What I don't recall being in your listings is anything by Rod Stewart.
I mention this because I ran across a site that says Rod Stewart has the “longest title ever for a Top 40 hit.”
They don't give the year, and, much to my surprise, they don't even give the title!
I looked up all of Rod's hit records, and none have a title longer than “I Don't Want to Talk About It,” with seven words. While that one didn't quite make the Top 40, he did have three with six words that did: “The First Cut Is the Deepest”; “Some Guys Have All the Luck”; and “My Heart Can't Tell You No.”
Still, these are far shorter than your Top 40 selection: Ray Stevens' 14-word “Jeremiah Peabody's Poly Unsaturated Quick Dissolving Fast Acting Pleasant Tasting Green and Purple Pills” (1961).
What do you know about this Rod Stewart comment?
Now how about providing the longest boy's and girl's names used on a hit record?
—Lonnie Fister, Long Beach, Calif.
DEAR LONNIE: I made no mention of a Rod Stewart song in my longest hit titles column (April 2003) because he has none that qualify.
The title you saw referenced, but not named, was never a hit single in the U.S.
Without its 20-word subtitle, it is only an eight-word title: “You Can Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything (Even Take the Dog for a Walk, Mend a Fuse, Fold Away the Ironing Board, Or Any Other Domestic Shortcomings)” (Warner Bros. WBS-8066).
This cut, Rod's first single for Warner Brothers after four years with Mercury, is actually credited to Faces/Rod Stewart. Though it did not chart at all here, this tune did make the UK Top 15 in December 1974 (Warner Bros. K-16494).
Perhaps what that site really meant is Faces/Rod Stewart have BRITAIN'S longest Top 40 title, allowing for subtitles but excluding medleys. Then the claim is accurate.
Credited to “Faces/Rod Stewart” on the 45, the track is found on separate albums by each of the artists: “The Best of Faces - Good Boys … When They're Asleep” (Rhino/Warner 081227583026) and Rod Stewart's “Storyteller - The Complete Anthology: 1964-1990” (Warner Bros. 25987).
As for the longest titles that are names of a male, and a female, both are by country-pop crossover performers whose last names begin with “A,” and came out less than two years apart.
For a girl's name, it is Eddy Arnold's 1966 “Mary Claire Melvina Rebecca Jane” (RCA Victor 8818). Having “The Last Word in Lonesome is Me” on the reverse propelled this single to No. 2 in the country.
The boy's name, with one word more than Eddy's tune, is “Jose Villa Lobo Alfredo Thomasa Vincente Lopez,” a 1968 track by actor-singer Rex Allen.
With “Tiny Bubbles” on the flip (Decca 32322), this fared well in some markets but stalled at No. 71 nationally.
Notice that neither of these titles contain any words other than the name.
IZ ZAT SO? Rod Stewart's first single came out in the UK in late 1964 (Decca F-11996), then in early '65 in the U.S. (Press 9722): “Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl” backed with “I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town.” Copies from either side of the Atlantic can now sell for $100 to $200.
From mid-1969 through 1975, Rod Stewart — after two years with Jeff Beck's Group — recorded for Warner Brothers as a member of Faces.
Yet, in a highly unusual overlapping state of affairs, Stewart also recorded for Mercury “with Faces” for most of that time (1970-'76), and, beginning in 1975, as a solo act for Warner Bros.
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
DEAR JERRY: A few years ago you gave the longest song titles in each of several categories, such as charted hits, non-charted songs, medleys, with and without subtitles, etc.
What I don't recall being in your listings is anything by Rod Stewart.
I mention this because I ran across a site that says Rod Stewart has the “longest title ever for a Top 40 hit.”
They don't give the year, and, much to my surprise, they don't even give the title!
I looked up all of Rod's hit records, and none have a title longer than “I Don't Want to Talk About It,” with seven words. While that one didn't quite make the Top 40, he did have three with six words that did: “The First Cut Is the Deepest”; “Some Guys Have All the Luck”; and “My Heart Can't Tell You No.”
Still, these are far shorter than your Top 40 selection: Ray Stevens' 14-word “Jeremiah Peabody's Poly Unsaturated Quick Dissolving Fast Acting Pleasant Tasting Green and Purple Pills” (1961).
What do you know about this Rod Stewart comment?
Now how about providing the longest boy's and girl's names used on a hit record?
—Lonnie Fister, Long Beach, Calif.
DEAR LONNIE: I made no mention of a Rod Stewart song in my longest hit titles column (April 2003) because he has none that qualify.
The title you saw referenced, but not named, was never a hit single in the U.S.
Without its 20-word subtitle, it is only an eight-word title: “You Can Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything (Even Take the Dog for a Walk, Mend a Fuse, Fold Away the Ironing Board, Or Any Other Domestic Shortcomings)” (Warner Bros. WBS-8066).
This cut, Rod's first single for Warner Brothers after four years with Mercury, is actually credited to Faces/Rod Stewart. Though it did not chart at all here, this tune did make the UK Top 15 in December 1974 (Warner Bros. K-16494).
Perhaps what that site really meant is Faces/Rod Stewart have BRITAIN'S longest Top 40 title, allowing for subtitles but excluding medleys. Then the claim is accurate.
Credited to “Faces/Rod Stewart” on the 45, the track is found on separate albums by each of the artists: “The Best of Faces - Good Boys … When They're Asleep” (Rhino/Warner 081227583026) and Rod Stewart's “Storyteller - The Complete Anthology: 1964-1990” (Warner Bros. 25987).
As for the longest titles that are names of a male, and a female, both are by country-pop crossover performers whose last names begin with “A,” and came out less than two years apart.
For a girl's name, it is Eddy Arnold's 1966 “Mary Claire Melvina Rebecca Jane” (RCA Victor 8818). Having “The Last Word in Lonesome is Me” on the reverse propelled this single to No. 2 in the country.
The boy's name, with one word more than Eddy's tune, is “Jose Villa Lobo Alfredo Thomasa Vincente Lopez,” a 1968 track by actor-singer Rex Allen.
With “Tiny Bubbles” on the flip (Decca 32322), this fared well in some markets but stalled at No. 71 nationally.
Notice that neither of these titles contain any words other than the name.
IZ ZAT SO? Rod Stewart's first single came out in the UK in late 1964 (Decca F-11996), then in early '65 in the U.S. (Press 9722): “Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl” backed with “I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town.” Copies from either side of the Atlantic can now sell for $100 to $200.
From mid-1969 through 1975, Rod Stewart — after two years with Jeff Beck's Group — recorded for Warner Brothers as a member of Faces.
Yet, in a highly unusual overlapping state of affairs, Stewart also recorded for Mercury “with Faces” for most of that time (1970-'76), and, beginning in 1975, as a solo act for Warner Bros.
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
Rock/Pop Tidbits
In the spring of 1966, jam rockers the Grateful Dead moved to Rancho Olompali off of California Highway 101. They posted a sign out front stating: “No Trespassing- Violators will Be Experimented Upon.”
Vocalist David Dee of the British rock group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, was a former policeman who was at the scene of the automobile accident that took the life of American rocker Eddie Cochran and injured Gene Vincent in April 1960. Dee rescued Cochran's guitar from the wreck and held it until it could be returned, undamaged, to Cochran's family.
It’s reported that while Fleetwood Mac was recording their legendary album “Rumors” in 1977, the group snorted so much cocaine that they insisted that their dealer be credited on the LP. The dilemma was solved when the dealer was killed before the album was released.
During this same recording session, Fleetwood Mac spent four days trying to tune a piano; then wound up bringing in nine different pianos- only to decide to not even use a piano after all.
While he was living with his fiancée Linda Ann Woodrow and his song writing partner Bernie Taupin, Elton John became depressed. But Taupin and Woodrow found him before he could harm himself. However, it was only a half-hearted attempt as Taupin explains: “He had his head in the gas range oven, but he only turned the gas on to low and left the kitchen window open. He even thought to take a cushion to rest his head on.”
After recording the iconic album “Pet Sounds,” Brian Wilson decided he needed to do some redecorating. So he turned his den (where his piano was located) into a giant sandbox so he could “feel the sand under his feet” as he wrote music.
Early manufacturers of Jukeboxes never referred to them as "jukeboxes,” they called them Automatic Coin-Operated Phonographs. The term "juke" is Southern US slang for dancing.
Keith Moon of the Who was one strange fellow. After his wife Kim left the rocking drummer in 1973 she sighed, “He’ll wake up in the morning and decide to be Adolph Hitler for the day. And he is Adolph Hitler.”
The late Freddie Mercury of Queen and his friends often enjoyed feasting on marijuana-filled brownies. On one particular rowdy night, the police arrived and asked the stoned rockers to quiet down. Mercury offered the officers some brownies, which they happily ate. Recalled Mercury, “I would love to have been a fly on the windscreen of their police car after about half an hour.”
In December, 1962, The Four Season's version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" reached number 23 on the Billboard singles chart. The song was originally a hit for George Hall in 1934.
"I'm A Believer,” the Monkees’ follow-up to their number one hit, "Last Train To Clarksville" was a million seller before it was even released, due to over 1 million advance orders.
Although many fans thought that the Beatles "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" was about LSD, John Lennon would later say that he got the inspiration for the song from a picture that his son Julian had painted at school.
John Lennon deliberately wrote nonsense words to "I Am The Walrus" to throw off listeners who tried to find hidden meanings in his lyrics.
It’s said that Beatle George Harrison really appreciated the true talent of the Spice Girls. “The good thing about them,” the quiet Beatle mused, “Is that you can look at them with the sound turned down.”
In 1956, Micky and Sylvia recorded the million selling "Love Is Strange.” After the duo split in 1961, Micky Baker would write several guitar instruction books, including the best seller "Jazz Guitar.” Sylvia Vanderpool co-founded All Platinum Records and co-wrote The Moments 1970 gold record "Love On A Two Way Street.”
To say Kurt Cobain was a bit sloppy is an understatement. Routinely, his house was littered with garbage and rotting food. When the Cobain’s tried to hire a maid, she ran out of their house screaming that “Satan lives here!”
Vocalist David Dee of the British rock group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, was a former policeman who was at the scene of the automobile accident that took the life of American rocker Eddie Cochran and injured Gene Vincent in April 1960. Dee rescued Cochran's guitar from the wreck and held it until it could be returned, undamaged, to Cochran's family.
It’s reported that while Fleetwood Mac was recording their legendary album “Rumors” in 1977, the group snorted so much cocaine that they insisted that their dealer be credited on the LP. The dilemma was solved when the dealer was killed before the album was released.
During this same recording session, Fleetwood Mac spent four days trying to tune a piano; then wound up bringing in nine different pianos- only to decide to not even use a piano after all.
While he was living with his fiancée Linda Ann Woodrow and his song writing partner Bernie Taupin, Elton John became depressed. But Taupin and Woodrow found him before he could harm himself. However, it was only a half-hearted attempt as Taupin explains: “He had his head in the gas range oven, but he only turned the gas on to low and left the kitchen window open. He even thought to take a cushion to rest his head on.”
After recording the iconic album “Pet Sounds,” Brian Wilson decided he needed to do some redecorating. So he turned his den (where his piano was located) into a giant sandbox so he could “feel the sand under his feet” as he wrote music.
Early manufacturers of Jukeboxes never referred to them as "jukeboxes,” they called them Automatic Coin-Operated Phonographs. The term "juke" is Southern US slang for dancing.
Keith Moon of the Who was one strange fellow. After his wife Kim left the rocking drummer in 1973 she sighed, “He’ll wake up in the morning and decide to be Adolph Hitler for the day. And he is Adolph Hitler.”
The late Freddie Mercury of Queen and his friends often enjoyed feasting on marijuana-filled brownies. On one particular rowdy night, the police arrived and asked the stoned rockers to quiet down. Mercury offered the officers some brownies, which they happily ate. Recalled Mercury, “I would love to have been a fly on the windscreen of their police car after about half an hour.”
In December, 1962, The Four Season's version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" reached number 23 on the Billboard singles chart. The song was originally a hit for George Hall in 1934.
"I'm A Believer,” the Monkees’ follow-up to their number one hit, "Last Train To Clarksville" was a million seller before it was even released, due to over 1 million advance orders.
Although many fans thought that the Beatles "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" was about LSD, John Lennon would later say that he got the inspiration for the song from a picture that his son Julian had painted at school.
John Lennon deliberately wrote nonsense words to "I Am The Walrus" to throw off listeners who tried to find hidden meanings in his lyrics.
It’s said that Beatle George Harrison really appreciated the true talent of the Spice Girls. “The good thing about them,” the quiet Beatle mused, “Is that you can look at them with the sound turned down.”
In 1956, Micky and Sylvia recorded the million selling "Love Is Strange.” After the duo split in 1961, Micky Baker would write several guitar instruction books, including the best seller "Jazz Guitar.” Sylvia Vanderpool co-founded All Platinum Records and co-wrote The Moments 1970 gold record "Love On A Two Way Street.”
To say Kurt Cobain was a bit sloppy is an understatement. Routinely, his house was littered with garbage and rotting food. When the Cobain’s tried to hire a maid, she ran out of their house screaming that “Satan lives here!”
Music News & Notes
SLAYER Reveal Album Art for World Painted Blood
Slayer’s World Painted Blood, the band’s highly-anticipated new album set for a November 3 release (American Recordings), will initially ship with four special collector’s edition CD covers. Each of the four covers will display one-fourth of a provocative continental map illustrated with human skulls and bones; when placed together, the four images form a complete and grisly map of the world (see above).
All four of the initial CD packages will include a special blood-red, see-through top panel with the map displayed beneath it.
The World Painted Blood Deluxe Edition will have its own special layout of the map cover art and will be in a double-digipak housed in a blood-red, see-through plastic sleeve. The Deluxe Edition will include the World Painted Blood CD, the “Playing With Dolls” DVD, a 20-minute animated graphic novel featuring music from the album (including part of a new non-album song), and an expanded booklet.
============================
30 Seconds To Mars New LP
30 Seconds to Mars are gearing up for the release of their new album, titled This Is War. The album, which the band spent over a year and a half making, is due out Oct 20th.
The band's rocky relationship with their label home at Virgin Records has been well documented, when the label filed a lawsuit against the band last summer, claiming the band refused to deliver three albums as required by its contract. The album's title was rumored to be specifically about the band's troubles with their label, but in a recent interview with Buzznet, lead singer Jared Leto said the album's title was about much more.
"It's representative of the battles that we were fighting, us with the record label, creative battles, personal demons," Leto said. "We've discussed, like, is it relevant anymore? Some of the battles - obviously the creative, and the battles with the record label, have all come to pass, but I think it really still represents this record in the best way possible, so we're sticking with This Is War.... It represents too clearly this period of time in our lives."
He added that the title does not have to literally refer to any specific fight. "Also come the ideas about winning, ideas about compromise, about defeat, victory of course. But I think as I've tossed it around, it's always been the working title for the record as well, This Is War, so it's been important because I think it really represented the goal in a good way, a strong way."
Prior to the album's release on Oct. 20th, the band will be accepting cover art submissions from fans at their website http://www.thirtysecondstomars.com. The first 2,000 images submitted will be used as special edition cover art for the album.
============================
OPETH Mainman: New KATATONIA CD Is Greatest 'Heavy' Record I've Heard In The Last 10 Years
Guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt of Swedish progressive metallers OPETH has issued the following update:
"KATATONIA's [forthcoming album] 'Night Is The New Day' is possibly the greatest 'heavy' record I've heard in the last 10 years.
"Most people know my history with them and also my friendship with the guys. Jonas [P. Renkse, KATATONIA vocalist] and I have been best buddies for the last 18 years or so.
"Every time OPETH or KATATONIA has a new record [coming out], we arrange a small private listening party. Usually with myself, Anders [Nyström, KATATONIA guitarist] and Jonas. For years we've managed to record albums around the same time and had both the new OPETH album and the new KATATONIA album played back on the same session. It's always great fun, however disciplined.
"You can't talk during playback (death penalty), you listen to the album all the way through twice, and then we have the 'comments.' Everything is washed down with beer or wine...there might be snacks on the table.
"Well, two days after the new KATATONIA album is mastered, here we are, holed up in a friend's apartment ready to go through the new masterpiece by KATATONIA. And it truly is a masterpiece! I have not been this taken back by an album for a long time. I almost had tears in my eyes. It's an absolutely stunning piece of music! Easily their most progressive and emotional record, as far as I'm concerned.
The artwork for "Night Is The New Day" (see below) was once again designed by Travis Smith and closes the visual concept for "The Great Cold Distance" phase.
The new material was previously described by the band as "our most varied, diverse and possibly strongest shit all together on one and the same album."
============================
John Fogerty to Receive Lifetime Achievement in Songwriting
John Fogerty, the man behind the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting at this year's Americana Music Association 8th Annual Honors. The awards happen this Thursday (September 17) at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Previous winners include John Hiatt, Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, Cowboy Jack Clement, John Prine, and Billy Joe Shaver.
He is a quintuple threat: songwriter, singer, lead guitarist, arranger, and producer. A roots classicist in love with Memphis-style rockabilly, New Orleans-drenched rhythm-and-blues, and classic country styles, Fogerty was ahead of his time in forging a hybrid of these genres before it was common or stylish to do so. He was more than prescient: As Springsteen said upon Creedence Clearwater Revival’s induction into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, “Creedence wasn’t the hippest band in the world, but they were the best.” Also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Grammy Award-winner, Fogerty began his work four decades ago, and thankfully, he never finished.
- Press Release on Award
============================
Coldplay Resolve 'Viva La Vida' Copyright Dispute With Joe Satriani
Coldplay have finally resolved a legal dispute with guitarist Joe Satriani, who had sued the band for copyright infringement.
Satriani, 52, had claimed that the melody in Coldplay's 'Viva La Vida' resembled the guitar riff in his instrumental song, 'If I Could Fly'.
According to Billboard, the guitarist's lawsuit has been dismissed and Coldplay will not be required to admit to any wrongdoing.
Although court documents remain sealed, legal sources said the two parties may have reached a financial settlement.
In court papers filed in Los Angeles in April, Coldplay's lawyers said any similarities between the two songs weren’t enough to warrant damages.
They also said Santriani’s song "lacks originality” and wasn't in the position to receive copyright protection.
============================
Daltrey/Townshend Tour?
Roger Daltrey has told The Rock Radio.com that he and Pete Townshend are looking at all sorts of possible directions for next year's Who tour. "We're toying with the idea, along with the show we've got now, bringing back the production of Quadrophenia that the Who did, because we feel that that was ahead of it's time in 1996 and it would be good to give that an airing. And it also might be nice to do something on Tommy...the way the Who used to do Tommy, which was just a band standing onstage playing it. Not the stage show, Y'know like the production we played at the Met. We might even go back and play it at the Met, who knows?"
It's just not the Who anymore, there's only two of them left, why not call it the Daltrey/Townshend tour?
============================
Eagle Drops Solo Effort
Timothy B. Schmidt of the Eagles is set to release a new solo album, Expando, on October 20 via Lost Highway. Guesting are Graham Nash, Dwight Yoakam, Kid Rock, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Van Dyke Parks and others.
The track list:
•One More Mile (featuring Keb' Mo')
•Parachute (featuring Graham Nash and Kenny Wayne Shepherd)
•Friday Night (featuring Van Dyke Parks)
•Ella Jean
•White Boy From Sacramento
•Compassion
•Downtime (featuring Dwight Yoakam, Kid Rock and Gary Burton)
•Melancholy
•I Don't Mind (featuring Van Dyke Parks)
•Secular Praise (featuring the Blind Boys Of Alabama)
•A Good Day (featuring Greg Leisz)
============================
UK Session Drummer Dies
Drummer Bobby Graham, who played on over 15,000 records in the U.K., has passed away from stomach cancer at the age of 69.
Some sources say that Graham was asked by Brian Epstein to take over for Pete Best in the Beatles but turned it down to work with (at the time) more nationally recognized bands. He eventually moved to strictly session work, working with the likes of the Kinks (on You Really Got Me), Dave Berry (The Crying Game), Petula Clark, Tom Jones and Dusty Springfield (on I Only Want to Be With You). In 2004, it was also revealed that Graham was the studio drummer for almost all of the Dave Clark Five records in place of Clark himself.
============================
Beatles' Sales Figures
Hits Daily Double's predictions on final sales totals for the week show that the Beatles Abbey Road came up two to three thousand short of the 100,000 mark, but it was still enough to make it the third biggest album of the week behind Jay-Z (465,000 sold) and Miley Cyrus (110,000). Whitney Houston's album looks to drop a whopping 72% in its second week to about 83,000 good for third on the top 200 and fourth overall (remember that catalog albums, like those from the Beatles and Michael Jackson, don't chart in the U.S. on the top 200).
Overall, 14 Beatles albums are in the top 50 combined (current and catalog) with only the Mono Box Set and Yellow Submarine not making the top quarter of the chart. In comparison, Michael Jackson is down to three.
============================
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
New Music Releases - September 15, 2009
Buy Vinyl Here
69 Eyes - Back In Blood
A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes Grammar
Aaron Watson - Deep In The Heart Of Texas: Aaron Watson Live
Ace Frehley - Anomaly
Aluminum Babe - 17
Anvil - This Is Thirteen
Armed for Apocalypse - Defeat
Athlete - Black Swan
Avett Brothers - I and Love and You (2-LP vinyl)
Band of Heathens - One Foot in the Ether
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 1
Big Star - #1 Record (remastered with bonus tracks)
Big Star - Keep An Eye On The Sky (4-CD box set)
Bill Monroe - Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys 1950-1958 (remastered 4-CD box set)
Black Dahlia - Murder Deflorate
Black Whales: Origins
Bruce Hornsby - Levitate
Bunnygrunt - Matt Harnish and Other Delights
Butterfly Boucher - Scary Fragile
Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats - Meet the Meatbats
Chet Chelsea - Silver, Please Come Home
Chris Knight - Trailer II
Claire Lynch - Whatcha Gonna Do
Cougar - Patriot
Cowboy Troy - Demolition Sessions: Studio Blue Sessions
Daft Pink - Alive 2007/Alive 1999
Dappled Cities - Zounds
David Bazan - Curse Your Branches (vinyl)
David Sylvian - Manafon
DD/MM/YYYY - Black Square
Division Day - Visitation (vinyl)
Buy Doors Music Here
Dodos - Time To Die (vinyl)
Doors - L.A. Woman (vinyl reissue)
Doors - Morrison Hotel (vinyl reissue)
Doors - Strange Days (vinyl reissue)
Doors - The Doors (vinyl reissue)
Doors - The Soft Parade (vinyl reissue)
Doors - Waiting for the Sun (vinyl reissue)
Drake - So Far Gone
Dying Fetus - Descend Into Depravity
Dynamites - Burn It Down
Every Time I Die - New Junk Aesthetic
Fink - Sort of Revolution
Franklin Bruno - Local Currency (Solo 1992-1998)
French Miami - French Miami (vinyl)
Fresh & Onlys - Grey-Eyed Girls
Gary Go - Gary Go
Gordon Gano - Under the Sun (vinyl)
Grand Archives - Keep In Mind Frankenstein (vinyl)
Helvetia - Helvetia's Junk Shop
It Dies Today - Lividity
John Fahey - America (2-LP vinyl reissue)
John Mayall - Tough
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon - The End of Day (vinyl)
Kittie - In the Black
Kyle Hollingsworth - Then There's Now
Ladytron - Live at London Astoria 16.07.08
LeE HaRVey OsMOND - A Quiet Evil
Lhasa De Sela - Lhasa
Buy Vinyl Here
Living Colour - The Chair in the Doorway
Lo Fidelity Allstars - Northern Stomp
Lovemakers - Let's Be Friends
Maldives - Listen to the Thunder
Manic Street Preachers - Jounal For Plague Lovers
Marie Digby: Breathing Underwater
Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky (6-disc import box set)
Mason Jennings - Blood of Man (vinyl)
Megadeth - Endgame
Miles Davis - Circle in the Round (reissue)
Muse - The Resistance
Natalia Lafourcade - Hu Hu Hu
Nelly Furtado - Mi Plan
New Moneen - The World I Want To Leave Behind
New Order - Brotherhood (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Low-life (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Movement (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Technique (vinyl reissue)
Or, the Whale - Or, the Whale (vinyl)
Pens - Hey Friend, What You Doing? (vinyl)
Pere Ubu - Long Live Pere Ubu
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Break Up
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Relator
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
Protest The Hero - Galop Meets The Earth
Q-Tip - Kamaal the Abstract (vinyl)
Rachel Harrington - The Bootlegger's Daughter
Ricky Skaggs - Ricky Skaggs Solo (Songs My Dad Loved)
Rubik - Data Bandits
Ryan Starr - 11:59
Salt the Wound - Ares
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - …And The Horse You Rode in On (vinyl)
Shadows Fall - Retribution (vinyl)
Shudder To Think - Live From Home
Simian Mobile Disco - Temporary Pleasure (with bonus CD)
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (vinyl reissue)
Simon Joyner - Out Into the Snow (vinyl)
Skinlab - The Scars Between Us
Slaraffenland - We're On Your Side (vinyl)
Smokey Hormel - Smokey's Secret Family [Afrosambas]
Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio (vinyl)
Sonos - SonoSings (vinyl)
Sparklehorse & Fennesz - In The Fishtank 15
Stars of Track and Field: A Time For Lions
Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary (remastered ) (vinyl)
Sunny Day Real Estate - LP2 (remastered with bonus tracks) (vinyl)
Super 400 - Sweet Fist
The Grates - Teeth Lost, Hearts Won (vinyl)
The Idle Hands - The Hearts We Broke On The Way To The Show
the_Network - Bishop Kent Manning
Thomas Dybdahl - Thomas Dybdahl
Thrice - Beggars
Tom Russell - Blood and Candle Smoke
Tyondai Braxton - Central Market
Uncle Cracker - Happy Hour
Various Artists - Bruce Springsteen's Jukebox
Various Artists - Mary Anne Hobbs Presents Wild Angels
Various Artists - Paper Heart (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith
Various Artists - The Best Is Yet To Come: The Songs Of Cy Coleman
Various Artists - The Complete Goldwax Singles Volume 2 1966-1967
Velvet Underground - The Singles 1966-1969 (7-disc vinyl box set)
Windmill - Epcot Starfields
Buy Vinyl Here
69 Eyes - Back In Blood
A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes Grammar
Aaron Watson - Deep In The Heart Of Texas: Aaron Watson Live
Ace Frehley - Anomaly
Aluminum Babe - 17
Anvil - This Is Thirteen
Armed for Apocalypse - Defeat
Athlete - Black Swan
Avett Brothers - I and Love and You (2-LP vinyl)
Band of Heathens - One Foot in the Ether
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 1
Big Star - #1 Record (remastered with bonus tracks)
Big Star - Keep An Eye On The Sky (4-CD box set)
Bill Monroe - Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys 1950-1958 (remastered 4-CD box set)
Black Dahlia - Murder Deflorate
Black Whales: Origins
Bruce Hornsby - Levitate
Bunnygrunt - Matt Harnish and Other Delights
Butterfly Boucher - Scary Fragile
Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats - Meet the Meatbats
Chet Chelsea - Silver, Please Come Home
Chris Knight - Trailer II
Claire Lynch - Whatcha Gonna Do
Cougar - Patriot
Cowboy Troy - Demolition Sessions: Studio Blue Sessions
Daft Pink - Alive 2007/Alive 1999
Dappled Cities - Zounds
David Bazan - Curse Your Branches (vinyl)
David Sylvian - Manafon
DD/MM/YYYY - Black Square
Division Day - Visitation (vinyl)
Buy Doors Music Here
Dodos - Time To Die (vinyl)
Doors - L.A. Woman (vinyl reissue)
Doors - Morrison Hotel (vinyl reissue)
Doors - Strange Days (vinyl reissue)
Doors - The Doors (vinyl reissue)
Doors - The Soft Parade (vinyl reissue)
Doors - Waiting for the Sun (vinyl reissue)
Drake - So Far Gone
Dying Fetus - Descend Into Depravity
Dynamites - Burn It Down
Every Time I Die - New Junk Aesthetic
Fink - Sort of Revolution
Franklin Bruno - Local Currency (Solo 1992-1998)
French Miami - French Miami (vinyl)
Fresh & Onlys - Grey-Eyed Girls
Gary Go - Gary Go
Gordon Gano - Under the Sun (vinyl)
Grand Archives - Keep In Mind Frankenstein (vinyl)
Helvetia - Helvetia's Junk Shop
It Dies Today - Lividity
John Fahey - America (2-LP vinyl reissue)
John Mayall - Tough
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon - The End of Day (vinyl)
Kittie - In the Black
Kyle Hollingsworth - Then There's Now
Ladytron - Live at London Astoria 16.07.08
LeE HaRVey OsMOND - A Quiet Evil
Lhasa De Sela - Lhasa
Buy Vinyl Here
Living Colour - The Chair in the Doorway
Lo Fidelity Allstars - Northern Stomp
Lovemakers - Let's Be Friends
Maldives - Listen to the Thunder
Manic Street Preachers - Jounal For Plague Lovers
Marie Digby: Breathing Underwater
Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky (6-disc import box set)
Mason Jennings - Blood of Man (vinyl)
Megadeth - Endgame
Miles Davis - Circle in the Round (reissue)
Muse - The Resistance
Natalia Lafourcade - Hu Hu Hu
Nelly Furtado - Mi Plan
New Moneen - The World I Want To Leave Behind
New Order - Brotherhood (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Low-life (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Movement (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies (vinyl reissue)
New Order - Technique (vinyl reissue)
Or, the Whale - Or, the Whale (vinyl)
Pens - Hey Friend, What You Doing? (vinyl)
Pere Ubu - Long Live Pere Ubu
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Break Up
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Relator
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
Protest The Hero - Galop Meets The Earth
Q-Tip - Kamaal the Abstract (vinyl)
Rachel Harrington - The Bootlegger's Daughter
Ricky Skaggs - Ricky Skaggs Solo (Songs My Dad Loved)
Rubik - Data Bandits
Ryan Starr - 11:59
Salt the Wound - Ares
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - …And The Horse You Rode in On (vinyl)
Shadows Fall - Retribution (vinyl)
Shudder To Think - Live From Home
Simian Mobile Disco - Temporary Pleasure (with bonus CD)
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (vinyl reissue)
Simon Joyner - Out Into the Snow (vinyl)
Skinlab - The Scars Between Us
Slaraffenland - We're On Your Side (vinyl)
Smokey Hormel - Smokey's Secret Family [Afrosambas]
Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio (vinyl)
Sonos - SonoSings (vinyl)
Sparklehorse & Fennesz - In The Fishtank 15
Stars of Track and Field: A Time For Lions
Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary (remastered ) (vinyl)
Sunny Day Real Estate - LP2 (remastered with bonus tracks) (vinyl)
Super 400 - Sweet Fist
The Grates - Teeth Lost, Hearts Won (vinyl)
The Idle Hands - The Hearts We Broke On The Way To The Show
the_Network - Bishop Kent Manning
Thomas Dybdahl - Thomas Dybdahl
Thrice - Beggars
Tom Russell - Blood and Candle Smoke
Tyondai Braxton - Central Market
Uncle Cracker - Happy Hour
Various Artists - Bruce Springsteen's Jukebox
Various Artists - Mary Anne Hobbs Presents Wild Angels
Various Artists - Paper Heart (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith
Various Artists - The Best Is Yet To Come: The Songs Of Cy Coleman
Various Artists - The Complete Goldwax Singles Volume 2 1966-1967
Velvet Underground - The Singles 1966-1969 (7-disc vinyl box set)
Windmill - Epcot Starfields
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