The Jacksons A Family Dynasty DVD Contest

In association with A&E Home Entertainment, CollectingVinylRecords Blog is happy to introduce The Jacksons A Family Dynasty DVD set. Not in stores until March 30, you have a chance to get your own copy of this historic DVD. How? The first person to email me at fonzie1957@charter.net with the words "Michael Jackson DVD" in the subject line - will win their very own copy!

It chronicles the personal and professional lives of the Jackson brothers as they reunite in the aftermath of the passing of their beloved brother, Michael.

Primarily shot “in the moment,” The Jacksons A Family Dynasty also includes some documentary elements to illuminate key moments of the
Jacksons’ legendary history.

This six-hour docu-series provides an intimate behind-the-scenes peek into the daily real-life drama that the Jackson brothers experience due to the tabloids, documenting their relationships with one another, their children and their wives as they struggle to balance the demands of their professional commitments and celebrity.


Here’s the pre-order links:

http://shop.aetv.com/detail.php?p=255028&v=All

http://www.amazon.com/Jacksons-Family-Dynasty-Jackie-Jackson/dp/B002ZMZB4G

Artist Daniel Edlen On Vinyl Record Talk This Tuesday 7pm ET / 4pm PT

Artist Daniel Edlen's unique creations have been growing in popularity since 2006. His work is featured in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel, and he has had showings all over North America and Europe.

His portraits on vinyl records are each unique creations, and much of his work comes to him from customers looking for a special way to commemorate their favorite records.

Daniel Edlen joins us on Vinyl Record Talk this Tuesday at 7pm ET / 4pm PT on Radio Dentata. http://www.radiodentata.com/

Daniel Edlen's website is www.vinyart.info

Check it out today, should be an interesting conversation about art and vinyl!

New Music Releases-March 23, 2010

13th Floor Elevators - Complete Singles Collection
Absolute Ensemble - Absolute Zawinul
Airto Moreira - Im Fine How Are You
Amir ElSaffar / H Modirzadeh - Radif Suite
Andy McKee - Joyland
Archie Bronson Outfit - Coconut (vinyl)
Arctic Monkeys - My Propeller (vinyl)
Arthur Brown - Galactic Zoo Dossier
Autechre (Deluxe Edition) - Oversteps
Autechre - Oversteps (vinyl)
Balmorhea - Constellations (vinyl)
Beacon Street Union - Clown Died in Marvin Gardens
Beacon Street Union - Eyes of the Beacon Street Union
Bettie Serveert - Pharmacy of Love
Bill Callahan - Rough Travel for a Rare Thing (2-LP vinyl)
Bing Crosby - Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings 1954-56
Bird and the Bee - Interpreting the Masters, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall & John Oates
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (vinyl reissue)
Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality (vinyl reissue)
Blue October - Approaching Normal
Bobby Darin - Beyond The Sea
Bonnie "Prince" Billy & The Cairo Gang - The Wonder Show of the World
Bonobo - Black Sands
Boston Spaceships - Camera Found the Ray Gun (vinyl)
Brad Mehldau - Highway Rider
Bright Eyes & Neva Dinova - One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels (reissue with four new songs) (vinyl)
Cam'ron - The U.N. - Gunz N' Butta
Carl Perkins - Whole Lotta Shakin / On Top
Cate Le Bon - Me Oh My
Chet Doxas - Big Sky
Chuck Berry - Have Mercy: His Comp Chess Recordings 1969-1974 (4 CDs)
Citizen Cope - Rainwater LP (vinyl)
Claude Luter With Humphrey Lyttelton - In England
Coco Montoya - I Want It All Back
Condo Fucks (Yo La Tengo) - Fuckbook
Cool Scene From Cafe Bizarre - Cool Scene From Cafe Bizarre
Courteeners - Falcon
Cyrus Chestnut - Plenty Swing, Plenty Soul
DJ Cam Quartet - Diggin
Dan Deacon - Bromst
Dan Hicks And The Hot Licks - Tangled Tales
Dave Holland - Pathways
Dead Meadow - Three Kings (CD & DVD) (vinyl & DVD)
Decemberists - Hazards Of Love
Deep Purple - Machine Head (Audio Fidelity)
Derek Smith - Beautiful Love
Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
Disturbed - The Sickness (remastered with bonus tracks) (2-LP vinyl with CD)
Django's Spirit - Django's Spirit
Double Dagger - Masks (vinyl)
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band / Meets King Penett
Dr. Hook - Bankrupt / A Little Bit More
Dreamers - Vol. 14 - Ipos: The Book of Angels
Drink Up Buttercup - Born & Thrown on a Hook (vinyl)
Dunkelbunt - Morgenlandfahrt
Earth Wind & Fire - Raise / Powerlight (2 CDs)•Fabian - Hound Dog Man- Hit Albums Plus Singles Collection (3 CDs)
Eddie Higgins - Essential Standards Best
Edward Gordon Larry - Soul Jazz Records Presents Celestial
Ella Fitzgerald & Nelson Riddle - Our Love Is Here to Stay
Elvis Presley - On Stage: Legacy Edition
Eric Alexander - Lazy Afternoon:Gentle Ballads IV
F**ed Up - Daytrotter Session (vinyl)
Funkadelic - America Eats It Young (vinyl reissue)
Funkadelic - Standing on the Verge of Getting It on (vinyl reissue)
Galaxie 500 - On Fire (remastered with bonus disc) (vinyl)
Galaxie 500 - This Is Our Music (remastered with bonus disc) (vinyl)
Galaxie 500 - Today (remastered with bonus disc)
Gladys Knight & the Pips - Touch
Gladys Knight & the Pips - Visions
Gloria Gaynor - Experience
Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye
Goldfrapp - Head First
Hafez Modirzadeh - Radif Suite
Hank Jones - Live In Marciac 1993
Hank Williams, Jr. - Family Tradition
Hank Williams, Jr. - Habits Old & New
Hank Williams, Jr. - Pressure Is On
Hank Williams, Jr. - Whiskey Bent & Hell Bound (Remastered)
Health - Die Slow Remixes (vinyl)
High Places - High Places Vs Mankind (vinyl)
Impressions - Complete A- and B-Sides: 1961-1968
Indigo Girls - Poseidon And The Bitter Bug
Jane Krakowski - Live At Feinstein's At The Regency
Janis Ian - Miracle Row / Janis Ian II
Janis Ian - Night Rains / Restless Eyes / Uncle Wonderful
Jean-Michel Pilc - True Story
Jeff Sparks - Love.Life.Soul.
Joe Bonamassa - Black Rock
John Dreamers-Zorn - Dreamers-Zorn,John Vol. 14-Ipos: The Book Of Angels
John Lee Hooker - Live in Istanbul Turkey
John Rich - Son Of A Preacher Man
Joni James - Why Dont You Believe Me
Jonsi Birgisson [of Sigur Ros] - Go
Justin Bieber - My World Part 2
KMFDM - Blitz
Ken Colyer's Jazzmen - Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Ken Hensley - Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf
Kenny Barron - Minor Blues
Kid 606 - Songs About F**king Steve Albini
Kleenex/LiLiPUT - Live Recordings, TC-Clip & Roadmovies (CD & DVD)
Laurel Aitken - Boogie in My Bones
Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen's Jukebox
Let's Wrestle - In the Court of the Wrestling Let's
Lita Ford - In Concert
London Street Jazz 1988-2009 - London Street Jazz 1988-2009
Look Mexico - To Bed to Battle (vinyl)
Lou Johnson - Incomparable Soul Vocalist
Lou Rhodes - One Good Thing
Love Is All - Two Thousand and Ten Injuries (vinyl)
Low Anthem - Charlie Darwin (vinyl)
Lula Galvao - Bossa Da Minha Terra
Madlib - Medicine Show No. 3: Beat Konducta In Africa
Mahalia Jackson - Essence of Mahalia Jackson
Malachai - Ugly Side Of Love (vinyl)
Mandisa - Freedom
Manhattans - Manhattans / After Midnight
Martina McBride - Shine
Mastodon - Crack The Skye
Merzbow - 13 Japanese Birds Complete Set (14-CD box set)
Micah P. Hinson - All Dressed Up & Smelling of Strangers (2 CDs)
Michael Manring - Inner Smile
Michael Yonkers - Lovely Gold (vinyl)
Mickey Thomas - Bluesmasters Featuring Mickey Thomas
Modern Jazz Quartet - MJQ In The Movies
Monica - Still Standing
Mosaic Orchestra - From Dawn To Dusk
Mose Allison - The Way of the World
Mugstar - ...Broken, Sun…
Mux Mool - Skulltaste
Nat King Cole & His Trio - Rare Radio Transcriptions
Nebula / Quest for Fire - Split (vinyl)
Neil Young - Dreamin' Man Live '92 (vinyl)
Norbert Gottschalk - Duo 4 The Road
Owen Pallett - Heartland (2-LP vinyl)
Papa Roach - Metamorphosis
Paul Motian - At Village Vanguard
Paul Revere & the Raiders - The Complete Columbia Singles (3 CDs)
Pet Shop Boys - Pandemonium Live [CD/DVD]
Pet Shop Boys - Yes
Pete Doherty - Grace/Wastelands
Phil Moore - Fantasy For Leda
Quadron - self-titled
Quincy Jones - Q Digs Dancers
Radar Brothers - The Illustrated Garden
Rip Chords - Hey Little Cobra & Other Hot Rod Hits / Three Window Coupe
Roadside Graves - You Won't Be Happy With Me EP
Robedoor - Burners (vinyl)
Robin Trower - Twice Removed from Yesterday
Roy Ayers - Daddy Bug
Roy Ayers - Virgo Vibes
Royksopp - Junior
Rush - Time Stand Still: The Collection
Saliva - Moving Forward in Reverse: Greatest Hits
Scorpions - Sting in the Tail
Serena-Maneesh - S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor
Serge Gainsbourg - Soundtracks box set (12-disc vinyl box set)
She & Him - Volume Two (vinyl)
Shirley Bassey - Emi / Ua Years 1959-1979 (5 CDs)
Shorty Rogers - You Shorty Me Tarzan
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - Rise & Shine
Slim Thug - The Boss Of All Bosses
Snoop Dogg - More Malice
Social Code - Rock 'N' Roll
Sonny Rollins - Prestige Albums: 8 CD Box Set
Sonya Kitchell - Convict of Conviction EP
Spandau Ballet - Diamond (2 CDs)
Spandau Ballet - Journeys To Glory (2 CDs)
Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Solar Arkestra - Space Is The Place
Swan Lake - Enemy Mine
The Rakes - Klang
The Unthanks - Here's The Tender Coming
The XX - Islands (vinyl)
Thom "The World Poet" - Golden Age Orchestra
Three Degrees - The Three Degrees
Thrushes - Night Falls
Thunderhawks - VI (vinyl & CD)
Tom Harrell - Roman Nights
Utada Hikaru - This Is The One
Various Artists - Bless You California: More Early Songs of Randy Newman
Various Artists - Early Country Rock From Nashville
Various Artists - Greenberg (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Live at Knebworth 1990
Various Artists - NOW 33
Various Artists - Rare Bluegrass From Nashville: 1960's
Various Artists - Repo Men: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Various Artists - Ska Madness
Various Artists - The Birth of Surf, Vol. 2
Various Artists - The Runaways Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Various Artists - The T.A.M.I. Show Collector's Edition (DVD)
Weakerthans - Live at the Burton Cummings Theater (vinyl)
Who - Greatest Hits Live (2 CDs)
Woodhands - Remorsecapade (vinyl)
X - Wild Gift (vinyl reissue)
Yeasayer - O.N.E.
Young Jeezy - That Hard White
Yukon Blonde - Yukon Blonde (vinyl)

Music News & Notes

Wilco Kicks Off Tour in Miami; "Kicking Television" Vinyl Box Set Due Out April 17

Wilco begins its 16-concert run of Eastern US cities at The Filmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater last tonight. The concerts are presented as An Evening with Wilco and will feature extended, varied sets exploring material from each of the sextet’s seven studio albums. The tour will run through April 11 and includes concerts in Clearwater, Savannah, Atlanta, Durham, Richmond, Bethesda, Montclair, Providence, Boston, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, and features Wilco’s first concert appearances in the cities of Scranton, Pennsylvania; Concord, New Hampshire; and Hartford, Connecticut. Not long afterward, the band heads out for a two-week tour of Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.

With all of these live shows ahead, now is a fitting time to revisit Wilco's 2005 live album Kicking Television, which was recorded live at Chicago's Vic Theatre from May 4 to 7 of that year. Nonesuch will release a special LP box set of the album, pressed on four discs of audiophile-quality, 180-gram vinyl on April 17, just in time for national Record Store Day. The Kicking Television LP box set features the original album's 23 tracks plus eight previously unreleased bonus tracks, and a fold-out commemorative poster modeled after the Chicago skyline. Pre-order your copy now in the Nonesuch Store.http://www.nonesuch.com/albums/kicking-television-live-in-chicago-lp-box-set

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Springsteen Joining In On Record Store Day

Bruce Springsteen is releasing a special vinyl 45 for Record Store Day on April 17. In this case, it will be a 10" (vs. a 7") vinyl single with Wrecking Ball (Live at Giants Stadium) and The Ghost of Tom Joad (Live Version featuring Tom Morello).

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ATP Recordings Record Store Day EP

British independent label ATP Recordings are to release a new EP as part of 'Record Store Day'. Amongst the groups paying their respects to dingy vinyl dens this year are Canadian hardcore types Fucked Up, with British label ATP Recordings amongst the latest to confirm a special release.

A forthcoming EP will feature the best music released on the label, run by the organisers of All Tomorrows Parties. If you've been to Minehead you'll know what to expect - expertly put together, eclectic and often challenging the label's output matches the line up of the famed event.

The new EP will be limited to just 1000 copies, the ten inch vinyl release will feature a number of unreleased tracks. Amongst the artists confirmed for the EP are American group APSE, whose new album became a ClashMusic stereo staple.

Joining the psych-rockers on the compilation are the likes of Built To Spill, Sleepy Sun, Fursaxa and more.

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

Culture Club 30th Anniversary

Boy George is looking to reform Culture Club next year for the 30th anniversary of their first forming. While the group split in 1986, they've reformed on and off since, notably in 1998 to record some new music and in 2002 for the 20th anniversary of their first album.

Boy George said "I think we could do a one-off gig or maybe a small tour. It's our 30th anniversary next year so we may do something. Last time we re-formed, there was a point to it. We'll see. It's all about my mood at the time."

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Linn Records To Release New William Orbit Electronic Album on 180 Gram Vinyl and HD Download

Known more for audiophile grade classical, jazz and world music, Linn Records just announced the release of their first Electronica album, 'My Oracle Lives Uptown', by the artist, producer and DJ, William Orbit. This release represents an exciting new partnership between Linn, the world's most lauded record player manufacturer, and William Orbit, a pioneer in the Electronica genre. When mastering 'My Oracle Lives Uptown' at Abbey Road, William was aware that his full vision for the record might never be heard by the listening public. The original Studio Masters would remain just that: archives in the vaults of the famous studios. His fans would have to be content with the standard CD quality version.

But why would anyone want to listen to it at studio levels of quality? "Many people don't feel the need, 'til they hear it!" tweeted prolific micro-blogger Orbit, eager to let the world hear the Studio Masters in all their glory, but with no sign of an outlet.

Serendipity would have it that Linn were listening, and dropped him a line offering their support. William, who happens to have one of Linn's LP12 turntables amongst his vast collection of audio equipment, was not only excited to have his record available at Studio Master quality, but also trusted Linn with it's release on high quality double 180g vinyl.

William Orbit has been in high demand as a producer and remixer for well over a decade, most famously working with Madonna on her 1998 album Ray Of Light, as well as U2, Blur, Britney Spears, Sugababes, Pink and scores of other artists.

The record and download are available from Linn Record's Website.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bret Michaels and .38 Special Summer Tour

Another big summer package tour was announced earlier yesterday featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bret Michaels and .38 Special. The tour starts off on June 10 at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida with announced dates running through July 11 in Pittsburgh. Skynyrd is on the road promoting its God and Guns CD from last fall and Michael's has just released the single Nothing to Lose featuring Mylie Cyrus.

"The band and I have been friends with Bret for years and are looking forward to finally getting to tour with him," Johnny Van Zandt said. "It's going to be a kick-ass show complete with new music plus all the fan favorites. Skynyrd will definitely be pulling for Bret to become the next Celebrity Apprentice!"

Michaels added "There is no doubt that Lynyrd Skynyrd is one of my all time favorite rock and roll bands. I have been friends with them a long time, so I am honored that Skynyrd has asked me to join them on their tour this summer. I will have a chance to play all the Poison greatest hits, plus all the new solo hits including Nothing to Lose, songs from Rock of Love, Celebrity Apprentice and the new solo CD Custom Built.

The dates announced so far:

•6/10 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre
•6/13 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
•6/17 - Birmingham, AL - Verizon Wireless Music Center
•6/18 - Raleigh, NC - Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
•6/19 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
•6/20 - Virginia Beach, VA - Virginia Beach Amphitheater
•6/24 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
•6/25 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (Skynyrd & Michaels ONLY)
•6/26 - St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
•6/27 - Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center
•7/01 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center
•7/02 - Holmdel, NJ - P.N.C Bank Arts Centre
•7/03 - Buffalo, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
•7/08 - Cleveland - Blossom Music Center
•7/09 - Washington, DC - Jiffy Lube Live
•7/10 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre
•7/11 - Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagara Pavilion

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Music to their ears

A resurgent consumer interest in vinyl records and corporate demand for audio materials sound good to a former punk rocker-turned-entrepreneur

Washington Business Journal - by Timothy Burn Associate Editor

Eric Astor had mixed feelings when his customer base began to shift, as struggling punk rock bands were replaced with corporate clients and later Warner Bros. Records.

As a band member and fixture of the Arizona punk scene of the mid-1980s, Astor demonstrated the can-do spirit of entrepreneurs — and punk rockers — helping fledgling bands get their songs onto vinyl records, packaged and distributed to record stores.

Working with young, off-the-grid musicians to distribute their creative efforts was a labor of love. That work produced little in the way of profit but a great deal in valuable knowledge about the inner mechanics of music manufacturing and distribution.

“Indie musicians are very creative. They are very demanding, picky, and they don’t want to pay money,” Astor says. “Business clients are cut and dry. They need it by a certain date, and they are prepared to pay to get what they want.”

Read the rest here: http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/03/22/smallb1.html?b=1269230400

Eagle Rock Honors Britain’s Blues-Rock Pioneers

 FREE FOREVER

~2DVD Released March 23, 2010~

New York, NY - Bringing forth a mighty brand of blues-rock in the early 1970s, Free was a critical piece of foundation in hard rock’s roots.  On March 23, Eagle Rock Entertainment will celebrate their career with the release of the Free Forever 2DVD set.  

One of the most heralded bands of the 1970s, Free Forever amasses archival video footage, interviews, audio, memorabilia, and other bits of the band’s history to create the ultimate fan package. Featuring the powerhouse combination of a young Paul Rodgers’ gravelly vocals, Simon Kirke’s solid drums, Paul Kossoff’s infamous guitar leads, and Andy Fraser’s groove-infused bass lines, Free laid the foundation for a blues-rock revolution.

This set features live performances from the Beat Club in Germany and UK’s Granada TV. The second disc boasts full audio from their set at the legendary 1970 Isle of Wight festival (which also featured Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and The Doors), littered with a collection of band photos, posters, artwork, and unearthed video footage of tracks “Be My Friend,” “Mr. Big,” and “All Right Now.” Bonus features include original and brand new edits of these Isle of Wight videos with split-screen views. Interviews and special feature “The Freelist,” which contains a Top of the Pops appearance, Australian interviews, and other bits, is also included.

Disbanding in 1973, the members went on to enjoy continued success, both in acts such as Bad Company and Queen, and in solo careers. Sadly, Kossoff passed away in 1976. Yet, even in this short time, Free made a lasting impact that has influenced musicians and garnered countless fans. Eagle Rock is proud to capture the essence of this ground-breaking act and present it with the release of Free Forever.

Eagle Rock Entertainment is an international media production and distribution company operating across audiovisual entertainment programming. Eagle Rock Entertainment works directly alongside talent to produce the highest quality programming output covering film, general entertainment and musical performance. Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices based in London, New York, Germany, France & Toronto.

Track Listing:

Disc #1:
Beat Club – Germany, 1970
1.)  Mr. Big
2.) Fire and Water
3.) All Right Now
Doin’ Their Thing – Granada TV, July 1970
4.) Ride On Pony
5.) Mr. Big
6.) Songs of Yesterday
7.) I’ll Be Creepin’
8.) All Right Now

Original Videos
9.) All Right Now
10.)  The Stealer
11.)My Brother Jake
12.)  Love You So
13.) Wishing Well

Disc #2:
Isle of Wight Audio 1970
1.)  Ride On Pony
2.) Woman
3.) The Stealer
4.) Be My Friend
5.) Mr. Big
6.) Fire and Water
7.) I’m A Mover
8.) The Hunter
9.) All Right Now
10.) Crossroads

Isle of Wight Videos:
1.)  Be My Friend
2.) Mr. Big
3.) All Right Now

Buy/Pre-Order Link: http://bit.ly/ForeverFree  

Classic Alice in Chains Albums Reissued

(I-Newswire) March 22, 2010 - Doylestown, PA (Press Release 2010): SoundStageDirect, a leading online vinyl lp retailer, announces the reissue of two classic Alice in Chains albums: "Sap" and "Jar of Flies." Originally released in 1992 and 1994 as follow-ups to both of Alice in Chains' full-length releases, these new imports have been remastered on 180-gram vinyl and packaged together as a two-disc set. Available on vinyl again for the first time in years, only 2,000 copies of this limited-edition vinyl record package are being pressed.

Ever the stalwart of the Seattle rock scene that exploded in the wake of Nirvana’s success, Alice in Chains’ trademark hybrid of blues and metal paved the way for their own stardom. With videos in heavy rotation on TV, a cameo in Cameron Crowe’s “Singles,” an early-90s Gen X take on dating and relationships, and headlining tours, the sky seemed the limit for the foursome. Sadly, the death of front man Layne Staley in 2002 nearly spelled the end of the band until reuniting in 2006 and releasing a new album in 2009.

Both “Sap” and “Jar of Flies” represented significant departures from the moody, dropped-D Seattle sound showcased on their other efforts. Instead of plugging in, Alice in Chains took acoustic guitars into the studio and hardly missed a beat. "Sap" features lauded guests from the Seattle music scene, including Ann Wilson of Heart, Chris Cornell, then of Soundgarden, and Mark Arm of Mudhoney. "Jar of Flies" built on the exploratory sound of its predecessor, showcasing a softer sound and introducing arrangements and instruments previously unheard on any Alice in Chains' material. As a result, the first single, "No Excuses," yielded the band their first number-one position on the rock charts.

While the early 90s spotlight has since faded from the Pacific Northwest, the sound showcased on both these records is still vibrant and a reminder of the inherent capabilities within the hard rock genre. Don't miss your chance to own a piece of rock vinyl history and hear "Sap" and "Jar of Flies" as you've never before or for the first time.

Visit: http://www.soundstagedirect.com/

Company Contact Information
SoundStageDirect
Seth Frank
212 Decatur St., Ste. 201
18901
Phone : 267.247.5051

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales

Week Ending 03/20/2010

1. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Stereo - $13,496.38

2. EP - Black Flag "Nervous Breakdown" SST 1st Press SEALED - $4,200.00

3. 45 - The Cosmic Rays "Sombody's In Love" / "Bye Bye" Saturn - $3,150.00

4. LP - Rolling Stones "Some Girls" Acetate outtakes - $2,499.00

5. LP - Tudor Lodge "self titled" Vertigo - $2,428.09

More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 7:00PM Eastern / 4:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.

http://shows.radiodentata.com/shows/accidental-nostalgia/

This Date In Music History-March 22

Birthdays:

Composer, lyricist Stephen Sondheim (1930)

Roger Whittaker (1936)

George Benson (1943)

Tony McPhee - Groundhogs (1944)

Jeremy Clyde - Chad & Jeremy (1944)

Harry Vanda - Easybeats (1947)

Patrick Olive - Hot Chocolate (1947)

Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948)

Susanne Sulley- Human League (1963)

John Otto - Limp Bizkit (1977)

Aaron Wright North - Nine Inch Nails (1979)

Rapper Shawn Mims (1981)


They Are Missed:

Born on this day in 1943, Keith Relf, vocals, The Yardbirds. Relf died on May 14, 1976 from an electric shock received while playing his electric guitar at home.

Born today in 1948, Randy Hobbs, bass guitarist, Johnny Winter group and the McCoys. Hobbs died on August 5, 1993 from a drug overdose (age 45).

Mark Dinning ("Teen Angel") died of a heart attack in 1986.

Dave Guard of the Kingston Trio died of lymphoma in 1991.

Singer, songwriter, producer Dan Hartman died of a brain tumor in Westport, Connecticut in 1994. Was a member of the Edgar Winter Group and wrote the band's hit "Free Ride." Had the 1978 #1 dance hit "Instant Replay," collaborated with Tina Turner, Dusty Springfield, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Tyler, Paul Young, James Brown, Holly Johnson and Steve Winwood.

In 2005, Rod Price, former member of Black Cat Bones and a founding member of Foghat, died after falling down a stairway at his home after suffering a heart attack. The 57 year-old English guitarist played on Foghat's highest charting US single "Slow Ride," a hit in 1976.




History:

While driving to New York for appearances on 'The Perry Como Show' in 1956, and 'The Ed Sullivan Show,' the car that Carl Perkins was traveling in was involved in an accident, putting Perkins in hospital for several months. The singer received four broken ribs and a broken shoulder, his brother Jay was killed in the accident.

Hank Williams Jr. made his stage debut in Swainsboro, GA, in 1958 at the age of eight.

The Beatles and The New York Twisters appeared at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, England in 1962.

The Beatles' first album, 'Please Please Me' was released in the UK in 1963.

Bob Dylan's first electric album 'Bring it All Back Home' was released in 1965.

Elvis Presley's 'Easy Come, Easy Go' movie opened in 1967.

US police arrested all the members from The Allman Brothers Band for heroin and marijuana possession in 1971.

Frankie Valli went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1975 with "My Eyes Adored You," his first solo #1.

Led Zeppelin started a six week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1975 with 'Physical Graffiti,' the group's fourth US #1 album.

In 1976, while on the campaign trail, presidential candidate Jimmy Carter announced that he listened to the Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin for inspiration while working late nights as Georgia’s governor. Despite quoting Paul McCartney’s “Yesterday,” he was elected president.

The Police were signed to A&M Records in 1978.

Also in 1978, the Rutles' "All You Need Is Cash," an affectionate spoof of the Beatles' career, was broadcast for the first time in the US.



Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall" started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1980 (also #1 in the UK).

In 1984, Queen filmed the video for "I Want To Break Free" at Limehouse Studio in London, England. Directed by David Mallet, it was a parody of the northern British soap opera Coronation Street with the band members dressed in drag. Guitarist Brian May later said the video ruined the band in America, and was initially banned by MTV in the US.

Heart went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1986 with "These Dreams."

In 1989, Dick Clark stepped down as host of American Bandstand after a mere 33 years.

Puff Daddy featuring Mase started a six week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1997 with "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down," his first US #1.

Britney Spears' album '...Baby One More Time' was certified triple platinum by the RIAA in 1999.

In 2004, Ozzy Osbourne was voted the nation's favorite ambassador to welcome aliens to planet Earth. The 55 year-old singer topped a Yahoo poll as the face people wanted to represent them to alien life. Umm OK if you say so....

Also in 2004, a new book claimed that Elvis Presley’s ancestors came from a small village called Lonmay in the North East of Scotland. Author Allan Morrison said he’d found evidence that Elvis’s great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather was married in the village 300 years ago. And my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather invented the wheel.....

Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson was charged with two counts of battery in 2004, more than three months after a New Year`s Eve scuffle with sheriff`s deputies at a Naples, FL, hotel. Deputies say the fight started when the guitarist`s son refused to get off the stage at The Ritz-Carlton, where the house band was performing. Lifeson tried to intervene when deputies escorted his son off the property.

The Black Crowes reunited for five shows at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom in 2005.

In 2005, 'Devil's Playground' was Billy Idol’s first album of new material in twelve years. He claimed Grunge’s popularity, a drug problem and no outlet for his music kept him away. The set includes numerous contributions from guitarist/collaborator Steve Stevens. "Scream" was the first single.

In 2007, Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger reported that the band's charity single "If Everyone Cared" raised more than $200,000 for Amnesty International and International Children's Awareness Canada. "If you can take that power and turn it toward positivity and awareness and trying to make a world a better place that's a great motive," says Kroeger.



Country singer Alan Jackson was at #1 on the US album chart in 2008 with his fifteenth solo album ‘Good Time.’

Vinyl records make a comeback in a big way

The Virginian-Pilot
© March 11, 2010
By Carrie White
Correspondent

In Neil Friedman's beautiful Norfolk home is a room that makes his wife, Abby, roll her eyes.

Two large speakers, a turntable and several other pieces of pricey electronic equipment are the focal points. Vinyl record albums - some 30 years old, some brand new - are stacked up against the wall and lie all over the floor. In the center of the controlled chaos is an easy chair, just begging for someone to sit in it.

In that room, after setting the stylus down on a favorite album - be it Meatloaf; Crosby, Stills, and Nash; Pink Floyd; or Fleetwood Mac - Friedman obliges the chair and wiles away an evening, the bass resonating so deeply that the carpet vibrates. Closing his eyes, he lets the music wash over him and envisions the musicians onstage.

A few years ago, Friedman, 65 and co-founder of Friedman Associates Insurance Planning, rediscovered vinyl records, and he experiences them in his "music room."

Vinyl is making a comeback. Nationwide, vinyl record sales in 2009 were 2.5 million, the highest sales level since Nielsen SoundScan started keeping track in 1991. That figure also is up 33 percent from 2008.

Barry Friedman (no relation to Neil), owner of Birdland Records, Tapes and Discs in Virginia Beach, has enjoyed the upturn.

"People first started buying vinyls again for collectibility," he said. "They would pull the album out and frame it and the cover. But there has been a big jump in the last two to three years. When the economy started going south, I noticed people were pulling out their turntables. They could buy used vinyl for $2 in places. You bring in a 20 dollar bill and walk out of here with ten albums."

Doug Crane, owner of American Oldies Records in Newport News, said: "This is really the second resurgence. The first one was 15 years ago with rap and hip-hop - scratching and sampling records. The vinyl scene exploded then."

American Oldies Records has always sold a lot of vinyl, he said, and even its sales have increased 10 percent from two years ago. "People are coming back in droves."

CDs and other forms of digitalized music offer clarity and convenience, said Barry Friedman, who has owned Birdland for 32 years and has been in the music business for 40. CDs and MP 3 players don't have pops or skips. They don't warp, scratch or wear out as easily as vinyl. They are portable and can be played almost anywhere, and they can play music almost endlessly - no need to flip them over for the B-side.

However, vinyl lovers such as Neil Friedman say records have a warmth and tonality lacking in CDs. "It fills up all the senses," Friedman said. "My best thoughts come when I'm listening to music (on vinyl) because everything else is blocked out."

J.R. Salomonsky, a 13 -year-old student at Great Bridge Middle School, agrees. "Vinyls have a better tone. With CDs, the instruments sound distant. On the turntable, the instruments sound like they are in the living room. I used to think I knew the music, but when I listened to something on vinyl, I heard so much more. For instance, in the Beatles' 'White Album,' in 'The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill,' there is a Spanish guitar in the beginning, but I'd never heard it. On a CD, it just got lost when they remastered it."

Neil Friedman explained that with a vinyl record, using analog recording technology, the smooth arc of the original sound waves can be reproduced. However, digitalized music is chopped up. I t re-creates the original sound wave in tiny increments - like stair steps.

"Digitalized music is harsh," he said. "If you play it loudly, after listening to it for more than an hour, you'll get a headache. But it's not really a headache, but an earache. You don't get that with vinyl."

Vinyl listeners also talk about the "Zen" of listening to vinyl.

Barry Friedman said: "It's slowing life down. It's sitting down with the record, taking it out of its sleeve, using cleaner on it, putting it on the turntable and watching it spin around. It's kind of a neat thing to do."

J.R. said: "It's more comforting. You don't see a CD spinning when you play it. Looking at the turntable is relaxing."

Neil Friedman said the occasional pops and the white noise between cuts on vinyl are part of the experience. They are strangely evocative, making listening to vinyls a visceral experience.

Caring for vinyls also is part of the hobby. He recently lugged several boxes of vinyls from his attic. He is looking forward to organizing them and remembering the exact details of their purchase and his history with them. Some of the newly discovered albums are slightly warped, and he has found a recipe online for "baking" out the warps in the oven, with the vinyl pressed between two pieces of heavy glass.

Two basic types of listeners are responsible for the vinyl renaissance, Barry Friedman said: audiophiles, such as Neil Friedman, and teens and 20 -somethings into classic rock, such as J.R.

Audiophiles tend to be older listeners who finally have the income needed to pursue what can be an expensive passion.

"I've been working since I was 13 and never had the time or money when I was young for listening to music seriously," said Neil Friedman, who described himself as "an old rocker" with a taste for classic rock.

"I'd been wanting to do this for years, but with two kids in college, I couldn't. Now I can." Friedman called his own system "on the very low end of high end." He spoke of one of his audiophile friends whose sound system costs $180,000.

The resurgence among teens is a little different, Crane said. "Vinyl is hip and cool. The packaging is fun. A lot of young people are into it now. It's a collectible that you can play."

In terms of total music sales, vinyl is still a drop, Barry Friedman said. Vinyls, new and used, comprise about 5 percent of his total sales, "which is up from 0 percent two or three years ago! It's a big jump, but it won't supersede anything."

J.R. said few of his friends appreciate vinyl. "Friends who don't understand vinyl only know that rappers scratch it," he said. "They ask me, 'Dude, can I scratch your records?' "

His answer is a resounding "No!"

Neil Friedman agreed: "No one really understands this. There are only a few people who enjoy music the way I do."

He doesn't despair that he won't convert his friends, though. He plans to add a second chair in his music room.

Copyright 2010 http://hamptonroads.com/  Reprinted By Permission

“Money, It’s a Hit” - Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’

Released this month in 1973, ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ remains one of the most enduringly popular albums ever. Here’s our look at the legendary album:

Pink Floyd convened in Abbey Road studios in the summer of 1972 as a band reinvented. After replacing key member Syd Barrett with Dave Gilmour four years earlier, the band had re-grouped and moved away from the psychedelic leanings of the Barrett-led era and entered a period of their career which many would later look back on as one of the most creative and influential of all time.

Barrett-era Pink Floyd


During the Sixties, Pink Floyd had been at the forefront of the Psychedelic movement, and had released a clutch of classic singles including ‘See Emily Play‘ and ‘Arnold Layne‘. However, by the time the group’s second album ‘A Saucerful Of Secrets‘ had been released in June 1968, Barrett had left Pink Floyd, with the band citing his erratic behaviour and use of drugs as the reason for his departure.

As the band released ‘Atom Heart Mother‘ in 1970, their gradual change of direction was becoming apparent, but they struggled to gain any genuine critical acclaim during this period. It wasn’t until the release of ‘Meddle‘ in October 1971 that the band truly began to find their feet as they moved into what became known as Progressive Rock. With all the band contributing new ideas in the studio ‘Meddle‘ showed to the world that Pink Floyd had a future, and even though reviews remained mixed, the group was well on it’s way to the sound and mind-set which would see Pink Floyd become one of the biggest bands in the world. It was undoubtedly ‘Meddle‘ which pointed the way to ‘Dark Side Of The Moon‘.

The first seeds of ‘Dark Side Of The Moon‘ were sown when the group began tentative rehersals in a studio borrowed from the Rolling Stones in Bermondsey, London. As Roger Waters would later recall, the sessions were relaxed to say the least, but despite the laidback approach, the wheels for Pink Floyd’s next studio album had been set in motion. After the foundations had been laid, the band moved on for rehersals at the Rainbow Theatre, and they subsequently took their new work out on the road before taking it into the studio.

Abbey Road studios


As with the trend set on their previous LPs, when the group began work on their new material in Abbey Road it was very much a collaborative effort. All members contributed to the desire to explore new sounds and ways of recording. The pattern of experimentation mirrored the work done by The Beatles in the same studios during their ‘Sgt.Pepper‘ sessions five years previously. As with that record, there was a collective will to try new things, to push boundaries, and to make use of everything that became available to them in the studio. The band’s plan to have a central idea running through the record also echoed the efforts of The Beatles, or more accurately Paul McCartney, while recording ‘Sgt.Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band‘. But unlike The Beatles, Pink Floyd saw the idea through, and the unified themes running throughout the album, an idea first mooted by Roger Waters in the earliest meetings regarding the new LP, make it recognised as one of the first fully realised concept records.

Recording began on the 1st of June with ‘Us and Them‘, and it soon became clear that the band were willing to try virtually anything to achieve the sound they wanted. So it was that Roger Waters used recordings of him throwing coins into a food mixing bowl on ‘Money‘, while the band and engineers spent hours getting clocks to chime in sequence while recording ‘Time‘. Use of synthesisers and other early electronic equipment also dominated the sessions, and became a prominent part of the resultant album.

After a break, they returned to the studio in January 1973 for more recording sessions. During this final period, the band enlisted the help of four female singers, Doris Troy, Lesley Duncan, Liza Strike and Barry St.John, who recorded backing vocals on ‘Brain Damage‘, ‘Eclipse‘ and ‘Time‘. Alongside Clare Torry’s improvised take on ‘The Great Gig In The Sky‘, the singers added further layers to the LP and, together with the famous harmonising and double-tracking of Richard Wright’s and Dave Glimour’s vocals, helped to give the album it’s distinctive rich quality.

Dark Side Of The Moon’s iconic status was further enhanced by the choice of sleeve, which is now one of the most recognisable covers in history. Under strict instructions from the band to produce something ’smarter’ than their previous efforts, the group’s long-term art design team Hipgnosis were again picked to work on the packaging. One of the group’s members, Storm Thorgerson, is credited with the famous Prism design, after being inspired by a photograph that he had been shown during discussions regarding the artwork. In the end, Pink Floyd were presented with seven ideas for the album’s cover, and all were immediately unanimous in picking the Prism. With the songs, production and now brilliant sleeve design all finished, ‘Dark Side Of The Moon‘ was ready to hit the shelves.

The 'classic' Pink Floyd line-up: (l-r) Nick Mason, Dave Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright

With much stronger support from their record label, ‘Dark Side Of The Moon‘ was released initially in the US and later in the UK to a much more positive response from critics and became an immediate smash hit. It went Gold in the UK shortly after it’s release, and hit the top spot in the US just over a month later. As Capitol Records continued to push the album in the US, backed by radio-edits of ‘Us and Them‘ and ‘Time‘ as well as the single ‘Money‘, which perfectly displayed the quirkiness of the album, the units continued to pile up. Famously, the album went on to spend an incredible 741 weeks on the Billboard Top 200, and is now one of the best selling of all time, with total world-wide sales estimated at over 45 million.

As the accolades continued, the four members of Pink Floyd began to feel uneasy with the runaway sales of ‘Dark Side Of The Moon‘, a mood which would be addressed on the 1975 follow-up ‘Wish You Were Here‘, and they struggled to come to terms with their sudden world-wide fame and commercial status. Later, Richard Wright would recall his thoughts on the record’s achievements:

“…the only criterion we have about releasing music is whether we like it or not. It was not a deliberate attempt to make a commercial album. It just happened that way. We knew it had a lot more melody than previous Floyd albums, and there was a concept that ran all through it. The music was easier to absorb and having girls singing away added a commercial touch that none of our records had.”

Released at the height of Glam Rock, ‘Dark Side Of The Moon‘ brought so-called Prog Rock into the mainstream and ushered in an era of huge experimentation, and ultimately over-indulgence, from a succession of bands throughout the Seventies. When the Prog Rock era is looked back on today, it’s clear one of the triumphs of ‘Dark Side Of The Moon‘ is that it stays on the right side of the line, and is able to experiment and use heavy themes without slipping into the over-blown, self-gratifying state which would later dominate Prog, and keeps in touch with the basic requirements of quality and melody. These are ideals which were quickly lost on their peers, and which would lead to the explosion of Punk Rock just four years after ‘Dark Side Of The Moon‘, when young bands rebelling against the bloated state of Prog replaced 30 minute keyboard solos with 30 minute LPs.

With ‘Dark Side Of The Moon‘, Pink Floyd achieved that very rare feat - marrying innovation and creativity in the studio with phenomenol commercial success. It’s a combination which makes this album one of the great success stories in rock history.

(Dave Smith)


Copyright 2010 http://www.live4ever.uk.com/  Reprinted By Permission

Music News & Notes

At The Gates Announce Limited Edition Live Album on CD and Vinyl

Swedish death metal pioneers At The Gates recently released "The Flames of the End", a three-disc DVD set including the band's 2008 Wacken performance, through Earache Records. Now, Earache is due to release "Purgatory Unleashed - Live at Wacken", a standalone CD and vinyl LP release of the same iconic Wacken show, on Monday, March 22nd.

The set features 18 live tracks of classic At The Gates songs from the band's legendary performance at the Wacken festival in Germany in 2008. Mixed by TUE MADSEN (VADER, WINDS OF PLAGUE), "Purgatory Unleashed" sees AT THE GATES in possibly their best form yet and bowing out at the top of their game.

The limited edition first pressing of the "Purgatory Unleashed - Live at Wacken" CD includes a free AT THE GATES woven patch, plus a free band member signature guitar plectrum, and comes housed in a special slipcase.

The album is also available on limited edition double vinyl LP, which comes housed in a gatefold sleeve and includes a free AT THE GATES poster. The vinyl version is available in the following, strictly limited colours:

Black and Green mix vinyl - 100 copies
Yellow vinyl - 200 copies
Light Blue vinyl - 300 copies
Black vinyl - 1400 copies

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U2 To Release New Remixes Album

Irish supergroup U2 have unveiled plans for a new album of remixes called ‘Artifical Horizon‘, it is due to be released on May 14th. The limited edition triple-vinyl album features 13 songs remixed by some of today's top DJs and producers, including Influx, Justice and Hot Chip. Even Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor makes an appearance with a new version of 'Vertigo.' The collector's set is similar to 1995's 'Melon: Remixes for Propaganda,' which was a fan club exclusive.The record will feature mixes of three unreleased tracks, which are ‘I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight (Live U2360 Remix)’, ‘City Of Blinding Lights (Hot Chip 2006 Remix)‘ and ‘Get On Your Boots (Fish Out Of Water Mix)‘.

Full tracklisting:

‘Elevation (Influx Mix)’
‘Fast Cars (Jacknife Lee Mix)’
‘Get On Your Boots (Fish Out Of Water Mix)’
‘Vertigo (Trent Reznor Remix)’
‘Magnificent (Falke Radio Mix)’
‘I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight (Live U2360 Remix)’
‘Beautiful Day (David Holmes Remix)’
‘Staring At The Sun (Monster Truck Remix)’
‘Happiness Is A Warm Gun (Danny Saber Mix)’
‘Get On Your Boots (Justice Remix)’
‘City Of Blinding Lights (Hot Chip 2006 Remix)’
‘If God Will Send His Angels (Grand Jury Mix)’
‘Staring At The Sun (Brothers in Rhythm Ambient Mix)’

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Ryan Adams To Release Heavy Metal Album

Alt-country singer Ryan Adams has announced plans to release a heavy metal album and end his year-long hiatus in order to issue the record this month. Adams also uploaded "Electrosnake," a taste of the forthcoming full-length LP and asked fans to vote on whether they would consider buying the LP.

He wrote: "We're going to begin pressing Orion - my most legit Metal record - on vinyl next week. Have a listen to the song below and let us know if you'd be interested in purchasing one."

Following over 70,000 votes last weekend from fans affirming that they would buy the album, Adams posted an update on his Facebook page.

He said: "Unreal, 69,567 people want a copy. That's too many, but still... It's so cool getting to figure out what the manufacture numbers are before you go to press. The future, y'all!"

Adams has released two books of poetry and short fiction during his extended break from music.

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fun. Free Download and New Single

New York based three-piece fun. are set to release their double A-side debut single ‘Walking The Dog’ / ‘Be Calm’ as a limited edition 7” vinyl, on March 29th through Friends Vs Records. These two tracks are taken from their forthcoming album 'Aim & Ignite.' 'Aim & Ignite' will be released on Hassle Records with exclusive bonus content on May 31st. Download a preview track from the album at www.hasslerecords.com/free_download/fun/ - ‘At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)’.

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GORGOROTH's 'Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt' Finally Released On Vinyl

GORGOROTH's latest album, "Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt", is now finally available on vinyl, in two different versions! The regular vinyl edition, which includes a poster, is released by Regain Records, whereas the picture disc version is released by Forces of Satan Records. Both versions are strictly limited pressings.

The regular vinyl edition should be available from all major retailers. As for the picture disc, information on how to get hold of this will be posted in due time at this location. http://www.myspace.com/forcesofsatanrecords



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Early Neil Young albums re-released on vinyl

Neil Young's first four albums, "Neil Young" (1969), "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" (1969), "After the Gold Rush" (1970) and "Harvest" (1970), have been re-released in a limited pressing.

Warner Bros. is selling them as a limited-edition box set for $150. Only 3,000 will be sold worldwide, according to a Warner Bros. Records Web site (http://neilyoungseries.warnerbrosrecords.com/), and they are pressed on 180 gram vinyl at Pallas FG/Germany, described by Warner Bros. as the world's premier record pressing plant. Each album and box are individually numbered in gold foil stamp.

Also available for the less costly $85: a gold limited-edition numbered CD box set of the four albums. Only 3,500 of those will be sold, Warner Bros. says.

This Date In Music History-March 20

Birthdays:

Jimmie Vaughan - Fabulous Thunderbirds (1949)

Carl Palmer - Emerson Lake and Palmer/Asia (1951)

Poison Ivy, (Kristy Wallace) - The Cramps (1953)

Blues singer Marcia Ball (1954)

Jimmy Seales - Shenandoah (1954)

Slim Jim Phantom - Stray Cats (1961)

Tracy Chapman (1964)

Adrian Oxxal - James (1965)

Shelly Poole - Alisha's Attic (1972)

Alex Kapranos - Franz Ferdinand (1972)

Chester Bennington - Linkin Park (1976)


They Are Missed:

Born on this day in 1937, Jerry Reed, country guitarist, (1971 US #8 single "Amos Moses"). Worked with Chet Atkins, Bobby Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Elvis Presley. He died on Sept 1, 2008.


History:

"Your Hit Parade" made its debut on radio in 1935.

Bobby Rydell made his first TV appearance, on "American Bandstand" in 1959.

In 1960, Elvis Presley started his first recordings since being discharged from the US Army. A 12 hour session in a Nashville recording studio produced his next #1 single, "Stuck On You." Scotty Moore and Bill Black, who had quit Presley's touring band in 1957, were in the studio with him for the last time.

Elvis Presley started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Surrender," his fifth #1 of the 60's. It also went to #1 in the UK. The song was based on the 1911 Italian song, "Return To Sorrento."

Ricky Nelson recorded "Hello Mary Lou" in 1961 (his father, Ozzie plays tenor guitar on the record while celebrating his 55th birthday).

In 1964, the Beatles appeared live on the UK television program Ready Steady Go! miming to "It Won't Be Long," "You Can't Do That" and "Can't Buy Me Love." They were also presented with a special award from US magazine Billboard, in recognition of The Beatles having the top three singles on the chart simultaneously.

A parade was held in London in 1965 before Martha Reeves headlined the first Motown tour of England (also featuring Stevie Wonder, the Supremes and the Temptations).

In 1968, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Richie Furay and Jim Mesina, were arrested in Los Angeles for 'being at a place where it was suspected marijuana was being used.' Clapton was later found innocent, the others payed small fines.

In 1969, John Lennon married Yoko Ono at the British Consulate Office in Gibraltar. They spent their honeymoon in Amsterdam campaigning for an international "Bed-In" for peace. They planned another "Bed-in" in the United States, but were denied entry. The couple then went to Montréal, and during a "Bed-in" at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel recorded "Give Peace a Chance." Lennon also detailed this period in The Beatles' "The Ballad of John and Yoko," recorded by Lennon and McCartney on April 14, 1969.

In 1971, at their own expense The Rolling Stones placed full page advertisements in all the UK's music papers disclaiming any connection with the release of the Decca album 'Stone Age' saying 'in our opinion the content is below the standard we try to keep.'

Also in 1971 - The Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” slipped off the Billboard album chart after a 138 week run.

Janis Joplin started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1971 with the Kris Kristofferson's "Me And Bobby McGee." Joplin died the year before on 4th October (age 27).



Ringo Starr released "Back Off, Boogaloo" in 1972.

Lou Reed was banned from appearing The London Palladium in England in 1977 because of his punk image.

T Rex played their final ever gig when they appeared at The Locarno in Portsmouth, England in 1977.

In 1980, 28 year-old Joseph Riviera held up the Asylum Records office in New York and demanded to see either Jackson Browne or The Eagles. Riviera wanted to talk to them to see if they would finance his trucking operation. He gave him-self up when told that neither act was in the office at the time.

Joan Jett And The Blackhearts started a seven week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1982 with "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." The song had been a B-side from 60's bands The Arrows.



Gloria Estefans tour bus was rammed by a tractor-trailer on the way to a concert in 1990. Emilio Estefan and their son Nayib were injured; Gloria suffered a serious back injury, which required an operation two days later.

In 1991, Eric Clapton's four year old son, Conor, fell to his death from the 53rd story of a New York City apartment after a housekeeper who was cleaning the room left a window open. The boy was in the custody of his mother, Italian actress, Lori Del Santo and the pair were visiting a friend's apartment. Clapton was staying in a nearby hotel after taking his son to the circus the previous evening. The tragedy inspired his song "Tears in Heaven."

Michael Jackson signed a $1 billion contract with Sony in 1991, the richest deal in recording history.

While on tour in Peru in 2006, Carlos Santana slams the United States' decision to wage war in Iraq. "I try to present a dimension that brings harmony and healing. My concept is the opposite of George W. Bush," says Santana. "There is more value in placing a flower in a rifle barrel than making war." That would make them hard to shoot....

In 2007, founding Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship singer-guitarist Paul Kantner was sued for trademark infringement by former band mate Grace Slick and ex-manager Bill Thompson. Kantner, who often performed with fellow Airplane/Starship member Mary Balin, used the Jefferson Starship moniker in apparent violation of a '85 settlement. Slick and Thompson let it slide until Kantner’s band crossed the line, at least according to the plaintiffs, by signing a lucrative sponsorship deal involving Microsoft.

In 2009, Smashing Pumpkins announce that drummer Jimmy Chamberlin has left the group. The departure leaves frontman Billy Corgan as the only remaining original member. "I can no longer commit all of my energy into something that I don't fully possess," Chamberlin writes online. "I won't pretend I'm into something I'm not. I won't do it to myself, you the fan or my former partner [frontman Billy Corgan]." A Pumpkins' statement says, "Corgan will continue to write and record as Smashing Pumpkins."

MICHAEL FREMER ALBUM REVIEW:

Blood, Sweat & Tears
Child is Father to the Man


Columbia/Sundazed LP 5278 180LP or Columbia Speakers Corner CS 9619 18


Produced by: John Simon
Engineered by: Fred Catero
Mixed by: Fred Catero
Mastered by: Bob Irwin (LP cut by "WG/NRP") or Maarten de Boer

Review by: Michael Fremer
2010-03-01

The first Blood, Sweat and Tears group led by Al Kooper and including his former Blues Project bandmate Steve Katz, was the sophisticated assemblage that produced but one album. This one.

It remains a stunning example of jazz-rock sophistication that has never been matched in my opinion by any of the follow-up horn bands like Chicago or Mom’s Apple Pie (just kidding) and certainly not by the David Clayton Thomas led BS&T, though that one was far more commercially successful and though it included five of the original crew that perform here, Randy Brecker left and Al Kooper was only involved on two tracks.

Some may still dig “Spinning Wheel,” the great reworking of Traffic’s “Smiling Phases,” and the rest of the second album, and I have to admit that for pop dross it’s awfully good (though the passage of time really exposes David Clayton Thomas as little more than a facile lounge singer), but if that’s where you got to know the group and are either afraid to dig further back, or wonder whether this record can possibly live up to that one, have no fear.

Everything about this production reeks of quality— from John Simon’s producer credit to Fred Catero’s engineering and the BS&T string section made up of N.Y.C.’s best ‘60s session men that included Harry Lookofsky, whose son wrote “Walk Away Renee” for his group The Left Banke. The playing is suave and the arrangements sophisticated.

The smartly chosen covers are Tim Buckley’s “Morning Glory,” Goffin-King’s “So Much Love,” Harry Nilsson’s suave and deboner “Without Her” done as a bossa-nova and Randy Newman’s “Just One Smile.” But better than the covers are the dark blues/funk originals from Kooper among which are “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know,” “My Days Are Numbered” and “I Can’t Quit Her.”

The A&R work produced a dark album. Perhaps that’s why the album is sprinkled with unnecessary “humor” that detracted some when the album was first released and detracts more now. Fortunately there’s not much of it, but it includes manic cackling behind Al Kooper’s lovely “Overture” and a “zany” “House in the Country” by Kooper that has its compositional strengths and sketch-like weaknesses.

I remember buying this album upon its initial release. I’d gone down to New York to visit friends and stopped in at Sam Goody’s. The bizarre cover got me and then I noticed it was Kooper and Katz from The Blues Project and I bit. I also bought Steppenwolf’s debut for the aluminum foil cover before I’d heard “Born to Be Wild,” and The Moody Blues’ Days of Future Past again, just because the cover looked cool and what was on the back was so damn pretentious and ambitious.

Anyway, the original “360 Sound” edition of this record sounds fantastic. It’s a high quality Columbia studio recording, with vivid harmonics, impressive transparency and dynamics, shimmering highs and tight extended bass. The soundstage is expansive and the images tightly presented.

I’m not sure it can get much better than the original given how well-pressed Columbia records were in those days, especially if you have a clean original. That said, unlike the second BS&T album this one wasn’t all that popular so I’m not sure what’s out there in the used market. There are two reissues of this. One is from Sundazed and there’s a far more expensive one from Speakers Corner. The duplication that’s currently underway between domestic and overseas pressings seems to be growing as vinyl gains popularity and it confuses the marketplace.

The Speakers Corner reissue, which uses the wrong label art is pressed at Pallas and consequently it’s quieter and better finished overall. However, the Sundazed copy I got was very well finished and reasonably quiet, but not as quiet.

On the other hand the Speakers Corner version was somewhat more hyped up at the frequency extremes and cut somewhat hotter, but not objectionably so. The Sundazed sounds somewhat closer to the original overall, so for half the price, you do the math!

Thanks to Michael over at http://www.musicangle.com  for the exclusive rights to reprint this material.


Copyright © 2008 MusicAngle.com & Michael Fremer - All rights reserved Reprinted by permission

Music News & Notes

Roadrunner's Best Cover Art

Getting back to the Roadrunner album cover art feature, MACHINE HEAD's 'The Blackening' Is One Of 'Ten Greatest Album Covers in Roadrunner History'

Since 1910 musicians have associated visual arts with their sonic output in the form of the almighty album cover. And since 1987, Roadrunner Records has been a source of some visually stunning and visually disturbing images in the wide world of album art, nevertheless honoring the tradition. Whether using an image to set the tone for what's to follow on your speakers, or as a means of branding in forever associating a picture with a title, there is no question as to the power of the album cover — which is why the label took a look at every album released on Roadrunner Records U.S. to find the greatest covers in its celebrated history.

Voted on by the Roadrunner worldwide staff, showcasing the iconic vs. the blasphemous, the painted vs. the photographed, as well as the found art vs. the commissioned art, we give you the "Ten Greatest Album Covers in Roadrunner History" — one at a time.

Check back at http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/ every day as the label counts down to number one.







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Methusalem Preview New Album


The Dutch Heavy Metal band Methusalem has set the release for their new album "Unite and Conquer" on March 26, 2010. This self-financed album will be distributed by Rock Inc.

When the band decided that it was time for a new, full-length album, they threw overboard all biases about how heavy metal should sound and listened very carefully to what producer Arno Krabman from Graveland Studios had to say about their current style. The result is an album that features a bunch of songs that are all miles apart, some more traditional, some more modern, yet all fitting perfectly into Methusalem's philosophy. That philosophy is still to rock the world with hard rock and heavy metal, but in stead of living in the past, they've now made an album that remembers the past.

The album was mastered by an international mastering professional, Darius van Helfteren, who had also previously worked with Judas Priest and the Scorpions. He gave the album that last edge that it needed to sound truly great. Finnish graphic designer Jan Yrlund was asked to create the artwork and succeeded in capturing the overall lyrical theme of the album in the cover artwork.




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Five Jimi Hendrix Albums Land In The Top 100

Valleys of Neptune, the long-awaited album of previously unavailable Jimi Hendrix studio recordings, has debuted on the Billboard 200 best-selling albums chart at #4, while four additional Hendrix catalog titles -- Are You Experienced (#44), Electric Ladyland (#60), First Rays of the New Rising Sun (#63), and Axis: Bold As Love (#67) -- have returned to the Billboard 200 four decades after their original release dates, a testimony to the enduring vitality and importance of the trailblazing artist-guitarist-performer.

A newly curated album of 12 fully realized studio cuts, more than a hour's worth of previously unheard Jimi Hendrix music, Valleys of Neptune, the centerpiece of the historic 2010 Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project, rocketed to #1 on Amazon in anticipation of its release. The album debuted at #1 at Barnes & Noble, B&N.com, Borders, J&R Music World, Newbury Comics, Fred Meyer, Easy Street (Seattle), Bull Moose; #2 at Amoeba and Music Monitor; #3 at Target and Best Buy. Approximately 20% of first week's sales have been in the digital realm.

"The consumer response to Valleys of Neptune and the Jimi Hendrix catalog has been phenomenal," said Adam Block, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Legacy Recordings. "It reminds us that his spirit still speaks to so many and inspires and motivates fans of all ages."

"It's really gratifying to know that my brother's music is still playing as vital a role in the culture today as it did when he recorded these tracks," said Janie Hendrix, CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC. "The acceptance of Valleys of Neptune and the classic catalog albums underscores the fact that his innovation and creative force are truly transcendent."

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STONE TEMPLE PILOTS: New Album Artwork Unveiled

The cover artwork for STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' first new album in nine years, due on May 25 via Atlantic Records, can be viewed below.

According to The Pulse of Radio, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS unveiled the new CD at a private listening party on February 23 in New York City. The entire band was in attendance at the event, with The Pulse of Radio's reporter on the scene saying that singer Scott Weiland "looked the best he's looked in a long time." All 12 tracks from the album were aired, with The Pulse of Radio reporter calling the record "a natural, melodic progression for STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, with BEATLES-esque harmonies, a lot of in-your-face, hard-rocking tracks, plenty of guitar solos and some astounding singing from Weiland."





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Smashing Pumpkins Set EP Release and In Store Performance

Teargarden by Kaleidyscope finds Billy Corgan and his Smashing Pumpkins releasing the 44-song project as free digital downloads. Periodically, the band will release bundles of these tracks as limited edition EPs. The first EP, Vol. 1: Songs For A Sailor", is set for release on May 25th. This very limited edition collectors EP will be packaged in a beautiful collector's silk-screened wooden box. Each box will contain a 4-song CD, a vinyl 7" and a hand-carved obelisk.

Exclusive Black Light Poster w/ Preorder! Starting April 17th (Record Store Day), fans who preorder the EP from their local indie record stores will get an exclusive black light poster!

The pre-order is exclusive to independent record stores.

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Dead Weather Set New Album Release

Antiquiet had this big news for Jack White fans: There have been a few rumors surrounding The Dead Weather's new album (some of which was spurred by Jack White himself on The Vault), but now we have what seems to be an official word on the title, release date and at least a taste of the first single. The first single will be called "Die By The Drop," and it will be released next week, March 23rd, with a b-side cut called "Old Mary."

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R.E.M Star To Take Part In Alex Chilton Tribute At SXSW 2010

The remaining members of Big Star are set to perform a musical tribute to their late bandmate Alex Chilton at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival on Saturday. The singer and guitarist passed away at a hospital in New Orleans on Wednesday, suffering from heart problems. He was 59.

Big Star, who had been booked to perform at the festival in Texas before Chilton's death, will be joined by a host of special guests. These include Mike Mills of the band R.E.M, who have spoken in the past about Chilton's impact on their music.

"It'll be just a cool way for us to all share that music Alex was part of," Big Star's Jody Stephens told Billboard.

The drummer added that he was “grateful” for the interest people have shown in the band in the days since Chilton's death. Born in Memphis, Tennessee in December 1950, Chilton originally found fame as a teenager with the Box Tops. But it was with Big Star where he became a hero for musicians around the world.

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Elton John & Leon Russell Complete New Album,

It's being reported that Elton John and Leon Russell have completed the recording of their upcoming album together and it is about to go to the mixing phase. According to songwriter Bernie Taupin's website, the album is expected to be released in the fall and will be a total of 16 tracks. Guests include Neil Young, Booker T. Jones, Brian Wilson, Robert Randolph and Jim Keltner. T-Bone Burnett is producing.

According to the site:

The trio has cut fifteen songs [now reported at sixteen] ranging from Stones like rockers, Country tinged ballads, Gospel and even a Sinatra like weepy similar to something torn from the grooves of “In the Wee Small Hours” As reported before it’s varied in scope and drenched in a rich tapestry of atmospherics. Don’t expect to hear the old EJ/BT sound; this is organic recording unlike anything you’ve heard from our duo before.

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Album Cover: Erykah Badu – ‘New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh’

Erykah Badu keeps an open mind on the cover of her fifth studio album, New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh, coming into bloom March 30. The artwork was illustrated by artist EMEK, who designed the cover for its predecessor. The soul sister will make appearances on “The Wendy Williams Show” (3/25), “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (3/30), “The Wanda Sykes Show” (4/3), and “Chelsea Lately” (4/5) to promote the album.

Oxfam shops propel new Arctic Monkeys single to success

Following the phenomenal success of 'Crying Lightning' and 'Cornerstone', the 7" and 10" of which were available exclusively through Oxfam shops, Arctic Monkeys are once again teaming up with the charity for the follow-up single 'My Propeller'.

The single marks the first time a charity has distributed a series of releases by a major artist, and reflects the changing face of music distribution over the last few years.

The limited-edition 'My Propeller' 10" goes on sale exclusively in 148 Oxfam shops across the UK on Monday 22 March. The record is the third single from the recent number one album Humbug, and features new track ‘Joining The Dots’ as well as exclusive B-sides 'The Afternoon’s Hat' and 'Don’t Forget Whose Legs You’re On'.

The 'Crying Lightning' 7" sold approximately 10,000 copies in just a few weeks, making it one of the biggest-selling vinyl singles so far this century. Sales of 'Crying Lightning' bucked the industry trend for 7" sales, which have more than halved since 2007, and currently command just a 0.4 per cent market share¹.

'Cornerstone' sold out in Oxfam shops and online in just a couple of weeks.

The 'My Propeller' 10" costs £4.99, and each single comes with a download code allowing fans to get an MP3 version of the songs for free.

Domino and Arctic Monkeys are also calling on music fans to bring any unwanted albums or singles to their local Oxfam shop to help Oxfam keep turning yesterday’s hits into vital funds for years to come.

David McCullough, Oxfam’s director of trading, said:

"The partnership with Domino and Arctic Monkeys has broken new ground for us, and we’re delighted to be continuing it.

"But 'My Propeller' isn’t the only music exclusive in Oxfam shops – every shop has its own unique stock of music. As everyone from DJs to vinyl aficionados knows, our shops are one of the best places on the high street to pick up hidden treasures."

Oxfam has an illustrious musical history spanning decades:

More than 600 Oxfam shops across the country sell second-hand music – double the total number of independent record shops in the UK².

The charity sells approximately £6 million of music every year, enough to fund its entire programme in Indonesia for a year, buy 187,000 emergency shelters, or provide safe water for eight million people.

Oxfam sells around 1.8 million CDs and records every year, all donated by the British public. The largest single donation was of 4,000 vinyl albums to an Oxfam shop in Devon in 2008.

The charity’s Oxjam festival has raised more than £1 million through 3,000 events featuring more than 36,000 musicians, including Jarvis Cocker, Fatboy Slim, and Hot Chip.

To find your nearest Oxfam shop stocking ‘My Propeller’, or to order a copy online, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/arcticmonkeys 

The Arctic Monkeys are currently on tour in the USA and Mexico, with dates running until 22 April.


¹ According to BPI figures for vinyl sales 1999-2008.

² There are 305 independent record shops in the UK, according to 2008 figures from the Entertainment Retailers Association.