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Here is the month in review of the top selling ebay vinyl record sales, on a weekly basis, for May of 2010. First and foremost, a special thank you to Norm and Jane at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com/ and Vinyl Record Talk for putting together this interesting data.
The honor of our top seller for the month of May 2010 is none other than the King himself (the REAL King), Mr. Elvis Presely with a 45 rpm of "That's All Right"/"Blue Moon Of Kentucky" (Sun 209), selling for almost $11,000.
Next up is a 45rpm record from Larry Clinton "She's Wanted"/"If I Knew" (Dynamo - stock copy) which sold for $6766.66. A classical music recording, an LP by Georges Enesco (Bach Sonatas - Continental) which came in at an even $5,500. Another high-priced 45 rpm, this one by The Lonesome Drifter ("Eager Boy"/"Tear Drop Alley") sold for a shade over $5,100.
Interestingly, 78 rpm records made the list each week, starting with a 78 rpm blues record by Mississippi John Hurt ("Avalon Blues"/"Ain't No Tellin'" - Okeh) selling for $4,740, followed by the Halfway House Orchestra ("Pussy Cat Rag"/"Barataria" - Okeh) which sold for $2,606. Next up is a foreign release Los Beatles (The Beatles) "Twist Y Gritos" (Twist And Shout)/"La Vi Parada"(I Saw Her Standing There) on Odeon Pops Argentina which sold for an even $3,500 and lastly, a 78 rpm by Charly Jordan ("Keep It Clean No 2"/"You Run And Tell Your Daddy" Vocalio which came in at a penny under $4,750.
As usual, the Beatles had several entries on the weekly lists including a 'butcher cover' "Yesterday And Today" 3rd State Mono ($3,954.85), "Sgt Pepper" Stereo UK 1st Pressing Complete ($2,797.38) as well as the aforementioned 78 rpm record.
Week Ending 05/08/2010
1. 78 - Mississippi John Hurt "Avalon Blues" / "Ain't No Tellin'" Okeh - $4,740.00
2. LP - The Beatles "Sgt Pepper" Stereo UK 1st Pressing Complete - $2,797.38
3. LP - Andre Cluytens "Ravel Complete Orchestral Works" Columbia UK Box Set - $2,789.96
4. 45 - Conner Cagle "Always Let Your Good Side Show" Sunshine - $2,500.00
5. 45 - The Cairos "Stop Overlooking Me" / "Don't Fight It" Shrine - $2,247.00
Week Ending 05/15/2010
1. LP - The Beatles "Yesterday And Today" 3rd State Mono - $3,954.85
2. 45 - Nirvana "Love Buzz" 28/1000 Sub Pop - $3,050.99
Folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott (born Elliot Charles Adnopoz) (1931)
Boz Burrell - Bad Company, King Crimson (1946)
Rick Anderson - The Tubes (1947)
Ricky Coonce - Grass Roots (1947)
Tim Bachman - Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1951) He's Randy's kid brother and eventually goes on to sell real estate in Abbotsford, British Columbia
Robert Cray (1953)
Michael Penn (1958)
Robert Buck - 10,000 Maniacs (1958)
Joe Elliott - Def Leppard (1959)
Chuck D - Public Enemy (1960)
Suzi Gardner - L7 (1960)
Coolio (Artis Ivey Jr) (1963)
Adam Duritz - Counting Crows (1964)
Nick Christian Sayer - Transvision Vamp (1964)
Charlie Kelley - Buffalo Club (1968)
Dan Donegan - Disturbed (1968)
Ashley Parker - O-Town (1981)
They Are Missed:
Singer Johnny Burnette was killed in a boating accident on Clear Lake California in 1964 (age 30). Had 1961 #8 single "Your Sixteen."
Born today in 1951, Tommy Bolin, guitarist. Joined Deep Purple in 1975, member of Zephyr and The James Gang. Bolin died of a heroin overdose on December 4, 1976.
Born on this day in 1898, Morris Stoloff, arranger (arranged film music including 'Lawrence Of Arabia'). Died 6th April 1980.
Born today in 1942, Jerry Garcia, guitar, vocals, The Grateful Dead. Garcia died from a drugs-related heart attack on August 9, 1995.
Bill Buchanan (created "break-in" records like "Flying Saucer" with partner Dickie Goodman) died of cancer in 1996.
History:
Francis Scott Key was born in 1779. He was an American composer, attorney, poet, and social worker. He was the composer of the "Star-Spangled Banner."
The "Moondog Jubilee of Stars Under the Stars" took place at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn in 1954. Acts on the bill included Fats Domino, Muddy Waters, the Clovers, the Orioles, and Little Walter.
Johnny Cash left Sun Records in 1958 and signs with Columbia Records.
Elvis Presley was named "Public Enemy #1" in 1960 by the East German newspaper Young World (four months after the left Germany with the Army).
Chubby Checker's "The Twist" was released in 1960.
Aretha Franklin made her first recordings for CBS Records in 1960.
In 1963, the first 'Beatles Monthly' was published. A magazine devoted to the group, it continued until 1969 and at its peak was selling over 350,000 copies a month.
The Beatles scored their fifth US #1 single in seven months in 1964 when "A Hard Day's Night" went to the top of the charts. The group had now spent seventeen weeks at the #1 position in this year. Also, Jan & Dean's "Little Old Lady From Pasadena" peaks at #3. The dreadful "Rag Doll" (Four Seasons) was just a notch below The Beatles on the pop chart.
In 1965, during a UK tour, The Rolling Stones appeared at the London Palladium supported by The Walker Brothers, The Fourmost, Steampacket featuring Rod Stewart and Sugar Pie Desanto with The Shevelles.
In 1966, a Chicago judge ordered the assets of Vee-Jay Records there liquidated (and the master recordings of the Four Seasons revert to the group).
The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at City Park Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana in 1968.
The three day US Atlantic City Pop Festival took place in 1969 with BB King, Janis Joplin, Santana, Joni Mitchell, Three Dog Night, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Little Richard, Dr John, Procol Harum, Arthur Brown, Little Richard and Canned Heat. Wow, would have loved to be there......
The film 'Performance' featuring Mick Jagger had its UK premiere in London in 1970.
The Concert For Bangla Desh, organized by George Harrison to aid victims of famine and war in Bangla Desh took place at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1971. Featuring Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Ravi Shankar and members from Badfinger. Harrison had to shell out his own money to maintain the fund after legal problems froze all proceeds. The triple album release (the second in a row by Harrison), hit number 1 in the UK and #2 in the US and received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
'The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour' started on prime time TV in 1971.
Keyboard player Rick Wakeman joined Yes in 1971, just as they started to record their Fragile album.
Tony Kaye quit Yes in 1971 to form Badger. He was replaced by Rick Wakeman.
The Carpenters met U.S. President Richard Nixon at the White House in 1972.
The film "American Graffiti" opened in 1973.
The book "Elvis: What Happened?" went on sale in 1977. The book was written by two of Elvis' ex-bodyguards. The tome chronicles Elvis` descent into drugs. Though the authors claim they wrote the book not for money, but to save Elvis, it`s too late. Presley only lives another two weeks
In 1981, MTV made its debut at 12:01am. The first video to be shown was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles.
Def Leppard made their US live debut in 1980 when they appeared at the New York City concert opening for AC/DC. It was also Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott's 21st birthday.
Australian singer Rick Springfield started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1981 with "Jessie's Girl." Rick had played Noah Drake in the TV show 'General Hospital.'
Bob Seger scored his first US #1 single in 1987 with "Shakedown," taken from the film 'Beverly Hills Cop II.' Glenn Frey was originally lined up to record the song for the soundtrack but he came down with laryngitis. Seger stepped in, rewrites some of the lyrics to the Harold Faltermeyer-Keith Forsey song and the rest is, as they say, history.
Los Lobos were at #1 on the US singles chart in 1987 with their version of the Ritchie Valens song "La Bamba" (also a #1 hit in the UK). The song was the title track from the film based on Ritchie Valens who died in the same plane crash the killed Buddy Holly.
Guns N` Roses' debut, "Appetite for Destruction," was released in 1987.
MTV Europe was launched in 1987, the first video played being "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits, which coincedentally contains the appropriate line "I Want My MTV."
UB40 were deported from the Seychelles in 1990 after police discovered marijuana in their hotel rooms. Ooops....
The Rolling Stones 12th North American tour kicked off in Washington DC in 1994. They also turned down an invitation from U.S. President Bill Clinton to play at the White House.
In 2000, Madonna's forthcoming single "Music" had its release date brought forward by two weeks after the track was made available as an illegal MP3 file on the Internet.
AC/DC kicked off their 140 date Stiff Upper World Lip Tour at the Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2000.
In 2002, a new book 'Show the Girl the Door' written by a former tour manager disclosed some strange demands by female acts. It revealed that Shania Twain would travel with a sniffer dog in case of bombs. Jennifer Lopez liked her dressing room to be all white, including carpets flowers and furniture. Cher would have high security rooms for her wigs. Janet Jackson would have a full medical team on standby, including a doctor nurse and throat specialist and Britney Spears would demand her favourite Gummie Bear soft sweets.
Ashlee Simpson started a five week run at #1 on the US album chart in 2004 with ‘Autobiography.’ Soulja Slim were at #1 on the US singles chart with "Slow Motion."
In 2007, Eminem’s publishing company were seeking more than $75,000 for copyright infringement and unfair competition against computer firm Apple for allegedly selling his music on iTunes without permission. Apple were paying Eminem's record label for each download - but Eight Mile Style argued it had not approved the deal.
Prince kicked off a series of 21 sold out UK shows at London's O2 arena in 2007. Tickets for the events cost £31.21 - the same figure used by the singer to name his album, website and perfume. After completing the 21 nights the Jehovah's Witness was planning to take time out to study the Bible.
AC/DC's back catalog was available for purchase in 2007 digitally through Verizon Wireless who secure an exclusive deal to sell the band's material. The albums are sold only in their entirety, except for the '80 hit "You Shook Me All Night Long," which is available as a single track.
Also in 2007, John Lennon's "granny" sunglasses were snapped up by a British collector at auction. The sunglasses, from one of the last Beatles concerts, were expected to fetch around £1m, but auction bosses refused to say what the actual figure was. Lennon gave the gold-rimmed glasses to his Japanese interpreter in Tokyo in 1966, and the translator removed the lenses when Lennon died.
"Dead Symphony No. 6," an orchestral piece inspired by the Grateful Dead's music, gets a world premiere performance by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2008. The work was composed by Lee Johnson.
Daughtry went to #1 on the US album charts in 2009 with ‘Leave This Town’, the bands second studio album.
Roger Dean: Other Wordly Art or How Avatar Ripped Him Off
Roger Dean was way ahead of his time. As an artist, he said he drew what he saw. Well, he must have seen some crazy stuff because his art has always been out of this world. I was a fan of the rock group Yes growing up and Dean’s artwork was front and center on their album covers. To get a Yes album, was not only to get the record, but to get the Roger Dean artwork. However, something has been haunting me the last few months. It had to do with the movie Avatar.
I have to be upfront about this, I did not go gaga over the movie. Visually stunning…yes. The story….no. I felt as if I had just watched Ferngully 3 or The Smurfs Updated. But there was something familiar about the visuals. I just couldn’t place it at the time.
Roger Dean was a designer at first. He designed chairs. Eventually, he made his way into art and his first album cover was The Gun’s Gun in 1968. He gained fame in the 1970s for two reasons. First he designed the famous chair in “A Clockwork Orange” and then he began designing Yes albums beginning with Fragile in 1971. It would lead to a long-enduring relationship between Dean and members of the band that exists even to this day. Dean would go on to design album art for Uriah Heep, Greenslade, and Asia. But it is Yes for which he has achieved the greatest acclaim. I remember coming home with the Relayer album and unfolding it. Staring at the exotic landscapes and rich detail of his art from what appeared to be other worlds.
This was only the beginning for me.
In the 1980s, Dean designed video game art as well. In addition, he continued his work and created more and more landscapes with organic architecture. One of his most famous works from the period is called “Floating Islands”. Dean said he was inspired by looking down from a mountain and seeing other bits of land in the clouds. It was if those bits were floating in the sky. Dean describes his process:
"Yeah, as much as any of these things are intentional. It’s like when I’m working, I try to do as little conscious manipulating and thinking about what I’m doing as I can and have it work as intuitively as possible, so I’d say that the DRAMA work was very much an intuitive approach to how to do that cover. I was very interested in having a very stormy sky; that was something I was really interested in. I was very interested in the light playing across the landscape, so there were some bits that jumped out and very stark and bright, and other bits that are very dark–black on dark grey. Yeah, there was a lot going on for me in that, and it was like cooking I guess; I put in the ingredients and stirred it up, and they came out in a way I guess that training and good luck worked together." ~ NPR radio
And then this image came to me the other day as I was going through some files…
It looks eerily similar to this….
And this…..
Looks a lot like this…
And there are many more images which share commonalities.
After doing some digging last night, my mind is not working as fast as many other people have made the connection before me including Roger Dean. I have read there is a lawsuit in the works. It appears that the world of Avatar was basically James Cameron doing his best Roger Dean impersonation. I would have preferred for him to try this landscape…
Here is a nice slideshow of his work with music by Yes and the London Philharmonic Orchestra
Gang Gang Dance Break Silence with New Latitudes EP
Combining dubstep, hip-hop, tribalism and dreamy pop, Gang Gang Dance are one of the most relevant and forward-thinking bands around. They've even got their own contemporary imitators. That's why it's so critical that they break the two-year silence since Saint Dymphnia with some new material. Fortunately, they'll do just that when they release a new EP later this summer.
Kamakaru will be limited to 1,000 hand-numbered CDs and 1,000 vinyl records (300 white, 700 black).
As part of the ongoing celebration of their 20th anniversary, Sweden’s Opeth is releasing live footage and audio from the band’s recent performance at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall. In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, and is due out September 21st.
20 years and nine records later, Opeth embarked on the “Evolution XX: An Opeth Anthology” tour, which brought the Swedish group to six of the world’s most unique venues, and now, with the release of In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, into the homes of their fans.
The release will be available as three very special configurations: a limited edition vinyl box set, 5-disc set that consists of 2-DVD and 3 CD’s and as a double-DVD set with bonus features. Full details and track listing below.
Limited Edition Vinyl Box Set:
·Double-DVD set of Opeth’s performance at the legendary Royal Albert Hall, in its entirety, including bonus features.
·A set of four 180-gram LP’s of the concert’s live audio in its entirety. The vinyl is housed in black poly lined inner sleeves which are packaged as 2 double gatefold set with exclusive artwork. Vinyl only available in this box set.
·Exclusive, numbered lithograph with artwork designed by Mikael Åkerfeldt and longtime Opeth designer, Travis Smith.
·20-page, LP sized booklet printed on coated paper stock that chronicles the night’s events in photos.
Superchunk is set to celebrate the release of their first new album in more than nine years with a concert at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University on Sept. 16, 2010.
The museum is the only North Carolina venue for the Chapel Hill-based band's national fall tour in support of their new album, "Majesty Shredding." The concert is open to the public and begins at 8:30 p.m.
The Superchunk performance, a complement to the Nasher Museum's exhibition "The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl," will take place after a 6 p.m. talk by New York-based visual artist Xaviera Simmons, whose work is part of the exhibition. "The Record" explores the culture of vinyl records through 50 years of contemporary art and features work by 41 artists from around the world who use vinyl records as subject or medium.
Gibson.com has been rolling out their Top 50 Guitar Albums list. They also launched a reader's poll to let their readers in on the action. Today they revealed the full list with Van Halen's 1978 self-titled debut topping the list.
As for the list, here is how the rest of the Top 10 came out:
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced (1967)
3. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
4. Derek and the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)
5. Guns N' Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
6. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II (1969)
7. The Allman Brothers Band, At Fillmore East (1971)
8. Cream, Disraeli Gears (1967)
9. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland (1968)
10. AC/DC, Back in Black (1980)
Bad Religion To Celebrate 30th Anniversary With Release of 15th Studio Album
Celebrating three decades of influential, thought provoking and groundbreaking punk rock, Bad Religion will release their fifteenth studio album, 'The Dissent of Man,' on September 28. Fans can preorder The Dissent of Man now at www.BadReligionStore.com. Additionally, Bad Religion will kick off a North American tour in October with support from Bouncing Souls and Off With Their Heads.
Produced by Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, Tool), The Dissent of Man finds Bad Religion pushing the boundaries of their music as much today as they did in their formative years as a genre defining punk band. The Dissent of Man is a testament to why Bad Religion has remained relevant for the better part of three decades.
AUTOPSY to release first new album in more than 10 years
West Coast gore legends, Autopsy, have completed the recording of their first tracks since officially reforming last year. 'The Tomb Within' EP was recorded in mid-July 2010 at Fantasy Studios with Adam Munoz. 'The Tomb Within' unites the original trio of Chris Reifert, Danny Coralles, and Eric Cutler, joined on bass by Joe Trevisano (ex-Abscess).
The new EP – the band’s first in over a decade - consists of five new tunes of gore and depravity, and will be released on CD and 12” vinyl on September 13th through the Peaceville Records webstore, with a general release set for later this fall. Cover art is supplied by renowned fantasy/horror artist Matt Cavotta.
The track list:
1. The Tomb Within
2. My Corpse Shall Rise
3. Seven Skulls
4. Human Genocide
5. Mutant Village
Autopsy decided to make an official comeback after working together on two songs for the special 20th anniversary edition of their debut album, Severed Survival, in late 2008. The band had originally decided to split before the release of their fourth album, Shitfun, in 1995.
The 12" vinyl edition of 'The Tomb Within' comes with a free poster of the stunning cover artwork, and is limited to just 1000 numbered copies. It can be pre-ordered at:
German extreme metallers DEATH OF DESIRE, whose recording lineup includes MAYHEM drummer Hellhammer (a.k.a. Jan Axel Blomberg), have unveiled the cover artwork for their upcoming debut album, "ANTIhuman". According to the band, "The main idea for the cover art was designed by [guitarist] Morbid and F.Z. from the black metal band KYTHRONE is the man responsible for this evil 3D composition."
Rascal Flatts Cover Art For New Album ‘Nothing Like This’29
Rascal Flatts released the new cover to their album ‘Nothing Like This’ to be released on Big Machine Records. Produced by Dann Huff, ‘Nothing Like This’ will be in stores on November 16. The first single ‘Why Wait’ is being released to country radio immediately.
Tune in to www.becausesoundmatters.com on Friday, July 30th, at 1 PM PDT to Hear Bonus Demo Recordings
BURBANK, CA--(Marketwire - 07/30/10) - Beloved Canadian pop-rock icons Tegan and Sara will release "The Official Vinyl Collection Box Set" on Warner Bros. Records on August 31st. This very special package is the definitive vinyl collection of the band's recordings, gathering five of their albums -- 2000's "This Business of Art," 2002's "If It Was You," 2004's "So Jealous," 2007's "The Con," and 2009's "Sainthood" -- on vinyl for the first time. The box set also includes an exclusive bonus record, entitled Home Recordings, which features nine demo tracks dating back to the recording of "So Jealous." Tune in to http://www.becausesoundmatters.com/ this Friday, July 30th, to sneak a listen to the "Home Recordings" bonus album.
The box set is now available for pre-order at http://www.teganandsara.com/. Those who pre-order will also receive a very limited-edition signed poster.
Tegan and Sara's current album is "Sainthood," which was released by Sire/Vapor Records in October 2009. "Sainthood" was produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla (who also produced "The Con") and Howard Redekopp (who produced 2004's So Jealous) and mixed by Grammy Award winner Dave Sardy (Oasis, Primal Scream, Marilyn Manson).
Tegan and Sara are currently on the road for The Honda Civic Tour with Paramore. They will also perform at the Lilith Fair at Boston's Comcast Center on July 30th. Don't forget to check out the 2010 Summer Tour EP, featuring six tracks from the four bands touring together on The Honda Civic Tour, including two tracks -- "Sheets" and "Back In Your Head" -- from Tegan and Sara. The EP is available on iTunes now and at Hot Topic stores, in limited quantities beginning August 10th.
As Lennon and the Fab Four impress at auction, we compare their potential for investment
In a time of great uncertainty in traditional investment markets, it's sometimes reassuring to know that some things in the collectables market will never lose their value. Whether it's an investment in collecting rare stamps, coins or even The Beatles memorabilia, collectibles won't lose you thousands overnight.
In fact, the Fab Four have been making a big impression at auction sales for over twenty years now, thanks in part to the scarcity of John Lennon collectibles, following his death in 1980.
Recent years have seen the two remaining members of The Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, announce that they would no longer be signing memorabilia, creating a scarcity of Beatles memorabilia for sale.
With this news in mind, when it comes to investing in collectibles, is John Lennon now bigger than The Beatles?
Whilst The Beatles may lead the way in album sales, with 600 million worldwide, eclipsing the figure achieved by Lennon and the other members' solo careers, when it comes to investing in memorabilia from Beatles and Lennon album covers, it's a very different story.
At Bonhams in Los Angeles in 2004, four rare Beatles worn suits from the debut album cover "Please Please Me" and the singles "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love you," went up for auction, fetching £71,350 ($110,500).
John Lennon's Talisman Necklace
In comparison, a leather collar worn by Lennon in 1968-1969 and described as his talisman came up to buy at auction in May 2008.
The piece featured on Lennon's naked body for the "Unfinished Music No1 - Two Virgins" album cover and sold to a private collector for £340,900 ($528,000) having previously sold for £117,250 ($210,347) at a Christie's auction in London in 2004.
That's an increase in value of 143.8% in just four years. Not a bad short term investment.
According to the PFC Autograph Index, The Beatles have seen big price increases for autographs in the last decade.
The value of an autograph, signed by the four members of The Beatles, has gone from £2,950 ($4,560) in 2000 to £8,500 ($13,150) in 2010, that's an increase in value of 188.1%.
In comparison, a John Lennon autograph that was worth £695 ($1,075) in 2000 is today worth £5,950 ($9,210). Anyone investing in this signed Lennon collectible would have seen an increase in the value of their investment of 756.1%.
Handwritten lyrics from both The Beatles and John Lennon have also impressed at auction. The relative privacy of McCartney has led to only a limited amount of his contributions, coming to the auction block.
In November 2006, a page of lyrics written by McCartney for the song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" sold for £124,000 ($192,000) in New York. The song was significant to collectors, given that it was one of the last ever recorded by the band.
John Lennon lyrics for A Day in the Life
More recently in the news, the lyrics to "Hey Jude" were expected to star at a Christie's auction, but were prevented from making it to the auction block, following a late intervention from McCartney, who had questioned the provenance of the piece.
Any handwritten lyrics from McCartney are hard to come by and could have huge potential for any investor.
All of this has contributed to Lennon leading the way in unique signed memorabilia.
The autographed lyrics to John Lennon's song "A Day in The Life" written for The Beatles "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band" album came up for sale at Sotheby's in New York in June 2010.
Featuring crossing outs and corrections, the piece sold for £776,500 ($1,202,500).
In terms of collecting instruments, investors may also wish to compare those collectibles relating to the Beatles, with those from Lennon himself.
A rare Gibson SG guitar used by George Harrison and John Lennon on "Revolver" and "White Album" sold for £370,000 ($567,500) at Christies in New York in 2009. In comparison, John Lennon's Steinway piano, was sold for $2,100,000 in 2000 to George Michael.
That's nearly four times the price paid for the guitar last year. Given the rise in value of John Lennon collectibles over the past decade, George Michael's $2,100,000 investment, could potentially be doubled, if he were to sell to another collector on the market, which could lead to a world record price.
The current top auction prices for Beatles and John Lennon memorabilia make for impressive reading to any potential investor.
The hand painted decorative drum, used as the centrepiece of the "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album" sold for a £710,300 ($1,100,000) in 2008, setting a world record price for Beatles memorabilia.
The painted drum from "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
In terms of John Lennon collectibles, the world record price instead belongs to the famous hand painted Rolls Royce Phantom V which sold for $2,230,000 in 1985. The car remains at a world record price for a Lennon collectible, some 25 years since its sale, if it were to come onto the market today, it could set a new record for music collectables as we know them.
These auction results clearly demonstrate the potential returns for investing in rare collectibles from both The Beatles and John Lennon. Lennon's death had an effect on both the value of his and the Beatles collectibles.
Yet while Lennon's signed memorabilia will continue to rise in value, thanks to his role in the group and the so called "James Dean" effect of his death, the market price rises for memorabilia relating to The Beatles, may have only just begun.
The next decade could see further developments, in terms of health and public appearances from the remaining members of the group.
Buying into their collectibles now may prove a good move for collectors, before more investors flock to the market looking to buy anything Beatles related and drive prices up even further, at which point a previously purchased collectible can be sold for a profit.
Furthermore, the next twenty years could see the release for auction of other hand written lyrics from Paul McCartney, who has until now kept much of his collection in private.
The Beatles once sang about "a revolution" - they could soon prove a revelation to collectors and investors alike.
In an era dominated by MP3 players and downloaded music, two music lovers are confident other fans are hungry for the real thing: vinyl, and lots of it.
Dal Basi, a longtime Tower Records music buyer, and his partner, Nich Lujan, are banking on the importance of being able to touch your music collection. They are opening an independent vinyl specialty store, Phono Select Records, in Midtown in early September.
"Digital music is so soulless," said Basi, 42. "Fast food is kind of like an MP3. You're getting what you need for the moment, but it's not something special."
Basi and Lujan both use digital audio players. But the most devoted music fans are into the entire "organic" experience: owning a collection, pulling out an album or cassette tape, putting it on, listening to the recording and checking out the art and liner notes, Lujan said.
More than half the inventory will be vinyl records — about 5,000 to 6,000 will be 33s or "long-playing" records (LPs), and about 1,000 will be two-song 45s. The store at 2312 K St. will stock almost as many CDs and a smattering of cassettes, which are seeing a revival among indie rock labels. About 70 percent of the merchandise will be used.
A lot of LPs are being reissued now. Some of those have thicker, higher-quality vinyl and better sound, making this a good time to buy records, Basi said.
The roughly 1,200-square-foot store will contain listening stations with phonographs, cassette players and CD players. The store will sell more than music. Phono Select will carry old and new posters, books, magazines, T-shirts, band buttons and pop culture curios.
The focus will be on independent music: indie pop, punk rock, metal, hip hop, reggae, world music and old, avant-garde jazz — from The Clash and Bad Brains to Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Basi said.
The store will carry local bands and small, independent labels such as Burger Records of Los Angeles, and London's B-Music and Sing Sing Records of New York.
The interior will be somewhat spare and stylized to spotlight the selective inventory.
"Record stores have the reputation for being a place where you just pack stuff in. People have to sort through the madness to find the
jewels," Lujan said. "We want the jewels to be right there when you walk in."
Basi has worked in the music business for more than 20 years. He was just 18 or 19 when he went to work for Tower Records in Stockton in 1986 or 1987. He quickly became the buyer for independent music.
"I was the kid who read all the magazines and went to the shows," he said. Basi later did a brief stint managing Tower Records on Broadway. He also worked at a music wholesaler, Valley Media, and for R5 Records, opened on Broadway by Tower founder Russ Solomon.
In that time, he's amassed a huge collection of music. Half of the store's inventory will come from that collection.
Lujan, 28, was working in computer-based graphic and print design at the Academy of Art in San Francisco until Basi called, saying he wanted to open the record store the two had talked about for the last few years.
A mutual friend introduced them because they like many of the same bands and are both open-minded enough to listen to anything at least once, they said.
Lujan and Basi, who will be the only ones staffing the store, said they want to share that same kind of experimental, collaborative, interactive experience with customers. With the store's eclectic focus and only 30 percent new inventory, they won't be able to carry everything. They hope to engage customers in conversation to find out what they like, then either find that or introduce them to someone similar they might not have heard of.
"There's so much music that flies under the radar and doesn't get promoted every day," Basi said. "That's what we want to champion."
Hours will be Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sundays noon-5 p.m.
World’s oldest record shop make its second move in 116 years, to a Cardiff arcade
THE WORLD’S oldest record store was reopening in a Victorian city centre arcade today after moving from its long-standing home.
The history of the Spillers records store in Cardiff stretches back 116 years, with some 60 of those years spent at its shop on The Hayes where members of Wales’ biggest bands have long counted themselves among its customers.
Now, one month after closing its doors at The Hayes, the shop is due to reopen for business at 11am at 31 Morgan Arcade.
It is only the iconic record shop’s third location since Henry Spiller began selling wax cylinders, gramophones and records in 1894.
The CD and vinyl stands have been scoured by the Manic Street Preachers, the Super Furry Animals, former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston, Billy Bragg, among hundreds of thousands of customers.
Produced by: Britt Daniel and Jim Eno Engineered by: Nicolas Vernhes, others Mixed by: D. Sardy, Nicolas Vernhes, Mike McCarthy, Britt Daniel Mastered by: Howie Weinberg at Masterdisk
Review by: Michael Fremer 2010-07-01
Spoon’s latest is an introspective affair that trades the group’s usual tuneful exuberance for something more contemplative. But don’t be aFreud! It’s got all of the group’s signature moves, from deep, behind the grooves beats to catchy melodies set against vast empty spaces punctuated by exclamatory soundscapes.
I don’t follow rock star personal lives anymore so I’m not sure if Mr. Daniels’ love life hit a snag last year, but there’s a feeling of betrayal and of ground shifting under feet in both the music and lyrics.
The opener, “Before Destruction” sets the uncertain tone as does the next in sequence “Is Love Forever.” It sounds as if Mr. Daniels’ world has been turned upside down. If he’s simply imagining it in an effort to get you off-kilter, he’s done a great job of it!
The song titles seem to tell the story: “Trouble Comes Running,” “Out go the Lights” and “Got Nuffin,” but the lyrics are sufficiently obtuse to set the mood while letting your imagination set the table.
The tunes alternate between carefully produced and simply laid down. The back and forth movement mirrors the lyrical shifting sands, helping to produce a package that’s conceptually tight yet ambiguously generous.
Side two’s opener “I Saw The Light” has the group flirting with Lennonesque chord changes and hard-edged guitar riffs in a tune that simultaneously evokes security and dread.
Melody takes a backseat to rhythm, the sense of a band playing live gives way to guys playing in the studio and the effort sounds like a desperate, yet liberating shedding of skin.
Recording quality is impressive in that when the group wants it to sound really good it does and when it wants the sound to be primitive/basic, it sounds that way too. There’s nothing haphazard about it and no guesswork is involved.
Not until song seven “Trouble Come Running Again” do you get the hard driving, tuneful Spoon, though others will remind you of previous efforts and the sense of Spoon continuity remains strong.
The gorgeous lullaby “Goodnight Laura” followed by “Out Go the Lights” shifts the ground to more reflection and less self-pity. With its insistent bass/guitar line and flat melodic riff “Got Nuffin” ups the beat and evokes late ‘70s pop ala The Buzzcocks, or Wire, while the closer “Nobody Gets Me But You” kicks off a Before and After Science vibe thanks to the oozy bass line.
Over the course of the eleven tunes Spoon moves you subtly from an uncertain landscape to one more rhythmically resolute and self-assured. When they’re done you simply can’t wait for the next installment.
Glen Goine, singer and guitarist with Parliament Funkadelic died from Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 1978 (age 24).
Founder member and original bassist for The Wonder Stuff, Rob Jones died in New York in 1993 (age 29).
In 2003, Sam Phillips the founder of Sun Records and studio died of respiratory failure at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. In the 1940s, Phillips worked as a DJ for Muscle Shoals, Alabama radio station WLAY. Phillips recorded what some consider to be the first rock and roll record, "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats in 1951. He discovered Elvis Presley, worked with Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Ike Turner, B.B. King and Jerry Lee Lewis.
History:
In 1954, Slim Whitman, Billy Walker, Sugarfoot Collins, Sonny Harvelle, Tinker Fry, Curly Harris and a young Elvis Presley appeared at the Hillbilly Hoedown, Overton Park Shell, in Memphis Tennessee. Elvis was so nervous he stood up on the balls of his feet and shook his leg in time with the music, when he came offstage he asked why people were yelling at him. Someone told him it was because he was shaking his leg, which with the baggy pleated pants created a wild gyrating effect in time with the music.
Brenda Lee recorded her first hit, "Jambalaya" and "Bigelow 6-500" in 1956.
Elvis Presley's "Loving You" movie opened nationwide in 1957.
The Beatles started a five week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1966 with 'Yesterday...And Today', the group's 8th #1 album.
The Troggs started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1966 with "Wild Thing."
The Beatles closed their Apple Boutique in London in 1968 after seven months of business, giving away all the stock to passers by and Apple staff.
The Ventures recorded "Hawaii Five-O" in 1968.
In 1969, the Beatles continued working on their forthcoming album 'Abbey Road,' recording overdubs on "Come Together," "Polythene Pam/She Came In Through the Bathroom Window," "You Never Give Me Your Money" and "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight." The Beatles began to assemble the "medley" that would make up side two of the album. Paul McCartney told tape operator John Kurlander to discard "Her Majesty," but Kurlander tacked it onto the end of the tape, about 20 seconds after the end of "The End." Hearing it like this, Paul decides to keep it, including the lengthy silence preceding it.
The Rolling Stones fired Allen Klein as their manager in 1970.
Led Zeppelin’s Madison Square concert was filmed in 1973. Portions appear in the band’s film, 'The Song Remains The Same.'
In 1974, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played The Troubadour in Los Angeles, California on a double bill with Roger McGuinn from The Byrds.
The Bee Gees younger brother Andy Gibb started a four-week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1977 with "I Just Wanna Be Your Everything," his first of three US #1's.
Variety magazine reported that RCA had dropped John Denver from its roster in 1986 after the release of his single, "What Are We Making Weapons For." Variety said the song upset the record company's new owner, General Electric, one of the largest defense contractors in the US.
David Bowie kicked of the North American leg of The Glass Spider Tour at the Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1987.
Steve Winwood started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1988 with "Roll With It."
In 1991, a police officer was forced to tear up a traffic ticket given to the limousine that Axl Rose was travelling in after it made an illegal turn. Rose threatened to pull that nights Guns N' Roses gig if the ticket was issued.
In 1997, a judge in Los Angeles ruled that Michael Jackson and members of his family were not liable for losses incurred by the producers of the failed 1994 Jackson Family Honors TV special. The show was delayed for several weeks because Jackson was ill and could not perform solo as expected.
In 2003, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Rush, The Guess Who, Justin Timberlake, The Flaming Lips, Sass Jordan and The Isley Brothers played a benefit concert in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to prove that the city is safe from SARS. With 450,000 spectators, it was the largest concert in Canadian history.
A new book published in 2005 to mark the 35th anniversary of the death of Jimi Hendrix claimed the guitarist pretended to be gay so he would be discharged from the army. “Room Full of Mirrors” by Charles Cross said army records showed Hendrix was discharged from the 101st Airborne Division aged 19 in 1962 for "homosexual tendencies."
In 2006, British gay magazine ‘Attitude’ listed the ‘Top 10 Gay Albums’ of all time. #1 was Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters, 2, Arrival – Abba, 3, Vauxhall and I – Morrissey, 4, Light Years - Kylie Minogue, 5, Older - George Michael, 6, Welcome To The Pleasuredome - Frankie Goes to Hollywood, 7, Erotica – Madonna, 8, I Am a Bird Now - Antony and the Johnsons, 9, Bad Girls - Donna Summer and No. 10 The Man Who Sold the World - David Bowie.
In 2009, Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher won his long battle to be recognized as co-writer of the band's hit "Whiter Shade of Pale." Law Lords ruled that Fisher, who claimed he wrote the song's organ melody, was entitled to a share of future royalties. In 2006, the High Court ruled he was entitled to 40% of the copyright, but the Court Of Appeal overturned the ruling in 2008 saying he waited too long, 38 years, to bring the case to court. "[This was] never about money," insists Fisher. "This was about making sure everyone knew about my part in the authorship." Yeah, right.....
Queen: The Unseen Archive, a collection of previously unreleased photographs taken by Peter Hince, the head of the band’s road crew in the ‘70s and ‘80s, was unveiled at London's Proud Central gallery in 2009.
PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 28, 2010 – "Paris" is the first track being released from the European Nu-Jazz group South Froggies' CD Nu Jazz Universe. Currently, the album is only available as an EP through the following online retailers: iTunes, Amazon.com, Napster and eMusic. A music video of the track was just completed and will be available in September 2010, just prior to the release of the physical CD in October.
"Paris" springs into action with a great conga solo, while the keyboards and guitar carry the harmony. There is a nice guitar solo which is then followed by a very creative guitar solo. The melodic line reminds one of jazz mixed with tropical island music. The voiceover and sound effects add the right touch to this most satisfying groove.
Nu Jazz Universe is the South Froggies' second full length album. Nu Jazz Factory was released in September 2007 with 13 tracks. The South Froggies also released two other EPs in May 2009 - South Froggies Live Collection EP with two singles "Cantaloupe Island" and River's Stream (remix), and Unpublished Works, which boasted four tracks.
Originally from the South of France, South Froggies was founded by Dee Jay Rubio (aka Jean Luc Prosperi) in 2001. One of the band's composers and originally a trumpet player, he is also the DJ on stage. Other members of the group include 23 year old William Davood on sax, and Mr Cheb (aka Christophe Guiraud), who plays guitar.
The band was born after a meeting in a bar somewhere in the French Riviera. Describing their sound, the group says that it comes from a "electronic music fused with jazz, with black groove music touch. On stage, the South Froggies perform with a variety of other instrumentalists and vocalists. The music of the South Froggies is relaxing and exhilarating, classy and cool, and the kind of music that will make you feel good about life.
"Paris" and Nu Jazz Universe can also be purchased on the South Froggies official website at
MusicDish LLC is a veteran internet company that is composed of several divisions designed to help both indie artists and business professionals expand their reach in the digital world.
Toronto’s The Flatliners have announced plans to release Monumental on September 28th, a three song release only available on vinyl and digitally. Two tracks are exclusive to the release and “Monumental” is off their latest full length titled Cavalcade. Chris Cresswell from The Flatliners had this to say about the release:
"Remember when bands used to release “singles” on 7” pieces of wax? They’d also come with B-sides from their records on them. Remember? Well since we just recently got “vinyl records” in snowy Canada, we don’t remember either…
Alas! This coming September we bring you the ‘Monumental’ single! (Applause) And of course, the lovely folks at Fat Wreck Chords are (man)handling the release. The A side will be the title track (“Monumental”) from our latest album Cavalcade, while the B-side boasts 2 songs picked up and dusted off from the Cavalcade cutting room floor that are just far too sweet to rob from you folks. And on top of all that, our very talented friend and delicious food enthusiast Richard Minino (AKA Horsebites) has whipped up some really awesome artwork for it. So get stoked, cause we’re already there."
The Flatliners have recently been tagged to tour with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and they’ll be at Riot Fest, CMJ and Fest.
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Go Rydell Signs To Black Numbers Records, Debut Vinyl Due Out Tuesday
Florida’s Go Rydell have signed to Black Numbers Records. Their debut offering, “The Golden Age,” is out now on Blue(100), White(150), and Green(250) vinyl. Go Rydell will be kicking off a month long tour with fellow Florida natives, Nightlights.
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Pretty Reckless unveil album artwork
The Pretty Reckless have unveiled the controversial artwork for their debut LP Light Me Up. The New York-based group, fronted by Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen, posted the album sleeve on their official website yesterday, a month ahead of its release. The cover shows a young blonde girl wearing a leather jacket and holding up a cigarette lighter.
The group posted underneath the image: "We wanted our fans to be the first to see - check out the album cover art for Light Me Up, out in the UK on August 30th!"
The Pretty Reckless's debut single 'Make Me Wanna Die' peaked at number 16 on the UK singles chart earlier this year. The follow-up 'Miss Nothing' is released on August 23.
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John Lennon Time Capsule Project Announced
Three time capsules are to be buried to mark what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday. Lennon would have turned 70 on October 9. The capsules will include Lennon's post-Beatles recordings, as well as contributions from fans.
They will be preserved and stored at the Rock Hall of Famein – as well as two other significant locations – until they are opened in a ceremonial presentation on October 9, 2040.
The project has been endorsed by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, who said she was “delighted” to be involved.
“I know that John's work, life and dreams will help inspire them to bring a better world for everyone. Children Power!” she added.
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Kowloon Walled City / Fight Amp / Ladder Devils Split 12″ To See Release!
Brutal Panda Records is set to release Lose/Lose/Lose, a three-way split 12″ featuring noise rock powerhouses, KOWLOON WALLED CITY, FIGHT AMP and LADDER DEVILS. The album, recorded this summer, will feature 2 brand new songs from each band. These mark the first new tracks from New Jersey’s FIGHT AMP and San Francisco’s KOWLOON WALLED CITY since their previous full lengths, both released last year. The split also features the first ever recorded tracks from Philadelphia’s LADDER DEVILS, the new band featuring members of The Minor Times.
The pressing is strictly limited to 300 copies on clear vinyl and is packaged with a special silk screened poly bag plus a 12″x16″ fold-under insert. The record will be available in early September with pre-orders available now!
DEAR JERRY:I am curious about one of my Marty Robbins albums, a 1964 release titled “R.F.D.” (Columbia CS-9020).
There is no song by that title on this LP, no reference to it in any of the tracks, and no explanation in the notes as to what it means, or stands for. All it says on the back cover is “Good things come in packages marked R.F.D.”
I have never seen a package with that marking, so can you please tell me what this is all about? —Marlene Dryden, Winston-Salem, N.C.
DEAR MARLENE: Until now, it seemingly stood for Robbins Flummoxes Dryden!
Unless you've always been a city dweller, you might have crossed paths with this initialism and not known it. RFD, normally shown without periods, is postalese for Rural Free Delivery.
The term could not be more accurate, as the service it provides is free mail delivery (and pick up) for those in rural areas.
Introduced in 1899, RFD primarily served farmers in outlying areas who could not easily get to town to conduct postal business. Then, and for a few decades to follow, their only mode of transportation was horse powered.
The arrival of the horsepower era, and automobiles, did not spell the end of RFD. Even today, those outside the city limits still receive that same free delivery, by carriers on what are simply called “rural routes.”
Though Marty's mysteriously titled “R.F.D.” album seems to have no connection, several other folks did record real RFD tunes. Spanning 63 years, here are a few (rural) free samples:
(1947) “Anyway in Texas, RFD” (Louis Prima and His Orchestra); (1950) “RFD Blues” (Jimmie Dolan); (1987) “RFD 30529” (T. Graham Brown); (2007) “RFD Home” Andy Bryner; (2008) “Mayberry RFD” Gary James Farias; and (2010) “RFD” Phil Manzanera & Quiet Sun.
“RDD 30529” is the zip code for Commerce, Georgia, about which this native Georgian sings.
The Bryner and Manzanera tracks are instrumentals.
Despite the title, “Mayberry RFD” is not about the TV sequel of that name. It is a brilliant tribute to the original Andy Griffith Show, with nearly all of the main characters lovingly referenced.
DEAR JERRY:I have found some wonderful kinescope performances online of Your Hit Parade, the popular 1950s television show.
While watching well-known recording artists singing the top hits of the week, I wondered how they handled things when one of Top 10 turned out to be by one of the Hit Parade regulars.
Considering the number of hits by Dorothy Collins; Gisele MacKenzie; June Valli; Snooky Lanson; and Russell Arms, this situation must have come up — though I find no video examples of it.
For example, when “Crying in the Chapel” was popular, did June Valli sing her own hit on the show? Someone would have to. How could it not be her? —Kelly Hunter, York, Pa.
DEAR KELLY: As for the last question, June could not because she left Your Hit Parade in June 1953, opening the door for Gisele MacKenzie to replace her. Unfortunately, “Crying in the Chapel” came out just one month later.
By September, the tune was No. 1 on Cash Box, No. 4 on Billboard, and being sung each week on Your Hit Parade by either MacKenzie; Collins; Arms; or Lanson.
Two years later, Gisele's “Hard to Get” landed in the Top 5 on all the charts, thus it qualified for the Hit Parade Lucky 7. Of course MacKenzie performed her own hit, something not done by any other artist in Hit Parade history.
Notice it is Lucky 7 (sponsor Lucky Strike picked the name) and not 10. In this half-hour program, Your Hit Parade managed to present only seven ranked songs, plus a couple of “extras,” such as seasonal, holiday, or topical tunes.
IZ ZAT SO? As a surprise tribute to Gisele, the week “Hard to Get” would have been No. 2 or 3, Hit Parade announcer Andre Baruch introduced her performance with assorted laudatory comments:
“Number one this week … the song the survey finds in first place … the top tune all over America, as determined by Your Hit Parade survey, which checks the best sellers in sheet music and phonograph records. “The song most heard on the air and most played on the automatic coin machines … an accurate and authentic tabulation of America's taste in popular music. Gisele MacKenzie sings “Hard to Get.”
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column.
Grateful Dead celebrate 40th Anniversary of Workingman's Dead with vinyl box set release
The Grateful Dead and Rhino Records have announced plans to release a 5 LP vinyl box set called 'The Warner Bros. Studio Albums.' The box set will contain 1967's The Grateful Dead, 1970's American Beauty and Workingman's Dead, plus the original mixes for 1968's Anthems of the Sun and 1969's Aoxomoxoa, which are available on vinyl for the first time in 40 years.
Hardcore Grateful Dead fans have collected these original mixes for years, especially Aoxomoxoa, which was remixed by Phil Lesh and Jerry Garcia 2 years after its release in an effort to cut through the dense mix. The alterations created an album that was vastly different in sound, making the original a highly sought collector's item.
The set will also offer detailed replicas of the original albums in hardshell cases and a book containing previously unpublished photos and liner notes by Blair Jackson. Fans who order from the Grateful Dead's official website will receive an additional exclusive, a reproduction of the rare 1968 7" single of "Dark Star" and a reproduction of the rare promotional poster from the first album.
The Warner Bros. Studio Albums runs $134.98 and is available to pre-order now. The official tracklist is as follows:
The Grateful Dead
Side One
1. “The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)”
2. “Beat It On Down The Line”
3. “Good Morning Little School Girl”
4. “Cold Rain And Snow”
5. “Sitting On Top Of The World”
6. “Cream Puff War”
Side Two
1. “Morning Dew”
2. “New, New Minglewood Blues”
3. “Viola Lee Blues”
Anthem Of The Sun
Side One
1. “That’s It For The Other One”
I. “Cryptical Envelopment”
II. “Quadlibet For Tender Feet”
III. “The Faster We Go, The Rounder We Get”
IV. “We Leave The Castle”
2. “New Potato Caboose”
3. “Born Cross-Eyed”
Side Two
1. “Alligator”
2. “Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)”
Aoxomoxoa
Side One
1. “St. Stephen”
2. “Dupree’s Diamond Blues”
3. “Rosemary”
4. “Doin’ That Rag”
5. “Mountains Of The Moon”
Side Two
1. “China Cat Sunflower”
2. “What’s Become Of The Baby”
3. “Cosmic Charlie”
Workingman’s Dead
Side One
1. “Uncle John's Band”
2. “High Time”
3. “Dire Wolf”
4. “New Speedway Boogie”
Side Two
1. “Cumberland Blues”
2. “Black Peter”
3. “Easy Wind”
4. “Casey Jones”
American Beauty
Side One
1. “Box Of Rain”
2. “Friend Of The Devil”
3. “Sugar Magnolia”
4. “Operator”
5. “Candyman” Side Two
1. “Ripple”
2. “Brokedown Palace”
3. “Till The Morning Comes”
4. “Attics Of My Life”
5. “Truckin’”
Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT will release their fourth album, "Beyond Hell/Above Heaven", in Germany on September 10 and in most parts of Europe on September 13 via Vertigo/Universal. The CD was once again recorded at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen. The cover artwork was created by illustrator Karsten Wrysand and can be viewed at the left.
Commented the band: "It's been a long process, but damn well worth it. The artwork for 'Beyond Hell/Above Heaven' is done and we're absolutely very proud of it."
"Beyond Hell/Above Heaven" track listing:
01. The Mirror And The Ripper
02. Heaven Nor Hell
03. Who They Are
04. Fallen
05. A Better Believer
06. 7 Shots
07. A New Day
08. 16 Dollars
09. A Warrior's Call
10. Magic Zone
11. Evelyn
12. Being 1
13. Thanks
VOLBEAT is "very excited" about the new material, "carrying the songs into both extreme metallic territory, punk variations and some very catchy stuff at the same time," according to a posting on the band's web site.
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Elton John And Leon Russell Announce New Album 'The Union'
It's been announced that Elton John and Leon Russell are set to release a new album,'The Union.' The LP, due out on October 25, marks the first time the performers have worked together since 1970.
Produced by Oscar and multiple-Grammy winning producer T Bone Burnett, the 16-track album features songs written by Sir Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin.
It was recored live and includes guest appearances from Neil Young, Brian Wilson, R&B organist Booker T. and a 10-piece gospel choir.
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Anberlin pushes up release date and unveils album cover art
HollywoodNews.com: Anberlin has just announced a handful of updates that fans will be super stoked about.
The first is that their new album, “Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place” will be released two weeks earlier on September 7th and their new single “Impossible” is officially on sale at iTunes and Amazon today. In addition, the band has just released the album cover art at Absolutepunk and Nate Young from the band has left a message:
What up! Nate Young from Anberlin – as you know we are gearing up for our new album release and we are so stoked for you to hear the whole thing. A few months back I stumbled upon an amazing Australian artist named, Michael Zavros. His work blew my mind, and we were able to use one of his pieces for our cover of our new album, Dark is the Way, Light is a Place. In my opinion, it’s some of the best artwork I’ve seen in years. Its a hand-drawn charcoal painting and just seem to fit perfectly with what we were feeling for these songs. We are so honored to be able to have it be apart of this album. Hope you all like it. We will also be announcing tour news very soon! Stay on the look out. See you all out on the road soon.
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BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's Debut To Be Made Available In Three Different Formats
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION — the Anglo/American rock supergroup featuring vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH, TRAPEZE), drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN), Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER) and blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa — will release its self-titled debut album in Europe on Monday, September 20 via Mascot Records and North America on Tuesday, September 21 through J&R Adventures. The CD was produced and mixed by Kevin Shirley (BLACK CROWES, AEROSMITH, LED ZEPPELIN), and mastered by the legendary Bob Ludwig. It was recorded at Shangri-La Studios in early 2010.
"Black Country Communion" will be available in the U.K. in three different formats:
** Format #1 - Limited-Edition 2-Disc CD/DVD
Featuring the 12 album tracks on CD, complete with an additional DVD jam-packed with band member interviews, exclusive studio and live images, Kevin Shirley's album production notes, "The Great Divide" music video, behind-the-scenes in-studio footage, plus live tracks as performed by BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION at Riverside, California.
** Format #2 - Single-Disc CD
Regular 1 disc CD edition
** Format #3 - Vinyl
Double-sided 12" vinyl album edition
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New Michael Jackson Album To Be Released Producer Rodney 'Darkchild' Jerkins reveals...
An album of new Michael Jackson songs is set to be released, producer Rodney 'Darkchild' Jerkins has revealed.
Jerkins said he was about to start working on the album, which will contain previously unreleased material.
He told VladTV: "It's definitely going to come, but it takes time. You got to do a lot of the red tape but there's definitely going to be an unreleased Michael Jackson [album].
“There's definitely going to be stuff to come and hopefully I'll be a part of that."
Jerkins, who worked with Jackson on his 2001 album 'Invincible', said the experience had been a “blessing”.
He added that he still missed “dearly” the singer, who died last June at the age of 50.
Jackson is understood to have been working on a new album when he died. The star's back-catalogue also contained a wealth of previously unheard material.
