Euclid Records, for over 25 years a major player in the St. Louis record and CD retail market, will be starting a new series of live in-store performances followed up by the release of limited-edition 45 rpm singles recorded in the store. Each release will be strictly limited to 300 copies, $1 for each one pressed will be donated to the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund (NOMRF) to benefit musicians displaced or suffering loss of equipment in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Steve Wynn, the legendary rock artist who led the Dream Syndicate in the 1980s, and who has since released nearly two dozen albums as a solo artist, will be the first performer participating in this series. Wynn will perform at 3 pm [November 15] in Euclid Records on the beautiful hard-wood stage built for live appearances. The performance will be recorded live, and one or two songs will be chosen by the artist to be released on the 7” single.
Each release will be in a special package with the label and matching back sleeve designed by famed graphic designer Art Chantry. Chantry is considered to be the godfather of independent rock graphics, designing posters and album art since the early 1990s. There will be unique 7 x 7” prints, signed and numbered by various graphic artists such as Art Chantry, Gary Houston, Guy Burwell, and more, suitable for framing or keeping as a front cover to the single.
The 45s will be sold exclusively through the websites of Euclid Records (www.euclidrecords.com) and NOMRF (www.nomrf.org). Pricing will vary, as individual packages will each contain unique elements such as colored vinyl, etched vinyl, or other possibilities.
Euclid Records is committed to helping rebuild the lives and livelihoods of people and musicians in New Orleans who lost so much in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This is also an effort to expose great artists to a generation which doesn’t know how much fun it is to shop in record stores. Artists will be chosen from as wide a range of musical styles and genres as are carried in Euclid Records, which is to say from just about any kind of music you can name.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Album Cover Art
Continuing our look at Gigwise.com album cover art, let's take a look at #31 on their list of the most controversial, the weirdest, best and worst album covers:
Controversial
31. Jane’s Addiction: ‘Nothing’s Shocking’ Uh, the album cover is. But, I can relate as often my head is on fire as well. Jane's Addiction was one of the first of the burgeoning alternative rock movement to gain mainstream media attention and commercial success in the United States. Their initial farewell tour launched the first Lollapalooza festival, an annual touring alternative rock showcase.
Nothing's Shocking is Jane's Addiction's first studio album. This album was released on August 23, 1988. "Jane Says" and "Pigs in Zen" had previously appeared on the band's earlier live album, in 1987. The album title is a line from the song "Ted, Just Admit It...".
This album was nominated for the 1989 Grammy Awards; the same year Jane's Addiction took a break. In 2003, the album was ranked number 309 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It is also number 19 on their list of 100 greatest album covers.
The song "Ted, Just Admit It..." is about serial killer Ted Bundy and contains spoken words by Bundy, from a statement he made.
The song "Jane Says" is about a real person, Jane Bainter. Bainter was addicted to heroin and was always "going to kick tomorrow". She did have a boyfriend named Sergio. She was a "white collar" junkie—she did not steal and was not a prostitute. She did, in fact, eventually kick the habit.
The album features guest appearances by Flea, Angelo Moore and Christopher Dowd from Fishbone.
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Weird
31. Van Halen: 'Balance' Balance is the tenth studio album by the American hard rock band Van Halen. It was released in 1995 and, to date, is the final Van Halen album featuring lead singer Sammy Hagar.
Van Halen is a hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California in 1972. They enjoyed success from the release of their self titled debut album in 1978. As of 2007 Van Halen has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide and have had the most number one hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. During the 1980's they also had more Billboard Hot 100 hits than any other hard rock, heavy metal band of the decade. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Van Halen is the 19th best selling band/artist of all time with sales of over 56 million albums in the USA and is one of five rock bands that have had two albums sell more than 10 million copies in the USA.
The cover was the brainchild of American photographer Glen Wexler whose first album cover commission was to photograph The Brothers Johnson (“Blam!” 1978), for Quincy Jones Productions and A&M Records.
Other album cover projects include, Van Halen, “Balance”, Black Sabbath, “Reunion”, Rush “Hold Your Fire”, ZZ Top, “Greatest Hits”, Missing Persons “Spring Session M”, Slaughter's “Stick It to Ya”, and Chaka Kahn, “Naughty”. Wexler also created images for Michael Jackson, KISS, Yes, Kansas, Whitesnake, Black Crows, Boston, Steve Miller Band, Peter Frampton, Bob Weir, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and many others.
Wexler created a fantasy album cover for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum exhibition “The Greatest Album Covers That Never Were,” which toured nationally 2003-2006. Wexler was invited to lecture about album cover work at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum along with designer John Van Hamersveld in June 2003.
In the fall of 2006, Wexler’s album cover artwork was featured at the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' (NARAS) “The Art Of Music” event in Los Angeles.
I just wonder why one of the Siamese twins is screaming...maybe at a splinter on her side?
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Worst
31. Any Bonkers compilation: Apparently, "Bonkers" is someone's attempt at a cartoon- I can't imagine the music is any good, but honestly- I have no clue what a Bonker is, but I can help:
Bonkers is an animated American television series that aired from September 4, 1993 to December 21, 1995 in first-run syndication (after a "preview airing" on the Disney Channel). The syndicated run was available both separately, and as part of The Disney Afternoon. The show was last seen on Toon Disney, but was taken off the schedule in late 2004. Enough said, I thought this was a series about true album cover art-we can get really technical if we started bringing in cartoon and children's records.
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Best
31. Nick Drake: ‘Pink Moon’ Pink Moon is the third and final album by British musician Nick Drake. It was recorded at midnight in 2 two-hour sessions, over two days in October 1971, featuring only Nick Drake's vocals and guitar, as well as some piano later overdubbed by Drake on the title track.
Initially, Pink Moon garnered a small amount of critical attention, but after Drake's death it received widespread public and critical acclaim. The music on Pink Moon is strikingly sparse and unadorned (especially in comparison to Drake's previous recordings), leading some to consider it to be the least accessible of his three albums, though it nevertheless continues to be thought of by many as his greatest work.
In 1999, the title track was used in "Milky Way", a successful Volkswagen Cabriolet commercial directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and lensed by Lance Acord, leading to a large increase in record sales, and a number-five placing for Pink Moon in Amazon.com's sales chart.
The cover of the album features an illustration by the partner of Drake's sister Gabrielle, Michael Trevithick, although Keith Morris was originally commissioned to take photos for the cover.
Controversial
31. Jane’s Addiction: ‘Nothing’s Shocking’ Uh, the album cover is. But, I can relate as often my head is on fire as well. Jane's Addiction was one of the first of the burgeoning alternative rock movement to gain mainstream media attention and commercial success in the United States. Their initial farewell tour launched the first Lollapalooza festival, an annual touring alternative rock showcase.
Nothing's Shocking is Jane's Addiction's first studio album. This album was released on August 23, 1988. "Jane Says" and "Pigs in Zen" had previously appeared on the band's earlier live album, in 1987. The album title is a line from the song "Ted, Just Admit It...".
This album was nominated for the 1989 Grammy Awards; the same year Jane's Addiction took a break. In 2003, the album was ranked number 309 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It is also number 19 on their list of 100 greatest album covers.
The song "Ted, Just Admit It..." is about serial killer Ted Bundy and contains spoken words by Bundy, from a statement he made.
The song "Jane Says" is about a real person, Jane Bainter. Bainter was addicted to heroin and was always "going to kick tomorrow". She did have a boyfriend named Sergio. She was a "white collar" junkie—she did not steal and was not a prostitute. She did, in fact, eventually kick the habit.
The album features guest appearances by Flea, Angelo Moore and Christopher Dowd from Fishbone.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weird
31. Van Halen: 'Balance' Balance is the tenth studio album by the American hard rock band Van Halen. It was released in 1995 and, to date, is the final Van Halen album featuring lead singer Sammy Hagar.
Van Halen is a hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California in 1972. They enjoyed success from the release of their self titled debut album in 1978. As of 2007 Van Halen has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide and have had the most number one hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. During the 1980's they also had more Billboard Hot 100 hits than any other hard rock, heavy metal band of the decade. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Van Halen is the 19th best selling band/artist of all time with sales of over 56 million albums in the USA and is one of five rock bands that have had two albums sell more than 10 million copies in the USA.
The cover was the brainchild of American photographer Glen Wexler whose first album cover commission was to photograph The Brothers Johnson (“Blam!” 1978), for Quincy Jones Productions and A&M Records.
Other album cover projects include, Van Halen, “Balance”, Black Sabbath, “Reunion”, Rush “Hold Your Fire”, ZZ Top, “Greatest Hits”, Missing Persons “Spring Session M”, Slaughter's “Stick It to Ya”, and Chaka Kahn, “Naughty”. Wexler also created images for Michael Jackson, KISS, Yes, Kansas, Whitesnake, Black Crows, Boston, Steve Miller Band, Peter Frampton, Bob Weir, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and many others.
Wexler created a fantasy album cover for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum exhibition “The Greatest Album Covers That Never Were,” which toured nationally 2003-2006. Wexler was invited to lecture about album cover work at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum along with designer John Van Hamersveld in June 2003.
In the fall of 2006, Wexler’s album cover artwork was featured at the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' (NARAS) “The Art Of Music” event in Los Angeles.
I just wonder why one of the Siamese twins is screaming...maybe at a splinter on her side?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst
31. Any Bonkers compilation: Apparently, "Bonkers" is someone's attempt at a cartoon- I can't imagine the music is any good, but honestly- I have no clue what a Bonker is, but I can help:
Bonkers is an animated American television series that aired from September 4, 1993 to December 21, 1995 in first-run syndication (after a "preview airing" on the Disney Channel). The syndicated run was available both separately, and as part of The Disney Afternoon. The show was last seen on Toon Disney, but was taken off the schedule in late 2004. Enough said, I thought this was a series about true album cover art-we can get really technical if we started bringing in cartoon and children's records.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best
31. Nick Drake: ‘Pink Moon’ Pink Moon is the third and final album by British musician Nick Drake. It was recorded at midnight in 2 two-hour sessions, over two days in October 1971, featuring only Nick Drake's vocals and guitar, as well as some piano later overdubbed by Drake on the title track.
Initially, Pink Moon garnered a small amount of critical attention, but after Drake's death it received widespread public and critical acclaim. The music on Pink Moon is strikingly sparse and unadorned (especially in comparison to Drake's previous recordings), leading some to consider it to be the least accessible of his three albums, though it nevertheless continues to be thought of by many as his greatest work.
In 1999, the title track was used in "Milky Way", a successful Volkswagen Cabriolet commercial directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and lensed by Lance Acord, leading to a large increase in record sales, and a number-five placing for Pink Moon in Amazon.com's sales chart.
The cover of the album features an illustration by the partner of Drake's sister Gabrielle, Michael Trevithick, although Keith Morris was originally commissioned to take photos for the cover.
This Date In Music History-September 28
Birthdays:
Bassist Nick St. Nicholas of Steppenwolf was born in Hamburg in 1943.
Dokken guitarist George Lynch was born in 1955.
Ben E. King ("Spanish Harlem") turns 69.
Original Iron Butterfly guitarist Danny Weis was born in Huntington Park, CA in 1948. A founding member, he left the group after their debut album, “Heavy,” was recorded.
History:
In 1970, The Johnny Otis Show – featuring such R&B luminaries as Esther Phillips, Eddie Vinson, Roy Milton, Big Joe Turner, Ivory Joe Hunter and Roy Brown – performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival. The performance was released as 'The Johnny Otis Show Live at Monterey!.'
The late Ed Sullivan was born in 1902.
In 1958, Dore Records released "To Know Him Is to Love Him" by the Teddy Bears. The #1 single launched the career of composer, singer, and arranger Phil Spector, then a tender 18 years old.
In 1963, Murray the K played his way into "fifth Beatle" status after he's handed a copy of "She Loves You." Its airing on his New York radio show was allegedly the first time the Beatles made the American airwaves.
Rock DJ Dewey Phillips died in Millington, Tennessee in 1958. The King of Memphis radio is widely considered to be the first DJ to mix records by blacks and whites on the same show. He also introduced to the world to Elvis Presley with the first spin of "That's All Right Mama."
In 1975, the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane played a free concert at San Francisco's Lindley Park, attracting 40,000 people.
Miles Davis died of AIDS in Santa Monica, California in 1991. The jazz pioneer was 65.
Janis Joplin's manager announced that she has left Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1968.
The Garth Brooks album "Ropin' the Wind" became the first country album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart in 1991.
"The Freewheelin` Bob Dylan," his second album, was released in 1963.
A song inspired by John Lennon’s son Julian, and written predominantly by Paul McCartney, the seven minute-plus ballad "Hey Jude" was the #1 song in the U.S. in 1968. It has a nine-week run at the top becoming The Beatles best selling single.
John Lennon recorded his blistering "Cold Turkey" in 1969. He had a pretty impressive backing band - guitarist Eric Clapton, fellow Beatle Ringo Starr on drums and Manfred Mann bassist (and friend from The Beatles Hamburg days) Klaus Voorman. Yoko is in there as well. Lennon originally presented the song his fellow Beatles for inclusion on "Abbey Road" but they passed on it.
Eric Burdon provides the talking/singing ad-libs and War serves up the groove for "Spill The Wine." It went gold in 1970.
In 1979, Jimmy McCulloch, guitarist with Thunderclap Newman and Wings, was found dead in London after suffering heart failure. He was 26.
In 1974, Canadian singer Andy Kim went to #1 on the Billboard singles chart with "Rock Me Gently", his only US chart topper. The record was also a hit in the UK, reaching #2. Along with his recording career, Kim was also a successful composer and was the co-writer of The Archies' "Sugar Sugar".
Bassist Nick St. Nicholas of Steppenwolf was born in Hamburg in 1943.
Dokken guitarist George Lynch was born in 1955.
Ben E. King ("Spanish Harlem") turns 69.
Original Iron Butterfly guitarist Danny Weis was born in Huntington Park, CA in 1948. A founding member, he left the group after their debut album, “Heavy,” was recorded.
History:
In 1970, The Johnny Otis Show – featuring such R&B luminaries as Esther Phillips, Eddie Vinson, Roy Milton, Big Joe Turner, Ivory Joe Hunter and Roy Brown – performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival. The performance was released as 'The Johnny Otis Show Live at Monterey!.'
The late Ed Sullivan was born in 1902.
In 1958, Dore Records released "To Know Him Is to Love Him" by the Teddy Bears. The #1 single launched the career of composer, singer, and arranger Phil Spector, then a tender 18 years old.
In 1963, Murray the K played his way into "fifth Beatle" status after he's handed a copy of "She Loves You." Its airing on his New York radio show was allegedly the first time the Beatles made the American airwaves.
Rock DJ Dewey Phillips died in Millington, Tennessee in 1958. The King of Memphis radio is widely considered to be the first DJ to mix records by blacks and whites on the same show. He also introduced to the world to Elvis Presley with the first spin of "That's All Right Mama."
In 1975, the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane played a free concert at San Francisco's Lindley Park, attracting 40,000 people.
Miles Davis died of AIDS in Santa Monica, California in 1991. The jazz pioneer was 65.
Janis Joplin's manager announced that she has left Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1968.
The Garth Brooks album "Ropin' the Wind" became the first country album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart in 1991.
"The Freewheelin` Bob Dylan," his second album, was released in 1963.
A song inspired by John Lennon’s son Julian, and written predominantly by Paul McCartney, the seven minute-plus ballad "Hey Jude" was the #1 song in the U.S. in 1968. It has a nine-week run at the top becoming The Beatles best selling single.
John Lennon recorded his blistering "Cold Turkey" in 1969. He had a pretty impressive backing band - guitarist Eric Clapton, fellow Beatle Ringo Starr on drums and Manfred Mann bassist (and friend from The Beatles Hamburg days) Klaus Voorman. Yoko is in there as well. Lennon originally presented the song his fellow Beatles for inclusion on "Abbey Road" but they passed on it.
Eric Burdon provides the talking/singing ad-libs and War serves up the groove for "Spill The Wine." It went gold in 1970.
In 1979, Jimmy McCulloch, guitarist with Thunderclap Newman and Wings, was found dead in London after suffering heart failure. He was 26.
In 1974, Canadian singer Andy Kim went to #1 on the Billboard singles chart with "Rock Me Gently", his only US chart topper. The record was also a hit in the UK, reaching #2. Along with his recording career, Kim was also a successful composer and was the co-writer of The Archies' "Sugar Sugar".