ZZ Top - Cheap Sunglasses 1980
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne
I am continuing our new feature: Ask "Mr. Music." Now in its 23rd year of syndication (1986-2008), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will be a regular post every Wednesday from now on. Be sure to stop by Jerry's site (www.jerryosborne.com) for more Mr. Music archives, record price guides, anything Elvis, buy & sell collectibles, record appraisals and much more. I thank Jerry for allowing the reprints.
FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 15, 2009
DEAR JERRY: There were two popular songs in the mid-'70s, both about a woman with two men in her life, and not wanting to give up either one.
One of these is “Torn Between Two Lovers,” by Mary MacGregor, which virtually everyone knows.
It is the other one that has eluded me for about 30 years.
I can't find this recording because I don't know the singer or the title, which I hope you can provide.
However, I vividly recall the storyline because I have been in a similar romantic triangle.
This girl has one man who would give the world to be with her, and treats her like a queen. She has another who “uses her and abuses her,” and is someone with whom there is no future.
Instead of doing the smart thing — dumping the bum and sticking with the good guy — she can't seem to tear herself away from the loser. She even tells the nice one he “deserves someone who is free to give it all,” which she isn't willing to do.
One of the memorable things about the song is the clever use of rainy metaphors to describe her dilemma. One such reference is about being safely under the umbrella of the good guy instead of out in the rain with the other fellow.
I once thought the singer to be Connie Francis, but this song doesn't seem to be among her recordings.
Perhaps you can end this lengthy exercise in futility.
—Meredith Raines, Portsmouth, Ohio
DEAR MEREDITH: Let's put an end to the futility.
You have the first half of this singer's name right. She is the very lovely Connie Eaton, who made the record you can't forget.
The title is “If I Knew Enough to Come Out of the Rain” (ABC 12098), and, as you mention, the weather metaphors Connie uses are brilliant.
Be assured you are not the only one whose life has imitated art in this regard. Countless others also relate to Connie's tuneful predicament — which kicks off with an admission to what psychologists and meteorologists might call precipitative masochism:
“Maybe I'm just crazy
For it's something I that I just can't explain
Don't know what else I can tell you
Maybe I just like walking in the rain”
DEAR JERRY: I enjoy hearing the golden oldies on radio and watching the doo-wop shows on TV.
But for some reason none of them ever include two of my favorite songs: “Lonely Winds” and “She Say.” I can't figure out why this is.
Could it be because they are both by one-hit wonders? Who did record them?
—Don Wakefield, Wrightsville, Pa.
DEAR DON: Both “Lonely Winds” and “She Say (Oom Dooby Doom)” are by groups with many hits to their credit, meaning there must be some other reason you don't hear these records.
You might try requesting them, since many oldies stations like to know what listeners want to hear.
As for the group names, “Lonely Winds” is a Top 60 hit (1960) for the Drifters, and “She Say”(Oom Dooby Doom),” by the Diamonds, reached the Top 20 (1959).
IZ ZAT SO? While hit makers like the Drifters and Diamonds are far from one-hit wonder status, let us review some examples that truly define the term.
Through four decades of music (1950 through 1989), these nine recording artists had the nation's No. 1 hit, yet never again did any of them even appear in the Top 100:
1950: Anton Karas (“The Third Man Theme”); 1952: Johnny Standley (“It's in the Book”); 1955: Joan Weber (“Let Me Go Lover”); 1958: Laurie London (“He's Got the Whole World in His Hands”); 1960: Hollywood Argyles (“Alley Oop”); 1969: Zager & Evans (“In the Year 2525”); 1979: M (“Pop Muzik”); 1982: Vangelis (“Chariots of Fire - Title”); 1985: Jan Hammer (“Miami Vice Theme”).
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
-----------------------------------------------
"Rockin Records" is now on sale- call with the code "CVR" and receive $6 off your purchase
http://www.jerryosborne.com/
Toll-Free: (800) 246-3255
Jerry Osborne's "Rockin' Records" has long been the most popular record guide. Now with 1,104 pages, it is by far the biggest record guide we've ever made. It is regarded throughout the industry as the best available guide, and it is the one accepted by all the major insurance companies.
Call today with the code "CVR" to receive your discount!
FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 15, 2009
DEAR JERRY: There were two popular songs in the mid-'70s, both about a woman with two men in her life, and not wanting to give up either one.
One of these is “Torn Between Two Lovers,” by Mary MacGregor, which virtually everyone knows.
It is the other one that has eluded me for about 30 years.
I can't find this recording because I don't know the singer or the title, which I hope you can provide.
However, I vividly recall the storyline because I have been in a similar romantic triangle.
This girl has one man who would give the world to be with her, and treats her like a queen. She has another who “uses her and abuses her,” and is someone with whom there is no future.
Instead of doing the smart thing — dumping the bum and sticking with the good guy — she can't seem to tear herself away from the loser. She even tells the nice one he “deserves someone who is free to give it all,” which she isn't willing to do.
One of the memorable things about the song is the clever use of rainy metaphors to describe her dilemma. One such reference is about being safely under the umbrella of the good guy instead of out in the rain with the other fellow.
I once thought the singer to be Connie Francis, but this song doesn't seem to be among her recordings.
Perhaps you can end this lengthy exercise in futility.
—Meredith Raines, Portsmouth, Ohio
DEAR MEREDITH: Let's put an end to the futility.
You have the first half of this singer's name right. She is the very lovely Connie Eaton, who made the record you can't forget.
The title is “If I Knew Enough to Come Out of the Rain” (ABC 12098), and, as you mention, the weather metaphors Connie uses are brilliant.
Be assured you are not the only one whose life has imitated art in this regard. Countless others also relate to Connie's tuneful predicament — which kicks off with an admission to what psychologists and meteorologists might call precipitative masochism:
“Maybe I'm just crazy
For it's something I that I just can't explain
Don't know what else I can tell you
Maybe I just like walking in the rain”
DEAR JERRY: I enjoy hearing the golden oldies on radio and watching the doo-wop shows on TV.
But for some reason none of them ever include two of my favorite songs: “Lonely Winds” and “She Say.” I can't figure out why this is.
Could it be because they are both by one-hit wonders? Who did record them?
—Don Wakefield, Wrightsville, Pa.
DEAR DON: Both “Lonely Winds” and “She Say (Oom Dooby Doom)” are by groups with many hits to their credit, meaning there must be some other reason you don't hear these records.
You might try requesting them, since many oldies stations like to know what listeners want to hear.
As for the group names, “Lonely Winds” is a Top 60 hit (1960) for the Drifters, and “She Say”(Oom Dooby Doom),” by the Diamonds, reached the Top 20 (1959).
IZ ZAT SO? While hit makers like the Drifters and Diamonds are far from one-hit wonder status, let us review some examples that truly define the term.
Through four decades of music (1950 through 1989), these nine recording artists had the nation's No. 1 hit, yet never again did any of them even appear in the Top 100:
1950: Anton Karas (“The Third Man Theme”); 1952: Johnny Standley (“It's in the Book”); 1955: Joan Weber (“Let Me Go Lover”); 1958: Laurie London (“He's Got the Whole World in His Hands”); 1960: Hollywood Argyles (“Alley Oop”); 1969: Zager & Evans (“In the Year 2525”); 1979: M (“Pop Muzik”); 1982: Vangelis (“Chariots of Fire - Title”); 1985: Jan Hammer (“Miami Vice Theme”).
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
-----------------------------------------------
"Rockin Records" is now on sale- call with the code "CVR" and receive $6 off your purchase
http://www.jerryosborne.com/
Toll-Free: (800) 246-3255
Jerry Osborne's "Rockin' Records" has long been the most popular record guide. Now with 1,104 pages, it is by far the biggest record guide we've ever made. It is regarded throughout the industry as the best available guide, and it is the one accepted by all the major insurance companies.
Call today with the code "CVR" to receive your discount!
Music News & Notes
Beatles, Nirvana Memorabilia Raises Thousands At Auction
An auction of memorabilia belonging to the likes of The Beatles and Nirvana has raised thousands of dollars in New York.
A souvenir poster of The Beatles 'Sgt Pepper...' album was the most popular item, raising $52,500.
One of the late Kurt Cobain's bass guitars raised $43,750, while handwritten lyrics by Bob Dylan fetched $25,000.
More than 300 pieces of music memorabilia went under the hammer at Christie's, raising a total of $650,000.
But only around 70% of all items sold, as the auction industry continues to feel the effects of the tough economic climate.
================================
Sunny Day Real Estate Reunion Tour, Reissues Scheduled
Following a more than 10 year hiatus, all four original members of pioneering Seattle rock band Sunny Day Real Estate will regroup for a 20-date US tour starting September 17th, 2009. In addition, Sub Pop Records will re-issue both "Diary" and the band's second full-length album, commonly known as "LP2" (or "The Pink Album" for its entirely pink cover). Both re-mastered albums will include rare bonus tracks as well as newly written liner notes and will be released on both CD and LP September 15, 2009, just prior to the start of the tour.
Originally formed in Seattle in 1992, Sunny Day Real Estate featured Nate Mendel (bass), William Goldsmith (drums), Dan Hoerner (guitar,vocals) and Jeremy Enigk (vocals, guitar). "Diary," the band's first full-length album, was released in 1994 on Sub Pop, going on to become the seventh-best selling record in the label's history with more than 231,000 copies scanned in the US alone. "Diary" was recorded at Chicago's Idful Studios with producer Brad Wood and released to critical acclaim. Following the completion of a US Tour to support the debut release, the group headed back into the studio with Wood to record the follow-up.
But during the recording sessions, internal tensions splintered Sunny Day Real Estate, resulting in a sudden break-up and the finished album being turned in to Sub Pop without a title or artwork. LP2 was released in November 1995, by which time both Goldsmith and Mendel had joined Foo Fighters and Enigk had begun a solo career. Without Mendel, Sunny Day Real Estate reunited in 1997 and released two more studio albums (the 1998 Sub Pop release "How It Feels to Be Something On" and in 2000 "The Rising Tide on Time Bomb") before disbanding again in 2001. Sunny Day Real Estate's influence has grown exponentially since the band's initial split.
================================
Heart Recording New Album
Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart have said that they have been in and out of the studio for the last few months recording their follow-up to 2004's Jupiter's Darling. Nancy told Billboard magazine "We've got about eight songs that we really like, and we've recorded three basic (tracks) that work so far. I know it will be out this coming year, but I can't give you any more specific time frame than that.
"We're recording with just a real woodshed, small acoustic element, people playing together at the same time and (in) the same room -- like what they used to call a hootenanny."
================================
Rolling Stone Readers Pick Hey Jude as McCartney's Greatest Song
To celebrate Paul McCartney's 67th birthday, Rolling Stone asked its readers to pick their favorite song written by the former Beatle.
A number of interesting things came out of the list, even though the list was meant to celebrate the anniversary of his birth, the song "Birthday" didn't make the top 15. "Yesterday," which is the most recorded song in music history, came in only tenth. The breakdown on the tracks was nine from the Beatles and six from McCartney's solo career.
The Rolling Stone reader's picks:
•Hey Jude
•Penny Lane
•Maybe I’m Amazed
•Helter Skelter
•Oh! Darling
•Live and Let Die
•Eleanor Rigby
•I Will
•Jet
•Yesterday
•Let It Be
•Let Me Roll It
•Band on the Run
•Too Many People
•For No One
================================
Arctic Monkeys - new album & 2009 tour dates
Arctic Monkeys are poised to release their third album "Humbug" on Tuesday, August 25th, 2009.
Produced by Josh Homme in the Mojave Desert and Los Angeles and James Ford in Brooklyn, Humbug features 10 brand new Arctic Monkeys' songs. Fans can now pre-order the album in bundle form, with a collectible, limited edition poster, from the band's website.
The band, who will be headlining the Reading and Leeds Festivals in the UK in August and playing the following shows over the summer, have announced 4 new shows in the US in August."
Arctic Monkeys - 2009 Tour Dates
Saturday, August 1st All Points West, Liberty State Park, New Jersey
Sunday, August 2nd Osheaga Festival, Montreal, Canada
Monday, August 3rd Highline, New York, NY*
Wednesday, August 5th Paradise, Boston, MA*
Friday, August 7th Metro, Chicago, IL*
Saturday, August 8th Lollapalooza, Chicago, IL*
Friday, August 28th Leeds Festival, England
Saturday, August 29th Reading Festival, England
October 2-4 Austin City Limits, Austin, TX
An auction of memorabilia belonging to the likes of The Beatles and Nirvana has raised thousands of dollars in New York.
A souvenir poster of The Beatles 'Sgt Pepper...' album was the most popular item, raising $52,500.
One of the late Kurt Cobain's bass guitars raised $43,750, while handwritten lyrics by Bob Dylan fetched $25,000.
More than 300 pieces of music memorabilia went under the hammer at Christie's, raising a total of $650,000.
But only around 70% of all items sold, as the auction industry continues to feel the effects of the tough economic climate.
================================
Sunny Day Real Estate Reunion Tour, Reissues Scheduled
Following a more than 10 year hiatus, all four original members of pioneering Seattle rock band Sunny Day Real Estate will regroup for a 20-date US tour starting September 17th, 2009. In addition, Sub Pop Records will re-issue both "Diary" and the band's second full-length album, commonly known as "LP2" (or "The Pink Album" for its entirely pink cover). Both re-mastered albums will include rare bonus tracks as well as newly written liner notes and will be released on both CD and LP September 15, 2009, just prior to the start of the tour.
Originally formed in Seattle in 1992, Sunny Day Real Estate featured Nate Mendel (bass), William Goldsmith (drums), Dan Hoerner (guitar,vocals) and Jeremy Enigk (vocals, guitar). "Diary," the band's first full-length album, was released in 1994 on Sub Pop, going on to become the seventh-best selling record in the label's history with more than 231,000 copies scanned in the US alone. "Diary" was recorded at Chicago's Idful Studios with producer Brad Wood and released to critical acclaim. Following the completion of a US Tour to support the debut release, the group headed back into the studio with Wood to record the follow-up.
But during the recording sessions, internal tensions splintered Sunny Day Real Estate, resulting in a sudden break-up and the finished album being turned in to Sub Pop without a title or artwork. LP2 was released in November 1995, by which time both Goldsmith and Mendel had joined Foo Fighters and Enigk had begun a solo career. Without Mendel, Sunny Day Real Estate reunited in 1997 and released two more studio albums (the 1998 Sub Pop release "How It Feels to Be Something On" and in 2000 "The Rising Tide on Time Bomb") before disbanding again in 2001. Sunny Day Real Estate's influence has grown exponentially since the band's initial split.
================================
Heart Recording New Album
Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart have said that they have been in and out of the studio for the last few months recording their follow-up to 2004's Jupiter's Darling. Nancy told Billboard magazine "We've got about eight songs that we really like, and we've recorded three basic (tracks) that work so far. I know it will be out this coming year, but I can't give you any more specific time frame than that.
"We're recording with just a real woodshed, small acoustic element, people playing together at the same time and (in) the same room -- like what they used to call a hootenanny."
================================
Rolling Stone Readers Pick Hey Jude as McCartney's Greatest Song
To celebrate Paul McCartney's 67th birthday, Rolling Stone asked its readers to pick their favorite song written by the former Beatle.
A number of interesting things came out of the list, even though the list was meant to celebrate the anniversary of his birth, the song "Birthday" didn't make the top 15. "Yesterday," which is the most recorded song in music history, came in only tenth. The breakdown on the tracks was nine from the Beatles and six from McCartney's solo career.
The Rolling Stone reader's picks:
•Hey Jude
•Penny Lane
•Maybe I’m Amazed
•Helter Skelter
•Oh! Darling
•Live and Let Die
•Eleanor Rigby
•I Will
•Jet
•Yesterday
•Let It Be
•Let Me Roll It
•Band on the Run
•Too Many People
•For No One
================================
Arctic Monkeys - new album & 2009 tour dates
Arctic Monkeys are poised to release their third album "Humbug" on Tuesday, August 25th, 2009.
Produced by Josh Homme in the Mojave Desert and Los Angeles and James Ford in Brooklyn, Humbug features 10 brand new Arctic Monkeys' songs. Fans can now pre-order the album in bundle form, with a collectible, limited edition poster, from the band's website.
The band, who will be headlining the Reading and Leeds Festivals in the UK in August and playing the following shows over the summer, have announced 4 new shows in the US in August."
Arctic Monkeys - 2009 Tour Dates
Saturday, August 1st All Points West, Liberty State Park, New Jersey
Sunday, August 2nd Osheaga Festival, Montreal, Canada
Monday, August 3rd Highline, New York, NY*
Wednesday, August 5th Paradise, Boston, MA*
Friday, August 7th Metro, Chicago, IL*
Saturday, August 8th Lollapalooza, Chicago, IL*
Friday, August 28th Leeds Festival, England
Saturday, August 29th Reading Festival, England
October 2-4 Austin City Limits, Austin, TX
'Void' LP player spins records in midair like musical UFOs
Inspired by the Vinyl Killer, which is currently the smallest record player in the world, Korean designer Rhea Jeong's "Void" LP player would have records spinning in midair above it.
Here's the plan, according to Designboom, who Jeong sent the design to:
The record player uses a carrier and dock outfitted with a magnetic and auto-calibrating control system which carries the LP into thin air as it is playing music. A self-running record player shaped in the form of a red sphere, contains a needle, amplifier and speaker, spins around the record, bringing the music to life.
There's even a control on the player's base to control how high the record spins.
What the heck? Looks a bit weird to me, someone with this type of talent should be designing things that can be useful, although it's still pretty unusual.
Suburban Home announces 14th Anniversary Celebrations
This from Virgil Dickerson of Suburban Home Records:
That’s right, Suburban Home turns 14 in September. As we have in recent years, we plan to throw a weekend of festivities that will be sure to leave your ears happy and your liver sad. Unlike some Anniversaries, this is not just another year. Our entire history at Suburban Home has seen its share of ups and downs. We have suffered through declining CD sales, experienced renewed interest in vinyl, and feel throughout all of this that we have been putting out the best records we have ever released. As other labels have been shutting their doors, we continue to eek by. This anniversary finds us celebrating much like I imagine an terminal patient might celebrate another birthday. Who knows how many years we have left? It’s not worth worrying about, instead we are excited to celebrate another beautiful year.
Mark the following dates on your calendar:
Thursday, September 10th – Suburban Home Anniversary warm-up show (either in Ft Collins or Colorado Springs)
Friday, September 11th – Suburban Home 14th Anniversary show #1 at 3 Kings Tavern
Saturday, September 12th – Daytime- Garage Sale/Flea Market, Nighttime- Suburban Home 14th Anniversary show #2 at 3 Kings Tavern
Sunday, September 13th – Suburban Home 14th Anniversary BBQ and Washers Tournament at Wash Park
So far, the following Suburban Home artists have committed to performing: Joey Cape, Jon Snodgrass, Chad Price, maybe Drag the River, Austin Lucas, Two Cow Garage, Mike Hale, Jr. Juggernaut, The Takers, and the Revenge.
We are still awaiting final confirmations from: Look Mexico, Tim Barry, Josh Small, In the Red, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, and Ninja Gun. And we are working on a few surprise performers that are a part of the extended Suburban Home family. Stay tuned, it should be one hell of a party.
I am working on a deal at the Towne Place Suites Hotel on 6th and Broadway for people coming in from out of town. I am also working on a few brewery tours, and other fun things to do for people that are new to our fine city. Just mark the dates on your calendar and start pricing out flights!
Virgil Dickerson- In The News
Q&A: Virgil Dickerson of Suburban Home Records and Vinyl Collective
Virgil Dickerson is a busy dude. When he’s not running his indie label Suburban Home out of his Denver, Colorado office, he’s busy overseeing Vinyl Collective, the distro and online store he launched three years ago that specializes in — you guessed it — vinyl. And somewhere in between all that he also manages to make time for a wife and kid. Specializing in alt-country and tuneful punk rock, Suburban Home has released records from Drag the River, Useless I.D. and Tim Barry, lead singer of Avail. The label even has a Drunk Dial Hotline, a voicemail line that inebriated bands — and fans — are encouraged to call when they’ve had too much to drink, the highlights of which are posted on the labl’s website. We chatted with Dickerson about his two businesses, harnessing social media and the death of the label sampler.
Your label is named after a Descendents song, were they your entree to punk rock?
They weren’t my first experience with punk rock. I went to college in Boulder at C.U. in ‘93, and I was a big hip-hop guy leading up to that and never really latched on to too much rock. But the first bands I got exposed to were Screeching Weasel, Green Day and Operation Ivy. And that blew my mind. It opened me up to a whole other world that I knew nothing about. Shortly thereafter, I started thinking about doing a fanzine, and the name came up because of the Descendents song, who I became a big fan of. We were going to call the zine Suburban Homes and Gardens, but for whatever reason we decided to just make it Suburban Home. And that started in September of ‘95.
And when did you put out your first record?
Read the rest of the interview here:
www.yuppiepunk.org