This Date In Music History-August 7

Birthdays:

Country/pop singer B.J. Thomas ("Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head") was born in Houston in 1942.

Kerry Chater - Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (1945)

Carlo Novi - Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (1949)

Born on this day in 1950, Rodney Crowell, country guitarist, songwriter, worked with Emmylou Harris, acts that covered his songs include Bob Seger, Willie Nelson & Carlene Carter.

Born on this day in 1952, Andy Fraser - John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Joined Free when he was aged 16.

Bruce Dickinson - Iron Maiden (1958)

Jacqui O'Sullivan – Bananarama (1960)

Ian DenchEMF (1964)

Raul Malo - The Mavericks (1965)

Kristin Hersh - Throwing Muses (1966)

Herb Reed of the Platters ("My Prayer") turns 78.


They Are Missed:

American soul singer Esther Phillips died from liver and kidney failure in Carson, California in 1984, at the age of 48.

Harmonica player Larry Adler died in 2001 (age 87). Known for his original collaborations with George Gershwin, Kate Bush, Sting and Vaughan Williams and his own virtuoso performances

Born on this day in 1925, Felice Bryant, songwriter with her husband Boudleaux. Wrote Everly Brothers hits, 'All I Have To Do Is Dream', 'Bye Bye Love', 'Wake Up Little Susie' and 'Raining In My Heart' a hit for Buddy Holly. (Died April 22, 2003)


History:

Today in 1954, the song "Sh-Boom" by the Crew-Cuts topped the charts and stayed there for 9 weeks.

Tonight on TV in 1955, Ed Sullivan played host to Bill Haley & the Comets, bringing rock 'n' roll to the masses with their "Rock Around the Clock."



The Quarry Men played at the Cavern Club in Liverpool in 1957, (without Paul McCartney who was away at Boy Scout summer camp). The Cavern was still a jazz club, but skiffle was tolerated, but when John Lennon dared to play ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, the club owner sent a note to the stage saying, "Cut out the bloody rock!"

The movie "Beach Party", with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, opened in 1963.

In 1964, Time magazine panned A Hard Day`s Night saying the public should "avoid this film at all costs." Later, critics call The Beatles' film the best Rock 'n' Roll movie of all-time.

Herman's Hermits went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1965 with “I'm Henry VIII I Am.” The single was only released in the US. Singer Peter Noone once interviewed Elvis Presley for UK music paper New Musical Express.



Christine McVie joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970.

In 1971, At Los Angeles' Pauley Pavilion, Frank Zappa & the Mothers played the gig that became their album Just Another Band from L.A. It's their last album with ex-Turtles Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, who leave the band to become Flo & Eddie.

The Bee Gees started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1971 with “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart.” It was the group's tenth US hit and first #1.

Elton John and Kiki Dee were at #1 on the US singles chart in 1976 with 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart', giving Elton his sixth US #1. It was written by Elton John without Bernie Taupin under the pseudonym "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche."

In 1982, 'Mirage' became the third #1 album of the Buckingham-Nicks era of Fleetwood Mac. Their first studio album since 1979, it yielded three hit singles: "Hold Me" (#4), "Gypsy" (#12) and "Love in Store" (#22).

In 1987 a Los Angeles judge threw out a lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne. The lawsuit had been filed by the parents of a teenager who had committed suicide while listening to Ozzy's song, "Suicide Solution."

Cypress Hill started a two-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1993 with “Black Sunday.”

Garth Brooks played to the largest crowd ever in New York's Central Park in 1997. An estimated 1 million people attended the live concert with an additional 14.6 million viewing live on HBO.

In 2005, James Blunt was at #1 on the UK singles chart with ‘You're Beautiful’, Mariah Carey was at #1 on the US charts with ‘We Belong Together’ and Axel F had ‘Crazy Frog’ at #1 on the Australian singles charts.

It’s announced in 2008 that bassist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskitt have left Wolfmother after "longstanding frictions within the group." Frontman Andrew Stockdale plans recruit new musicians to continue on as Wolfmother. Ross and Heskitt say they will work together on another project.

Also in 2008, Elvis Presley's peacock jumpsuit, was sold at auction for $300,000, making it the most expensive piece of Elvis memorabilia ever sold at an auction. The white outfit with a plunging V-neck and high collar featured a blue-and-gold peacock design, hand-embroidered on the front and back and along the pant legs.
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Classic Rock Videos

Rolling Stones - It's all over now 1964

Michael Fremer Album Review

I am very proud to continue our new feature (look for this every Friday), music reviews that are written by the senior contributing editor of Stereophile magazine- Michael Fremer. It has been a pleasure to speak with Michael and learn more about audio sound and equipment. In fact, his new DVD, "It's A Vinyl World, After All" has hit the shelves and is selling out very quickly. This is a must have for anybody who loves vinyl, it is a true masterpiece.


Additionally, make sure to stop by his site, www.musicangle.com and bookmark it for further exploration. I certainly want to thank Michael for the exclusive rights to reprint his fantastic material.






Georgie Fame (reissue)
Cool Cat Blues

Go Jazz/Pure Pleasure PPAN009 2 180g LPs

Produced by: Ben Sidran
Engineered by: James Farber, et.al
Mixed by: N/A
Mastered by: Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios












Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-08-01


Leave it to Pure Pleasure to unearth great, but obscure titles like this, but more importantly, kudos to the label for having the nerve to put their money where their eclectic musical tastes reside and release it! And this one’s a double, making the enterprise twice as risky.

Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell) is better known and more highly revered in the UK than he is in America, though older Anglophile rock fans might remember his 1965 hit single “Yeh Yeh” that made its way here in Beatlemania’s flotsam.

In 1995 he collaborated with Van Morrison on the album How Long Has This Been Going On? (Verve 529136-1 LP) recorded live at the famed UK jazz club Ronnie Scott’s (and engineered and mixed by his son Tristan).

Fame served as Van’s musical director for a spell and played organ on many of his ‘80s albums as well as playing in his youth with everyone from Count Basie, to Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochrane and later was a founding member of ex-Rolling Stone bassist Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings.

This 1990 album produced for the Go Jazz label by multi-talented, multi-tasker producer Ben Sidran (played on Steve Miller’s epoch Children of the Future when Boz Scaggs was in the band, was sideman for the Stones, Clapton, etc), who like Fame, moves comfortably between rock, jazz, blues and R&B, brings old school production methods to a modern recording.

All takes are live in the studio, with everyone actually playing at the same time (can you believe it?) and recorded and mixed all-analog by James Farber at New York’s no longer with us Skyline Studios.

The musical vibe is an amalgam of jazz/blues/funk and hipster. In other words, you could say “Daddy-O” at the session and you wouldn’t get laughed at or shot. Mostly it’s cover versions of tunes by or made famous by the likes of Louis Jordan, Willie Dixon, Ray Charles, Mose Allison, Van Morrison, Peggy Lee and LH&R (Lambert, Hendricks and Ross).

How do you find guys who can actually play live in the studio? New York is crawling with them or at least was back in 1990. Sidran called upon the likes of smooth jazz guitarist Robben Ford, smooth jazz sax player Bob Malach, Letterman band member bassist Will Lee, and familiar names (from among other places, Paul Simon assemblages) keyboardist Richard Tee, drummer Steve Gadd. Also Ralph MacDonald and Hugh McCracken, both of whom played on many great ‘60s and ‘70s studio sessions on Atlantic and other labels, back when labels actually had studios and called sessions (sigh).

Guest stars include Van Morrison (“Moondance”), Boz Scaggs (“It Should Have Been Me”) and veteran jazz vocalist Jon Hendricks (“Little Pony”— written by Hendricks and Neal Hefti), but the real star appropriately enough is Fame who’s smooth, smoky voice oversees every easy flowing tune. Fame’s “Cat’s Eyes” wouldn’t be out of place on a Steely Dan album.

There’s not a less than enjoyable number on the 13 tune set, though Tee’s electric piano sound (same as on Paul Simon’s One Trick Pony album Tee also played on)—a Roland or Yamaha—dates the sound somewhat. Also, not everyone will appreciate the smooth/jazz blues feel, though most of it doesn’t veer further off course than a good Dan arrangement.

While you won’t confuse the audio with an airy, open 1960’s vintage, live in the studio set, the sound is quite good, as one would expect from a Farber recording and mix.

Not a jazz essential by any means, but this relaxed, great sounding, everyone’s-playing-and-singing-live-in-the-studio double set offers plenty of rewards both musically and sonically. Thanks to Pure Pleasure for making us aware of it and issuing it on double 180g vinyl cut from the analog tapes!

It's Why We Love Our Records

Vinyl Lovers from Jack Somerville on Vimeo.

Music News & Notes

Tyler OK After Fall

Here is the famous fall of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, as reported here yesterday. Apparentaly he has broken his shoulder and received some stitches in his head after falling off the stage while dancing during a concert in Sturgis, South Dakota.

“Steven will see his own doctor tonight or tomorrow,” Billie Perry added. “No word on the tour when it will resume should know more very soon regarding this.”



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Queens of the Stone Age Alum LP

Former Queens of the Stone Age member Nick Oliveri will guest on Slash’s upcoming solo album, but first he’ll release Death Acoustic on October 6th. The solo project is the result of 12 months of home-studio recording, and a press release says Oliveri will tour after its release.

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BMG Rights eyes EMI song catalog

Company to spend $360 million on acquisitions

BMG Rights Management is eager to expand its music publishing assets and is eyeing the EMI Group’s song catalog, which includes works by the Beatles and Frank Sinatra, among many others.

In July, BMG acquired the rights to more than 8,000 songs from Los Angeles-based Crosstown Songs America, which holds copyrights on songs including Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do,” Tina Turner’s “When the Heartache Is Over” and Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ la Vida Loca.”

The catalog, valued at $80 million, was the first acquisition for the new global music rights management joint venture between media giant Bertelsmann and KKR.

BMG Rights’ library covers 12,000 songs including music from Kylie Minogue, Alison Moyet and the Scorpions.

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Shins Personnel Moves

Shins leader James Mercer told Rolling Stone keyboardist Marty Crandall and drummer Jesse Sandoval left the band over creative differences, but Sandoval is telling the Portland Mercury (via Pitchfork) he was straight-up fired. “If James really had complete say in it, he would have killed the Shins.”

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New Pelican LP/Artwork

Pelican are in the studio putting the finishing touches on their fourth studio album, entitled "What We All Come To Need" (out this fall on Southern Lord).

What guitarist Laurent Lebec has dubbed "the most perfect synthesis of everything we've done to date, sonically", this new album is a giant step forward within the complex, intricate, beautiful and crushing sound Pelican is famous for. The album features more guests than have ever appeared on a Pelican album before: Greg Anderson of sunn O))), Aaron Turner of Isis, Ben Verellen of Harkonen and Helms Alee and Allen Epley from The Life & Times and Shiner. Content-wise, Lebec says:

"There is a current of inspiration that feels particular to each album's music and titles. Though we lack a singer, the song names are often conceptual. This new album speaks to a rapidly decaying world, the fulfillment we find in each other, as well as the resolve to move beyond disillusionment."

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Nocturnal Fear Complete Recording New Album

Detroit, Michigan metal act Nocturnal Fear have completed the recording of their 4th album “Metal of Honor”. The effort will feature session vocalist Doomy G. (Sauron), as the bands previous vocalist, Necromodeus (Summon) is no longer with the band. The album was engineered by Fatal guitarist Tony Haitmerra (Code of Violence). Cover art will be done by Craig Holloway. The effort is due out worldwide via Moribund Records later this year.

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Dead Man's Bones announce album tracklist and cover art


Out on October 5th the self titled album is the musical debut of Zach Shields and Ryan Gosling and is a striking collection of doo-wop songs about werewolves, haunting melodies telling tales of zombies with broken hearts, and children singing the joys and pains of being alive or being dead.

Originally intended as a soundtrack to a play about a monster-ghost-love-story Dead Man’s Bones features a unique pairing of ghastly story-like songs and haunting vocals throughout and is definitely worth a listen.

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Dave Grohl forms new band with QOTSA, Led Zeppelin members

Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame has unveiled his new project. Dubbed Them Crooked Vultures, the band also features Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.

The band has launched a twitter feed and are planning a live show at Chicago's Metro on Sunday, August 9th. According to their Facebook profile, the band's debut will be titled Never Deserved the Future which is due out October 23, 2009.

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Jaguar Love signs to Fat Possum

Jaguar Love, which includes former The Blood Brothers Johnny Whitney and Cody Votolato have signed to Fat Possum Records. Their debut for the label will be released in early 2010.

Whitney and Votolato will enter the studio on August 7th with a familiar face behind the boards. John Goodmanson, who worked with the duo on the final two Blood Brothers records, Crimes and Young Machetes. The band posted an update to their Twitter about the signing:

Since last winter we've poured our hearts, blood, sweat, guts, grit and tears into writing this album. and Fat Possum gets us probably more than anyone has ever before. John (Goodmanson) knows us inside and out, and this record needed to be made with someone we trust. It means too much for us to just bring in any old producer.

The band released Take Me to the Sea via Matador Records in 2008.

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Robert Earl Keen New Release

Robert Earl Keen’s first studio album in four years, "The Rose Hotel" is set to be released Sept. 29. It’s the 15th release from the fabled Texas singer-songwriter, who has amassed a devoted following with his impeccable country music storytelling and a dynamite touring band.

The Rose Hotel features 11 songs, including covers of fellow Texan legend Townes Van Zandt’s “Flying Shoes” and Greg Brown’s “Laughing River” (the latter a duet with Brown). “Wireless In Heaven” and “10,000 Chinese Walk Into A Bar” (featuring vocals by Billy Bob Thornton) seem destined to become Keen classics based on songtitle alone.

Another Keen original, “The Man Behind The Drums,” is a tribute to former Band drummer Levon Helm. Certainly A must for any fan of good old country rock mixed with humor and sincerity.

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Ruiner to release 'Dead Weight' teaser EP

Ruiner have announced a new EP set for release a few weeks before their next album, September 22, 2009. The EP is titled Dead Weight and is due out September 8, 2009.

It was recorded with producer J.Robbins, and features "Dead Weight" from their album, and two songs exclusive to the EP, “Constrictor” and Nine Inch Nails' “Ruiner.”

Following the release of Ruiner’s upcoming EP and full-length, the band will canvas the U.S. on the first ever Bridge Nine Tour alongside labelmates Strike Anywhere, Polar Bear Club, and Crime In Stereo.

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DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED: 'Sick' Released On Limited-Edition Vinyl

"Sick", the new full-length album from VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan's current project, DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, has been released in the U.S. on limited-edition vinyl. According to the band, "The custom multi-colored record comes with LP-only cover art [see below] by Mexican Chocolate Design, and is packaged with a white label two-song 7"!"

You can get it at www.cockroachmedia.com.

"Sick" sold around 1,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD landed at position #43 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Sick" was released in North America on April 7 via Century Media Records.

Vinyl Collective Restocks

Pick up some great vinyl at www.vinylcollective.com

CLOUDS “We Are Above You” LP + 12″ corn/blue vinyl
ELLIOTT SMITH “Figure 8″ dbl LP 180 gram vinyl
ELLIOTT SMITH “XO” LP
ELVIS COSTELLO “Secret, Profane & Sugarcane” dbl LP
FLAMING LIPS “In A Priest Driven Ambulance” dbl LP
FLAMING LIPS “Telepathic Surgery” dbl LP
FLIPPER “Generic Flip” LP
FLIPPER “Public Flipper Limited Live 1980-1985″ LP
JOY DIVISION ìLes Bains Douches: Vol 2″ LP picture disc
KEELHAUL “We Waited Five Years For This” 7″
MY BLOODY VALENTINE “Loveless” LP
PELICAN/ THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES îPink Mammoth/Gold Diggersî split 10î dark blue
PRIMUS “Pork Soda” dbl LP 180 gram vinyl
PRIMUS “Sailing The Seas Of Cheese” LP
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD “Second Edition” dbl LP 180 gram vinyl
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD “The Flowers Of Romance” LP 180 gram vinyl
RED HOUSE PAINTERS “Songs For A Blue Guitar” dbl LP 180 gram vinyl
T REX “The Slider” LP picture disc
TELEVISION “Marquee Moon” LP
THE MELVINS î(a) Senile Animalî 4xLP