intriguing story from the SfGate.com site (written by Devin Leonard, Bloomberg Businessweek) business section, i like the fact that they offer bands a chance to record vinyl. but, online music is here to stay and i applaud the story. this is a new age for music (with facebook and twitter now apart of most everyone's life) and allows band's technological exposure, something that groups decades ago could only dream of.....
Ian Rogers' Topspin bundles it all for musicians
Devin Leonard, Bloomberg Businessweek
Ian Rogers got into the music business in a roundabout way.
While working on a doctorate in computer science at Indiana University in 1993, he created a fan site devoted to the Beastie Boys, one of his favorite bands. The Beastie Boys' manager was so impressed that he recruited Rogers to manage the rowdy hip-hop act's digital outreach efforts. Starting salary: $8.50 an hour.
Rogers, 38, is now chief executive of Topspin Media, a Los Angeles company whose software helps musicians market and sell to fans online. It's used by industry luminaries such as Paul McCartney, David Byrne, Eminem, and, Rogers's old bosses, the Beastie Boys.
Read more the rest at sfgate.com
=============
ultimateclassicrock.com has a fantastic interview with ann wilson:
Exclusive Interview: Heart Singer Ann Wilson on Def Leppard Tour, New Music
by: Matt Wardlaw
In their nearly 40 years together, Heart have established an incredible legacy that has been recognized with multiple awards and tributes. Most recently, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson have been temporarily enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the ‘Women Who Rock‘ exhibit. (But how about a permanent induction for the band … isn’t it time?)
Heart singer Ann Wilson is currently engaged in quite a few different activities, including touring with Def Leppard and making a guest appearance on funkster Sly Stone’s upcoming album, on which she participates in an update of Stone’s classic ‘Everyday People.’
We spent a few moments with Ann to talk about those items and we also got into a lot of Heart-related chatter that yielded some great scoops you’ll be very interested in.
Read the interview at ultimateclassicrock.com
=============
Author Scott Miller on Why 1973 Was the Peak of Classic ’70s Rock
by: Matthew Wilkening Yesterday
Producer, musician and now author Scott Miller has written one of the best books of the year with ‘Music: What Happened?’ In it, he assembles a CD-length mix tape worth of songs for every year from 1957 to 2009. These lists, updated from personal notes he kept from his teen years on, not only feature clever insights on his favorite music, but they also end up chronicling the changes in musical styles across the decades.
As part of ‘Time Travel‘ week, we decided to focus on one year from Miller’s book, 1973, which he declares to be “the peak of the classic ’70s.”
Read more at ultimateclassicrock.com
=============
the Fort Wayne Reader has a creative look at why vinyl is popular again!
Vinyl record sales are up — way up — but why?
By Ben Larson
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you’ve probably noticed that vinyl records have been making a comeback. According to the Nielsen SoundScan report, vinyl LP sales are up 41% compared to this time last year. Granted, they only make up about .85% of total album sales (1.9 million out of 221.5 million total), but that large of an increase is far from insignificant, and it doesn’t take sales of used LP’s into account. From reissues of Pet Sounds to the new Taylor Swift album (no, I’m not making that up), it seems like almost everything is getting pressed on LP these days. But why?
Read the rest at fortwaynereader.com
=============
fantastic write up at Examiner.com about one of the classics!
Frampton comes alive…again! an interview with bassist Stan Sheldon
Kevin Yeanoplos/Tucson Concerts Examiner
Statistics have shown that if you were born on a day of the week that ends with the letter “y”, then you have a copy of Frampton Comes Alive! in your record collection – uh, that would be your vinyl record collection. And statistics don’t lie, right?
Well OK, maybe it just seems that owning a copy of FCA is a cultural obligation. After all, it was noted music authority Wayne Campbell that declared in Wayne’s World 2 that “Everybody in the world has Frampton Comes Alive!. If you lived in the suburbs, you were issued it. It came in the mail with samples of Tide.”
When talented but commercially underappreciated solo artist Peter Frampton captured lightning in a bottle by releasing FCA in 1976, the album sold over 6 million copies, earning it the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart for 10 weeks. The record went on to become the biggest selling album of America’s bicentennial year and has since been certified 6X platinum.
Fans in Southern Arizona will get an unprecedented opportunity to hear Frampton play the album live in its entirety (other than the original recording of course!) at AVA Amphitheater July 27 as part of his “Frampton Comes Alive! 35 Tour.”
Continue reading on Examiner.com
=============
great cover!
SINGLE BULLET THEORY: New Album Artwork, Track Listing Revealed
Philadelphia's SINGLE BULLET THEORY will release its new album, "IV", on September 27 via Goomba Music. The CD contains nine fresh tracks featuring new members John Ruszin III (guitar) and Jeff Kalber (bass). All drum tracks for the effort were recorded at Clay Creek Studio in Newark, Delaware with engineer Nick Rotundo. The remainder of the album was recorded at Ruszin's studio in Wenonoh, New Jersey
Read the rest at Blabbermouth
=============
ANTHRAX: 'Worship Music' Pre-Order Bundle To Include Slipmat, 'Fistful' Picture Discs
The Omega Order is offering an exclusive pre-order bundle for "Worship Music", the long-awaited new album from ANTHRAX, featuring the new CD; "Fistful Of Metal" triple 10-inch picture discs; and an ANTHRAX LP slipmat (only available in this bundle).
"Worship Music" is due in the U.S. on September 13 via Megaforce Records (one day earlier in Europe through Nuclear Blast Records). The band's first studio release in eight years marks the return of vocalist Joey Belladonna, whose last studio work with the group was 1990's "Persistence Of Time".
=============
gets my vote for one of the most peculiar covers this year! the ultimatemetal.com forum isssued this exciting news:
New MYRATH Album Cover Art
Artwork and track listing of Myrath New Album ‘’Tales of the sands’’ Unveiled
1- Under siege 4:28
2- Braving the seas 4:20
3- Merciless Times 3:28
4- Tales of the sands 5:19
5- Sour Sigh 4:58
6- Dawn within 3:31
7- wide shut 5:25
8-... Requiem for a goodbye 4:23
9- Beyond the stars 5:15
10- time to grow 4:02
Stay tuned for the announcement of the official release date of the album and note that the Artwork is by talented Tunisian artist Bader Klidi.
=============
rolling stone has an interesting article, sammy hagar never gets old!
Inside Chickenfoot's 'Life-Changing' Second Album'It's the best record I've ever made,' says Sammy Hagar
By Patrick Doyle
"It's the best record I've ever made," Sammy Hagar says of Chickenfoot's second album, which they're so pumped about they skipped right to calling it Chickenfoot III. The supergroup – featuring Hagar, guitar wizard Joe Satriani, ex-Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith – started as a tequila-soaked jam session in Mexico and went on to sell 500,000 copies of its 2009 debut LP.
Read the rest at rollingstone.com
=============
more great cover art!
REDEMPTION: New Album Artwork Unveiled
REDEMPTION, the U.S. progressive metal band featuring in its ranks guitarist/songwriter Nick van Dyk and legendary FATES WARNING vocalist Ray Alder, will release its fifth studio album, "This Mortal Coil", on September 26 in Europe and October 11 in North America via InsideOut Music. The follow-up to 2009's "Snowfall On Judgment Day" was recorded and mixed with producer Neil Kernon (QUEENSRŸCHE, NEVERMORE, DEICIDE). The CD's cover artwork was created by acclaimed artist and longtime band collaborator Travis Smith (OPETH, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, NEVERMORE).
Read the rest at Blabbermouth
=============
Saxon Reveals More Release Dates For New Album "Call To Arms"
Saxon's new album "Call To Arms" has already dropped in Europe, and the album is planned for release on September 27th, 2011 for North America. The band has now issued the following brief update about the release dates for Japan and Brazil:
"Call To Arms will be in stores in Japan on the 25th of July and hit the stores in Brazil and Argentina on the 25th of August.
=============
Disturbed Singer Announces Indefinite Hiatus
Peter Hodgson
Disturbed singer David Draiman has revealed that the band are preparing to enter an indefinite hiatus.
Speaking to KQXR in Boise, Idaho, Draiman said the band were looking at an extended hiatus, and had “some things going on internally …personal things going on.” Later Draiman took to Twitter to elaborate: “We don’t know what we’re doing yet,” he wrote. “All I can say is that we’re certainly going away for a long while.”
Read the rest at Gibson.com
=============
ENSLAVED To Release Seven-Inch EP
Soulseller Records is proudly presenting an exclusive and limited seven-inch EP vinyl by Norwegian masters of progressive/experimental metal ENSLAVED. The seven-inch vinyl entitled "Thorn"; consisting of the songs "Disintegrator" and "Striker", pressed in a strictly limited number of 1,000 copies.
=============
this from our friends at vinylcollective.com
Top 10 Albums – July 25, 2011
Here are the Top 10 Albums sold at Shop Radio Cast for the week of July 5 – July 11, 2011:
1. Comeback Kid – Turn It Around LP
2. Big D and The Kids Table – For The Damned, The Dumb and The Delirious 2XLP (Exclusive)
3. Mariachi El Bronx – II
4. Portugal The Man – Church Mouth LP
5. The Menzingers – A Lesson In The Abuse Of Information Technology LP
6. Sundowner – Four One Five Two LP
7. Dead To Me / The Flatliners – Under the Influence Volume 16 7″
8. Cheap Girls / Noise By Numbers – Under the Influence Volume 15 7″
9. Portugal The Man – Waiter: You Vultures! LP
10. Portugal The Man – In The Mountain In The Cloud LP
=============
Top 10 Tours for 2011
(in millions)
1. U2 85.8
2. Lady Gaga 65.3
3. Bon Jovi 57.4
4. Kenny Chesney 47.7
5. Luis Miguel 33.9
6. Taylor Swift 29.5
7. Elton John 28.0
8. Lil Wayne 26.3
9. Celine Dion 23.9
10. Rod Stewart/Stevie Nicks 22.2
=============
and in music history for today:
In 1942, Capitol Records achieved their first #1 hit with a song called "Cow Cow Boogie" by 17-year-old Ella Mae Morse, accompanied by Freddie Slack and His Orchestra. Although Ella Mae's follow-up recordings sold fairly well, she never obtained a huge following, but continued to make records until 1957.
In 1956, songwriter Mike Stoller, the co-writer of "Hound Dog", survives the sinking of the ship Andrea Doria after it collided with the MV Stockholm, near Nantucket, Massachusetts. Fifty-one others died.
In 1960, the Ventures "Walk Don't Run" enters the US Pop chart and introduces the instrumental Surf sound to Rock 'n' Roll. The song will peak at #2 a month later.
In 1960, Elvis Presley's "It's Now or Never" debuted on Billboard's Pop music chart. The song was adapted from the Italian tune "O Sole Mio", written in 1899.
Also in 1960, Roy Orbison reached #2 on the U.S. singles chart with “Only the Lonely,”his first hit. The song was turned down by The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley, so Orbison decided to record the song himself
The Elvis Presley film "Kid Galahad" premiered in 1962.
In 1964, the Beatles' LP "A Hard Day's Night" tops the charts in both the UK and the US. Oddly, the album issued in America had a different track listing than the one released in Great Britain.
In 1965, Bob Dylan, backed by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, shocked the audience at the Newport Folk Festival with his new electric sound. The crowd booed him off the stage after three tunes. After being urged by Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) to return to the stage and go acoustic, Dylan sang two songs to the now-silent audience - "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and "Mr. Tambourine Man".
In 1967, the Beatles were among the signers of a petition urging the British government to legalize marijuana.
In 1969, Neil Young appeared with Crosby, Stills and Nash for the first time when played at The Fillmore East in New York. Young was initially asked to help out with live material only, but ended up joining the group on and off for the next 30 years.
In 1970, the Carpenters started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart with “(They Long To Be) Close To You.” The first of three U.S. #1's and 17 other Top 40 hits. The song was written in 1963 by Hal David and Burt Bacharach and was first offered to Herb Alpert, who said he didn't feel comfortable singing the line '”o they sprinkled moon dust in your hair.”
"25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago was released as a single in 1970.
Also in 1970, the English quartet, Mungo Jerry cracked the Billboard Hot 100 with their first single, "In The Summertime", which will go on to reach #3. The song had already topped the UK chart in mid-June.
The Beach Boys released their album "Surf's Up" in 1971.
Boston's self-titled debut was released on this date in 1976.
In 1981, Air Supply became the first Australian band to top the Billboard Pop chart when "The One That You Love" reaches number one. They would go on to place seven consecutive singles in the top five.
In 1984, Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton died at the age of 58 died in Los Angeles of heart and liver complications. She had a #1 R&B hit in 1953 with “Hound Dog” (later covered by Elvis Presley). She also wrote and recorded “Ball 'n' Chain,’”which Janis Joplin recorded.
In 1990, Rosanne Barr sang the National Anthem in San Diego before a Padres baseball game. She was booed for her performance. what were they thinking?
In 1995, Grammy Award winning country singer, songwriter Charlie Rich died in his sleep aged 62 years. Rich began as a rockabilly artist for Sun Records in Memphis in 1958. He scored the 1974 U.S. #1 & U.K. #2 single “The Most Beautiful Girl” while “Behind Closed Doors.” was a #1 country hit.
In 1999, the third and final Woodstock festival closed in Rome, NY with riots where 120 people were arrested, the building of a huge fire (which the Red Hot Chili Peppers responded to by playing Hendrix' Fire) and the breaking into of ATM machines.
In 2003, 52 year old Erik Braunn, the lead guitarist on Iron Butterfly's 1968 classic rock anthem "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," died of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles. Braunn was just 16 years old when he joined Iron Butterfly and spent only two years with the Rock band - from 1967 to 1969, the years of the group's greatest success. After leaving the band, Braunn continued to work as a songwriter, musician and producer, occasionally reuniting with his former band mates.
In 2004, George Williams of The Tymes died of cancer at the age of 68. The Philadelphia quartet topped the Billboard chart in 1963 with "So Much In Love" and reached #1 in the UK in 1975 with "Ms Grace".
In 2005, Sony BMG admits to paying radio stations to play some of their label's artists. ya think?
In 2010, a Memphis, Tennessee auction house announced that a collection of Elvis Presley memorabilia, including his grand piano, gold-rimmed sunglasses and his Triumph TR-6 sports car would be among the items up for bid at an upcoming sale.
birthdays today (among others) include Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire) (60), Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth) (38), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) (53) and Manny Charlton (Nazareth) (70)
Ian Rogers' Topspin bundles it all for musicians
Devin Leonard, Bloomberg Businessweek
Ian Rogers got into the music business in a roundabout way.
While working on a doctorate in computer science at Indiana University in 1993, he created a fan site devoted to the Beastie Boys, one of his favorite bands. The Beastie Boys' manager was so impressed that he recruited Rogers to manage the rowdy hip-hop act's digital outreach efforts. Starting salary: $8.50 an hour.
Rogers, 38, is now chief executive of Topspin Media, a Los Angeles company whose software helps musicians market and sell to fans online. It's used by industry luminaries such as Paul McCartney, David Byrne, Eminem, and, Rogers's old bosses, the Beastie Boys.
Read more the rest at sfgate.com
=============
ultimateclassicrock.com has a fantastic interview with ann wilson:
Exclusive Interview: Heart Singer Ann Wilson on Def Leppard Tour, New Music
by: Matt Wardlaw
In their nearly 40 years together, Heart have established an incredible legacy that has been recognized with multiple awards and tributes. Most recently, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson have been temporarily enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the ‘Women Who Rock‘ exhibit. (But how about a permanent induction for the band … isn’t it time?)
Heart singer Ann Wilson is currently engaged in quite a few different activities, including touring with Def Leppard and making a guest appearance on funkster Sly Stone’s upcoming album, on which she participates in an update of Stone’s classic ‘Everyday People.’
We spent a few moments with Ann to talk about those items and we also got into a lot of Heart-related chatter that yielded some great scoops you’ll be very interested in.
Read the interview at ultimateclassicrock.com
=============
Author Scott Miller on Why 1973 Was the Peak of Classic ’70s Rock
by: Matthew Wilkening Yesterday
Producer, musician and now author Scott Miller has written one of the best books of the year with ‘Music: What Happened?’ In it, he assembles a CD-length mix tape worth of songs for every year from 1957 to 2009. These lists, updated from personal notes he kept from his teen years on, not only feature clever insights on his favorite music, but they also end up chronicling the changes in musical styles across the decades.As part of ‘Time Travel‘ week, we decided to focus on one year from Miller’s book, 1973, which he declares to be “the peak of the classic ’70s.”
Read more at ultimateclassicrock.com
=============
the Fort Wayne Reader has a creative look at why vinyl is popular again!
Vinyl record sales are up — way up — but why?
By Ben Larson
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you’ve probably noticed that vinyl records have been making a comeback. According to the Nielsen SoundScan report, vinyl LP sales are up 41% compared to this time last year. Granted, they only make up about .85% of total album sales (1.9 million out of 221.5 million total), but that large of an increase is far from insignificant, and it doesn’t take sales of used LP’s into account. From reissues of Pet Sounds to the new Taylor Swift album (no, I’m not making that up), it seems like almost everything is getting pressed on LP these days. But why?
Read the rest at fortwaynereader.com
=============
fantastic write up at Examiner.com about one of the classics!
Frampton comes alive…again! an interview with bassist Stan Sheldon
Kevin Yeanoplos/Tucson Concerts Examiner
Well OK, maybe it just seems that owning a copy of FCA is a cultural obligation. After all, it was noted music authority Wayne Campbell that declared in Wayne’s World 2 that “Everybody in the world has Frampton Comes Alive!. If you lived in the suburbs, you were issued it. It came in the mail with samples of Tide.”
When talented but commercially underappreciated solo artist Peter Frampton captured lightning in a bottle by releasing FCA in 1976, the album sold over 6 million copies, earning it the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart for 10 weeks. The record went on to become the biggest selling album of America’s bicentennial year and has since been certified 6X platinum.
Fans in Southern Arizona will get an unprecedented opportunity to hear Frampton play the album live in its entirety (other than the original recording of course!) at AVA Amphitheater July 27 as part of his “Frampton Comes Alive! 35 Tour.”
Continue reading on Examiner.com
=============
great cover!
SINGLE BULLET THEORY: New Album Artwork, Track Listing Revealed
Read the rest at Blabbermouth
=============
ANTHRAX: 'Worship Music' Pre-Order Bundle To Include Slipmat, 'Fistful' Picture Discs
"Worship Music" is due in the U.S. on September 13 via Megaforce Records (one day earlier in Europe through Nuclear Blast Records). The band's first studio release in eight years marks the return of vocalist Joey Belladonna, whose last studio work with the group was 1990's "Persistence Of Time".
=============
gets my vote for one of the most peculiar covers this year! the ultimatemetal.com forum isssued this exciting news:
Artwork and track listing of Myrath New Album ‘’Tales of the sands’’ Unveiled
1- Under siege 4:28
2- Braving the seas 4:20
3- Merciless Times 3:28
4- Tales of the sands 5:19
5- Sour Sigh 4:58
6- Dawn within 3:31
7- wide shut 5:25
8-... Requiem for a goodbye 4:23
9- Beyond the stars 5:15
10- time to grow 4:02
Stay tuned for the announcement of the official release date of the album and note that the Artwork is by talented Tunisian artist Bader Klidi.
=============
rolling stone has an interesting article, sammy hagar never gets old!
Inside Chickenfoot's 'Life-Changing' Second Album'It's the best record I've ever made,' says Sammy Hagar
By Patrick Doyle
"It's the best record I've ever made," Sammy Hagar says of Chickenfoot's second album, which they're so pumped about they skipped right to calling it Chickenfoot III. The supergroup – featuring Hagar, guitar wizard Joe Satriani, ex-Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith – started as a tequila-soaked jam session in Mexico and went on to sell 500,000 copies of its 2009 debut LP.
Read the rest at rollingstone.com
=============
more great cover art!
REDEMPTION: New Album Artwork Unveiled
Read the rest at Blabbermouth
=============
Saxon Reveals More Release Dates For New Album "Call To Arms"
"Call To Arms will be in stores in Japan on the 25th of July and hit the stores in Brazil and Argentina on the 25th of August.
=============
Disturbed Singer Announces Indefinite Hiatus
Peter Hodgson
Disturbed singer David Draiman has revealed that the band are preparing to enter an indefinite hiatus.
Speaking to KQXR in Boise, Idaho, Draiman said the band were looking at an extended hiatus, and had “some things going on internally …personal things going on.” Later Draiman took to Twitter to elaborate: “We don’t know what we’re doing yet,” he wrote. “All I can say is that we’re certainly going away for a long while.”
Read the rest at Gibson.com
=============
ENSLAVED To Release Seven-Inch EP
Soulseller Records is proudly presenting an exclusive and limited seven-inch EP vinyl by Norwegian masters of progressive/experimental metal ENSLAVED. The seven-inch vinyl entitled "Thorn"; consisting of the songs "Disintegrator" and "Striker", pressed in a strictly limited number of 1,000 copies.
=============
this from our friends at vinylcollective.com
Top 10 Albums – July 25, 2011
1. Comeback Kid – Turn It Around LP
2. Big D and The Kids Table – For The Damned, The Dumb and The Delirious 2XLP (Exclusive)
3. Mariachi El Bronx – II
4. Portugal The Man – Church Mouth LP
5. The Menzingers – A Lesson In The Abuse Of Information Technology LP
6. Sundowner – Four One Five Two LP
7. Dead To Me / The Flatliners – Under the Influence Volume 16 7″
8. Cheap Girls / Noise By Numbers – Under the Influence Volume 15 7″
9. Portugal The Man – Waiter: You Vultures! LP
10. Portugal The Man – In The Mountain In The Cloud LP
=============
Top 10 Tours for 2011
(in millions)
1. U2 85.8
2. Lady Gaga 65.3
3. Bon Jovi 57.4
4. Kenny Chesney 47.7
5. Luis Miguel 33.9
6. Taylor Swift 29.5
7. Elton John 28.0
8. Lil Wayne 26.3
9. Celine Dion 23.9
10. Rod Stewart/Stevie Nicks 22.2
=============
and in music history for today:
In 1942, Capitol Records achieved their first #1 hit with a song called "Cow Cow Boogie" by 17-year-old Ella Mae Morse, accompanied by Freddie Slack and His Orchestra. Although Ella Mae's follow-up recordings sold fairly well, she never obtained a huge following, but continued to make records until 1957.
In 1956, songwriter Mike Stoller, the co-writer of "Hound Dog", survives the sinking of the ship Andrea Doria after it collided with the MV Stockholm, near Nantucket, Massachusetts. Fifty-one others died.
In 1960, the Ventures "Walk Don't Run" enters the US Pop chart and introduces the instrumental Surf sound to Rock 'n' Roll. The song will peak at #2 a month later.
In 1960, Elvis Presley's "It's Now or Never" debuted on Billboard's Pop music chart. The song was adapted from the Italian tune "O Sole Mio", written in 1899.
Also in 1960, Roy Orbison reached #2 on the U.S. singles chart with “Only the Lonely,”his first hit. The song was turned down by The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley, so Orbison decided to record the song himself
The Elvis Presley film "Kid Galahad" premiered in 1962.
In 1964, the Beatles' LP "A Hard Day's Night" tops the charts in both the UK and the US. Oddly, the album issued in America had a different track listing than the one released in Great Britain.
In 1965, Bob Dylan, backed by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, shocked the audience at the Newport Folk Festival with his new electric sound. The crowd booed him off the stage after three tunes. After being urged by Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) to return to the stage and go acoustic, Dylan sang two songs to the now-silent audience - "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and "Mr. Tambourine Man".
In 1967, the Beatles were among the signers of a petition urging the British government to legalize marijuana.
In 1969, Neil Young appeared with Crosby, Stills and Nash for the first time when played at The Fillmore East in New York. Young was initially asked to help out with live material only, but ended up joining the group on and off for the next 30 years.
In 1970, the Carpenters started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart with “(They Long To Be) Close To You.” The first of three U.S. #1's and 17 other Top 40 hits. The song was written in 1963 by Hal David and Burt Bacharach and was first offered to Herb Alpert, who said he didn't feel comfortable singing the line '”o they sprinkled moon dust in your hair.”
"25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago was released as a single in 1970.
Also in 1970, the English quartet, Mungo Jerry cracked the Billboard Hot 100 with their first single, "In The Summertime", which will go on to reach #3. The song had already topped the UK chart in mid-June.
The Beach Boys released their album "Surf's Up" in 1971.
In 1981, Air Supply became the first Australian band to top the Billboard Pop chart when "The One That You Love" reaches number one. They would go on to place seven consecutive singles in the top five.
In 1984, Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton died at the age of 58 died in Los Angeles of heart and liver complications. She had a #1 R&B hit in 1953 with “Hound Dog” (later covered by Elvis Presley). She also wrote and recorded “Ball 'n' Chain,’”which Janis Joplin recorded.
In 1990, Rosanne Barr sang the National Anthem in San Diego before a Padres baseball game. She was booed for her performance. what were they thinking?
In 1995, Grammy Award winning country singer, songwriter Charlie Rich died in his sleep aged 62 years. Rich began as a rockabilly artist for Sun Records in Memphis in 1958. He scored the 1974 U.S. #1 & U.K. #2 single “The Most Beautiful Girl” while “Behind Closed Doors.” was a #1 country hit.
In 1999, the third and final Woodstock festival closed in Rome, NY with riots where 120 people were arrested, the building of a huge fire (which the Red Hot Chili Peppers responded to by playing Hendrix' Fire) and the breaking into of ATM machines.
In 2003, 52 year old Erik Braunn, the lead guitarist on Iron Butterfly's 1968 classic rock anthem "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," died of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles. Braunn was just 16 years old when he joined Iron Butterfly and spent only two years with the Rock band - from 1967 to 1969, the years of the group's greatest success. After leaving the band, Braunn continued to work as a songwriter, musician and producer, occasionally reuniting with his former band mates.
In 2004, George Williams of The Tymes died of cancer at the age of 68. The Philadelphia quartet topped the Billboard chart in 1963 with "So Much In Love" and reached #1 in the UK in 1975 with "Ms Grace".
In 2005, Sony BMG admits to paying radio stations to play some of their label's artists. ya think?
In 2010, a Memphis, Tennessee auction house announced that a collection of Elvis Presley memorabilia, including his grand piano, gold-rimmed sunglasses and his Triumph TR-6 sports car would be among the items up for bid at an upcoming sale.
birthdays today (among others) include Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire) (60), Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth) (38), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) (53) and Manny Charlton (Nazareth) (70)
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