The Ramones - Listen To My Heart (Live)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Bird & Animal Names In Rock And Roll History- part twenty-two
Written By Robert Benson
As we continue our series about “bird” and “animal” group names in rock and roll history, let’s explore a few obscure band and individuals that fit our criteria.
Before anyone ever heard of Ry Cooder, Leo Kotke, Richard Thompson and others who were mesmerizing fans with the keen ability to hop from genre to genre, an American folk musician Sandy Bull cleverly blazed the trail.
An accomplished player of many instruments including the middle-eastern oud, the acoustic guitar, banjo, bass, pedal-steel and electric guitar, Bull was one of the first to produce extended instrumental pieces for the guitar that blended elements of folk, jazz and Indian and Arabic influences into a tightly structured musical format.
His first album ”Fantasias For The Guitar & Banjo,” (Vanguard 1963) exemplified his penchant for the previous mentioned skills, adeptly blending non-western instrumentation and improvisational folk with extensive use of overdubbing and multi-track tape recording techniques. He utilized overdubbing as a way to accompany himself and be able to play all the instruments on many of his recordings. The LP was not a million-seller it had no hit singles, but contained enough rare and unconventional music that helped to put him on the musical map.
On his second album, the incomparable, “Inventions For The Guitar & Banjo,” Bull added more instrumentation and some electricity to his repertoire and included a twenty-four minute song, “Blend II,” on which he added an electric element to his signature song from his first LP. He also added two versions (electric and acoustic) of a Bach passage and closed the album with a heavy cover of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis, Tennessee.” Another album, “E Pluribus Unum” was released in 1968, however by that time Bull was suffering from drug addictions that affected his musical talents. In the 1970s, he dropped out of music altogether due to ongoing drug problems, although he began recording again in the late '80s. On April 11, 2001, Sandy Bull died of lung cancer at his home just outside of Nashville.
Moose was a British indie band that was formed in London in 1990. The band’s main claim to fame is that they have been credited by some as being the first group to be labeled “shoe-gazers.” Ironically, this wasn’t due to their style of music it was because during an early gig, vocalist/guitarist Russell Yates read the lyrics to some of the group’s songs that were taped to the floor. In fact, the band’s first three EPs are the only releases that feature the intense guitar effects that have often been associated with the music genre “shoe gazing.” When the band release their first full-length album in 1992 called “…XYZ,” the band was playing more of a jangly-country pop sound. The band recruited Mitch Easter for production and Dolores O'Riordon of the Cranberries for harmony vocals on one of the tracks.
However, this LP sold poorly and consequently the band was let go by their record label. They signed on with Play It Again Sam Records and released two more albums, 1994’s “Honey Bee” and “Live a Little Love a Lot.” Despite critical acclaim, the albums sold poorly and the band wound up taking an extended hiatus before returning in 2000 with the LP “High Ball Me.”
The alternative pop rock duo Cardinal was a side project of singer/songwriter Richard Davies and composer Eric Matthews. Releasing only one self-titled LP (1994), Cardinal weaves lush orchestral arrangements with layered horns and cascading piano work that makes one recall the multidimensional sounds of late 60's pop music (including the Left Banke, Love and even the “Smile” era Beach Boys sound). With Davies’ compelling songs and lyrics blended with Matthew’s penchant for creative arrangements, Cardinal shines in efforts such as “You’ve Lost Me There,”“If You Believe In Christmas Trees” and “Dream Figure,” to name a few.
While the album was met with critical acclaim and was filled with easily digestible pop-rock, creative tensions split up the duo and both went on to solo careers. (There is also another band associated with Cardinal, one led by Ryan Adams, which we will explore in a an upcoming article).
In 1968 a “one hit wonder” group called Iron Butterfly released the 1960's legendary song, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” But the song, which peaked at number thirty on the Billboard Top 40 may seem dated now, but it is one of the first “hard rock” anthems to receive extensive radio air play and paved the way for future psychedelic bands on AM radio.
Formed in San Diego, California in 1966 by vocalist/organist and bandleader, Doug Ingle, the group moved to Los Angles and performed in the club circuit and secured a recording contract. The group also toured with the Doors and Jefferson Airplane and their first album release “Heavy” established the band’s signature sound, loud rocking guitar riffs, thumping drums and psychedelic organ.
As the story has been told, the original title for the song “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” was “In The Garden Of Eden,” but the band was so stoned at the recording session the mumbled words of “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” have become the epitome of acid-rock and a classic album in any vinyl record collector’s cache. A shortened version of the title track, which contained extended instrumental passages with loud guitars and classical/Eastern-influenced organ, plus a two-and-a-half-minute drum solo, reached number 30 on the singles charts.
The album was also the first album to receive platinum certification when the RIAA originally instituted the award. The group’s next album, “Ball” secured the band a second straight top five album and while not as acid-rock laced as “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” it was nonetheless a great rocker although the band did not duplicate the success and now legendary sound of their first and only Top 40 hit.
After another album, “Metamorphosis,” which saw the group stray from their original sound with more musical experimentation the group disbanded although they tried unsuccessfully to recapture their magic formula.
Sandy Bull Tidbits:
Bull is well known for his arrangement of Carl Orff's composition “Carmina Burana” for 5-string banjo on his first album, which was included on an album of R.E.M.'s favorite songs.
Bull primary played a finger-picking style of guitar and banjo and his style has been compared to that of John Fahey and Robbie Basho of the early Takoma label in the 1960s.
Moose Tidbits:
"High Ball Me!" "Live a Little Love a Lot" and "Honey Bee" are available on iTunes and several of the band's videos are up on youtube.
Moose was formed in early 1990 by the songwriting team of Kevin (K.J.) McKillop and Russell Yates (Yates had appeared in an early incarnation of Stereolab), plus drummer Damien Warburton and bassist Jeremy Tishler.
One of the group's songs, "This River Will Never Run Dry" is included in The Brit Box: U.K. Indie, Shoegaze, and Brit Pop Gems of the Last Millennium (4-CD box set compiling 78 UK bands).
Iron Butterfly Tidbits:
The members when In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was recorded were Doug Ingle (keyboards and vocals), Lee Dorman (bass guitar), Ron Bushy (drums), and 17-year-old Erik Brann.
The infamous line-up of Iron Butterfly got together for the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert and celebration, appearing on stage along with the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, and with Aretha Franklin among many other acts of the company's roster on May 14, 1988.
On October 3, 2002, original guitarist/vocalist Darryl DeLoach died of liver cancer at the age of 56.
On July 25, 2003, Erik Braunn died of cardiac failure at the age of 52. He was working on a new solo album at the time of his death, however the album remains unreleased, although friends and family of are working on releasing the album.
It’s reported that the band had been booked to play at Woodstock, but got stuck at an airport. When their manager called the promoters of the concert, they explained the incredible situation they had been dealt and asked for patience. However, the manager demanded that the Butterfly be flown in by helicopter, whereupon they would "immediately" take the stage. After their set they would be paid and flown back to the airport. The manager was told that this would be taken into consideration, and he would be called back. In truth, his outrageous demands were never given a second thought. Dorman later expressed regret at this turn of events, feeling the band's career may have gone further had they played the festival.
As we continue our series about “bird” and “animal” group names in rock and roll history, let’s explore a few obscure band and individuals that fit our criteria.
Before anyone ever heard of Ry Cooder, Leo Kotke, Richard Thompson and others who were mesmerizing fans with the keen ability to hop from genre to genre, an American folk musician Sandy Bull cleverly blazed the trail.
An accomplished player of many instruments including the middle-eastern oud, the acoustic guitar, banjo, bass, pedal-steel and electric guitar, Bull was one of the first to produce extended instrumental pieces for the guitar that blended elements of folk, jazz and Indian and Arabic influences into a tightly structured musical format.
His first album ”Fantasias For The Guitar & Banjo,” (Vanguard 1963) exemplified his penchant for the previous mentioned skills, adeptly blending non-western instrumentation and improvisational folk with extensive use of overdubbing and multi-track tape recording techniques. He utilized overdubbing as a way to accompany himself and be able to play all the instruments on many of his recordings. The LP was not a million-seller it had no hit singles, but contained enough rare and unconventional music that helped to put him on the musical map.
On his second album, the incomparable, “Inventions For The Guitar & Banjo,” Bull added more instrumentation and some electricity to his repertoire and included a twenty-four minute song, “Blend II,” on which he added an electric element to his signature song from his first LP. He also added two versions (electric and acoustic) of a Bach passage and closed the album with a heavy cover of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis, Tennessee.” Another album, “E Pluribus Unum” was released in 1968, however by that time Bull was suffering from drug addictions that affected his musical talents. In the 1970s, he dropped out of music altogether due to ongoing drug problems, although he began recording again in the late '80s. On April 11, 2001, Sandy Bull died of lung cancer at his home just outside of Nashville.
Moose was a British indie band that was formed in London in 1990. The band’s main claim to fame is that they have been credited by some as being the first group to be labeled “shoe-gazers.” Ironically, this wasn’t due to their style of music it was because during an early gig, vocalist/guitarist Russell Yates read the lyrics to some of the group’s songs that were taped to the floor. In fact, the band’s first three EPs are the only releases that feature the intense guitar effects that have often been associated with the music genre “shoe gazing.” When the band release their first full-length album in 1992 called “…XYZ,” the band was playing more of a jangly-country pop sound. The band recruited Mitch Easter for production and Dolores O'Riordon of the Cranberries for harmony vocals on one of the tracks.
However, this LP sold poorly and consequently the band was let go by their record label. They signed on with Play It Again Sam Records and released two more albums, 1994’s “Honey Bee” and “Live a Little Love a Lot.” Despite critical acclaim, the albums sold poorly and the band wound up taking an extended hiatus before returning in 2000 with the LP “High Ball Me.”
The alternative pop rock duo Cardinal was a side project of singer/songwriter Richard Davies and composer Eric Matthews. Releasing only one self-titled LP (1994), Cardinal weaves lush orchestral arrangements with layered horns and cascading piano work that makes one recall the multidimensional sounds of late 60's pop music (including the Left Banke, Love and even the “Smile” era Beach Boys sound). With Davies’ compelling songs and lyrics blended with Matthew’s penchant for creative arrangements, Cardinal shines in efforts such as “You’ve Lost Me There,”“If You Believe In Christmas Trees” and “Dream Figure,” to name a few.
While the album was met with critical acclaim and was filled with easily digestible pop-rock, creative tensions split up the duo and both went on to solo careers. (There is also another band associated with Cardinal, one led by Ryan Adams, which we will explore in a an upcoming article).
In 1968 a “one hit wonder” group called Iron Butterfly released the 1960's legendary song, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” But the song, which peaked at number thirty on the Billboard Top 40 may seem dated now, but it is one of the first “hard rock” anthems to receive extensive radio air play and paved the way for future psychedelic bands on AM radio.
Formed in San Diego, California in 1966 by vocalist/organist and bandleader, Doug Ingle, the group moved to Los Angles and performed in the club circuit and secured a recording contract. The group also toured with the Doors and Jefferson Airplane and their first album release “Heavy” established the band’s signature sound, loud rocking guitar riffs, thumping drums and psychedelic organ.
As the story has been told, the original title for the song “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” was “In The Garden Of Eden,” but the band was so stoned at the recording session the mumbled words of “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” have become the epitome of acid-rock and a classic album in any vinyl record collector’s cache. A shortened version of the title track, which contained extended instrumental passages with loud guitars and classical/Eastern-influenced organ, plus a two-and-a-half-minute drum solo, reached number 30 on the singles charts.
The album was also the first album to receive platinum certification when the RIAA originally instituted the award. The group’s next album, “Ball” secured the band a second straight top five album and while not as acid-rock laced as “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” it was nonetheless a great rocker although the band did not duplicate the success and now legendary sound of their first and only Top 40 hit.
After another album, “Metamorphosis,” which saw the group stray from their original sound with more musical experimentation the group disbanded although they tried unsuccessfully to recapture their magic formula.
Sandy Bull Tidbits:
Bull is well known for his arrangement of Carl Orff's composition “Carmina Burana” for 5-string banjo on his first album, which was included on an album of R.E.M.'s favorite songs.
Bull primary played a finger-picking style of guitar and banjo and his style has been compared to that of John Fahey and Robbie Basho of the early Takoma label in the 1960s.
Moose Tidbits:
"High Ball Me!" "Live a Little Love a Lot" and "Honey Bee" are available on iTunes and several of the band's videos are up on youtube.
Moose was formed in early 1990 by the songwriting team of Kevin (K.J.) McKillop and Russell Yates (Yates had appeared in an early incarnation of Stereolab), plus drummer Damien Warburton and bassist Jeremy Tishler.
One of the group's songs, "This River Will Never Run Dry" is included in The Brit Box: U.K. Indie, Shoegaze, and Brit Pop Gems of the Last Millennium (4-CD box set compiling 78 UK bands).
Iron Butterfly Tidbits:
The members when In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was recorded were Doug Ingle (keyboards and vocals), Lee Dorman (bass guitar), Ron Bushy (drums), and 17-year-old Erik Brann.
The infamous line-up of Iron Butterfly got together for the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert and celebration, appearing on stage along with the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, and with Aretha Franklin among many other acts of the company's roster on May 14, 1988.
On October 3, 2002, original guitarist/vocalist Darryl DeLoach died of liver cancer at the age of 56.
On July 25, 2003, Erik Braunn died of cardiac failure at the age of 52. He was working on a new solo album at the time of his death, however the album remains unreleased, although friends and family of are working on releasing the album.
It’s reported that the band had been booked to play at Woodstock, but got stuck at an airport. When their manager called the promoters of the concert, they explained the incredible situation they had been dealt and asked for patience. However, the manager demanded that the Butterfly be flown in by helicopter, whereupon they would "immediately" take the stage. After their set they would be paid and flown back to the airport. The manager was told that this would be taken into consideration, and he would be called back. In truth, his outrageous demands were never given a second thought. Dorman later expressed regret at this turn of events, feeling the band's career may have gone further had they played the festival.
Michael Fremer 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.
Frank Sinatra (reissue)
Sings For Only the Lonely
Capitol/Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-326 180g mono LP
Produced by: Voyle Gilmore
Engineered by: N/A
Mixed by: N/A
Mastered by: Rob LoVerde
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-07-01
One of the first “concept” albums, Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely invited listeners back in 1958 to pull up a chair and share the singer’s misery exquisitely expressed in a carefully collected set of tunes given sensitive, sumptuous backdrops by the late, great Nelson Riddle.
That these twelve heavily orchestrated tracks were recorded live in the studio two days in May of 1958 and two days in June is a feat that probably would not be possible to achieve today.
When first issued in mono, the album contained 12 tracks but at the dawn of the stereo LP, Capitol erred on the side of caution and omitted “Spring Is Here” and “It’s a Lonesome Old Town.” When Mobile Fidelity released its Frank Sinatra box set in the 1980s, it added the missing tracks to its stereo version.
This time around Mo-Fi has chosen to release the original mono mix and while the stereo version has its own enticing qualities, the choice was correct. The stereo version puts Sinatra far forward center stage bathed in reverb and offers extreme stereo orchestral separation. It may have been exciting to hear in 1958 but today it sounds extreme, though it really does make you feel as if you’re in the big Capitol soundstage.
The mono edition, by comparison, still keeps Sinatra up front in a moderately hollow-sounding, darkened room with the orchestra skillfully stacked in three dimensions well behind him. It’s a less literate, more organic, more atmospheric whole that better accommodates the morose, regretful emotions that Sinatra delivers powerfully while skillfully avoiding even a grain of bathos. Riddle's sumptuous arrangements for strings, achingly regretful brass and woodwinds cushion the emotional blows even as they amplify them.
Sinatra’s “What’s New” puts Linda’s later remake to shame, but she’d probably agree. Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen wrote the title tune specifically for the album and it sets the appropriate downer mood. There’s no relief among the twelve tunes, ending with the Arlen/Mercer talk-to-the-bartender great “One For My Baby (And One More For the Road).”
If you’ve ever had your heart broken, be prepared to relive the experience track after track (and if you’ve never had the experience you’ve really never lived fully), enjoying every weepy minute.
Mo-Fi’s reissue is warmer and fuller than the original pressing I have. It’s not quite as immediate as the original or as transparent, but it wins in the atmospherics department and since there’s no compression whatsoever and clearly some was applied to the original, it breathes naturally allowing Sinatra’s full dynamic flow to be expressed even if he also seems ever so slightly muffled (though that will be system-dependent). Mastering engineer Rob LoVerde says he put up the tape and it sounded so good he cut it flat, so what you hear is what’s on the tape. If you’re skeptical about mono, give this one a try. It may not be wide, but it’s deep.
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.
Frank Sinatra (reissue)
Sings For Only the Lonely
Capitol/Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-326 180g mono LP
Produced by: Voyle Gilmore
Engineered by: N/A
Mixed by: N/A
Mastered by: Rob LoVerde
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-07-01
One of the first “concept” albums, Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely invited listeners back in 1958 to pull up a chair and share the singer’s misery exquisitely expressed in a carefully collected set of tunes given sensitive, sumptuous backdrops by the late, great Nelson Riddle.
That these twelve heavily orchestrated tracks were recorded live in the studio two days in May of 1958 and two days in June is a feat that probably would not be possible to achieve today.
When first issued in mono, the album contained 12 tracks but at the dawn of the stereo LP, Capitol erred on the side of caution and omitted “Spring Is Here” and “It’s a Lonesome Old Town.” When Mobile Fidelity released its Frank Sinatra box set in the 1980s, it added the missing tracks to its stereo version.
This time around Mo-Fi has chosen to release the original mono mix and while the stereo version has its own enticing qualities, the choice was correct. The stereo version puts Sinatra far forward center stage bathed in reverb and offers extreme stereo orchestral separation. It may have been exciting to hear in 1958 but today it sounds extreme, though it really does make you feel as if you’re in the big Capitol soundstage.
The mono edition, by comparison, still keeps Sinatra up front in a moderately hollow-sounding, darkened room with the orchestra skillfully stacked in three dimensions well behind him. It’s a less literate, more organic, more atmospheric whole that better accommodates the morose, regretful emotions that Sinatra delivers powerfully while skillfully avoiding even a grain of bathos. Riddle's sumptuous arrangements for strings, achingly regretful brass and woodwinds cushion the emotional blows even as they amplify them.
Sinatra’s “What’s New” puts Linda’s later remake to shame, but she’d probably agree. Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen wrote the title tune specifically for the album and it sets the appropriate downer mood. There’s no relief among the twelve tunes, ending with the Arlen/Mercer talk-to-the-bartender great “One For My Baby (And One More For the Road).”
If you’ve ever had your heart broken, be prepared to relive the experience track after track (and if you’ve never had the experience you’ve really never lived fully), enjoying every weepy minute.
Mo-Fi’s reissue is warmer and fuller than the original pressing I have. It’s not quite as immediate as the original or as transparent, but it wins in the atmospherics department and since there’s no compression whatsoever and clearly some was applied to the original, it breathes naturally allowing Sinatra’s full dynamic flow to be expressed even if he also seems ever so slightly muffled (though that will be system-dependent). Mastering engineer Rob LoVerde says he put up the tape and it sounded so good he cut it flat, so what you hear is what’s on the tape. If you’re skeptical about mono, give this one a try. It may not be wide, but it’s deep.
Music News & Notes
They Might Be Teachers
They Might Be Giants won a Best Children's Album Grammy for a record called "Here Comes the 123s" and now they're gunning for more gramophone gold with another kiddie release, "Here Comes Science;" which comes packaged with its own DVD. The double-disc set is out on Amazon and iTunes September 1 and everywhere else September 22 via Idlewild/Disney.
=================
Jay-Z + MGMT
According to this Reuters report, synth-hippie duo MGMT will appear on Jay-Z's forthcoming, highly anticipated opus "The Blueprint 3." (Via Stereogum) which is due out on September 11 from Roc Nation/Atlantic. According to that same Reuters report, other guests will include Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Drake, and Mr. Hudson, and the album will feature production from Timbaland, Kanye West, and No I.D., who helmed "D.O.A."
=================
ANVIL: 'This Is Thirteen' Re-Release To Include 'Thumb Hang' Bonus Track
Certainly one of the most feel-good rock n' roll comeback stories of recent times is that of Canadian heavy metal band ANVIL. The band, considered a major influence for a generation of hard rockers including METALLICA, SLAYER, ANTHRAX, and GUNS N' ROSES, was the subject of a critically acclaimed, must-see rock-doc, "Anvil! The Story of Anvil", directed by Sacha Gervasi. And in the process, the film has made the group (led by singer/guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner — both founding members) a household name. But the group's story will certainly not end with the film.
First up for ANVIL are U.S. shows opening for Aussie rock legends AC/DC — in football stadiums. "We're really excited about these shows; we've only heard awesome things about playing in football stadiums," states Lips. "I was with the GREEN DAY guys last night, and they were telling me, 'Man, it's probably going to be the gig of your life'!"
And then on September 15, "This is Thirteen" will finally see proper national distribution on CD and vinyl via VH1 Classic Records. The CD will feature the newly recorded, never-before released bonus track "Thumb Hang". The collectible double vinyl LP boasts newly re-recorded versions of ANVIL classics "Metal on Metal" and "666". The album, originally recorded in 2007 and produced by Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, THIN LIZZY), was primarily available directly from the band via their web site and at their concerts.
"'This is Thirteen' is more like our first three albums," says Lips, "which represent our real identity. For many of our albums, we went on an 'integrity hunt' instead of on a 'commercial/radio hunt,' so we became extremely inaccessible to radio. This time, we stepped back and said, 'What were we originally?' And we rediscovered ourselves, I suppose." Reiner adds, "There are three tracks that in my opinion, are definitely, 100% AOR/hard rock/commercial radio tracks — 'American Refuge', 'Flying Blind', and 'Feed the Greed'. Catchy melodies, incredible drum feels — they just all rock."
=================
Feelies Reisuues
Back in 1980, New Jersey postpunk originators the Feelies dropped "Crazy Rhythms," their classic debut. "Crazy Rhythms" was a short, sharp shock of spiky guitars and sidelong grooves, the sort of album destined to become an influential but underappreciated relic, which is exactly what happened. You can hear bits and pieces of "Crazy Rhythms" all over American indie rock from the 1980s, especially in the first few R.E.M. albums, but the band's history was plagued by commercial failure and frequent breakups. The LP has been out of print forever.
That's about to change. The Feelies are back together now, playing shows when they feel like it. And on September 8, "Crazy Rhythms" and the band's 1986 sophomore effort "The Good Earth" will finally be reissued. The reissues will be out on Bar None in the U.S. and Canada and Domino everywhere else. Both remastered albums will be available on CD and 180 gram vinyl, and both will come with bonus tracks.
=================
Queen Latifah Releases Details On New Album
It was revealed this week that rapper/actress Queen Latifah will be releasing her ninth studio album later this year.
The star-studded album, " Persona," will feature appearances by Busta Rhymes, Mary J. Blige, Jadakiss, and Boyz II Men.
“It doesn't have a specific theme -- each [song] was so different from the next, me being the common denominator,” Queen Latifah told the Los Angeles Times earlier this month (July). “And I realized my different characters were coming through on these [songs]. My acting, singing and rapping identities all came together under one roof as well as my taste in different kinds of music. I'd say it's half rap and half singing. If I had to categorize it, it would be more like hip hop urban alternative.”
The album, which was executive produced by duo Cool & Dre, is expected to be released on August 25.
They Might Be Giants won a Best Children's Album Grammy for a record called "Here Comes the 123s" and now they're gunning for more gramophone gold with another kiddie release, "Here Comes Science;" which comes packaged with its own DVD. The double-disc set is out on Amazon and iTunes September 1 and everywhere else September 22 via Idlewild/Disney.
=================
Jay-Z + MGMT
According to this Reuters report, synth-hippie duo MGMT will appear on Jay-Z's forthcoming, highly anticipated opus "The Blueprint 3." (Via Stereogum) which is due out on September 11 from Roc Nation/Atlantic. According to that same Reuters report, other guests will include Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Drake, and Mr. Hudson, and the album will feature production from Timbaland, Kanye West, and No I.D., who helmed "D.O.A."
=================
ANVIL: 'This Is Thirteen' Re-Release To Include 'Thumb Hang' Bonus Track
Certainly one of the most feel-good rock n' roll comeback stories of recent times is that of Canadian heavy metal band ANVIL. The band, considered a major influence for a generation of hard rockers including METALLICA, SLAYER, ANTHRAX, and GUNS N' ROSES, was the subject of a critically acclaimed, must-see rock-doc, "Anvil! The Story of Anvil", directed by Sacha Gervasi. And in the process, the film has made the group (led by singer/guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner — both founding members) a household name. But the group's story will certainly not end with the film.
First up for ANVIL are U.S. shows opening for Aussie rock legends AC/DC — in football stadiums. "We're really excited about these shows; we've only heard awesome things about playing in football stadiums," states Lips. "I was with the GREEN DAY guys last night, and they were telling me, 'Man, it's probably going to be the gig of your life'!"
And then on September 15, "This is Thirteen" will finally see proper national distribution on CD and vinyl via VH1 Classic Records. The CD will feature the newly recorded, never-before released bonus track "Thumb Hang". The collectible double vinyl LP boasts newly re-recorded versions of ANVIL classics "Metal on Metal" and "666". The album, originally recorded in 2007 and produced by Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, THIN LIZZY), was primarily available directly from the band via their web site and at their concerts.
"'This is Thirteen' is more like our first three albums," says Lips, "which represent our real identity. For many of our albums, we went on an 'integrity hunt' instead of on a 'commercial/radio hunt,' so we became extremely inaccessible to radio. This time, we stepped back and said, 'What were we originally?' And we rediscovered ourselves, I suppose." Reiner adds, "There are three tracks that in my opinion, are definitely, 100% AOR/hard rock/commercial radio tracks — 'American Refuge', 'Flying Blind', and 'Feed the Greed'. Catchy melodies, incredible drum feels — they just all rock."
=================
Feelies Reisuues
Back in 1980, New Jersey postpunk originators the Feelies dropped "Crazy Rhythms," their classic debut. "Crazy Rhythms" was a short, sharp shock of spiky guitars and sidelong grooves, the sort of album destined to become an influential but underappreciated relic, which is exactly what happened. You can hear bits and pieces of "Crazy Rhythms" all over American indie rock from the 1980s, especially in the first few R.E.M. albums, but the band's history was plagued by commercial failure and frequent breakups. The LP has been out of print forever.
That's about to change. The Feelies are back together now, playing shows when they feel like it. And on September 8, "Crazy Rhythms" and the band's 1986 sophomore effort "The Good Earth" will finally be reissued. The reissues will be out on Bar None in the U.S. and Canada and Domino everywhere else. Both remastered albums will be available on CD and 180 gram vinyl, and both will come with bonus tracks.
=================
Queen Latifah Releases Details On New Album
It was revealed this week that rapper/actress Queen Latifah will be releasing her ninth studio album later this year.
The star-studded album, " Persona," will feature appearances by Busta Rhymes, Mary J. Blige, Jadakiss, and Boyz II Men.
“It doesn't have a specific theme -- each [song] was so different from the next, me being the common denominator,” Queen Latifah told the Los Angeles Times earlier this month (July). “And I realized my different characters were coming through on these [songs]. My acting, singing and rapping identities all came together under one roof as well as my taste in different kinds of music. I'd say it's half rap and half singing. If I had to categorize it, it would be more like hip hop urban alternative.”
The album, which was executive produced by duo Cool & Dre, is expected to be released on August 25.
CSN looks back on 'Demos' as it forges forward with new music
By Alan Sculley | Special to The Morning Call
Graham Nash puts it quite simply. Crosby Stills & Nash doesn't have to tour anymore. The trio doesn't need to record and release albums. The group is secure enough financially to retire.
But here it is summer 2009, and again, as it has been for most years during the past decade, Crosby Stills & Nash is back on the road, covering most of the United States and Europe.
"We're musicians and songwriters, and we want to communicate," Nash says. "The first thing you do when you write a new song, once it makes it past your filters, is to play it for your wife and friends and family. Then you want to play it for people on a tour."
Actually, Crosby Stills & Nash doesn't have many new songs to play. Nash's anti-war ballad, "Not In My Name," is the most recent arrival, having debuted on "Reflections," his three-CD box set covering his entire musical career and released in February.
But a new Crosby Stills & Nash CD is out. Called "Demos," it's both new and about as old as it gets for CSN.
The disc release features the demo versions of 12 songs David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash recorded for the trio's 1969 self-titled debut; for the 1970 Crosby Stills Nash & Young debut, "Déjà vu," and for various solo and duo releases of the early '70s.
For CSN fans, it's a chance to literally hear Crosby Stills & Nash finding their harmony-filled, folk-influenced sound.
"In December of '68, Crosby Stills & Nash were in New York, and we went into the studio at the Record Plant with Paul Rothschild, who had produced the Doors and Janis Joplin," Nash says. "We went in there, and that was the first time Crosby Stills & Nash had ever recorded. On the previous box set, the large square one that we put out in, what was it, '91 or something, we used one of them [the demos], I think 'Helplessly Hoping.' And we had another one."
Nash says in this interview that that song was "You Don't Have To Cry." That demo is included on the new album, except it's Stills' original solo version of the song. The actual performance he remembered was of "Marrakesh Express," and that tune leads off the "Demos" CD.
And indeed, this is the sound of Crosby, Stills & Nash, accompanied only by acoustic guitar, capturing the vocal arrangement and the three-part harmonies that became such a signature for the group four months before the song appeared on the "Crosby Stills & Nash" CD in a far more elaborate instrumental arrangement.
In any event, the "Demos" CD accomplishes the very goal Nash set for himself in putting together the album.
"My original idea that maybe people would be very interested in seeing, if not the very first time a song was put down on tape, but very early in the version and see how it flowers into the record people know and love," he says. "I thought that would be a very interesting thing."
It seems highly likely that fans will be drawn to the album for at least a few of the rarities it contains. There's Crosby's solo demo of "Almost Cut My Hair," as well as his version of the song "Déjà vu," which finishes with Crosby scatting the vocal melody as he plays the remainder of the song. "Long Time Gone," a staple of CSN and CSNY shows since it arrived on the "Crosby Stills & Nash" album is performed on "Demos" by just Crosby and Stills. Meanwhile there are several familiar solo songs, including Nash's piano version of "Chicago" and Stills' demo of his hit single, "Love The One You're With." "Music Is Love," a song that ended up on Crosby's 1971 solo debut album, "If I Could Only Remember My Name," marks an early appearance by Neil Young, who joins Crosby and Nash in singing the demo version.
Nash said he uncovered 53 early demos in his archive of recordings by the various band members. He is already working on a second album of demos culled from the remaining tracks.
"Demos" is far from the only musical project Nash has spearheaded lately. Of course, there was the box set, "Reflections," which follows a Crosby box set released in 2006. Nash has also begun work assembling a Stills box set that could include unreleased tracks from sessions he recorded with Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.
The "Reflections" set traces Nash's career from its beginnings with the British pop group the Hollies, into Crosby Stills & Nash and through material he recorded for his five solo albums and four studio records with Crosby.
Nash thinks he chose a group of songs that accomplished the goals he had for the set, which he sees as document that will give present and future music fans insight into what he has been about musically.
"First of all, I hope the people enjoy it," Nash sahs. "I didn't want it to be so esoteric or out of left field that people couldn't relate to it. I'm a very simple man, as you know. To me I'm a very normal person. I do something very well, and several things rather well, but to me I'm a very normal person. And I want people to understand that I tried my best to communicate. I tried my best to make myself happy about my music. I tried my best to make my friends happy about it and my audience happy about it. I think I accomplished that."
Crosby Stills & Nash, meanwhile, have been busy selecting songs for their next CSN CD, a collection of outside material performed very much in what Nash says will be CSN's harmonized style. Recording of the CD with producer Rick Rubin is scheduled to start in the fall.
An initial list of 50 songs has been trimmed to 18, and Nash says the group will try out a few of the candidates each night on tour this summer.
"Right now we know about eight or 10 of them enough to play them live for people," he says. "So we'll be dropping [in] and changing songs] every night, putting new songs in there. So it will be very interesting."
The group's concert set, though, will mostly stick to familiar material. And the trio will perform in several settings.
"We're going to actually start acoustic," Nash says. "The first song will be with the band, but very gentle. Then me and David and Stephen will sing for six or seven great acoustic things, some new songs that we've learned, other peoples' that we're going to be doing for this Rick Rubin record we're going to record after the tour, and then a couple of other ones with the band, but gentle. Then we'll finish up the acoustic set with something like 'Southern Cross.' And we'll take a break and come back and play electric for an hour or so."
SOURCE: http://www.mcall.com
Graham Nash puts it quite simply. Crosby Stills & Nash doesn't have to tour anymore. The trio doesn't need to record and release albums. The group is secure enough financially to retire.
But here it is summer 2009, and again, as it has been for most years during the past decade, Crosby Stills & Nash is back on the road, covering most of the United States and Europe.
"We're musicians and songwriters, and we want to communicate," Nash says. "The first thing you do when you write a new song, once it makes it past your filters, is to play it for your wife and friends and family. Then you want to play it for people on a tour."
Actually, Crosby Stills & Nash doesn't have many new songs to play. Nash's anti-war ballad, "Not In My Name," is the most recent arrival, having debuted on "Reflections," his three-CD box set covering his entire musical career and released in February.
But a new Crosby Stills & Nash CD is out. Called "Demos," it's both new and about as old as it gets for CSN.
The disc release features the demo versions of 12 songs David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash recorded for the trio's 1969 self-titled debut; for the 1970 Crosby Stills Nash & Young debut, "Déjà vu," and for various solo and duo releases of the early '70s.
For CSN fans, it's a chance to literally hear Crosby Stills & Nash finding their harmony-filled, folk-influenced sound.
"In December of '68, Crosby Stills & Nash were in New York, and we went into the studio at the Record Plant with Paul Rothschild, who had produced the Doors and Janis Joplin," Nash says. "We went in there, and that was the first time Crosby Stills & Nash had ever recorded. On the previous box set, the large square one that we put out in, what was it, '91 or something, we used one of them [the demos], I think 'Helplessly Hoping.' And we had another one."
Nash says in this interview that that song was "You Don't Have To Cry." That demo is included on the new album, except it's Stills' original solo version of the song. The actual performance he remembered was of "Marrakesh Express," and that tune leads off the "Demos" CD.
And indeed, this is the sound of Crosby, Stills & Nash, accompanied only by acoustic guitar, capturing the vocal arrangement and the three-part harmonies that became such a signature for the group four months before the song appeared on the "Crosby Stills & Nash" CD in a far more elaborate instrumental arrangement.
In any event, the "Demos" CD accomplishes the very goal Nash set for himself in putting together the album.
"My original idea that maybe people would be very interested in seeing, if not the very first time a song was put down on tape, but very early in the version and see how it flowers into the record people know and love," he says. "I thought that would be a very interesting thing."
It seems highly likely that fans will be drawn to the album for at least a few of the rarities it contains. There's Crosby's solo demo of "Almost Cut My Hair," as well as his version of the song "Déjà vu," which finishes with Crosby scatting the vocal melody as he plays the remainder of the song. "Long Time Gone," a staple of CSN and CSNY shows since it arrived on the "Crosby Stills & Nash" album is performed on "Demos" by just Crosby and Stills. Meanwhile there are several familiar solo songs, including Nash's piano version of "Chicago" and Stills' demo of his hit single, "Love The One You're With." "Music Is Love," a song that ended up on Crosby's 1971 solo debut album, "If I Could Only Remember My Name," marks an early appearance by Neil Young, who joins Crosby and Nash in singing the demo version.
Nash said he uncovered 53 early demos in his archive of recordings by the various band members. He is already working on a second album of demos culled from the remaining tracks.
"Demos" is far from the only musical project Nash has spearheaded lately. Of course, there was the box set, "Reflections," which follows a Crosby box set released in 2006. Nash has also begun work assembling a Stills box set that could include unreleased tracks from sessions he recorded with Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.
The "Reflections" set traces Nash's career from its beginnings with the British pop group the Hollies, into Crosby Stills & Nash and through material he recorded for his five solo albums and four studio records with Crosby.
Nash thinks he chose a group of songs that accomplished the goals he had for the set, which he sees as document that will give present and future music fans insight into what he has been about musically.
"First of all, I hope the people enjoy it," Nash sahs. "I didn't want it to be so esoteric or out of left field that people couldn't relate to it. I'm a very simple man, as you know. To me I'm a very normal person. I do something very well, and several things rather well, but to me I'm a very normal person. And I want people to understand that I tried my best to communicate. I tried my best to make myself happy about my music. I tried my best to make my friends happy about it and my audience happy about it. I think I accomplished that."
Crosby Stills & Nash, meanwhile, have been busy selecting songs for their next CSN CD, a collection of outside material performed very much in what Nash says will be CSN's harmonized style. Recording of the CD with producer Rick Rubin is scheduled to start in the fall.
An initial list of 50 songs has been trimmed to 18, and Nash says the group will try out a few of the candidates each night on tour this summer.
"Right now we know about eight or 10 of them enough to play them live for people," he says. "So we'll be dropping [in] and changing songs] every night, putting new songs in there. So it will be very interesting."
The group's concert set, though, will mostly stick to familiar material. And the trio will perform in several settings.
"We're going to actually start acoustic," Nash says. "The first song will be with the band, but very gentle. Then me and David and Stephen will sing for six or seven great acoustic things, some new songs that we've learned, other peoples' that we're going to be doing for this Rick Rubin record we're going to record after the tour, and then a couple of other ones with the band, but gentle. Then we'll finish up the acoustic set with something like 'Southern Cross.' And we'll take a break and come back and play electric for an hour or so."
SOURCE: http://www.mcall.com
Thursday, July 23, 2009
'Yellow Submarine' Artist Heinz Edelmann Dies at 75
Heinz Edelmann, the graphic designer and illustrator for the Beatles 'Yellow Submarine,' died Tuesday, July 21, in Germany from heart disease and kidney failure. Though he wasn't a musician, he was a vital part of Beatles lore nevertheless for his work on the 1968 animated film. He was 75 years old.
Creating the world of Pepperland, Edelmann illustrated figures like the Blue Meanies, the villains of the film who pursue the Beatles through a morphing seascape. Going beyond the simplistic work of the hit Beatles animated series, the film version of 'Yellow Submarine' was praised as moving art for its psychedelic imagery that perfectly captured the flowery feeling of the late '60s.
I found this interesting:
www.beatles.com
Music Interviews
Love songstress Jewel? Here's a great interview, well worth the read:
Interview: Jewel Releases Soothing Seventh Studio Album
Photo by Kurt MarkusJewel is an artist whose insatiable curiosity has led her to thrive in many creative areas. Though her list of accomplishments is dizzying—multi-platinum recording artist, actress, New York Times bestselling author—she's refreshingly down to earth. She takes the time to give back and is active in many charities, including her own Project Clean Water, which she founded to provide villages around the world with safe drinking water.
This year has been a busy one for Jewel. She recently released her first independent album, Lullaby, which is an ethereal collection of three classic tracks and 10 originals. The self-penned material holds its own among the standards, and after listening to this disc, it's hard to imagine a voice better suited for lullabies than Jewel's. Last week, LAist spoke with her to learn why she hopes her new album appeals to adults and children alike, and what she has in store when she takes the stage at the Hollywood Bowl this Friday and Saturday.
Read the rest here: http://laist.com/
-----------------------------
AMEN!
'Downloading has cheapened music'
By Damian Jones
Newsbeat music reporter
Jack White, The White Stripes linchpin and all round busiest man in rock 'n' roll, has launched a special subscription service. He's doing it because he's unhappy with the way downloading is affecting music experiences. He explains how he came up with the idea for the Vault.
What are your thoughts on the dominance of the internet on the music industry generally these days?
It’s taken a lot of the romance out of the experiences of music.
This is what we're trying to manipulate to the advantage of the fan/listener and the artist as well, to find ways to have beautiful experiences that have a longer lasting impact.
Sometimes things you have complete easy access to, like a reality show, or an online purchase at the click of a mouse, can become forgetable and invisible.
A trip to a record store to get the album you've been waiting months for on the other hand, can be cherished for a lifetime.
We are trying to find those bridges between the tangible worlds and the cyber/digital worlds.
Read the rest here: http://news.bbc.co.uk
Music News & Notes
EVILE Frontman Discusses Lyrical Themes On 'Infected Nations'
Matt Drake, frontman for British thrashers EVILE, recently took the time to discuss some of the lyrical themes from the band's upcoming album,"Infected Nations".
With a wider variety of topics such as modern society and classic science-fiction, "Infected Nations" sees EVILE taking the blueprints from their debut album, "Enter The Grave", and refining them into a more modern and ferocious beast.
The cover art for "Infected Nations" was created by Michael Whelan, famous for his sci-fi artworks along with classic album covers from such bands as SEPULTURA and OBITUARY.
EVILE frontman Matt Drake previously stated about the new CD: "When we did [2007's] 'Enter the Grave' two years ago, it was made up of songs we had been playing for a few years and some written in the excitement of actually getting to record an album. We were happy to just be making noise, but since then, we've learnt a few things and we're more interested in making music.
"EVILE fans can expect to hear a more mature offering, an album that concentrates on all aspects of what each member can do; it's a heck of a lot more focused, more satisfying and we're really proud of what we've achieved with it. Russ Russell has helped us to push ourselves to the next level and pull us out of the '80s. The whole retro thing has been cool but we feel it's time for us to leave that behind and stand up for ourselves and show people what we can really do, but fear not, it IS a thrash metal album, it is a 2009 thrash metal album, and we're dying to blow your minds with it."
====================
SONATA ARCTICA Lets Fans Design Cover Artwork
Finnish melodic metalers SONATA ARCTICA have launched a fan contest where people can design the cover artwork for the upcoming promotional single to the song "Flag In The Ground".
Commented vocalist Tony Kakko: "Now here's your big chance to make an impact to the whole music industry! Or at least all SONATA fans! Create a cover for our promotional single and have your artwork printed on a cardboard for promotional use like radios, clubs etc.
"The song is called 'Flag In The Ground', which also going to be our video song. It's an uplifting story about a young couple fighting their way to freedom and their own land in North America back in early 1800s.
"Join the race, have fun, create us a cover art work and win! Do it today!
The winning artwork will be the cover of the "Flag In The Ground" promotional single. The winner will also get tickets to an upcoming SONATA ARCTICA show as well as an opportunity to meet the band. The second- and third-prize winners will get signed SONATA ARCTICA items.
The artwork can be sent to: SonataArctica@nuclearblast.de
Specs:
Format: JPG
Res: 300 dpi
Colours: RGB
Size: 20 x 20 cm
The deadline for this contest is August 10, 2009!
SONATA ARCTICA will release its new album, "The Days Of Grays", on September 18 in Europe and September 22 in North America through Nuclear Blast Records.
====================
Daughtry "Own This Town" With #1 Billboard Debut
MJ and your astericks, move on over as Chris Daughtry and his crew move into the #1 spot on the Billboard charts. "Own This Town" sold more than 269,000 copies to land atop the Billboard 200 albums chart, according to numbers provided by Nielsen SoundScan, giving the former "American Idol" contestant another line on his already impressive résumé.
Daughtry more than doubled the sales of his closest competitor, Maxwell, whose BLACKsummers'night slipped to #2 with sales of more than 103,000 copies. The latest "Hannah Montana" soundtrack is next at #3, selling about 73,000 copies, followed by the Now That's What I Call Music! 31 compilation (69,000) and the Black Eyed Peas' The E.N.D. (54,000).
====================
Stryper 25 Years
On July 21, 2009 Christian heavy metal band - Stryper released their seventh studio album, Murder By Pride - a 12-track release that includes a cover of the Boston classic "Peace of Mind" and features a guest appearance by Boston guitarist and founder Tom Scholz.
July 21, 2009 also marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Stryper's debut album, The Yellow And Black Attack.
The band will be hitting the road for their 25th anniversary tour and will feature two sets - one of Stryper's newer material and will be performed with current bassist Tracy Ferrie, and a set of the classic material performing with original bassist Tim Gaines.
====================
Johnson Tired Of The Road
Brian Johnson of AC/DC has told Classic Rock magazine that he is interested in retiring but the band won't let him.
“We were talking about the end of the tour and I said: ‘We’re finishing in May and that’s me done!’ But Malcolm [Young, rhythm guitarist] said: ‘What are you talkin’ about? We’re not gonna let you retire!’ And now they’re talking about next year. I’m going: ‘What do you mean next year? We’re finishing in May in Japan, I’ll be tired!’ And they said: ‘Well, we’ve been offered some festivals…’”
Johnson, 61, will publish his autobiography, Rockers and Rollers, in October.
==================
Silver Jackson New LP
Silver Jackson is a Sitka star. His live audience shows him support not only with their applause, but also by participating in the music making. Nicholas Galanin is the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist behind Silver Jackson, and his stage performances include a rotation of various friends and other musicians. The cover art (below) is as endearing as the music and certainly worth checking out.
==================
Madonna Release
Madonna confirmed plans to release her definitive greatest hits compilation Celebration today, due September 29th as both a single and double album. As if the lure of 37 Top 10 hits wasn’t enough, Celebration will also feature a pair of new tracks she recently recorded in New York, including the collection’s first single “Celebration,” which was co-produced by house music legend Paul Oakenfold. Celebration’s cover was created by street pop artist Mr. Brainwash.
The songs on Celebration have all been remastered and selected by Madonna and her fans. They cover the expanse of the Material Girl’s extraordinary career of hits including “Everybody,” “Express Yourself,” “Vogue” and “4 Minutes.” “Celebration” will be available in a two-CD set as well as a single CD. There will also be a “Celebration” DVD released simultaneously which includes the video visionary’s best videos including several that have never before been available on DVD."
There are two new songs on the album. The first is a Paul Oakenfold collaboration that goes to radio on August 3rd called "Celebration". The Hits collection is out September 28 in the U.S.
Celebration is Madonna’s third greatest hits compilation and marks the last release under the Warner Music umbrella before the Material Girl leaves her career-spanning record company for a Live Nation 360 deal.
===================
Weezer Almost Done With Next Album
Weezer have been doing anything but laying low. Having released their eponymously titled 'Red Album' last year, the group are "close to a wrap" on their 7th record - the color of which is yet undecided.
In a lengthy post on the Weezer website, the group writes, "The bands 7th album, title TBA, is pretty close to a wrap now (after a mild false alarm back in the spring), though there is some work yet remaining to be done. There have also been some other special Weezer studio recordings done recently."
Weezer don't elaborate on what those additional recordings could be, but they do drop hints about a "special non-physical release."
===================
Drivin' N' Cryin' Again
Drivin' N' Cryin' will put out their first record in twelve years. Great American Bubble Factory will be released on September 29, 2009 on Vintage Earth Music with marketing and distribution provided by Thirty Tigers/RED.
"This record is the perfect crescendo to a long twenty-plus year career of the band. I think we've found the true essence of what we started to build back in 1985," says Kevn Kinney.
Drivin' N' Cryin' originally started recording demos for this album on September 10, 2001. After 9/11 the band abandoned the sessions after deciding the time wasn't right for their stories of blue-collar optimism. They returned to Sonica Studios in Atlanta earlier this year where the band produced the album in collaboration with Anton Fier, who produced their 1987 album Whisper Tames the Lion and James Barber, their ex-manager-turned-producer.
This record moves from the "Midwestern Blues" to the Flannery O'Connor South of "This Town" to the industrial grind of "Detroit City" to the optimistic anthem (and Dictators cover) "I Stand Tall" to the genuine pining for home in "I See Georgia."
The current DNC line up is: Kevn Kinney (guitar & vocals), Tim Nielsen (bass, mandolin & backing vocals), Mac Carter (guitar), Dave V. Johnson (drums, percussion & backing vocals). The band will be on tour throughout the fall, tour dates will be announced soon.
===================
Wolfmother Tour Plans
Wolfmother is back with sharpened chops, and the band will preview new material on the road this summer, including a run of shows with the Killers. The Sydney, Australia, rockers have joined on as the main support for six shows in the Northeastern U.S. and Canada, where they'll unveil the songs they've spent months recording in L.A.
Fans in L.A. can experience the whole album set to mind-blowing visuals on July 27 at the Laserium CyberTheater at the historic Vine Theater in Hollywood. Wolfmother also plays August 22nd at KROQ's Epicenter '09 festival at the Fairplex at Pomona in California.
The Grammy-winning four-piece recently dropped teaser track "Back Round" on iTunes, MySpace.com/wolfmother and wolfmother.com. And the foot-stomping, fuzz-drenched song will soon challenge players of Activision's Guitar Hero 5. Wolfmother is also opening for AC/DC on its "Black Ice Tour," beginning in February in 2010. The down-under tour, featuring two groups of Sydney's finest sons, sold out faster than any in the Australia's history.
Led by hirsute shredder Andrew Stockdale, the band cooked Cosmic Egg for three years, taking time to lock in a permanent lineup and build on the self-titled album that gave the world the insta-classic track "Woman." They recorded over the course of two months with heralded UK producer Alan Moulder (Smashing Pumpkins, The Killers, My Bloody Valentine). His sweeping and storied career as an iconic record-maker coupled with Wolfmother's immortal song craft add up to nothing short of a rip in the time-space continuum. But each one of these face-melting tunes was written to be played live and loud.
Wolfmother plans to headline a U.S. tour after the album's release later this year.
Mon-Aug-31 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
Tue-Sep-01 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach
Wed-Sep-02 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Fri-Sep-04 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
Sat-Sep-05 Montreal, QC Quai Jacques Cartier
Sun-Sep-06 Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheater
===================
Black Sabbath News
Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi—who’s currently in a legal battle with Ozzy Osbourne over the rights to the band’s name—has signed a deal to allow Next Films to use Black Sabbath as the name of a horror movie franchise, The Hollywood Reporter reports, adding that Iommi will score the film. Ironically, before the band’s name was trademarked, Ozzy and the boys took their moniker from the 1963 Mario Bava horror film Black Sabbath.
Matt Drake, frontman for British thrashers EVILE, recently took the time to discuss some of the lyrical themes from the band's upcoming album,"Infected Nations".With a wider variety of topics such as modern society and classic science-fiction, "Infected Nations" sees EVILE taking the blueprints from their debut album, "Enter The Grave", and refining them into a more modern and ferocious beast.
The cover art for "Infected Nations" was created by Michael Whelan, famous for his sci-fi artworks along with classic album covers from such bands as SEPULTURA and OBITUARY.
EVILE frontman Matt Drake previously stated about the new CD: "When we did [2007's] 'Enter the Grave' two years ago, it was made up of songs we had been playing for a few years and some written in the excitement of actually getting to record an album. We were happy to just be making noise, but since then, we've learnt a few things and we're more interested in making music.
"EVILE fans can expect to hear a more mature offering, an album that concentrates on all aspects of what each member can do; it's a heck of a lot more focused, more satisfying and we're really proud of what we've achieved with it. Russ Russell has helped us to push ourselves to the next level and pull us out of the '80s. The whole retro thing has been cool but we feel it's time for us to leave that behind and stand up for ourselves and show people what we can really do, but fear not, it IS a thrash metal album, it is a 2009 thrash metal album, and we're dying to blow your minds with it."
====================
SONATA ARCTICA Lets Fans Design Cover Artwork
Finnish melodic metalers SONATA ARCTICA have launched a fan contest where people can design the cover artwork for the upcoming promotional single to the song "Flag In The Ground".
Commented vocalist Tony Kakko: "Now here's your big chance to make an impact to the whole music industry! Or at least all SONATA fans! Create a cover for our promotional single and have your artwork printed on a cardboard for promotional use like radios, clubs etc.
"The song is called 'Flag In The Ground', which also going to be our video song. It's an uplifting story about a young couple fighting their way to freedom and their own land in North America back in early 1800s.
"Join the race, have fun, create us a cover art work and win! Do it today!
The winning artwork will be the cover of the "Flag In The Ground" promotional single. The winner will also get tickets to an upcoming SONATA ARCTICA show as well as an opportunity to meet the band. The second- and third-prize winners will get signed SONATA ARCTICA items.
The artwork can be sent to: SonataArctica@nuclearblast.de
Specs:
Format: JPG
Res: 300 dpi
Colours: RGB
Size: 20 x 20 cm
The deadline for this contest is August 10, 2009!
SONATA ARCTICA will release its new album, "The Days Of Grays", on September 18 in Europe and September 22 in North America through Nuclear Blast Records.
====================
Daughtry "Own This Town" With #1 Billboard Debut
MJ and your astericks, move on over as Chris Daughtry and his crew move into the #1 spot on the Billboard charts. "Own This Town" sold more than 269,000 copies to land atop the Billboard 200 albums chart, according to numbers provided by Nielsen SoundScan, giving the former "American Idol" contestant another line on his already impressive résumé.
Daughtry more than doubled the sales of his closest competitor, Maxwell, whose BLACKsummers'night slipped to #2 with sales of more than 103,000 copies. The latest "Hannah Montana" soundtrack is next at #3, selling about 73,000 copies, followed by the Now That's What I Call Music! 31 compilation (69,000) and the Black Eyed Peas' The E.N.D. (54,000).
====================
Stryper 25 Years
On July 21, 2009 Christian heavy metal band - Stryper released their seventh studio album, Murder By Pride - a 12-track release that includes a cover of the Boston classic "Peace of Mind" and features a guest appearance by Boston guitarist and founder Tom Scholz.
July 21, 2009 also marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Stryper's debut album, The Yellow And Black Attack.
The band will be hitting the road for their 25th anniversary tour and will feature two sets - one of Stryper's newer material and will be performed with current bassist Tracy Ferrie, and a set of the classic material performing with original bassist Tim Gaines.
====================
Johnson Tired Of The Road
Brian Johnson of AC/DC has told Classic Rock magazine that he is interested in retiring but the band won't let him.
“We were talking about the end of the tour and I said: ‘We’re finishing in May and that’s me done!’ But Malcolm [Young, rhythm guitarist] said: ‘What are you talkin’ about? We’re not gonna let you retire!’ And now they’re talking about next year. I’m going: ‘What do you mean next year? We’re finishing in May in Japan, I’ll be tired!’ And they said: ‘Well, we’ve been offered some festivals…’”
Johnson, 61, will publish his autobiography, Rockers and Rollers, in October.
==================
Silver Jackson New LP
Silver Jackson is a Sitka star. His live audience shows him support not only with their applause, but also by participating in the music making. Nicholas Galanin is the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist behind Silver Jackson, and his stage performances include a rotation of various friends and other musicians. The cover art (below) is as endearing as the music and certainly worth checking out.
==================
Madonna Release
Madonna confirmed plans to release her definitive greatest hits compilation Celebration today, due September 29th as both a single and double album. As if the lure of 37 Top 10 hits wasn’t enough, Celebration will also feature a pair of new tracks she recently recorded in New York, including the collection’s first single “Celebration,” which was co-produced by house music legend Paul Oakenfold. Celebration’s cover was created by street pop artist Mr. Brainwash.
The songs on Celebration have all been remastered and selected by Madonna and her fans. They cover the expanse of the Material Girl’s extraordinary career of hits including “Everybody,” “Express Yourself,” “Vogue” and “4 Minutes.” “Celebration” will be available in a two-CD set as well as a single CD. There will also be a “Celebration” DVD released simultaneously which includes the video visionary’s best videos including several that have never before been available on DVD."
There are two new songs on the album. The first is a Paul Oakenfold collaboration that goes to radio on August 3rd called "Celebration". The Hits collection is out September 28 in the U.S.
Celebration is Madonna’s third greatest hits compilation and marks the last release under the Warner Music umbrella before the Material Girl leaves her career-spanning record company for a Live Nation 360 deal.
===================
Weezer Almost Done With Next Album
Weezer have been doing anything but laying low. Having released their eponymously titled 'Red Album' last year, the group are "close to a wrap" on their 7th record - the color of which is yet undecided.
In a lengthy post on the Weezer website, the group writes, "The bands 7th album, title TBA, is pretty close to a wrap now (after a mild false alarm back in the spring), though there is some work yet remaining to be done. There have also been some other special Weezer studio recordings done recently."
Weezer don't elaborate on what those additional recordings could be, but they do drop hints about a "special non-physical release."
===================
Drivin' N' Cryin' Again
Drivin' N' Cryin' will put out their first record in twelve years. Great American Bubble Factory will be released on September 29, 2009 on Vintage Earth Music with marketing and distribution provided by Thirty Tigers/RED.
"This record is the perfect crescendo to a long twenty-plus year career of the band. I think we've found the true essence of what we started to build back in 1985," says Kevn Kinney.
Drivin' N' Cryin' originally started recording demos for this album on September 10, 2001. After 9/11 the band abandoned the sessions after deciding the time wasn't right for their stories of blue-collar optimism. They returned to Sonica Studios in Atlanta earlier this year where the band produced the album in collaboration with Anton Fier, who produced their 1987 album Whisper Tames the Lion and James Barber, their ex-manager-turned-producer.
This record moves from the "Midwestern Blues" to the Flannery O'Connor South of "This Town" to the industrial grind of "Detroit City" to the optimistic anthem (and Dictators cover) "I Stand Tall" to the genuine pining for home in "I See Georgia."
The current DNC line up is: Kevn Kinney (guitar & vocals), Tim Nielsen (bass, mandolin & backing vocals), Mac Carter (guitar), Dave V. Johnson (drums, percussion & backing vocals). The band will be on tour throughout the fall, tour dates will be announced soon.
===================
Wolfmother Tour Plans
Wolfmother is back with sharpened chops, and the band will preview new material on the road this summer, including a run of shows with the Killers. The Sydney, Australia, rockers have joined on as the main support for six shows in the Northeastern U.S. and Canada, where they'll unveil the songs they've spent months recording in L.A.
Fans in L.A. can experience the whole album set to mind-blowing visuals on July 27 at the Laserium CyberTheater at the historic Vine Theater in Hollywood. Wolfmother also plays August 22nd at KROQ's Epicenter '09 festival at the Fairplex at Pomona in California.
The Grammy-winning four-piece recently dropped teaser track "Back Round" on iTunes, MySpace.com/wolfmother and wolfmother.com. And the foot-stomping, fuzz-drenched song will soon challenge players of Activision's Guitar Hero 5. Wolfmother is also opening for AC/DC on its "Black Ice Tour," beginning in February in 2010. The down-under tour, featuring two groups of Sydney's finest sons, sold out faster than any in the Australia's history.
Led by hirsute shredder Andrew Stockdale, the band cooked Cosmic Egg for three years, taking time to lock in a permanent lineup and build on the self-titled album that gave the world the insta-classic track "Woman." They recorded over the course of two months with heralded UK producer Alan Moulder (Smashing Pumpkins, The Killers, My Bloody Valentine). His sweeping and storied career as an iconic record-maker coupled with Wolfmother's immortal song craft add up to nothing short of a rip in the time-space continuum. But each one of these face-melting tunes was written to be played live and loud.
Wolfmother plans to headline a U.S. tour after the album's release later this year.
Mon-Aug-31 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
Tue-Sep-01 Wantagh, NY Jones Beach
Wed-Sep-02 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Fri-Sep-04 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
Sat-Sep-05 Montreal, QC Quai Jacques Cartier
Sun-Sep-06 Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheater
===================
Black Sabbath News
Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi—who’s currently in a legal battle with Ozzy Osbourne over the rights to the band’s name—has signed a deal to allow Next Films to use Black Sabbath as the name of a horror movie franchise, The Hollywood Reporter reports, adding that Iommi will score the film. Ironically, before the band’s name was trademarked, Ozzy and the boys took their moniker from the 1963 Mario Bava horror film Black Sabbath.
Vinyl Collective Top Sales- News
Due a few store glitches, we were unable to bring you the top sales of the past 2 weeks until just now. The first top 10 is for the past week. The previous top 10 is for the week prior.
Top 10 sales from July 13-July 19
1 POISON THE WELL “The Tropic Rot” dbl LP tan vinyl 62 copies
2 A WILHELM SCREAM “Mute Print” LP mustard yellow vinyl 48 copies
3 MISCHIEF BREW / ANDREW JACKSON JIHAD: Split 8″ clear w/ polka dots 31 copies
4 MISCHIEF BREW / ANDREW JACKSON JIHAD: Split 8″ clear vinyl 30 copies
5 PORTUGAL THE MAN The Satanic Satanist LP red/orange 26 copies
6 POISON THE WELL “The Tropic Rot” dbl LP set of both colors 24 copies
7 NINJA GUN/ TIM VERSION/ PRETTY BOY THORSON/ USED KIDS 4-way split 7 sky blue 21 copies
8 12″ Record Jacket SLEEVE with 1-1/2″ RESEAL Flap 20 copies
9 NINJA GUN/ TIM VERSION/ PRETTY BOY THORSON/ USED KIDS 4-way split 7 navy 19 copies
10 LIVING WITH LIONS “Make Your Mark” LP clear vinyl 14 copies
10 CHUCK RAGAN/ BRIAN FALLON “Gospel Songs” 7″ black vinyl 13 copies
10 SET YOUR GOALS “This Will Be The Death Of Us” LP 13 copies
10 7” Record Jacket Sleeves (20) 7-1/4″ x 7-1/4 13 copies
Top 10 sales from July 6-July 12
1 A WILHELM SCREAM “Mute Print” LP mustard yellow vinyl 148 copies
2 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “Senor and the Queen” 10″ red vinyl 60 copies
3 A WILHELM SCREAM “Mute Print” LP black vinyl 40 copies
4 2 for Tuesday (Fake Problems it’s great LP, Ninja Gun restless rubes LP) 2 for 1 26 copies
5 THURSDAY “Full Collapse” LP solid brown vinyl 20 copies
5 PORTUGAL THE MAN The Satanic Satanist LP red/orange 20 copies
7 THE MENZINGERS “Hold On, Dodge” 7″ olive green vinyl 18 copies
8 SET YOUR GOALS “This Will Be The Death Of Us” LP 16 copies
8 12” Record Jacket Sleeve. Fits over album jacket. 16 copies
10 BROADWAY CALLS “Good Views, Bad News” LP opaque green vinyl VC exclusive color 15 copies
10 JAWBREAKER – Dear You 2xLP 15 copies
10 CHUCK RAGAN/ LOVED ONES split 7″ blue vinyl 15 copies
Buy your vinyl at www.vinylcollective.com
===================================
Suburban Home’s 14th Anniversary line-up Announcment, Tickets now on Sale
Excited to announce that we just confirmed Josh Small and In the Red for Suburban Home’s 14th Anniversary celebration. We also have the lineups pretty much figured out and tickets are now available, here is the lineup:
Friday, September 11th at 3 Kings Tavern
Joey Cape
Jon Snodgrass
Austin Lucas
Josh Small
Jr. Juggernaut
In the Red
Look Mexico
Saturday, September 12th at 3 Kings Tavern
Tim Barry
Two Cow Garage
Chad Price
Ninja Gun
Mike Hale
The Takers
Saturday, September 12th from noon to 4 pm we will be throwing a garage sale at the Suburban Home/Vinyl Collective offices where a few of our artists will be performing acoustic.
Sunday, September 13th – Suburban Home 14th Anniversary BBQ and Washers Tournament at Washington Park
There will also be an art gallery set up in the basement of 3 kings where are good friend Vanessa “Jean” Speckman, Josh from Look Mexico, and some other great artists will be showing their art. Know of a great artist who would like to show their art? Let us know.
And we have a group of hotels reserved for the weekend. The rooms are really nice and are only around 8 blocks from where all the shows are being held.
We at Suburban Home would like to invite every single one of you. We promise that you will love Denver and that you will have one of the greatest weekends of your life.
For more info, visit www.vinylcollective.com
Top 10 sales from July 13-July 19
1 POISON THE WELL “The Tropic Rot” dbl LP tan vinyl 62 copies
2 A WILHELM SCREAM “Mute Print” LP mustard yellow vinyl 48 copies
3 MISCHIEF BREW / ANDREW JACKSON JIHAD: Split 8″ clear w/ polka dots 31 copies
4 MISCHIEF BREW / ANDREW JACKSON JIHAD: Split 8″ clear vinyl 30 copies
5 PORTUGAL THE MAN The Satanic Satanist LP red/orange 26 copies
6 POISON THE WELL “The Tropic Rot” dbl LP set of both colors 24 copies
7 NINJA GUN/ TIM VERSION/ PRETTY BOY THORSON/ USED KIDS 4-way split 7 sky blue 21 copies
8 12″ Record Jacket SLEEVE with 1-1/2″ RESEAL Flap 20 copies
9 NINJA GUN/ TIM VERSION/ PRETTY BOY THORSON/ USED KIDS 4-way split 7 navy 19 copies
10 LIVING WITH LIONS “Make Your Mark” LP clear vinyl 14 copies
10 CHUCK RAGAN/ BRIAN FALLON “Gospel Songs” 7″ black vinyl 13 copies
10 SET YOUR GOALS “This Will Be The Death Of Us” LP 13 copies
10 7” Record Jacket Sleeves (20) 7-1/4″ x 7-1/4 13 copies
Top 10 sales from July 6-July 12
1 A WILHELM SCREAM “Mute Print” LP mustard yellow vinyl 148 copies
2 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM “Senor and the Queen” 10″ red vinyl 60 copies
3 A WILHELM SCREAM “Mute Print” LP black vinyl 40 copies
4 2 for Tuesday (Fake Problems it’s great LP, Ninja Gun restless rubes LP) 2 for 1 26 copies
5 THURSDAY “Full Collapse” LP solid brown vinyl 20 copies
5 PORTUGAL THE MAN The Satanic Satanist LP red/orange 20 copies
7 THE MENZINGERS “Hold On, Dodge” 7″ olive green vinyl 18 copies
8 SET YOUR GOALS “This Will Be The Death Of Us” LP 16 copies
8 12” Record Jacket Sleeve. Fits over album jacket. 16 copies
10 BROADWAY CALLS “Good Views, Bad News” LP opaque green vinyl VC exclusive color 15 copies
10 JAWBREAKER – Dear You 2xLP 15 copies
10 CHUCK RAGAN/ LOVED ONES split 7″ blue vinyl 15 copies
Buy your vinyl at www.vinylcollective.com
===================================
Suburban Home’s 14th Anniversary line-up Announcment, Tickets now on Sale
Excited to announce that we just confirmed Josh Small and In the Red for Suburban Home’s 14th Anniversary celebration. We also have the lineups pretty much figured out and tickets are now available, here is the lineup:
Friday, September 11th at 3 Kings Tavern
Joey Cape
Jon Snodgrass
Austin Lucas
Josh Small
Jr. Juggernaut
In the Red
Look Mexico
Saturday, September 12th at 3 Kings Tavern
Tim Barry
Two Cow Garage
Chad Price
Ninja Gun
Mike Hale
The Takers
Saturday, September 12th from noon to 4 pm we will be throwing a garage sale at the Suburban Home/Vinyl Collective offices where a few of our artists will be performing acoustic.
Sunday, September 13th – Suburban Home 14th Anniversary BBQ and Washers Tournament at Washington Park
There will also be an art gallery set up in the basement of 3 kings where are good friend Vanessa “Jean” Speckman, Josh from Look Mexico, and some other great artists will be showing their art. Know of a great artist who would like to show their art? Let us know.
And we have a group of hotels reserved for the weekend. The rooms are really nice and are only around 8 blocks from where all the shows are being held.
We at Suburban Home would like to invite every single one of you. We promise that you will love Denver and that you will have one of the greatest weekends of your life.
For more info, visit www.vinylcollective.com
This Date In Music History-July 23
Birthdays:
Michelle Williams - Destiny's Child (1980)
Steve 'Stevo 32' Jocz - Sum 41 (1980)
Alison Krauss - (1971)
Chad Gracey – Live (1971)
Sam Watters - Color Me Bad (1970)
Rob Dickinson - Catherine Wheel (1965)
Slash (Saul Hudson) - Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver (1965)
Nick Menza – Megadeth (1964)
Tim Kellett - Simply Red (1964)
Martin Gore - Depeche Mode (1961)
Janis Siegel - Manhattan Transfer (1952)
Blair Thorton - Bachman Turner Overdrive (1950)
David Essex (1947)
Tony Joe White – (1947)
Andy MacKay - Roxy Music (1946)
Madeline Bell - Blue Mink (1942)
Cleveland Duncan – Penguins (1935)
They Are Missed:
In 2004, guitarist Bill Brown died of smoke inhalation in a house fire. Member of The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and The Titanic Blues Band.
Rob Collins, keyboard player with The Charlatans died in a car crash in 1996 (age 29).
In 1980, former Grateful Dead keyboardist, Keith Godchaux died of injuries sustained in a car accident in Marin County, California. He co-wrote songs with Lowell George (of Little Feat) and was a member of The New Riders of the Purple Sage.
History:
In 1955, Chess Records released the first Chuck Berry single, "Maybelline."
In 1962, the American Communications satellite, Telstar, makes its first trans-Atlantic transmission which inspires British record producer Joe Meek to pen "Telstar." The instrumental tune was recorded later in the week by the Toronados.
Neil Young's first recording session was held, in Winnipeg in 1963.
Frank Sinatra went to #1 on the US album chart in 1966 with “Strangers In The Night.”
Also in 1966, Napoleon XIV released the perennial novelty favorite "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" In reality he was record engineer Jerry Samuels.
Working at Abbey Road studios in London in 1968, the Beatles recorded “Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey” for their forthcoming White Album.
In 1968, The Jackson 5 auditioned at Motown's Detroit headquarters for a number of label executives. Berry Gordy was not present, but he signed them after viewing the audition tape.
Badfinger signed with Apple Records in 1968 as the Iveys.
Judas Priest made their first U.S. appearance in 1977, supporting Led Zeppelin.
Barry Manilow went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1977 with “Looks Like We Made It,” his third US #1.
In 1977, Who drummer Keith Moon joined Led Zeppelin on stage during a gig at The Forum, Inglewood, Los Angles playing a duet with Zeppelin drummer John Bonham before taking to the microphone and attempting to sing.
Also in 1977, John Bonham, manager Peter Grant and two secuirty guards were arrested backstage at the Oakland Coliseum. They were charged with battery after allegedly beating up three employees of Bill Graham, the groups Oakland concert promoter. After pleading guilty to misdemeanors, the accused settle out of court for two million dollars.
Billy Squier earned his first gold album in 1981. He has a big hit with his second solo record, "Don't Say No."
The Police went to #1 on the US album chart in 1983 with “Synchronicity.” The album spent a total of seventeen weeks at #1.
The Bangles release their #1 hit "Walk Like an Egyptian" in 1986.
After forty-nine weeks on the US album chart in 1988, “Hysteria” by Def Leppard finally went to the #1 position.
The Sun Records studio in Memphis was designated a national historic landmark in 2003.
Research by a car insurance company in 2005 showed that listening to the wrong sort of music when driving can lead to aggression and distraction. Dr Nicola Dibben a music psychologist said “singing while driving stimulates the mind.” Songs recommended included Pulp’s ‘Disco 2000’ and ‘Hey Ya’ by Outcast, but the Dr said songs like The Prodigy’s Firestarter should be avoided. I would assume that anything by Billy “Crash” Craddock would also be a no no.
Michelle Williams - Destiny's Child (1980)
Steve 'Stevo 32' Jocz - Sum 41 (1980)
Alison Krauss - (1971)
Chad Gracey – Live (1971)
Sam Watters - Color Me Bad (1970)
Rob Dickinson - Catherine Wheel (1965)
Slash (Saul Hudson) - Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver (1965)
Nick Menza – Megadeth (1964)
Tim Kellett - Simply Red (1964)
Martin Gore - Depeche Mode (1961)
Janis Siegel - Manhattan Transfer (1952)
Blair Thorton - Bachman Turner Overdrive (1950)
David Essex (1947)
Tony Joe White – (1947)
Andy MacKay - Roxy Music (1946)
Madeline Bell - Blue Mink (1942)
Cleveland Duncan – Penguins (1935)
They Are Missed:
In 2004, guitarist Bill Brown died of smoke inhalation in a house fire. Member of The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and The Titanic Blues Band.
Rob Collins, keyboard player with The Charlatans died in a car crash in 1996 (age 29).
In 1980, former Grateful Dead keyboardist, Keith Godchaux died of injuries sustained in a car accident in Marin County, California. He co-wrote songs with Lowell George (of Little Feat) and was a member of The New Riders of the Purple Sage.
History:
In 1955, Chess Records released the first Chuck Berry single, "Maybelline."
In 1962, the American Communications satellite, Telstar, makes its first trans-Atlantic transmission which inspires British record producer Joe Meek to pen "Telstar." The instrumental tune was recorded later in the week by the Toronados.
Neil Young's first recording session was held, in Winnipeg in 1963.
Frank Sinatra went to #1 on the US album chart in 1966 with “Strangers In The Night.”
Also in 1966, Napoleon XIV released the perennial novelty favorite "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" In reality he was record engineer Jerry Samuels.
Working at Abbey Road studios in London in 1968, the Beatles recorded “Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey” for their forthcoming White Album.
In 1968, The Jackson 5 auditioned at Motown's Detroit headquarters for a number of label executives. Berry Gordy was not present, but he signed them after viewing the audition tape.
Badfinger signed with Apple Records in 1968 as the Iveys.
Judas Priest made their first U.S. appearance in 1977, supporting Led Zeppelin.
Barry Manilow went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1977 with “Looks Like We Made It,” his third US #1.
In 1977, Who drummer Keith Moon joined Led Zeppelin on stage during a gig at The Forum, Inglewood, Los Angles playing a duet with Zeppelin drummer John Bonham before taking to the microphone and attempting to sing.
Also in 1977, John Bonham, manager Peter Grant and two secuirty guards were arrested backstage at the Oakland Coliseum. They were charged with battery after allegedly beating up three employees of Bill Graham, the groups Oakland concert promoter. After pleading guilty to misdemeanors, the accused settle out of court for two million dollars.
Billy Squier earned his first gold album in 1981. He has a big hit with his second solo record, "Don't Say No."
The Police went to #1 on the US album chart in 1983 with “Synchronicity.” The album spent a total of seventeen weeks at #1.
The Bangles release their #1 hit "Walk Like an Egyptian" in 1986.
After forty-nine weeks on the US album chart in 1988, “Hysteria” by Def Leppard finally went to the #1 position.
The Sun Records studio in Memphis was designated a national historic landmark in 2003.
Research by a car insurance company in 2005 showed that listening to the wrong sort of music when driving can lead to aggression and distraction. Dr Nicola Dibben a music psychologist said “singing while driving stimulates the mind.” Songs recommended included Pulp’s ‘Disco 2000’ and ‘Hey Ya’ by Outcast, but the Dr said songs like The Prodigy’s Firestarter should be avoided. I would assume that anything by Billy “Crash” Craddock would also be a no no.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Mr. Music ~ 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 JULY 20, 2009
DEAR JERRY: Over the years I have seen you cure some challenging cases of earworms. Does the medical profession have a name for that area of specialization?
Tricky and creative wording has always appealed to me, and two examples lodged in my brain require your expertise.
One, by a male singer, has a string of rhyming words that all end in “zing.” I recall two of them to be “analyzing” and “criticizing.”
What is this title and the sequence of the “zing” words?
The other is by a woman who uses this same line twice in a row, yet each with somewhat different meaning: “I have to accept the fact that I have to accept the fact that,” etc.
Hurry, before these worms begin to multiply.
—Sandy Frye, York, Pa.
DEAR SANDY: The wormy examples threatening to fry the Frye brain (since you like wacky wording) are written and recorded by two geniuses of the music industry: Ray Stevens and Donna Fargo.
In his 1970 hit, “Have a Little Talk with Myself” (Monument 1171), Stevens lists some steps for self-improvement.
Here are the zingers in the order cited: analyzing; recognizing; itemizing; criticizing; realizing; organizing; summarizing; and ostracizing.
Your second melodious invertebrate is Donna Fargo's “It Do Feel Good” (ABC 17541). Released in 1975, this tune became her biggest hit of that year.
In it she muses: “I've got to accept the fact that I have to accept the fact that, love goes through changes just like we do.”
Two other instances of amusing wording just came to me, so let me share them:
In “Rio Bravo,” Dean Martin sings “By the river Rio Bravo, I walk all alone, and I wonder as I wander.”
Then there is Loretta Lynn, whose autobiographical “Coal Miner's Daughter” includes “I remember well, the well where I drew water.”
Remember, you read this here first: one who specializes in the treatment and eradication of troublesome earworms is an otologi-helminthologist.
Now I have to order new business cards.
DEAR JERRY: On Burt Bacharach's first chart hit, “Saturday Sunshine” (1963), the only artist credited on the record is “Burt Bacharach.”
Yet the lead vocal is by a young boy, accompanied by female backup singers.
I have never seen anything that identifies the boy, and later issues of the song are either instrumentals or have Burt Bacharach singing the song.
Can it be no one knows this kid?
—George Stoken, Moline, Ill.
DEAR GEORGE: In this age of information, you wouldn't think so. Yet …
Knowing there is not much about Burt that isn't covered online, I jumped on bacharachonline.com, a discussion forum that is all Burt all the time.
Turns out there are dozens of Bachoholics wondering the same thing.
Here is an excerpt from a post from steveo_1965:
“This is a piece of trivia that has been bugging me for years. The only way we will ever know is if someone, such as that particular person, or one the other singers reads this and comes forward to enlighten us.”
Okay, so far no one seems to know the “Saturday Sunshine” singer, but that was before we took the case.
Some may recall a few years ago when we unearthed Mike Redway, the uncredited singer of “Casino Royale” (film version) — coincidentally another Bacharach composition.
We have received unsolicited comments and helpful details from countless recording artists and others in the industry. It would not be a surprise to find the mystery singer's name in my inbox one day soon.
IZ ZAT SO? From 1952 through 1990, Burt Bacharach either wrote or co-wrote 101 Top 100 hit songs.
Two-thirds of those (66) made their way into the top 40, and 28 reached the Top 10.
And these six went all the way to No. 1: “This Guy's in Love with You” (Herb Alpert, 1968); “Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head” (B.J. Thomas, 1969); “(They Long to Be) Close to You” (Carpenters, 1970); “Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)” (Christopher Cross, 1981); “That's What Friends Are For” (Dionne Warwick and Friends: Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder, 1985); “On My Own” (Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald, 1986).
With a resume like this we'd better add Burt to today's list of anointed geniuses.
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 20, 2009
DEAR JERRY: Over the years I have seen you cure some challenging cases of earworms. Does the medical profession have a name for that area of specialization?
Tricky and creative wording has always appealed to me, and two examples lodged in my brain require your expertise.
One, by a male singer, has a string of rhyming words that all end in “zing.” I recall two of them to be “analyzing” and “criticizing.”
What is this title and the sequence of the “zing” words?
The other is by a woman who uses this same line twice in a row, yet each with somewhat different meaning: “I have to accept the fact that I have to accept the fact that,” etc.
Hurry, before these worms begin to multiply.
—Sandy Frye, York, Pa.
DEAR SANDY: The wormy examples threatening to fry the Frye brain (since you like wacky wording) are written and recorded by two geniuses of the music industry: Ray Stevens and Donna Fargo.
In his 1970 hit, “Have a Little Talk with Myself” (Monument 1171), Stevens lists some steps for self-improvement.
Here are the zingers in the order cited: analyzing; recognizing; itemizing; criticizing; realizing; organizing; summarizing; and ostracizing.
Your second melodious invertebrate is Donna Fargo's “It Do Feel Good” (ABC 17541). Released in 1975, this tune became her biggest hit of that year.
In it she muses: “I've got to accept the fact that I have to accept the fact that, love goes through changes just like we do.”
Two other instances of amusing wording just came to me, so let me share them:
In “Rio Bravo,” Dean Martin sings “By the river Rio Bravo, I walk all alone, and I wonder as I wander.”
Then there is Loretta Lynn, whose autobiographical “Coal Miner's Daughter” includes “I remember well, the well where I drew water.”
Remember, you read this here first: one who specializes in the treatment and eradication of troublesome earworms is an otologi-helminthologist.
Now I have to order new business cards.
DEAR JERRY: On Burt Bacharach's first chart hit, “Saturday Sunshine” (1963), the only artist credited on the record is “Burt Bacharach.”
Yet the lead vocal is by a young boy, accompanied by female backup singers.
I have never seen anything that identifies the boy, and later issues of the song are either instrumentals or have Burt Bacharach singing the song.
Can it be no one knows this kid?
—George Stoken, Moline, Ill.
DEAR GEORGE: In this age of information, you wouldn't think so. Yet …
Knowing there is not much about Burt that isn't covered online, I jumped on bacharachonline.com, a discussion forum that is all Burt all the time.
Turns out there are dozens of Bachoholics wondering the same thing.
Here is an excerpt from a post from steveo_1965:
“This is a piece of trivia that has been bugging me for years. The only way we will ever know is if someone, such as that particular person, or one the other singers reads this and comes forward to enlighten us.”
Okay, so far no one seems to know the “Saturday Sunshine” singer, but that was before we took the case.
Some may recall a few years ago when we unearthed Mike Redway, the uncredited singer of “Casino Royale” (film version) — coincidentally another Bacharach composition.
We have received unsolicited comments and helpful details from countless recording artists and others in the industry. It would not be a surprise to find the mystery singer's name in my inbox one day soon.
IZ ZAT SO? From 1952 through 1990, Burt Bacharach either wrote or co-wrote 101 Top 100 hit songs.
Two-thirds of those (66) made their way into the top 40, and 28 reached the Top 10.
And these six went all the way to No. 1: “This Guy's in Love with You” (Herb Alpert, 1968); “Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head” (B.J. Thomas, 1969); “(They Long to Be) Close to You” (Carpenters, 1970); “Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)” (Christopher Cross, 1981); “That's What Friends Are For” (Dionne Warwick and Friends: Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder, 1985); “On My Own” (Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald, 1986).
With a resume like this we'd better add Burt to today's list of anointed geniuses.
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
Music News & Notes, New Album Cover Art
Echoes of Eternity Reveals New Album, "As Shadows Burn," Details
Guitarist/songwriter Brandon S. Patton checks in from Los Angeles about ECHOES OF ETERNITY’s sophomore album:
"Working with Logan Mader on As Shadows Burn was amazing. We had a lot of respect for him from the start, given his experience as a professional guitarist with Machine Head in the ‘90s and the great work he's done as a mixer and producer in recent years, the most recent Gojira album being a prime example."
"The difference between our debut album and this second album is night and day! On the first album, the mix was really uneven and the vocals had WAY too much effects on them. On As Shadows Burn, we captured a much more natural feel as a band. It doesn't sound so fucking processed and stiff. The guitars and drumming are way more aggressive and the band is smokin', with the whole album being slam-packed with killer riffs. The production and mix is a million times better. And Francine [Boucher] delivers an AMAZING vocal performance that is going to make people wake the fuck up. Even if you've made up your mind that you hate female-fronted metal, you are probably going to dig this record because first and foremost, its a KILLER metal record."
"The title of the album actually came from a line in the chorus of the song 'Veiled Horizon.' It was short and evoked strong imagery in our mind. We thought that title would lead to a really cool album cover if we worked with the right artist. And it did. [Brazilian artist] Gustavo Sazes (Old Man’s Child, Firewind, God Forbid) really nailed it!"
"We would love to take this bad boy on the road in 2010. It would be a damned shame if we didn't because we designed this record to fucking kick ass live! We missed a great chance to do a tour at the beginning of next year, so we are hanging tight for the right tour offer so we can get out on the road."
"As Shadows Burn" will be released in North America on September 22, 2009.
=========================
SCAR SYMMETRY: New Album Title, Artwork Revealed
Swedish melodic progressive death metallers SCAR SYMMETRY have set "Dark Matter Dimensions" as the title of their new album, due in October via Nuclear Blast Records.
Check out the cover artwork below.
SCAR SYMMETRY parted ways with singer Christian Älvestam last year due to "business and creative differences and lack of interpersonal chemistry." The band explained at the time, "We came to a point where the band's existence was in jeopardy because of these differences, and the only way for us to continue with an inspired state of mind was to go through with this change in the lineup."
Christian has since been replaced by Roberth Karlsson (lead growl vocals and backing clean vocals) and Lars Palmqvist (lead clean vocals and backing growl vocals).
SCAR SYMMETRY's latest album, "Holographic Universe", registered the following first-week chart positions in Europe:
Finland: #37
UK: #39 (Indie chart)
Austria: #65
Germany: #68
In the U.S., the CD debuted at No. 33 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.
=========================
SIX FEET UNDER Recording New 'Graveyard Classics' Album
Florida-based death metallers SIX FEET UNDER have entered the studio to begin recording "Graveyard Classics 3". According to the band, "We are about 60% finished with tracking. Everything is going great and we are having a lot of fun laying these new songs down."
SIX FEET UNDER covered AC/DC's entire "Back In Black" album for "Graveyard Classics 2", which came out in October 2004.
The original "Graveyard Classics" LP, was released in October 2000. It included cover versions of BLACK SABBATH's "Sweet Leaf", DEEP PURPLE's "Smoke on the Water" and JIMI HENDRIX's "Purple Haze".
"Death Rituals" (2008), the latest album from SIX FEET UNDER, entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 64. The CD sold around 2,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The LP debuted at No. 14 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.
=========================
Horse The Band Reveals New Album
Vagrant Records announces an October 6, 2009 release date for "Desperate Living," the fourth full-length from Southern California's Horse The Band. The twelve-track set was recorded at White Buffalo Studios in Los Angeles with producer Noah Shain and includes several special guests.
"Noah really cared about helping us get exactly the sound and feel we wanted on the record," said keyboardist Erik Engstrom. "We also have incredible guests on the record like classical pianist Valentina Lisitsa. She plays a Prokofiev piece (composed 100 years ago after his best friend shot himself in the face with a pistol) at the end of 'Rape Escape' which is possibly the most powerful song we've ever written. I'm a huge fan of hers and this is the first recording of her playing this piece of music –it's absolutely devastating."
Other guests include Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu in a noise and sound design production role and contributing vocals on the track "Shapeshift," which was recently released on limited edition 7" vinyl. K-SLAX, the mysterious underground rap sensation, guests on "Horse the song," and Ed Edge, whom fans know as the band's occasional triangle player, appears on "Big Business." The title track features The Number Twelve Looks Like You drummer, Jon Karel.
Horse The Band will be on the Never Say Die! Club Tour 2009 this fall and will be announcing their plans for a US tour soon. The band's 2008 Earth Tour was self-booked, self-financed, and covered 4 continents and 45 countries in just 3 months.
Horse The Band's current lineup is Nathan Winneke (vocals), David Isen (guitar), Erik Engstrom (keys), and Daniel Pouliot (drums)
=========================
Marionette Reveals New Album
Sweden's Marionette has announced that their new album will be called "Enemies." "Enemies" will be released in October in Europe via Listenable Records. "Enemies" was recorded with a team of up-and-coming as well as established names in Swedish music including Pontus Hjelm (DEAD BY APRIL) and two-time Swedish Grammis award winning producer and songwriter Åke Parmerud. The album was mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström (IN FLAMES, AT THE GATES, BRING ME THE HORIZON) at Studio Fredman and Peter In De Betu (DIMMU BORGIR, ZONARIA) at Tailor Maid respectively in May 2009.
Aron discusses "Enemies:" “Unlike the recording process of Spite we recorded Enemies over a period of months, and we have had plenty of time to try new things in the studio to make the album absolutely insane. Every element that you heard on Spite has been taken to the extreme. At the same time, there is a clear evolution from Spite to Enemies. All of the live experience we have had while touring has made us more skillful as individual musicians and tighter as a band. All this will reflect itself on Enemies when it is in your hands this fall!”
=========================
Beastie Boys Release Very Limited Vinyl Version Of Nas Collabo
Although their impending tour a new album are on hold due to an unfortunate health issue from group member MCA, the Beastie Boys plan to release a very limited 12" to indie record stores.
The limited record is of a live recording of their performance at this year's Bonnaroo Festival, when Nas joined the the trio on stage to perform a new track titled "Too Many Rappers" from the forthcoming album Hot Sauce Committee, due later this fall.
The 12" is limited to 5,000 copies, a move the Beasties did to return old school values, releasing music in a vinyl format before it goes out on a CD and digitally.
It is available now in stores.
For more information, visit RecordStoreDay.com
Adam "MC" Yauch of the Beastie Boys has been diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland and must under go immediate surgery and a course of radiation.
Yauch made the announcement via video today, stating that his vocal chords are not affected and he is expected to make a full recovery. "I'm actually going to have to have surgery probably next week, coming up, and then after that have to have some radiation done, but the good news is that they did scans of my whole body and it's only localized in this one area, and it's not in a place that affects my voice."
Bacause of Yauch's illness, the group has decided to delay the release of their upcoming album, Hot Sauce Committee, Part 1 and cancel all immediate appearances, including those at festivals such as Lollapalooza, All Points West and Austin City Limits.
========================
Teenage Bottlerocket detail new album
Teenage Bottlerocket have revealed the title, track listing and cover art for their upcoming full-length and debut for Fat Wreck Chords. The record is titled They Came From The Shadows and is due out September 15, 2009. The band's previous full-length, Warning Device, was released in 2008, while a live album entitled Live in ’06 dropped earlier this year.
========================
Chuck Ragan announces limited picture disc
Chuck Ragan has announced plans to release a new limited edition picture disc. The bonus 7-inch includes a track from the new album, "Rotterdam", as well as an unreleased cover of "Coal Tattoo" from the Daytrotter Sessions.
The record will be sent out to people who pre-order Chuck's forthcoming album, Gold Country which is due out September 1, 2009.
========================
Sum 41 back in the studio
Sum 41 have posted another update. The band has wrapped up their tour with The Offspring and are now back in the studio to finish their album:
Now we're going to knuckle down and finish this album!! Deryck and I will probably start rehearsing once a week pretty soon and Cone will come down every month and we can battle about kick patterns, bass parts and guitar riffs. Hell, we'll even bring Brown Tom so he can add a new dynamic to the creative experience - strolling around in his tighty orangies.
The band released Underclass Hero in 2007.
========================
Drag The River to record new album this fall
In a recent interview with AltOhio, Jon Snodgrass mentioned that he and bandmate Chad Price will be recording a new Drag the River album in November and that at least some of it will be recorded in Austin, TX:
"I’ve been talking to Price, from Drag the River, and we’re talking about what to do next November in Austin. I’m thinking about going down a few days early, and just figuring out a little my part in what we’ll end up doing. So, we’re going to do another Drag the River record. I’ve got some songs written that definitely have to be for Drag the River, if I put them on a record of mine, people will just say that they sound like they should be on a Drag the River record. We’ve worked on a couple of ideas together already, which we’ve done in the past for sure; we definitely come in with almost complete songs and then try to help each other out. This time I think we might write more together. Don’t know though."
Drag The River's last proper full-length was 2008's You Can’t Live This Way, while a rarities collection entitled Bad at Breaking Up was released earlier this year. Snodgrass has kept busy in the meantime, releasing his first solo record Visitor’s Band earlier this year, and a split LP with Cory Branan via Suburban Home Records.
========================
Our Lady Peace New Album
Canadian alternative rock band, Our Lady Peace, return with their first album in four years. Burn Burn is the band's shortest album to date at 10 tracks. Their previous album, Healthy in Paranoid Times, was released in August 2005.
Our Lady Peace recently played at Ulrich City Centre in Lockport as part of the Molson Canal Concert Series.
========================
Set Your Goals Release
San Francisco pop punk band, Set Your Goals, release their second full-length album. This will Be the Death of Us is the band's debut on Epitaph Records. It is reported their manager paid $150,000 to their previous label, Eulogy Recordings, to buy out their contract.
========================
Rock & Roll 25th Acts Confirmed
It's being reported in Rolling Stone Magazine that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, U2, Paul Simon, Metallica, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Friends and Simon and Garfunkel are among the legendary artists confirmed for a landmark two-night concert event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Sprawling across October 29th and 30th at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the shows will feature Hall of Fame acts sharing the stage with guests and collaborators, honoring their influences and essentially retracing the
history of rock in the process. For example, Crosby, Stills and Nash will share the stage with California-based artists while Metallica will lead a hard rock portion of the concerts. Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin will also each front a soul revue with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra.
“These once-in-a-lifetime concerts are designed to celebrate the artists and their music,” said Jann S. Wenner, founder and editor of Rolling Stone and the event’s executive producer.
The Rock Hall is also planning a book and deluxe DVD set to mark its 25th anniversary. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: The First 25 Years will be published by Collins Design in September, and in August, Time Life will issue a nine-disc box set of highlights of the past induction ceremonies including never-before-seen footage.
========================
MJ Trading Cards
The Upper Deck Trading Card company is randomly inserting four different Jackson Icon cards in their upcoming UDx Baseball release, scheduled for August 4. The cards are in honor of his 1993 appearance at the Super Bowl. Two of the cards are shown below.
Guitarist/songwriter Brandon S. Patton checks in from Los Angeles about ECHOES OF ETERNITY’s sophomore album:"Working with Logan Mader on As Shadows Burn was amazing. We had a lot of respect for him from the start, given his experience as a professional guitarist with Machine Head in the ‘90s and the great work he's done as a mixer and producer in recent years, the most recent Gojira album being a prime example."
"The difference between our debut album and this second album is night and day! On the first album, the mix was really uneven and the vocals had WAY too much effects on them. On As Shadows Burn, we captured a much more natural feel as a band. It doesn't sound so fucking processed and stiff. The guitars and drumming are way more aggressive and the band is smokin', with the whole album being slam-packed with killer riffs. The production and mix is a million times better. And Francine [Boucher] delivers an AMAZING vocal performance that is going to make people wake the fuck up. Even if you've made up your mind that you hate female-fronted metal, you are probably going to dig this record because first and foremost, its a KILLER metal record."
"The title of the album actually came from a line in the chorus of the song 'Veiled Horizon.' It was short and evoked strong imagery in our mind. We thought that title would lead to a really cool album cover if we worked with the right artist. And it did. [Brazilian artist] Gustavo Sazes (Old Man’s Child, Firewind, God Forbid) really nailed it!"
"We would love to take this bad boy on the road in 2010. It would be a damned shame if we didn't because we designed this record to fucking kick ass live! We missed a great chance to do a tour at the beginning of next year, so we are hanging tight for the right tour offer so we can get out on the road."
"As Shadows Burn" will be released in North America on September 22, 2009.
=========================
SCAR SYMMETRY: New Album Title, Artwork Revealed
Swedish melodic progressive death metallers SCAR SYMMETRY have set "Dark Matter Dimensions" as the title of their new album, due in October via Nuclear Blast Records.
Check out the cover artwork below.
SCAR SYMMETRY parted ways with singer Christian Älvestam last year due to "business and creative differences and lack of interpersonal chemistry." The band explained at the time, "We came to a point where the band's existence was in jeopardy because of these differences, and the only way for us to continue with an inspired state of mind was to go through with this change in the lineup."
Christian has since been replaced by Roberth Karlsson (lead growl vocals and backing clean vocals) and Lars Palmqvist (lead clean vocals and backing growl vocals).
SCAR SYMMETRY's latest album, "Holographic Universe", registered the following first-week chart positions in Europe:
Finland: #37
UK: #39 (Indie chart)
Austria: #65
Germany: #68
In the U.S., the CD debuted at No. 33 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.
=========================
SIX FEET UNDER Recording New 'Graveyard Classics' Album
Florida-based death metallers SIX FEET UNDER have entered the studio to begin recording "Graveyard Classics 3". According to the band, "We are about 60% finished with tracking. Everything is going great and we are having a lot of fun laying these new songs down."
SIX FEET UNDER covered AC/DC's entire "Back In Black" album for "Graveyard Classics 2", which came out in October 2004.
The original "Graveyard Classics" LP, was released in October 2000. It included cover versions of BLACK SABBATH's "Sweet Leaf", DEEP PURPLE's "Smoke on the Water" and JIMI HENDRIX's "Purple Haze".
"Death Rituals" (2008), the latest album from SIX FEET UNDER, entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 64. The CD sold around 2,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The LP debuted at No. 14 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.
=========================
Horse The Band Reveals New Album
Vagrant Records announces an October 6, 2009 release date for "Desperate Living," the fourth full-length from Southern California's Horse The Band. The twelve-track set was recorded at White Buffalo Studios in Los Angeles with producer Noah Shain and includes several special guests.
"Noah really cared about helping us get exactly the sound and feel we wanted on the record," said keyboardist Erik Engstrom. "We also have incredible guests on the record like classical pianist Valentina Lisitsa. She plays a Prokofiev piece (composed 100 years ago after his best friend shot himself in the face with a pistol) at the end of 'Rape Escape' which is possibly the most powerful song we've ever written. I'm a huge fan of hers and this is the first recording of her playing this piece of music –it's absolutely devastating."
Other guests include Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu in a noise and sound design production role and contributing vocals on the track "Shapeshift," which was recently released on limited edition 7" vinyl. K-SLAX, the mysterious underground rap sensation, guests on "Horse the song," and Ed Edge, whom fans know as the band's occasional triangle player, appears on "Big Business." The title track features The Number Twelve Looks Like You drummer, Jon Karel.
Horse The Band will be on the Never Say Die! Club Tour 2009 this fall and will be announcing their plans for a US tour soon. The band's 2008 Earth Tour was self-booked, self-financed, and covered 4 continents and 45 countries in just 3 months.
Horse The Band's current lineup is Nathan Winneke (vocals), David Isen (guitar), Erik Engstrom (keys), and Daniel Pouliot (drums)
=========================
Marionette Reveals New Album
Sweden's Marionette has announced that their new album will be called "Enemies." "Enemies" will be released in October in Europe via Listenable Records. "Enemies" was recorded with a team of up-and-coming as well as established names in Swedish music including Pontus Hjelm (DEAD BY APRIL) and two-time Swedish Grammis award winning producer and songwriter Åke Parmerud. The album was mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström (IN FLAMES, AT THE GATES, BRING ME THE HORIZON) at Studio Fredman and Peter In De Betu (DIMMU BORGIR, ZONARIA) at Tailor Maid respectively in May 2009.Aron discusses "Enemies:" “Unlike the recording process of Spite we recorded Enemies over a period of months, and we have had plenty of time to try new things in the studio to make the album absolutely insane. Every element that you heard on Spite has been taken to the extreme. At the same time, there is a clear evolution from Spite to Enemies. All of the live experience we have had while touring has made us more skillful as individual musicians and tighter as a band. All this will reflect itself on Enemies when it is in your hands this fall!”
=========================
Beastie Boys Release Very Limited Vinyl Version Of Nas Collabo
Although their impending tour a new album are on hold due to an unfortunate health issue from group member MCA, the Beastie Boys plan to release a very limited 12" to indie record stores.
The limited record is of a live recording of their performance at this year's Bonnaroo Festival, when Nas joined the the trio on stage to perform a new track titled "Too Many Rappers" from the forthcoming album Hot Sauce Committee, due later this fall.
The 12" is limited to 5,000 copies, a move the Beasties did to return old school values, releasing music in a vinyl format before it goes out on a CD and digitally.
It is available now in stores.
For more information, visit RecordStoreDay.com
Adam "MC" Yauch of the Beastie Boys has been diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland and must under go immediate surgery and a course of radiation.
Yauch made the announcement via video today, stating that his vocal chords are not affected and he is expected to make a full recovery. "I'm actually going to have to have surgery probably next week, coming up, and then after that have to have some radiation done, but the good news is that they did scans of my whole body and it's only localized in this one area, and it's not in a place that affects my voice."
Bacause of Yauch's illness, the group has decided to delay the release of their upcoming album, Hot Sauce Committee, Part 1 and cancel all immediate appearances, including those at festivals such as Lollapalooza, All Points West and Austin City Limits.
========================
Teenage Bottlerocket detail new album
Teenage Bottlerocket have revealed the title, track listing and cover art for their upcoming full-length and debut for Fat Wreck Chords. The record is titled They Came From The Shadows and is due out September 15, 2009. The band's previous full-length, Warning Device, was released in 2008, while a live album entitled Live in ’06 dropped earlier this year.========================
Chuck Ragan announces limited picture disc
Chuck Ragan has announced plans to release a new limited edition picture disc. The bonus 7-inch includes a track from the new album, "Rotterdam", as well as an unreleased cover of "Coal Tattoo" from the Daytrotter Sessions.
The record will be sent out to people who pre-order Chuck's forthcoming album, Gold Country which is due out September 1, 2009.
========================
Sum 41 back in the studio
Sum 41 have posted another update. The band has wrapped up their tour with The Offspring and are now back in the studio to finish their album:
Now we're going to knuckle down and finish this album!! Deryck and I will probably start rehearsing once a week pretty soon and Cone will come down every month and we can battle about kick patterns, bass parts and guitar riffs. Hell, we'll even bring Brown Tom so he can add a new dynamic to the creative experience - strolling around in his tighty orangies.
The band released Underclass Hero in 2007.
========================
Drag The River to record new album this fall
In a recent interview with AltOhio, Jon Snodgrass mentioned that he and bandmate Chad Price will be recording a new Drag the River album in November and that at least some of it will be recorded in Austin, TX:
"I’ve been talking to Price, from Drag the River, and we’re talking about what to do next November in Austin. I’m thinking about going down a few days early, and just figuring out a little my part in what we’ll end up doing. So, we’re going to do another Drag the River record. I’ve got some songs written that definitely have to be for Drag the River, if I put them on a record of mine, people will just say that they sound like they should be on a Drag the River record. We’ve worked on a couple of ideas together already, which we’ve done in the past for sure; we definitely come in with almost complete songs and then try to help each other out. This time I think we might write more together. Don’t know though."
Drag The River's last proper full-length was 2008's You Can’t Live This Way, while a rarities collection entitled Bad at Breaking Up was released earlier this year. Snodgrass has kept busy in the meantime, releasing his first solo record Visitor’s Band earlier this year, and a split LP with Cory Branan via Suburban Home Records.
========================
Our Lady Peace New Album
Canadian alternative rock band, Our Lady Peace, return with their first album in four years. Burn Burn is the band's shortest album to date at 10 tracks. Their previous album, Healthy in Paranoid Times, was released in August 2005.
Our Lady Peace recently played at Ulrich City Centre in Lockport as part of the Molson Canal Concert Series.
========================
Set Your Goals Release
San Francisco pop punk band, Set Your Goals, release their second full-length album. This will Be the Death of Us is the band's debut on Epitaph Records. It is reported their manager paid $150,000 to their previous label, Eulogy Recordings, to buy out their contract.
========================
Rock & Roll 25th Acts Confirmed
It's being reported in Rolling Stone Magazine that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, U2, Paul Simon, Metallica, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Friends and Simon and Garfunkel are among the legendary artists confirmed for a landmark two-night concert event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Sprawling across October 29th and 30th at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the shows will feature Hall of Fame acts sharing the stage with guests and collaborators, honoring their influences and essentially retracing the
history of rock in the process. For example, Crosby, Stills and Nash will share the stage with California-based artists while Metallica will lead a hard rock portion of the concerts. Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin will also each front a soul revue with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra.
“These once-in-a-lifetime concerts are designed to celebrate the artists and their music,” said Jann S. Wenner, founder and editor of Rolling Stone and the event’s executive producer.
The Rock Hall is also planning a book and deluxe DVD set to mark its 25th anniversary. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: The First 25 Years will be published by Collins Design in September, and in August, Time Life will issue a nine-disc box set of highlights of the past induction ceremonies including never-before-seen footage.
========================
MJ Trading Cards
The Upper Deck Trading Card company is randomly inserting four different Jackson Icon cards in their upcoming UDx Baseball release, scheduled for August 4. The cards are in honor of his 1993 appearance at the Super Bowl. Two of the cards are shown below.
Vinyl records firm presses on
Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News
Detroit -- If ever a National Register of Historic, Cool, Hard-core, 20th-Century Machinery is created, Archer Record Pressing would be a landmark.
Archer is one of the last companies in the world still making vinyl records -- a technology the corporate music industry decided to banish four decades ago.
This third-generation family business doesn't fear the death of vinyl: There's always a subculture of musicians that want their work on albums. Archer fears its massive record machines will die. And the machines constantly break down.
"We rely on the best of 1970s technology," said Joe Archer, whose father Norm, started the business in 1965.
The company has no choice. The last record-making machine is believed to have been made in 1986, according to various Web sites dedicated to vinyl records.
The five presses at Archer were bought from the other record press companies that went under decades ago.
A sole company in North America sells the specialized parts for the machines. At its core, a record-making machine is a hydraulic press with a closing force of 100 tons. It has steam pipes, tubes, buttons, motors, molds and mechanical doo-dads specific to mass-producing vinyl.
In operation, the machines produce a kind of score of heavy industry sounds. The boom of the press can be heard a half-block away. There's a rhythm of hissing steam, a hydraulic whoosh, a high-pitched metallic slice, the low rumble of a generator.
Few know how to fix the record machines. One is Mike Archer, 43, who learned by growing up watching Joe, his father, fix them.
"It's a daily battle," Mike Archer said. "They're finicky machines. If your scrap rate starts going up, you start looking at the press and say, 'All right, what are you doing to me today?'" Scrap rate refers to the number of defective records.
"You try to isolate what's happening and narrow it down, narrow it down. Is it pneumatic? Electrical? Steam? Most times, it's an issue that takes two or three minutes to deal with. Sometimes, you can scratch your head for two or three hours. Once every couple months, you can feel like the sky is falling."
It is unclear how many record-making companies still exist. Web sites count between eight and 10 worldwide, and three to five in the United States.
Mike Archer knows of two that went under during the past year because their aging owners could not find anyone who wanted to take them over.
Archer has two full-time employees, including 25-year veteran Ken Moravcik. But only Mike and Joe know how to fix the machines.
"It would be a steep learning curve, but you could do it," Mike Archer said. "It's too bad we can't get some apprenticeship program going."
Archer Record Pressing is a landmark to some, including employee Andy Garcia, 33, a devotee of Detroit techno music.
"It's almost holy to me," he said.
Archer Records has survived thanks in no small part to the many Detroit techno artists who rely on vinyl to spin during their performances. Virtually every major Detroit techno artist, who often has their own record label, relies on Archer.
"Every album I ever (bought) had Archer Record on it," said Garcia, who grew up in Anderson, Ind. "When I moved to Detroit, I begged for a job here. I remember when I first came, I thought the place would be a little more spectacular.
"Detroit's like that: It's spectacular where it counts."
Another fan is longtime client Theo Parrish, an international techno artist whose label Sound Signature has had more than 30 albums made at Archer.
"Some of the most amazing dance records that have come out in the last 10 years have come out of this place," Parrish said.
He often stops by Archer when his albums are being pressed. "My thoughts are being translated into the physical universe right there. It's beautiful to see."
Parrish has been so moved by the sounds of the machines that he's producing a song based on them.
"That's one of the hearts of industrial Detroit to me," he said.
Archer has enjoyed a recent bounce in sales, although the owners decline to reveal specific figures.
"The iPod and file-sharing have actually been good to us. Some artists, especially independent rock bands, always want to ensure that enough people are actually buying their product," instead of downloading it for free, Mike Archer said.
"Vinyl will always be around. Whether there will be someone who has the will to mass-produce them? It can be done.
"But if someone will do it? That's a good question."
SOURCE: www.detnews.com
Detroit -- If ever a National Register of Historic, Cool, Hard-core, 20th-Century Machinery is created, Archer Record Pressing would be a landmark.
Archer is one of the last companies in the world still making vinyl records -- a technology the corporate music industry decided to banish four decades ago.
This third-generation family business doesn't fear the death of vinyl: There's always a subculture of musicians that want their work on albums. Archer fears its massive record machines will die. And the machines constantly break down.
"We rely on the best of 1970s technology," said Joe Archer, whose father Norm, started the business in 1965.
The company has no choice. The last record-making machine is believed to have been made in 1986, according to various Web sites dedicated to vinyl records.
The five presses at Archer were bought from the other record press companies that went under decades ago.
A sole company in North America sells the specialized parts for the machines. At its core, a record-making machine is a hydraulic press with a closing force of 100 tons. It has steam pipes, tubes, buttons, motors, molds and mechanical doo-dads specific to mass-producing vinyl.
In operation, the machines produce a kind of score of heavy industry sounds. The boom of the press can be heard a half-block away. There's a rhythm of hissing steam, a hydraulic whoosh, a high-pitched metallic slice, the low rumble of a generator.
Few know how to fix the record machines. One is Mike Archer, 43, who learned by growing up watching Joe, his father, fix them.
"It's a daily battle," Mike Archer said. "They're finicky machines. If your scrap rate starts going up, you start looking at the press and say, 'All right, what are you doing to me today?'" Scrap rate refers to the number of defective records.
"You try to isolate what's happening and narrow it down, narrow it down. Is it pneumatic? Electrical? Steam? Most times, it's an issue that takes two or three minutes to deal with. Sometimes, you can scratch your head for two or three hours. Once every couple months, you can feel like the sky is falling."
It is unclear how many record-making companies still exist. Web sites count between eight and 10 worldwide, and three to five in the United States.
Mike Archer knows of two that went under during the past year because their aging owners could not find anyone who wanted to take them over.
Archer has two full-time employees, including 25-year veteran Ken Moravcik. But only Mike and Joe know how to fix the machines.
"It would be a steep learning curve, but you could do it," Mike Archer said. "It's too bad we can't get some apprenticeship program going."
Archer Record Pressing is a landmark to some, including employee Andy Garcia, 33, a devotee of Detroit techno music.
"It's almost holy to me," he said.
Archer Records has survived thanks in no small part to the many Detroit techno artists who rely on vinyl to spin during their performances. Virtually every major Detroit techno artist, who often has their own record label, relies on Archer.
"Every album I ever (bought) had Archer Record on it," said Garcia, who grew up in Anderson, Ind. "When I moved to Detroit, I begged for a job here. I remember when I first came, I thought the place would be a little more spectacular.
"Detroit's like that: It's spectacular where it counts."
Another fan is longtime client Theo Parrish, an international techno artist whose label Sound Signature has had more than 30 albums made at Archer.
"Some of the most amazing dance records that have come out in the last 10 years have come out of this place," Parrish said.
He often stops by Archer when his albums are being pressed. "My thoughts are being translated into the physical universe right there. It's beautiful to see."
Parrish has been so moved by the sounds of the machines that he's producing a song based on them.
"That's one of the hearts of industrial Detroit to me," he said.
Archer has enjoyed a recent bounce in sales, although the owners decline to reveal specific figures.
"The iPod and file-sharing have actually been good to us. Some artists, especially independent rock bands, always want to ensure that enough people are actually buying their product," instead of downloading it for free, Mike Archer said.
"Vinyl will always be around. Whether there will be someone who has the will to mass-produce them? It can be done.
"But if someone will do it? That's a good question."
SOURCE: www.detnews.com
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