Music News & Notes

Blue Rodeo release new record to rave reviews

Canada’s multi-platinum selling band Blue Rodeo releases 'The Things We Left Behind' in the US. this week. This is the band’s 12th studio record and the most ambitious to date. In a time where bands are posting “tweet songs,” Blue Rodeo is releasing an old-fashioned 16-song double record on CD and vinyl, and garnering attention from a new generation of fans who are discovering the band for the first time. Here's a couple of early reviews:

“Blue Rodeo has the Americana earnestness of Gram Parsons with a generous touch of British Invasion pop... leading the pack is One More Night, a shuffle sung by Cuddy and propelled by soul-savvy electric piano, a chorus full of killer hooks, beefy guitar twang,... and lyrics full of the sort of dark wanderlust that would make Hank Williams proud.”
LEXINGTON-HERALD LEADER

“Cuddy and Keelor both seem to be taking stock, reflecting on the passage of time and the state of the heart with penetrating but poetic insight... An absolutely stellar outing, this is unquestionably the strongest statement yet from a band that continues to set new standards with each release. Highly recommended!”
BLOGCRITICS

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JIMI HENDRIX 'Rock Band' Game Due Out Later This Year

According to Billboard.com, legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix will soon have his own "Rock Band" video game. Jimi Hendrix's stepsister, Janie Hendrix, who controls the late axeman's estate, let it slip during an Los Angeles Times interview that a Hendrix edition of "Rock Band" will be coming before the end of the year.

Read the entire report from Billboard.com.

http://www.billboard.com/

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WOE OF TYRANTS: 'Threnody' Artwork Unveiled  (I love heavy metal artwork!)

Ohio's WOE OF TYRANTS will release its third album, "Threnody", on April 13 via Metal Blade Records. According to a press release from the label, "This time around, the guys have seriously turned up the shred-knob and churned out some of the most exciting songs we've heard swirling around the Metal Blade offices in quite some time. On this record, you'll find equal parts speed, groove and over-the-top guitar soloing. Headbanging will be mandatory."

Commented vocalist Chris Catanzaro: "We have a brand-baby-spankin'-new record that we finished recording at the end of 2009 with Jamie King producing, and to embrace the cliché, 'This is the most epic brutal stuff we've ever done and we're stoked on it!'

WOE OF TYRANTS will support OVERKILL on the band's 25th anniversary North American tour, dubbed Killfest 2010, in April/May 2010. The trek will span the length of the U.S., hitting spots in Canada, with one final show at New York City's Nokia Theater. Additional support on the tour will come from VADER, GOD DETHRONED, WARBRINGER and EVILE.

WOE OF TYRANTS' second album, "Kingdom Of Might", was released in January 2009 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was engineered in its entirety by Joey Sturgis of Foundation Studios (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, GWEN STACY, BROTHER VON DOOM).

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/wot

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SOUNDGARDEN To Co-Headline This Year's LOLLAPALOOZA?

According to The Daily Swarm, the reunited SOUNDGARDEN is expected to co-headline the 2010 Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. Although promoters do not traditionally announce the lineup until spring, multiple industry sources have told The Daily Swarm that SOUNDGARDEN, GREEN DAY and LADY GAGA are locked in for the Aug 6–8 weekend event. Three more headliners are expected to be included when the complete lineup is announced.

The music world was rocked on New Year's Day (January 1) by the news — posted at singer Chris Cornell's web site and Twitter page, plus a new site called Soundgarden World — that grunge gods SOUNDGARDEN would reportedly reunite in 2010 after a 12-year absence. Rumors of a SOUNDGARDEN reunion have picked up steam in the last year, possibly because the band members are known to have gotten together to talk and three of them — all but Cornell — jammed together last March at a Seattle club.

Billboard.com, after the New Year's Day announcement was posted, reported that the band was in negotiations with several festivals, but that has yet to be officially confirmed or denied.

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Bear Hands Debut US Release This Week

Just when all the fuss is exploding on the Brooklyn indie art and pop rock scene, Cantora Records are ready to unleash Brooklyn's Bear Hands US debut single "What A Drag" on February 16th.

But this band doesn't sound like they are remotely influenced in the least by what's going on musically around them. They're breaking the mold making them a truly refreshing and stand out group, opening their own rift, letting everyone know there's a new sheriff in town. "What A Drag" will be available digitally, in addition to a 1000 limited run pressing of white vinyl.

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COVERDALE/PAGE - Special Edition On The Horizon?

In 1993, WHITESNAKE vocalist David Coverdale and LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page joined forces under the moniker COVERDALE/PAGE and released a self-titled album.

Although there are no plans for the pair to record any new material or reunite for any shows, Coverdale reveals that "EMI have recently been making overtures to me about putting a 'special edition' together after they heard there were several unreleased tracks... but, time & resource is the problem...

We've been archiving lots of tapes, cassettes & videos at home recently & we have discovered a ton of the demos Jimmy & I made which could be very interesting for some people to hear...

We also filmed a lot of our writing & recording sessions... so, I feel we could put a terrific 'special' together that would be a treat to have... but, in reality, JP & I have never discussed re-issuing, or making another CP album... There is always the possibility of something happening... I just can't see it in the forseeable future as I am busy with 'all things Whitesnake'...

Personally, I am thrilled I had the opportunity to work with one of my musical heroes... & to maintain a healthy, loving friendship with him...

At times, I feel some people don't understand that Whitesnake is my passion... I don't really look beyond what is possible outside... It's a very broad canvas for me to paint on... no boundaries... no restrictions... Oh... & I'm my own boss... Not too shabby..."

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Robert Plant Working On New Solo Album

Robert Plant is apparently in the midst of recording a new solo album entitled 'It�s Rude To Say No'. Zeppelin fansite Lemon Squeezings reports that Plant has been in Nashville working on the new record with producer Buddy Miller and that the new album will be released later this year.

The news comes via a reporter for the Herald Courier who was doing a piece on musician Darrell Scott, who apparently appears on the new record.

Scott is quoted as saying "Those two-plus weeks were some of the most memorable times I've ever had in the studio. ... The number-one thing is that Robert loves music. You think they're posing and just getting through it, but I was humbled with how Robert Plant loved the music -- old country, blues, rockabilly."

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ELP News

Emerson, Lake and Palmer are playing a high profile reunion gig this summer but before that gets started, two of the band's principles will treat lucky North American fans to a special unplugged tour. Here is the official Announcement: Keith Emerson and Greg Lake to tour USA in an exclusive intimate evening of musical retrospective highlighting the iconic music of Emerson Lake and Palmer, the Nice and King Crimson:

The two man show with keyboard legend Keith Emerson and the famed voice and guitars of Greg Lake is an intimate "unplugged" prelude to the highly anticipated reunion of Emerson Lake and Palmer at the High Voltage Festival in July, 2010 in the UK. It is unlike any show either of the two have performed before.

The fabric of the show is the iconic music composed by Emerson and Lake throughout their careers and audiences can expect new perspectives as well as new arrangements of classic favorites as Keith and Greg relate the stories of their songs and discuss the compositions and people that influenced the celebrated music the two created with the progressive rock bands that went down in history as the super groups that began a rock and roll era: King Crimson, the Nice, and Emerson Lake and Palmer. The show is completely new – the two have never performed together in this personal setting and audiences will be treated to an emotional perspective and a rare and personal insight into the music they love during an evening they won't forget, in an intimate theatrical setting far different from the theatrics of Emerson Lake and Palmer. - Dates and ticket info here:

http://www.keithemerson.com/

Beatles' Abbey Road studios up for sale

This article caught my eye:

Beatles' Abbey Road studios up for sale
By Tina Miles


THE Abbey Road studios – where The Beatles recorded most of their albums – is up for sale, it was reported.

The world-famous studios are to be sold by cash-strapped music group EMI.

EMI’s private equity parent Terra Firma is said to be hoping a sale of the studios – made famous by the 1969 Beatles album and zebra crossing cover shot – could raise tens of millions of pounds.

It is not clear if the sale plans would also include the Abbey Road brand as well as the property.

The move would help EMI to pay down some of the mammoth debts it was saddled with after Terra Firma’s highly-leveraged 2007 takeover.

Abbey Road has hosted artists including Liverpool singer Cilla Black.

Gerry and the Pacemakers recorded You’ll Never Walk Alone and Ferry Cross the Mersey at the studios.

The Beatles used Abbey Road for 90% of their recordings, naming their final album after the studios in 1969.

The world-famous album cover features the celebrated photo, taken by Iain Macmillan, of the band wandering across the pedestrian crossing in the road outside the studios.

It became one of the most copied album covers in history – with hundreds of Beatles fans visiting the site to re-create the famous cover. There were calls for the crossing to be moved over fears fans flocking to be snapped on the road were causing crashes. EMI used the studios for last year’s release of remastered Beatles albums.

However in recent years the studios have faced cheaper competition from recording facilities in other countries.

Recent recording advances have also added pressure to Abbey Road.

But it is one of the few venues able to accommodate a full orchestra, which has allowed producers to record scores there for films including Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Lord of the Rings.

A sale of the studios would raise much needed cash for its owner.

EMI, which counts Robbie Williams among its artists, posted a £1.75 billion loss for the year to March 2009 in accounts earlier this month.

EMI was touting for interested buyers to acquire the studios at number 3 Abbey Road in St John’s Wood, according to the Financial Times.

The group today remained tight-lipped on any sale of Abbey Road or if it was part of a wider asset sale.


SOURCE: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

Songwriters Hall of Fame Announces 2010 Inductees

The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced today that their 2010 inductees will include Leonard Cohen, Jackie DeShannon, David Foster, Johnny Mandel and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Hall of Fame Chairman and CEO Hal David said:

“We are looking forward to another memorable evening where we honor their extraordinary accomplishments.” The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 17 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.

DeShannon, Foster and Mandel made the cut from the non-performing songwriter(s) ballot. Failing to be elected were nominees Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, Luther Dixon, Mark James, Mutt Lange, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, Jerry Rogovoy and Bert Berns, Billy Sherrill, Joe South and Paul Vance and Neil Pockriss.

Cohen and Earth Wind and Fire are coming in from the Performer/Songwriter ballot. Those nominated and failing to be inducted were Garth Brooks, Elvis Costello, Dion DiMucci, David Gates, Tommy James, John Mellencamp, Lou Reed, U2 and Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens).

The following are the biographies of each of the inductees from the Songwriters Hall of Fame Press Release:

Leonard Cohen:

Leonard Cohen received the Grammy 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of his legendary career of artistic accomplishments in songwriting and performing. Over 2,000 covers of Cohen’s songs have been recorded by artists such as R.E.M., Bob Dylan, Elton John, Judy Collins, Willie Nelson and most recently, Justin Timberlake’s rendition of “Hallelujah” that appeared on Cohen’s 1984 Various Positions album. Cohen always had an interest in music, but it wasn’t until 1966 that his focus turned to songwriting after gaining international recognition for his poetry. Before he released a single song, Cohen sold the highly successful “Suzanne” to Judy Collins which later was included on his debut album, The Songs of Leonard Cohen in 1967 along with “Sisters of Mercy,” and “So Long, Marianne.” His next two albums, Songs from a Room and Songs of Love and Hate solidified Cohen’s iconic status with “Bird on a Wire” and “Famous Blue Raincoat.” His multidimensional lyrics have captured fans spanning generations and nationalities for decades. He was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (2006) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2008) for his outstanding work. Cohen’s world tour, which inaugurated in May 2008, is still playing to sold-out crowds.

Jackie DeShannon:

Singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon is best known as the soulful voice behind two of the 1960s most enduring, era-defining anthems – Burt Bacharach & Hal David’s “What The World Needs Now Is Love” and DeShannon’s own “Put A Little Love In Your Heart.” Her songs have been performed by such artists as Al Green, Annie Lennox, Van Morrison, Brenda Lee, The Carpenters, The Temptations, Marianne Faithfull, The Searchers, Ella Fitzgerald and Bruce Springsteen. In the early 1960s, Jackie partnered with Sharon Sheeley on dozens of songs (“Dum Dum,” “The Great Imposter,” “Breakaway,” “You Won’t Forget Me”). Collaborations followed with Randy Newman, Jack Nitzsche, Jimmy Page and John Bettis. In 1964, Jackie toured as an opening act for the Beatles. Writing solo, she composed the hits “When You Walk In The Room” and “Come And Stay With Me.” She earned a million-seller in 1969 with “Put A Little Love In Your Heart,” written with Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. DeShannon won a Grammy for Song of the Year in 1982 for “Bette Davis Eyes” with writing partner Donna Weiss.

David Foster:

To say that everything David Foster touches turns to gold—and usually platinum—would be an understatement. This stunningly talented songwriter is a 15-time Grammy Award winner with an unprecedented 46 nominations, a recipient of seven Juno Awards, an Emmy Award in 2004 and a three-time Oscar nominee, all over the course of four extraordinarily successful decades. Foster’s career path soared in the 1980’s as he produced and wrote an extraordinary lineup of No. 1 singles, including Chicago’s “Hard To Say I’m Sorry,” Peter Cetera’s “The Glory of Love,” and John Parr’s “Man in Motion” (St. Elmo’s Fire soundtrack). In 2007 he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Foster has worked with the biggest and best talents in the music industry, including Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Barbra Streisand, Michael Buble’, Seal, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston and many more. Iconic songs in the Foster catalog include “After The Love Is Gone,” “I Have Nothing,” “Look What You’ve Done To Me,” “The Prayer” and “You’re The Inspiration.” Foster recently produced two top ten albums on the Billboard Top 200 Chart - Michael Buble’ (“Crazy Love”) and Andrea Bocelli (“My Christmas).


Johnny Mandel:

Johnny Mandel, the five-time Grammy recipient and Oscar and Emmy Award winner is a composer, arranger, instrumentalist and record producer living a life totally steeped in musical achievement. As a teenager, Mandel was a member of Joe Venuti’s orchestra, followed by employment as a player and/or arranger in bands led by Henry Jerome, Buddy Rich, Jimmy Dorsey, Woody Herman and Artie Shaw. In the late 1940s and early 50s, Mandel was an arranger and composer for radio and the new medium of TV. At the same time, he played trombone and wrote arrangements for the Count Basie Orchestra. The West Coast recording scene beckoned Johnny in 1954 where he began arranging sessions for stars like Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Mel Tormé, Jo Stafford, Tony Bennett, Chet Baker and Andy Williams. Hollywood film assignments began coming in for Mandel as well, beginning with the all-Jazz score he composed for I Want to Live in 1958. Many Mandel film scores have followed, among them The Americanization of Emily, The Sandpiper, M*A*S*H*, Being There and The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. Mandel-composed standards include “The Shadow of Your Smile,” “Emily,” “Where Do You Start?” and “Close Enough for Love.” In recent years, Mandel’s career has continued to flourish as he has remained busy producing and arranging recordings for Natalie Cole, Diana Krall and, most recently, for Barbra Streisand and Willie Nelson, among many others.

Earth, Wind & Fire:

Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the most innovative and commercially invincible contemporary Pop / R&B music forces of the 20th century. Members Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Larry Dunn and Al McKay are known for their signature sound of fusing Pop, R&B, Rock, Latin, Funk, Jazz and African Music to win numerous awards. Earth, Wind & Fire has received 20 Grammy nominations; winning six as a group and its founding members, Maurice White and Philip Bailey, winning two awards each. The band was also awarded the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Signature Governor’s Award. Earth, Wind & Fire have earned more than 50 Gold and Platinum albums and have sold over 90 million albums worldwide. They have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2000) and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1995). The music industry and fans have bestowed Lifetime Achievement honors from ASCAP (Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award - 2002), NAACP (Hall of Fame - 1994) and the BET Awards (Life Time Achievement Award 2002). Two Earth, Wind & Fire classic songs have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame: “That’s The Way of The World” (2004) and “Shining Star” (2007). Earth, Wind & Fire have 12 American Music Awards nominations and four awards. The band is also known as having been the first African-American performers to sell out Madison Square Garden and to receive the MSG Gold Ticket Award. President Obama invited the band to perform at the White House for the first social event of the new administration. Through the decades their songs have been covered by recording artists such as Jerry Garcia Band, D’Angelo, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan and many others.

Music News & Notes

Found this interesting read:

Stuff happens in record shop afterlife

By Robert Plummer
Business reporter, BBC News

What happens to record shops after they die?

We all know how downloads, supermarket CD offers and online shopping are making life tough for music retailers.

But every independent store is a small business in its own right, with a long-suffering owner, knowledgeable staff and a diehard band of loyal customers.

In times past, a good record shop was also a hangout for an entire generation and a focal point for fans' passions, as well as a place to hear the latest music and a barometer of new trends.

So can any of that be preserved when the shop closes down?

And do the owners keep trading in music by other means or do they find something else to do?

Read the rest here:   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8507703.stm

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New Beach House EP

Beach House are looking to capitalize on their success, releasing a new EP to celebrate Record Store Day on April 17. It's entitled Zebra, and is essentially a single for the Teen Dream song of the same name. As well as a radio edit of the title track, it features two brand new songs plus a remix of the blissed-out, slow-burning "10 Mile Stereo."

Zebra will be released on twelve-inch vinyl via Sub Pop. It will only be available at retailers involved in Record Store Day.

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Alkaline Trio Announces New Album This Addiction and Tour

Recorded and produced by the band with help from longtime cohort Matt Allison at Atlas Studios in Chicago, This Addiction marks Alkaline Trio's first release on their imprint label Heart & Skull and first with their parent label Epitaph Records. The album also finds the Trio revisiting their punk roots while moving forward creatively.

The band's seventh studio album, This Addiction, will be available as a standard CD, a limited Deluxe CD/DVD edition (containing two bonus songs, four acoustic tracks and a full length concert DVD), as well as Gatefold LP vinyl.

Epitaph will also have exclusive items signed by the band, rare vinyl and Limited Collector’s bundles - all with a standard digital download or a Deluxe Digital Download.

Tour Dates:
Feb 16 – Pomona, CA – Glass House (SOLD OUT)
Feb 17 – Los Angeles, CA – House of Blues (Sunset)
Feb 18 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
Feb 19 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Feb 20 – Seattle, WA – Neumo’s
Feb 23 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
Feb 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue
Feb 25 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
Feb 26 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
Feb 27 – Chicago, IL – Metro
Feb 28 – Chicago, IL – Metro
March 2 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak
March 3 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
March 4 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
March 5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Zoo
March 6 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
March 8 – Clifton Park, NY – Northern Light
March 9 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theatre
March 11 – Philadelphia, PA – Tracadero
March 12 – New York, NY – Nokia Theatre
March 13 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland
March 14 – Providence, RI – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
March 16 – Towson, MD – Recher Theatre
March 17 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend
March 18 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm
March 19 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
March 20 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Freebird Live
March 22 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
March 23 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
March 25 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
March 26 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
March 27 – Dallas, TX – Palladium Ballroom
March 28 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
March 30 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
April 1 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
April 2 – Los Angeles – House of Blues
April 3 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues

http://www.myspace.com/alkalinetrio

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Ray Charles Foundation Reveals the Ray 80 Celebration Logo

Ray Charles was born September 23, 1930 and the Ray Charles Foundation and Concord Records are celebrating what would have been his 80th birthday with a brand new website at raycharles.com. On it, you'll find updated news on all of the planned events, a thorough album and singles discography and a treasure trove of videos and photos.

The Ray Charles Marketing Group has also just unveiled their special Ray 80 logo (right). Janet Macoska, Brand Manager, stated "We’ve planned a series of events and a rollout of new products designed to draw attention to, and celebrate, this historic anniversary. The Ray 80 logo will be used on all product packaging and at all authorized Ray Charles 80th Birthday Celebration events. The RAY 80 campaign is about us connecting to Ray’s worldwide legion of fans and creating opportunities for them to connect to each other."

New Music Releases - Febraury 16, 2010

Adam Green - Minor Love
Aeternam - Disciples of the Unseen
Alkaline Trio - This Addiction (vinyl)
Art Museums - Rough Frame (vinyl)
Backyard Tire Fire - Good to Be
Barn Burner - Bangers
Bear Hands - What a Drag/Can't Stick Em (vinyl)
Bee Gees - Mythology (4 CD)
Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore - Dear Companion
Bill Withers - + 'Justments (remastered)
Black Crowes - Warpaint Live (vinyl)
Bob Blank - Blank Generation Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1985 (vinyl)
Bob Mould Band - Live at ATP 2008
Boy Eats Drum Machine - Hoop + Wire
Brigitte Bardot - Musiques De Films (12-disc vinyl box set)
Carnifex - Hell Choose Me
Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig
Charlie Alex March - Home/Hidden
Chelsea Grin - Desolation of Eden
Close Your Eyes - We Will Overcome
Courteeners - You Overdid It Doll Pt. 1 (vinyl)
Cute Lepers - Smart Accessories (vinyl)
DJ Shadow - In LA 10/31/09
Dan Black - Un
Dan Reeder - This New Century
Drive By Truckers - Vol. 2 - Dangerous Highway (vinyl)
Dum Dum Girls - Jail La La (vinyl)
Ellen Allien - Watergate 5
Everybody Was in the French Resistance Now - Fixin the Charts 1
Ewan MacColl - Ballads - Murder Intrigue Love Discord
Ewan Pearson - We Are Proud of Our Choices
Excepter - Presidence
Fanfarlo - Harold T. Wilkins/Comets
Fela Kuti - Gentleman / Confusion (double album reissue)
Fela Kuti - Koola Lobitos 1964-1968 / The 69 La Sessions (double album reissue)
Fela Kuti - Open & Close / Afrodisiac (double album reissue)
Fela Kuti - Roforofo Fight + 2 Singles (reissue)
Field Music - Measure (vinyl)
Freeway and Jake One - The Stimulus Package
Gentle Friendly - Ride Slow (vinyl)
Giant Drag - Swan Song
Gil Scott-Heron - Storm Music: The Best Of
Greg Dulli: Vol. 1 - Dangerous Highway (vinyl)
HIM - Screamworks: Love in Theory & Practice (vinyl with CD)
Heathen - Evolution of Chaos
Ike Reilly - Hard Luck Stories
James Otto - James Otto
Jamie Cullum - Devil May Care
Jason Falkner - I'm OK, You're OK (vinyl)
Jason Urick - Husbands
Jedi Mind Tricks - Army of the Pharaohs: The Unholy Terror
Jenny Whiteley - Forgive or Forget
Jessica Harp - A Woman Needs
Joe Pug - Messenger
Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young (2-CD & DVD & LP luxury edition box set)
Juliana Hatfield - Peace And Love
Karnivool - Sound Awake
Lightspeed Champion - Life Is Sweet! Nice to Meet You
Lightspeed Champion - Marlene (vinyl)
Lisa Hannigan - Live at Fingerprints
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor (vinyl)
Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring (vinyl)
Lusine - Twilight
MC Chris - Knowing's Half the Hassle (reissue)
Madonna - Revolver (Mixes)
Mako Sica - Dual Horizon (vinyl)
Marina & The Diamonds - Family Jewels
Mark Matos - Words of the Knife (vinyl)
Matthew Ryan - Dear Lover
Middle Class Rut - 25 Years EP (vinyl)
Miracle Condition - Miracle Condition
Moon Duo - Escape (vinyl)
Mott The Hoople - Live at the Hammersmith Apollo 2009 (3-CD box set)
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
Nick Curran - Reform School Girl
Overnight Lows - City Of Rotten Eyes (vinyl)
Over the Rhine - Besides (reissue)
Patton Oswalt - 222
Patton Oswalt - Patton Vs. Alcohol Vs. Zach Vs. Patton EP
Perfect - French Connection
Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back
Pixies - Pixies (vinyl reissue)
Pokey LaFarge & the South City Three - Riverboat Soul
Puerto Muerto - Drumming for Pistols
Raheem DeVaughn - The Love & War Masterpeace
Randy Newman - 12 Songs (reissue)
Robert Pollard - We All Got Out of the Army (vinyl)
Sam Weiser - Sam I Am
Santana - Supernatural (Legacy Edition)
Saxon - Innocence Is No Excuse (remastered with bonus tracks)
Scanners - Submarine
Seven Fields of Aphelion - Periphery
Shirley Bassey - EMI/UA Years 1959-1979 (5-CD box set)
Shout Out Louds - Oh Sweetheart
Smoking Popes - It's Been a Long Day (vinyl)
Soft Pack - The Soft Pack (vinyl)
Solas - Turning Tide
Sole - Vol. 1-Nuclear Winter
Son Lux - Weapons EP
Sonic Youth - Eternal (2-LP vinyl)
Story of the Year - The Constant
Tangerine Dream - Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares (vinyl reissue)
The Game - The R.E.D. Album
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band - Preservation (vinyl)
The Real Tuesday Weld - Ruth Roses & Revolvers (vinyl)
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - Kollaps Tradixionales (vinyl with CD)
Tindersticks - Falling Down a Mountain (vinyl with CD)
Usher - Raymond v. Raymond
Various Artists - Classic Appalachian Blues from Smithsonian Folkways
Various Artists - Helping Haiti: Everybody Hurts
Various Artists - More Psychedelic Guitars / Psychedelic Visions
Various Artists - My Name Is Khan (soundtrack)
Will Hoge - Again Somewhere Tomorrow
Wu-Tang - Return of the & Friends

This Date In Music History - February 16

Birthdays:

Lynn Paul - New Seekers (1949)

James Ingram (1956)

Andy Taylor - Duran Duran (1961)

Tony Kylie - Blow Monkeys (1962)

Dave Lombardo - Slayer (1965)

Taylor Hawkins - Foo Fighters (1972)

Bradley "Brad" Walst - Three Days Grace (1977)


They Are Missed:

The late Bill Doggett ("Honky Tonk") was born in 1916.

Born on this day in 1932, Otis Blackwell, songwriter and producer, wrote "All Shook Up," "Return To Sender," "Don't Be Cruel," "Great Balls Of Fire" and "Fever." Died from a heart attack on May 6, 2002.

Born today in 1935, Sonny Bono, singer, (1965 #1 single "I Got You Babe," with Cher). Became a US Congressman. Killed on 5th January 1997, (age 62), in a skiing accident.



Billy Ward ("Deep Purple" with his Dominoes) died in 2002.

Singer Doris Troy died in 2004. She had been a session singer with Dionne Warwick, sang on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and released an album on The Beatles’ Apple label.

Charlie Ryan ("Hot Rod Lincoln") died of heart disease in 2008.


History:

Today in 1957 the song "Young Love" by Tab Hunter topped the charts and stayed there for 6 weeks.

In 1964, The Beatles made their second live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, exactly one week after the first. Before an audience of 3,500 at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, The Beatles performed "She Loves You," "This Boy," "All My Loving," "I Saw Her Standing There," "From Me to You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

Alan David Pasaro sued the Rolling Stones in 1971 charging them with invasion of privacy. The charge stemmed from the footage of a stabbing in the film "Gimme Shelter." Pasaro was tried and acquitted for the stabbing death.

Ricky Nelson began his first British tour in 1972.

Bob Dylan started a four-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1974 with 'Planet Waves', his first US #1.

During a tour of America in 1974, the members of Emerson, Lake & Palmer were arrested in Salt Lake City after swimming naked in the hotel pool. They were each fined $75.

Cher started her own weekly hour of a music and comedy show on CBS-TV in 1975. The singer had co-presented The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour with her former husband. Cher's new show featured a female guest each week.

Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good” was #1 in 1975.

Bruce Springsteen went to #1 on the UK album chart in 1985 with 'Born In The USA', his first UK #1 album.

"Careless Whisper" started a three-week run at #1 in the US charts in 1985, credited to Wham! Featuring George Michael, this was the duos second US #1.

In 1999 - Rap star Ol' Dirty Bastard was arrested in Hollywood for allegedly wearing body armor, a forbidden garment because of his previous arrests. ODB was initially pulled over for driving eratically.

In 2002, thieves broke into George Michael’s London home and stole over £100,000 ($170,000) worth of paintings, jewellery and designer clothes and drove off in his £80,000 ($136,000) Aston Martin DB7. They also caused £200,000 ($340,000) worth of damage to his home.

50 Cent was at #1 on the US album chart in 2003 with his debut album ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin,'

Jack White appeared on CBS' 60 Minutes Wednesday in 2005. The White Stripes frontman claims he almost gave up Rock & Roll to become a priest. He was accepted by a seminary but decided to go to public school instead. "I had just gotten a new amplifier… and I didn't think I was allowed to take it with me," says White. 2005

In 2005, Jimi Hendrix memorabila went up for sale with a 1965 Fender Stratocaster guitar fetching nearly $190,000. The London auction also features a poem written by Hendrix in 1967 and an autographed copy of the Experience's first single, "Hey Joe."

Britney Spears shaved her head in 2007 (slow news day).

In 2009, Elton John’s songwriting skills are auctioned off to benefit Vancouver General Hospital’s effort to help patients with blood cancer. Two people pay $200,000 each to have John write music to their lyrics and record the finished song. The gala raises over $2 million.

Music News

Rock Pioneer Dale Hawkins Dies

Seminal rocker Dale Hawkins passed away Saturday in Little Rock, Arkansas from colon cancer at the age of 73.

Hawkins was discovered while playing a Shreveport, Louisiana club in 1957 with his group that also included guitarist James Burton and drummer A.J. Tuminello. While his style had elements of the burgeoning rock and roll, he mixed it with a heavy blues sound that created a unique sound eventually called Swamp Rock.

Dale originally shopped around a record that he had made called See You Soon, Baboon which was picked up for national release by Chess Records on its subsidiary Checker. The group's second record, Suzie Q, broke Hawkins nationally, going to number 7 on the R&B and 27 on the Singles charts.

Hawkins went on to record a mix of his bluesy rock and more pop oriented material for the label over the next few years. He also was becoming well versed in producing and finding talented guitarists. Not only would his sideman James Burton go on to play with Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley, but he would also help launch the careers of Roy Buchannen, who played with Dale's cousin Ronnie Hawkins, and Kenny Paulsen.

In 1960, he was released from Chess and, although he would record for a number of labels in the subsequent years, he never exceeded the success of Suzie Q. The early-60's also found him hosting his own television show on WCAU in Philadelphia.

When Hawkin's wife became pregnant in 1964, he returned home where he became a talent finder and producer for Paula records, bringing them country artist Joe Stampley and rocker John Fred. His productions included Fred's Judy in Disguise and the Five American's Western Union. He became head of A&R for RCA's west coast division in 1970 where he worked with Harry Nilsson, Michael Nesmith and many more.

After a 1981 stint in rehab, Hawkins started a crisis intervention center for wayward teens in Louisiana that he ran for five years. By that time, the music bug had bit him again and he spent the rest of his life recording and performing.

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Balance And Composure & Tigers Jaw announce split
Fellow Pennsylvanians Balance And Composure (Doylestown) and Tigers Jaw (Scranton) have each contributed a handful of brand new songs for an upcoming split release on No Sleep and Run For Cover Records, the former handling the CD version while the latter takes on vinyl duties.

Featuring four new tracks from each band, plus a bonus digital-only offering from Balance And Composure, the split was recorded by Vince Ratti (The Wonder Years, Circa Survive, Valencia) and will be released by the labels in CD and 12" formats on May 11, 2010. A track list an be found below and both bands are currently streaming songs from the album on their respective myspace pages.

http://www.myspace.com/balanceandcomposure

http://www.myspace.com/tigersjaw

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Knack Lead Singer Doug Fieger Passes Away

Doug Fieger, the lead singer for the 70's group the Knack, has passed away after battling lung and brain cancer. He was 57.

Feiger's earliest ambition was to work in the theater and was acting professionally by the time he was 12. One year later, he and John Courey would form the group Sky who opened for acts such as Traffic and it was their relationship with Steve Winwood that would put them in contact with British producer Jimmy Miller. Miller signed the group to a contract and, once Fieger graduated from High School, the group moved to England to record their first album.

Courey and Feiger became fixtures in the London music scene, recording their second album at Mick Jagger's house, but by the end of 1971, the group had broken up and Fieger moved to Los Angeles.

In L.A., Fieger met Bruce Gary and Berton Averre who formed a group to play area clubs. Word of mouth spread, especially after a number of high profile jam sessions and the group was signed to a management contract. The three added Prescott Niles and named their group The Knack who were the subject of a major label bidding war that was eventually won by Capitol.

In 1979, the group released the album Get the Knack which contained their signature song "My Sharona." Both hit #1 on the charts, but the group never managed to hit such heights again. The followup single, Good Girls Don't made it to #11 and their second album, But the Little Girls Understand got to #15 but it was mostly downhill from there. They split up right after the release of their third album, Round Trip.

In 1991, the original group minus Gary reformed and recorded Serious Fun which included the Mainstream Rock hit Rocket O' Love. They followed in 1998 with Zoom and 2001 with Normal As the Next Guy, neither of which found much success.

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales

Week Ending 02/13/2010

1. 45 - The Beatles "I Want To Hold Your Hand" / "I Saw Her Standing There" w/pic sleeve radio promo - $4,109.99

2. 45 - Necros "Sex Drive" Touch and Go Original - $3,550.00

3. LP - Judge "Chung King Can Suck It Up" Revelation white vinyl - $3,383.33

4. LP - Damon "Song Of A Gypsy" Private Press - $3,218.00

5. 45 - Connor Cagle & The Bachelors Four "Always Let Your Good Side Show" / "Nobody Wants To See You When You're Down" Sunshine - $3,000.00

Thanks to Norm over at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data!  More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 4:00PM Eastern on Radio Dentata.

This Date In Music History-February 14

Birthdays:

Phyllis McGuire - The McGuire Sisters (1931)

Vic Briggs - Animals (1945)

Doug Simril - Steve Miller Band (1946)

Roger Fisher - Heart (1950)

Scottish drummer Kenny Hyslop - (1951)

Ice- T (Tracy Morrow) - (1959)

Rob Thomas - Matchbox 20 (1972)


They Are Missed:

Born on this day in 1947, Tim Buckley, singer, songwriter who recorded the 1972 album 'Greetings From LA'. His singer, songwriter son Jeff Buckley drowned while swimming in 1997. Tim himself died on June 29, 1975 of a heroin and morphine overdose.

Buddy Knox ("Party Doll") died of cancer in 1999.

Mick Tucker, drummer with glam rock band Sweet, died of leukaemia in 2002.


History:

The Cuban government banned Rock n’ Roll in 1957, calling it "immoral and profane" and "offensive to public morals."

In 1958, CBS News reported that the Iranian government had banned Rock ‘n’ Roll on the grounds that it goes against Islam and is a health hazard.

In 1961, the Beatles perform at the Cassanova Club, Liverpool, and at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool where they play a special Valentine's Day show. Paul McCartney sang Elvis Presley's "Wooden Heart", wearing wooden heart pinned to his coat, covered with satin and embroidered with the names "John", "Paul", "George", and "Pete". The heart was raffled off, and the winner also won a kiss from Paul.

Neil Diamond recorded "Cherry Cherry" in 1966.

Aretha Franklin recorded "Respect" in 1967.



In 1970, Billboard reported that the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) was “mounting a total war" against taped pirating of pre-recorded music.

The Who appeared at Leeds University, England in 1970. The show was recorded for the bands forthcoming 'Live At Leeds' album.

Sly & The Family Stone landed at #1 in 1970 with “Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin).”



In 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono started a week long run as co-hosts on 'Mike Douglas' US TV show.

David Bowie collapsed from exhaustion after a Madison Square Garden concert in New York in 1973.

In 1977, singer songwriter Janis Ian received 461 Valentine's day cards after indicating in the lyrics of her song "At Seventeen'," she had never received any.

Also in 1977, the B-52's made their first live performance appearing in a Greenhouse at a Valentines day party in Athens.

Dire Straits began recording their first album at Basing Street Studios, London in 1978. The whole project cost $21,250 to produce.

Frank Zappa appeared on an episode of the television series Miami Vice in 1986. Zappa portrayed a crime boss named 'Mr. Frankie.'

Bon Jovi started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1987 with "Livin' On A Prayer," the group's second US #1, (#4 hit in the UK).

In 1990, the Rolling Stones played the first of ten nights at the Korakuen Dome, Tokyo, Japan. The shows were seen by over 500,000 fans, making the band a cool $20 million.

The film 'Waynes World' premiered in the US in 1992.

Usher started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1998 with "Nice & Slow."

In 1998, Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" set a new recorded for the most radio plays in the US with 116 million plays in one week.

Rapper Foxy Brown was at #1 on the US album chart in 1999 with ‘Chyna Doll.’

In 2000, KISS announced that they were going to do a farewell tour in makeup and then sell off the stage props from their career in an auction. And yet, they still carry on.......

In 2003, stolen reel-to-reel studio recordings by The Beatles were found in Australia. Police recovered the tapes of the bands 1968 'White album' and the 'Abbey Road' album after they were advertised for sale in a Sydney newspaper. Australian police had been tipped off by British detectives from Operation Acetone, an investigation into thefts of original Beatles music from Abbey Road studios in London in the 1960's .

In 2008, Boston’s Tom Scholz sends a letter to Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee demanding that he stop using "More Than A Feeling" at campaign events. "By using my song . . . you have taken something of mine and used it to promote ideas to which I am opposed," writes the guitarist, a Barack Obama supporter. Also, ex-Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau had performed the song with Huckabee at rallies.

In 2009, Bruce Springsteen went to #1 on the US album chart with ‘Working on a Dream’, his 16th studio album.

Music News & Notes

PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2010 DATES - JULY 16 -18 - AT CHICAGO’S UNION PARK

The 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival celebrates its fifth anniversary this year at Chicago’s Union Park, on Friday, July 16 - Sunday, July 18. This three-day event will once again showcase a variety of cutting-edge, global performers on three stages in one of the most comfortable and positive festival environments in the country, all brought to fans at a fraction of the price of any other nationally renowned music festival.

In previous years, the Pitchfork Music Festival has provided attendees the opportunity to see performances by some of the world’s most innovative and flourishing young acts, often acting as a barometer for what will be popular in the coming years. Over the years artists including Animal Collective, Girl Talk, Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors, Vampire Weekend, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, Owen Pallett, The National, The Antlers, Yeasayer, amongst many others, have been invitedto perform at burgeoning moments in their careers. The festival has also presented a diverse mix of internationally renowned and beloved acts, such as The Flaming Lips, The Jesus Lizard, Spoon, Yoko Ono, Public Enemy, Sonic Youth, Tortoise, Dinosaur Jr., Cat Power, Silver Jews, Yo La Tengo, Slint, Os Mutantes and Iron & Wine.

An independently run, consistently sold-out event, the Pitchfork Music Festival attracts 50,000 fans of all ages from 45 states and 11 countries. In addition to presenting an outstanding musical line-up at a reasonable price, the festival also offers a vast array of other activities for attendees to enjoy. With 50 individual vendors, as well as specialty fairs, the fest not only supports local businesses and the local economy, but also promotes the Chicago arts community as a whole.

Tickets for the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival will be on sale Friday, February 5th, with single-day tickets for $40 and three-day passes for $90. The first round of bands will be announced on Friday, February 5th as well. Two-day passes will not be available for purchase. This year, Friday’s performances will begin earlier to present fans with a longer first day of music. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com/

Pitchfork Media is the premier destination for music criticism, news, features, and audio/video content. With more than 2 million unique readers per month and over 25 million page views, Pitchfork has earned one of the internet’s most loyal followings and a reputation as the music world’s primary tastemaker.

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Luther Russell Releasing New EP in March

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Luther Russell will release the six-track "Motorbike" EP on March 15, 2010 on Wool Recordings/Ungawa.

The songs on the EP are taken from Russell's upcoming fifth solo album a double entitled "The Invisible Audience" and were selected and sequenced by Sarabeth Tucek, who also sings on "Somehow Or Another."

Musically the EP takes in the psychedelic Americana of the title track, which is reminiscent of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club circa "Howl," the stripped-down blues of "A World Unknown," the power-pop of "Tomorrow's Paper," and the short, but sweet "Dead Sun Blues" and "Et Al," which sound like outtakes from "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" and "Third/Sister Lovers," respectively. What keeps these seemingly disparate influences together is Russell's effortless way with a melody and the warm, analogue sound.

"It was recorded to eight-track one-inch tape with most instruments played by yours truly," says Russell, who has produced records by Richmond Fontaine and the aforementioned Sarabeth Tucek. "People have really responded to the song "Motorbike," so I thought an EP built around it would be a nice way of calling attention to the new album."

He's not wrong, especially as the EP looks so good. As well as a digital release it will be available on an extremely limited-edition white vinyl 12-inch, which comes with a postcard shot by underground filmmaker Cam Archer. Archer, who has previously worked with Gus Van Sant and made videos for the likes of Xiu Xiu and Six Organs Of Admittance, is currently working on a video for "Motorbike."

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Dire Straits Frontman Mark Knopfler Announces Solo Tour

Legendary singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler will hit the road for a North American tour in support of his current solo album, Get Lucky, this spring.

The tour — during which Knopfler will also dip into his illustrious back catalog — begins April 8th in Seattle and criss-crosses the continent before finishing up in Albany, NY, on May 9th.

Released on September 15th, 2009, Get Lucky is the Dire Straits' lead singer and songwriter's sixth studio album and follow-up to 2007's highly successful Kill To Get Crimson.

The album was recorded at Knopfler's award-winning British Grove Studios in West London, and co-produced with longtime collaborators, engineer Chuck Ainlay and keyboardist Guy Fletcher. It also features Richard Bennett, Danny Cummings, John McCusker, Matt Rollings, and Glenn Worf.

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Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Vetiver, Brendan Benson and Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold Team Up for Graham Nash Tribute

In 1971, Graham Nash was on a temporary break from Crosby, Stills and Nash, and had just broken up with long-time girlfriend Joni Mitchell. The emotional state he was in resulted in Songs for Beginners, which is now considered one of his greatest accomplishments.

Nearly 30 years later, Nash's daughter, Nile Nash, has teamed up with a team of indie folk icons to pay tribute to the classic album. The compilation is called Be Yourself: A Tribute to Graham Nash's Songs for Beginners, and features appearances from Port O'Brien, Brendan Benson, Vetiver, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold and many others.

On top of the Songs for Beginners tribute, a handful of artists, including Johnathan Rice and Two Gallants' Tyson Vogel, took on selections from Nash's second solo album, Wild Tales. Those songs will be pressed on a limited seven-inch that will ship with the first 1,000 orders through the Grass Roots Records website. http://www.grassrootsrecordco.com/

Be Yourself will be released on May 25. Pre-orders for the album, along with the bonus seven-inch, begin on February 15.

Be Yourself: A Tribute to Graham Nash's Songs for Beginners:

1. Port O'Brien and the Papercuts “Military Madness”
2. Brendan Benson “Better Days”
3. Nile Nash “Wounded Bird”
4. Vetiver “Used to be a King” 5. Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) “Be Yourself”
6. Bonnie “Prince” Billy “Simple Man (Hombre Sencillo)”
7. Moore Brothers “Man in the Mirror”
8. Alela Diane “There's Only One”
9. Mariee Sioux with Greg Weeks (Espers) “Sleep Song”
10. Sleepy Sun “Chicago”
11. Nile Nash with guests “We Can Change the World (reprise)”

Bonus EP:

1. Tyson Vogel (Two Gallants) “Hey You (Looking at the Moon)”
2. Johnathan Rice “On the Line”
3. Jonathan Wilson “And So It Goes (Music Gets You High)”
4. Bart Davenport “Better Days”
5. Citay “Military Madness”

Michael Fremer Review

Thanks to Michael over at http://www.musicangle.com/ for the exclusive rights to reprint this material.

ALBUM REVIEW:
Neil Young (new reissue)
Neil Young Official Release Series Discs 1-4 Box Set


Warner Brothers/Reprise 4 180g LP, numbered Box Set


Produced by: Neil Young, Jack Nitzsche, David Briggs, Elliot Mazer, others
Engineered by: various engineers
Mixed by: various mixers
Mastered by: Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering

Review by: Michael Fremer
2010-02-01


When Buffalo Springfield broke up, Neil Young set about building his solo career. The high-production work with Jack Nitzsche that had created classics like “Expecting to Fly” and “Broken Arrow” brought Neil back to the producer/keyboardist/orchestrator, who gained fame working with Phil Spector but the results on Young’s eponymous debut album were not as memorable. In fact, many critics and fans alike back in 1969 considered the album a disappointment and a misstep.

The “overproduction” charge was compounded by two issues: first was the original mix that buried Young’s voice, second was the label’s disastrous choice to master using the Haeco-CSG system. Invented by Howard Holzer, A&M’s chief engineer, Haeco-CSG was about cost cutting not sonic improvement.

By the late ‘60s, stereo had taken hold among album buying youngsters but most rock was still heard on AM radio or FM in the car, which was mostly monophonic. Stereo records played back monophonically usually produced terrible results: folding stereo down to mono upped common L/R information by 3 dB, which is major. That means vocals placed in both channels so they’d appear in the phantom center channel would be way too loud in mono. Not many rock singers of the era needed that kind of exposure, so Holzer invented a system to deal with the problem.

Unfortunately, his solution was to phase-shift common L/R right information so that it didn’t get the 3dB boost. Imagine, though, what happened to image focus and soundstage clarity! It produced a sonic mess that ruined many releases of the era, including Neil’s debut and Roots The Everly Brothers’ superb “comeback” album that inexplicably hasn’t been reissued yet on vinyl.

Neil remixed the first album, made sure it was mastered without Haeco-CSG and put a wide banner with his name on it at the top of the front cover in an effort to save the debut but it was too late. The album never recovered. Relatively rare original pressings with the first cover, mix and Haeco-CSG processing were quite collectible for a time, going for hundreds of dollars. I’m not sure what the going rate is today.

Time has actually been kind to Young’s debut. “The Loner” and “I’ve Been Waiting For You” are fuzz-tone laden standouts. “I’ve Loved Her Too Long” maintains its warm grip and even the surreal, Dylanesque overreach of “The Last Trip to Tulsa,” with Young’s acoustic guitar center stage and his voice off on the right channel, arrives nicely burnished through the time tunnel.

One could argue that the first album isn’t a high priority but no one would say that of the next three in this four, 180g LP box set: Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, After the Goldrush and Harvest.

With a set list that includes “Cinnamon Girl,” the title tune, “Round and Round,” “Down By The River,” and “Cowgirl In The Sand,” the second album with Crazy Horse is a hard-rocking, no-nonsense follow-up to the tentative debut and contains no filler. But surely you didn’t need to be told that.

Nor do you need to be told about the enduring folk/rock brilliance of After the Goldrush or Young’s greatest album chart success Harvest. If you do, you’re not forking over the big bucks for this 180g box set anyway. You’re more likely to opt for a 140g individual album or two.

What you’re really interested in hearing about is the sound quality of these reissues. But first a word about the packaging: Warner Brothers has gone to the trouble and expense of using deluxe paper over cardboard jackets that are authentic to the originals, though there are barcodes, new catalog numbers and updated mastering credits— all tastefully and respectfully done. All original posters and inserts are included. Pick up the new Harvest and you’ll be hard-pressed to tell it from the original, so perfectly does the new, thick outer paper stock match the original.

What’s very different about these reissues though, is the sound: I have multiple originals of all of them, including both the original Haeco-CSG version of the debut album and the re-do (obviously, though Warner Brothers and Young went with the original cover, the second mix was used) and I have to tell you, these reissues, mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman and pressed at Pallas in Germany (buy a copy of my second DVD It’s a Vinyl World, After All and you can take a guided tour of Pallas, shot in high definition), sound far superior to the originals.

Look, I’ve been listening to these four albums for up to forty years now and I was not prepared for what I heard on all four of these albums. Grundman’s chain is sounding better than ever after what I hear are a series of upgrades.

Starting with the second album, Young arranged for multiple voices, often his own multi-tracked, but never before have the individual voices been so clearly locked in three dimensional space and timbrally distinct. The way the voices project into 3D space (including Young’s main centered one) is positively eerie (assuming your system can reproduced this, because trust me, it’s in the grooves in a way it’s not on the originals). Instrumental textures are far richer, fuller and better defined. Harmonics are fully fleshed out. Reverb trails extend to infinity before disappearing into background pitch blackness. There is so much more there there in every respect, it’s almost stupefying.

You can see Young before the microphone and experience every little vocal tick and breath pressurization. It’s not important because you can hear these details. It’s important because hearing them imparts greater meaning to the proceeding and certainly a greater appreciation of his singing and the deliberateness of his communications skills.

I wish I could tell you that the 140g versions, pressed, I assume, from the same stampers, sounded as good, but even correcting for the VTA/SRA differences, they don’t. They do sound plenty good, mind you, and better than the originals, but not quite as good as the 180g versions contained in the box set. And good as the Blu-ray versions are at 192k/24 bit, they don’t touch the vinyl.

So, my advice is: when the numbered, limited edition box is finally introduced shortly, if you’re as big a Neil fan as I am, don’t hesitate until it’s too late. Buy and enjoy this box set.

Warner Brothers, thanks to the tireless and meticulous efforts of Warner Brothers Senior Vice President and vinyl fanatic Tom Biery, demonstrates yet again, that it is possible for a major label to do vinyl correctly: cutting from analog masters, pressing at the best plants and packaging to provide fans with the genuine experience. It’s sad that the others don’t have the will to properly manage the task.

Music News & Notes

Japandroids Announce Singles Series

Vancouver's Japandroids have announced that they'll be releasing five new singles this year in order to give the people what they want (raucous, heart-on-sleeve rock, obviously). The singles, the first of which is due out on April 13, will feature songs that were recorded during the Post-Nothing sessions on the a-side and covers on the b-side. Thusly, yhe first single, titled "Art Czars," will be backed with a cover of Big Black's "Racer X."

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Robert Plant Recording Album With Buddy Miller

Led Zeppelin veteran Robert Plant is recording an album for release later this year which is being produced by Americana singer/songwriter Buddy Miller. The word leaked out earlier today in Bristol, Tennessee's Herald Courier as part of an article on songwriter and instrumentalist Darell Scott.

Scott is quoted in the article as saying “Those two-plus weeks were some of the most memorable times I’ve ever had in the studio. The number-one thing is that Robert loves music. You think they’re posing and just getting through it, but I was humbled with how Robert Plant loved the music – old country, blues, rockabilly.”

While the actual contents of the album are not known, the article mentions that Plant recorded the traditional song Cindy.

Plant will be performing February 25 at London's famed Abbey Road Studios with a 72-voice choir and American singer/songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman. The concert is for the charity Cancer Research UK.

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The Apples In Stereo Announce New Album In Their New Musical Scale

On April 20th, studio obsessed indie-pop band The Apples in Stereo will unleash the cosmic happiness that is "Travellers in Space and Time" (Yep Roc/Simian/Elephant 6). And on April 16, the band kicks off a US tour in support of the album.

Continuing the tradition of curating support acts on their tours, The Apples will be joined on the road by New Orleans band Generationals (Park the Van) and Athens band Laminated Cat who recently released their debut album "Umbrella Weather" through Garden Gate Records.

"We choose bands to tour with based on who we want to listen to every single night, and who we want to turn other people on to," enthuses The Apples' Robert Schneider. "The Generationals are a fantastic band with strong songs and interesting productions - plus we have the Louisiana connection going on, with my having grown up in Ruston. Laminated Cat are the best young psychedelic band in the world, in my opinion - one of my favorite bands, beautiful and strange, like Syd Barrett riding on the Olivia Tremor Control. This tour is going to be awesome!"

As some of you may already be aware, Schneider has invented a new musical scale called the Non-Pythagorean Musical Scale. The scale was first included on the band's last studio album, "New Magnetic Wonder." To expand upon it, "Travellers in Space and Time," includes "C.P.U.," the first pop song ever written with this new scale.

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Bonnaroo Announces 2010 Lineup

Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment are excited to announce the initial lineup for the 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The ninth annual four-day camping and music festival will be held on June 10 - 13 on the same beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. A full list of confirmed acts follows, and more will be announced in the coming weeks. The final Bonnaroo 2010 lineup will total over 125 bands and over 20 comedians performing on 13 stages over four days. Tickets are on sale now exclusively at bonnaroo.com.

Perhaps bringing you the most diverse and ambitious lineup to date, the 2010 event draws world-class acts from a staggering range of musical worlds. This year the festival features the Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Weezer, Flaming Lips performing Dark Side Of The Moon, The Dead Weather, Phoenix, John Fogerty, Jimmy Cliff, Tenacious D, Zac Brown Band, Avett Brothers, Norah Jones, LCD Soundsystem, Tori Amos, The National, Jeff Beck, Michael Franti, Against Me!, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Baaba Maal, The Melvins, Thievery Corporation to name but a small portion of the deep lineup. Wonder's Bonnaroo performance marks a rare festival appearance for the legend, whose illustrious songbook continues to be as influential and significant today as ever. Bonnaroo veterans Kings of Leon are the first band in the history of the festival to start on a tent stage and work their way up to the coveted headlining slot. They were first booked to play a tent stage early in the day in 2004. They have gone on to perform at Bonnaroo several times, each appearance bigger than the last. This will be one of the very few appearances the band will make in 2010.

The largest and most revered music and camping event in the country, Bonnaroo has elevated the American rock festival to an unprecedented level. As the only round-the-clock major US music festival, Bonnaroo packs an unparalleled amount of entertainment options into its four days. The event has offered its attendees the amenities and community spirit of a small city, with 24 hours of activities including a comedy theater, cinema festival, jazz club, silent disco, arcade, Internet cafés, restaurants, yoga classes and hundreds of high quality craft vendors. Since its inception, Bonnaroo swiftly earned its status as the country's premier music and arts event. The Wall Street Journal called Bonnaroo "one of rock's best festivals," continuing to hail that the 2009 lineup "fairly bursts with some of the most gifted acts in rock and pop." Entertainment Weekly called it "the best of all sonic worlds," while the New York Times said, "Bonnaroo's very loose mandate - and a wise one for any festival - is to choose performers who deliver in a live performance, with current hits and studio expertise as lower priorities. One of the pleasures of the festival is that it defies narrowcasting: It's not an Americana festival, an indie-rock festival, a gathering of 2008-9 hitmakers or anything but what its producers and, presumably, ticket-buyers are happy to hear." Rolling Stone called Bonnaroo "one of the 50 moments to change the history of rock and roll."

Once again, Bonnaroo has created a couple of unique ticketing options for its fans. The festival is offering a special payment plan in whichtickets will be available for five (5) payments of $50.00 plus applicable fees. In addition, fans will have the option to purchase a Bonnaroo Green Ticket that will help to support the development and implementation of sustainable improvements at the festival for years to come. Festival organizers are constantly looking for ways to be aggressive with mitigating the event's environmental impact and raising awareness about green issues.

As part of Fuse's three-year deal with Bonnaroo, the network will be back as the exclusive television partner of the festival. Fuse will be reporting live from Bonnaroo throughout the weekend and will air a special, featuring interviews with the hottest bands and performances from this year's star-studded lineup.

2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Confirmed Artists:

•Dave Matthews Band
•Kings of Leon
•Stevie Wonder
•Jay-Z
•Tenacious D
•Weezer
•The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs perform "Dark Side of the Moon"
•The Dead Weather
•Damian Marley & Nas
•Phoenix
•Norah Jones
•Michael Franti & Spearhead
•John Fogerty
•Regina Spektor
•Jimmy Cliff
•LCD Soundsystem
•The Avett Brothers
•Thievery Corporation
•Rise Against
•Tori Amos
•The National
•Zac Brown Band
•Les Claypool
•John Prine
•The Black Keys
•Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers
•Jeff Beck
•Dropkick Murphys
•She & Him
•Against Me!
•The Disco Biscuits
•Daryl Hall & Chromeo
•Jamey Johnson
•Clutch
•Bassnectar
•Kid Cudi
•Baaba Maal
•Kris Kristofferson
•Medeski Martin & Wood
•The xx
•GWAR
•Dan Deacon Ensemble
•Tinariwen
•Wale
•Deadmau5
•The Melvins
•Gaslight Anthem
•Miike Snow
•Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
•Dr. Dog
•They Might Be Giants
•Punch Brothers
•Isis
•Blitzen Trapper
•Blues Traveler
•Miranda Lambert
•Calexico
•OK Go
•Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
•Martin Sexton
•Lotus
•Baroness
•Dave Rawlings Machine
•Mayer Hawthorne and the County
•Japandroids
•Jay Electronica
•Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
•Ingrid Michaelson
•The Dodos
•Manchester Orchestra
•The Temper Trap
•Cross Canadian Ragweed
•Big Sam's Funky Nation
•Carolina Chocolate Drops
•Tokyo Police Club
•The Entrance Band
•Local Natives
•Brandi Carlile
•Mumford & Sons
•Rebelution
•Diane Birch
•Monte Montgomery
•Julia Nunes
•The Postelles
•Lucero
•Here We Go Magic
•Hot Rize
•Neon Indian
•B.O.B
•Needtobreathe

Local brewfest combines beer and vinyl

KLCC’s Microbrew Festival showcases a variety of exclusive brews and vintage tracks

By Andrew Hitz | Scene reporter

Radio station KLCC’s annual Microbrew Festival is bringing some of Oregon’s best brewers to town.

The two-day festival kicks off Friday and will showcase 50 small breweries from as near as the Pacific Northwest and from as far away as Belgium, and many of the brews were made exclusively for the festival.

KLCC, Lane Community College’s licensed National Public Radio broadcaster, has been hosting the event for nearly two decades as the station’s primary fundraiser. “Our motto is ‘Keeping the fun in fundraiser,’” organizer Gayle Chisholm said.

The event is more than just a beer-tasting extravaganza. The festival has more than 100
different small-batch beers, but also has opportunities for people to collect old vinyl records.

“Our first year, we were clearing out the records at KLCC and decided that we would sell some of them at the festival,” co-organizer Kris Fox said.

Now the station has people donate albums for them to sell at the festival to supplement what they pick from their archives.

“It’s kind of a fun activity when you’re holding a beer and flipping through vinyls,” Chisholm said.

Read the rest of the article here: 

http://www.dailyemerald.com/scene/local-brewfest-combines-beer-and-vinyl-1.1125004#

This Date In Music History-February 12

Birthdays:

Ray Manzarek - Doors (1939)

Rick Frank - Elephant's Memory (1942)

Joe Schermie - Three Dog Night (1945)

Stanley Knight - Black Oak Arkansas (1949)

Steve Hackett - quit Genesis in 1977 for solo work (1950)

Michael McDonald - Doobie Brothers (1952)

Neil Conti - Prefab Sprout (1959)

Gary Whelan - Happy Mondays (1966)

Paul Crook - guitarist, worked with Meat Loaf, Anthrax and Sebastian Bach (1966)

Chynna Phillips, Wilson Phillips (1968)

Jim Creeggan - Barenaked Ladies (1970)


They Are Missed:

Born on this day in 1915, Lorne Greene, star of the NBC TV show Bonanza. He had a US #1 single "Ringo," which made him the second Canadian to have a US #1 single. Greene died on September 11,1987.

Oliver ("Good Morning Starshine") died of cancer in 2000.



American bassist and songwriter John London died in 2000 (age 58). Worked with The Monkees, James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt.

Blues singer Screamin' Jay Hawkins died in 2000 (age 70). A Golden Gloves boxing champion at 16, he was married nine times, spent two years in jail, was temporary blinded by one of his flaming props on stage in 1976. He recorded "I Put A Spell On You" in 1956, covered by The Animals, CCR and Nina Simone.

Born today in 1958, Grant McLennan, bass, vocals, songwriter, The Go-Betweens and solo. McLennan died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane, Australia on May 6, 2006.

Eldee Young of the Ramsey Lewis Trio ("Hang On Sloopy") and Young/Holt Unlimited ("Soulful Strut") died of a heart attack in 2007.


History:

The Miracles' "Shop Around" became Motown's first million-selling single in 1961.

In 1964, the Beatles returned to New York City by train from Washington, D.C. for two performances at Carnegie Hall. There was such a demand for tickets that some extra seating was arranged surrounding the stage. Tickets ranged from $1.65 to $5.50.

In 1965, Pye Records announced that they'd signed 'the British Bob Dylan,' when they added Donovan to the label.

The law raided Rolling Stone Keith Richards’ house in 1967where they find “various substances of suspicious nature.” Richards’ legal troubles along with the drug related arrests of Mick Jagger and Brian Jones nearly halts the Stones.

Jimi Hendrix returned home to Seattle in 1968 where he received a key to the city and an honorary high school diploma. He also played for the students of Garfield High School from which he had dropped out.

In 1970, John Lennon performed "Instant Karma," on BBC TV's 'Top Of The Pops,' becoming the first Beatle to have appeared on the show since 1966.



"Roundabout" was released by Yes in 1972.

Al Green went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1972 with "Let's Stay Together," his only US chart topper.

Barbra Streisand started a six-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1977 with 'A Star Is Born.'

The Police recorded their first single, 'Fall Out ' for £150 ($255) at Pathway Studios, London in 1977.

In 1977, Blondie, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and the Ramones all appeared at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles, California.

Axl Rose walked off the stage during a Guns N’ Roses concert in Phoenix in 1988. Their subsequent shows supporting David Lee Roth are canceled as rumors circulate that Rose has a) lost his voice or b) been fired from the group.

Alice In Chains’ “Jar Of Flies” tops the U.S. album chart in 1994. It’s the first EP to hit #1 on the survey.

Celine Dion started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1994 with "The Power Of Love," the singers first US #1 hit.

In 1995, Van Halen, scored their first US #1 album with ‘Balance.’

Mariah Carey started a two-week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 2000 with "Thank God I Found You."

In 2001 - The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Napster to stop its users from trading copyrighted material without charge.

In 2003, Former Doors drummer John Densmore took out legal action against The Doors keyboard player Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger for breach of contract, trademark infringement and unfair competition. The band had reformed with Ex- Cult singer Ian Astbury and former Police drummer Stewart Copeland. Densmore said "It shouldn't be called The Doors if it's someone other than Jim Morrison singing." I agree.

During a press conference at West Hollywood's Whisky a Go Go club in 2007, Sting confirmed that The Police were getting back together. The band were set to kick off a world tour on May 28 in Vancouver, Canada, supported by Sting's son Joe Sumner's band, Fiction Plane.

In 2009, Limp Bizkit announced that they have reunited to tour and record an album, with all five original members. "We decided we were more disgusted and bored with the state of heavy popular music than we were with each other," reads a joint statement from singer Fred Durst and guitarist Wes Borland.

Also in 2009, Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen landed in second and third place (behind Madonna) on Billboard's Moneymakers list, after raking in more than $157 million and $156 million, respectively, in ’08 music sales and tour revenue. The Police were #4 earning just under $110 million.

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 8, 2010

DEAR JERRY: In the early '60s, when answer songs were very popular, it seemed like nearly every big hit was answered by someone.

What are some notable ones from that period?

—Jamie Kendell, Sandusky, Ohio

DEAR JAMIE: First, be assured we will not confuse answer songs with sequels (e.g., “It's My Party” / “Judy's Turn to Cry” [Lesley Gore]); response songs (e.g., “Southern Man” [Neil Young]) / “Sweet Home Alabama” [Lynyrd Skynyrd]; or parodies (e.g., “Downtown” [Petula Clark] / “Crazy Downtown” [Allan Sherman]); all of which are often lumped in with answer songs.

A true answer song needs to respond directly to the matters set forth in the tuneful object of its inspiration. Usually this is best accomplished by a singer of the opposite gender. They should also be released as soon as possible after the one they are answering.

For just the first half of the 1960s, I chose some first-rate examples of answer songs, each inspired by an all-time Top 40 classic:

1960: “Tell Laura I Love Her” (Ray Peterson) / “Tell Tommy I Miss Him” (Marilyn Michaels)
1960: “Please Help Me, I'm Falling” (Hank Locklin) / “(I Can't Help You) I'm Falling, Too” (Skeeter Davis)
1960: “Save the Last Dance for Me” (Drifters) / “I'll Save the Last Dance for You” (Damita Jo)
1960: “Are You Lonesome To-night?” (Elvis Presley) / “Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight (Dodie Stevens)
1960: “Chain Gang” (Sam Cooke) / “The Sound of My Man (On the Chain Gang)” (Theola Kilgore)
1960: “He'll Have to Go” (Jim Reeves) / “He'll Have to Stay” (Jeanne Black)
1960: “There's Something on Your Mind” (Bobby Marchan) / “There's Nothing on My Mind” (Teen Queens)
1960: “Shop Around” (Miracles) / “Don't Let Him Shop Around” (Debbie Dean)
1961: “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (Shirelles) / “Yes I Will Love You Tomorrow” (Jon E. Holiday) and “Not Just Tomorrow, But Always” (Bertell Dache)
1961: “Daddy's Home” (Shep and the Limelites) / “Sorry, Daddy” (Sweethearts)
1961: “Mother-in-Law” (Ernie K. Doe) / “Son-in-Law” (Blossoms)
1961: “Tower of Strength” (Gene McDaniels) / “You Don't Have to Be a Tower of Strength” (Gloria Lynne)
1961: “Wooden Heart” (Joe Dowell) / “Your Heart's Not Made of Wood” (Terri Dean)
1961: “Take Good Care of My Baby” (Bobby Vee) / “You Should Know I'm Still Your Baby” (Sammi Lynn)
1961: “Hit the Road Jack” (Ray Charles) / “Well, I Told You” [to hit the road Jack] (Chantels)
1961: “Runaround Sue” (Dion) / “I'm No Run Around” (Ginger Davis and the Snaps)
1961: “Stand By Me” (Ben E. King) / “I'll Be There” (Damita Jo)
1961: “I Like It Like That” (Chris Kenner) / “I Don't Like It Like That” (Bobbettes)
1961: “Walk on By” (Leroy Van d**e) / “I'll Just Walk on By” (Margie Singleton)
1961: “Hello Walls” (Faron Young) / “Hello Fool” (Ralph Emery)
1961: “Big Bad John” (Jimmy Dean) / “Small Sad Sam” (Phil McLean)
1962: “Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello” (Elvis Presley) / “Just Tell Him Jane Said Hello” (Gerri Granger)
1962: “Roses Are Red (My Love)” (Bobby Vinton) / “Long as the Rose Is Red” (Florraine Darlin)
1962: “Bring It on Home to Me” (Sam Cooke) / “I'll Bring It on Home to You” (Carla Thomas)
1962: “Sherry” (4 Seasons) / “Jerry (I'm Your Sherry)” (Tracey Dey)
1962: “Duke of Earl” (Gene Chandler) / “Duchess of Earl” (Pearlettes)
1962: “Wolverton Mountain” (Claude King) / “I'm the Girl from Wolverton Mountain” (Jo Ann Campbell)
1962: “You Beat Me to the Punch” (Mary Wells) / “You Threw a Lucky Punch” (Gene Chandler)
1963: “Easier Said Than Done” (Essex) / “I'll Believe It When I See It” (Sierras)
1963: “Sugar Shack” (Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs) / “Sugar Shack Queen” (Georgia Lynn)
1965: “King of the Road” (Roger Miller) / “Queen of the House” (Jody Miller)
1965: “This Diamond Ring” (Gary Lewis and the Playboys) / “Gary, Please Don't Sell My Diamond Ring” (Wendy Hill)
1965: “Eve of Destruction” (Barry McGuire) / “Dawn of Correction” (Spokesmen)


IZ ZAT SO? The highest ranking answer song is “He'll Have to Stay,” by Jeanne Black, which peaked at No. 4 nationally. “He'll Have to Go” did slightly better, reaching No. 2.

Five others did make the Top 40: Jody Miller's “Queen of the House”; “I'll Be There” and “I'll Save the Last Dance for You,” both by Damita Jo; “Dawn of Correction,” by the Spokesmen; and Jo Ann Campbell's “I'm the Girl from Wolverton Mountain.”

The Spokesmen; Jon E. Holiday; Gene Chandler; and Bertell Dasch (a.k.a., Tony Orlando) are the only males on our answer song list.

Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column.  Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368  E-mail: jpo@olympus.net

Visit his Web site: http://www.jerryosborne.com/.

All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.

Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission