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As a special treat for the holidays, I am reprinting a very popular series I call Rock & Roll Trivia. Interesting tidbits about our music and our musicians, this will be posted every day until Christmas. Enjoy:
The night before their recording session, The Kingsmen played a 90-minute version of "Louie Louie" during a gig at a local teen club. Once they got into the studio, the song was recorded in one take. The original version of "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen cost just $36 to record, but sold over 12 million copies.
Courtney Love of the band Hole gained the distinction of being the first AOL subscriber to have her e-mail account shut down, mainly for the death threats she posted against people she thought deserved them.
Eagles' bassist Timothy B. Schmit sang backing vocals on Firefall's 1977 hit, "Just Remember I Love You".
Anne Murray's 1969 hit "Snowbird" was released as the "B" side of a 45 RPM single, with a song called "Bidin' My Time" as the "A" side. A radio station in the Eastern United States flipped it over and "Snowbird" caught on. Record sales soon topped one million copies, marking the first time in history that an American gold record was awarded to a solo Canadian female.
Although singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson placed eight songs on Billboard's Top 40 chart, including the Grammy Award winning, million seller "Everybody's Talkin'", he disliked performing in public so much that he seldom appeared in concert and rarely made televised appearances.
While Elvis only recorded twenty Christmas songs, his holiday albums have sold more than twenty-five million copies in the US alone. Amazing what repackaging can do....
Scotland's hard-rock group Nazareth recorded a tune called "Love Hurts" as a B-side filler, never intending it to be a hit. Record buyers felt differently and the single rose to number 8 in the US and number 15 in the UK. One count revealed that over 42 different artists have recorded the song, including The Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison.
Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" entered the Billboard Pop chart only two days before Christmas in 1957, but still managed to climb to number 6 during a six week stay.
For many years it was thought that the very first song ever recorded was "Mary Had A Little Lamb", as spoken by Thomas Edison while testing an early phonograph in 1877. In March, 2008, the Association for Recorded Sound Collections announced the discovery of a recording of "Au Clair de la Lune", found by audio historians in the archives of the French Academy of Sciences in Paris. The recording was made by Parisian inventor Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville and recorded on a "phonautograph", a device that engraved sound waves onto a sheet of paper blackened by the smoke of an oil lamp. The recording took place on April 9th, 1860...17 years before Thomas Edison invented his phonograph.
The chords and structure of Tommy James & the Shondells 1967 Billboard #10 single, "Mirage", were actually the chords to his previous hit, "I Think We're Alone Now" in reverse, created when it was accidentally played backwards during a writing session.
Although he sang the lead vocal for "Sugar Sugar", a song that sold over 13 million copies and was named Billboard magazine's Record of The Year, Ron Dante did not earn any royalties for the hit. Just happy to be recording at all in 1969, he did the session for the musicians' union scale wage.
In November, 2007, Neil Diamond finally revealed a secret that he had held onto for decades. The inspiration for his 1969 hit "Sweet Caroline" was President Kennedy's daughter.
They say you don't have to be a rocket scientist to write a hit song, but Michael Kennedy was working for the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company when he co-wrote The DeFranco Family's "Heartbeat - It's A Love Beat". He later gave up music and went on to work on the International Space Station.
Jim Messina - Buffalo Springfield, Loggins & Messina, Solo (1947)
Andy Kim (1952)
Les Nemes - Haircut 100 (1960)
Jack Russell - Great White (1960)
Johnny Rzeznik - Goo Goo Dolls (1965)
Glen Graham - Blind Melon (1968)
Craig Gill - Inspiral Carpets (1971)
They Are Missed:
Born today in 1899, Sonny Boy Williamson, Blues harmonica player, singer/songwriter. Van Morrison, The Who, The Animals, Yardbirds and Moody Blues all covered his songs. He died on May 25, 1965.
Co-founder of Gin Blossoms Doug Hopkins died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds in 1993 (age 32). The guitarist and songwriter was in a detox unit of Phoenix's St. Luke's Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona when he snuck out and bought a .38 caliber pistol. The next day Hopkins committed suicide.
In 2004, Billy Maybray, bassist / drummer / vocalist for the Jaggerz, died of cancer at the age of 60. Billy played drums on the band's 1970, Billboard #2 hit, "The Rapper" and wrote and sang their debut single, "Baby I Love You."
History:
Alan Freed's "Rock Rock Rock" film (with Connie Francis singing for Tuesday Weld) was released in 1956.
Elvis Presley started a ten-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1960 with 'G.I. Blues,' his fifth US #1 album.
Paul McCartney and Pete Best were arrested in 1960 for pinning a condom to a brick wall and then igniting it. The two were told to leave Germany and the Beatles returned home, discouraged.
Ray Charles was arrested in an Indianapolis hotel in 1961 and charged with possession of drugs.
Lorne Greene star of the NBC TV show 'Bonanza' was at #1 on the US singles chart in 1964 with "Ringo," making him the second Canadian (after Paul Anka) to have a US #1 single. The star of NBC-TV's hit show Bonanza would record seven albums for RCA.
RCA announced in 1964 that 'Elvis' Christmas Album' had sold over 800,000 copies since being released in 1957.
The Rolling Stones cover of Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster” topped the U.K. chart in 1964. Meanwhile, across the pond, “Time Is On My Side” became the first Stones single to crack the US Top 10. It peaked at #6.
In 1965, the Beatles played their last ever show in their hometown of Liverpool when they appeared at The Liverpool Empire during the group's final UK tour. Only 5,100 tickets were available, but there were 40,000 applications for tickets.
Also in 1965, the Rolling Stones played two shows at the Convention Hall, San Diego, California on the last night of a 37-date North American tour.
Buffalo Springfield recorded "For What It’s Worth" in 1966.
The release of The Rolling Stones’ new album 'Beggar’s Banquet,' was celebrated at a party in London in 1968. A food fight with custard pie was the highlight of the event that went on without an ill Keith Richards. The original cover for the LP was in the form of a plain white invitation, but was later changed.
Graham Nash quit the Hollies in 1968 and he announced the formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash three days later.
Fleetwood Mac's tenth album went Gold in 1975 and will eventually reach Platinum status. This is the first LP by the regrouped band, including founders Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, veteran Christine McVie and newcomers Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. The album contains the tunes "Rhiannon," "Say You Love Me" and "Over My Head."
Music weekly NME reviewed the Sex Pistols debut single 'Anarchy In The UK' in 1976 saying "Johnny Rotten sings flat, the song is laughably naive, and the overall feeling is of a third-rate Who imitation."
Belinda Carlisle went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1987 with "Heaven Is a Place on Earth," the ex Go-Go's member first solo #1 (also a #1 hit in the UK). The promotional video was directed by Academy Award-winning actress Diane Keaton and featured an appearance of Carlisle's husband Morgan Mason.
The Jesus And Mary Chain were banned from appearing on a US music TV show in 1987 after complaints of blasphemy when the group's name was flashed across the screen. The CBS show asked the band to be called JANC but the group didn't agree.
Ice Cube went to #1 on the US album chart in 1992 with 'The Predator.'
R. Kelly started a six week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1998 with "I'm Your Angel," featuring Celine Dion.
Korn were at #1 on the US album chart in 1999 with ‘Issues,’ the bands second US #1.
In 2001, Don Henley and David Crosby helped raise $300,000 for children of victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks by headlining a concert in Lowell, Mass. US Rep. Martin Meehan organized the benefit to help children of his district pay for future education expenses.
Snoop Dogg was at #1 on the US singles chart in 2004 with "Drop It Like It's Hit."
U2 started a two week run at #1 on the UK album chart in 2004 with 'How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb,' the bands ninth UK #1 album. The band also went to #1 on the US album chart giving them their sixth US #1 album.
A Bob Dylan interview was aired on CBS in 2004. It’s Dylan’s first on-camera interview in two decades. The low-key chat (somebody should have jabbed Bob with a stick to wake him up) with Ed Bradley helps promote Dylan’s book, Chronicles: Volume One.
The Killers released Christmas-themed song "A Great Big Sleigh" exclusively through iTunes in 2006. "Sometimes . . . you get so caught up in business and being an adult that you forget to have fun and enjoy things and be nice to people," says singer Brandon Flowers.
The piano that John Lennon used to pen "Imagine" was on view at a special antiwar photography exhibition in Dallas in 2006. The instrument was on loan from its owner, pop singer George Michael, who paid $2.1 million for it in ‘00.
Also in 2006, Yes issued a five-disc box set titled "Essentially Yes." The collection features four of the band's latest albums, '94's "Talk, '97's "Open Your Eyes," '99's "The Ladder" and '01's "Magnification," plus a previously unreleased '03 concert in Montreux, Switzerland, that includes "I've Seen All Good People."
In 2006, Beatles lyrics handwritten by Sir Paul McCartney to an early version of Maxwell's Silver Hammer sold for $192,000 at an auction in New York. A guitar owned by Jimi Hendrix fetched $168,000 , a notebook containing lyrics written by Bob Marley, sold for $72,000 and a poem penned by Doors frontman Jim Morrison made $49,000 at the Christie's sale.
For nearly thirty years,Slayer has been the single most distinctive and radical thrash metal band anywhere. Graphic lyrics, saturated in controversy and disturbing imagery; the frenzied guitar playing, powerful vocals, and unrelenting pounding drums at breakneck speed; the unparalleled concert performances; the shocking and blood-fueled albums all have kept their rabid, head-banging fans enthralled in mayhem.
For the first time in the band's storied history, 'The Vinyl Conflict' collects all ten original Slayer albums from American Recordings and puts them together in this limited edition box set. Each album has been re-mastered from the original flat master tapes and is pressed on the highest quality 180 gram audiophile vinyl. Also included are reproductions of the original LP artwork, including inner sleeve art, all in heavyweight, litho-wrapped chip jackets. From 1986's 'Reign in Blood' to 1994's 'Divine Intervention' to 2009's 'World Painted Blood,' it's all here, it's all on vinyl and it's all original Slayer.
Everything has already been said about this music, including the fact that Slayer's first three offerings - 'Reign in Blood,' (1986) 'South of Heaven,' ('88) and 'Seasons in the Abyss' ('90) - are cornerstones in any respectable metal collection.
This DELUXE EDITION is a single disc selection of the West Coast Seattle Boy box set, representing a "best of" of what the full box set has to offer. It also includes the DVD Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child, featuring Jimi's life story told in his own words. Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins brings Jimi's words and story to life. Rare and never before seen footage and photos - as well as the Hendrix family archive of the late guitarist's personal drawings, postcards home to his father, song drafts, sketches, and lyrics are all featured in this special ninety minute presentation.
West Coast Seattle Boytracks Jimi Hendrix's incredible journey from R&B sideman to international acclaim. This collection presents - for the first time - the most sought after of Jimi's pre-Experience recordings as a sideman for such rhythm & blues stars as The Isley Brothers, Don Covay, Little Richard and others; as well as previously unreleased and commercially unavailable studio recordings from every chapter of his career. The studio recordings include never before released (or even bootlegged!) alternate versions of such classic fare as "Are You Experienced," "Fire," "May This Be Love," "Love Or Confusion" and many more. In addition, new songs such as "Hear My Freedom," "Hound Dog Blues" and "Lonely Avenue" make their debut as part of this special collection. West Coast Seattle Boy also features another major revelation - an electric demo version of Bob Dylan's "Tears of Rage"!
VINYL DELUXE EDITION. This limited deluxe vinyl box set contains all twenty-six UK singles spread across five heavyweight 180 gram vinyl LPs, housed in a 12" lift off lid and box, and including a twenty-four page booklet!
Time Flies - 1994-2009 is the complete Oasis singles collection. Featuring all twenty-six singles released in the UK during their fifteen year career, plus the U.S.-exclusive hit "Champagne Supernova," this collection is the ultimate celebration of a band who had seven consecutive #1 albums and sold an unbelievable 7.5 million singles in the UK; who topped charts, sold millions of records and became legendary for their live show around the world, during the course of their career. Oasis were the band who defined Britpop. The album cover features an image from the band's landmark live shows at Knebworth in 1996.
VINYL FORMAT. " Pantera's breakthrough album, Cowboys from Hell, is largely driven by the band's powerful rhythm section and guitarist Diamond Darrell (as he was then known)'s unbelievably forceful riffing, which skittered around the downbeats to produce unexpected rhythmic phrases and accents, as well as his inventive soloing. Phil Anselmo displayed a vocal range that could switch from a growling shout to a high falsetto - listen to him match Darrell's harmonic squeals at the end of "Cemetery Gates." The album gradually becomes more same-sounding as it goes on, but the first half, featuring such brutal slices of thrash as "Psycho Holiday," "Primal Concrete Sledge," and the title track, pretty much carries its momentum all the way through." –allmusic.com
Michael Jackson's Vision - It might have been fate that MTV was born at the same time people began to notice the rare talent and artistic ingenuity of Michael Jackson. It proved to be a perfect match between the new television network and the young rising icon. Early on, Michael saw MTV’s potential as a force of its own and understood that it offered him the chance to pioneer a whole new visual style through which people could see music, not just listen to it. For the first time, artists had the opportunity to truly shape a vision of a story around their songs. For Michael, this meant treating the song as a “script” and creating a stand-alone film to tell that story. In fact, Michael referred to each of these productions as a "short film" and not a “music video.”
No other artist contributed more to the development of this art form than Michael Jackson. Just look at the impact of Thriller, which was recently named the first (and only) music video ever to be inducted by the Library of Congress into the National Film Registry - an elite collection of only a few hundred films. In addition to this, Michael’s vision had immense cultural impact . The enormous popularity of his short films proved to MTV Executives that they were wrong about what their audience wanted; it was Michael who broke through that initial barrier and created opportunity for future African American artists.
Here, for the first time, is the complete collection of all 35 of the short films produced by Michael during his career as a solo artist - 10 of which are appearing on DVD for the first time. All of the short films have been meticulously restored and remastered for the ultimate audio and visual experience and a bonus DVD includes 7 additional videos including “Enjoy Yourself” with The Jacksons, “Say Say Say” with Paul McCartney and the Previously Unreleased video for “One More Chance”. This is a true representation of Michael Jackson’s Vision.
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Grateful Dead - The Warner Bros. Studio Albums (5 LP 180 Gm Vinyl Box Set)
Deluxe Box Set Features Five Warner Bros. Records studio albums on 180-Gram Vinyl With Lacquers Cut From The Original Analog Masters.
Between 1967 and 1970, the Grateful Dead recorded five studio albums for Warner Bros. Records that formed the psychedelic canon on which the band's live legend was built. The albums spotlighted the early core lineup of Jerry Garcia, Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart.
Grateful Dead and Rhino will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of 'Workingman's Dead' and 'American Beauty' with 'The Warner Bros. Studio Albums,' a five-LP boxed set available on September 21. The collection contains 'The Grateful Dead' (1967), 'Workingman's Dead,' and 'American Beauty' (1970), plus the original mixes for 'Anthem Of The Sun' (1968) and 'Aoxomoxoa' (1969), available on vinyl for the first time in nearly 40 years.
The set offers detailed replicas of the original albums housed in a hard-shell case that protects and stores the music with the accompanying 12in x 12in book including unpublished photos and new liner notes by Blair Jackson. To ensure the highest degree of quality, the albums were pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI using lacquers cut from the original analog masters by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering.
The original mixes for 'Anthem of the Sun' and 'Aoxomoxoa' featured here for the first time since they were released went out of circulation in 1972 and 1971 respectively. Garcia and Lesh revisited 'Aoxomoxoa' two years after its release in an effort to cut through the dense mix, which was a result of the band's extensive experimenting in the studio with one of the first 16-track recorders. The overhaul changed the album's sound significantly, including the end of 'Doin' That Rag,' which originally closed with an a cappella vocal coda that was later removed.
What separates this collection from other box sets and reissues is the full concert recording, instead of the usual sub-par outtakes. Most of the tracks from the album are performed along with Bowie classics like "Rebel, Rebel," and "Suffragette City."
Bowie modified the arrangements of these older songs to match the style of the record. "Diamond Dogs," and "Panic in Detroit" get a fresh makeover that doesn't stray too far from the original. And then there's a funky, tightness of "The Jean Genie," which takes on a life of its own with its infectious rhythm. By record's end, it's apparent that a magical event took place.
"Station to Station" is also available in a deluxe edition that includes five CDs, a DVD, three vinyl albums, and a plethora of collectibles, including replica tickets and backstage passes, booklets, and a poster.
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Signature Box - John Lennon
Yeah, yeah, I know it isn't vinyl, but this is certainly worth the investment.
John Lennon was among the most important songwriters in pop history. Between him and his partner Paul McCartney, the duo revolutionized the way musicians would market themselves and their respective group. Most of the time, the songs that singers would sing were written by someone else (the Brill Building comes to mind as well as Motown). This song writing duo changed that, bringing their own compositions to the studio to record. This had a profound effect on music, allowing for more artistic freedom and experimentation.
As a solo artist, Lennon released seven albums during his lifetime, as well as "Milk And Honey," which came four years after his 1980 murder. Two bonus CDs of non-album singles and previously unreleased studio outtakes and home recordings are also included.
As Yoko continues to expertly preserve her husband's legacy, this is a loving repackaging of all of Lennon's post-Beatles music with this deluxe, career-spanning boxed set.
"Mother," "Working Class Hero," "Love," "God," "Imagine," "Instant Karma," "Mind Games" and many other cuts help a Lennon lover realize why he was so important to their lives. For the novice Lennon fan, these cuts will leave them wanting more, so they have something in common with other Lennon lovers. It would have been a joy to watch him age and continue to delight us with sound and word. What a shame.....
One of the most infamous and notorious names in metal, Cradle Of Filth continue to shock, excite, disgust and inspire in equal measures. Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, the latest chapter of the band’s dark history is to be released through Peaceville Records on the band’s own AbraCadaver imprint.
Their ninth studio album is, in the words of Cradle’s infamous frontman Dani Filth “without doubt the fastest and most brutal album we’ve created to date… A gothic horror themed slay-ride of fervour and perversion; yet amidst the orchestral melodrama and lush, cinematic production, there sits stalwart a ravening beast of furious riffing, flesh ripping vocals and monstrous, unstoppable percussion.”
Grammy nominated Cradle Of Filth have been pioneers of extreme music since their debut in 1994 and have continued to evolve with each of their subsequent releases. Unafraid of ruffling a few feathers, the band have continually refused to bow to convention or to conform to prevalent trends and fads. Yet despite this uncompromising stance the band are still the most successful British heavy metal band since Iron Maiden, with legions of fans around the globe.
This double heavyweight (180gm) colored (one blue disc and one red disc) vinyl edition is limited to 2000 numbered copies and comes packaged a gatefold sleeve with printed inner sleeves. The vinyl edition also comes with a dropcard with a unique code to download digital version the album.
Black Friday provided a ray of hope for indie music retailers.
"Most did well, with many reporting lines of people waiting to get in," said Michael Bunnell, Director of Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS). "We don't see that often anymore."
Store Sales Stats:
A few stores struggled with bad weather, but most saw increases of 10% to 50% on Friday and 15% to 20% for the weekend, driven in part by exlcusive product offerings. Best-sellers at indie stores included U2, Metallica, Gaslight Anthem, Iron and Wine, Dylan, Springsteen, Grinderman, Drive by Truckers, Black Crowes, and a Hendrix piece.
"All of this is very positive and a testament to Indie stores doing what they do best - serving real music fans with great products," said Bunnell.
"The Black Friday Record store day exclusives made a huge difference, with people waiting for the store to open," reported Jeffery Moss of indie chain Streetlight Records. "The exclusives helped give the indie stores some 'gravity' compared to the usual deep discounting of mass market items featured at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target."
The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964 (new relase of archival material)
Bob Dylan
Columbia Legacy/Sony Music 88697 78250 1 4 180g LP+MP3 download box s Produced by: Jeff Rosen and Steve Berkowitz Engineered by: Ivan Augenblink Mixed by: N/A Mastered by: Mark Wilder Lacquer Cutting by: Ray Janos at Sterling Sound
MUSIC
SOUND
Witmark Demos by Michael Fremer December 01, 2010
Bootlegs, outtakes and unreleased material mostly interests completists, scholars and obsessive fans. Usually, the quality and significance declines with each new archival release, but not with Bob Dylan.
The obsessives will be joyous of course, but even casual fans will become caught up in both Volume Nine’s narrative intensity and the astonishing creative power evident in these raw, casual and pure non-performances.
After all, these demos Dylan made for his music publisher M. Witmark and Sons between 1962 and 1964 when he was in his very early 20s and presented here in chronological order, were not meant to be artistic statements. Most have never before been officially released and collectors have had to make do with poor sounding genuine boots.
They were intended as faceless templates designed to entice other artists to record and perform the tunes so the songwriter and publisher could collect royalties on the sheet music, records, live performances and synchronization rights (use in movies and stage productions and now, but not often then, in commercials).
That’s how the business worked back then and everyone from Carole King to Neil Diamond to Lou Reed got involved in “song plugging.” When Dylan came to New York, he did likewise.
For me, this is easily the most exciting, fascinating and vital in Legacy’s Dylan Bootleg Series. As you listen and read Colin Escott’s perfectly attuned, business oriented narrative accompaniment, the story of Bob Dylan’s fast track rise to stardom unfolds.
Escott weaves Dylan’s meteoric early narrative as he goes from songwriter/song hawker to recording artist and live attraction within the Tin Pan Alley music business system now long gone thanks in great part to Dylan.
Thanks to the stop-action quality of compressing two year’s worth of visits to a small demo studio at M. Witmark and Sons, his publisher, to document new songs, the compilation feels like a jukebox or an iPod in shuffle mode as Dylan tries out different musical genres and unique vocal personas, growing in writing and performing sophistication before our ears—not that he didn’t sound fully formed even on the earliest material.
People used to say Dylan sounded like an old man when he was young but listening to him here, that’s wrong. Dylan sounded like an old recordwhen he was young.
It’s as if he learned to imitate an old 78rpm disc the way an African Gray parrot mimics the sound of an answering machine. He “plays” 78s of his own invention of course, but the ghost of the antecedent pushes its way to the foreground on many of these formative tunes and performances.
Some, like “Blowin’ In the Wind,” “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “Tomorrow is a Long Time,” and “Only A Hobo” have become iconic sung by others after hearing and recording their versions of these very demos, so it’s thrilling to finally hear what Peter, Paul and Mary, The Byrds, Judy Collins and Rod Stewart heard.
Some like “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall,” “Masters of War,” “The Times They Are a Changin’” and others were owned by Dylan, though even some of those received memorable treatment by others.
For Fairport Convention fans, hearing the original of the gorgeous “I’ll Keep it With Mine,” first heard by the music buying public on their What We Did On Our Holidays(Island 9092)will bring the set to an especially poignant ending. How producer Joe Boyd got the demo back then would probably be an interesting side story.
Even the less than memorable and dead end tunes (fifteen of which have never before been released in any format) offer something of interest, even if they serve merely as links to bursts of mind-boggling greatness as startling to witness today in these early iterations, as they were in the final versions that stopped us in our tracks all those years ago. Hearing Dylan accompanying himself on piano on “The Times They Are A- Changin’” reveals the melodic complexity Dylan managed with basic chording.
When you finish reading and listening, your appreciation for all of Dylan’s commercially released music will have been greatly enhanced. The four LPs here aren’t one-time documentary fascinations: they stand up well to repeated scrutiny.
Dylan coughs, muffs some lines, apologizes, promises to write down some versus, laughs, directs and even at this early time complains that he’s sung one song “so many times” but as quickly as these informal asides and glitches appear, they dissolve and the magic spell reasserts itself.
One doesn’t have to imagine what the music business people with whom Dylan surrounded himself might have been thinking upon hearing these tunes because Escott’s notes give some indication.
John Hammond, who signed Dylan to Columbia, was thrilled with the youngster’s honesty and integrity. The other executives called it “Hammond’s Folly.” New York Times music critic Robert Shelton saw it coming immediately upon seeing Dylan, but Leeds Publishing’s Lou Levy didn’t. He’d first signed Dylan for $100 but relinquished the contract when Witmark wanted Dylan. Escott compares this to Decca’s turning down The Beatles around the same time.
All of the main characters from Albert Grossman to Artie Mogull come to life in the Damon Runyan-like New York City music biz history Escott recounts. You’ll read how Peter, Paul and Mary came to first record “Blowin’ In the Wind” and other anecdotes that bring life and focus to this early period during which Dylan simultaneously recorded his first album of mostly covers that reportedly sold a Folkways Records-like grand total of 2500 copies.
Sony/Legacy’s packaging is absolutely stellar. These folks really get what needs to be provided to entice people to buy physical media.
This is a sturdy box set you will want to own. There literally isn’t a surface that gets ignored. The insides are lined with “Six Eye” wallpaper. The lettering on the cover is embossed lamination set against matte photos.
Each of the four LPs is housed in a beautifully presented LP jacket featuring a full sized matte-finish black and white photo of Dylan taken during this period. The left hand margin of each is finished in a laminated faux leather wrap around surface. The back of the jackets reproduce an old Columbia Records 78 RPM manufacturing blurb once found on the label’s 78rpm sleeves and the labels are reproductions of audiodisc acetate blanks.
The full-sized book is similarly well executed and features full page, stunning black and white and color photos, most previously not published, memorabilia, original typed and handwritten lyric sheets and other nostalgic material. And of course there is Escott’s flawless annotation.
I suspect the 180g vinyl was pressed at Rainbo in Los Angeles and it’s clear now that the company has achieved a consistently high level pressing quality many in the industry never thought possible from the “hit and miss” company. My four LPs were all hits and no misses in terms of quiet and excellent fit'n'finish.
As for the actual sound, while it’s variable, even the worst of it has a direct, immediate and honest sound that will communicate to you the sensation of being in that little room and witnessing these performances. The best of them, like Dylan’s vocals on “The Times They Are A-Changin’” will make you feel as if you’re in the room despite the muffled piano.
It sounds and feels like New York City in the early 1960s. Just don’t expect me to explain exactly why, but if you were around then you’ll smell the air. I doubt this was cut from anything but a digitally compiled source but however it was done, the sound is transparent and true and the 12 X 12 packaging alone makes it a worthwhile investment, though at around $140 dollars, it’s pricey.
I was more looking forward to George Marino’s all-analog mastering of the mono commercial releases than to this set of publishing demos, but it’s doubtful those will have the same impact as this set.
When the day comes that Dylan’s work will be in need of a career capping summation, however well it’s conceived and produced, it’s not likely to achieve the clarity, focus and importance of this career opening “prequel-like” box.
Recommended without reservation!
Thanks to Michael over at www.musicangle.com for the exclusive rights to reprint this material. Stop by MusicAngle.com for more reviews and features.
On December 7th, the Minnesota Beatle Project is releasing the second volume of their critically acclaimed Beatles covers to benefit art and music education in Minnesota Public Schools.
If you want to hear musicians like Soul Asylum, Mason Jennings, Total Babe, P.O.S. and Sounds of Blackness in all their intended glory, you have to pick the limited edition (500) double white LP exclusively available from http://www.electricfetus.com/.
Each gorgeous ivory record also comes with the chance to win one of the new, rare John Lennon silver proofs from the Royal UK Mint. These coins sold out within hours and are highly coveted by fans and collectors around the world. This album is a definite must have for any self respecting Beatle fan or record collector.
Florida-based death metallers DEICIDE are set to release their new album, 'To Hell With God,' on February 15 via Century Media Records. The effort was produced by Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA) at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida.
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Mother of Mercy Unveils New Cover Art
Pennsylvania natives MOTHER OF MERCY are excited to unveil the cover art for their Bridge Nine debut, 'IV:Symptoms of Existence,' done by none other than Paul Romano! Recorded throughout late summer and Fall with producer WIll YIp, IV: Symptoms of Existence contains 10 of the band's strongest songs yet. Raw, abrasive, and dark, IV: Symptoms of Existence is set to hit stores on January 25, 2011.
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Drone Metal Titans Earth Announce New Album
Dylan Carlson's long-running Seattle-based doom-metal project Earth, which once upon a time included a young Kurt Cobain as a member, will release the new album Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 in February via Southern Lord. For the follow-up to 2008's The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull, Carlson and percussionist Adrienne Davies recruited former Nirvana cellist Lori Goldston and K Records artist Karl Blau to join the lineup.
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VISIONS OF ATLANTIS: New Album Title, Cover Artwork, Revealed
Austrian symphonic metallers VISIONS OF ATLANTIS will release their fourth album, "Delta", on February 25, 2011 via Napalm Records. The effort was recorded Dreamscape Studios in Munich, Germany and marks the debut of the band's new singer, Maxi Nil, who joined the group last year. Working songtitles set to appear on the album include "Aeon", "Memento", "Reflections", "Gravitate Towards Fatality", "New Dawn" and "Beyond Horizon - The Poem Pt. II".
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With Honor - This Is Our Revenge Vinyl LP Now Available
With Honor - This Is Our Revenge is now available for the first time on limited edition vinyl through Animal Style Records. Under exclusive license from Victory the record is limited to 500 copies and available on 3 different colors. You can find more information at http://www.animalstylerecords.com/
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Merry Christmas With Album Cover Art
In the mood for the holidays? If not, take a look at Top 12 Sexiest Christmas Album Covers according to the Houston Press
Ozzy Osbourne (John Michael Osbourne) - Black Sabbath, Solo (1948)
Mickey Thomas - Jefferson Starship (1949)
Nicky Stevens - Brotherhood Of Man (1951)
Duane Roland - Molly Hatchet (1952)
Don Barnes - .38 Special (1952)
Paul Gregg - Restless Heart (1954)
Steve Forbert (1954)
Montell Jordan (1968)
They Are Missed:
Composer Hoyt Curtin died of heart failure in 2000 (age 78). He was the composer of many of the Hanna-Barbera cartoons' theme songs, including The Flintstones, Top Cat, Jonny Quest, Superfriends, The Jetsons, Josie and the Pussycats, and The New Scooby-Doo Movies.
Session guitarist Grady Martin died in 2001 (age 72). Member of the legendary Nashville A-Team, he played guitar on hits ranging from Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman," Marty Robbins' "El Paso" and Loretta Lynn's "Coal Miner's Daughter." During a 50-year career, Martin backed such names as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Joan Baez and J. J. Cale.
Composer, keyboardist and arranger Derek Wadsworth died in Oxfordshire, England in 2008. As a musician he worked with Georgie Fame, Alan Price, George Harrison, Mike Oldfield, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick, Simply Red. Arranger for David Essex, Dusty Springfield, Nina Simone, Judy Garland, Kate Bush, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart, The Small Faces, The Rolling Stones and Manfred Mann.
Elmer Valentine, co-founder of the legendary Whiskey a Go Go on Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard, died in 2008 at age 85. Valentine launched the Whiskey in ’64. Johnny Rivers, The Byrds, Love, Buffalo Springfield, and The Doors made a name for themselves at the venue. 2008
History:
Elvis Presley's first release on RCA Victor Records was announced in 1955. The first two songs "Mystery Train" and "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" had been purchased from Sam Phillips of Sun Records. Elvis was described by his new record company as 'The most talked about personality in recorded music in the last 10 years.'
Guy Mitchell was at #1 on the US singles chart in 1956 with his version of the Marty Robbins song "Singing The Blues."
In 1961, Brian Epstein invited the Beatles into his office to discuss the possibility of becoming their manager. We all know the rest.
In 1965, Rolling Stone Keith Richards was knocked unconscious by an electric shock on stage at the Memorial Hall In Sacramento, California, when his guitar made contact with his microphone.
In 1965, The Beatles set out on what would be their last ever UK tour at Glasgow's Odeon Cinema. Also on the bill, The Moody Blues The Koobas and Beryl Marsden. The last show was at Cardiff's Capitol Cinema on 12th December.
British act The New Vaudeville Band started a three-week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1966 with "Winchester Cathedral."
Paul Revere and The Raiders saw their sixth Billboard Top 40 hit, "Good Thing" enter the Hot 100 in 1966. The song will eventually reach #4 and enjoy a ten week chart run.
Also in 1966, Ray Charles was given a five year suspended prison sentence and a $10,000 fine after being convicted of possessing heroin and marijuana.
The Monkees made their live debut at the International Arena, Honolulu in 1966.
In 1968, in his first appearance before a live audience in seven years, Elvis Presley's comeback TV special aired on NBC. At the end of the show, The King performs his latest single, "If I Can Dream", which was currently #12 on the Billboard chart, his highest reaching single since 1965.
'Led Zeppelin II' tops the U.S. album charts in 1969. It sells over eight million copies.
The Rolling Stones recorded "Brown Sugar" in 1969 at Muscle Shoals studios. The single went on to be a UK & US #1.
Also in 1969 - John Lennon was asked to play the title role in 'Jesus Christ, Superstar.' The offer was revoked the next day.
In 1971, the Montreux Casino in Switzerland burnt to the ground during a gig by Frank Zappa. The incident is immortalized by Deep Purple's 1973 hit, "Smoke on the Water." (some stupid with a flare gun, burned the place to the ground...")
Ringo Starr released the song "You're Sixteen" in 1973. It was his second straight number one single.
In 1975, Ronnie Wood’s wife Krisse was arrested for alleged possession of cannabis and cocaine after a raid on the couple's house in Richmond. Krissie’s friend Audrey Burgon was also arrested, newspapers reported that the two women were found ‘sleeping together.’ Cool.....
A giant 40ft inflatable pig could be seen floating above London in 1976 after breaking free from its moorings. The pig had been photographed for Pink Floyd's 'Animals', album cover; the CAA issued a warning to all pilots that a flying pig was on the run.
In 1976, Bob Marley narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when seven gunman sprayed bullets into his Kingston, Jamaica home, where he and the Wailers were rehearsing. He had become unpopular in some circles because of his influence on local politicians. He moved to Miami Florida soon after the incident and the gunmen were never caught.
An estimated three and a half million people applied for Abba's forthcoming British Albert Hall concerts in 1976, there were just over 11 thousand tickets available.
Paul McCartney saw his song, "Mull Of Kintyre" hit number one in the UK in 1977 and become the largest selling single that he or any of the other Beatles ever had, either as a group or solo. It was the first single to sell over 2 million in the UK. The tune was co-written by Denny Laine who later sold his rights to the song when he went bankrupt. The bagpipe laden tune was virtually ignored in the US, although the B-side, "Girls' School" charted at #33 early in 1978.
Linda Ronstadt started a five-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1977 with 'Simple Dreams'.
Just three months after Keith Moon's death, tragedy struck The Who again in 1979, when eleven people were trampled to death while trying to reach unreserved concert seats at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati. The mayor of Providence, Rhode Island cancels the Who's next concert, scheduled there in two days. Multiple law suits are filed by families of the deceased.
Lionel Richie started a three-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1983 with 'Can't Slow Down'.
In 1986, Judas Priest were sued by two family's, alleging that the band were responsible for their son's forming a suicide pact and shooting themselves after listening to Judas Priest records. Yeahm it was the music's fault.....
R.E.M.’s album "Document" cracked the US Top 10 in 1987. As a result, Rolling Stone magazine calls them "America’s Best Rock & Roll Band."
A Florida trio called Will To Power achieved a Billboard number one hit in 1988 by combining Peter Frampton's "Baby, I Love Your Way" with Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird". Why???
Boyz II Men knocked themselves off the #1 position on the US singles chart in 1994 when "On Bended Knee" started a six week run at #1. The group's "I'll Make Love To You" had been at #1 for a record breaking 14 weeks.
In 1999, U2 singer Bono had his missing laptop computer returned after loosing it. A young man had bought it for £300 discovered he had the missing laptop, which contained tracks from the forthcoming U2 album.
Alos in 1999, prosecutors in California charged Gabriel Gomez with the kidnapping and murder of Sandra Ann Rosas, wife of Los Lobos singer and guitarist Cesar Rosas. No body had yet been found.
Backstreet Boys started a two-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 2000 with 'Black & Blue'.
It was announced in 2002 that Peter Garrett had quit Midnight Oil after 25 years.
The Recording Industry Association of America gave Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers a Diamond Award in 2003 to mark the sale of 10 million copies of the band's 'Greatest Hits' album in the US.
Aerosmith performed an acoustic set at New York's Beacon Theatre in 2006 as part of an exclusive concert series for users of Citi/Advantage credit cards. Corpoarte bitches....
In 2007, Diana Ross and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson both collected awards for contributions to US culture a ceremony in Washington, attended by President Bush. Hootie and the Blowfish paid tribute to Brian Wilson with a medley of some of the Beach Boys' best-known songs.
Nickelback's "Dark Horse" was the #2 album in the US in 2008 (behind Beyonce). The set sells 326,000 units during its first week of release. Checking in at #3 is Guns N' Roses' comeback album 'Chinese Democracy.'
In 2009, Rolling Stones' guitarist Ron Wood was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend, 20-year-old Ekaterina Ivanova outside a restaurant in Surrey, England. Although she suffered several cuts to her knees, she was insistent that she didn't want the police involved or to press charges. The pair would split up a few days later.
A version of "21 Guns," featuring Green Day with the cast from American Idiot, debuts on Spinner.com in 2009. The track was recorded in an Oakland studio just days after the musical’s final performance at the Berkeley Rep in November. "They sung the hell out of it," says frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. "It's great to have something out there for people to hear who didn't get to see the show." The song goes to radio the next day.
Also in 2009, Nickelback are the first major contributors to the Obakki Foundation which helps orphaned children in Cameroon, Africa. The band donates $1 of every ticket sold during their previous summer tour for a total contribution of $500K. "Through the ongoing support of our incredible fans, Nickelback has the opportunity to step up, contribute and make a difference," says Ryan Peake, who founded the organization with his wife Treana. "I will personally be making the trip to Africa this weekend and I’m really looking forward to visiting the villages and communities to see where we can make the largest impact.
Pacific Eye & Ear now selling originals and limited-edition prints of iconic album cover artwork.
Portland, OR – based art seller RockPoP Gallery appointed exclusive distributor of fine art prints featuring Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, The Bee Gees, Black Sabbath, Earth Wind & Fire, Iron Butterfly, Jesus Christ Superstar and many others.
Portland, OR (PRWEB) December 1, 2010
In the early 1970s, no album cover design agency in the U.S. was hotter than Pacific Eye & Ear. Started in 1972 in Los Angeles by designer Ernie Cefalu after stints on Madison Avenue and with album cover designer Craig Braun, PE&E was built around a team of incredibly-talented young artists who brought the agency’s clients music packaging designs that captured the hearts and eyes of music lovers worldwide and built a portfolio of images that, to this day, are considered amongst the most-iconic of all time.
Who doesn’t remember the first time they saw Aerosmith’s Toys In The Attic, or Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies? Black Sabbath’s Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or the 3-D lenticular image on the cover of Captain Beyond? PE&E’s range of work was simply astounding and the talents of each of the associated artists (Drew Struzan, Ingrid Haenke, Bill Garland, Joe Garnett, Carl Ramsey, as well as Cefalu himself) would soon translate into their own success and/or fame after the agency disbanded 13 years later. In particular, Cefalu would go on to create greatly-admired campaigns for a wide variety of clients both in and out of the music business, while Struzan would gain world-wide attention for his theatrical posters for block-buster movies such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The Muppets, Harry Potter and many others.
Now, for the first time in over 30 years, some of the best-known works from the PE&E archives are available for sale to music fans and art collectors worldwide as part of the Original Album Cover Art collection (http://www.originalalbumcoverart.com). Over 250 original works of art are offered – original paintings, drawings and sketches – as well as a series of limited-edition fine art prints derived directly from the original works in this archive.
In November, 2010, PE&E/OACA released the first five items in what will be a growing portfolio of highly-desirable album cover art prints. With production overseen by Cefalu himself, these prints are produced using only the best materials in order to enhance the visual impact of each of the images. Each finished print in both the unsigned ("Standard") and artist-signed ("Signature") editions is hand-numbered and stamped with the PE&E Corporate seal to ensure authenticity. Each print is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (a work of art in itself, featuring sample images from the collection), also signed and stamped by Ernie Cefalu.
The first five prints now available include –
Aerosmith’s Toys In The Attic – the cover of the band’s triumphant 1975 release features an illustration by Ingrid Haenke;
Alice Cooper’s Alice At The Palace – the promotional image for an un-staged Broadway extravaganza that was to have been produced in 1972. It features an "Alice as Medusa" image created by Joe Garnett and additional graphics by Drew Struzan and Ingrid Haenke;
Alice Cooper’s Greatest Hits gatefold cover – this St. Valentine’s Day Massacre-themed image by Drew Struzan and Bill Garland was featured on the front cover of the band’s 1974 Greatest Hits package;
Captain Beyond’s Captain Beyond – a collaborative effort (painting by artist Joe Garnett, lettering by Ernie Cefalu) was used as part of a 3D "lenticular" album cover for this band’s 1972 debut recording;
Jesus Christ Superstar Angels – The package for Rice/Lloyd-Webber’s ground-breaking rock musical featured these angels, recreated here in stunning detail by their creator, Ernie Cefalu.
When thinking about the labor of love that produced this collection of images, Ernie looks back in wonder at his timing and good fortune – "Early in my career, I was sent from New York to LA to open the West Coast Satellite office of a creative agency. It was with this company that I conceived and designed the original Rolling Stones Tongue logo, Cheech & Chong’s Big Bambu, Grand Funk Railroad’s E Pluribus Funk and Alice Cooper’s School’s Out album cover designs and packaging. In 1971, I started my own company, Pacific Eye & Ear, which became a main player in "the golden era" of album cover art.
As a young designer, I had the honor and privilege of working side by side with many great, emerging artists. For 13 years, as Pacific Eye & Ear’s Creative Director, I was the creative thread that linked together some of the world’s top illustrators, designers, writers and photographers. It was a luxury for an agency to have even one good illustrator in your arsenal, so imagine having Drew Struzan, Ingrid Haenke, Bill Garland, Carl Ramsey and Joe Garnett all at the same time! That’s what I call, real illustration muscle!
I am so happy to finally be able to offer some of these works to collectors and am truly humbled and honored to have received so much positive feedback about this effort from fans all over the world. I’m also happy to have found a kindred soul in RockPoP Gallery owner Mike Goldstein, and I am eager to work with Mike and the dealers he selects to promote these editions and help them find good homes!"
Goldstein adds – "After meeting Ernie during an interview I did with him about his career, I was amazed to find out that he’d never produced fine art prints of his works. As someone who has made it his mission to advance the appreciation of album cover art and artists in the fine art world, I knew that it was simply a matter of time before I’d take that final step beyond simple reseller to become involved first-hand in a print publishing effort. You can only imagine how lucky I feel to have been able to help Ernie, Drew and the rest of the PE&E team realize their dream to bring the fruit of their labor to art collectors and fans of album cover art worldwide!"
Upcoming Releases – Upon completion of production, PE&E/OACA will also be releasing additional titles, including Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies and Welcome To My Nightmare, Black Sabbath – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Bee Gees – Main Course and Iron Butterfly – Scorching Beauty (with more to come). These titles all feature the art/ illustrations of Drew Struzan.
Retail pricing for the current editions is as follows (all prices quoted in U.S. Dollars):
Aerosmith – Toys In The Attic – Standard Edition (375 prints) – $350.00; Signature Edition (125 prints) – $900.00;
Alice Cooper – Alice At The Palace – Standard Edition (375) – $450.00; Signature Edition (125) – $2100.00
Alice Cooper – Greatest Hits – Standard Edition (375) – $450.00; Signature Edition (125) – $2100.00
Select art galleries are being sought for additional representation – please contact Mike Goldstein at RockPoP Gallery via email at info@rockpopgallery.com for additional details about these prints and dealer/gallery resale programs.
About RockPoP Gallery
– An online fine art gallery based in Portland, OR, RockPoP Gallery is dedicated to bringing customers the best selection of limited-edition, rock and pop music-related art prints, photography and related collectibles available on the market today. With a focus on album cover artwork, our Gallery collection features over 650 examples of artwork, illustrations, photographs, illustrated lyric sheets and sculptures from the leading artists in their respective fields.
RockPoP Gallery was founded in 2005 by Michael Goldstein, a former television and interactive programming development, creative and production executive and long-time collector of music-related artwork. Since that time, RockPoP Gallery has helped music fans and collectors worldwide buy copies of some of the most cherished images from the last 40 years of rock n’ roll albums, CDs, promotional materials, concert photography and other imagery, allowing these customers to decorate their homes, apartments, and workplaces with the highest-quality products at highly-competitive prices. RockPoP Gallery relocated from Long Island, NY to Portland, OR in September, 2008.
Legendary progressive death metallers Atheist make their comeback with their fourth album, 'Jupiter.' The cover -- reminiscent of their past album covers which feature strong circular elements -- was done by Eliran Kantor.
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FIREBALL MINISTRY Releasing First Full Length Vinyl Record Of Self-Titled Album
Hard rock foursome Fireball Ministry is releasing the 180 gram white vinyl pressing of their March 2010 self-titled album FIREBALL MINISTRY (Restricted Release) on December 22, 2010 also via Restricted Release.
“We are very excited to have a release on vinyl—it’s the way nature intended music to be heard,” says front-man Rev. James A. Rota II.
Recorded at Grandmaster in Hollywood, with additional vocals tracked at Dave Grohl’s 606 Studio, Fireball Ministry’s ten-track, collector’s edition LP has a limited run of 1,000 copies and is the band’s second release without a traditional label. The FIREBALL MINISTRY vinyl pressing is currently available for pre-order at www.FireballMinistry.com and includes the full album digital download and bonus video for “Butcher, Faker, Policy Maker.”
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The Decemberists Ready Deluxe Box Set
'The King Is Dead,' the title of the Decemberists' stripped-down new album, will arrive January 18 in North America via Capitol Records (a day earlier in Europe via Rough Trade). The album will be available in all the usual formats as well as a deluxe limited-edition box set, which will feature the album on CD and 180-gram white vinyl, as well as a DVD, a unique Polaroid photo, a hardcover book, and an art print-- all in a linen-wrapped clamshell box with a foil-stamped cover.
Metallica: 'Live At Grimey's' First-Week Sales Revealed
Metallica's new live album 'Live At Grimey's' sold about 3,000 copies in the US in just a three-day sales window (Friday-Sunday). The effort is being sold as a standard CD and as a limited-edition two-disc vinyl set in a gatefold sleeve.
Released on Friday, November 26, "Live At Grimey's" is available only at the approximately 700 independent record stores that support the annual Record Store Day, held each year in April. The set was recorded on June 12, 2008 at the tiny 150-capacity venue The Basement, located below the Grimey's New & Preloved Music record store in Nashville.
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Bright Eyes to Release Album Next Year
On Februrary 15, Bright Eyes is scheduled to release a new album, 'The People's Key,' which will be the band's first album since 2007's 'Cassadaga.' 'The People's Key' was produced by Mogis and features contributions from members of Cursive, the Faint, Now It's Overhead, Autolux, the Mynabirds, and the Berg Sans Nipple.
The band has also announced two tour dates next year, one at New York's Radio City Music Hall on March 9 and one at London's Royal Albert Hall on June 23.
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New record store ready to defy odds
By Sandra Sperounes
Two vinyl records, Led Zeppelin's I and Bruce Springsteen's The Promise, hang on the wall. Unopened boxes of CDs sit on the floor. Clint Anderson quietly prints out labels with band names on them while his friend and business partner, Mike McDonald, stands on a ladder, installing a speaker, at the back of Permanent Records.
It's Monday afternoon, four days before the opening of Edmonton's newest record store, located at 8126 Gateway Blvd. "There's going to be some long nights before we open on Friday," says co-owner Dave Gawdunyk. "There's a lot of receiving (of stock) to do, getting art on the walls, setting up the sections. ..."
Call them crazy -- McDonald's brother-in-law does.
Who opens a record store at a time when album sales are dropping and outlets across North America are shutting their doors?
In midtown Sacramento, two stores sell music on vinyl
by Carla Meyer
Two new midtown Sacramento businesses put the "record" back in record store.
Music boutique Phono Select and vintage-album seller Medium Rare emphasize vinyl over MP3s and in-person expertise over user comments.
The stores feature carefully curated LP selections drawn from their music business-savvy proprietors' own collections and aimed at the same diehard music fans who have inspired a surge in vinyl sales over the past few years.
"I think it is just a reaction to everything being so fast-foodish," Phono Select co-owner and longtime professional music buyer Dal Basi, 43, said of the revived interest in vinyl.
"The sound of vinyl is truly warmer than a CD," said Marty DeAnda, 58, an artist manager, record-label owner and proprietor of the baby boomer-centric Medium Rare. And his customers can actually make out the art – and read liner notes – on a 12-inch album cover.
The record spins again: Sales are up, bands are pressing new music, and players are back on the shelves.
The LP record. Those clunky, 12-inch discs of vinyl have inspired a god-like worship by audiophiles -- from John Cusak’s character in High Fidelity who organized his music collection not alphabetically, not chronologically, but autobiographically to Stanley Goodspeed in The Rock who shelled out $600 for a Beatles LP, rather than a $13 CD because they “sound better” to the characterization of Lester Bangs in Almost Famous, whose radio station studio and bedroom/home office were clogged, floor to ceiling, with the last ‘real’ records before the impending “death rattle, the last gasp, the last grope” of rock and roll music.
Four decades before Cameron Crowe had Bangs putting a nail in the coffin his record acquiring habit, RCA Victor was introducing the very first commercial vinyl record to the market. But the listening medium didn’t catch on until with the public until Columbia Records pioneered cost effective playback equipment and unveiled the 12-inch Long Play 33 1/3 RPM microgroove polyvinyl chloride record at a New York press conference in 1948.
The vinyl record would be the dominant mass market music medium for the next three-plus decades until the 1980s when cassette tapes started filling the shelves. But vinyl’s major popularity plunge came courtesy of Sony (SNE) and Philips’ (PHG) digitally recorded compact disc which proved far more portable, far less vulnerable to damage and, according to some, provided better fidelity. Vinyl records were officially ushered out of the marketplace by 1991 when the vast majority of copies of U2’s Achtung Baby were purchased on CD and Tower Records stores were holding final clearance sales on all vinyl merchandise, which comprised only 15 percent of total sales.
Aisles were teeming with shoppers at Amoeba Music in Hollywood on Friday -- "Black Friday," traditionally the biggest retail day of the year -- as the store joined other indie retailers in pulling out the stops to drive up their pre-Christmas business.
Amoeba was participating in a special pre-holiday promotion, mounted for the first time by the organizers of April's annual Record Store Day, that placed exclusive product (much of it vinyl-only) in indie store racks, hoping to reverse the double-digit downturn in record sales this year.
"There was a real good feel to it," said Amoeba co-owner Karen Pearson. "It was a really great energy … It sure seemed busier."
There was a sense of some urgency in this second Record Store Day event of the year.
Jack White defends Third Man Records eBay auctions
Singer dismisses complaints of fan exploitation, saying his decision to sell limited-edition vinyl to the highest bidder cuts out opportunists who profit from secondary sales
Sean Michaels
There is a rebellion brewing among fans of Jack White's label, Third Man Records, over the company's decision to auction limited-edition releases to the highest bidder. After admitting that Third Man was inspired by profiteers who "flipped" the label's releases on eBay, White has waded into the debate, telling critics to "stop all of the whining". "We didn't do anything to you but give you what you want," he wrote. "Don't want them to be expensive? Then guess what? Don't WANT them."
Since 2009, White has been issuing limited-edition records on his Third Man imprint, including releases by the Dead Weather, Conan O'Brien and the White Stripes. Many of these are released in runs of 100 or 300 copies, with tri-colour, glow-in-the-dark or oddly sized vinyl. Although these limited editions often resell for hundreds of pounds, Third Man sold them on a first-come, first-served basis through its Nashville headquarters, "pop-up shops" and a paid members' service, the Vault. With the label's rising profile, and its releases' rising values, Third Man has attracted "flippers", who buy limited records purely sell online.
This week, Third Man Records decided to beat the flippers at their own game,
DEAR JERRY:I think my question is one you have never been asked.
I have many of the picture sleeves that accompanied hit singles by vinyl era (1949-'89) stars, mostly the Beatles; Beach Boys; 4 Seasons; Prince; Ricky Nelson; Connie Francis; and Elvis Presley.
I know you have talked about consecutive streaks, like No. 1s and Top 10s, etc., but among this group, who had the most consecutive single releases originally issued with picture sleeves?
—Fred Simon, Evansville, Ind.
DEAR FRED: Not only has your question never been submitted for the column, I don't recall it ever coming up in any correspondence or conversation. I like it!
As you know, the number of picture sleeves made for a given artist is not necessarily proportional to the number of singles issued.
For example, Glen Campbell charted with over 55 singles (1961-'81), only one of which had a special sleeve (“Hey Little One”).
James Brown and Ray Charles each topped 100 single hits, yet only eight of Brown's came with a custom sleeve, and just one of Brother Ray's (“That's a Lie”).
Among other influential factors is the record company. Some labels felt the added expense, nearly double, of producing a nice picture sleeve was worth it. Others, especially those on shoestring budgets, did not, knowing the added cost could not passed be on to their customers. Records with gorgeous, full-color coated-stock sleeves sold for the same prices as ones with plain white or brown, low-grade paper wrappers.
In the order you list them, we begin with the Beatles and the Beach Boys. During their most significant years, both groups recorded for Capitol, at times a picture sleeve-oriented label.
From 1964 to 1982, Capitol produced 23 consecutive Beatles singles with picture sleeves. Mixed in with the Capitol product in 1964 are five other labels who provided custom sleeves with their singles: Vee-Jay (“Please, Please Me” and “Do You Want to Know a Secret”); Swan (“She Loves You”); MGM (“My Bonnie” and “Why”); Atco (“Ain't She Sweet”); Tollie (“Love Me Do”).
In the throes of Beatlemania, these other records came flying in from all directions, but none affect the streak by Capitol, their official U.S. label at the time.
During the same period, Capitol printed sleeves for 10 consecutive Beach Boys hits (1964-'66). Over their entire career, the California boys have 20 picture sleeves.
The 4 Seasons also have 20 total, but only six are for consecutive hits (1966-'67).
Like the Beatles, Prince's successive streak (1982-'89) reached 23.
Ricky Nelson is an interesting case in point. Imperial shipped 11 of his first 12 singles in color sleeves (1957-'62), then inexplicably did not make one for his best seller to date, and first No. 1 hit, “Poor Little Fool.” By skipping it, what would have been a streak of 16 is reduced to 12.
In the mid-'60s, for Imperial as well as Decca, Rick (no longer Ricky) enjoyed another run of 10 straight sleeved hits (1963-'66).
The MGM cameras loved Connie Francis, and showed it by doing sleeves for 31 of her hits. Of those, they put together an uninterrupted streak of 25 (1960-'65), making her the runner-up in this sheathing event.
All of which means Elvis is alone at the top, and the King of Rock & Roll is also the King of Picture Sleeves.
Having 90 consecutive RCA Victor hits encased in collectible picture sleeves is downright remarkable.
IZ ZAT SO? Though not mentioned in today's question, the Rolling Stones certainly have a significant place in picture sleeve history.
Of all the top vinyl era stars — limited to ones with over a dozen hits — the Stones are the act with the most consecutive picture sleeves, beginning with that artist's debut hit. In their case that would be “Not Fade Away.”
They followed this 1964 single and sleeve with 18 more on London, concluding with “Honky Tonk Women,” in 1969. They are also the only artist in this class whose label (London) did not produce even one hit single without a custom sleeve.
Lesley Gore (13) and Janet Jackson (10) notwithstanding, it is quite rare for any of the vinyl era's top stars to have custom sleeves for their earliest singles. Elvis didn't get a special sleeve until his 10th release (“Don't Be Cruel”/“Hound Dog”).
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: www.jerryosborne.com.
All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
- It might have been fate that MTV was born at the same time people began to notice the rare talent and artistic ingenuity of Michael Jackson. It proved to be a perfect match between the new television network and the young rising icon. Early on, Michael saw MTV’s potential as a force of its own and understood that it offered him the chance to pioneer a whole new visual style through which people could see music, not just listen to it. For the first time, artists had the opportunity to truly shape a vision of a story around their songs. For Michael, this meant treating the song as a “script” and creating a stand-alone film to tell that story. In fact, Michael referred to each of these productions as a "short film" and not a “music video.”
