Music News, Notes & Did You Know?

a very detailed account of some great album cover art No Limit Records

The Irrepressible Album Art of No Limit Records

In the world of late-1990s rap music, few figures could boast the success and popularity of Percy Miller, a.k.a. Master P. The New Orleans native began small, running his fledgling No Limit Records label out of a San Francisco suburb.


Read the rest HERE








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Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt of Iron Butterfly & Captain Beyond Joins Forces With Great Southern

Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt has had a long history in rock music. He first recorded with the Georgia based bands The Load (1967-69) and The Second Coming (1969-70, with Dickey Betts & Berry Oakley) before joining Iron Butterfly to record their album Metamorphasis.



Read more: VintageVinylNews.com






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SONS OF SEASONS: New Album Details Revealed 

SONS OF SEASONS — the new progressive/symphonic metal band led by keyboardist/guitarist Oliver Palotai (KAMELOT, DORO) — has set "Magnisphyricon" as the title of its second album, due on April 1 via Napalm Records.

According to a press release, SONS OF SEASONS steps into the limelight once again to deliver a second album that is even more impressive than their debut. 'Magnisphyricon' is not a mere continuation of their chosen path, but rather a bold step into unexplored musical territories. Led by mastermind Oliver Palotai, the band performs the difficult feat of balancing technical prowess with memorable melodies. Some of the best examples of this gripping mix of musical complexity and headbanging quality are 'Soul Symmetry' and 'Tales of Greed'. The new songs also provide Henning Basse (METALIUM) a forum in which to prove his vocal talents and ennoble the album with sweeping renditions. Simone Simons (EPICA) again lends her captivating voice, making the track 'Sanctuary' one of the album's undisputed highlights. The powerful and lively production completes the listening experience and gives the tracks their crystal-clear quality. 'Magnisphyricon' is a profound and multifaceted melodic symphonic metal album that will whisk you away to a breathtaking sound universe."

Read more HERE

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AGNOSTIC FRONT: 'My Life My Way' Cover Artwork, Track Listing Unveiled

"My Life My Way", the new album from New York hardcore legends AGNOSTIC FRONT, will be released on March 4 in Europe and March 22 in North America on Nuclear Blast Records. The effort was recorded at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida for a March 4 European and March 22 North American release via Nuclear Blast Records. The album features 13 new powerful and anthemic songs laid down by Erik Rutan (MADBALL, GOATWHORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, etc.) under the watchful guide of producer Freddy Cricien of MADBALL. The record was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (SEPULTURA, SUFFOCATION, UNEARTH) in New Windsor, New York.

The "My Life My Way" cover artwork was brought to life this time by artist Todd Hubber, who also works with vocalist Roger Miret on designing his street wear clothing line American Made Kustom.

Read more HERE



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METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX: 'Big Four' U.S. Dates To Be Announced Tomorrow


The dates for the U.S. leg of the touring rock festival featuring the "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX — will be announced on Tuesday, January 25 at 8 a.m. PST.

The two-disc DVD release of "The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria", containing footage of the June 22, 2010 Sonisphere cinecast from the Sofia, Bulgaria leg of the "Big Four" tour has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of 100,000 copies. (Note: Due to the fact that the set consists of two discs, it was eligible for platinum certification after shipping 50,000 copies; platinum certification for a single-disc release is 100,000 copies.)

Read more HERE










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BRET MICHAELS' 1969 Camaro Sold For $200,000 At 40th Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction

According to FoxNews.com, POISON frontman Bret Michaels's personal 1969 Camaro snagged a whopping $200,000 — with a signature guitar and lifetime backstage pass to his concerts thrown in for good measure — at the 40th annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction on Saturday, January 22 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

An avid car and motorcycle enthusiast, Michaels was recently named People magazine's "Survivor of the Year" and Fox411's "Celebrity of the Year." In May 2010, he was hand-picked as Donald Trump's Season 3 winner on "The Celebrity Apprentice".

Read more HERE

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Travis Barker reveals album cover

Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has revealed the cover art for his upcoming solo album

The illustration is by Pushead (Brian Schroeder), an artist and record label owner who specializes in the hardcore punk and heavy metal genres. In the past, he has created artwork for Metallica and The Misfits.










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a wonderful post over at the vinyl district: 

Record Store Spotlight: Origami Vinyl

By ashleyeliot | Published: January 24, 2011

In April of 2009, Echo Park encountered an incredible addition to the area: a vinyl record store that would feed the neighborhood with music knowledge and keep it hip. Origami Vinyl, founded by Neil Schield, is where you will find the best and latest local finds plus weekly live in-store shows and record release parties. If I lived close by, which might happen soon, I would probably camp out there every day, going back and forth between there and Two Boots, and then over to The Echo once the shop closes. That sounds beautiful. Anyway, the store just launched OnTheRecord.TV, which has videos of the in-store shows, and will present the Monday night residencies at The Echo starting in February.

I caught up with Schield and the store’s manager Sean Stentz. Here’s what they had to say…

Read the rest at TheVinylDistrict.com

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and even in the desert, vinyl continues to thrive:

Local record shops surviving in digital download age

By Kortney Tenaglia

The age of digital downloading has caused CD sales to sink, but despite the hardship, some local vinyl record and CD enthusiasts are keeping music appreciation afloat.

Revolver Records in downtown Phoenix has felt the impact of digital downloading, but isn’t ready to turn off the music just yet, said shop owner T.J. Jordan.

“It definitely affects us,” Jordan said. “Digital downloads and piracy have affected record shops as a whole.”

2010 marked the fourth consecutive year of CD sales falling nearly 20 percent, according to a Nielsen SoundScan report on music sales. In this same time, digital album downloads increased 13 percent.

Revolver Records, located on Second and Roosevelt streets, offers used and new vinyl records. The shop has become a jewel among those who still treasure traditional ways of listening to music.

Read more at Desert Vinyl

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and in the UK:

Vinyl junkies - the new generation keeping the record player alive

Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Editor

Vinyl was supposed to have died long ago, killed by the incredible march of the iPod and digital music. Yet in living rooms across London, the record player is fighting back as a new generation of music fans and musicians discover that vinyl really does sound better.

To prove the point, I've been promised a rare treat - a listen to one of the best recorded pieces of music in existence, on one of London's top hi-fi systems

Vinyl in the UK

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Did You Know?

Elvis Presley recorded "Teddy Bear" in 1957

The blistering guitar lead in George Harrison's song, "Taxman" is the exact same guitar part heard at the ending fade of the song. It was copied and re-recorded onto the end.

The song "Summertime Blues" was a US Top 40 hit in three different decades - in the fifties by Eddie Cochran (#8), the sixties by Blue Cheer (#14) and the seventies by The Who (#27).



Also in 1962 - Chubby Checker had four albums in the Top Ten of the Billboard LP chart. They were "For Twisters Only", "Your Twist Party", "Bobby Rydell / Chubby Checker" and "Let's Twist Again". The single, "The Twist" sat at the top of Cashbox Best Sellers chart.   Not sure if that has been duplicated...any thoughts?

All of the clocks in the movie Pulp Fiction are stuck on 4:20.  I wonder why...... (psst I know, do you?)

Almonds are members of the peach family.

The symbol on the "pound" key (#) is called an octothorpe.

In 1969, New Jersey state prosecutors issue a warning to record dealers that they will be charged with distributing pornography if they are caught selling the John Lennon / Yoko Ono LP "Two Virgins". The front cover of the album showed the pair frontally nude, while the back cover showed them from behind. The rather unflattering photo would later be described by Lennon as a picture of "two slightly overweight ex-junkies". Somehow "Two Virgins" still managed to reach #124 in the US, but failed to chart at all in the UK, where only 5,000 copies were ever pressed.

A Happy Birthday to Ray Stevens (72)

And in 1979 - The Clash released their first US single, an excellent cover of the Bobby Fuller Four's "I Fought the Law."

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 01/22/2011

Ignoring the sealed Introducing The Beatles that showed as having sold for $125,000, reality did bring the Beatles to the top spot, with a Butcher album with Perry Cox authentication. If I've noticed anything doing the Top 5 for going on four years now, it's that Perry Cox's signature adds about $2k to any Beatles "Yesterday and Today". It's just an observation. I don't know Mr. Cox; met him a few times long before I started dealing records and I'm sure he wouldn't remember me. One purpose of this weekly snapshot is to pick out trends and patterns that may not be so easy to discern at sites like Popsike.

And in case you don't know, The Squires 45 is from Neil Young's first band!


1. LP - The Beatles "Yesterday and Today" Butcher First State Stereo Perry Cox COA - $7,195.95

2. 45 - Scorpio and His People "The Unforgiven" / "Theme From The Movietown Sound" International Hits - $4,398.00

3. 78 - Robert Johnson "Sweet Home Chicago" / "Walkin' Blues" Vocalion 03601 - $3,575.00

4. 45 - The Squires "The Sultan" / "Aurora" V - $3,427.00

5. LP - Led Zeppelin "I" Atlantic UK Turquoise 1st - $3,200.00


More on this week's top 5 on , Vinyl Record Talk Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata 

Michael Fremer Album Review

Emotion and Commotion
(Recent release)

Jeff Beck
Atco R1 523695 180g LP
Produced by: Steve Lipson
Engineered by: Steve Lipson
Mixed by: Steve Lipson
Mastered by: Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Lacquer cut by: N/A at GZ Digital Media

MUSIC

SOUND





 Beck's Back On Album Meant For Light's Off Listening

by Michael Fremer
January 01, 2011

Clearly a fan, producer Steve Lipson places Jeff Beck's guitar in a distant reverberant space that decreases its solidity but increases both its size and its mystery, evoking a God-like presence hovering above a lush, string-drenched orchestra. Or you could see Beck playing perched on a craggy, windswept rock surrounded by white-capped water. The album very much has a Pacific Ocean vibe.

What to do with a guitarist who doesn't sing? Beck and the producers brought in guest vocalists Joss Stone, Olivia Safe and Imelda May for five of the album's ten songs. The others mostly luxuriate Beck in a foamy orchestral sea in which slow ballads allow Beck to linger and then tug on long, delicate feedback drenched lines. The ethereal, feedback laden guitar sound Beck and the producer create is bubble-like, delicate and soft on the ears, even on the edgy Joss Stone take of "I Put a Spell on You."

Side One opens with Britten's Corpus Christi Carol that many may have first encountered on Jeff Buckley's Grace album and ends with a dramatic reading of "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's opera "Turandot." Even your dog is familiar with the theme by now. The heavily orchestrated version here is just on the non-kitsch side of Liberace and I say that as a compliment. An "Over the Rainbow" gets the same treatment and it's equally effective.

Side One's upbeat instrumentals "Hammerhead" add buoyancy. "Hammerhead" leads with wah-wah and breaks into a huge synth string section then evolves into something that would fit nicely on Blow By Blow. That's followed by "Never Alone" a gorgeous ballad co-written with keyboardist Jason Rubello. It's got a heavy longing of a gorgeous melodic line.

Side two continues where side one left off. It opens with "Serene" and closes with "Elegy For Dunkirk"—not exactly "Celebrate Good Times." "Serene" is a Bolero-like piece reminiscent of you know what from way back, but of course mellower, with Olivia Safe's operatic voice dancing in the backdrop. Jeff Buckley's "Lilac Wine" sung by Imelda May tacks into the same slowing headwind but the take maintains deliberate momentum and Beck delivers yet another stunning series of perfectly drawn lines.

Joss Stone ramps up "There's No Other Me", which yields the album's most glass shards. It's the only explosion to be found on the album and that's fine. The album ends with Dario Marianelli's "Elegy For Dunkirk" from the "Atonement" soundtrack, with Olivia Safe adding operatic vocal backdrops. Beck makes the guitar sound like a duduk, which is about as mournful as an instrument can sound.

Lawson and Beck have made a deep, reflective and daring album that skirts dangerously around kitsch but never falls in.

This album would have to deliver the sonics goods to work effectively and it does. It's very well recorded, with rich orchestral staging, dramatic imaging, particularly on Beck's guitar and wide dynamics and bandwidth. It's meant to be enveloping in every way and it certainly succeeds at that!

Surely this is a digital recording but not because it sounds like one.

The vinyl is nicely packaged and reasonably well pressed but what I don't like is that while the mastering credit goes to Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman's, clearly the producer didn't want to pay Grundman's going rate for cutting because the vinyl was clearly cut elsewhere. There's no CB identifying scribe on the lead out groove area, so the odds of a high resolution file having been used for the cut is low and whoever did it, didn't check for serious sibilant overloads in a few places—trust me it's not my cartridge that's the problem.

Chris Bellman should have cut it. He mastered the thing in the first place. That tells you the vinyl was probably just a "throw away" despite the nice packaging. Still, this is highly recommended musically and sonically in whatever format you choose. A hi-rez download would be nice.

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.

Copyright © 2008 MusicAngle.com & Michael Fremer - All rights reserved Reprinted by Permission

Music News, Notes & Did You Know?

We all know about the vinyl record revival.  To me, it's interesting to read about the vinyl resurgence in other parts of the world.  We are not the only ones bitten by the vinyl bug....

The beat of our beloved vinyl is still going strong down under:

Vinyl's superiority is a matter of record

John Mangan

THEY scratch, they hiss, they warp and break, but for all their faults vinyl records refuse to go quietly into the night. Two decades after compact discs and their digital offspring threatened to consign vinyl to the vaults of history, records are still in demand.

The Agraba bar in Errol Street, North Melbourne, has a blackboard out front inviting patrons to bring their own records. ''If we dig it, we'll spin it,'' the sign says.

Vinyl down under

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and in the UK, vinyl has become mainstream (with a great video to boot)

Are record clubs the new book clubs?

By David Sillito
BBC arts correspondent

A growing number of music-lovers unhappy about the way album tracks are enjoyed in a pick-and-mix fashion have decided to take action.

The rules are strict. No talking. No texting. You must listen to every song on the album.

Classic Album Sundays treat our best-loved records like great symphonies and are being set up in London, Scotland and Wales.

Groups of music fans sit in front of a vinyl turntable, with the best speakers they can afford, dim the lights and listen to a classic album all the way through.

Vinyl in the UK

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And in the good ole USA 5 record stores for your pleasure

Vinyl records: Five places to get into the groove

Audrey Medina, Special to The Chronicle

Purists claim it's the sound quality of vinyl records that makes them superior to tape and CDs. For those of us with impaired hearing from cranking the stereo up way too loud, it's the cover art, the liner notes, the history, or watching a club DJ that makes vinyl records more than just a listening experience. Here are hot spots where vinyl is still groovy

Vinyl in the US

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Even more from the NY Times about Wanda Jackson

Rockabilly Queen Prolongs Her Party

By Melena Ryzik

THE crowd was rockabilly through and through: girls in pegged jeans and crimson lipstick, boys in flattops and pompadours, shrunken leather jackets. When Wanda Jackson, 73, took the stage with her guitar for a sold-out show at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn recently, it was all cat growls, howls and hip swivels — and that was from Ms. Jackson herself. The audience followed suit, with a chorus of fans joining in on her song “I Gotta Know.” She first recorded it in 1956, not long after she met and began dating Elvis Presley.

NYTimes.com

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Screeching Weasel Release Album Cover Art & Track List

Chicago punk rockers Screeching Weasel have just released the album cover and track listing for their first new album in more than 11 years, 'First World Manifesto,' which is due out March 15th on Fat Wreck Chords.

The band will then embark on a short tour immediately following the release.

1. Follow Your Leaders
2. Frankengirl
3. Beginningless Vacation
4. Dry Is The Desert
5. Totem Pole
6. Creepy Crawl
7. Three Lonely Days
8. Friday Night Nation
9. All Over Town
10. Fortune Cookie
11. Baby Talk
12. Come And See The Violence Inherent In The System
13. Bite Marks
14. Little Big Man

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Green Day Side Project The Frustrators To Release EP 'Grillers' In February

The Frustrators, an outfit that features Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt, is set to release an EP 'Grillers' on February 18th. The band previously released the album 'Achtung JAackass' way back in 2002. For this release, Dr. Strange Records will be handing 7" vinyl, while Adeline Records will handle digital and CD formats. Check out The Frustrators Facebook Facebook  account for more details.











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Yes, the 2011 edition of Record Store Day  is quickly approaching. I wonder what kind of goodies we will see and if the past is any indication, this year's Record Store day will continue to build upon the others and be a pivotal event for collectors worldwide!


 this courtesy of GottaGrooveRecords.com

Record Store Day 2011 Vinyl Pressing Info

The folks at Record Store Day have set a deadline of February 1, 2011 to provide them with information on the commercial vinyl pieces that you would like to release. You can contact Carrie Colliton at carriecolliton@earthlink.net  with such information, or if you have questions.

We would love to press your vinyl releases for RSD, so here is a general timeline of when you need to order from us to have product in time for your distributor, or for directly to retailers:

RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted 2/1 should ship by 3/15

RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted by 2/7 should ship by 3/22

RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted by 2/14 should ship by 3/29

RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted by 2/21 should ship by 4/5

RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted by 2/28 should ship by 4/12

* Please note that delays in test pressing/art approvals/other circumstances can alter these timelines.

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Did You Know?

On this date in 1959, Buddy Holly made his last recordings alone with an acoustic guitar and tape recorder. The songs were released posthumously.

The Beach Boys recorded "Wouldn't It Be Nice" in 1966.

That in 1969, the Beatles entered Apple studios in London to record the 'Get Back' album.

The late Michael Hutchence (INXS) was born in 1960.



Steve Perry, of glam rockers Journey, has a birthday today.

The term "rhythm & blues" was coined in 1948 by a young Billboard reporter and future Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler, to replace the negative term "Race Records".

In 1977, Peter Green, who had earlier left Fleetwood Mac, was institutionalized after firing a pistol in the general direction of a delivery boy who was attempting to deliver a $30,000 royalty check. Green had renounced Rock and Roll in 1970 and didn't want the money. He later worked as a hospital porter and a gravedigger, but came back in 1979 to record "In the Skies", which did manage some moderate success.   Worked out well for Fleetwood Mac as well....

Interestingly, the term "rock and roll," which was black slang for sexual intercourse, appeared on record for the first time in 1922 on Trixie Smith's "My Baby Rocks Me With One Steady Roll."  I looked in the Jerry Osborne Rockin Records price guide and see that she has a couple of 78 rpm records that are worth a couple of hundred.

And in 1991, twenty-three years after it was released in America, the LP 'Elvis' Gold Records'  was made available in China on cassette only. 

On his 25th birthday, Sam Cooke switched record labels from Keen Records to RCA, even though he had a string of hits with Keen that included "You Send Me," "Only Sixteen," "Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha" and "Wonderful World." The switch was beneficial to all as Sam continued to crank out the chart busters until his death in 1964 (he was born in 1935).

Amos Lee 45 RPM Contest

I have two 45 rpm singles from Amos Lee's new LP to giveaway.  Just be the first two to email me (rbenson30@wi.rr.com) with the title of my favorite Amos Lee cut in the subject line and you win! (hint, I put up the YouTube video twice last week).  It's that easy (sorry, this contest is only open to those who have not won anything here previously)

Amos Lee's new album Mission Bell available to stream on MSN Music

Fans can preview Amos Lee's new album Mission Bell in its entirety via a free audio stream from MSN Music's Listening Booth (http://music.msn.com/) beginning today through the release date of the album, January 25.

Produced by Calexico’s Joey Burns, Mission Bell is Lee’s richest and most fully formed recording to date, displaying an array of emotions unified by his eclectic taste and distinctive vocals. With a remarkable set of guests — including Lucinda Williams, Willie Nelson, Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam, Priscilla Ahn, Pieta Brown, and James Gadson — and the musical backing of Calexico, the album marks the arrival of Lee as a mature artist who continues to explore his musical and thematic interests.

CRITICAL PRAISE FOR AMOS LEE:

“Mission Bell reflects the themes of loss, redemption, and hope and Lee’s talents still ring true on the album: soulful vocals and vivid, narrative-driven lyrics mixing folk, pop, R&B, rock, gospel, blues and country influences. His skills fused with those of Joey Burns and Convertino, spark the perfect synergy on lead single, ‘Windows Are Rolled Down.’” — Billboard

For more information, please visit http://www.amoslee.com/

Music News, Notes & Did You Know?

SCALE THE SUMMIT Announce New Album and Unveil Cover Artwork

Houston-based progressive-instrumentalists Scale The Summit have recently announced the title of their third album, 'The Collective, which is scheduled for release on March 1 via Prosthetic Records. It’s the follow-up to their 2009 critically acclaimed Prosthetic debut, 'Carving Desert Canyons.' The album was recorded at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, FL with producer Mark Lewis (Devildriver, All That Remains, The Black Dahlia Murder).







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DROPKICK MURPHYS Reveal Cover Art For March 1st Release

Celtic punkers DROPKICK MURPHYS have announced a March 1, 2011 release date for their seventh full-length studio album 'GOING OUT IN STYLE.'  The record will be released through their own BORN & BRED RECORDS (ILG), and was produced by Ted Hutt. The album also features a guest appearance by "The Boss" himself, with BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN providing vocals in their rousing rendition of "Peg O' My Heart."











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ACROSS THE SUN Reveal 'BEFORE THE NIGHT TAKES US' Cover Art

Portland, Oregon-based ACROSS THE SUN will release their Metal Blade debut BEFORE THE NIGHT TAKES US on March 15, 2011. The band has just revealed the cover art and tracklisting, and those that "like" the band on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/acrossthesun will be treated to the first single from the release, "Song For The Hopeless."





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SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY To Release 'Dark Meditations' In February

"Dark Meditations in Monastic Seclusion" from dynamic U.S. black metal act SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY is set for self-release on February 12. The album is an organic blend of beautiful acoustic and caustic black metal songs with lyrics focusing on isolation, despair, hatred, and one's personal celebration of introversion.












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Beatles' John Lennon's Letters And Drawings To Be Turned Into A Book

John Lennon's drawings and letters are scheduled to be turned into a published book. Yoko Ono has sold the rights to a collection of Lennon's letters and drawings, per a Rolling Stone report. The book will include over 150 letters, written throughout of Lennon's life to record companies, newspapers and a variety of drawings. The as-yet-untitled collection is set to be released in October to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Beatles debut single 'Love Me Do'.

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Jukebox Envy

My DJ friend Shawn out of Waterloo, Iowa has told me about his great find, and I would agree. I have been wanting a jukebox of my own (hint hint) for many, many years. Now I am jealous. Take a gander at Shawn's new toy! He also told me of a collection of old jazz LPs (most on Bluenote), so watch eBay for some treasures heading our way!

Check out more pics of this amazing machine at Shawn's Blog

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‘The Eight Track Museum’ to open in Dallas

Goldmine magazine has a great write up about the old 8-tracks we used to know. I actually still have a couple hundred hidden away somewhere, we recently moved and I am sure the boxes are somewhere! :O)

Read more: Eight track museum to open in Los Angeles | Goldmine Magazine

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Less Than Jake drummer Vinnie Fiorello talks about new covers album and tour stop in Stroudsburg, Pa.

Not many bands can get away with covering the "iCarly" theme song and still be considered punk -- unless you're Less Than Jake.

It's one of 16 commercial jingles and TV theme songs that make up the band's new album, "TV/EP," which also includes the "Diff'rent Strokes," Toys R Us and FreeCreditReport.com themes.

Read more  HERE

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The Wall Street Journal has a fantastic write up about Wanda Jackson

The Queen of Rockabilly Returns

Wanda Jackson, a '50s music pioneer, gets a boost from rocker Jack White; covering Amy Winehouse.

WSJ Article

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Did You Know?

Dead fairy found at yard sale

A couple of months ago, I stopped in at a yard sale and came across this strange little creature. The apparent mummified corpse of a fairy being - or some kind of demon offspring (?) - this specimen is surreal to be around. My cat continually tries to get at the diminutive cadaver through the jar; and the thing just generally unnerves people whom have been in its admittedly creepy presence. It does have a definite Black Magick, otherworldly, Voodoo feel about it. In my opinion, the faint of heart are better off not having this thing around them.

This was apparently the write up, seems a bit creepy to me, but, hey, if it sold and the guy made a few bucks, I give him an A for effort.  Check out the 10 weirdest eBay auctions HERE

Weird eBay Auctions


Born on this day in 1939, DJ Wolfman Jack. Master of ceremonies for the rock 'n' roll generation of the '60s on radio, and later on television during the '70s. Died of a heart attack 1/7/95.




Hank Ballard and the Midnighters were the first group to place three records on The Billboard Hot 100 at the same time - "Finger Poppin' Time", "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" and "The Twist" in mid-July, 1960.

The shortest record to reach the Billboard Top 40 was "Some Kind-A Earthquake" by Duane Eddy. This seldom heard instrumental, which is only one minute, seventeen seconds long, reached #37 in 1959

In 1957 - Singer Patsy Cline appeared on Arthur Godfrey's nighttime TV show. She performed "Walking After Midnight."

The Byrds recorded "Mr. Tambourine Man" in 1965.

In 1968, Jimi Hendrix recorded his epic version of the Bob Dylan song "All Along the Watchtower" at Olympic Studios in London. Rolling Stone Brain Jones and Dave Mason from Traffic both played on the session.




In 1978, the soundtrack album 'Saturday Night Fever' started a 24 week run at No.1 on the US album charts, it went on to sell over 30 million copies world wide, making it the best selling soundtrack album of all time.

In 1982, B.B. King donated his entire record collection of over 20,000 discs to Mississippi University's centre for the Study of Southern Culture,

In 1987, The Coasters, became the first vocal group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

And in 1997, 'Colonel' Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager and agent died of a stroke in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 87. Born Andreas van Kuijk, a Dutch immigrant who changed his name as soon as he arrived in the US, Parker never applied for a green card and feared deportation his entire life. He briefly managed country singers Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow.

Carter Burwell – True Grit Soundtrack

Carter Burwell – True Grit Soundtrack – Nonesuch Records


(Original Music by Carter Burwell; Cond. by Carter Burwell; Orchestrated by Carter Burwell and Sonny Kompanek) Score contains excerpts of “Hold To God’s Unchanging Hand”; “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”; “Leaning On Everlasting Arms”; “Talk About Suffering”; “The Glory-Land Way”)

A movie score can be crucial to the plot manipulation. With a mere notation or swell of an orchestra, a viewer can be drawn to the varied content of the storyline. Fifty years ago, piercing violin notes in Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller, Psycho (composed by Bernard Herrman), left an indelible mark on the emotions of moviegoers, The electronic pulse of Chariots Of Fire (Vangelis) was equally unforgettable, as a collage of slow motion running became poetic. Even a comedy like The Sting depended on the Marvin Hamlisch adaptation of Scott Joplin’s ragtime to build a visual sketch of Depression-era Chicago. Common among these soundtracks was the ability to enhance the narrative.

In scoring the Coen Brothers’ remake of True Grit, Carter Burwell has continued the tradition of symphonic arrangements for instrumental music. Together with the Coens, Burwell has fabricated the heart of the auditory themes from 19th century hymnals. Included are excerpts from several period songs. The arrangements develop from simple church piano structures to grandiose orchestral signature. This progression reflects the journey of the protagonist, Mattie Ross, a fourteen-year-old grounded Protestant believer, as she embarks on an epic journey to seek out and avenge her father’s killer. Certainly, the heroine enlists the heroic aid of Rooster Cogburn and Ranger La Boeuf, but unlike the 1969 version starring John Wayne, the focus is on Ross.

With evocative radiance, majestic landscapes and human drama are captured with plaintive beauty. The introduction of a French horn or violin crescendo works seamlessly in tandem with the visual imagery of the film. Some of the gospel songs, traditional and original, are interspersed throughout the soundtrack. “Leaning On Everlasting Arms”, one of the source pieces, had been used previously in the chilling 1955 film, Night Of The Hunter (directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters). Elegiac renditions of acoustic piano music (also poignantly effective in Ken Burns PBS series on the Civil War) are moving, delivering pathos and sentiment. The music is not extraneous, but vital to the flow of the movie.

Burwell has assembled a top-notch ensemble of musicians in the studio. The mixing is excellent, expressing the litheness of a simple melody, or dramatic urgency of orchestral coloration. A memorable movie will invariably have a memorable soundtrack.

TrackList: The Wicked Flee; La Boeuf Takes Leave; Little Blackie; River Crossing; The Hanging Man; Talk About Suffering; Your Headstrong Ways; A Great Adventure; We Don’t Need Him To Go; Father’s Gun; A Methodist And A Son Of A Bitch; Talking To Horses; A Turkey Shoot; Taken Hostage; One Against Four; The Snake Pit; Ride To Death; I Will Carry You; A Quarter Century; The Grave

-- Robbie Gerson

Special thanks to John at www.audaud.com for the exclusive rights to reprint this material.

AUDIOPHILE AUDITION focuses on recordings of interest to audiophiles and collectors, with an accent on surround sound for music, and on all hi-res disc formats. Over 100 SACD, DVD Video/Audio and standard CD reviews are published during each month, and our archives go back to January 2001.

Music News, Notes & Did You Know?

Jazz Fest releases 2011 Lineup

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Wednesday announced the music lineup for the 2011 festival scheduled for April 29 through May 1 and May 5 through 8.

With 12 stages of virtually every style of roots music, Jazz Fest presents one of the entertainment world's most diverse music lineups. This year is no exception. Fans can catch Arcade Fire, Kid Rock, Bon Jovi and John Mellencamp alongside Jimmy Buffett, Willie Nelson, The Strokes and Lauryn Hill.

And that's just the start of it. Hundreds of Louisiana artists will be taking the stage alongside national acts such as Wilco, Tom Jones, John Legend and Jason Mraz.

For more info go to www.nojazzfest.com

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Turnstyle Record Player Concept Looks Far Out

Read more HERE












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Here is a nice UK story about vinyl:

A Vinyl Upsurge

By Phillip Walker

OLD-STYLE vinyl records are still a hit on Teesside despite download sales taking over the charts.

Digital sales now account for just under 20% of all album sales and last year The BPI and the Official Charts Company’s figures showed digital album sales topping 50 million.

Even so, it looks increasingly unlikely physical media, like vinyl and CDs, will fade away completely.

Read the rest   HERE












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Album Cover Art

Honoring 80s reggae dancehall album cover art

Read more HERE











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An incredible story through the words of a vinyl lover!!

Uncovering Bangkok through its forgotten vinyl records

DJ Chris Menist explains how being an outsider allowed him to breathe new life into Thailand's oft-maligned northeastern beats and vinyl castoffs

Read more: Uncovering Bangkok through its forgotten vinyl records | CNNGo.com HERE

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Interesting sidepiece and some great thoughts:

Vinyl Records: The New Growth Story!

by M Kraten

Times are tough in the music business nowadays! Sales of CDs, and of almost all other forms of recorded music, are dropping precipitously. And the live concert business is wilting as well, with entertainers from U2 to Christina Aguilera forced to cancel performances because of low customer demand.

Earlier this month, however, when Billboard reported its annual SoundScan sales totals, one form of recorded music actually reported a significant increase in sales volume between 2009 and 2010. And the size of that increase would have been impressive in any era: 14% on a year-to-year basis!

Even more surprising was the nature of the format that experienced this increase in sales volume. Yes, it was the venerable disk shaped record, a technology that was first introduced in the 1880s and that overtook the phonograph cylinder during the 1920s. Can it now become the growth story of the 21st century?

Read the rest   HERE

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Vinyl has now done it, it's now a story in Time Magazine!!

Vinyl Gets Its Groove Back

By Kristina Dell

From college dorm rooms to high school sleepovers, an all-but-extinct music medium has been showing up lately. And we don't mean CDs. Vinyl records, especially the full-length LPs that helped define the golden era of rock in the 1960s and '70s, are suddenly cool again.

Read more: Time Magazine

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A rare and intense look inside the mind of Jack White

Jack White's Third Man Records tells the world: Your Music City is not dead
The House that Jack Built

Jack White


Just found this, according to http://www.musicpriceguide.com/ a Jack White record has sold for over $13,000 on eBay recently.  Amazing!!

this from the seller:

Hand Painted ( Dave Buick artwork) Lafayette Blues #15. there are only 15 of these hand painted beauties out there. hard to come by & rare.


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ARTILLERY: New Album Artwork Revealed

Danish thrash metal veterans Artillery have completed work on their sixth album, "My Blood", at Medley Studios in Copenhagen for a March 21 European release via Metal Mind Productions (April 5 in the U.S. through MVD). The cover artwork was created by well-known Polish graphic designer Graal, who has previously worked with VITAL REMANS, SINISTER, SOLITUDE AETURNUS and BULLDOZER. Graal was also responsible for the covers of ARTILLERY's "Through The Years" box and "When Death Comes".

Chilling work, well done......













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Did You Know?

Although it is generally acknowledged that the "Rock 'n' Roll era" began in the US when Bill Haley and His Comets reached the top of the Billboard chart in July, 1955 with "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock", many Rock historians believe that the first true Rock and Roll record was a song called "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and The Delta Cats, which topped the American R&B chart in May, 1951.

The longest title of an album to reach the Billboard Hot 200 LP chart is Fiona Apple's

"When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right"

The title is made up of 90 words.   Sheeeeesh......

In 1965, Alan Freed, who many credit with coining the term "Rock and Roll", died at the age of 43. Freed was a Cleveland disc jockey who started promoting dances that featured the top artists of the day, including, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis. After moving to New York and appearing in some teen movies, he was caught up in the payola scandal of 1959 for accepting money for playing certain records on his radio show. Before his death, he was virtually broke and fighting charges of tax evasion. It was a sad end for one of Rock and Roll's most important pioneers.

Also in 1965, The Rolling Stones and the Kinks made their first appearances on ABC-TV's Shindig! Also appearing were the Dave Clark Five, Petula Clark, Bobby Vee, Bobby Sherman and Gerry And The Pacemakers.



In 1968, an amazing event unfolded as John Fred's "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses"), a song title inspired by the Beatles "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," knocked the Fab Four's "Hello Goodbye" out of Billboard's top spot.

In 1973, Jerry Lee Lewis was booked to play the Grand Ole Opry on the condition that he would stick to Country and Western tunes only. Jerry did just that for a while, but eventually broke into his old Rock hits from the 50's, while swearing up a storm. He proclaimed, "I am the rock and rollin', country and western, rhythm and blues singin' motherf***er."  Nice, and I couldn't agree more!



And in 1982, the infamous Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off of what he thought was a plastic bat thrown at him during a concert in Des Moines. The bat turned out to be real and Ozzy later went through a series of injections against rabies. Mmmmmm....good stuff

CTI Records 40th Anniversary Celebration, Continues With 180-gram Vinyl LP Reissues

SONY MASTERWORKS JAZZ RELEASES CLASSIC REISSUES FROM GEORGE BENSON, DEODATO, MILT JACKSON, PAUL DESMOND, JIM HALL AND RON CARTER

Available January 25, 2011

Also available, critically acclaimed CTI Records: The Cool Revolution deluxe 4-CD box and California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium 2-CD set featuring previously unreleased tracks

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Masterworks Jazz continues the celebration of the 40th anniversary of CTI Records, the beloved jazz label founded in 1970 by producer Creed Taylor with the release of 6 more classic reissues available on January 25th, 2011. They include: White Rabbit by George Benson, All Blues by Ron Carter (first time on CD in the U.S.), Prelude by Deodato, Pure Desmond by Paul Desmond, Concierto by Jim Hall, and Milt Jackson's Sunflower. The reissues are packaged in eco-friendly softpack sleeves that replicate the original gatefold LP design and their iconic covers most with photos by Pete Turner.

White Rabbit is perhaps George Benson's finest album for CTI, featuring the signature title track arrangement of the Jefferson Airplane classic – a 1972 Grammy® nominee for Best Jazz Performance by a Group.

All Blues by Ron Carter makes its debut on CD in the U.S. (it was previously only released in Japan). Carter was voted Bassist of the Year in DOWNBEAT's Readers' Poll in 1973, 1974 and 1975, highlighting his work with CTI.

Deodato's Prelude includes his Grammy®-winning hit title track, an arrangement of Richard Strauss's fanfare from Also Sprach Zarathustra, used as the main theme in 2001: A Space Odyssey. This song is the biggest hit the CTI label would ever have. The album's title track won 1974 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, and rose to No. 2 on the U.S. pop charts.

Pure Desmond by Paul Desmond was not only highly praised but it also brought to the spotlight the considerable talents of Canadian guitarist Ed Bickert. It also features Ron Carter on bass and Connie Kay on drums. Paul Desmond was voted by DOWNBEAT's readers into its Jazz Hall of Fame in 1977.

For his work on Concierto, Jim Hall received a Grammy® nomination in 1975 for Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist. He was also named Guitarist of the Year in DOWNBEAT's Jazz Poll in 1974, the year before he recorded Concierto.

Sunflower is the most revered album by Milt Jackson, one of the greatest of jazz vibraphone players, and most acclaimed improvisational blues instrumentalists of all time. He was a founding member of the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet, voted by DOWNBEAT's readers into its Jazz Hall of Fame in 1999.

Sony MASTERWORKS Jazz kicked off the 40th anniversary celebration with the release of CTI Records: The Cool Revolution, a deluxe 4-CD multi-artist box set retrospective in the Fall. Receiving rave reviews The Associated Press dubbed it "…the most comprehensive anthology to date" and NPR said it was "… as striking a portrait of the Jazz World in the '70s as you'll find anywhere."

Also released in the Fall was the double-CD restoration of California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium (1971) which included 90-minutes of music rarely heard and never before available. It is the most complete version of the historic Hollywood Palladium all-star concert recorded July 18, 1971. It doubles the content of the original five-song LP release with five additional tracks - three of them previously unreleased - and restores the original concert sequence for the first time. Creed Taylor hand-picked a dream team of CTI artists for the occasion: Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Hank Crawford, Stanley Turrentine, George Benson, Johnny Hammond, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham and Airto Moreira. Liner notes are by multi-Grammy winning musician-producer Bob Belden who says California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium "...ranks up there with the greatest jazz concerts of all time…"

The celebration also included reissues of the first set of 6 classic CTI albums: She Was Too Good To Me by Chet Baker, God Bless the Child by Kenny Burrell, Red Clay by Freddie Hubbard, StoneFlower by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Morning Star by Hubert Laws (first time on CD), and Stanley Turrentine's Sugar.

In addition, Sony also released the following 180-gram vinyl LP reissues of 4 classic CTI albums using the original gatefold sleeve designs accompanied with digital download cards: Red Clay by Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine's Sugar, White Rabbit by George Benson and Prelude by Deodato.

In the 1970s, CTI, its music, its style and its discriminating quality transformed contemporary jazz. The roster worked almost like a repertory company, in which great musicians took turns in the spotlight and accompanying each other. The albums they and their colleagues created set new standards in their look as well as their sound. "[Creed Taylor's] plan was ingeniously simple, yet famously maverick: record top-tier musicians, keeping their artistic integrity intact while also making their art palatable to the people. CTI thus achieved that rare balance of jazz and commercialism," writes Dan Ouellette in the liner notes. CTI surpassed the majors and fellow indies to be named the #1 Jazz Label of 1974 by Billboard. The immediate success of CTI's recordings has echoed across the decades in a profound influence on jazz, pop, R&B and hip-hop.

SOURCE Masterworks Jazz

Don Kirshner Remembered

Music mogul Don Kirshner, whom Time magazine once called "the man with the golden ear," had expressed disappointment over not having been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Joshua Prezant / Washington Post)


It always amazes me that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has not recognized his contributions to the industry (shame on the Hall). Heck, he brought some cool TV shows back then, something that we don't have right now (sans videos). Could you imagine some of the brightest stars doing this today? I can't......

Don Kirshner dies at 76; music mogul

Don Kirshner guided the careers of songwriters, launched the Monkees and introduced TV audiences to an array of musicians and comics through his show in the 1970s.

Don Kirshner, the veteran music mogul who shepherded songs from a monstrously talented stable of young writers to the top of the pop charts in the 1960s, launched the career of the Monkees and then became a familiar face to millions of rock fans as impresario of his late-night music TV series in the 1970s, died Monday of heart failure in Boca Raton, Fla., where he had lived for the last decade, a family spokeswoman said Tuesday. He was 76.

"Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" brought the biggest names in rock and pop music to television in live performances instead of the lip-synced sessions that often characterized rock music on television.

Read the rest of this LA Times write up HERE









 
Black Sabbath: "War Pigs" (Live on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert", 1975)

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 17, 2011


DEAR JERRY: After reading of Patti Page's unsuccessful revival of Patsy Montana's “I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart,” I did a little research on this song.

Turns out Patsy Montana's signature song is widely regarded as the first million-selling single ever by a female!

Hoping to find a 78 rpm of the original version, I scanned eBay, but was surprised and confused by the results.

I found this song on eBay on four or five different labels (Columbia, ARC, Melotone, etc.) and no explanation by anyone as to which is the first issue, or which ones, if any, were recorded years later and would not sound the same as the original hit.

Curiously, one is on the Montgomery Ward label. I didn't know this store also had a record company. I can't imagine competing stores selling records made by them.

Can you guide me through this Montana maze?
—Imogene Chamberlain, Beloit, Wisc.

DEAR IMOGENE: Saddle up, our maze extrication adventure begins August 16, 1935.

That's the day Patsy Montana (née: Ruby Rose Blevins) recorded “I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart,” for the Vocalion Record Company.

By January 1936, the track that would become the most famous and recognizable yodel song in history was in the Pop Music Top 10, and headed for unprecedented success.

Shortly after release of the original recording (Vocalion 03010), in what was an extremely common practice for then, the American Record Company (ARC) leased the original master and rights to produce records for their family of budget labels.

Rather than sell to record stores, ARC distributed their pressings to department stores with an area for record sales, and at prices discounted as much as 75% off what the major labels charged.

Music lovers could choose from higher quality records, in this case Vanguard, for about a buck, or an ARC reproduction for 25- to 39-cents, depending on where one shopped.

Though the cut rate companies produced records using lower grade materials, resulting in lower audio fidelity and a shorter playing life, we must not forget the country was in the midst of the Great Depression. In all areas of life, less expensive alternatives were mighty appealing.

That any record sold a million copies under those economic conditions makes the feat even more extraordinary.

By the end of 1935, ARC-produced 78 rpms of “I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart” were available on ARC itself, plus at least six other variations:

ARC (5-11-56); Oriole (5-11-56); Romeo (5-11-56); Banner (5-11-56); Melotone (5-11-56); and Perfect (5-11-56).

Notice all of these labels have the same selection number, 5-11-56. The actual record number is really 56, but the 5-11 tells us it came out in 1935, during November.

ARC also made two of the above labels specifically for what were known as dime stores: Romeo for S.H. Kress & Co. 5-10-25 Cent Stores, and Oriole, which proudly states right on the sleeve “Sold only at McCrory's” (Five and Dime Stores).

Another ARC product, with a different name and selection number (Conqueror 8575), was offered exclusively by Sears, Roebuck & Co.

Which leads to your comment about the Montgomery Ward label. Unlike Sears, Roebuck & Co., the Ward stores leased the music directly, eliminating the middleman (ARC). They effectively created their own discount label, active from 1933 to 1941.

Ward did issue two Patsy Montana singles, “When the Flowers of Montana Were Blooming” (MW 4322) and “Montana Plains” (MW 4484). Neither contained “I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart.”

The Columbia 78 you found is also the original Vocalion master, but didn't come out until 1947 (Columbia 37602).

For best quality reproduction, you can't go wrong with either the Vocalion or Columbia 78.


IZ ZAT SO? There will never be a better time to identify some of the other record labels manufactured exclusively for nationally known retailers: Macy's (Cameo); McCrory's (Oriole); S.H. Kress (Muse; Romeo; Tremont); Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Challenge; Conqueror; Harvard; Oxford; Silvertone; Supertone); W.T. Grant (Bell; Diva); and Woolworth's (Crown).

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

Music News, Notes & Did You Know?

Amon Amarth: New Album Cover Art, Track Listing Revealed

Swedish metalheads Amon Amarth are set to release their eighth studio album, 'Surtur Rising,'  in North America on March 29 (Metal Blade Records). Named in tribute to Surtur, leader of the fire giants of Muspelheim ("flame land") and the oldest being in the nine worlds of Norse mythology, the record, which was listed among Decibel magazine's most anticipated albums of 2011 and features 10 tracks of sword-wielding, fist-pumping, hyper climactic battle anthems. The follow-up to 2008's monolithic "Twilight Of The Thunder God" full-length was recorded again at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren and features strikingly brutal cover art by Tom Thiel.

Read more HERE





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WHITESNAKE: New Album Details Revealed

WHITESNAKE, the legendary rock 'n' roll legacy founded and formed by renowned singer/songwriter David Coverdale, will release its new album, "Forevermore" on March 29 in North America (March 25 in Europe ) via Frontiers Records. The band's eleventh studio album was recorded, produced and mixed by Coverdale, guitarist Doug Aldrich and Michael McIntyre at Snakebyte Studios and Grumblenott Studios & Villas in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, with additional work at Casa Dala, Sherman Oaks, California.

Read more HERE



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Protest The Hero Reveals Cover Art For Upcoming Full Length

Canadian progressive metal titans Protest the Hero have revealed the cover artwork for its forthcoming full length album. The new album, titled "Scurrilous," was produced once again with producer Julius 'Juice' Butty and will see its release on March 22, 2010 through Underground Operations in Canada and through Vagrant Records in the United States.











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Lower Than Atlantis Album Cover Art

Lower Than Atlantis have posted the album art for their upcoming album WORLD RECORD which is to be released on the 4th of April.

“The cover art for ‘World Record’ was hand drawn by the very talented Mr. Paul Jackson of Tank.Axe.Love, and it bloody works!” says frontman Mike Duce. “I’m pretty into it because it’s almost like a photo of my own hands – I think it’s supposed to be to do with being in a band and being poor but if you ask me, he’s got a load of cool shit there! A pick for playing guitar so he can write songs, the means to make a cigarette because smoking’s cool and enough money for a couple of penny sweets to keep his energy up while writing said songs! When we first saw the art we were all in total shock at how great it was. Could not be happier with Paul’s vision and the results of his work.”




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Lost Highway Records Celebrates 10th Anniversary

NASHVILLE-based LOST HIGHWAY RECORDS celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a special vinyl reissue series and a much-anticipated showcase during the SOUTH-BY-SOUTHWEST MUSIC CONFERENCE in AUSTIN.

LOST HIGHWAY will commemorate its anniversary throughout 2011 by releasing 20 different titles from its extensive and diverse catalog on limited-edition clear vinyl. This series will begin on JANUARY 25th with releases of RYAN ADAMS’ "Gold" and the soundtrack of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" That will be followed on FEBRUARY 15th with releases of HAYES CARLL’s "KMAG YOYO" and DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS’ "Southern Rock Opera." MARCH will see the vinyl releases of LUCINDA WILLIAMS and BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS’ newest releases.

On MARCH 18th, LOST HIGHWAY will team up with BMI to hold a concert at the new AUSTIN CITY LIMITS studio called THE MOODY THEATER. Artists performing include WILLIAMS, ROBERT EARL KEEN, CARLL, LEWIS and special guests.

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My Chemical Romance To Release Limited Edition Colored Vinyl

My Chemical Romance will release its current album, "Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys" on limited-edition colored and black vinyl on February 1. In the U.S., 500 colored vinyl discs will be available for purchase exclusively at MCR’s webstore at http://www.mychemicalromance.com/shop  while 2,500 black vinyl discs will be available for purchase at retail outlets, the band’s website, and becausesoundmatters.com/

Released by Reprise Records on November 22,the album claimed the No. 1 spot on Soundscan’s Rock and Alternative Album Charts, and debuted at No. 8 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart..

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Still Busted At Oz

Permanent Records’ Lance Barresi talks about re-issuing the classic Chicago punk compilation

by Leor Galil

Three decades ago, a fledgling Chicago label called Autumn Records released Busted At Oz, a compilation record that documented the city’s punk scene. Recorded live at Oz, a venue that hosted many of Chicago’s first punk acts, the compilation features early recordings from Strike Under, Da, Silver Abuse, Subverts, Naked Raygun, and the Effigies.

Busted At Oz has long been out of print, and it has become a collector’s item for Chicago punk enthusiasts. It has been hard for most folks to hear the record, until now. That’s because Ukrainian Village record store and label Permanent Records is reissuing the compilation on vinyl: 500 copies of the newly minted Busted At Oz will be available at the end of the month. Before the reissue hits store shelves, The A.V. Club spoke to Permanent co-founder Lance Barresi about the record, why it’s taken so long to reissue, and why he thinks it’s the quintessential Chicago punk document.

Read the rest HERE

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Domenic Romeo

A389 Records owner talks about the heavy music scene and the endurance of LPs

A389, perhaps Baltimore’s premier active heavy-music record label, celebrates its seven-year anniversary this weekend with a blowout, ear-caving show at Sonar. Sporting a roster ranging from pure New York hardcore brutality to heavy-tonnage sludge to whatever you call Baltimore’s Oak, the label’s catalog offers a tour of extreme music—though, like much of the city’s extreme music, A389 is a mite undersung on its own turf. City Paper talked to label founder/owner Domenic Romeo, who also plays guitar in hardcore band Pulling Teeth, last week over the phone during a break in his workday about supporting heavy music, evictions, and why metal and punk fans still actually buy records.

Read the rest HERE

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Restoration of Phil Spector's Catalog Brings 4 New Collections

BE MY BABY: THE VERY BEST OF THE RONETTES (Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees, 2007); THE SOUND OF LOVE: THE VERY BEST OF DARLENE LOVE (Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, 2011); DA DOO RON RON: THE VERY BEST OF THE CRYSTALS; WALL OF SOUND: THE VERY BEST OF PHIL SPECTOR 1961-1966

All titles available at both physical and digital retail outlets starting February 22, 2011, through Phil Spector Records/Legacy

Read the rest of the lengthy press release HERE

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Panic! At The Disco Back With New Music

Panic! At The Disco Unveil "Vices & Virtues"; First New Album in Three Years to Be Heralded by First Single, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa," Available at Digital Retailers on February 1st; PATD Also Set to Return to the Stage With Eagerly Awaited Live Sold Out Performance at NYC's Bowery Ballroom on February 1st; "VICES & VIRTUES" Drops Everywhere on March 29th

Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen recording group Panic! At The Disco has announced the release of their hugely anticipated new album. "VICES & VIRTUES" arrives in stores and at all digital retailers on March 29th.

The album's first single, entitled "The Ballad of Mona Lisa," will be available at all digital retailers on February 1st. That same day will see the multi-platinum certified band debuting new music from "VICES & VIRTUES" with a very special live performance at New York City's Bowery Ballroom, tickets for which sold-out in one hour. Furthermore, Panic! At The Disco will also play two European dates, the first a sold-out show on February 8th at London's Bush Hall, followed by a performance on February 10th at Visions Party/FZW in Dortmund, Germany. The band recently shot a music video for the single, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa" in Los Angeles with director Shane Drake, which will be released shortly. Drake previously directed the group's music videos for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" and "Nine In The Afternoon."

Produced by Butch Walker (Weezer, Pink) and John Feldmann (Neon Trees, The Used), "VICES & VIRTUES" marks Panic! At The Disco's first new release in three years, as well as their debut outing as a duo comprised of singer/multi-instrumentalist Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith.

"It's been a long time coming," Urie recently told Alternative Press, "but we're really excited about the songs."

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Did You Know?

The Platters reached the number one spot on the US Pop chart in 1959 with the immortal "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes."

In 1974 - For a mere $4 you could have seen Bruce Springsteen at Kent State University in Ohio as the opening act for Black Oak Arkansas.

In 1993, an inaugural concert is held in Landover, Maryland to honor President-elect Bill Clinton. Aretha Franklin sings "I Have A Dream" and Fleetwood Mac perform "Don't Stop", a tune that the Clinton campaign used as their theme song. Others appearing were Michael Jackson, Judy Collins, Chuck Berry, Michael Bolton and Little Richard.   All just a lead in for Monica......



In 1994 Paul McCartney inducts John Lennon into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, saying "The thing you must remember is, that I'm the number one John Lennon fan. I love him to this day and I always did love him."

In 1998, Rock and Roll pioneer Carl Perkins died of stroke related causes at the age of 65. Carl wrote and recorded "Blue Suede Shoes" which went to number 2 for him in 1956, selling 2 million copies. The Elvis Presley version topped out at number 20 the same year.

In 2006, Wilson Pickett suffered a fatal heart attack. During his career, he placed 16 hits on Billboard's Pop chart, including "Land Of 1000 Dances" (#6) and "Funky Broadway" (#8).

At 65 years old, Bob Dylan became the oldest living musician to ever top the Billboard album chart when "Modern Times" entered at #1 in September, 2006.

And in 2008, John Stewart, singer / songwriter who was a member of The Kingston Trio in the early '60s, but more often remembered for writing The Monkees' hit, "Daydream Believer", died following a brain aneurism. Stewart also had a successful solo career which included four dozen albums and a Billboard #9 hit single with "Gold" in 1979.

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Even more useless trivia for music buffs

The Artists Who Spent The Most Weeks At #1

Number  Name  Total
1 - Elvis Presley 80
2 - Mariah Carey 61
3 - The Beatles 59
4 - Boyz II Men 50
5 - Michael Jackson 37
6 - Elton John 34
7 - Janet Jackson 33
8 - Madonna 32
9 - Whitney Houston 31
10 - Paul McCartney 30
11 - Bee Gees 27
12 - Stevie Wonder 25
13 - Puff Daddy 24
14 - George Michael 23
15 - The Supremes 22
16 - Santana 22
17 - Pat Boone 21
18 - Debby Boone 21
19 - Lionel Richie 21
20 - Rod Stewart 20
21 - Diana Ross 20
22 - Jennifer Lopez 20
23 - Four Seasons 18
24 - Olivia Newton-John 18
25 - Celine Dion 18
26 - TLC 18
27 - Goo Goo Dolls 18

No one will top Elvis at 80!