Weekly Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales For January 2011

As always, a special thank you to Norm and Jane at Vinyl Record Talk for this great data. Stop by and listen to the radio show!!





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

A dull week between Christmas and New Years where no one wants to spend any money gave someone lucky buyer a sweet deal on a Parlophone "White Album" pressing. The rest of the list is full of obscurities this week, with private press Psych, blank label Jamacian Reggae and rare Rockabilly 45's.

1. LP - The Beatles "White Album" Parlophone UK Export Pressing - $2,750.00

2. LP - Christopher "What'cha Gonna Do?" Private Press - $2,524.00

3. 45 - Prince Buster "Linger On" / The Maytals "Baby Come Home" Jamacian Pressing - $2,200.00

4. 45 - Jackie Bernard "Torture & Flames" Test Pressing - $2,198.61

5. 45 - Marlon Mitchell "Bermuda Shorts" / "Ice Cold Baby" Vena - $2,005.00



Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 01/08/2011

An unreleased acetate from an Ohio funk band makes the top of the list this week, and is one of three soul related gems - the others being the very rare Northern 45 from Bobby Rich, and a Modern Soul 45 that is one to watch. Split Descision Band's "Watchin Out" single has been on the rise for several years, and this week's sale price is it's peak. It's also one that teaches looks can be deceiving. As a good friend and fellow dealer says, "No one knows every record", and he came close to passing this one up a year back because from the label style and font used for the band name it looked like just another lost country 45. Fortunately for his bottom line, he dropped a needle on it.

1. LP - The Crowd Pleasers unreleased acetate - $3,939.89

2. LP - The Beatles "The Beatles Collection" MFSL Japan Box Set - $3,599.99

3. 45 - Bobby Rich "There's A Girl Somewhere (For Me)" / "I Can't Help Myself" Sambea 101 - $3,000.00

4. 45 - Split Decision Band "Watchin' Out" / "Dazed" Network - $2,131.33

5. LP - Arthur Grumiaux "Bach Violin Concerto" Philips 835 - $2,026.98



Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 01/15/2011

The first three entries this week look like they're off the covers of the Goldmine Record Guide. Those are followed up by two Northern Soul 45s. Ok, I'm calling it - the economy is improving, at least in the UK, Northern Soul records have been making the list every week.

1. LP - The Beatles "Introducing The Beatles" Vee Jay Rainbow Label Stereo - $4,162.00

2. 45 - The Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen" / "Did You No Wrong" South Africa Pic Sleeve - $3,716.00

3. LP - The Velvet Underground "The Velvet Underground & Nico" Yellow Label Promo Mono - $3,506.00

4. 45 - Charles Johnson & Orchestra "You Made A Mistake" / "I'll Keep Loving You" Rainbow - $3,383.33

5. 45 - John Harris & Soul Sayers "Hangin' In" / "What Can I Do" Kerston - $2,916.00



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



Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 01/29/2011

A first press of "Please Please Me" shot to the top of the list, this one with matrix numbers that indicate it was pressed with the first stampers. Two modern soul 45's make the list this week. The self-titled David Bowie test pressing at the #3 spot is an approval copy of the US release that was for producer Mike Vernon.

1. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Stereo - $8,238.88

2. 45 - The Darling Dears "And I Love You" / "I Don't Think I'll Ever Love Another" Flower city - $3,050.00

3. LP - David Bowie "self-titled" Deram Test Pressing - $2,894.70

4. 45 - The Mark IV "Take This Love" / "If You Can't Tell Me Something Good" Brite Lite - $2,620.00

5. LP - Art Pepper Quartet "Modern Art" Intro - $2,025.00

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

New Label High Moon Records To Launch With Never-before-released Masterpiece By The Legendary Rock Band Love

On June 7, High Moon Records-the new boutique reissue label-will launch with 'Black Beauty,' the never-before-released masterpiece by Arthur Lee's legendary psychedelic rock band Love. Set for release on CD, vinyl, and digitally, 'Black Beauty' contains all ten original songs recorded in 1973 as well as rare bonus tracks, beautiful packaging with detailed liner notes by Ben Edmonds and never-before-seen photographs. The album was re-mastered by GRAMMY-winner Dan Hersch (Ramones, Alice Cooper).

Read more at top40-charts.com

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Urge Overkill Announce New Album: Rock&roll Submarine

Over 15 years since their last album, the two-headed rock 'n roll behemoth that is Urge Overkill, will finally make its return. Their new album, Rock&Roll Submarine, is out May 10th on their own label UO Records. The band's mixture of arena-ready hooks with punk rock ferocity is as potent as ever, as apparent on the rip-roaring new track, "Effigy." As fans who crowded NYC's Mercury Lounge this past October to witness the reunited group can attest, UO's live show is in top form as well. The guys kick off a brief US tour in May, where they will be tearing through their new and classic material.

Read more at top40-charts.com

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an interesting read from our friends in India, who have caught the vinyl fever as well!!

Black is Back

Indrajit Hazra, Hindustan Times

I’m inside a small room at the old Gramophone Company of India factory on the outskirts of Kolkata being made to listen to a rather sonorous voice coming out of a spinning plate. The rotating metal disc has been lovingly taken out of a cardboard box and I’m told by the gentleman fondly looking at the contraption that the voice belongs to Razia Begum.

Mentally, I draw a blank. But not wanting to be impolite, I manufacture excitement. The voice, clean as a whistle and earthy as a pot, is singing Launda badnaam hua... Natija tere liye with an open voice and minimal music. “It’s a traditional Bhojpuri track that was cut in 1983. This is the mastertrack,” recording engineer Sujan Chakrabarty tells me, adding how the film Dabangg has “done a copy of the song without giving any credit.” But that there’s some confusion about whether anyone can file a case as the song is ‘a traditional,’ so.... The machine is a Garrard 401 player and the ‘metal plate’ is a ‘mother cell’ with not a scratch on it. It’s the master disc, you see, from which vinyl records of the recording were once produced.

Read the rest at hindustantimes.com

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Vinyl records are spinning back around and gaining popularity

By Tracey Read

Greg Beaumont recalls buying a Black Sabbath album as a kid based on the cover art.

And now the owner of Record Den in Mentor for 38 years says he’s pleasantly surprised vinyl records are big once again.

Vinyl sales rose 14 percent nationwide from 2009 to 2010, with 2.8 million records sold, while CDs plummeted by 20 percent, according to Billboard.

Read the rest of the story at news-herald.com

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forbes blog has an interesting take on the demise of the CD and the vinyl revival

The Case for Vinyl: Why LPs Will Outlast CDs

Read more at blogs.forbes.com

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and in music history today:

In 1951, Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm record "Rocket 88" with producer Sam Phillips at his Memphis Recording Service. When the up-tempo combination of Swing and Jazz is released, it is credited to Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats and is now said by many music historians to be the first true Rock 'n' Roll record.

In 1959, Bobby Darin recorded "Dream Lover," which would reach #2 in the US the following summer.



Country singer Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee in 1963. Most often remembered for her hits, "Crazy", "Walkin' After Midnight", "I Fall To Pieces" and "She's Got You", Cline's Greatest Hits L.P. has sold over eight million copies, making it the largest selling female Country album of all time, until Shania Twain came along.

In 1963, The Beatles recorded "From Me To You" at Abbey Road Studios in London. The song had just been written by John and Paul a few days earlier while riding a train during a tour with Helen Shapiro and was one of the last to be credited to McCartney / Lennon. Nine days later it will reach number one in the UK and stay on the chart for twenty-one weeks.

In 1966, Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler's "The Ballad of the Green Berets" topped the Hot 100, selling more than two million copies in the first two weeks after its release.

Led Zeppelin started a twelve-date Return to the Clubs tour at the Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1971 as a way of thanking British fans who had supported them from the early days. The band played for their original fees and fans got in for the original admission price.

In 1982, actor, comedian and singer, John Belushi, died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin. He and Dan Aykroyd had a hit record as The Blues Brothers in 1978 with a remake of the Sam and Dave classic, "Soul Man", while their album "Briefcase Full of Blues" reached #1 on the Billboard 200, going double Platinum. Belushi was one of the original cast members on Saturday Night Live, played “Joliet” Jake Blues in The Blues Brothers movie and also appeared in the film Animal House. His tombstone reads, “I may be gone, but rock ‘n’ roll lives on.”

Wham! made their U.S. television debut in 1983 when they appeared on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.

The first episode of The Osbournes reality show was aired on MTV in America in 2002, focusing on the everyday exploits of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and two of their children, Jack and Kelly.

In 2007, records by Paul Simon and The Rolling Stones were chosen for preservation by the US Library of Congress. The Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and Simon’s Graceland album entered the National Recordings Registry, which preserves historic works for future generations. Other recordings chosen this year included Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes, “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke and the album The Velvet Underground and Nico.

Birthday wishes to Craig and Charlie Reid of The Proclaimers (1962)

Michael Fremer Album Review

The Cars
(Reissue)

The Cars

Elektra/Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-274 180g LP

Produced by: Roy Thomas Baker
Engineered by: Geoff Workman
Mixed by: Roy Thomas Baker
Mastered by: Shawn R. Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs

MUSIC

SOUND





Mo-Fi Gives The Cars Just What It Needed!
by Michael Fremer
February 01, 2010

(Corrected version: Elliot Easton is still with us. Ben Orr, unfortunately, passed away in 2000. I mistakenly said "the late Elliot Easton" in the original review. My apologies!)

 The Cars didn’t swing but that was the point. Rick Ocasek didn’t emote much, but that too was the point. The Cars were all about gleaming chrome, hard edges, not too glam-rock and taking Roxy Music to its logical, stripped down conclusion. The musical and cultural concept was modern yet retro. It was an American band, after all.

It was 1978 and The Cars helped usher in and would eventually be overtaken by the synth disco hair bands. Despite the trappings, The Cars were very conservative, from David Robinson’s tidy on-the-beat drumming to Greg Hawkes’ orderly synth lines. No raucous Eno squealing for him.

Even when allowed to predominate, on the final tune “All Mixed Up,” the synth parts are neat and punctual. Elliot Easton’s guitar lines were dazzlingly understated, serving to fill more than to puncture. Ric Ocasek’s vocals were cool and detached but hardly campy.

What made the debut click with the American public almost immediately were Ocasek’s songs: familiar enough and tuneful at their core but sufficiently alienated and alienating to effectively counterbalance the then dominant California culture.

Look at the pictures on the inner sleeve of the gatefold reissue and you see, despite the leopard skin tights, suspenders and the rest of the modestly hip get ups, more beantown working class earnestness than rock and roll outrageousness.

The album opens with “Good Times Roll,” a concept that usually produces musical and lyrical abandon but here, not so much. Over a stiff beat Ocasek makes it almost painful: “let them knock you around,” “let the stories be cold,” “let them make you a clown.” Sure, the idea is sort of roll with it but not comfortably or with abandon.

While “My Best Friend’s Girl” hints at a well-worn theme of longing and possessiveness, Ocasek flips it brilliantly at the end with “and she used to be mine.” The dismissive obsessiveness and cool cruelty of “Just What I Needed,” written by Ocasek but sung by bassist Benjamin Orr remains one of the great lyrical coups of modern rock. Combined with a brilliant opening, a tightly wound center and non-resolved ending, the tune’s demo version was much requested on WBCN-FM and helped signal the station’s paradigm shift from hippiedom to the “new wave” led by the program director Oedipus.

Over the decades, Ocasek’s spare, cool lyrics, filled with desire and ambivalence, only gleam brighter. There’s not a bad tune on this debut and the arrangements, though now familiar, are spare works that craftily whip rock guitar and new synth into candy gloss, carousel perfection. You could say some of it is too cute by half and accuse the beat of plodding now, but it did back then too. In fact, the deliberativeness of Robinson’s mechanical sounding rhythm tracks was and remains one of the album’s core strengths even as you will them to break free.

Recorded at AIR Studios in the UK and produced by Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker and originally mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, the album has always had a cool crunchiness that may have been intentional both to mirror the musical intent and to make it “pop” more on the radio but it never made for a great listen on a high performance audio system.

The original pressing has both a Sterling stamp on the lead out groove area and the initials “RTB” (scribed in the plastic), which probably means he was involved in the original cut. Clearly RTB wanted it cool and somewhat crunchy because the original Japanese pressing (Elektra Warner-Pioneer P-10552E) is more dynamic, more bass-intense and produces far more depth than does the original American issue.

Mo-Fi’s new gatefold edition sounds closer to the Japanese than to the original but it’s even better in most ways and as good in others. The Mo-fi is just crunchy enough, but not too crunchy and has excellent bottom end extension and definition. It also produces more depth and width than does the original and it doesn’t push the vocal harmonies up against a glass wall, which is something the others do.

If this is one of your ‘go to’ albums, go to your favorite records store, virtual or brick and mortar, and get this. It’s just what you’re needing.

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.

©2010 MusicAngle.com & Michael Fremer - - All rights reserved

Reprinted by Permission

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

pitchfork.com has this news about one of my favorite bands:

Arcade Fire Announce World Tour

Award-winning Canadians make cross-continental victory lap

Less than a week after they unexpectedly, awesomely took home the Grammy for Album of the Year, Arcade Fire have announced a massive world tour. Along the way, they'll play a few giant festivals, as well as their own headlining shows with some choice openers: the National, Explosions in the Sky, Local Natives, Okkervil River. When that's done, they'll hit Europe, head back to Canada for one show with U2, and wrap it with two more gigs in the UK.

Get the rest of the story and tour dates at Pitchfork.com

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Goldmine has auction news:

Market Watch: Elvis, Beatles, Police and Warhol rarities dominate our online auction countdown

By Susan Sliwicki

After a week’s absence online, we figured we’d give you a double-shot of our Market Watch countdown. We just didn’t realize quite so many online auctions would unwittingly embrace the two-by-two theme,
as multiple artists and genres have such similar entries, it’s almost kind of eerie.

Earning honorable mention is a Second-State copy of The Beatles’ “Yesterday and Today,” which narrowly missed making the countdown when it sold for $2,025. This stereo copy clocked in at VG++ for the vinyl. The cover, which comes with its original shrink wrap, earns a strong E++, according to the seller. See if you can find its partner further down in the countdown.

Read more: Rarity-packed auctions feature Elvis, Beatles, Police, Warhol | Goldmine Magazine





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James Hetfield, Bono Praise Phil Lynott

Bryan Wawzenek

A new museum exhibit in Ireland is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the death of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott. On the eve of the exhibit opening (it runs March 4 through April 3 at Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre in Dublin City Centre), Neil McCormick of The Telegraph has written a piece about the legacy of Lynott and his band – which includes some high praise from Metallica’s James Hetfield and U2’s Bono.

Read the rest at Gibson.com







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Grimey’s Vinyl Best Sellers 2/21-2/27/2011

1. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow

2. Adele – 21

3. Jacuzzi Boys / Vivian Girls – Bruise Cruise V.2 7?

4. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More

5. Quintron / Turbo Fruits – Bruise Cruise V.3 7?

6. Black Lips / Strange Boys – Bruise Cruise V.4 7?

7. Trent Dabbs – Southerner

8. Tristen – Charlatans At The Garden Gate

9. The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh

10. Bright Eyes – The People’s Key

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The Groove’s Vinyl Best Sellers 2/21-2/27/2011

1. Adele – 21

2. Tristen – Charlatans At The Garden Gate

3. Nirvana – Incesticide

4. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

5. Warpaint – Exquisite Corpse

6. Jessica Lea Mayfield – Tell Me

7. Wanda Jackson – The Party Ain’t Over

8. The Black Keys – Brothers

9. Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean

10. Vivian Girls / Jacuzzi Boys – Bruise Cruise Vol. 2 split 7”

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My Morning Jacket Ready New Album

Highly anticipated song title: "Holdin' On to Black Metal"

Kentucky classic-rock explorers My Morning Jacket are festival mainstays with a rich and busy side-project schedule, but they haven't released a new album since 2008's Evil Urges. This spring, they'll finally return in full force when they release the new album Circuital, as Rolling Stone reports. Talking to the band, RS learned a few key details about the album-- like the fact that it includes a song with the awesome title "Holdin' On to Black Metal". And that the genesis of the album belongs to Muppets.

Read the rest at Pitchfork.com







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Daft Punk To Release 'Tron: Legacy' Remix Album

French legends Daft Punk (Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter) are releasing a remix album of their acclaimed original score to last year’s Tron: Legacy. The album is approprietly titled Tron: Legacy R3CONFIGUR3D and will be in record stores April 15th on both CD and boxed set vinyl.

The new record will feature contributions from M83, The Crystal Method, Moby, Paul Oakenfold, and plenty of others.

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lovely story about a man on a mission (and, yes, vinyl is involved!)

Tankcrimes Founder Runs Mini Punk Empire Out of His Garage

People in the music industry love to throw around the term "DIY," but few people live by its credo as much as Scotty Heath. The Bay Area resident's Tankcrimes is one of the most vital record labels in the underground scene today, and he's done it all on his own. Working out of his Oakland, CA garage, Heath has released records by the cream of the crop of the punk and death metal scene. Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Municipal Waste, and Toxic Holocaust are just a few of the killer acts Tankcrimes has unleashed during its run as a label.

Read the rest at noisecreep.com

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Members Of Wilco, Cheap Trick, Eleventh Dream Day, NTO Form Band

With more than 100 years of accumulated rock ‘n' roll history as a foundation, Candy Golde is the Midwestern musical collaboration of Nicholas Tremulis, Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) John Stiratt (Wilco) and Rick Rizzo (Eleventh Dream Day). The distinctive blend of blues groove, power pop, Americana and alternative shows itself in the self-titled 5-song Candy Golde EP, to be released by Ten O Nine Records on May 11.

Read more at pluginmusic.com

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Seether Announce Spring Tour Dates

Anne Erickson

South American rock band Seether have announced tour dates in support of their upcoming album, Holding on to Strings Better Left to Fray, which is slated to drop May 24 on Wind-Up Records. The first single, a country-rock track called “Country Song,” is set to hit iTunes March 8.

Read more and get the tour dates at Gibson.com









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Two Taylors: James Taylor and Son Ben Hit the Road

Anne Erickson

Ben Taylor has toured alongside Sheryl Crow and Blues Traveler, but never his own father. Until now, that is.

The son of James Taylor and Carly Simon kicks off on a North American tour with his dad this week in support of his upcoming release, Listening, out later this year. Ben and his father will perform each show side by side, the two playing each other’s songs.

Read more and get the tour dates at Gibson.com

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Who needs dinnerware or a blender when you can have a record store?

One Lucky record store

Gayngs' keyboardist and his wife are enjoying being newly wed to Yeti Records in south Minneapolis.

By CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Star Tribune

Instead of a matching dinnerware set, a breadmaker or a honeymoon, Lisa and Jake Luck got something they really wanted for a wedding present: their own record store.

"We signed the lease two days after our wedding," Lisa recalled......

Read the rest of this wonderful story at startribune.com

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Great to see this fun and enjoyable event being successful!

Collect-i-Bowl Strikes Again

by Kylie Jane Wakefield

This past Sunday, February 27th, Brooklyn Bowl played host to Collect-i-Bowl, an event that featured over 25 vinyl record dealers showcasing their thousands of records to prospective collectors.

Mike Schnapp, aka DJ Uncle Mike, organized Collect-i-Bowl and spun records for the event, which included free bowling and lasted from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Schnapp, who DJs at Brooklyn Bowl every Saturday, said that compared to the other two shows held in spring and fall of 2010, this one was the best yet. “People are happy because it works,” he said.

For the record dealers, the shows are a useful way to set up connections and browse one another’s collections. “We are a tight knit group, and we’re all looking out for each other,” Schnapp said. “There’s a network of people who go around. They used to have stores but they became a burden so now their records are in storage. People drove here from everywhere in the North East area.”

Read more HERE

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Review: Labour of Lust: Deluxe Edition - Nick Lowe

by Andy Snipper

Originally released in 1979 and sounding as fresh as a daisy today, Labour Of Lust was actually a Rockpile album but had to be released as a Nick Lowe solo effort because of the contractual silliness of the times.

No matter who or what it was recorded by, this is 12 tracks of pop brilliance and most of the tracks could be handed to Westblue or any of the other boy bands without any worries at all

Read more: vintagevinylnews.com





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and in music history for the day:

The Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake" debuted in 1977.

In 1959, the winners of the first Grammy Awards were announced. Domenico Modugno's "Volare" was named Record of the Year; Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" was Album of the Year and The Champs

"Tequila" won best R&B performance. Variety magazine seemed to take great delight when it later reported - "The record academy has snubbed the Rock. Not one Rock 'n' Roll record was nominated."

John Lennon caused a major stir in the United States in 1966 when London's Evening Standard newspaper published an interview with him in which he remarked, "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue that. I'm right and will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus right now." Lennon would later apologize, explaining that what he meant was "the way some people carry on, (screaming at their concerts) you'd think we were more popular than Jesus Christ". Thousands of Beatle records were smashed at mass rallies and some radio stations quit playing their songs altogether. John's apology was eventually accepted by most and time has healed most wounds.

In 1967, the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday" sat atop the Billboard singles chart after American disc jockeys shied away from playing the flip side, "Let's Spend The Night Together".

In 1970, Janis Joplin was fined $200 for using obscene language onstage in Tampa, Florida.

In 1972, Badfinger receive a Gold record for the Billboard #4 hit, "Day After Day". The song featured George Harrison on guitar and Leon Russell on piano.



In 1977, CBS released The Clash’s self-titled debut album in the U.K. CBS in the U.S. eventually released their own version in 1979, after over 100,000 imported copies of the record made the LP one of the biggest-selling imports of all time.

In 1978, the Bee Gees were the hottest act around when they helped their younger brother Andy to the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100 by writing his hit, "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water". Their own tune,

"Stayin' Alive" was pushed back to number 2, while another of their compositions, "Emotion" by Samantha Sang sat at number 4 and "Night Fever" was number 5.

Also in 1978, the US internal Revenue Service carried out a dawn raid at the home of Jerry Lee Lewis and removed cars worth over $170,000, to pay off his back taxes.

In 1986, after just completing a two set show with The Band in Winter Park, Florida, 41 year-old Richard Manuel committed suicide by hanging himself. His band mate, Robbie Robertson honored his friend with the song, "Fallen Angel" in 1987.

After Madonna's "Like A Prayer" debuts in a Pepsi commercial on US television in 1989, Roman Catholic groups around the world protest, calling the video, which contains both religious and sexual imagery, "blasphemy".

Raymond Edwards of the vocal group The Silhouettes, died in 1997 at the age of 74. The Philadelphia quartet topped the Billboard chart in 1958 with "Get A Job".

In 1999, Cher had her first Billboard number one single in 25 years with "Believe." The last time she topped the chart was with 1974's "Dark Lady."

In 2001, Glenn Hughes of Village People died of lung cancer at the age of 50. He was buried in his leather biker outfit.

Birthday wishes to Evan Dando of the Lemonheads (1967) and Chris Squire of Yes, who turns a young 63 years old!

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Soundgarden to Begin Recording Next Week

Bryan Wawzenek

After reuniting and playing a bunch of shows last year, Soundgarden said their goal for 2011 was to make a new album. According to frontman Chris Cornell, that process begins next week.

“We start recording in about a week in Seattle,” he told Spin.com. He said that Adam Kasper – who produced the band’s last studio album, 1996’s Down on the Upside – will return to helm this project.

Read the rest at Gibson.com

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Danzig Announces US Spring Tour

Danzig has announced the Deth Red Sabaoth Tour this Spring with special guests Devildriver and 2Cents. The month-long, 22-city trek beings in Las Vegas on April 29th, hitting all regions of the US, and ends May 28th in Tempe, AZ. This comes on the heels of Danzig's recent nomination for best vocalist at the 2011 Revolver Golden Gods Awards. Tickets go on sale to the general public this weekend, March 4-5th.

Read more at pluginmusic.com

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an interesting post about album cover art!

Best Power Metal Album Covers


Whether you're a seasoned listener or a heavy music neophyte, if you see some kind of mythological winged creature or a 'Masters of the Universe'-inspired landscape on an album cover, chances are it's from a power metal band. While this over-the-top brand of artwork is definitely an acquired taste (as is the genre itself), we hope you enjoy this list of our 10 favorite power metal album covers.

Read more at noisecreep.com













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More of the Monkees: U.S. Tour Announced

Andrew Vaughan

An Evening with The Monkees – The 45th Anniversary Tour will begin on June 4 at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida. The three Monkees – Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones and Peter Tork will play 27 cities before winding up the tour in Los Angeles in July.

Aside from the hits like “I’m a Believer,” “Last Train to Clarksville,” “Daydream Believer,” and “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” The Monkees will perform album tracks including songs from their cult movie, Head.

Read the rest at Gibson.com

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some of these I have already listed, here  but there are some new ones here and more info on some special Record Store Day releases:

Polyvinyl Records unveils eleven limited edition vinyl releases for Record Store Day 2011

This year Polyvinyl will be producing 11 limited edition records for sale on Record Store Day, the most ever on a single day in the label’s 15-year history. Here’s the line-up for Polyvinyl’s releases:

Deerhoof – Friend Opportunity (LP, with MP3)

Limited to 1000 copies and pressed on 180-gram translucent green vinyl. The album has been out of print on vinyl for years and is under exclusive license through Kill Rock Stars. In addition to the original album it includes ‘Makko Shobu’ and a new mix for ‘Matchbook Seeks Maniac’.

Mighty Clouds – Mighty Clouds (LP with MP3)

Limited to 500 on 180-gram black vinyl. Mighty Clouds is the new project from Fred Thomas (Saturday Looks Good to Me, City Center) and Betty Marie Barnes (SLGTM). Their self-titled debut is a split release between Polyvinyl and Life Like.

Owen – O, Evelyn (7″ with MP3)

Limited to 2000 on black vinyl. O, Evelyn is a new 7″ from Mike Kinsella (American Football, Cap’n Jazz) recorded and released specifically for Record Store Day and limited to 2000 copies. The A-side features the title track, while the B-side is a cover of The Smiths ‘Girlfriend in a Coma’.

of Montreal – The Past Is A Grotesque Animal (12″ with MP3)

Limited to 1,000 on 180-gram black vinyl. Packaged in a hand screenprinted jacket, the A-side features the album version of ‘The Past Is A Grotesque Animal’ from 2007′s Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? The B-side is a new version of ‘The Past Is A Grotesque Animal’ that was made for the Spike Jonze short film I’m Here, in which a fake robot band called The Lost Trees perform the song. The song was re-envisioned by of Montreal chief musician Kevin Barnes, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ guitarist Nick Zinner, and members of the Moonrats.

Architecture in Helsinki – Places Like This Special Edition (LP with MP3)

Architecture in Helsinki’s Places Like This is being reissued as a limited edition run of 500 copies on 180-gram pink vinyl. Places Like This is one of the the band’s highest selling albums to date and has been unavailable through retailers for close to a year.

Joan of Arc – Joan of Arc Presents: Don’t Mind Control Special Edition (LP with MP3)

Limited to 500 on 180-gram blue vinyl. Joan of Arc Presents: Don’t Mind Control features new songs by Tim Kinsella, Owen, Cale Parks (Aloha), Vacations (ex-Chin Up Chin Up), Ghosts and Vodka (ex-Cap’n Jazz), Euphone, The Cairo Gang, and many more. This release will be a super deluxe edition with 18×24 poster, gatefold jacket and bonus 24-song download of the soundboard recording of the Don’t Mind Control Variety Show.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Broom Special Edition (LP with MP3)

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin’s debut album Broom is being reissued as a limited edition run of 500 copies on 180-gram white vinyl. Never before on colored vinyl, the super deluxe edition of this LP features three songs not found on the CD along with a download code that includes two digital bonus tracks. It also includes an exclusive poster.

Deerhoof / XIU XIU – Almost Xiu Xiu, Almost Deerhoof (Split 7″ with MP3)

Almost Xiu Xiu, Almost Deerhoof is the latest in a series of collaborative 7″ singles, featuring guest vocalists singing self-composed lyrics and vocal melodies over a Deerhoof instrumental track. Side-A features Xiu Xiu vocalist Jamie Stewart as well as added instrumentation on Deerhoof’s ‘Almost Everyone, Almost Always’, which is featured on Deerhoof’s latest album, Deerhoof vs. Evil. Side-B features Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier returning the favor for a track that appears in its original state on Xiu Xiu’s Dear God, I Hate Myself.

Vivian Girls – I Heard You Say (7″ with MP3)

Limited to 2000 on black vinyl. Vivian Girls’ I Heard You Say 7″ features their brand new single on Side-A, taken from the upcoming full-length album and Polyvinyl debut, Share the Joy. Side-B, ‘I Won’t Be Long’, is exclusive to this release.

Mates of State – Team Boo Special Edition (LP with MP3)

Limited to 500 on 180-gram red vinyl. Team Boo is Mates of State’s classic 3rd full-length and one of their best selling to date. Team Boo was engineered by Jim Eno (of Spoon) and John Croslin (who recorded albums for Spoon, Guided By Voices, Beulah and countless others). This special Record Store Day edition includes five digital bonus tracks.

Busdriver – ATM (7″ with MP3)

Limited to 1,000 on baby blue vinyl. Ass to Mouth b/w ‘Colour Wheel’ is the first offering from Busdriver’s highly anticipated untitled full-length.


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NPR.com has a lengthy story about vinyl, well worth checking out!

Slow And Steady: Vinyl Survives

by Jacob Ganz

In recent years some headlines have cast an increase in sales for vinyl LPs — once considered a casualty of the CD era — as something like a beacon of hope for the struggling music industry. The reality isn't all that rosy. Though vinyl sales grew by 14% in 2010, according to Nielsen SoundScan, they still counted for less than one percent of the year's total album sales.

Read the rest of the article at npr.org




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a great story at boston.com about a medium that has been part of our music culture for many years

Post master

He may not be a rock star, but graphic artist Nate Duval gets to work closely with some of the best

By Christopher Muther

Artist Nate Duval could give any number of reasons for pursuing his current vocation, which involves creating limited edition posters for bands ranging from Phish to the Decemberists. He could explain that the business of making gig posters for bands has exploded in the past five years, or that, as a major music fan, this kind of work is a natural fit for him. He could also say it has opened several important doors for his career, and all of these explanations would be correct.

Read the rest of the interview at boston.com










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and in music history for today:

In 1931, the first jazz album to sell a million copies was recorded. It was "Minnie The Moocher" by Cab Calloway.



In 1956, Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on the Billboard charts when "Heartbreak Hotel" debuts at #68. Although many staff members at RCA Victor believed that the release was a mistake, the song would rise to #1 on the US Pop chart for 8 weeks and spend 17 weeks at the top of the Country chart. Many years later, "Heartbreak Hotel" would be ranked #45 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In 1957, the head of the Catholic archdiocese of Chicago, Samuel Cardinal Strich, bans Rock and Roll from Catholic schools in his district.

In 1966, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Richie Furay, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin created the group, Buffalo Springfield. Their stay on the Rock music scene would only last a couple of years before the group would fragment. Stills teamed up with David Crosby of The Byrds and Graham Nash of The Hollies to form Crosby, Stills and Nash, while Young released several solo projects before joining them. Furay got together with Jim Messina and Randy Meisner to create Poco in 1968. Palmer dropped out of the lime light while Martin toured as Buffalo Springfield with fill-in musicians.

In 1967, The Jeff Beck group, featuring a virtually unknown singer named Rod Stewart, along with bass player Ron Wood and drummer Aynsley Dunbar, make their debut in London, England.

In 1971, South African radio lifts its five-year ban on Beatles' music.

In 1980, London auction house Sotheby's holds its first ever auction of Rock memorabilia. Among the notable items sold were four US dollar bills signed by The Beatles that went for £220 ($528).

In 1983, a member of a motorcycle gang tells a US Senate Judiciary hearing that his friends have a contract out on The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and that two assassination attempts have already failed.

In 1984, one-hit wonders Nena start a three-week run on top of the U.K. singles chart with “99 Red Balloons.” Originally sung in their native German, “99 Luftballons” was re-recorded in English. The original version went on to become a #2 hit in the U.S.

In 2008, Norman Smith, who was the chief engineer on Beatles recording sessions between 1962-65, dies at the age of 85. Nicknamed “Normal Norman” by John Lennon, he recorded the early Pink Floyd. As Hurricane Smith he had unexpected Top 5 U.K. hits in 1971 with “Don’t Let It Die”and “Oh Babe, What Would You Say” the following year

If you see them, wish them a happy birthday today! Robyn Hitchcock (1953) and Jennifer Warnes (1947)

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 28, 2011

DEAR JERRY: I know the peak time for quadraphonic albums is around 1975. However, the first quad LP I bought was “Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite,” the soundtrack of Elvis Presley's 1973 Honolulu concert.

Since this came out before quad's heyday, might it be the very first quad album?

I'll bet it is the top-selling quad release.

Also, did anyone ever make quad singles?
—Jeremy Norbert, Milwaukee

DEAR JEREMY: There are many firsts associated with “Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite,” such as:

This January 14, 1973 event is the first entertainment show of any type broadcast worldwide via satellite. Though not all countries caught it at the same time, over 1.5 billion — then about a third of the world's population — watched a 1973 first-run telecast. Since then, millions more viewed the DVDs and TV replays.

When the two-disc soundtrack album (RCA VPSX-6089) topped the nation's LP charts (May 5, 1973), it became the first quadraphonic album reaching No. 1.

With nearly six million units sold (platinum to the sixth degree) it remains history's top-selling quad LP, by a distance wider than from Honolulu to the mainland.

Noteworthy too is there was no set ticket price. Concert-goers simply made a donation, with 100% of the amount of ticket and souvenir sales going to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund. Elvis proudly announced the total raised as $75,000.

It is one of very few albums in general distribution made exclusively in the quad — RCA named it QuadraDisc — format, at least until 1976. By then, the industry began phasing out the quad experiment. This and other former quad product then came out in ordinary stereo.

Inexplicably, all 1973 versions of “Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite” made specifically for the RCA Record Club (RCA R2-213736) are standard two-channel stereo, not QuadraDisc.

In May 1974, RCA issued a special 7-inch EP (DTF0-2006) just for juke box operators. This oddity was not made in quad because they created it strictly for stereo juke boxes.

Meanwhile, back on the LP front, Columbia announced in November 1973 some early yet impressive numbers for quad album sales: “Abaraxas” (Santana) 90,000; “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (Simon & Garfunkel) 62,500; “Greatest Hits” (Sly and the Family Stone) 62,300; “Pearl” (Janis Joplin) 55,400; “Summer of '42” (Peter Nero) 40,200; and “Loggins & Messina” (Kenny Loggins & Jim Messina) 30,800.

Fueled by such encouraging sales, Columbia quickly began production of quad singles, the first of which was Art Garfunkel's Top 10 hit at the time, “All I Know” (Columbia 45926).

Made exclusively for radio stations, its custom sleeve explains itself:

SPECIAL NOTICE … COLUMBIA'S FIRST SQ QUADRAPHONIC SINGLE

Dear Broadcaster:

Because of the enormous demand for Quadraphonic sound, Columbia is proud to release its first SQ Quadraphonic single, featuring the renowned artist, Art Garfunkel.

If you transmit in FM-stereo, you may now broadcast Columbia SQ Quadraphonic discs, both singles and albums, or your own stereo tape cartridges recorded from these discs, with no modifications to your present equipment.

SQ, or Stereo Quadraphonic, is the matrix encoding technology developed by CBS in 1970. In December that year, “The Flame,” a self-titled collection of songs written by Flame co-founders Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin, came out labeled as “Compatible Quadraphonic Sound.”

Produced by Carl Wilson, of the Beach Boys, and on their personal label (Brother BR-2500), “The Flame” is widely-regarded as the first quad LP.

SQ did have its audio shortcomings, so along came Japan's Sansui and their QS (Quadraphonic Stereo), an improved and competing technology.

In July 1972, at a London expo, RCA unveiled its QS encoded system, and promised about 15 QuadraDiscs by the end of the year.

Much like the famous Betamax vs. VHS video tape battle that lay ahead, SQ (Sony/CBS/Columbia) and QS (RCA/Sansui/JVC/Panasonic) were completely incompatible, creating a nightmare for consumers. No matter which decoder they owned, many fine quad LPs existed that their system could not properly play.

This boondoggle is the main reason cited for the death of quadraphonic recordings, although the basic four-channel system, with a center speaker added, returned successfully in the '80s as home theater, otherwise known as surround sound.


IZ ZAT SO? Quad devotees in the '70s wanted either long-playing albums or pre-recorded tapes, not singles. Accordingly, Columbia, and later other labels, produced quad singles for two purposes: first for FM radio, then for quadraphonic juke boxes.

In 1974, right after Columbia's first batch of quad singles for radio, Seeburg wanted in on the new craze. They modified their 80-disc STD-160 and came up with the SQS-160. Unfortunately, with CBS's SQ encoding, the result was a simulated version of quad.

Chances are the patrons in noisy bars and restaurants never knew the difference.

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

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

I love this album cover art!

JAG PANZER: Another New Song Available For Streaming

"Overlord", a brand new song from Colorado power metallers JAG PANZER, can be streamed using the audio player below (courtesy of AOL's Noisecreep). The track comes off the band's new album, "Scourge Of The Light", which was released on February 28 in Europe (except in Germany, where it will arrive three days earlier) and will be made avaialble on March 8 in the U.S. via SPV/Steamhammer Records. In addition to the regular CD version, the effort will be made available as a double-vinyl set.

The cover artwork for "Scourge Of The Light" is available below. It was painted by Los Angeles artist Justin Yun.

Read more at Blabbermouth.com











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interesting cover art, eh?

HAARP Interviewed By FULL METAL ROCK (Video) 

Patrick of Full Metal Rock recently conducted an interview with the New Orleans heavy metal act HAARP. You can now watch the chat below.

HAARP's new album, "The Filth", was released on November 23, 2010 via Housecore Records. Produced by Housecore owner Philip Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA), the CD is described in a press release as "an ugly, oppressive journey into heavy metal." The album features cover artwork by famed artist and tattoo master Paul Booth.

Read more at Blabbermouth.com














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Def Leppard to Release Live Album 'Mirrorball' This Summer

This summer, the rockers are set to release a new live disc dubbed 'Mirrorball,' which will include three new studio songs alongside popular live cuts. The album will be packaged with a DVD of bonus performances and the obligatory backstage footage.

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A Day To Remember re-release albums on vinyl

Victory Records has announced that they will be re-releasing A Day To Remember's 'For Those Who Have A Heart' and 'Homesick' as well as 'Attack Of The Killer B-Sides' on vinyl.

The vinyl's are a limited edition release and all come with a mp3 download card. They are available to purchase at Victory Records

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great article from down under

Good grief emerges from pop punster Alex Gow Iain Shedden

A GOOD song can become a great one on the simple turn of a melody. So, too, can a songwriter of promise reach his or her potential by honing in on the things they do best.

Those were the thoughts going through Alex Gow's mind as he approached the recording of his band Oh Mercy's second album, Great Barrier Grief.

Much has changed since the Melbourne outfit broke ground with its album Privileged Woes in 2009, a debut that earned it critical acclaim, a small but devoted fan base and an Australian Music Prize nomination.

Read the rest at theaustralian.com

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feel good record store article in NY

Area Records: Reviving vinyl since 1977

By SUSAN CLARK PORTER Finger Lakes Times

GENEVA — In the music business, what goes around comes around ... literally.

In the front part of Area Records and Music on 74 Seneca St. is a vinyl records section, featuring new and used albums. Although downloadable music may be the medium of choice these days, there has been a resurgence in vinyl, said Area Records owner Mikel George. In fact, record sales increased about 15 percent nationally last year over 2009 figures.

Keeping pace with such music industry trends, remaining independent and diversification have worked well for George, who first opened Area Records in September 1977 at One Franklin Square. When he started the business, working alongside him selling records and stereo accessories were Al Liberio and Jeff Melito, who still works at the store today.

Read more at fltimes.com

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and in North Carolina, a record store is booming!

Break on through to the store next door

Harvest Records expands as market declines

by Dane Smith

In less than seven years, Harvest Records has grown from a struggling upstart to an Asheville music institution.

In addition to serving the region's music-buying public, owners Matt Schnable and Mark Capon have released a host of albums on their own Harvest Recordings imprint, brought dozens of national touring acts to Asheville and spearheaded a successful music festival. Harvest has managed to thrive — even as CD sales plummet and the overall economy tanks.

Read the rest at mountainx.com

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and in music history for today:

In 1955, Bo Diddley has his first recording session at Universal Recording Studio in Chicago, where he lays down "Bo Diddley", which will top the US R&B chart by the following June.

In 1963, the Cascades achieved their only Billboard Top 40 hit when "Rhythm Of The Rain" topped out at #3.

"Twist and Shout" by the Beatles was released in the U.S in 1964.

At the ninth annual Grammy Awards in 1967, Frank Sinatra wins Record of the Year for "Strangers in the Night" and Album Of The Year for "Sinatra, a Man and His Music". Song of the Year goes to John Lennon and Paul McCartney's "Michelle" and The New Vaudeville Band wins Best Contemporary Rock and Roll Recording for "Winchester Cathedral".

At the 11th Grammy Awards held in 1969, Glen Campbell is presented with Album Of The Year honors for "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" is named Record Of The Year. Jose Feliciano is dubbed Best New Artist and the Bobby Russell composition "Little Green Apples" is given the nod as Song Of The Year. Mason Williams won Best Instrumental Performance for "Classical Gas" and Judy Collins takes home a statue for Best Folk Performance for "Both Sides Now".

In 1974, Terry Jacks, who had left The Poppy Family in 1970, had the top song in the US with "Season's In The Sun". The tune was originally written in French, titled "Le Moribund" ("The Dying Man") and recorded as an album cut by The Kingston Trio. It was recommended by Jacks to The Beach Boys, who did record it, but declined to release it. Their decision worked out well for Jacks, who sold over eleven and a half million copies of the record.

1975 - Los Angeles Police pull over Paul McCartney's Lincoln Continental for allegedly running a red light. They detect the smell of marijuana and arrest Linda McCartney for having six to eight ounces of the drug in her pocketbook. Paul was driving but is not charged with anything.

In 1983, Sony, Philips and Polygram introduce a revolutionary new digital audio system called a Compact Disc that contains up to 1 hour of music.

Paul Simon's "Graceland" is named Record Of The Year at the 30th Grammy Awards in 1988. "Bring On The Night" by Sting is awarded Best Pop Vocal Performance and George Michael and Aretha Franklin win Best R&B Performance for "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)".

In 1991, 21 years after its initial release, "All Right Now" by Free reached #2 on the UK singles chart when it was reissued to coincide with its use in a Wrigley's Chewing gum TV ad.


In 1999, Dusty Springfield died of breast cancer at the age of 59, after a five year battle. She would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame less than two weeks after she passed away.

In 2003, Hank Ballard, the writer and original performer of "The Twist", died at his Los Angeles home after suffering from throat cancer. His exact age is uncertain as most biographies say he was 66, but friends say he was actually 75. He originally released "The Twist" on the B-side of his 1959 tune "Teardrops On Your Letter", but after Chubby Checker took the song to number one, Ballard re-released his version and had a top 30 hit with it as well in 1960. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

2005 - The iTunes Music Store reached 300 million songs sold.

Among those celebrating birthdays today are Chris Martin of Coldplay (1977) and Mark Evans of AC/DC

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers to Re-Release Their First Two Albums on Colored Vinyl on Record Store Day (April 16)

Newly Re-Mastered Editions of "Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers" and "You're Gonna Get It!" Limited to 2,500 Copies in the US/Canada and 2,000 copies in Europe/Asia

BURBANK, CA--(Marketwire - March 2, 2011) - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers will celebrate worldwide Record Store Day on April 16 by re-releasing in limited editions their first two albums on 120-gram colored vinyl. These special editions of "Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers" (on white vinyl) and "You're Gonna Get It!" (on blue vinyl) will be limited for sale at the 700 independently owned record stores in the USA and hundreds of similar stores internationally. The press run for each album will be 2,500 copies in the USA and Canada and 2,000 copies in Europe and Asia for a total press run of only 4,500 copies worldwide.

"Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers," the band's debut album, was originally released in 1976. The album is best known for introducing the world to the classic tracks "American Girl" and "Breakdown." Writing in the LA Times about the Heartbreakers during their first album campaign Robert Hilburn declared, "There's a purity in the group's music that combines the shadowy, late night compulsion of the Rolling Stones' 'Exile On Main Street' with the classic American immediacy that can be traced back to Elvis and Eddie Cochran."

"You're Gonna Get It!" Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' second album was released in 1978. Building on the edgy yet always melodic sonic template created on their debut, this album features the hits "Listen To Her Heart" and "I Need To Know" which remain staples in the classic rock songbook. Other gems include the boogie "Too Much Ain't Enough" which showcases Mike Campbell's blistering guitar as well as the deep and groovy "Restless" and the wonderfully ominous opener "When The Time Comes." Reviewing "You're Gonna Get It!" Rolling Stone called the album "exciting (with) fresh hints of openness and expansion just beneath the surface. The rhythms are a bit looser, and there's a new emphasis on Petty's rough, driving, rock & roll guitar in the mix."

For information on where to find these special releases on Record Store Day (April 16) (http://www.recordstoreday.com/)

www.tompetty.com/

SOURCE: Reprise Records

New Vinyl Record Talk Today March 1st 8pm ET/ 5pm PT

Tune in to Vinyl Record Talk Today!

We have a very rare Sunny and the Sunliners 45 that almost never surfaces, "I'm A Practical Guy" / "The One Who's Hurtin' Is You", and we'll play both sides. There's more soul from Syl Johnson and Joe Simon.



Plus, 60's psych from Brass Buttons and The Underground.

News this week about artist Daniel Edlen  and his work for the David Lynch Foundation.



Turns out your Mom was right. Baby boomers are going deaf at an alarming rate. One doctor blames years of rock n roll in the news. And then there's this week Top 5 vinyl auction sales.

Turn your computer dial to Vinyl Record Talk Should be a very interesting show!

The Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron: The Very Best of the Crystals

The Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron: The Very Best of the Crystals - Phil Spector Records/Sony Legacy

They’re sweet and intense and over quick, much like a cherry cordial or an Atomic Fireball.

Published on February 20, 2011

The Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron: The Very Best of the Crystals - Phil Spector Records/Sony Legacy 88697 61288 2 ****:

Now I remember what happened to all the money I earned from mowing lawns. It went to buy 45 rpm records by The Crystals (and the Ronettes). I liked that they didn’t sing about dances like the Twist and the Locomotion (which I couldn’t do), but rather about teen angst and yearning (of which I had plenty). Da Doo Ron Ron: The Very Best of the Crystals contains every hit they ever produced and more. So what more could you want by these teenaged chart busters of the early Sixties? There are the slow dance gems like “There’s No Other Like My Baby” “and “What a Nice Way to Turn 17.” (My wife calls them “girl sex songs.”) But it was probably for their peppy rhythmic numbers like “Uptown” and “He’s a Rebel” that the Crystals earned a place in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame (2004) and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame (2006). They’re sweet and intense and over quick, much like a cherry cordial or an Atomic Fireball.

“He’s a Rebel,” penned by Gene Pitney, was actually recorded by Darlene Love when The Crystals were out of town. Phil Spector wanted to steal a march on Vicki Carr, whom he overheard recording the song in a booth. It worked. The song tapped so deeply into teen urges of independence and defiance that it charted No. 1 in the fall of ’62. For this and other songs Spector use his “Wall of Sound” technique. As a reverberant sound mixture, it reproduced well on AM radio and jukeboxes. Spector had electric and acoustic guitarists play the same parts in unison, then added musical arrangement the size of orchestras. Sometimes he even recorded using an echo chamber (“Little Boy” and Da Doo Ron Ron”).

He called his songs “little symphonies for the kids.” Not all of them reach the same level of feel-good dynamics as “Then He Kissed Me.” Some are quite disturbing by today’s standards, like the flip side of “He’s a Rebel.” The title says it all: “He Hit Me (and It Felt Like a Kiss).” Listeners may wonder how much that dark song and “Please Hurt Me” reflected Spector’s own attitudes towards women.

By the time the British invasion happened in 1964 the brief reign of The Crystals was over (even though they didn’t disband until 1967). Note that this collection has the previously unreleased “Woman in Love.” It’s a nice number, but has nowhere near the breathless energy of “He’s Sure the Boy I Love.”

-- Peter Bates

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.

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Sandy Denny Seven Inch Record Due

fans vote on which tracks to release

by Robin Murray

A new seven inch single has been confirmed, featuring Sandy Denny tracks chosen by fans.

One of the foremost female vocalists of her generation, Sandy Denny's output with Fairport Convention has received renewed appreciation in recent years. The band's counter culture take on traditional music fits neatly with the rise of modern wyrd folk, turning Denny into an icon all over again.

Read more about this Record Store Day release at Clashmusic.com

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KikaxeMusic.com has this tidbit:

BELIEVER debut cover art and tracklisting for April 12 Metal Blade release, TRANSHUMAN

Metal Blade Records has issued the cover artwork and tracklisting for TRANSHUMAN, the April 12 full-length from BELIEVER. In addition to the reveal, the label has begun pre-orders for the album by itself or in a merch bundle.

Read more and get the tracjlist at KikAxeMusic.com



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Suze Rotolo dies at 67; Bob Dylan's girlfriend was on iconic album cover

She dated the folk singer for 4 transformative years and wrote an acclaimed book about Greenwich Village in the '60s. The cover of 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' shows the couple walking arm-in-arm.

By Dennis McLellan, Los Angeles Times

Suze Rotolo, Bob Dylan's former girlfriend in Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, who appeared walking arm-in-arm with him on the iconic cover of his album "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan," has died. She was 67.

Rotolo, who played a role in the young Dylan's evolution as a singer-songwriter and later had a career as an artist, died of cancer Friday at home in Greenwich Village, said her son, Luca Bartoccioli.

Read more at the LATimes.com






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Melvins' "Sugar Daddy Live" Set For May 31 Release

The Melvins' latest offering "Sugar Daddy Live," a thirteen-track live recording, will see a May 31 release on Ipecac Recordings. Recorded at The Busta-Guts Club in Downey, Calif. the album features fan favorites such as "Boris," "A History of Bad Men" and "The Kicking Machine."

Read more at pluginmusic.com

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BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME: New Album Details Revealed

Raleigh, North Carolina-based progressive rock/cutting-edge metal band BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME will release its new album, "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues", on April 12 via Metal Blade Records. The three-song, 30-minute tour de force was recorded at Canada's Metalworks Studios and Rattlebox Studios and helmed by the Grammy award–winning producer David Bottrill (TOOL, MUSE, KING CRIMSON, DREAM THEATER).

Read more at Blabbermouth.com






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Is this where lady gaga's egg went to?

AMORPHIS: New Album Details Revealed

Finnish metallers AMORPHIS have set "The Beginning Of Times" as the title of their new album, due at the end of May via Nuclear Blast Records. A single, "You I Need", will precede the full-length CD in April.

"The Beginning Of Times" is described as "the most challenging AMORPHIS album so far in terms of both music and lyrics."

Read more at Blabbermouth.com







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Rusty Eye Release New Live Album

by Gregory Burkart

One of our all-time fave horror-metal bands is not only still going strong after fifteen years, but they've managed to carve their names in music history (with a blood-encrusted scalpel, naturally), thanks to the release of their second live album, Rusty Eye: Live at the Rainbow MMX. The talented trio of Miss Randall, Mr. Rust and Baron Murtland became the first band ever to record a live set at the legendary LA club, and this so-called “sonic documentary” is now available for your listening pleasure.
re_live_bow_cover

Read the rest at  fearnet.com

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Third Man Records lead way to record industry salvation?

By Stephen M.H. Braitman

Controversy erupted when Jack White’s Third Man Records placed five limited-edition White Stripes LPs on eBay and let auction bidding determine their sale prices. Howls from fans and collectors erupted over the label’s action, and Third Man’s Ben Swank delivered a cogent yet inflammatory blog response in The Guardian (U.K.) online newspaper.

Read more: Third Man Records lead way to record industry salvation? | Goldmine Magazine

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And in music history for today:

In 1951, Sam Phillips launched his label Sun Records by releasing “Drivin’ Slow” by saxophonist Johnny London.

In 1967, at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, The Beatles started recording a John Lennon song, “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.”

In 1969 - Jim Morrison (Doors) was arrested and officially charged with lewd and lascivious behavior, indecent behavior, open profanity and public drunkenness in Miami. Morrison was later sentenced. Morrison died while the sentence was under appeal.

The Charles Manson album "Lie" was released in 1970. The profits went to Manson's defense.

In 1975, winners at this year’s Grammy Awards ceremony included Paul McCartney for Best Pop Vocal on “Band On The Run,” Olivia Newton-John (Record Of The Year with “I Honestly Love You” and Stevie Wonder won Album Of The Year for Fulfillingness’ First Finale.

In 1985 - A Beatles song was used for the first time in a U.S. TV commercial. Lincoln-Mercury used the song, "HELP!"   What a crock of shit if you ask me.....

In 1990, Janet Jackson played the first night of a 120-date Rhythm Nation 1814 World tour at the Miami Arena, Florida. As part of the show Jackson has a live panther on stage, but after concerns are raised over safety and several incidents of the animal urinating on stage the panther was returned to its cage.

In 1994, Nirvana played their final concert at the 3,000 capacity Terminal Einz, a small airport hanger in Munich, Germany.

And in 1997, a Motley Crüe fan, Clifford Goldberg, who claimed his hearing had been irreparably damaged after a show in New Jersey, had his lawsuit thrown out of court. The judge decreed that Goldberg knew the risk he was taking by sitting near the front of the stage.  Ya think?

Birthday wishes to Roger Daltrey (1944)