Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 11, 2011

DEAR JERRY: In the early 1960s, most of my girl friends were crazy about Ricky, Frankie, and Fabian. But, the teen idol I adored most was Dean Reed. He resembled a young Robert Redford.

Dean didn't have nearly as many hits in America as the others, but he did appear on several Bandstand-type TV shows.

Then he just vanished, and I've never heard a thing about him since.

Plus, we never hear any of his songs on the radio, especially “The Search,” “Our Summer Romance,” and “I Wonder.”

Any idea what happened to Dean Reed?
—Clarice Hoover, Racine, Wisc.


DEAR CLARICE: Sorta. Kinda. Maybe.

I am sure of one thing. The correct title of the beautiful ballad you mention is “No Wonder.”

We know Dean picked up the acting bug in 1960 when cast as himself in “Bentley and the Majorette,” an episode of Bachelor Father.

By 1985, Reed had more than two dozen films to his credit, though you probably would not recognize a single title. None were made or even distributed in the U.S.

The astonishing popularity of “Our Summer Romance” in South America in the '60s prompted him to tour there, especially in Chile and Argentina.

He liked the area so much he settled down for a few years in Buenos Aires.

In 1966, Dean jumped the Atlantic, and found his popularity in Europe even greater than in South America.

After touring in dozens of European countries, on both sides of the Berlin Wall, Reed chose Soviet-controlled East Berlin for his permanent home. For the next 20 years, he was often described as the most famous American in that part of the world.

Dean was an admitted follower of Marxism, but some Americans confused his ideology with Communism, and that is a label he categorically refused.

In a 1985 interview he offered this brief explanation:

“Marxism is about each of us helping other human beings. We should give of our love and our resources to help others. That is what a Marxist believes. There's nothing that divides Marxists from Christians. There's much more that unites us than divides us.

“Not all Communists are Marxists, and not all Marxists are Communists.”

In the spring of 1986, Mike Wallace interviewed Reed for a segment on CBS-TV's 60 Minutes. Some of Dean's comments enraged American viewers. Others irritated the Soviets.

Within weeks (June 13, 1986), Dean Cyril Reed's body was found in an East Berlin lake near his home.

What really happened to Dean? An accidental drowning? Suicide? Homicide? Each of these theories is held by one group or another.

Even Reed's family is uncertain, as explained in this letter I received a few years ago from his older brother:

DEAR JERRY: As Dean Reed's brother, I spend a lot of my time correcting incorrect information about him, especially online. And those are just sites in English. Most are either German or Russian, neither of which I understand.

Not that even I know all that much. Though Dean and I were only three years apart in age, we went our separate ways. We did meet every few years and exchanged many letters (no e-mail in those days). We were different in almost everything, especially economics and politics.

Our dad used to tell his three boys about people that “lived fast, died young, and left a beautiful memory.” Well, that was Dean. It is the beautiful memory part I am trying to ensure for him by spreading the truth about him. Though not perfect, he was instrumental in causing the fall of the East German Wall and that is more than most of us accomplish.

For sure he did not throw away his precious American citizenship. He was preparing to return home to Colorado but he must have crossed the Stasi (German Secret Police), the CIA, his wife, or someone. Maybe he fulfilled his purpose in life and decided to call it quits.

Even I do not know how Dean died, but I hope one day to learn the answer.
—Dale Reed, Seattle


IZ ZAT SO? Before the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) and German unification of the East and West sectors (1990), entering East Berlin could be a cultural shock.

Phil Everly, of the Everly Brothers, recalls arriving to do a concert with Dean Reed:

“It was very depressing. It had me scared when I got off the plane. There was a corrugated steel building, with an armed guard, and all of that. Fortunately I saw Dean waiting for me on the other side.

“Dean was so popular and well-known that the treatment, once you got in there, was phenomenal. Actually, I was scared until I saw him, and I told him that.

“My hotel had a total of only two televisions, but Dean got one of them for me. I picked up a West Berlin channel and watched “Bonanza,” dubbed in German. But it was still something American, and I loved it.

“Politically, Dean and I were far apart. Still, I respected Dean and his views. He had political views that he lived up to.”

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 2011 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Exclusive Permission

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Download The List Of Record Store Day Releases
recordstoreday.com

find a participating store in your area with the complete list of stores
Record Store Directory

Record Store Day 2011 – Comprehensive Release Guide Part 1
thevinyldistrict.com-part-1

Record Store Day 2011 – Comprehensive Release Guide Part 2
thevinyldistrict.com-part-2

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vinyl doing well in michigan!

On Record Store Day, Vinyl Reigns Supreme

Two local music shops will be celebrating the fourth annual Record Store Day with exclusive, limited releases on Saturday, April 16.

By Michael Hicks

Once thought to be dead, a victim of the digital age, the record industry has been making a comeback–spurred, in part, by a little thing called Record Store Day. A celebration of independent music retailers, the vinyl album is once again getting its due this Saturday, April 16.

"Record Store Day very specifically promotes getting out of your house and getting to any physical location that sells music, to have the experience of buying new records, spending time with people who also love music, maybe seeing a band or a DJ," said Windy Weber, owner of Stormy Records. "It promotes the community idea that record stores are generally all about.”

Read the rest and learn what other stores in the area are doing for RSD at dearborn.patch.com
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the big apple getting into the spirit, even mayor bloomberg has dubbed saturday an 'official citywide event' cool....

Record Store Day features more than 1,500 indie shops from New York to London for music lovers

BY Nicole Lyn Pesce DAILY NEWS FEATURE REPORTER

Record Store Day is music to a vinyl junkie's ears.

More than 1,500 indie shops from the lower East Side to London are celebrating nostalgia on Saturday, hawking limited-edition album releases and hosting live performances to support local record stores.

"It's bigger than Christmas for us," says co-founder Michael Kurtz. "When we open up in the morning, most stores have people camped outside, and a lot of them don't even have turntables! But they will buy these releases because they are collectible pieces of art.

Read the rest at nydailynews.com
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very interesting article about kids designing record stores (do they even know what one is?) they sure do, read on:

Local Students Design Future Record Stores

JONATHAN DEVIN

Record stores may evolve into community gathering centers, according to middle school students and those in the business.

Students at Ridgeway Middle School made surprisingly astute predictions about the future of a product with which most are largely unfamiliar.

“I thought this would be a good opportunity to share with the students and have a discussion about the history and the changes in technology (in the record business),” said Ken Greene, a music teacher at Ridgeway, of the two-year project he created in which students used online resources to design record stores of the future.

Read more at memphisdailynews.com
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if you are interested, musicradar.com is asking:

What is the greatest album cover of all time?

Get your nominations in for the greatest album art ever
musicradar.com

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i suppose i am out of the loop so to speak, i have heard some of the terms, but not all.....

Loner, Boner, and Chud: Vinyl-Collecting Slang You Should Know for Record Store Day 2011

By Julia Mullen Gordon

From bull-riding to cat-showing, every subculture has its own lingo. Record-collecting is no different. When it comes to vinyl, serious crate-diggers have their own language to describe condition, genre, and customers with alarming specificity. And with Record Store Day right around the corner, we know you'll be thumbing through a lot of crates come Saturday.

But for those among us apt to confuse Steve Wynn and Steve Winwood, we checked in with Bob Husak of Ballard's Leary Records (5459 Leary Ave. N.W.) to get the lowdown on slang you should know to talk like a pro.

see if you recognize any of the 'lingo at blogs.seattleweekly.com
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Queensryche Reveals New Album, "Dedicated To Chaos" Artwork

Progressive heavy-metal vets Queensryche have recently revealed the front cover artwork for their upcoming new studio album, 'Dedicated To Chaos,' via Roadrunner/Loud & Proud Records on June 28th. This is the band's first album since 2009's, "American Soldier" and marks the 30th anniversary of the group.

cool cover!








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 and in louisville's famous record store ear X-tacy:

Top 5 vinyl best sellers

1. Radiohead “King of Limbs“
2. Softcheque “Misericord“
3. Jessica Lea Mayfield “Tell Me“
4. Mumford & Sons “Sigh No More“
5. Every Time I Die “Gutter Phenomenon“

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Mastodon Hard at Work on Follow-up to 'Crack the Skye'

Something dark, cerebral, and dizzying is gathering power in the streets of Atlanta. Four hyper-talented musicians are working together to create the ultimate combination of memorable riffs, jaw-dropping beats, mild-altering vocal harmonies, and unearthly guitar passages. Yes, Mastodon are writing the follow-up to their 2009 masterpiece 'Crack the Skye.' Right now, even the band members don't know exactly where the songs are going musically, but they're happy with the direction in which they're headed.

Read the interview at noisecreep.com
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a new vinyl site!!!!

WaveMusicStation.com Prepares for Grand Opening with Thousands of LPs & CDs

Founder of WaveMusicStation.com, Robert Henry, is pleased to voice the launch of his new online store. Shoppers will discover an extensive selection of R&B and jazz music in the form of CDs and LPs. With thousands of albums to explore, shoppers are sure to uncover tunes they enjoy. Visit AllDatMusicOnline.com, the site’s blog, to learn about the beginnings of jazz and R&B as well as various trends in music.

Yorktown, VA (Vocus/PRWEB) April 13, 2011 ~ Web entrepreneur Robert Henry is pleased to announce the publication of his brand-new online store, http://www.wavemusicstation.com/  Scheduled for its official grand opening May 1st, the web store welcomes shoppers to preview its extensive collection of classic albums in jazz and R&B as Henry continues to update his music selection with thousands of LPs and CDs. There will be new content added almost daily, so shoppers are encouraged to check back within a few days if they are not able to find one they’re looking for on their first visit. There will always be new content.

“I’ve been collecting albums of classic jazz and R&B for more than 40 years, which has allowed me to build an impressive repertoire of about 15,000 different pieces,” Henry said.

Shoppers are invited to visit WaveMusicStation.com to explore an exciting assortment of classic jazz and R&B albums from Henry’s personal collection. Discover assorted albums by some of his favorite musicians like George Duke, Lee Morgan, Shirley Scott and Sam (The Man) Taylor as well as other popular artists of these music genres. Shoppers can choose from new and used LPs and CDs in classic jazz or soulful R&B tunes; collectible jazz LPs are also available.

“My vast music collection has simply become too large for one person; therefore, I want to share my passion for jazz and R&B with others who appreciate great music of the past,” Henry said.

From vinyl album singles to DJ promos from the ‘80 and ‘90s, his music selection also includes new and used records and more from his years as a professional DJ. Shoppers may also check out his laser discs, which feature children’s music, concert recordings or popular movies. Don’t forget to visit his specials page that highlights extra-discounted merchandise.

“My devout appreciation for classic jazz, swing, bebop and R&B music stems from the raw talent each artist portrays, unlike much of today’s music that has been synthesized or gains popularity due to the commercialization of an artist,” Henry said.

To learn more about the specific products available at WaveMusicStation.com, visit the website’s newly formulated business blog, http://www.AllDatMusicOnline.com. This social platform will also be used to profile great musicians of the past, discuss trends in music of today and highlight the ways jazz qualities have crossed over into R&B.

“My goal is to match shoppers with great music they will enjoy. Therefore, I’m willing to discuss my prices, especially for bulk orders, in an effort to accommodate everyone,” he said.

All merchandise at WaveMusicStation.com has been priced according to the Goldmine Record Album Price Guide to ensure fair prices for every shopper.

About the Company:
WaveMusicStation.com is owned and operated by Robert Henry with help from his wife, Tina, and their daughter, Tia, who is learning to appreciate music from her father’s generation.

Robert Henry
http://www.wavemusicstation.com/
(757) 897-7854

iePlexus, Inc.
http://www.ieplexus.com/

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and in music history for today:


In 1957, Elvis Presley hit #1 in the U.S. with the Otis Blackwell composition, “All Shook Up.” The song knocked Perry Como’s “Round and Round” off the top of the charts and would remain there for eight weeks.

In 1963, "Surfin' USA" by the Beach Boys was released in the US, where it will become the group's second Billboard chart-maker, reaching #3. The song was a note-for-note copy of Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen" with new lyrics. After Berry sued, he was granted royalties and all further issues of the song gave him writing credit.



In 1965, the Beatles recorded the song “Help!” during an evening recording session at EMI Studios in London.

In 1967, Nancy and Frank Sinatra were at U.K. #1 on the U.K. singles chart with “Somethin’ Stupid,” making them the only father-daughter duo to have a chart-topping single.

In 1974, Elton John reached the top spot on the Billboard singles chart for the second time with "Bennie and the Jets".

Also in 1974, Paul McCartney and Wings’ 'Band on the Run' album was at #1 on the U.S. album charts. It was McCartney’s third American chart-topping album, which went on to sell over six million copies worldwide.

In 1983, Pete Farndon, bassist for The Pretenders on their US Top 20 hits "Brass In Pocket" (1980) and "Back On The Chain Gang" (1983), died of a drug overdose. He was 30 years old.

In 1999, Yoko Ono sued Fredieric Seaman over personal effects of the late John Lennon. Seaman, a former assistant to Lennon, was accused of "an elaborate scheme" to "exploit Lennon's death by stealing priceless personal and sentimental items." good for you yoko, you have done a tremendous job with john's legacy.

In 2005, Johnnie Johnson, a Rock 'n' Roll pioneer who teamed with Chuck Berry on "Roll Over Beethoven" and "No Particular Place to Go", died of natural causes at the age of 80.

In 2008, producer and drummer Clifford Davies, who had worked with Ted Nugent from 1975 to 1982, was found dead (aged 59) from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his home in Atlanta. It was reported that Davies was “extremely distraught” over outstanding medical bills.

In 2009, according to a chart compiled for the UK's BBC Radio 2, Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" was the most played song in public places in the past 75 years. Rounding out the top ten were: #2 - "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, #3 "All I Have To Do Is Dream" by The Everly Brothers, #4 - "Love Is All Around" by Wet Wet Wet, #5 - ("Everything I Do) I Do It For You" by Bryan Adams, #6 - "Angels" by Robbie Williams, #7 - "All Shook Up" by Elvis Presley, #8 - "Dancing Queen" by ABBA, #9 - "Magic Moments" by Perry Como and #10 - "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby. what no beatles?

birthdays wishes to drummer Max Weinberg (1951) and the immortal Al Green (1946)

Metal Innovators Korn Set to Release Double-CD Spanning the Band's Decade at Immortal/Epic Records

PRNewswire -- Two-time Grammy Award® and two-time MTV VMA-winning band Korn, Los Angeles' innovators of a new post-grunge metal genre, are the newest inductees into Legacy Recordings' prestigious Essential series of double-CD collections. Spanning their first decade as a major label powerhouse (1994 - 2004), with 28 signature chart singles, deep album tracks, and rarities, THE ESSENTIAL KORN will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting May 10th through Immortal/Epic/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

THE ESSENTIAL KORN samples tracks from all six of Korn's studio albums, released on the Los Angeles-based Immortal Records via Epic Records. Immortal was launched in 1994 with Korn's self-titled debut album (including "Blind," "Shoots And Ladders," "Clown," "Faget"). Korn recorded for the label through the end of 2003, when they released Take A Look In The Mirror ("Did My Time," "Right Now," "Y'all Want A Single," "Everything I've Known").

During that time the band issued nearly three dozen singles on the Immortal/Epic imprint, 13 of them included on THE ESSENTIAL KORN. In addition to their Billboard breakthroughs of 1996 ("A.D.I.D.A.S.") and 1999 ("Falling Away From Me"), there are another 12 Top 40 Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock chart sides: "Got The Life," "Freak On A Leash," "Make Me Bad," "Somebody Someone," "Here To Stay," "Thoughtless," "Alone I Break," "Did My Time," "Right Now," "Y'all Want A Single," "Everything I've Known," and their cover of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall (Parts 1, 2, 3)."

THE ESSENTIAL KORN includes liner notes by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, senior editor for allmusic.com and contributing editor to the series of All Music Guide reference books. "There was plenty of darkness in the air during 1994 but nothing was quite so menacing as Korn in its gnarled deformity," he writes of the band's RIAA double-platinum debut album. "There was no mistaking Korn for nothing but a good time or even the old world gloom of Sabbath: this was modern ugliness, music devised to disturb... by design, this was an album meant to build through word of mouth, with metalheads lured into its dangerous world. And so it did."

The debut album and its double-platinum follow-up, 1996's Life Is Peachy were produced by Ross Robinson at the very start of his career (he went on to work with Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Sepultura, and numerous others). Korn's "Shoots And Ladders" earned the band their first Grammy Award® nomination in the Metal category. Robinson also produced "Proud," Korn's contribution to the movie soundtrack for 1997's I Know What You Did Last Summer.

The following year, Korn switched gears and co-produced 1998's Follow The Leader with the team of Steve Thompson and Toby Wright. The 5x-platinum album gave Korn their first entries on the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts, "Got The Life" and "Freak On A Leash," and also included guest appearances from Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit (on "All In The Family") and Tre Hardson of Pharcyde (on "Cameltosis"). "Freak On A Leash" brought Korn their first Grammy Award® win, for Best Short Form Music Video (directed by Todd McFarlane), as well as MTV VMAs for Best Rock Video and Best Editing. The collaboration with Thompson and Wright also yielded "Jingle Balls," a perennial Christmas metal classic that was initially included as part of a bonus EP disc (titled All Mixed Up) packaged with Korn's next album, 1999's Issues.

The triple platinum Issues, produced by Brendan O'Brien (of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Stone Temple Pilots renown) upped the ante as it registered three tracks in the upper reaches of the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts: "Falling Away From Me," "Make Me Bad," and "Somebody Someone." Untouchables (2002) continued the platinum album string, as it spun off rock chart hits with "Here To Stay" (Grammy Award® for Best Metal Performance), "Thoughtless," and "Alone I Break."

Korn's final studio album for Immortal/Epic, the platinum Take A Look In The Mirror (released November 2003) was produced by veteran Michael Beinhorn, who had gained respect over the previous decade and a half working with artists ranging from Herbie Hancock and Material, to Red Hot Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson, and Hole, among many others. The album launched four more rock charts hits: "Did My Time," "Right Now," "Y'all Want A Single," and "Everything I've Known." Korn's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 was issued in October 2004, and included the previously unreleased 7-minute cover of all three parts of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall." A limited edition version of Greatest Hits was packaged with a bonus DVD, live at CBGB's in New York City, the source for "Got the Life."

Erlewine's liner notes summarize Korn's subsequent albums on Virgin Records, 2005's See You On The Other Side and their 'untitled' release of 2007. "The group righted their middle age drift," he says of their most recent full-length studio album release of July 2010, Korn III: Remember Who You Are (Roadrunner), "a reunion with Robinson that reconnected them to the nu-metal legacy that can be heard in full on this ESSENTIAL collection."

THE ESSENTIAL KORN
(Immortal/Epic/Legacy 88697 84388 2)

Disc 1 – Selections: 1. Blind (A) * 2. Shoots And Ladders (A) * 3. Clown (A) * 4. Faget (A) * 5. A.D.I.D.A.S. (B, Hot 100 #113) * 6. Good God (B) * 7. Twist (B) * 8. Chi (B) * 9. Proud (C) * 10. Got The Life (D, Mainstream Rock #15, Modern Rock #17) * 11. Freak On A Leash (D, Mainstream Rock #10, Modern Rock #6) * 12. It's On! (D) * 13. All In The Family featuring Fred Durst (D) * 14. Cameltosis featuring Tre Hardson (D).

Disc 2 – Selections: 1. Falling Away From Me (E, Hot 100 #99, Mainstream Rock #7, Modern Rock #7) * 2. Jingle Balls (F) * 3. Wake Up (E) * 4. Make Me Bad (E, Mainstream Rock #9, Modern Rock #7) * 5. Somebody Someone (E, Mainstream Rock #23, Modern Rock #23) * 6. Here To Stay (G, Hot 100 #72, Mainstream Rock #4, Modern Rock #4) * 7. Thoughtless (G, Mainstream Rock #6, Modern Rock #11) * 8. Alone I Break (G, Mainstream Rock #19, Modern Rock #34) * 9. Did My Time (H, Hot 100 #38, Mainstream Rock #12, Modern Rock #17) * 10. Right Now (H, Mainstream Rock #11, Modern Rock #13) * 11. Y'all Want A Single (H, Mainstream Rock #23) * 12. Everything I've Known (H, Mainstream Rock #30) * 13. Another Brick In The Wall (Parts 1, 2, 3) (I, Mainstream Rock #12, Modern Rock #37) * 14. Got The Life (J, live at CBGB's, New York, NY 11/24/2003).

Index:
A – from album Korn (Immortal/Epic EK 66633), released 1994.
B – from album Life Is Peachy (Immortal/Epic EK 67554), released 1996.
C – from album I Know What You Did Last Summer (Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax CK 68696) released 1997.
D – from album Follow The Leader (Immortal/Epic EK 69001), released 1998.
E – from album Issues (Immortal/Epic EK 63710), released 1999.
F – from EP All Mixed Up (Immortal/Epic A 30388), released 1999.
G – from album Untouchables (Immortal/Epic EK 61488), released 2002.
H – from album Take A Look In The Mirror (Immortal/Epic EK 90335), released 2003.
I – from album Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (Immortal/Epic EK 92700), released 2004.
J – from album Live & Rare (Immortal/Epic 82876 82247 2), released 2006.

SOURCE Legacy Recordings

Before The Knack there was Sky -- Now, The Doug Fieger Estate Releases Two of Their Acclaimed Albums, Don’t Hold Back and Sailor’s Delight -- Out Everywhere April 12th

As part of an ongoing commemorative series of releases, the family of Doug Fieger is making available two albums by Fieger’s first band, Sky. Forty years after their original release on vinyl, Don’t Hold Back and Sailor’s Delight are being released digitally to a new generation. Better known as the lead singer of The Knack and co-writer of the #1 song of 1979, My Sharona, Fieger’s place in rock history might never have happened had it not been for the Cinderella story of Sky, nearly ten years earlier.

Los Angeles, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) April 12, 2011 As part of an ongoing commemorative series of releases, the family of Doug Fieger is making available two albums by Fieger’s first band, Sky. Forty years after their original release on vinyl, Don’t Hold Back and Sailor’s Delight are being released digitally to a new generation. Better known as the lead singer of The Knack and co-writer of the #1 song of 1979, My Sharona, Fieger’s place in rock history might never have happened had it not been for the Cinderella story of Sky, nearly ten years earlier.

In 1970, Sky, whose members included Fieger, John Coury and Robert Greenfield, was achieving local success in Detroit. Although underage, the band was frequently booked at the concert venue, The Grande Ballroom, as the opening act for a powerhouse succession of groups including The Who, Joe Cocker and Jeff Beck. In a display of youthful bravado Fieger and Coury sent a letter to legendary producer, Jimmy Miller (Rolling Stones, Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Faith), saying that if he ever found himself in Detroit he should come by and listen to their band, and to everyone’s surprise, Miller took them up on the offer.

“On his way to LA he made a pit-stop in Detroit,” recalls Greenfield. “He came to Doug's parents’ house and we played for him in their basement. The next day Jimmy Miller told us he would like us to come to London to produce us. That was the goal we had worked so hard for.”

Within weeks of graduating from high school, a seventeen year-old Fieger and his bandmates were on a plane to London and Olympic Studios with a recording contract on RCA records.

With Miller on board, the lineup of musicians that came in to work with Sky reads like a Who’s Who of 60s rock and roll: Bobby Keys on sax, Jim Price on trumpet, Nicky Hopkins on keyboards as well as Gary Wright (who also produced), Chris Wood (Traffic) on woodwinds, and Ian Stewart on piano. Andy Johns (Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., Goat's Head Soup and Led Zeppelin IV) engineered and shared producer credit.

Don’t Hold Back was released that year and work on the second album Sailor’s Delight began almost immediately (in LA and at the Rolling Stones’ mobile studio at Mick Jagger’s mansion, Stargroves); this time with a new drummer, 16 year-old Rob Stawinski. Sky returned to LA for the 1971 release of the album, but marketing was weak and sales were tepid. The band broke up and went their separate ways. Fieger went on to co-found The Knack, but he remained close friends with Coury, who also found success in the music business, recording with Don Henley and co-writing the hit “Last Worthless Evening.” In 1994 he played on The Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over and continued to tour with them until 2000. Stawinski toured with Badfinger before returning to his hometown near Detroit. Of his time with Sky Stawinski comments, “I am proud, to this day, of what we accomplished.”

After Fieger’s death in 2010 his family decided to go about obtaining the rights from RCA. However, this project was not purely sentimental. Not only did they believe in the quality of the material (all written by Fieger and Coury), but having seen that Sky was frequently referenced on Knack message boards, the family concluded that there was also general interest in the music and wanted to make it available to fans.

Long-time Knack producer Richard Bosworth was called in to digitally re-master the songs. The project interested him immediately; despite having worked so closely with Doug he knew of Sky, but had never heard the songs before. He was not disappointed. “I (was) impressed with the quality of songs Sky composed for theses two albums,” he says. “I've become a fan.”

Discovered among the recordings were some titles and mixes that did not appear on the original albums. They have been included as bonus tracks on the re-releases as a treat for those fans from long ago who never expected to hear a “new” Sky song after all these years.

Don’t Hold Back and Sailor’s Delight are available everywhere on April 12th.

To preview Don’t Hold Back, please click here: http://bit.ly/Dontholdback

To preview Sailor’s Delight, please click here: http://bit.ly/Sailorsdelight

Don’t Hold Back

1. Goodie Two Shoes
2. Take Off And Fly
3. Rockin’ Me Yet
4. I Still Do
5. Make It In Time
6. One Love
7. There in the Greenbriar
8. How’s That Treatin’ Your Mouth, Babe?
9. Homin’ Ground
10. Feels Like 1000 Years
11. You Are the One*
12. Anomona Getcha*
13. Watcha Gonna Do*
Bonus Track

Sailor’s Delight

1. Make It Tight
2. Don’t Want Nobody
3. Let It Lie Low
4. Taking The Long Way Home
5. Come Back
6. Bring It On Back
7. Tooly
8. Sing For Me
9. Low Down
10. Make It Tight (Mono Mix)*
11. Taking the Long Way Home (Mono Mix)*
12. Mama I Feel Your Sadness*
Bonus Track

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

For a review copy of the album, please contact Heather Noonan at pr(at)bfmdigital(dot)com or 818-762-0191.

About BFM Digital, Inc.

BFM Digital is a global digital music company committed to serving the independent music community and delivering quality music, spoken word and video content to leading online retailers worldwide. Representing a diverse catalog of indie labels, artists and publishers, BFM distributes to all of the major music services including iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, eMusic, Napster, Walmart, Nokia and many more. With an unparalleled commitment to personalized service, BFM works closely with their content providers from around the world to ensure maximum exposure of their catalog by customizing marketing efforts and building strong relationships with BFM's digital store partners.

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i know it's digital, but being a huge fan of the band (The Knack) and of Doug Fieger, i figure anyway we get to hear this music is better than nothing.  i hope to get a copy, look for a review of the releases very soon!

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Download The List Of Record Store Day Releases
go to www.recordstoreday.com

Record Store Directory

find a participating store in your area with the complete list of stores
Record Store Directory

-------------------

this is directly from the RSD site....i know that the proceeds will go to charity, but i don't agree with this (the release part, not the charitable contribution!).

if the mission of RSD is to celebrate the physical record store, going on the web is against what they stand for. i don't see why RSD does not include online retailers, as they are a driving force in the vinyl revival, maybe even more so than the brick-and-mortar establishments. for someone like myself, who does not have a record store near me and being physically disabled, the Internet is the way i buy my vinyl. it is convenient, offers a much larger selection, i can find what i want somewhere, the records are delivered to my front door, i can buy vinyl from other countries with a click of the mouse...there are so many reasons to have them included.

however, the folks at RSD exclude these online retailers based on the fact that they are not a physical location...yet, if you think about, they are just that.

I know seth frank from SoundStageDirect.com, we've talked many times, he is a real person, who orders the vinyl, stocks the vinyl, sells the vinyl, promotes the musicians and the vinyl record, yet his company is excluded from RSD because they sell online. seems to me if you add the thousands of online retailers to the celebration, it would become more of a global event than it is now.

while nothing replaces the crate digging ritual, many vinyl lovers will agree, it is places like SoundStageDirect.com, VinylCollective.com, RecordsByMail.com, and hundreds of others, not to mention the thousands of eBay sellers, who make the vinyl engine run. it's too bad that the folks at RSD don't recognize this and adapt to the ever changing market of the vinyl record.

here is what RSD says about the release:

RSD Breaking Rules With Beatie Boy Release

Record Store Day is celebrated worldwide, and sometimes special releases are available in one country, but not in another. That’s the case with Beastie Boys’ RSD release, a 7” single for “Make Some Noise/Make Some Noise (Passion Pit remix)”. It couldn’t get into US stores in time, but the band wanted to benefit a good cause and make some US based peeps happy at the same time, so in a very rare move, www.recordstoreday.com will be selling an extremely small amount of these 7” singles online, with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross Japan Relief fund. These bad boys will go on sale the morning of Record Store Day, April 16, at 6 AM Eastern.

Special rules will apply to this sale on www.recordstoreday.com:

*Sales will be made to US physical addresses only
*One “Make Some Noise” 7” single per order
*One order per household.

Look for more information on www.recordstoreday.com on Record Store Day at 6 AM Eastern. This is a very unusual thing for us to do, as Record Store Day is dedicated to supporting the physical record stores who participate. However, along with Beastie Boys, we found ourselves in a position to make some folks happy while raising much-needed funds. We could not pass it up.

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here's another opinion:

Record Store Day is a victory for vinyl

By Stephen Chupaska
Publication: The Day

Dan Curland, owner of the iconic Mystic Disc, wants to make one thing clear.

"Record Store Day?" he shouts over the phone. "I was the original Record Store Day!"

Well, to be sure, Curland is not one of the founders of Record Store Day, the annual international celebration of independent record shops, which will take place on April 16. But the spirit of indie record shops such as Mystic Disc, to borrow from Bob Dylan, howls in the bones of Record Store Day.

Mystic Disc along with Telegraph in New London and Tumbleweeds in Niantic will be among the 700 indie stores that will offer special limited-edition releases from the likes of Radiohead, Gorillaz and Death Cab For Cutie, the majority of them on vinyl.

Record Store Day co-founder Chris Brown, the marketing director at Bull Moose Records in Portland, Maine, said the day, now in its fourth year, has become a celebration of a still vibrant business, not a commemoration of retail in the run-out groove.

Read the rest at theday.com

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Dom Set To Release Exclusive Vinyl For RSD

Dom will be releasing a LIMITED EDITION 10″ vinyl piece on RSD, the first ever 3-sided 10″! Also, the band will be performing live and signing autographs at 1pm at the Newbury Street location of Newbury Comics!

Side A is double-grooved, which creates a unique effect. If you play the record at the beginning of Side A, you will not know which track will actually play. You may hear the MINKS remix of “Jesus” or the never-before-released song “Things Change.” This exclusive item is limited to 1000 units!

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spin.com picks out their best RSD releases:

10 Must-Have Releases for Record Store Day

By Peter Gaston

With literally hundreds of special titles being released for this year's event, SPIN's editors have compiled our shopping list of the top 10 can't miss records, including music from Nirvana, Foo Fighters, the White Stripes, and more. This year, there's also a special emphasis on cover songs -- so we've also put together our choices for the five most anticipated covers.

to look at their picks go to spin.com









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Bids Skyrocket for Rare Sex Pistols Record

Top Selling eBay Auction

WhatSellsBest.com, a website tracking rare auction items selling on eBay, is reporting bidding has passed $24,000 (USD) on day six of a ten day auction, for a rare Sex Pistols record.

The record, featuring the controversial song "God Save the Queen" by the English punk rock band, The Sex Pistols, was pressed on an A&M Records label in 1977, which makes it one of a small number of copies pressed before the group signed with Virgin Records. The records are thought to be among the most valuable in the UK.

According to James Massey, publisher of WhatSellsBest.com; "Early vintage vinyl (records) by musicians, or groups, who've marked historic turning points in popular music, are generally the most sought-after by collectors."

"Records pressed before a band breaks-out and becomes famous tend to do well. But, generally it's a combination of historic significance, rarity, and condition, that determines how high collectors are willing to bid."

To see the Sex Pistols record auction (Ends April 15, 2011), the Top Ten Records sold on eBay recently, and other rare auction items on eBay now.

Visit: http://www.whatsellsbest.com/

About WhatSellsBest.com

WhatSellsBest.com is a free website which has integrated with eBay to allow visitors to actively view and track the top selling eBay items (by highest prices bid, or sold) in nearly 200 unique categories. The website also reports on trends and sales of rare (high-value) collectibles being sold worldwide.

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BLOOD MORTIZED Signs With CHAOS RECORDS For 'Bestial' EP

BLOOD MORTIZED — the Swedish death metal band featuring former AMON AMARTH guitarist Anders "Hansson" Biazzi (who played on AMON AMARTH's first two albums, 1996's "Sorrow Throughout The Nine Worlds" and 1998's "Once Sent From The Golden Hall") and CRYPT OF KERBEROS drummer Mattias Borgh — has inked a deal with Chaos Records for the release of the group's "Bestial" EP. The effort was recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by drummer Mattias Borgh at Underworld Recording in Sweden. The four-song EP features artwork by Thomas Kynst and Daniel Devilish and is slated for a June/July 2011 release on both CD and vinyl format.

lovely artwork.....

Read more about the band and the release at Blabbermouth.com




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great story about crate digging from the uk:

Charity shop gold

by Ryan Peters

While most of us walk past high street charity shops without giving them a second glance, for record collectors they can be treasure troves full of hidden gems. Hidden in the back of dusty goodwill collections in charity shops across the country, are vinyls that can be picked up for literally a few pence, but can be sold to the right people for potentially thousands of pounds.

These stories of diamonds in the rough are legendary within collector circles and are what spur on many to visit charity shops even more than record fairs or specialist stockists.

Even though more people are buying MP3s and CDs, there’s still some magic to rummaging through vinyls.

One such collector is Ken Peters from north Wales, a man who has been collecting vinyl for over 20 years and during that time has managed to find his fair share of hidden gems.

Read more at thelinc.co.uk

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and in america's heartland, vinyl selling well!

Vinyl’s renaissance has a home in Kansas City

By TIMOTHY FINN
The Kansas City Star

The storefront at 1415 W. 39th St. has a new face. Posters promoting the classic Miles Davis jazz album, “Kind of Blue,” fill two large windows. A hand-lettered sign with telephone number and store hours fills another.

On a recent afternoon, a passerby could peer through the windows and see stacks of boxes strewn around the showroom floor amid racks stocked with used vinyl records as workers framed in the walls of what will become the store’s office.

This week, Vinyl Renaissance and Audio will officially open in the building once occupied by Boomerang, a vintage-clothing store that moved to 3900 Pennsylvania Ave. — a transition that bears some symmetry.

Read more: kansascity.com

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very interesting look from ireland about the 45 rpm record (or 7 inch single, same thing)

Is this the vinyl curtain for the 7-inch single?

As Mercury Records phases out non-digital singles, Ed Power looks at the ever-changing music market

By Ed Power

It is the end of an era that began in 1949, when RCA rec-ords put out the song 'Texakarna Baby' by country singer Eddy Arnold.

Rendered in dark-green vinyl, this dimly remembered release was the first ever seven-inch single. Now the format is officially on life support after U2's record label announced it is to stop releasing physical singles.

With manufacturing costs soaring and sales plummeting -- down 85% in the past four years -- Mercury Records stated that in future it envisages releasing singles only in 'exceptional circumstances'. Ironically, the first label to phase out singles was behind the biggest-selling UK seven-inch ever, Elton John's 1997 re-issue of 'Candle in the Wind'.

Read the rest of the article at independent.ie

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Jethro Tull's music to be performed in space

US astronaut will play the flute 250 miles above the Earth, while Jethro Tull founder Ian Anderson performs via video link

Sean Michaels guardian.co.uk

The music of Jethro Tull is to get an extraterrestrial premiere. On Tuesday (12 April), 250 miles above the Earth, US astronaut Catherine Coleman will raise a flute to her lips, performing via video link with Jethro Tull founder Ian Anderson. The one-off duet will honour the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first manned space flight.

While Coleman will be aboard the International Space Station, Anderson will be on stage in Perm, Russia. But this is no cheap tour gimmick: Coleman conceived of the project herself, approaching Anderson through a mutual friend, former radio DJ Dayna Steele. "Kate thought it would be fun to do a duet in space and asked me if I knew how to get in touch with Ian since I've been part of that world," Steele told AOL News. "So I tracked him down."

Read the rest at guardian.co.uk

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wonderful and insightful interview with iron maiden guitarist dave murray at the creativeloafing blog

A Q&A with Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray; the seminal heavy metal group makes its first Tampa stop since 1988 this Sunday at St Pete Times Forum, Tampa

by Joel Weiss

British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden return to Tampa for the first time since 1988, making good on a promise to return to Florida after their triumphant 2009 set in Ft. Lauderdale. Aside from bassist/founder Steve Harris, no one has been a member of Iron Maiden as long as guitarist Dave Murray.

Read the interview at blogs.creativeloafing.com

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Def Leppard Ready Live Album

Peter Hodgson

Def Leppard Ready Live Album Peter Hodgson|Monday, April 11, 2011 12:00 PM|0 Comments Def Leppard’s long-awaited live album, Mirrorball, will be released this summer, and will include three new tracks and a bonus DVD of performances and backstage footage.

The recording is Def Leppard’s first live album, and it includes all the hits you'd expect (“Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Photograph,” “Animal,” “Rock of Ages” as well as the new studio cuts “Undefeated,” “Kings of the World” and “It’s All About Believin’.”

Read more at Gibson.com

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USA

Albums:
1. Chris Brown : F.A.M.E.
2. Jennifer Hudson : I Remember Me
3. Adele : 21
4. The Strokes : Angles
5. Kirk Franklin : Hello Fear
6. Various : Songs For Japan
7. Panic At The Disco : Vices and Virtues
8. Mumford and Sons : Sigh No More
9. Bobby V : Fly On The Wall
10. Lupe Fiasco : Lasers

Singles:
1. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West : E.T.
2. Rihanna : S&M
3. Cee Lo Green : Fuck You
4. Lady Gaga : Born This Way
5. Black Eyed Peas : Just Can't Get Enough
6. Wiz Khalifa : No Sleep
7. Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes : Look At Me Now
8. Pink : Fucking Perfect
9. Jeremih feat. 50 Cent : Down On Me
10. Jennifer Lopez : On The Floor


UK

Albums:
1. Adele : 21
2. Adele : 19
3. The Strokes : Angles
4. Jessie J. : Who You Are
5. Ronan Keating & Burt Bacharach : When Ronan Met Burt
6. The Overtones : Good Ol' Fashioned Love
7. Rihanna : Loud
8. Nicole Scherzinger : Killer Love
9. Elbow : Build A Rocket Boys
10. Chris Brown : F.A.M.E.

Singles:
1. Adele : Someone Like You
2. Nicole Scherzinger : Don't Hold Your Breath
3. Black Eyed Peas : Just Can't Get Enough
4. Gold Forever : The Wanted
5. Jessie J feat. B.o.B. : Price Tag
6. Rihanna : S&M
7. Wiz Khalifa : Black and Yellow
8. Dr Dre feat. Eminem & Skylar Grey : I Need A Doctor
9. Adele : Rolling In the Deep
10. Lady Gaga : Born This Way


Europe

Albums:
1. Take That : Progress
2. Rihanna : Loud
3. Bruce Springsteen : The Promise
4. Shakira : Sale El Sol
5. Pink : Greatest Hits ... So Far
6. Bon Jovi : Greatest Hits
7. James Blunt : Some Kind Of Trouble
8. Susan Boyle : The Gift
9. Kings Of Leon : Come Around Sundown
10. JLS : Outta This World

Singles:
1. Adele : Rolling In the Deep
2. Bruno Mars : Grenade
3. Lady Gaga : Born This Way
4. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull : On The Floor
5. Rihanna : S&M
6. Black Eyed Peas : Just Can't Get Enough
7. Taio Cruz : Higher
8. Martin Solveig : Hello
9. Jessie J. feat. B.o.B. : Price Tag
10. David Guetta feat. Rihanna : Who's That Chick

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Details Emerge For Expanded-Edition Reissue Of Black Sabbath's 'Born Again'

here is the official press release for BLACK SABBATH "Born Again" Deluxe Expanded Edition:

Following the departure of lead singer Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinny Appice after the studio mixing of the "Live Evil" album, BLACK SABBATH were once again on the lookout for yet another lead vocalist to fill the significant void left at stage front. The band turned to ex-DEEP PURPLE lead singer Ian Gillan.

The resultant album and live touring certainly made for one of the more curious associations in the world of heavy metal. Much of this era of BLACK SABBATH has passed into rock folklore and was actually the source for much of the material used in the rockumentary movie "This Is Spinal Tap". From the replica stage production of Stonehenge, which was too large for some of the venues on the world tour, to the employment of a dwarf to dress up and play the part of the "devil-baby" from the LP front cover, the world of BLACK SABBATH took on a distinct air of the surreal.

Whilst the well-received "Born Again" album and live dates succeeded in stoking the embers and kept the SABBATH flames burning, this would ultimately be a marriage built more on friendship and respect as opposed to any long-standing and compatible musical association. After one tour, Ian Gillan would eventually bid farewell and re-join his old sparring partners for the Mk. II reunion of DEEP PURPLE and leave BLACK SABBATH once more gazing into the crystal ball hoping the face of yet another lead vocalist would reveal itself.

For Iommi, Butler, Ward, Gillan, and keyboardist Geoff Nicholls, work would swiftly commence in May of '83 at the Manor Studios in the village of Shiptonon-Cherwell, Oxfordshire. Produced by BLACK SABBATH and co-producer Robin Black, who had also worked on 1975's "Sabotage", 1976's "Technical Ecstasy", and 1978's "Never Say Die", SABBATH's eleventh studio release would represent a radical departure from the gloomy atmospherics and blackened lyricism that had forged their identity and spawned innumerable descendants.

Gillan's approach to song-writing bespoke a lighter-hearted approach to what had, until then, been the primary concern of Butler. Album opener "Trashed", for instance, was inspired by Gillan's boozed-up race around the Manor's grounds in Bill Ward's car that ended in near-catastrophe and a wrecked vehicle. "Disturbing The Priest" was the result of a door in the studio having been left open during playback, and a local vicar appearing in the doorway asking for the volume to be turned down as it was disturbing choir practice in the adjacent village.

For all of its off-kilter appearance however, "Born Again" was still SABBATH through and through. Musically twisted and possessed with more than a whiff of brimstone, the album is a thrilling glimpse into an alternative world.

For this re-mastered Deluxe Expanded Edition, a second disc containing two bonus tracks is included, with "The Fallen" being a previously unreleased studio outtake recorded during the original album session. Also included are nine tracks from the BBC "Friday Rock Show" broadcast of BLACK SABBATH's appearance at the Reading rock festival in August 1983, which also includes a performance of DEEP PURPLE's classic "Smoke On The Water".

BLACK SABBATH "Born Again" Deluxe Expanded Edition track listing:

Disc 1: ("Original Album")
01. Trashed
02. Stonehenge
03. Disturbing the Priest
04. The Dark
05. Zero The Hero
06. Digital Bitch
07. Born Again
08. Hot Line
09. Keep It Warm

Disc 2:
01. The Fallen (previously unreleased album session outtake)
02. Stonehenge (extended version)
Recorded live at the Reading Festival on Saturday, August 27, 1983 (BBC "Friday Rock Show" broadcast):
03. Hot Line
04. War Pigs
05. Black Sabbath
06. The Dark
07. Zero The Hero
08. Digital Bitch
09. Iron Man
10. Smoke On The Water
11. Paranoid

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this from WCCO in minneapolis

New Audience Enjoying Revival Of Vinyl Records



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and in music history for the day

Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle and Roll" was released in 1954.

In 1954, Bill Haley & His Comets recorded “Rock Around the Clock” at Pythian Temple studios in New York City. Written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers, the song was first recorded by Italian-American band Sonny Dae and His Knights. Considered by many to be the song that put rock and roll on the map around the world, Haley’s version was used over the opening titles of the film Blackboard Jungle and went on to become a worldwide #1.



The national radio show "Your Hit Parade" celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1955.

In 1966, Jan Berry, the younger half of Jan and Dean was paralyzed after he ran his Corvette into a parked truck on a side street in Beverly Hills. Berry suffered total physical paralysis for over a year as well as extensive brain damage which made it impossible to return to performing. The pair started their hit streak in 1958 with "Jennie Lee" and followed with "Baby Talk", "Surf City", "Sidewalk Surfin'", "Drag City", "Dead Man's Curve", "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena" and "Popsicle". Jan's accident ended their career as hit makers, although they attempted a comeback in 1978 after the biographical movie, Dead Man's Curve, was shown on TV (Berry was able to walk again after extensive therapy).

In 1969, the Fifth Dimension score their first #1 and their eighth Billboard Top 40 hit with "Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In."

Simon & Garfunkel's "The Boxer" was released in 1969.

The movie version of "Tommy" opened in 1975.

Elton John led the US Pop chart in 1975 with "Philadelphia Freedom", a song inspired by Billie Jean King's World Team Tennis League entry. this IS my most hated song of all time, i dispise everything about it....if it comes on the radio, it immediately gets turned off, it should be banned forever....

USA for Africa's "We Are The World" album was released in 1985.

In 1989, Two DJs on Los Angeles station KLOS ask “whatever happened to David Cassidy?” The singer called the station and the presenters invited him onto their show. Cassidy played three songs live on air and was subsequently signed by a new record label.

Also in 1989, Herbert Mills of the Mills Brothers died of viral meningitis at the age of 77. The vocal group had several hit records in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and are most often remembered for their 1968, #23 hit, "Cab Driver". Donald Mills, the last of the original group passed away in 1999. these mills brothers were a hot item way back when.....

In 1990, the Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Centre announced that Asteroids 4147-4150, would be named Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr after the four members of The Beatles. in a related event, my wife spent over $100 to have a star named after me...if you look up in the southeast sky, waaayy out there, there is a star named bob....

In 1999, Shania Twain became the only female artist in music history to sell at least 10 million units with back to back releases.

In 2000, Metallica filed suit against Napster, the University of Southern California, Yale University and Indiana University for copyright infringement, unlawful use of digital audio interface device and violations of the Racketeering Influenced & Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

In 2010, The Vatican's official newspaper L'Osservatore Ramano published a story praising The Beatles and saying that it forgives John Lennon's 1966 comment that the group was "bigger than Jesus." about time, eh? when he said it, i believe he was not only being truthful, but he was right on, they were bigger than anything before them and certainly (at the time) jesus took a back seat to the fab four...

birthday wishes to bubble-gum music hero David Cassidy (1950), Brendon Urie of Panic at the Disco (1987) Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls (1964) Pat Travers (1954) and John Kay of Steppenwolf fame (1944), among others

40th Anniversary of Marvin Gaye's Landmark What's Going On Album Celebrated With Super Deluxe Edition and Events

PRNewswire/ -- On May 21, 1971, Motown Records released an album unique to its vast, already classic catalog: a suite of protest songs, railing, albeit softly and with an undeniable groove, about the planet's woes and the pain of war. With What's Going On, Marvin Gaye forever changed the sound and subject matter of popular music, influencing and inspiring every generation since. Formerly Motown's reigning smooth-faced, smiling, mass-appeal artist, this album was Gaye's departure for the bearded, brooding, reflective, angry artist he would become. His first self-production, the album was written, sung and solely produced by Gaye.

Forty years on, the album remains a timeless classic. Speaking boldly and passionately about social issues on the street unlike any other album before, What's Going On provided a soundtrack to life in America—and still does. It was a smash from the start and it's still one of Rolling Stone magazine's top ten Greatest Albums of All Time. Two songs from this album are in the Grammy® Hall of Fame, which honors the most important recordings in history.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary, Motown/UMe proudly announces the release of What's Going On – Super Deluxe Edition, on May 17, 2011. This new Super Deluxe Edition includes two CDs and one vinyl LP, 14 unreleased tracks, copious rarities, all complemented by an oversized booklet with two essays and rare photos from the original cover shoot. Inside as well is a reproduction of the album graphics, which showcased, for the first time at Motown, the song's lyrics—and identified the musicians.

Leading off this lovingly produced, double-gatefold 12x12 package is a newly remastered version of the original album, which delivers a deeper, warmer sound than in previous reissues. Added to the album on Disc 1 are several outtakes from sessions that led up to the recording of the LP—the original mix of the title song Marvin presented to Motown's legendary Quality Control meeting, where it was summarily rejected; and song demos which show Marvin wrestling with the rejection—as well as the album's three mono single releases, each of which reached No. 1 R&B and Top 10 pop: "What's Going On" (in a very different mix than the LP), "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," plus their B-sides, of which two are alternate takes from the familiar LP versions.

Disc 2 of What's Going On – Super Deluxe Edition is a document of the album's aftermath, when Marvin Gaye, reluctant to tour and shy about becoming the "spokesman of his generation," holed up in Motown's Studio B in Detroit with like-minded musicians—among them the young guitarists Ray Parker Jr. and Wah Wah Watson, and the 20-year-old bassist Michael Henderson, fresh from a Miles Davis tour—and simply jammed over several days. These tracks, mostly instrumental, are as brooding and funky as the What's Going On album cover. The rest of the disc includes Gaye's final sessions in Detroit; among the few tunes he recorded was a sequel of sorts to the album, the politically tinged non-LP single "You're The Man," which hit the R&B top 10 in spring 1972. Also included are two rare alternate takes of the song.

Capping this special release is the first ever 12-inch vinyl LP of the "Detroit Mix" of What's Going On, the original, darker mix of the entire album, left behind when Gaye decided to finish the overdubs in Los Angeles.

Inside is an LP-sized booklet with rare photos from the sessions, the original lyrics, detailed recording annotations and two essays: one by Gaye biographer David Ritz describing the "Why" Marvin Gaye created his first-ever self-produced album, and another detailing the "How" by Ben Edmonds, author of What's Going On: Marvin Gaye and The Last Days Of The Motown Sound.

The anniversary will also be marked on stage this summer when Rickey Minor, Stevie Wonder and Friends (including special guest Janelle Monae) perform a July 24 Hollywood Bowl concert concluding with a tribute to What's Going On. In May of next year, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the National Symphony Orchestra with John Legend and The Roots will collaborate for a special What's Going On concert to note the 40th anniversary of Gaye's legendary performance at that venue.

SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises

New Vinyl Record and Music Releases - April 12, 2011

Finally a fantastic week for new music, from the indie bands to the classic artists, remasters and reissues on CD and vinyl. I especially like new albums by Paul Simon (So Beautiful Or So What), The Feelies (Here Before), Pand Bear (Tomboy), TV on the Radio (Nine Types of Light ) and Elbow (Build a Rocket Boys!), just to name a few.

Vinyl reissues are plentiful this week including Whiskeytown (Pneumonia), Fleetwood Mac (Rumours), Nick Lowe (Labour of Lust), Booker T. and the M.G.'s (The Best of Booker T. and the M.G.'s), two from My Morning Jacket (Evil Urges and It Still Moves), three reissues from the Kinks, Jeff Buckley (Grace) and Miles Davis (Kind of Blue), just to name a few.

Drumroll.....



a-ha - Ending on a High Note: Final Concert (3 CDs)
A Lull - Confetti
Agnes Obel - Philharmonics
Alexander Tucker - Dorwytch
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Paper Airplanes
Art of Noise - Into Battle With the Art of Noise (remastered)
Atmosphere - The Family Sign
Autechre - EPs 1991-2002
Baby Teardrops - X Is for Love
Bass Drum of Death - GB City
Bearsuit - The Phantom Forest
Beat Connection - Surf Noir (EP)
Bell X1 - Bloodless Coup
Between The Buried And Me - The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues
Big Country - Fields of Fire: Ultimate Collection
Billy C. Farlow - You Better Run
Black Devil Disco Club - Circus
Blaqstarr - Blaqstarr: The Mixtape
Blodwyn Pig, Mick Abraham's - All Said & Done (2 CDs)
Bob Dylan - Live at Brandeis University 1963
Booker T. and the M.G.'s - The Best of Booker T. and the M.G.'s (reissue)(vinyl)
Brett Dennen - Loverboy
Cameron McGill & What Army - Is a Beast
Cass McCombs - Wit’s End
Conrad Schnitzler - Ballet Statique (reissue)(vinyl)
Contours - Dance With The Contours
Crystal Stilts - In Love With Oblivion
Current 93 - Honeysuckle Aeons
D. Charles Speer & The Helix - Leaving the Commonwealth
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - Horse Power EP / My Love Is (vinyl)
Dana Fuchs - Love to Beg
Dave Matthews Band - Live at Wrigley Field
Dead Rock West - Bright Morning Stars
Del McCoury & the Preservation Hall Jazz Band - American Legacies
Dickie Landry - Fifteen Saxophones
Dokken - Anthems
Dorian Concept - Her Tears Taste Like Pears (vinyl)
Ebo Taylor - Life Stories
Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys!
Ellen Allien - Dust Remixes
Emilie Simon - The Big Machine
Errors - Come Down with Me
Evan Caminiti - When California Falls Into The Sea
Federico Aubele - Berlin 13
Femi Kuti - Africa For Africa
Figurines - Figurines
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (reissue)(vinyl)
Foo Fighters - Wasted Light
Foxtails Brigade - Bread & The Bait
Fredrik - Flora
Freelance Whales/Foals - Split (vinyl)
Gable - Cute Horse
Garage a Trois - Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil
Generationals - Actor-Caster
German Measels - A German Joke is No Laughing Matter (vinyl)
Giant Sand - Center of the Universe (25th Anniversary Edition) (reissue)
Giant Sand - Long Stem Rant (25th Anniversary Edition) (reissue)
Giant Sand - Swerve (25th Anniversary Edition) (reissue)
Giant Sand - The Love Songs (25th Anniversary Edition) (reissue)
Gregory Isaacs - Catch / Cinema (3 CDs)
Grouper - Alien Observer
Grouper - Dream Loss
Guano Apes - Bel Air
Gypsyblood - Guestway
Hauschka - Salon des Amateurs
Holy Ghost! - Holy Ghost!
Howe Gelb & A Band of Hypsies - Alegrias
I Was Totally Destroying It - Preludes
Indian - Guiltless
Jack Johnson - Brushfire Fairytales
Jamaica - No Problem
James Leg - Solitary Pleasure
James Williamson - With the Careless Hearts
Jamie Woon - Mirrorwriting
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit - Here We Rest
Jeff Buckley - Grace (reissue)(vinyl)
Jeniferever - Silesia
Jeremy Jay - Dream Diary (vinyl)
Jessie J - Who You Are
Jimi Hendrix - South Saturn Delta (vinyl)(2 LPs)
Joan As Police Woman - The Deep Field
Joan Baez - Play Me Backwards (2 CDs)
John Oates - Mississippi Mile
Jonny - Jonny EP
Journey - Infinity (reissue) (vinyl)
k.d. Lang - k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang: Sing It Loud
LAKE - Giving & Receiving
Last Chance To Reason - Level 2
Laura Story - Blessings
letlive. - Fake History
Lil Daggers - Lil Daggers
Little Scream - The Golden Record
Low - C’mon
Magnetic Man - Magnetic Man
Mana - Drama y Luz
Mazes - A Thousand Heys
Meat Puppets - Lollipop (vinyl)
Metallica - S&M (vinyl)(3 LPs)
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (reissue) (vinyl)
Moonlight Towers - Day Is The New Night
Mount Moriah - Mount Moriah
My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (reissue)(vinyl)
My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves (reissue)(vinyl)
Nat King Cole - At the Sands / Welcome to the Club
Nazareth - 2xs / Sound Elixir
Nazareth - Catch / Cinema
Nick Lowe - Labour of Lust (remastered) (vinyl)
Olf Calf - Borrow A Horse
Panda Bear - Tomboy
Paul Simon - So Beautiful Or So What
Pentagram - Last Rites
Phish - Live Phish: 10/26/10 Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, NH
Ponytail - Do Whatever You Want All the Time
Quintron - Sucre Du Sauvage
Reading Rainbow - Cover The Sky
Rebirth Brass Band - Rebirth Of New Orleans
Red Fang - Murder The Mountains
Rhys Chatham - Outdoor Spell
Rilo Kiley - Take Offs & Landings (reissue)(vinyl)
Ron Pope - Whatever It Takes
Roomate - Guilty Rainbow (vinyl)
Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour 74 (vinyl)
Sarah Jaffe - Ever Born Again
Sarah Vaughan - In Paris (Jazz in Paris Collection)
Shane MacGowan - Rakes, Rats, Pricks, & Kicks: An Anthology (remastered)
Sheree Brown - Straight Ahead / The Music
Shine 2009 - Realism
Skull Tape - The Invisible Hand and the Descent of Man
Sonny & the Sunsets - Hit After Hit
Stefan Grossman - Live! (2 CDs)
Steve Miller Band - Wide River
Summon The Crows - One More For the Gallows
TV Ghost - Mass Dream
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
The Apache Relay - American Nomad
The Belle Brigade - The Belle Brigade (vinyl)
The Bouncing Souls - Complete Control Sessions (vinyl)
The Church - Starfish (30th Anniversary Reissue)
The Feelies - Here Before
The Goldberg Sisters - The Goldberg Sisters
The Kinks - Kinda Kinks (reissue)
The Kinks - The Kink Kontroversy (reissue)
The Kinks - The Kinks (reissue)
The One AM Radio - Heaven Is Attached By A Slender Thread
The Pretty Reckless - Light Me Up
The Sounds - Something to Die For (vinyl)
The Trews - Hope & Ruin
Thee Spivs - Taped Up (vinyl)
Thieves Like Us - Again and Again
Thursday - No Devolucion
Title Fight - Flood of '72 (vinyl)
Todd Rundgren - Todd Rundgren's Johnson
Trembling Bells - Constant Pageant
Ty Segall -Ty Rex
Ultraviolet Sound - Ultraviolet Sound
Various Artists - Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix
Various Artists - Scream 4 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Various Artists - Win Win (soundtrack) (vinyl)
Vessels - Helioscope
Victims - A Dissident
Vivian Girls - Share The Joy
Washington - How to Tame Lions
Weedeater - Jason... The Dragon (vinyl)
Whiskeytown - Pneumonia (reissue)(vinyl)
Wild Palm - Until Spring
Willie Nelson & Ray Price Run - That By Me One More Time (vinyl)
Winter - Into Darkness (reissue)
Yip Deceiver - Yip Deceiver
Young Widows - In And Out Of Youth And Lightness
Zeus - Permanent Scar/The Darkness (7")
Zomes - Earth Grid

Click here for New Jazz Releases

Remember, if you are a record company and have new releases or know of any I missed (especially vinyl), please email me and I will add your music to the list. I also do reviews of new vinyl, email me for more information.

Have new music for the list? Email me at rbenson30@wi.rr.com

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

yes, unless you live under a rock you know that RSD is quickly approaching and if you are interested in reading more about the plethra of new vinyl being made available, thevinyldistrict.com has you covered!

Record Store Day 2011 – Comprehensive Release Guide Part 2

A Comprehensive list of all the releases for Record Store Day 2011 – Part 2 features the second HALF of the RSD2011 exclusive releases.

Go to thevinyldistrict.com










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Regina Spektor Announces Special Record Store Day Release

NYC's own, Regina Spektor has always been an ardent supporter of indie record stores. In fact, in recent years, she has graced the now-annual event, Record Store Day, the big day out in celebration and support of independent music retailers, with in-store appearances, special product, and kind, public words for the event. This year, Spektor goes all out with a number of hearty nods to the indies, sending out love in all formats.

The artist says, "I'm very glad to take part in Record Store Day again. It's so important to have a local place where you can go and discover new and older music. It's great to be surrounded by knowledgeable people who can guide you and help you through your discoveries; people who can put things into a context, care about the history of recorded music, and want to share their experience. Go and meet them!"

First off, Spektor is slated to do a live in-store performance at Other Music in NYC on Record Store Day 2011. The much-loved and frequented retailer has had a long history with Spektor and is thrilled to have her:

Read more at pluginmusic.com

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Record Store Day Final Countdown Is On With Cults, Deerhoof, Death Cab, Fleet Foxes, Matt & Kim

With less than a week to go, the final countdown to Record Store Day 2011 is on. Cults, Death Cab for Cutie, Deerhoof, The Dodos, Fleet Foxes, Matt & Kim, Midlake, Peter Bjorn & John, Regina Spektor, Will Self, and Xiu Xiu are only a handful of the indie artists that will be releasing exclusive and limited edition pieces this year at participating stores on Record Store Day.

Read more at pluginmusic.com

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vinyl stores in the chicago area help celebrate vinyl!

A Day for the Records

More than 700 stores around the country participate in the April 16 vinyl-loving holiday

By J.V. Siegel

Those who thought, and not imprudently, that the sun had set on vinyl recordings have been proven wrong.

Record Store Day 2011, taking place on April 16, is Christmas for the many fans of vinyl that still remain loyal.

Officially established in 2007 by employees of independent record stores, Record Store Day is celebrated globally, and has been done so since 2008, when it received immediate acclaim from recording artists internationally.

Since then, the popularity of the day has only grown. This year, more than 700 independently owned record stores in the United States alone will be participating.

Read more at depauliaonline.com

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clashmusic.com discusses a special pic disc release

Jamie Woon Prepares Picture Disc

Another Record Store Day item

by Robin Murray

Jamie Woon has confirmed plans for a picture disc edition of new single 'Lady Luck'.

Ah, the picture disc. Back in the day, the picture disc was a collectable alternative to boring old black vinyl. Instead, bands - and producers, lest we forget - would press pictures onto the wax, possibly of themselves but the designs could become intricate.

Seeming to fall out of fashion, the picture disc has enjoyed a revival alongside the rise in vinyl sales. Now Jamie Woon has organised a special one off release, containing an intricate design pressed onto 12 inch.

Read more at clashmusic.com

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lovely story about one's passion for vinyl and why it is important!

My love letter to Welsh record shops

Bethan Elfyn

I've just read a strange article by Rick Martin, an NME hack, essentially berating Record Store Day and our sentimentality for our local independent record store.

Here's the first section of his argument: "If physical singles are finally dying out for good, then don't expect me to send any flowers to the funeral. I don't care about Record Store Day. I don't even care if I never own a physical CD or vinyl record ever again. I got rid of 90 per cent of my CD-based record collection last year, leaving behind only the records I'd paid for before becoming a music hack. I don't miss them.

"And here's why: if you're seriously bothered about the way your tunes are delivered to you, you're focusing on totally the wrong aspect of what makes music great.

"You don't need to own music to enjoy it. I don't sniff records. Buying a CD or 7" doesn't make me like a tune any more than if I'd hear it streamed on a blog - great music is great music however you hear it."

He goes on sadly to bemoan the experience at the independent record store and how it leaves you feeling a little sour.

With so many working together to support Record Store Day, and champion these shops which are struggling with the recession on top of the changing taste in music-buying public, I wanted to write my own love letter to the record shop, and what it represents to me:

Please read the rest of this compelling opinion at bbc.co.uk

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up north of our border, folks are preparing for rsd, read on:

The vinyl frontier

City outlets put their own spin on Record Store Day

By: David Sanderson

Stylus-conscious people will want to circle April 16 on their calendars.

For the fourth year in a row, the third Saturday in April has been designated Record Store Day — an internationally recognized 24-hour period that celebrates independent music stores, particularly those that sell good, old-fashioned vinyl. (This year, Ozzy Osbourne will serve as the event's official ambassador. Good luck understanding the opening ceremonies.)

More than 1,500 stores worldwide, including nine in Winnipeg, are expected to take part in Record Store Day 2011. "This will be the third time we're involved," says Dave Wright, owner of Planet of Sound, at 1109 Henderson Hwy. "Every store does their own thing; our first year, a local musician did an in-store (concert). Last year was nice out, so (folk-rock artist) Jamie Rumley played on the sidewalk, outside the store.

"But basically it's just an excuse for music fans to come together."

Read the rest at winnipegfreepress.com

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this from our friends at vintagevinylnews.com

The Letters of John Lennon to Be Published in 2012

A new book containing the letters of John Lennon has been scheduled for publication, but not for another 18 months.

The LA Times reports that Yoko Ono and official Beatles biographer Hunter Davies have compiled Lennon’s letters, postcards and drawings, sent to all manner of people.

Read more at vintagevinylnews.com

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Three New Pieces of Vinyl from Immune Recordings

Erik Keldsen’s Immune Recordings has never released a mediocre record, so with an update always comes excitement. The first of three new offerings is the Record Store Day split 7″ between Steve Gunn and Ilyas Ahmed. Gunn’s raga-tinged folk and Ahmed’s gorgeous “gone” experimentalism should be familiar to readers, but if not, investigate immediately.

read more at omgvinyl.com








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Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Deep Purple Members Unite For Charity

There are supergroups and then there's WHOCARES, a band formed for charity by Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Iron Maiden's Nicko McBrain, Deep Purple's Ian Gillan, ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, former Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord, and Finnish guitarist Linde Lindstrom. WHOCARES are planning to release their debut songs on May 6th. The project is the brainchild of Iommi and Gillan, who invited their A-list hard rock friends to participate in their charitable vision.

Read the rest at noisecreep.com

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interesting take on hugh laurie's new record from the irishtimes:

White guy Laurie's debut album facing in to some mean dog blues

A CLARIFICATION from actor Hugh Laurie: “I was not born in Alabama in the 1890s. I’ve never eaten grits, cropped a share, or ridden a boxcar. No gypsy woman said anything to my mother when I was born and there’s no hellhound on my trail, as far as I can judge. Let this record show that I am a white, middle-class Englishman, openly trespassing on the music and myth of the American south.”

Such hand-wringing could only come from a white, privileged, English graduate of Eton and Oxford (all of which Laurie is), but there are wider issues at work concerning musical fundamentalism. Laurie’s Let Them Talk , due out next month, is an album of blues covers, and already the “How Dare You” brigade are flinging pejoratives and dragging up wretched old arguments about “provenance” and “authenticity”.

Laurie is one of the most- watched actors in the world thanks to his TV series House . When you’ve that big a profile you can ring up any label you want, say “I want to do this”, and a stretch limo will be outside your door before you hang up. Hardly his fault.

Read the rest at irishtimes.com

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very interesting article from the twin cities, with local musicians chiming in, worth the read:

What was your first album? We asked. Here's what local music types said.

By Ross Raihala

Do you remember the first time?

If you're a music lover, you probably do. The first time you were so moved by an artist or a song, you had to make it your very first record purchase. The first time you spent your own money to buy that album. The first time you got it home, unwrapped it, put it on and listened to each song, all the while studying the cover art and liner notes. The first time you fell in love with that sweet, sweet sound.

It's an experience that just isn't the same in what has become a point-and-click world, but that experience — buying music recorded on physical media — is one that will be celebrated Saturday during the fifth annual Record Store Day. The national event celebrates all aspects of records and independent record stores, with in-store shows and hundreds of exclusive, limited-edition releases. Most Twin Cities record shops, including Electric Fetus, Cheapo, Fifth Element and Down in the Valley, will participate.

Read more twincities.com

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Album cover art for Nordic power/thrash metal band ARCTIRIS

ARCTIRIS is a Power/Thrash metal band formed in November of 2010 in Beijing, China. The band members comprise of Danish front man Eemil (Guitar & Vocals), Marcel (Drums) and Ury (Keyboard/Backing Vocals). The band was originally named "Fenris" however, due to copyright issues with the name, the name was changed to Arctiris.

The bands musical style derives from renowed power metal act's such as Sonata Arctica, Avantasia, Rhapsody Of Fire, Helloween, Dragonforce & Stratovarius they are however also influenced by Thrash bands such as Megadeth, Metallica & Annihalator. They have however developed their own sound by combinig power metal themes such as fast keyboard melodies and gallop rhythms with thrash styled riffs & Solo's.

already in my top ten album covers for 2011!









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a lovely story about one's love for the stones (among others)

Best-selling crime writer Ian Rankin reveals his love for The Rolling Stones

WHEN I first heard The Rolling Stones, I hated them - the album was Let It Bleed.

It belonged to my sister's boyfriend. He had paid £1 19s 11d (just under £2) for it at a record shop in Kirkcaldy.

It came with a poster and the sleeve was interesting. I'd no idea who Delia Smith was but she'd done a good job of that cake.

I was a bit of a poster fanatic - my tiny bedroom was plastered with them, including the ceiling.

Read the rest at dailyrecord.co.uk

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CHICAGO ¡EXITOS! Set For Release

Known for their original and innovative music style, the world famous rock group, CHICAGO, is at it again. Chicago and manager Peter Schivarelli are executive producers on a new and exciting Latin music project of 12 of their greatest hits called Chicago ¡Exitos!.

They have hired New York producer and arranger John Van Eps, who in turn, gathered the best Latin arrangers, musicians and singers that he could find, calling them “The New York Latin All-Stars featuring vocalist Eddie Ganz.”

Just as Chicago combined rock, jazz, blues and classical on their original recordings, the “NYLAS” have created amazing Latin style versions of Chicago's hits, including “Make Me Smile,” “25 Or 6 To 4,” “Saturday In The Park,” “Another Rainy Day In New York City,” “Colour My World” and many other beloved Chicago hits.

Eddie Ganz translated the English lyrics to Spanish, and the horns were arranged and adapted by Jeff Holmes. Some of the Latin music styles featured on the record are Latin Pop, Bomba, Afro, Songo, Cha Cha, Mozambique, Joropo, Mambo, Merengue and Dancon.

Said Chicago band member Lee Loughnane, "Knowing that we would not be able to accurately represent all the intricacies of the various Latin styles by arranging and performing the songs ourselves, we thought it best to put the project in the hands of musicians who work in the Latin genre. We hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as we do."

Robert Lamm added, "Producer Van Eps told me that all the musicians, their families and friends were thrilled to hear these familiar and well-loved Chicago songs transformed in such a unique way."

Short samples of some of the songs can be found on Chicago's website: http://www.chicagotheband.com/

If you are real interested in hearing more, check out the undercover.fm interview HERE

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our friends in new zealand know about vinyl!

Why vinyl records are better

Imogen Crispe

A Mamaku man says vinyl records are still worth buying - they have a better sound and bring back nostalgia.

Craig Roberts bought three records at the Rotorua Record Fair at Ngongotaha Hall yesterday. He said he had recently got back into listening to vinyl, buying a new record player after finding some old LPs he had in the attic.

"I just fancied listening to them again."

Read the rest at rotoruadailypost.co.nz

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contactmusic.com is reporting:

Stars To Cover McCartney Songs For Tribute Album

Legendary rock stars including Kiss, Billy Joel, and The Cure are reportedly set to contribute versions of songs by Sir Paul McCartney for a new covers album.

Read the story at contactmusic.com

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have any talent for album cover art?

Todd Rundgren Album Cover Art Contest

Showcase your artistic ingenuity and let your creativity flow by creating the cover of Todd Rundgren’s forthcoming album [re] Production. Send us your most inspired design for a chance to be featured as either the album cover or in the physical and/or digital booklet

check it out at myrecordfantasy.com

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interesting post on craigslist:

Looking for Partners who know about Vinyl Record Collecting (Somerset County)

cnj.craigslist.org

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and in music history for today:

The SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America) was founded in 1936.

James Brown debuts on the R&B charts in 1956 with "Please, Please, Please."

In 1961, Bob Dylan played his first live gig in New York City at Gerde’s Folk City, opening for John Lee Hooker.

In 1964, The Beatles set a new chart record with 14 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The songs ranged from “Can’t Buy Me Love” at #1 to “Love Me Do” at #81.

In 1965, The New Musical Express, the most important music trade paper in Britain, hosted a concert at London's Wembley Empire Pool, featuring The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Tom Jones, The Seekers, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Animals, The Kinks, Herman's Hermits, The Moody Blues, Them, Cilla Black and Donovan. wow, what a line up!!!

Frank Sinatra recorded the immortal cut "Strangers in the Night" in 1966.

Big Brother & the Holding Company made their national TV debut on ABC's "Hollywood Palace" in 1968.



In 1981, Hall & Oates started a three-week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Kiss on My List,” the duo’s second American chart-topper.

R.E.M.'s first album, "Murmur", was released in 1983.

Guns N’ Roses shot the video for their song “Sweet Child O’ Mine” in a ballroom in Huntington Beach, CA in 1988.

In 1994, Oasis released their first single, “Supersonic,” which peaked at #31 on the U.K. charts.

In 2006, June Pointer, the youngest of the four Pointer Sisters who went from teenage Gospel singers to the top of the Pop charts with such hits as "Fire", "Slow Hand" and "I'm So Excited", died of cancer at the age of 52.

celebrating birthdays today include Lisa Stansfield (1966), Joss Stone (1987) & Nigel Pulsford of Bush (1965)