Monday, May 18, 2009
This Date In Music History-May 18
Birthdays:
Albert Hammond ("It Never Rains In Southern California") is 67.
Butch Tavares – Tavares (1953)
Michael Cretu – Enigma (1957)
Rick Wakeman – Yes (1949)
George Strait was born in 1952. He has the second most #1 country hits among any artist in any musical genre in history, totaling 53 #1 hit songs. Only Conway Twitty has more, with 55.
Joe Bonsall - The Oak Ridge Boys (1948)
Rodney Dillard - The Dillards (1942)
They Are Missed:
Born in 1912, Perry Como, singer, TV presenter (Como died on May 12, 2001).
Joe Turner, US blues songwriter was born in 1911. Wrote “Shake Rattle and Roll,” “Sweet Sixteen.” He died on November 23, 1985.
In 1980, Joy Division singer and guitarist Ian Curtis hanged himself in the kitchen of his house in Macclesfield, England at the age of 23. Curtis had the Iggy Pop album “The Idiot,” playing on his stereo and left a note that said, “At this very moment, I wish I were dead. I Just can't cope anymore.”
In 2004, Elvin Ray Jones, a jazz drummer who played with John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, died of heart failure in Englewood, N.J. He was 76. He can be heard to excellent effect on Coltrane's A Love Supreme.
History:
Wilbert Harrison’s “Kansas City,” written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, topped the pop chart in 1959. The song was later covered by The Beatles (“Beatles VI”).
Having been promoted to RCA’s manager of operations in 1957, Chet Atkins persuaded the label to build its own office and studio in Nashville. The result was the world-famous RCA Studio B, a.k.a. “the house that Chet built.”
Today in 1985, the song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds topped the charts and stayed there for a week.
Today in 1968 the song "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell & the Drells was #1 on the charts. The cut didn't chart in the UK.
Get Back (The Beatles) was a hit in 1969. (#1 for five weeks)
"Dancing Machine," one of the Jackson 5's last big hits for Motown, reached #1 on the R&B chart and #2 on the pop chart in 1974.
Peter Gabriel left Genesis to pursue a solo career in 1975. Drummer Phil Collins eventually replaced Gabriel as lead singer for the group.
The Buddy Holly Story, a popular film biography starring Gary Busey in the title role, was released in 1978. Twelve years later, the actor paid a quarter of a million dollars at auction for an acoustic guitar that belonged to Holly.
George Strait was at #1 on the US album chart in 1997 with “Carrying Your Love With Me.”
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony started a 8 week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1996 with “Tha Crossroads,” (#8 hit in the UK).
Ray Stevens started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1974 with the inane novelty song “The Streak.” Surprisingly, it was also #1 in the UK.
The Kingsmen recorded their controversial cut "Louie Louie" in 1963.
R.E.M. went to #1 on the US album chart in 1991 with “Out Of Time,” probably their finest effort.
Diana Ross left Motown Records in 1981 and signed a $20 million contract with RCA (the most lucrative ever at the time).
The Animals recorded "House Of The Rising Sun" in 1964.
The Hollies record "Bus Stop" in 1966.
Tiny Tim's "Tip-Toe Through the Tulips" was released in 1968. It was originally a #1 hit for Nick Lucas in 1929. Tiny Tim’s version topped out at #17 on the charts.
Albert Hammond ("It Never Rains In Southern California") is 67.
Butch Tavares – Tavares (1953)
Michael Cretu – Enigma (1957)
Rick Wakeman – Yes (1949)
George Strait was born in 1952. He has the second most #1 country hits among any artist in any musical genre in history, totaling 53 #1 hit songs. Only Conway Twitty has more, with 55.
Joe Bonsall - The Oak Ridge Boys (1948)
Rodney Dillard - The Dillards (1942)
They Are Missed:
Born in 1912, Perry Como, singer, TV presenter (Como died on May 12, 2001).
Joe Turner, US blues songwriter was born in 1911. Wrote “Shake Rattle and Roll,” “Sweet Sixteen.” He died on November 23, 1985.
In 1980, Joy Division singer and guitarist Ian Curtis hanged himself in the kitchen of his house in Macclesfield, England at the age of 23. Curtis had the Iggy Pop album “The Idiot,” playing on his stereo and left a note that said, “At this very moment, I wish I were dead. I Just can't cope anymore.”
In 2004, Elvin Ray Jones, a jazz drummer who played with John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, died of heart failure in Englewood, N.J. He was 76. He can be heard to excellent effect on Coltrane's A Love Supreme.
History:
Wilbert Harrison’s “Kansas City,” written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, topped the pop chart in 1959. The song was later covered by The Beatles (“Beatles VI”).
Having been promoted to RCA’s manager of operations in 1957, Chet Atkins persuaded the label to build its own office and studio in Nashville. The result was the world-famous RCA Studio B, a.k.a. “the house that Chet built.”
Today in 1985, the song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds topped the charts and stayed there for a week.
Today in 1968 the song "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell & the Drells was #1 on the charts. The cut didn't chart in the UK.
Get Back (The Beatles) was a hit in 1969. (#1 for five weeks)
"Dancing Machine," one of the Jackson 5's last big hits for Motown, reached #1 on the R&B chart and #2 on the pop chart in 1974.
Peter Gabriel left Genesis to pursue a solo career in 1975. Drummer Phil Collins eventually replaced Gabriel as lead singer for the group.
The Buddy Holly Story, a popular film biography starring Gary Busey in the title role, was released in 1978. Twelve years later, the actor paid a quarter of a million dollars at auction for an acoustic guitar that belonged to Holly.
George Strait was at #1 on the US album chart in 1997 with “Carrying Your Love With Me.”
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony started a 8 week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1996 with “Tha Crossroads,” (#8 hit in the UK).
Ray Stevens started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1974 with the inane novelty song “The Streak.” Surprisingly, it was also #1 in the UK.
The Kingsmen recorded their controversial cut "Louie Louie" in 1963.
R.E.M. went to #1 on the US album chart in 1991 with “Out Of Time,” probably their finest effort.
Diana Ross left Motown Records in 1981 and signed a $20 million contract with RCA (the most lucrative ever at the time).
The Animals recorded "House Of The Rising Sun" in 1964.
The Hollies record "Bus Stop" in 1966.
Tiny Tim's "Tip-Toe Through the Tulips" was released in 1968. It was originally a #1 hit for Nick Lucas in 1929. Tiny Tim’s version topped out at #17 on the charts.
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales
Week Ending 05/16/2009
1. LP - Genesis "A Trick Of The Tail" MFSL UHQR Test Pressing - $3,550.00 - Start: $895.00 - Bids: 16
2. 45 - Jelly (titles not available) Fu-Ju JR-1001 - $3,349.00 - Start: $350.99 - Bids: 13
3. 78 - Vogue Picture Disc Unnumbered (Rum & Coca-Cola / The Lion's Roar) - $3,106.96 - Start: $400.00 - Bids: 19
4. LP - The Velvet Underground & Nico "self titled" Verve Mono Promo - $2,750.00 - Start: BIN
5. LP - King Crimson "In The Court Of The Crimson King" MFSL - $2,550.00 - Start: $849.00 - Bids: 22
Two MFSL test pressings make the list this week, in the #1 and #5 spots. The #1 goes to a test pressing of Genesis's "A Trick Of The Tail" which sells for halfway over $3.5k. Next, a Northern Soul 45 from Jelly bids to a dollar less than halfway over $3.3k.
A beautiful Vogue picture record, possibly a one of a kind, sells for a little over $3.1k, and gets the #3 spot.
Next, A mono Velvet Underground Warhol mono LP goes for halfway over $2.7k, and in the #5 spot, the other MFSL, this one of King Crimson's first LP, sells on a Buy-It-Now for halfway over $2.5k
Thank you to Norm over at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this wonderful data!
1. LP - Genesis "A Trick Of The Tail" MFSL UHQR Test Pressing - $3,550.00 - Start: $895.00 - Bids: 16
2. 45 - Jelly (titles not available) Fu-Ju JR-1001 - $3,349.00 - Start: $350.99 - Bids: 13
3. 78 - Vogue Picture Disc Unnumbered (Rum & Coca-Cola / The Lion's Roar) - $3,106.96 - Start: $400.00 - Bids: 19
4. LP - The Velvet Underground & Nico "self titled" Verve Mono Promo - $2,750.00 - Start: BIN
5. LP - King Crimson "In The Court Of The Crimson King" MFSL - $2,550.00 - Start: $849.00 - Bids: 22
Two MFSL test pressings make the list this week, in the #1 and #5 spots. The #1 goes to a test pressing of Genesis's "A Trick Of The Tail" which sells for halfway over $3.5k. Next, a Northern Soul 45 from Jelly bids to a dollar less than halfway over $3.3k.
A beautiful Vogue picture record, possibly a one of a kind, sells for a little over $3.1k, and gets the #3 spot.
Next, A mono Velvet Underground Warhol mono LP goes for halfway over $2.7k, and in the #5 spot, the other MFSL, this one of King Crimson's first LP, sells on a Buy-It-Now for halfway over $2.5k
Thank you to Norm over at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this wonderful data!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Rain Songs- part one
As the featured writer at www.musicstack.com, I thought that, with the spring rains that we are experiencing, it would be a great topic to look at some 'rain' songs. Here is the first installmnet (of four)
By Robert Benson
After a long, hard winter, we all look forward to the spring, the warmth of the sun and the longer days of April and May and then on to summertime. However, as they say- with spring a little rain must fall. In this four-part article series, let’s explore some popular ‘rain’ songs in musical history, you will probably be surprised how many of these songs from American music that you are familiar with.
B.J. Thomas scored number one hit in 1970 with the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song called “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.” The song was written for the soundtrack of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The cut was the second number one single for the Bacharach-David songwriting team and it won an Academy Award for Best Song, being only the second number one song of the rock era to do so.
Interestingly, the night before B.J. Thomas was to record the song, he was under doctor’s orders not to use his voice for two weeks (he was suffering from laryngitis). However, he pleaded with the doctor to treat his condition, explaining that he had to record a song for a new Paul Newman movie and the doctor gave him some medication to keep his throat lubricated so he could sing.
The next day, Thomas did five takes of the song before Bacharach was satisfied (and Thomas would later admit that if he had been asked to record one more take, he couldn’t have done it). After a few weeks his voice healed and he flew to New York to record the single version, this time his voice was crystal clear.
Some history books say that Bob Dylan was originally asked to record the song, but Bacharach disputes this, claiming that he had asked Ray Stevens to do it, but it wasn’t a career move that Stevens wanted to make. Ooops.
Iconic guitarist Eric Clapton released a cut called “Let It Rain” in 1972 (it peaked at #48 on the Billboard charts). Clapton wrote the song with the help of Bonnie and Delaney Bramlett while they were on tour together in 1969 (and while Clapton was still with the supergroup Blind Faith). The song is the last track on Clapton’s first solo album, which was coincidently produced by Delaney Bramlett. There is also a nineteen-minute version of the song on the Derek and the Dominos “Live at the Fillmore LP.
The song was not released as a single until 1972. Two years after the album came out. Jerry Allison and Sonny Curtis, both former members of Buddy Holly and the Crickets, along with Bonnie Bramlett and Rita Coolidge sang back up vocals.
Another fantastic rain song is the Creedence Clearwater Revival cut, “Have You Ever Seen The Rain,” which hit number eight on the Billboard charts in 1971 (from the LP Pendulum 1970).
There have been some who have speculated that the song’s lyrics were referring to the Vietnam War, with ‘rain’ being a metaphor for bombs falling for the sky. But John Fogerty, singer and songwriter for the band has stated that the song is about the rising tension and internal strife that CCR was experiencing at the time and about the imminent departure of his brother, Tom from the band (he ultimately left the band in early 1971 after the release of Pendulum).
Before there was the Partridge Family, another family band scored a huge hit with a ‘rain’ song. The Cowsills, a family pop group, hit number two on the Billboard charts in the fall of 1967 with the song called “The Rain, The Park and Other Things.” It is also known as the ‘flower girl song, in reference to the lyrics, “I love the flower girl.”
Some interesting tidbits about the cut are that it is one of only a few vocal works whose lyrics do not contain the song’s title. The song was co-written and produced by Artie Kornfeld, who later went on to fame as one of the concert promoters at the legendary concert at Woodstock. Additionally, the song was an international hit, reachi9ng number one in Canada in the week of November 13, 1967 and was also a hit in the UK.
“Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” is a song that was written by Fred Rose and was originally recorded in 1945 by Roy Acuff and later in 1951 by Hank Williams Sr. But it is best remembered as the breakthrough number one hit for country singer Willie Nelson (the song hit number one on the country singles chart and number twenty-one on the Billboard Top 100), who also earned a Grammy Award for Country Male Vocalist in 1975.
Prior to the massive success of the song, Nelson had enjoyed mainstream success primarily as a songwriter; the best known song he wrote was “Crazy,” performed by Patsy Cline. He chose to include “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” on his concept LP “Red Headed Stranger” and with his own unique style incorporated into the melody, the hit helped launch his career to country superstardom.
The cut has also been placed at number 302 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs. Interestingly, it is also the last known song that Elvis Presley performed before his untimely passing on August 16, 1977 (he had played the song at his Graceland home piano shortly before his demise).
Look for our next article coming soon, where we will explore more popular ‘rain’ songs in music history.
By Robert Benson
After a long, hard winter, we all look forward to the spring, the warmth of the sun and the longer days of April and May and then on to summertime. However, as they say- with spring a little rain must fall. In this four-part article series, let’s explore some popular ‘rain’ songs in musical history, you will probably be surprised how many of these songs from American music that you are familiar with.
B.J. Thomas scored number one hit in 1970 with the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song called “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.” The song was written for the soundtrack of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The cut was the second number one single for the Bacharach-David songwriting team and it won an Academy Award for Best Song, being only the second number one song of the rock era to do so.
Interestingly, the night before B.J. Thomas was to record the song, he was under doctor’s orders not to use his voice for two weeks (he was suffering from laryngitis). However, he pleaded with the doctor to treat his condition, explaining that he had to record a song for a new Paul Newman movie and the doctor gave him some medication to keep his throat lubricated so he could sing.
The next day, Thomas did five takes of the song before Bacharach was satisfied (and Thomas would later admit that if he had been asked to record one more take, he couldn’t have done it). After a few weeks his voice healed and he flew to New York to record the single version, this time his voice was crystal clear.
Some history books say that Bob Dylan was originally asked to record the song, but Bacharach disputes this, claiming that he had asked Ray Stevens to do it, but it wasn’t a career move that Stevens wanted to make. Ooops.
Iconic guitarist Eric Clapton released a cut called “Let It Rain” in 1972 (it peaked at #48 on the Billboard charts). Clapton wrote the song with the help of Bonnie and Delaney Bramlett while they were on tour together in 1969 (and while Clapton was still with the supergroup Blind Faith). The song is the last track on Clapton’s first solo album, which was coincidently produced by Delaney Bramlett. There is also a nineteen-minute version of the song on the Derek and the Dominos “Live at the Fillmore LP.
The song was not released as a single until 1972. Two years after the album came out. Jerry Allison and Sonny Curtis, both former members of Buddy Holly and the Crickets, along with Bonnie Bramlett and Rita Coolidge sang back up vocals.
Another fantastic rain song is the Creedence Clearwater Revival cut, “Have You Ever Seen The Rain,” which hit number eight on the Billboard charts in 1971 (from the LP Pendulum 1970).
There have been some who have speculated that the song’s lyrics were referring to the Vietnam War, with ‘rain’ being a metaphor for bombs falling for the sky. But John Fogerty, singer and songwriter for the band has stated that the song is about the rising tension and internal strife that CCR was experiencing at the time and about the imminent departure of his brother, Tom from the band (he ultimately left the band in early 1971 after the release of Pendulum).
Before there was the Partridge Family, another family band scored a huge hit with a ‘rain’ song. The Cowsills, a family pop group, hit number two on the Billboard charts in the fall of 1967 with the song called “The Rain, The Park and Other Things.” It is also known as the ‘flower girl song, in reference to the lyrics, “I love the flower girl.”
Some interesting tidbits about the cut are that it is one of only a few vocal works whose lyrics do not contain the song’s title. The song was co-written and produced by Artie Kornfeld, who later went on to fame as one of the concert promoters at the legendary concert at Woodstock. Additionally, the song was an international hit, reachi9ng number one in Canada in the week of November 13, 1967 and was also a hit in the UK.
“Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” is a song that was written by Fred Rose and was originally recorded in 1945 by Roy Acuff and later in 1951 by Hank Williams Sr. But it is best remembered as the breakthrough number one hit for country singer Willie Nelson (the song hit number one on the country singles chart and number twenty-one on the Billboard Top 100), who also earned a Grammy Award for Country Male Vocalist in 1975.
Prior to the massive success of the song, Nelson had enjoyed mainstream success primarily as a songwriter; the best known song he wrote was “Crazy,” performed by Patsy Cline. He chose to include “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” on his concept LP “Red Headed Stranger” and with his own unique style incorporated into the melody, the hit helped launch his career to country superstardom.
The cut has also been placed at number 302 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs. Interestingly, it is also the last known song that Elvis Presley performed before his untimely passing on August 16, 1977 (he had played the song at his Graceland home piano shortly before his demise).
Look for our next article coming soon, where we will explore more popular ‘rain’ songs in music history.
Music News & Notes
Don Henley Getting New Hits Set
It's been 14 years since Don Henley released Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits so, for most artists, it would probably be time for a new career retrospective. For Henley, though, his only release over that time has been 2000's Inside Job.
That's one of the reasons that the upcoming "The Very Best of Don Henley" is not all that different from the 1995 retrospective. Specifically, the new album is the first ten tracks from Actual Miles, in the exact same order, plus the track Everybody Knows, which was recorded for Miles and three songs from Inside Job.
What is totally new, at least in the deluxe set, is a DVD with six of the hits from the first disc in their original video form (for some reason, though, the End of the Innocence video is not included) along with four additional audio tracks from various movie soundtracks.
Two versions of the set will be released on June 16 in physical formats with a single CD or the CD/DVD set.
SOURCE: http://winkscollectibles.blogspot.com
=========================
Springsteen Euro Release
Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band will release a new Greatest Hits compilation exclusively in Europe for their upcoming tour.
The 18-track set expands the album released exclusively through Wal-Mart earlier this year with fan favorites Blinded By the Light, The River and I'm On Fire, Long Walk Home from the Magic album, and two tracks from the 1975 concert included in the recent box set (Because the Night and Fire). The other 12 tracks are the same on both albums.
Even the cover is very reminiscent of the Wal-Mart release with yellow tinting and the lettering in block letters. Springsteen on his motorcycle is replaced with a band photo.
The album is due in Europe June 1.
=========================
Vandaveer Announce US Dates, 7-inch Release
Vandaveer have announced their first 7-inch release. The limited edition vinyl, to be released with Providence's Supply & Demand Music, features two new tracks: "Turpentine" and "Woolgathering." Both tracks appear on the band's "Divide & Conquer," which has already seen release in France, Belgium and Switzerland. To celebrate the release of the 7-inch, Vandaveer are hitting the road for a US tour. The band, who just completed shows in Europe, have also filmed a video for their song "Fistful Of Swoon."
It's been 14 years since Don Henley released Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits so, for most artists, it would probably be time for a new career retrospective. For Henley, though, his only release over that time has been 2000's Inside Job.
That's one of the reasons that the upcoming "The Very Best of Don Henley" is not all that different from the 1995 retrospective. Specifically, the new album is the first ten tracks from Actual Miles, in the exact same order, plus the track Everybody Knows, which was recorded for Miles and three songs from Inside Job.
What is totally new, at least in the deluxe set, is a DVD with six of the hits from the first disc in their original video form (for some reason, though, the End of the Innocence video is not included) along with four additional audio tracks from various movie soundtracks.
Two versions of the set will be released on June 16 in physical formats with a single CD or the CD/DVD set.
SOURCE: http://winkscollectibles.blogspot.com
=========================
Springsteen Euro Release
Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band will release a new Greatest Hits compilation exclusively in Europe for their upcoming tour.The 18-track set expands the album released exclusively through Wal-Mart earlier this year with fan favorites Blinded By the Light, The River and I'm On Fire, Long Walk Home from the Magic album, and two tracks from the 1975 concert included in the recent box set (Because the Night and Fire). The other 12 tracks are the same on both albums.
Even the cover is very reminiscent of the Wal-Mart release with yellow tinting and the lettering in block letters. Springsteen on his motorcycle is replaced with a band photo.
The album is due in Europe June 1.
=========================
Vandaveer Announce US Dates, 7-inch Release
Vandaveer have announced their first 7-inch release. The limited edition vinyl, to be released with Providence's Supply & Demand Music, features two new tracks: "Turpentine" and "Woolgathering." Both tracks appear on the band's "Divide & Conquer," which has already seen release in France, Belgium and Switzerland. To celebrate the release of the 7-inch, Vandaveer are hitting the road for a US tour. The band, who just completed shows in Europe, have also filmed a video for their song "Fistful Of Swoon."
Vinyl records making a comeback
Posted By LORNE VANSINCLAIR
It's somewhat ironic that in an era when more and more people prefer to get their recorded music digitally, vinyl records are making a comeback.
It's not about nostalgia; young people love them too. Vinyl records are suddenly cool again and part of the reason is they sound better. There's a warmth to analogue sound that digital can't match.
That means you were right to keep your vinyl records for all these years despite the digital onslaught. Digital music has some advantages; it's portable and lightweight. A digital player will run through your entire collection and continuously play songs in any order you want, you can even broadcast them over the Internet.
Part of the reason vinyl records sound better is the way the music was mixed -- they needed to sound good on cheap radios. That means if you record your vinyl records on to a computer, the digital files you create still sound a lot like vinyl records.
Now you need to be aware of copyright restrictions. In Canada, making a copy of a recorded work that you already own is considered "fair use" as long as keep it for yourself. If the work is more than 50 years old, it is no longer protected by copyright and you can do whatever you want with it.
Some people find the task of converting their records daunting, but the rewards are well worth it. I have been digitizing my collection for years and people are always asking me how it's done, so I've put together some pointers. I don't want to get mired in tedious details here so I'm posting a more detailed version of this article on the web, just go to www.vibrations.ca/articlesif you want to see it.
First, it's not a good idea to rely on recordable CDs to store your music, they only have a life expectancy of about five years. You really want your music on a hard drive, then you can transfer it anywhere you want. I recommend buying an external hard drive, they're cheap, reliable and have unimaginable amounts of storage space.
You will need a good turntable with a magnetic cartridge, a funky old record player won't do. Fortunately you can still buy them new and the best deals are on-line. Most sellers are U. S. based and many won't ship out of the country, presumably to keep turntables out of the hands of terrorists, but some will. You can get a good, three-speed turntable delivered to your door for around $300.
Numark makes turntables with a USB connection that you just plug into your computer and you're set. If you want more control, Stanton makes a line of digitally controlled turntables for DJs that have both USB and normal connectors and do many weird things like play backwards. I also love this fact: they don't have a 78 speed but 33 and 45 add up to 78, press both speed buttons at the same time and voila, it's 78 RPM.
If you use an older turntable then you'll need a small preamp to bring the sound up to line level and you will likely need to upgrade the sound card in your computer. The most basic card will do and you can get one for under $50. You'll also need a connector that converts your turntable's RCA style jacks to a stereo jack that goes into your sound card -- you can get one at The Source.
Finally you need software to make the recording and there's a lot out there. One of the most popular is Audacity, which works well and is free.
Now you're ready to start recording. The first decision you need to make is what sample rate you're going to use. To make a file that is compatible with CD players, chose a rate of 44,100 and a resolution of 16 bits.
Once you record the selection, you'll want to remove the noise at the beginning and the end, so you just have the music. That's really easy, you'll see a graphic representation of the sound on your screen, you just highlight the part you don't want and delete it. It's just the same as taking an unwanted word out of a text document.
Most recording software includes a "noise reduction" feature but none of it works very well. It will take out some noise but will often make your music sound like it's playing under water. If you have clean records in good condition, noise reduction isn't necessary.
Occasional clicks and pops can be edited out manually. You just zoom in on the offending spot and cut it out. You want to cut out as small a portion as possible or you'll hear a jump in the sound.
Usually you can't control the volume while you're recording so you'll need to "normalize" it when you're finished. That adjusts the volume to the highest level possible without clipping or distorting any of the sound. Records have wildly different volume levels. If you normalize every file when you're recording, they should all play at more or less the same volume.
You need to decide on a format for saving your files. The best-known format is mp3, which is sometimes pronounced "empeg".
The mp3 encoding takes out some of the detail and compresses the file to a much smaller size preserving most of the sound quality. It's good because the file is small and it will play virtually anywhere.
Another common format is called the wave file, which ends with the extension ".wav".
A standard wave file does not does not compress the digital information at all so it is better sounding than an mp3 but it is often 10 times as large and needs special software to play it. For archiving purposes, you might want to save all your recordings as wave files for best quality, then make mp3 copies of them for portability.
Most software allows you to add information that is not part of the audio.
You can put in the artist name, the song title, the LP title, the genre of music etc. It's a good idea to do this as the player will display it, otherwise you just see the file name. You should also decide on a standard way to name and organize your files. You'll appreciate it when you're looking for a particular file a few years from now.
All this may sound like a lot, but digital archiving is a great way to get to know your record collection again.
You'll find you listen to your music more without even touching the vinyl records, you can put them in storage or sell them. The market for vinyl is strong right now, if you have a good collection, you'll make enough to more than pay for all the do-dads you had to buy to digitize them.
Lorne VanSinclair is organizer of the Toronto Musical Collectables Show & Sale, Canada's largest record collectors' event and is a website designer.
SOURCE: http://www.orilliapacket.com
It's somewhat ironic that in an era when more and more people prefer to get their recorded music digitally, vinyl records are making a comeback.
It's not about nostalgia; young people love them too. Vinyl records are suddenly cool again and part of the reason is they sound better. There's a warmth to analogue sound that digital can't match.
That means you were right to keep your vinyl records for all these years despite the digital onslaught. Digital music has some advantages; it's portable and lightweight. A digital player will run through your entire collection and continuously play songs in any order you want, you can even broadcast them over the Internet.
Part of the reason vinyl records sound better is the way the music was mixed -- they needed to sound good on cheap radios. That means if you record your vinyl records on to a computer, the digital files you create still sound a lot like vinyl records.
Now you need to be aware of copyright restrictions. In Canada, making a copy of a recorded work that you already own is considered "fair use" as long as keep it for yourself. If the work is more than 50 years old, it is no longer protected by copyright and you can do whatever you want with it.
Some people find the task of converting their records daunting, but the rewards are well worth it. I have been digitizing my collection for years and people are always asking me how it's done, so I've put together some pointers. I don't want to get mired in tedious details here so I'm posting a more detailed version of this article on the web, just go to www.vibrations.ca/articlesif you want to see it.
First, it's not a good idea to rely on recordable CDs to store your music, they only have a life expectancy of about five years. You really want your music on a hard drive, then you can transfer it anywhere you want. I recommend buying an external hard drive, they're cheap, reliable and have unimaginable amounts of storage space.
You will need a good turntable with a magnetic cartridge, a funky old record player won't do. Fortunately you can still buy them new and the best deals are on-line. Most sellers are U. S. based and many won't ship out of the country, presumably to keep turntables out of the hands of terrorists, but some will. You can get a good, three-speed turntable delivered to your door for around $300.
Numark makes turntables with a USB connection that you just plug into your computer and you're set. If you want more control, Stanton makes a line of digitally controlled turntables for DJs that have both USB and normal connectors and do many weird things like play backwards. I also love this fact: they don't have a 78 speed but 33 and 45 add up to 78, press both speed buttons at the same time and voila, it's 78 RPM.
If you use an older turntable then you'll need a small preamp to bring the sound up to line level and you will likely need to upgrade the sound card in your computer. The most basic card will do and you can get one for under $50. You'll also need a connector that converts your turntable's RCA style jacks to a stereo jack that goes into your sound card -- you can get one at The Source.
Finally you need software to make the recording and there's a lot out there. One of the most popular is Audacity, which works well and is free.
Now you're ready to start recording. The first decision you need to make is what sample rate you're going to use. To make a file that is compatible with CD players, chose a rate of 44,100 and a resolution of 16 bits.
Once you record the selection, you'll want to remove the noise at the beginning and the end, so you just have the music. That's really easy, you'll see a graphic representation of the sound on your screen, you just highlight the part you don't want and delete it. It's just the same as taking an unwanted word out of a text document.
Most recording software includes a "noise reduction" feature but none of it works very well. It will take out some noise but will often make your music sound like it's playing under water. If you have clean records in good condition, noise reduction isn't necessary.
Occasional clicks and pops can be edited out manually. You just zoom in on the offending spot and cut it out. You want to cut out as small a portion as possible or you'll hear a jump in the sound.
Usually you can't control the volume while you're recording so you'll need to "normalize" it when you're finished. That adjusts the volume to the highest level possible without clipping or distorting any of the sound. Records have wildly different volume levels. If you normalize every file when you're recording, they should all play at more or less the same volume.
You need to decide on a format for saving your files. The best-known format is mp3, which is sometimes pronounced "empeg".
The mp3 encoding takes out some of the detail and compresses the file to a much smaller size preserving most of the sound quality. It's good because the file is small and it will play virtually anywhere.
Another common format is called the wave file, which ends with the extension ".wav".
A standard wave file does not does not compress the digital information at all so it is better sounding than an mp3 but it is often 10 times as large and needs special software to play it. For archiving purposes, you might want to save all your recordings as wave files for best quality, then make mp3 copies of them for portability.
Most software allows you to add information that is not part of the audio.
You can put in the artist name, the song title, the LP title, the genre of music etc. It's a good idea to do this as the player will display it, otherwise you just see the file name. You should also decide on a standard way to name and organize your files. You'll appreciate it when you're looking for a particular file a few years from now.
All this may sound like a lot, but digital archiving is a great way to get to know your record collection again.
You'll find you listen to your music more without even touching the vinyl records, you can put them in storage or sell them. The market for vinyl is strong right now, if you have a good collection, you'll make enough to more than pay for all the do-dads you had to buy to digitize them.
Lorne VanSinclair is organizer of the Toronto Musical Collectables Show & Sale, Canada's largest record collectors' event and is a website designer.
SOURCE: http://www.orilliapacket.com
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Bird & Animal Names In Rock And Roll History- part thirteen
Let’s continue our ongoing series about “bird” and “animal” names in rock and roll history, this time delving into some water-based names:
Amid many personnel changes and band names, the group Blue Oyster Cult finally figured out both and after a couple of albums that were recorded with the record label, Elektra (that were never released), the band signed on with Columbia Records. The group’s self-titled release in 1972 that provided listeners’ with what some say, was the precursor to heavy metal (although pale in comparison to today’s standards) but, nonetheless was filled with expressive lyrics, melodic aggressive rock, overlaid guitars and lead guitarist Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser’s high-decibel power chords. The band toured extensively and was shock rocker Alice Cooper’s opening act. Their live shows featured lasers, flash pots and Roeser’s powerful guitar solos and the band’s logo, the ancient symbol of Cronos, who was the Titan God who ate his son, the grim reaper.
But, it was the group’s fifth album release, called “Agents of Fortune” that caught the ear of FM radio, especially the infectious mid-tempo Top 40 hit “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” (which was later featured in the classic John Carpenter horror movie Halloween). The cut is a staple for any classic rock radio station and is a mainstay on radio stations around the world.
Their next release did not have a song on it the caliber of “Reaper,” but introduced audiences to the inane hit single “Godzilla” and the raunchy-rocker “R.U.Ready 2 Rock.” After several album releases (including the band’s second “live” LP “Some Enchanted Evening”-1978), the band released “Fire Of Unknown Origin in 1981 that included an eclectic mixture of metal, rock and pop and included the Top 40 hit “Burnin’ For You.”
Subsequent Blue Oyster Cult albums did not have the “swagger” or successful hit singles, but still cemented the group as a pioneering rock force (they disbanded around 1989).
Toad the Wet Sprocket was a R.E.M. derived guitar-pop band from Santa Barbara, California. Their first two albums, 1989's “Bread & Circus” and 1990's album called “Pale” were kind of exploratory sounding efforts, filled with eclectic, graceful folk rock.
But as the band matured and refined their sound, it was the 1991 album called “Fear” that thrust the group into the national spotlight. The single “All I Want” hit the Billboard Hot 100 (peaking at number twenty) and another single from the release, the catchy tune called “Walk On the Ocean” also hit the top twenty and was aided by heavy video exposure. These hits and the musical greatness of the LP helped the album soar to platinum status.
Their popularity increased when the Toad the Wet Sprocket (the name of the group is taken from a Monty Python skit called “Rock Notes”) song “Brother,” was included in the Mike Meyers film “So I Married An Axe Murderer” in 1993. In 1994, after years of constant touring, the band released the album “Dulcinea” and that album produced a number one U.S. Modern Rock chart hit with the single “Fall Down” and a number five Mainstream Rock chart hit with the cut “Something’s Always Wrong.” Like its predecessor, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA.
In 1995, the band released a compilation album of B-sides entitled “In Light Syrup.” It includes the singles “Brother” as well as the single “Good Intentions,” which was featured on the hit television show for NBC “Friends.” The band cut what would be their last full studio album entitled “Coil” in 1997. The album is a well-crafted mix of melodic acoustic pop and featured the single “Crazy Life.” But, despite the success of these singles, the album failed to reach prominent sales figures and ultimately the group formally broke up in July of 1998, citing creative differences.
But, the band has temporarily reunited for special occasions including playing a benefit for the Rape Crisis Center in Santa Barbara as well as opening a few shows for the Counting Crows. In 2004, the group released a live album from a show from 1992 and in the summer of 2006 the band reformed for a thirty-four date national tour. One can only guess if the band will record again, but all the band members are still active in the music business. Glen Phillips started his solo career immediately after the break up and tours constantly and has released three solo efforts “Abulum in 2000,"”Winter Pays For Summer in 2005,”and “Mr. Lemons” in 2006 as well as performing with Nickel Creek.
One of the more interesting characters in rock/soul music is a man named Jerry Williams, better known as Swamp Dog. This eccentric, wear-your-emotions-on-your-sleeve rhythm and blues, rock musician has had an entertaining and brilliant career.
The fact that Williams has created his own legend (he claims he had no proper education and woke up one day to find himself a musical genius) only adds to this Virginia native’s mystique. Outspoken, controversial, yet somehow mesmerizing, this eclectic soul singer and song writer released his debut album “Total Destruction to Your Mind” in 1970. The album is full of rock and funk masterpieces as he cleverly mixes his Zappa-like lyrics about commercialism and capitalism, his bent views of women and his shout-out political views with infectious music and a dash of humor.
And, yes, his albums are obscure (he never went “mainstream” and that may be the alluring attribute that people are attracted to) and he has continued to make records, albeit infrequently, since 1969. His records are hard to come by, but if you are lucky enough to find one you will be lucky enough to hear one of the quirky and seminal musical minds perfect his craft.
Blue Oyster Cult Tidbits:
Due to their unique sound and diversity, Blue Öyster Cult have been very influential to many modern bands that span many genres, and are often viewed as important pioneers of several different styles of rock music that came to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s. Many heavy metal bands have cited them as a major influence, and bands such as Metallica, HIM, and Iced Earth have covered their songs on studio recordings and during live performances. The song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" has also been covered by many diverse artists, notably The Goo Goo Dolls, The Beautiful South, Wilco, and Big Country. The legendary rockers have sold over 14 million albums worldwide.
In 1983, BOC released the LP "The Revölution by Night." The album's highest-charting single was "Shooting Shark," which was co-written by Patti Smith (it reached #83 on the charts). "Shooting Shark" also featured Randy Jackson, of Earth Wind and Fire, and later American Idol fame, on bass.
The name "Blue Öyster Cult" came from a 1960s poem written by manager Sandy Pearlman. It was part of his "Imaginos" poetry, later used more extensively in their 1988 album Imaginos.
Buy Blue Oyster Cult Music
Toad the Wet Sprocket Tidbits:
Although Toad the Wet Sprocket formally broke up in July 1998 (citing creative differences) they have gotten together many times. Here is a look at some of the concerts:
During the summer of 2007 they played several shows with lead singer Glen Phillips serving as their opening act.
On January 16, 2008, the band reunited once again to play two shows - one in St. Petersburg Florida then the next night at the House of Blues Orlando prior to joining The Rock Boat VIII.
On June 11 & 12, 2008, they played in Philadelphia and New Jersey at the Trocadero and Starland Ballroom respectively.
On June 14, 2008, they played at the 27th Annual Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival.
On June 15, 2008, the band performed at The Norva in Norfolk, VA. One of the show's highlights was the band performing Glen Phillip's solo hit "Everything But You".
On December 19, 2008, the band performed on The Adam Carolla show at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA.
In May of 2009 they played a four show mini-tour including two nights at the intimate 400 seat venue The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Buy Toad the Wet Sprocket Music
Swamp Dog Tidbits:
The cover of his 1971 album, Rat On! featuring Williams on the back of an oversized white rat, was ranked as one of the worst album covers of all time.
Williams is also a noted songwriter and record producer. Artists he has worked with include Doris Duke, Irma Thomas, Z. Z. Hill, Dee Dee Warwick and Arthur Conley.
Amid many personnel changes and band names, the group Blue Oyster Cult finally figured out both and after a couple of albums that were recorded with the record label, Elektra (that were never released), the band signed on with Columbia Records. The group’s self-titled release in 1972 that provided listeners’ with what some say, was the precursor to heavy metal (although pale in comparison to today’s standards) but, nonetheless was filled with expressive lyrics, melodic aggressive rock, overlaid guitars and lead guitarist Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser’s high-decibel power chords. The band toured extensively and was shock rocker Alice Cooper’s opening act. Their live shows featured lasers, flash pots and Roeser’s powerful guitar solos and the band’s logo, the ancient symbol of Cronos, who was the Titan God who ate his son, the grim reaper.
But, it was the group’s fifth album release, called “Agents of Fortune” that caught the ear of FM radio, especially the infectious mid-tempo Top 40 hit “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” (which was later featured in the classic John Carpenter horror movie Halloween). The cut is a staple for any classic rock radio station and is a mainstay on radio stations around the world.
Their next release did not have a song on it the caliber of “Reaper,” but introduced audiences to the inane hit single “Godzilla” and the raunchy-rocker “R.U.Ready 2 Rock.” After several album releases (including the band’s second “live” LP “Some Enchanted Evening”-1978), the band released “Fire Of Unknown Origin in 1981 that included an eclectic mixture of metal, rock and pop and included the Top 40 hit “Burnin’ For You.”
Subsequent Blue Oyster Cult albums did not have the “swagger” or successful hit singles, but still cemented the group as a pioneering rock force (they disbanded around 1989).
Toad the Wet Sprocket was a R.E.M. derived guitar-pop band from Santa Barbara, California. Their first two albums, 1989's “Bread & Circus” and 1990's album called “Pale” were kind of exploratory sounding efforts, filled with eclectic, graceful folk rock.
But as the band matured and refined their sound, it was the 1991 album called “Fear” that thrust the group into the national spotlight. The single “All I Want” hit the Billboard Hot 100 (peaking at number twenty) and another single from the release, the catchy tune called “Walk On the Ocean” also hit the top twenty and was aided by heavy video exposure. These hits and the musical greatness of the LP helped the album soar to platinum status.
Their popularity increased when the Toad the Wet Sprocket (the name of the group is taken from a Monty Python skit called “Rock Notes”) song “Brother,” was included in the Mike Meyers film “So I Married An Axe Murderer” in 1993. In 1994, after years of constant touring, the band released the album “Dulcinea” and that album produced a number one U.S. Modern Rock chart hit with the single “Fall Down” and a number five Mainstream Rock chart hit with the cut “Something’s Always Wrong.” Like its predecessor, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA.
In 1995, the band released a compilation album of B-sides entitled “In Light Syrup.” It includes the singles “Brother” as well as the single “Good Intentions,” which was featured on the hit television show for NBC “Friends.” The band cut what would be their last full studio album entitled “Coil” in 1997. The album is a well-crafted mix of melodic acoustic pop and featured the single “Crazy Life.” But, despite the success of these singles, the album failed to reach prominent sales figures and ultimately the group formally broke up in July of 1998, citing creative differences.
But, the band has temporarily reunited for special occasions including playing a benefit for the Rape Crisis Center in Santa Barbara as well as opening a few shows for the Counting Crows. In 2004, the group released a live album from a show from 1992 and in the summer of 2006 the band reformed for a thirty-four date national tour. One can only guess if the band will record again, but all the band members are still active in the music business. Glen Phillips started his solo career immediately after the break up and tours constantly and has released three solo efforts “Abulum in 2000,"”Winter Pays For Summer in 2005,”and “Mr. Lemons” in 2006 as well as performing with Nickel Creek.
One of the more interesting characters in rock/soul music is a man named Jerry Williams, better known as Swamp Dog. This eccentric, wear-your-emotions-on-your-sleeve rhythm and blues, rock musician has had an entertaining and brilliant career.
The fact that Williams has created his own legend (he claims he had no proper education and woke up one day to find himself a musical genius) only adds to this Virginia native’s mystique. Outspoken, controversial, yet somehow mesmerizing, this eclectic soul singer and song writer released his debut album “Total Destruction to Your Mind” in 1970. The album is full of rock and funk masterpieces as he cleverly mixes his Zappa-like lyrics about commercialism and capitalism, his bent views of women and his shout-out political views with infectious music and a dash of humor.
And, yes, his albums are obscure (he never went “mainstream” and that may be the alluring attribute that people are attracted to) and he has continued to make records, albeit infrequently, since 1969. His records are hard to come by, but if you are lucky enough to find one you will be lucky enough to hear one of the quirky and seminal musical minds perfect his craft.
Blue Oyster Cult Tidbits:
Due to their unique sound and diversity, Blue Öyster Cult have been very influential to many modern bands that span many genres, and are often viewed as important pioneers of several different styles of rock music that came to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s. Many heavy metal bands have cited them as a major influence, and bands such as Metallica, HIM, and Iced Earth have covered their songs on studio recordings and during live performances. The song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" has also been covered by many diverse artists, notably The Goo Goo Dolls, The Beautiful South, Wilco, and Big Country. The legendary rockers have sold over 14 million albums worldwide.
In 1983, BOC released the LP "The Revölution by Night." The album's highest-charting single was "Shooting Shark," which was co-written by Patti Smith (it reached #83 on the charts). "Shooting Shark" also featured Randy Jackson, of Earth Wind and Fire, and later American Idol fame, on bass.
The name "Blue Öyster Cult" came from a 1960s poem written by manager Sandy Pearlman. It was part of his "Imaginos" poetry, later used more extensively in their 1988 album Imaginos.
Buy Blue Oyster Cult Music
Toad the Wet Sprocket Tidbits:
Although Toad the Wet Sprocket formally broke up in July 1998 (citing creative differences) they have gotten together many times. Here is a look at some of the concerts:
During the summer of 2007 they played several shows with lead singer Glen Phillips serving as their opening act.
On January 16, 2008, the band reunited once again to play two shows - one in St. Petersburg Florida then the next night at the House of Blues Orlando prior to joining The Rock Boat VIII.
On June 11 & 12, 2008, they played in Philadelphia and New Jersey at the Trocadero and Starland Ballroom respectively.
On June 14, 2008, they played at the 27th Annual Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival.
On June 15, 2008, the band performed at The Norva in Norfolk, VA. One of the show's highlights was the band performing Glen Phillip's solo hit "Everything But You".
On December 19, 2008, the band performed on The Adam Carolla show at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA.
In May of 2009 they played a four show mini-tour including two nights at the intimate 400 seat venue The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Buy Toad the Wet Sprocket Music
Swamp Dog Tidbits:
The cover of his 1971 album, Rat On! featuring Williams on the back of an oversized white rat, was ranked as one of the worst album covers of all time.
Williams is also a noted songwriter and record producer. Artists he has worked with include Doris Duke, Irma Thomas, Z. Z. Hill, Dee Dee Warwick and Arthur Conley.
This Date In Music History-May 16
Birthdays:
Billy Cobham - jazz drummer (1946)
Robert Fripp – King Crimson (1946)
Nirvana bassist Chris Novoselic was born in 1965.
Janet Jackson (1966)
Simon Katz – Jamiroquai (1971)
Ralph Tresvant - New Edition (1968)
Jonathan Richman - Modern Lovers (1951)
Barbara Lee - The Chiffons (1947)
Isaac "Red" Holt of Young-Holt Unlimited and the Ramsey Lewis Trio is 77.
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1919 Wladziu Valentinon Liberace. He died on 4th February 1997.
US soul singer Marv Johnson died of a stroke in 1993. He had the US Top 10 single “I Love The Way You Love” and his recording of Berry Gordy's song “Come To Me” became Motown Records first ever-single (released in May 1959).
Born on this day in 1947, Darrell Sweet – Nazareth. He died on April 30, 1999 after suffering a fatal heart attack before a show in New Albany, Indiana.
The late Corinthian "Kripp" Johnson of the Dell-Vikings (sang lead on "Whispering Bells") was born in 1935.
Sammy Davis, Jr. ("Candy Man") died of throat cancer in 1990.
Jim Henson (the voice of the Muppets' Ernie on "Rubber Duckie" and Kermit on "Rainbow Connection") died of pneumonia in 1990.
Ernie Freeman ("Raunchy" and the piano player on B. Bumble & the Stingers' "Bumble Boogie") died of a heart attack in 1981.
History:
Randy Bachman left the Guess Who in 1970.
In 1980, Dr. George C. Nichopoulous was indicted in Memphis on 14 counts of overprescribing drugs to Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and nine other patients.
Mary Wells started a two week run at #1 in 1964 with “My Guy.”
Pete Townshend spent the night in a jail in 1969 for assaulting a man during a Who gig at The Fillmore East. What Townshend didn't know was the man who jumped onto the stage was a plainclothes policeman trying to warn the audience that a fire had broken out. The Who guitarist was later fined $30 for the offense.
U2 started a three week run at #1 in 1987 with the cut “With Or Without You.”
Former New Christy Minstrels member Kim Carnes started a nine week run at #1 on the singles chart with “Bette Davis Eyes.”
Former Buggles members Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes joined Yes in 1980, replacing Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson.
Motown Records was formed in 1960.
In 1965, driving away from a gig at the Civic Hall, Long Beach, California, the limo taking the Rolling Stones back to their hotel was besieged by fans who caved in the roof by standing on it. The band attempted to hold the roof up while their chauffeur drove off with bodies falling onto the road.
The Beach Boys released their "Pet Sounds" album in 1966. The album is now regarded as the masterpiece of composer-producer Brian Wilson, and is often hailed as one of the best and most influential albums in popular music.
Tony Joe White recorded "Polk Salad Annie" in 1968.
The television special "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever" aired in 1983. It was a taping of the first time that Michael Jackson performed the moonwalk for a live audience.
The Britney Spears album "Oops!..I Did It Again" was released in 2000.
Crosby Stills Nash & Young went to #1 on the US album chart in 1970 with “Déjà vu.”
Thanks to Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation, in 1990 the former Chess Records Office and Studio at 2120 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago was officially recognized as a protected Chicago Landmark.
Buddy Holly signed with Coral Records in 1957.
Billy Cobham - jazz drummer (1946)
Robert Fripp – King Crimson (1946)
Nirvana bassist Chris Novoselic was born in 1965.
Janet Jackson (1966)
Simon Katz – Jamiroquai (1971)
Ralph Tresvant - New Edition (1968)
Jonathan Richman - Modern Lovers (1951)
Barbara Lee - The Chiffons (1947)
Isaac "Red" Holt of Young-Holt Unlimited and the Ramsey Lewis Trio is 77.
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1919 Wladziu Valentinon Liberace. He died on 4th February 1997.
US soul singer Marv Johnson died of a stroke in 1993. He had the US Top 10 single “I Love The Way You Love” and his recording of Berry Gordy's song “Come To Me” became Motown Records first ever-single (released in May 1959).
Born on this day in 1947, Darrell Sweet – Nazareth. He died on April 30, 1999 after suffering a fatal heart attack before a show in New Albany, Indiana.
The late Corinthian "Kripp" Johnson of the Dell-Vikings (sang lead on "Whispering Bells") was born in 1935.
Sammy Davis, Jr. ("Candy Man") died of throat cancer in 1990.
Jim Henson (the voice of the Muppets' Ernie on "Rubber Duckie" and Kermit on "Rainbow Connection") died of pneumonia in 1990.
Ernie Freeman ("Raunchy" and the piano player on B. Bumble & the Stingers' "Bumble Boogie") died of a heart attack in 1981.
History:
Randy Bachman left the Guess Who in 1970.
In 1980, Dr. George C. Nichopoulous was indicted in Memphis on 14 counts of overprescribing drugs to Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and nine other patients.
Mary Wells started a two week run at #1 in 1964 with “My Guy.”
Pete Townshend spent the night in a jail in 1969 for assaulting a man during a Who gig at The Fillmore East. What Townshend didn't know was the man who jumped onto the stage was a plainclothes policeman trying to warn the audience that a fire had broken out. The Who guitarist was later fined $30 for the offense.
U2 started a three week run at #1 in 1987 with the cut “With Or Without You.”
Former New Christy Minstrels member Kim Carnes started a nine week run at #1 on the singles chart with “Bette Davis Eyes.”
Former Buggles members Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes joined Yes in 1980, replacing Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson.
Motown Records was formed in 1960.
In 1965, driving away from a gig at the Civic Hall, Long Beach, California, the limo taking the Rolling Stones back to their hotel was besieged by fans who caved in the roof by standing on it. The band attempted to hold the roof up while their chauffeur drove off with bodies falling onto the road.
The Beach Boys released their "Pet Sounds" album in 1966. The album is now regarded as the masterpiece of composer-producer Brian Wilson, and is often hailed as one of the best and most influential albums in popular music.
Tony Joe White recorded "Polk Salad Annie" in 1968.
The television special "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever" aired in 1983. It was a taping of the first time that Michael Jackson performed the moonwalk for a live audience.
The Britney Spears album "Oops!..I Did It Again" was released in 2000.
Crosby Stills Nash & Young went to #1 on the US album chart in 1970 with “Déjà vu.”
Thanks to Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation, in 1990 the former Chess Records Office and Studio at 2120 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago was officially recognized as a protected Chicago Landmark.
Buddy Holly signed with Coral Records in 1957.
Vinyl Collective News
Vinyl Collective has some awesome restocks available- stop by and get yours today
Vinyl Collective Restocks
APPLESEED CAST ìMare Vitalisî dbl LP lt blue/white/black/gold vinyl
APPLESEED CAST ìPeregrineî LP
DREAMEND “The Long Forgotten Friend” dbl LP
THE BLOOD BROTHERS “Rumor Laid Waste” 10″
CANCER KIDS “The Possible Dream” LP
DEFIANCE OHIO/ ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH CRUNCH split 7″
FAILURES “S/T” LP
FUCKED UP “Let Likes Be Cured By Likes” LP blue/ black vinyl
FUCKED UP “Litany” 7″
GAUZE “Binbou Yusuri No Rizumu Ni Notte” LP
HIS HERO IS GONE “Fifteen” LP
HIS HERO IS GONE “Plot Sickens” LP
IRON LUNG “Sexless/No Sex” LP
KYLESA “S/T” LP
KYLESA “To Walk a Middle” LP
PHOBIA “Means of Existence” LP picture disc
PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES “Sad Girls Por Vida”7″
SIEGE “Drop Dead” LP
THE BLOOD BROTHERS “This Adultery Is Ripe” LP
TRAGEDY “Nerve Damage” LP gatefold vinyl
TRAGEDY “Vengence” LP
V/A “The Right To Assemble: Vol 2″ LP
Vinyl Collective Restocks
APPLESEED CAST ìMare Vitalisî dbl LP lt blue/white/black/gold vinyl
APPLESEED CAST ìPeregrineî LP
DREAMEND “The Long Forgotten Friend” dbl LP
THE BLOOD BROTHERS “Rumor Laid Waste” 10″
CANCER KIDS “The Possible Dream” LP
DEFIANCE OHIO/ ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH CRUNCH split 7″
FAILURES “S/T” LP
FUCKED UP “Let Likes Be Cured By Likes” LP blue/ black vinyl
FUCKED UP “Litany” 7″
GAUZE “Binbou Yusuri No Rizumu Ni Notte” LP
HIS HERO IS GONE “Fifteen” LP
HIS HERO IS GONE “Plot Sickens” LP
IRON LUNG “Sexless/No Sex” LP
KYLESA “S/T” LP
KYLESA “To Walk a Middle” LP
PHOBIA “Means of Existence” LP picture disc
PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES “Sad Girls Por Vida”7″
SIEGE “Drop Dead” LP
THE BLOOD BROTHERS “This Adultery Is Ripe” LP
TRAGEDY “Nerve Damage” LP gatefold vinyl
TRAGEDY “Vengence” LP
V/A “The Right To Assemble: Vol 2″ LP
Music News & Notes
YACHT Release Limited-Edition 7” Vinyl Single, Tour UK With Patrick Wolf
YACHT is putting out their latest album See Mystery Lights (DFA Records) on July 28th, but as an added treat the duo is releasing a limited-edition 7” vinyl single called DON’T PUT OUT (Marriage Records) on June 16th. YACHT is also pleased to announce a new ten-date tour of the United Kingdom with Patrick Wolf, kicking off May 15th.
DON’T PUT OUT is a small homage to the film Ladies And Gentlemen the Fabulous Stains, a 1981 film by Lou Adler about a fictional all-girl punk band called The Stains. The message of the film, and YACHT’s single: “Don’t be an old man in a young girls’ world.”
The two tracks on the single, “Waste Of Time” and “Professionals” (which features Suzi Corpso) are songs originally performed by The Stains. On DON’T PUT OUT, “Waste Of Time” is re-imagined as an apathetic bubblegum disco track, and “Professionals,” sung by Suzi Corpso with three-chord guitar backing by YACHT’s Claire L. Evans, as the sludgy protest song it was perhaps always meant to be.
Suzi Corpso is longtime YACHT collaborator, the artist Rebecca Carlisle-Healy, sometimes known as RGB by RCH. Carlisle-Healy has recently finished Arrive Maris En Ronde, a beautiful science fiction film which stars Evans as a robot from the future named LITH.
There will be 1,000 copies of DON’T PUT OUT pressed worldwide, and the tracks will be available digitally as well. A dub version of “Waste of Time” and a remix by Hedford Vachal will be featured on the next YACHT 12″ single on DFA Records.
===========================================
White Rabbits Ready "It's Frightening" For Release
White Rabbits are back with their sophmore album, "It's Frightening." The album was produced by Britt Daniel of Spoon. White Rabbits are set to tour the United States following the May 19th release of "It’s Frightening" via TBD Records. You can also head over to the band's MySpace page now and hear the record in it's entirety.
After spending the better part of two years on the road (including festival stops at Lollapallooza, Glastonbury (UK), Sasquatch, Monolith and tours with The Walkmen, Spoon, Richard Swift, The Cribs, White Denim and Tokyo Police Club) White Rabbits hunkered down in their Brooklyn practice space to set about re-envisioning the dark pop of their debut "Fort Nightly," while adding new sounds and influences to achieve an original work. The result is "It’s Frightening," their second full-length album.
===========================================
Beach Boys Coming May 19th
The Beach Boys are set to release "Summer Love Songs" on May 19th. This collection features "Fallin' In Love," a song written and recorded by Dennis Wilson during the Beach Boys' Sunflower album sessions in 1970. The track has never before been released in the US and has long been out-of-print in the UK (where it was released as "Lady"). This track has also been mixed in stereo for the first time.
===========================================
Mellencamp Busy
John Mellencamp has recently released information on his website about two upcoming projects.
The first, "Life, Death, LIVE Freedom" contains eight songs from last year's Life, Death, Love & Freedom album performed in concert. Mellencamp emphasizes that this album is "completely live, by the way, with no studio enhancements."
The track list:
If I Die Sudden
My Sweet Love
Jena
A Ride Back Home
Young Without Lovers
Don't Need This Body
Longest Days
Troubled Land
Look for it June 23.
His other big music project is a 4-CD/72-track box set called "On the Rural Route 7609," which is a career retrospective of his music from 1976 to 2009 (thus, the 7609). Included will be alternate takes of classic songs.
"Some of them show me actually in the process of writing them," says John, "so there's a lot of stopping and starting up again-a lot of head-scratching. It's turned into quite a project."
===========================================
YACHT is putting out their latest album See Mystery Lights (DFA Records) on July 28th, but as an added treat the duo is releasing a limited-edition 7” vinyl single called DON’T PUT OUT (Marriage Records) on June 16th. YACHT is also pleased to announce a new ten-date tour of the United Kingdom with Patrick Wolf, kicking off May 15th.
DON’T PUT OUT is a small homage to the film Ladies And Gentlemen the Fabulous Stains, a 1981 film by Lou Adler about a fictional all-girl punk band called The Stains. The message of the film, and YACHT’s single: “Don’t be an old man in a young girls’ world.”
The two tracks on the single, “Waste Of Time” and “Professionals” (which features Suzi Corpso) are songs originally performed by The Stains. On DON’T PUT OUT, “Waste Of Time” is re-imagined as an apathetic bubblegum disco track, and “Professionals,” sung by Suzi Corpso with three-chord guitar backing by YACHT’s Claire L. Evans, as the sludgy protest song it was perhaps always meant to be.
Suzi Corpso is longtime YACHT collaborator, the artist Rebecca Carlisle-Healy, sometimes known as RGB by RCH. Carlisle-Healy has recently finished Arrive Maris En Ronde, a beautiful science fiction film which stars Evans as a robot from the future named LITH.
There will be 1,000 copies of DON’T PUT OUT pressed worldwide, and the tracks will be available digitally as well. A dub version of “Waste of Time” and a remix by Hedford Vachal will be featured on the next YACHT 12″ single on DFA Records.
===========================================
White Rabbits Ready "It's Frightening" For Release
White Rabbits are back with their sophmore album, "It's Frightening." The album was produced by Britt Daniel of Spoon. White Rabbits are set to tour the United States following the May 19th release of "It’s Frightening" via TBD Records. You can also head over to the band's MySpace page now and hear the record in it's entirety.
After spending the better part of two years on the road (including festival stops at Lollapallooza, Glastonbury (UK), Sasquatch, Monolith and tours with The Walkmen, Spoon, Richard Swift, The Cribs, White Denim and Tokyo Police Club) White Rabbits hunkered down in their Brooklyn practice space to set about re-envisioning the dark pop of their debut "Fort Nightly," while adding new sounds and influences to achieve an original work. The result is "It’s Frightening," their second full-length album.
===========================================
Beach Boys Coming May 19th
The Beach Boys are set to release "Summer Love Songs" on May 19th. This collection features "Fallin' In Love," a song written and recorded by Dennis Wilson during the Beach Boys' Sunflower album sessions in 1970. The track has never before been released in the US and has long been out-of-print in the UK (where it was released as "Lady"). This track has also been mixed in stereo for the first time.
===========================================
Mellencamp Busy
John Mellencamp has recently released information on his website about two upcoming projects.
The first, "Life, Death, LIVE Freedom" contains eight songs from last year's Life, Death, Love & Freedom album performed in concert. Mellencamp emphasizes that this album is "completely live, by the way, with no studio enhancements."
The track list:
If I Die Sudden
My Sweet Love
Jena
A Ride Back Home
Young Without Lovers
Don't Need This Body
Longest Days
Troubled Land
Look for it June 23.
His other big music project is a 4-CD/72-track box set called "On the Rural Route 7609," which is a career retrospective of his music from 1976 to 2009 (thus, the 7609). Included will be alternate takes of classic songs.
"Some of them show me actually in the process of writing them," says John, "so there's a lot of stopping and starting up again-a lot of head-scratching. It's turned into quite a project."
===========================================
Friday, May 15, 2009
Michael Fremer Review
I am very proud to continue our new feature (look for this every Friday), music reviews that are written by the senior contributing editor of Stereophile magazine- Michael Fremer. It has been a pleasure to speak with Michael and learn more about audio sound and equipment. In fact, his new DVD, "It's A Vinyl World, After All" has hit the shelves and is selling out very quickly. This is a must have for anybody who loves vinyl, it is a true masterpiece.
Additionally, make sure to stop by his site, www.musicangle.com and bookmark it for further exploration. I certainly want to thank Michael for the exclusive rights to reprint his fantastic material.
ALBUM REVIEW:
Miles Davis (reissue)
In A Silent Way
Columbia/Legacy 88697404151 180g LP
Produced by: Teo Macero
Engineered by: Stan Tonkel
Mixed by: Russ Payne
Mastered by: Ray Janos at Sterling Sound
Digital Mastering: Mark Wilder
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-05-01
Maybe the soundtrack to your life didn’t exist in 1969, or if you’re fortyish, was filtered through an amniotic sack.
1969 was an unsettling year. The fall was post-Woodstock and spelled the end of the ‘60s, though what we now think of as “the ‘60’s” arguably didn’t happen until the ‘70s.
Vietnam and the draft were in full-swing. Nixon was president. Nixon! I’d moved to Boston to attend B.U. law school. Law school? Yes. Boston was a town in the midst of decay. The WWII generation had reached middle-age and moved to the suburbs leaving the frail, the elderly and the college kids.
I moved into a basement apartment in a private home in Brookline on the street where John F. Kennedy was born. There was a commemorative plaque. He’d been dead but six years and the trauma was still fresh. I relived the event every day passing the house.
I was in high school gym class when I heard. Mr. Rhodes announced “The President and the Vice-President have been shot…” “Hypothetical,” was my first thought," and they want to see our reaction, but why in gym class?” “So get dressed and go home.”
The woman who owned the home on that Brookline street needed the extra income to take care of her husband who was bedridden with emphysema and needed an oxygen tank to breath. A pair of eccentric elderly spinsters out of a Hitchcock movie lived directly above and whenever I played the music too loud, which was always, they’d bang on the floor with a cane.
It was a weird, unsettling time. The veneer of wealth in Boston was spread thin. There was the old money of Beacon Hill and the new of the Prudential Center on Boylston Street, behind which was the Christian Science Center. But a block behind that was a literal desolation row—block upon block of abandoned, haunted housing—a sprawling ghost of a neighborhood that looked as if an entire population simply up and left en masse, which is pretty close to what had happened when the suburbs grew after WWII.
On the other side of town where Storrow Drive wound by the Hatch Shell and elbowed its way on ugly green girders towards the once vibrant waterfront, slicing it in half (since remedied by "The Big Dig"), another such abandoned neighborhood had been replaced via “urban renewal” with some godawful looking apartment buildings. “If you lived in Charles River Park” the sign beckoned the newly suburbanized commuters, “you’d be home already.” Yecch! I wondered which was worse: these ugly slabs or the abandoned neighborhood behind the Christian Science Center?
I got through my first year of law school and almost made law review. I fed my vinyl habit working at Minuteman Records in Harvard Square and attended as many concerts as I could at The Boston Tea Party on Lansdowne Street. I saw The Kinks, The Who and I can’t remember who else along with a few hundred others into the “underground” rock scene. The Kinks were never big and The Who didn’t break big until Tommy, which had been released the year before and took some time to catch on.
That first Boston summer after school had let out, I picked up a kid hitchhiking on Commonwealth Avenue. Hitching was commonplace back then and I actually made some good friends that way. I also got kidnapped and forced to drive some heroin addicts to Maine, but that’s another story!
Anyway, this kid put out a big green Styrofoam thumb and I stopped. He ended up being my roommate the next year along with an old college buddy.
We got an apartment on Commonwealth Avenue just in time for the MTA to begin replacing the antiquated, bulbous-looking orange and tan trolley system that more closely resembled “The Toonerville Trolley” than something you’d expect to see in a modern city. But then again, Boston 1969 was anything but modern.
Replacing the trains required replacing the tracks so for an entire year, the soundtrack to my life was constant jackhammers and In A Silent Way introduced to this rocker by my hitchhiker roommate. A summer with this cat introduced me to a whole lot more than this Miles album. By fall I found myself taking a semester's leave of absence from law school.
In fairness to my friend who shall remain nameless (he’s now a world renowned Go-Kart racer, believe it or not), by then I’d also begun producing and voicing radio commercials for the record store in which I worked and the funny spots quickly became popular in Boston and I’d become a minor “cult” item both on the underground station WBCN and among listeners at the Top 40 station WRKO.
This was a train I was happy to latch onto as an excuse to get the hell away from law school. So, for the entire year in that apartment, we listened to, among other albums, In A Silent Way, Miles’s mysterious, dazzling descent into electronic cool. Yes there were other albums, mostly rock and many of them great too, but the one that defined the rapidly shifting period of time wasIn A Silent Way.
While the 19 minute first side is called “Shhh/Peaceful,” that year was anything but, either politically or personally. I never found the music peaceful either. To me it’s mysterious, unsettling and creepy, with a decidedly neon vibe.
If Kind of Blue was the cool, modal music for the “now” hipsters of the late 1950’s —the album that liberated adventurous listeners from a reliance upon chord changes—, led by the electronic keyboards of Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock and John McLaughlin's spider-webby guitar, In a Silent Way, was the shimmering, serpentine opening to a dangerous musical world. It was the soft sell that made possible the beautiful grotesqueness of Bitches Brew.
For me In a Silent Way was the insistent temptress that led me from middle class conventionality to life experiences unimagined just a few short years earlier. Led is the wrong word. Perhaps “enabled” would be better. The music was more of a lubricant than anything and with its often insistent rhythmic drive, the album became a favorite of an adventurous Rock generation, much as Miles himself had been influenced by the pop scene unfolding all around him.
In A Silent Way is all about atmospherics. Despite the high level of hiss, the murkiness and the less than stellar dynamics, I’ve always regarded this as a great recording because of its appropriateness to the subject matter.
Aesthetically, it’s perfection. Never mind that Tony Williams’s distant drums are shunted off to the right channel or that Dave Holland’s bass lacks extension and ultimate definition. All has been miked and placed for appropriate impact, with the ghostly keyboard apparitions dancing between and around Miles’ spotlit trumpet and John McLaughlin's warm guitar lines gliding along the left channel.
This 180g reissue marks a packaging improvement for Sony/BMG, compared to the flimsy, cheap jackets found on the label’s first series of vinyl reissues. Rainbo’s pressing quality continues to improve, though these are commercial, not audiophile quality pressings. Overall though, I have no complaints about noise or the physical fit’n’finish of this release. In fact, it’s much better than what Columbia was doing in the late ‘60s in terms of vinyl quality.
The sonics are something else though. Lacquer cutting was by Ray Janos at Sterling and I doubt an analog tape was the source, though I know that a recently installed preview head now allows Sterling to cut AAA. Nor was a high resolution digital file used. The first giveaway is the slightly dark timbre of the cymbals. More significant though, are the flatness of the drums, the lack of "woodiness" to the rim shots, the lack of air around Miles’s trumpet and its lack of imaging precision compared to the original LP as well as the two-dimensionality of the soundstage and especially the truncation of decay.
Still, if you don’t have a "360 Sound" original and can’t find one, there’s nothing “digital” sounding about this reissue in the pejorative sense of the word, so chances are you’re not likely to know the difference. It’s neither bright nor hard. It’s just missing atmospherics and the musical flow is on the sluggish side.
I’m guessing the source but I’d be willing to make a stiff wager it’s from a “redbook” CD file sourced from Mark Wilder’s excellent CD mastering for The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions.
Given that there is an analog tape that’s probably not all that difficult to grab from Iron Mountain, there’s something less than honest (actually cynical) about reissuing a classic album like this from a CD resolution file, if in fact, that’s what was used.
This isn’t bad, but Sony/BMG can do much better. Please, Sony/BMG, this isn’t an analog “game.” Vinyl buyers are serious: they want an all analog product, not analog veneer.
As for the music, forty years later it's all substance, no veneer and definitely worth owning and playing often.
SOURCE: http://www.musicangle.com Reprinted By Permission
----------------------------------------------------------
Pick up Michael's DVD's Here:
Copyright © 2008 MusicAngle.com & Michael Fremer - All rights reserved
Additionally, make sure to stop by his site, www.musicangle.com and bookmark it for further exploration. I certainly want to thank Michael for the exclusive rights to reprint his fantastic material.
ALBUM REVIEW:
Miles Davis (reissue)
In A Silent Way
Columbia/Legacy 88697404151 180g LP
Produced by: Teo Macero
Engineered by: Stan Tonkel
Mixed by: Russ Payne
Mastered by: Ray Janos at Sterling Sound
Digital Mastering: Mark Wilder
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-05-01
Maybe the soundtrack to your life didn’t exist in 1969, or if you’re fortyish, was filtered through an amniotic sack.
1969 was an unsettling year. The fall was post-Woodstock and spelled the end of the ‘60s, though what we now think of as “the ‘60’s” arguably didn’t happen until the ‘70s.
Vietnam and the draft were in full-swing. Nixon was president. Nixon! I’d moved to Boston to attend B.U. law school. Law school? Yes. Boston was a town in the midst of decay. The WWII generation had reached middle-age and moved to the suburbs leaving the frail, the elderly and the college kids.
I moved into a basement apartment in a private home in Brookline on the street where John F. Kennedy was born. There was a commemorative plaque. He’d been dead but six years and the trauma was still fresh. I relived the event every day passing the house.
I was in high school gym class when I heard. Mr. Rhodes announced “The President and the Vice-President have been shot…” “Hypothetical,” was my first thought," and they want to see our reaction, but why in gym class?” “So get dressed and go home.”
The woman who owned the home on that Brookline street needed the extra income to take care of her husband who was bedridden with emphysema and needed an oxygen tank to breath. A pair of eccentric elderly spinsters out of a Hitchcock movie lived directly above and whenever I played the music too loud, which was always, they’d bang on the floor with a cane.
It was a weird, unsettling time. The veneer of wealth in Boston was spread thin. There was the old money of Beacon Hill and the new of the Prudential Center on Boylston Street, behind which was the Christian Science Center. But a block behind that was a literal desolation row—block upon block of abandoned, haunted housing—a sprawling ghost of a neighborhood that looked as if an entire population simply up and left en masse, which is pretty close to what had happened when the suburbs grew after WWII.
On the other side of town where Storrow Drive wound by the Hatch Shell and elbowed its way on ugly green girders towards the once vibrant waterfront, slicing it in half (since remedied by "The Big Dig"), another such abandoned neighborhood had been replaced via “urban renewal” with some godawful looking apartment buildings. “If you lived in Charles River Park” the sign beckoned the newly suburbanized commuters, “you’d be home already.” Yecch! I wondered which was worse: these ugly slabs or the abandoned neighborhood behind the Christian Science Center?
I got through my first year of law school and almost made law review. I fed my vinyl habit working at Minuteman Records in Harvard Square and attended as many concerts as I could at The Boston Tea Party on Lansdowne Street. I saw The Kinks, The Who and I can’t remember who else along with a few hundred others into the “underground” rock scene. The Kinks were never big and The Who didn’t break big until Tommy, which had been released the year before and took some time to catch on.
That first Boston summer after school had let out, I picked up a kid hitchhiking on Commonwealth Avenue. Hitching was commonplace back then and I actually made some good friends that way. I also got kidnapped and forced to drive some heroin addicts to Maine, but that’s another story!
Anyway, this kid put out a big green Styrofoam thumb and I stopped. He ended up being my roommate the next year along with an old college buddy.
We got an apartment on Commonwealth Avenue just in time for the MTA to begin replacing the antiquated, bulbous-looking orange and tan trolley system that more closely resembled “The Toonerville Trolley” than something you’d expect to see in a modern city. But then again, Boston 1969 was anything but modern.
Replacing the trains required replacing the tracks so for an entire year, the soundtrack to my life was constant jackhammers and In A Silent Way introduced to this rocker by my hitchhiker roommate. A summer with this cat introduced me to a whole lot more than this Miles album. By fall I found myself taking a semester's leave of absence from law school.
In fairness to my friend who shall remain nameless (he’s now a world renowned Go-Kart racer, believe it or not), by then I’d also begun producing and voicing radio commercials for the record store in which I worked and the funny spots quickly became popular in Boston and I’d become a minor “cult” item both on the underground station WBCN and among listeners at the Top 40 station WRKO.
This was a train I was happy to latch onto as an excuse to get the hell away from law school. So, for the entire year in that apartment, we listened to, among other albums, In A Silent Way, Miles’s mysterious, dazzling descent into electronic cool. Yes there were other albums, mostly rock and many of them great too, but the one that defined the rapidly shifting period of time wasIn A Silent Way.
While the 19 minute first side is called “Shhh/Peaceful,” that year was anything but, either politically or personally. I never found the music peaceful either. To me it’s mysterious, unsettling and creepy, with a decidedly neon vibe.
If Kind of Blue was the cool, modal music for the “now” hipsters of the late 1950’s —the album that liberated adventurous listeners from a reliance upon chord changes—, led by the electronic keyboards of Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock and John McLaughlin's spider-webby guitar, In a Silent Way, was the shimmering, serpentine opening to a dangerous musical world. It was the soft sell that made possible the beautiful grotesqueness of Bitches Brew.
For me In a Silent Way was the insistent temptress that led me from middle class conventionality to life experiences unimagined just a few short years earlier. Led is the wrong word. Perhaps “enabled” would be better. The music was more of a lubricant than anything and with its often insistent rhythmic drive, the album became a favorite of an adventurous Rock generation, much as Miles himself had been influenced by the pop scene unfolding all around him.
In A Silent Way is all about atmospherics. Despite the high level of hiss, the murkiness and the less than stellar dynamics, I’ve always regarded this as a great recording because of its appropriateness to the subject matter.
Aesthetically, it’s perfection. Never mind that Tony Williams’s distant drums are shunted off to the right channel or that Dave Holland’s bass lacks extension and ultimate definition. All has been miked and placed for appropriate impact, with the ghostly keyboard apparitions dancing between and around Miles’ spotlit trumpet and John McLaughlin's warm guitar lines gliding along the left channel.
This 180g reissue marks a packaging improvement for Sony/BMG, compared to the flimsy, cheap jackets found on the label’s first series of vinyl reissues. Rainbo’s pressing quality continues to improve, though these are commercial, not audiophile quality pressings. Overall though, I have no complaints about noise or the physical fit’n’finish of this release. In fact, it’s much better than what Columbia was doing in the late ‘60s in terms of vinyl quality.
The sonics are something else though. Lacquer cutting was by Ray Janos at Sterling and I doubt an analog tape was the source, though I know that a recently installed preview head now allows Sterling to cut AAA. Nor was a high resolution digital file used. The first giveaway is the slightly dark timbre of the cymbals. More significant though, are the flatness of the drums, the lack of "woodiness" to the rim shots, the lack of air around Miles’s trumpet and its lack of imaging precision compared to the original LP as well as the two-dimensionality of the soundstage and especially the truncation of decay.
Still, if you don’t have a "360 Sound" original and can’t find one, there’s nothing “digital” sounding about this reissue in the pejorative sense of the word, so chances are you’re not likely to know the difference. It’s neither bright nor hard. It’s just missing atmospherics and the musical flow is on the sluggish side.
I’m guessing the source but I’d be willing to make a stiff wager it’s from a “redbook” CD file sourced from Mark Wilder’s excellent CD mastering for The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions.
Given that there is an analog tape that’s probably not all that difficult to grab from Iron Mountain, there’s something less than honest (actually cynical) about reissuing a classic album like this from a CD resolution file, if in fact, that’s what was used.
This isn’t bad, but Sony/BMG can do much better. Please, Sony/BMG, this isn’t an analog “game.” Vinyl buyers are serious: they want an all analog product, not analog veneer.
As for the music, forty years later it's all substance, no veneer and definitely worth owning and playing often.
SOURCE: http://www.musicangle.com Reprinted By Permission
----------------------------------------------------------
Pick up Michael's DVD's Here:
Copyright © 2008 MusicAngle.com & Michael Fremer - All rights reserved
Music News & Notes
No New Poison
Bret Michaels has left Poison fans without a lot of hope for a new album anytime soon. He told Rolling Stone:
"I’d love to say yes (a new album is on the cards), but I’m probably lying. I don’t know if our four heads are all in the right place to make a new album. I would love to make one, I just want it to be a pleasurable experience. My brain is too creative and I don’t want to go in there and fight with these guys at this point. I’d love to do it and if the time is right and everyone’s head is in it, that would be great. We just aren’t there now."
============================
Website Busy Signal
Coldplay’s Website has been temporarily paralyzed by fans flooding the address to pick up the free live album LeftRightLeftRightLeft. Chris Martin and Co. promised a copy of the nine-song collection to every fan who buys a ticket for their summer tour, as well.
============================
Minus The Bear Enter Studio For New Album
Seattle-based quintet Minus the Bear are currently hard at work on their highly anticipated fourth studio album, still untitled. Excited to expand on their inimitable brand of rock n roll songwriting and explore their existing love of audio ingenuity, the band teamed up with Grammy Award winning producer Joe Chicarelli (My Morning Jacket, The White Stripes) to lend a helping hand.
Minus the Bear will take the opportunity to self finance their new album, giving them full control in an evolving industry. The band plans on releasing their new album on a yet to be announced record label.
The band recently released a seven track EP, "Acoustics," which was available exclusively online and on their recent headlining tour which included sold out dates at New York's Webster Hall, Chicago's The Vic and The Gothic Theatre in Denver.
Minus The Bear will release their new album this fall.
============================
Cover Art Causes A Stir In The UK
Supermarkets cover up Manics CD
The new Manic Street Preachers album is being shipped to supermarkets in a plain slipcase because its artwork has been deemed "inappropriate".
Concerns have been raised that the cover for Journal For Plague Lovers, a portrait by artist Jenny Saville, looks like it is splattered with blood.
Singer James Dean Bradfield called the situation "utterly bizarre".
"We just thought it was a beautiful painting. We were all in total agreement," he told BBC 6 Music.
The frontman disagreed that Saatchi favourite Saville, who also painted the cover for the band's 1994 album The Holy Bible, had intended to depict a bloody face.
"It is her brushwork," he said.
"If you're familiar with her work, there's a lot of ochres and browns and reds and browns and perhaps people are looking for us to be more provocative than we are being.
"We just saw a much more modern version of Lucian Freud-esque brushstrokes. That's all we saw."
Bradfield added that the band were frustrated by supermarkets' attitudes.
"You can have lovely shiny buttocks and guns everywhere in the supermarket on covers of magazines and CDs, but you show a piece of art and people just freak out," he said.
============================
YOB completes new album
Official press release:
Reunited "cosmic doom metal" band YOB has completed work on its new full-length album, titled "The Great Cessation." The record will see a July 14, 2009 release date via Profound Lore Records.
Long respected as one of doom metal's finest and most potent bands, YOB creates mastodonic, mind-bending music. "The Great Cessation" was recorded in the band's hometown of Eugene, Oregon with fast-rising producer Sanford Parker (The Gates of Slumber) and is unquestionably the trio's finest hour. Clocking in at just over an hour, the album features 5 epic-length songs that showcase YOB's relentless stomp, brontosaurus pound and holy mountain of gargantuan riffs. Led by the nuclear-strength peristaltic chug of the twenty minute title track, "The Great Cessation" is a recording that threatens to raise the bar for doom metal achievement with a deliberate, maddening momentum.
"The album will be called 'The Great Cessation,' states YOB vocalist/guitarist Mike Scheidt when asked for comment. "It has 5 tracks clocking in at 60 minutes. We are incredibly happy with how the tracking turned out. This album has some of our heaviest riffs, ever. We are very much looking forward to sharing these tunes with our friends worldwide."
Bret Michaels has left Poison fans without a lot of hope for a new album anytime soon. He told Rolling Stone:
"I’d love to say yes (a new album is on the cards), but I’m probably lying. I don’t know if our four heads are all in the right place to make a new album. I would love to make one, I just want it to be a pleasurable experience. My brain is too creative and I don’t want to go in there and fight with these guys at this point. I’d love to do it and if the time is right and everyone’s head is in it, that would be great. We just aren’t there now."
============================
Website Busy Signal
Coldplay’s Website has been temporarily paralyzed by fans flooding the address to pick up the free live album LeftRightLeftRightLeft. Chris Martin and Co. promised a copy of the nine-song collection to every fan who buys a ticket for their summer tour, as well.
============================
Minus The Bear Enter Studio For New Album
Seattle-based quintet Minus the Bear are currently hard at work on their highly anticipated fourth studio album, still untitled. Excited to expand on their inimitable brand of rock n roll songwriting and explore their existing love of audio ingenuity, the band teamed up with Grammy Award winning producer Joe Chicarelli (My Morning Jacket, The White Stripes) to lend a helping hand.
Minus the Bear will take the opportunity to self finance their new album, giving them full control in an evolving industry. The band plans on releasing their new album on a yet to be announced record label.
The band recently released a seven track EP, "Acoustics," which was available exclusively online and on their recent headlining tour which included sold out dates at New York's Webster Hall, Chicago's The Vic and The Gothic Theatre in Denver.
Minus The Bear will release their new album this fall.
============================
Cover Art Causes A Stir In The UK
Supermarkets cover up Manics CD
The new Manic Street Preachers album is being shipped to supermarkets in a plain slipcase because its artwork has been deemed "inappropriate".
Concerns have been raised that the cover for Journal For Plague Lovers, a portrait by artist Jenny Saville, looks like it is splattered with blood.
Singer James Dean Bradfield called the situation "utterly bizarre".
"We just thought it was a beautiful painting. We were all in total agreement," he told BBC 6 Music.
The frontman disagreed that Saatchi favourite Saville, who also painted the cover for the band's 1994 album The Holy Bible, had intended to depict a bloody face.
"It is her brushwork," he said.
"If you're familiar with her work, there's a lot of ochres and browns and reds and browns and perhaps people are looking for us to be more provocative than we are being.
"We just saw a much more modern version of Lucian Freud-esque brushstrokes. That's all we saw."
Bradfield added that the band were frustrated by supermarkets' attitudes.
"You can have lovely shiny buttocks and guns everywhere in the supermarket on covers of magazines and CDs, but you show a piece of art and people just freak out," he said.
============================
YOB completes new album
Official press release:
Reunited "cosmic doom metal" band YOB has completed work on its new full-length album, titled "The Great Cessation." The record will see a July 14, 2009 release date via Profound Lore Records.
Long respected as one of doom metal's finest and most potent bands, YOB creates mastodonic, mind-bending music. "The Great Cessation" was recorded in the band's hometown of Eugene, Oregon with fast-rising producer Sanford Parker (The Gates of Slumber) and is unquestionably the trio's finest hour. Clocking in at just over an hour, the album features 5 epic-length songs that showcase YOB's relentless stomp, brontosaurus pound and holy mountain of gargantuan riffs. Led by the nuclear-strength peristaltic chug of the twenty minute title track, "The Great Cessation" is a recording that threatens to raise the bar for doom metal achievement with a deliberate, maddening momentum.
"The album will be called 'The Great Cessation,' states YOB vocalist/guitarist Mike Scheidt when asked for comment. "It has 5 tracks clocking in at 60 minutes. We are incredibly happy with how the tracking turned out. This album has some of our heaviest riffs, ever. We are very much looking forward to sharing these tunes with our friends worldwide."
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