The vinyl record collecting blog - with news about new vinyl record releases, vinyl record sales, new music releases, album cover art and weekly features
Mike Rutherford, guitar, Genesis & Mike And The Mechanics (1950)
Gordon Sumner - Police, solo Due to a fondness for a black and yellow striped jersey he acquired the name Sting (1951)
Phil Oakey - Human League (1955)
Soul singer Freddie Jackson (1956)
Sigtryggur Baldursson - Sugarcubes (1962)
Bud Graugh - Sublime (1967)
Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) (1969)
Mall queen Tiffany (1971)
LaTocha Scott - Xscape (1973)
They Are Missed:
America's singing cowboy Gene Autry died in 1998 (age 91). During his career he scored 25 successive Top 10 Country hits. In 1995 it was estimated he was worth $320 million.
History:
DeFord Baily recorded eight masters in Nashville, TN in 1928. The songs that were issued were the first recording sessions to be made in what is now known as Music City, USA.
In 1954, Elvis Presley made his only appearance on Nashville's "Grand Ole Opry" (the Opry manager told him to stick to driving a truck).
US band vocalist from the 1940s, Don Cornell was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1954 with "Hold My Hand." This song was banned by the BBC for the words 'kingdom of heaven'.
Connie Francis recorded her immortal cut "Who's Sorry Now" in 1957.
Phil Spector and partner Lester Sill released the first single in 1961 on their new label Philles, The Crystals’, "Oh Yeah Maybe Baby." A little over a year later, they had a #1 hit with "He’s a Rebel" and soon after, "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me."
'Banks of the Ohio' was released by Joan Baez in 1961.
The Who made their debut on US TV in 1965 on the show "Shindig!"
In 1965, the McCoys were at #1 on the US singles chart in 1965 with "Hang On Sloopy." The song was first released by The Vibrations and called "My Girl Sloopy."
In 1965, Manfred Mann became the first Western rock band to play behind the Iron Curtain, in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
The Grateful Dead (all six members), were arrested for possession of marijuana in 1967. They were released six hours later on bail.
Rod Stewart started a five week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1971 with "Maggie May / Reason To Believe," his first solo #1 hit. Stewarts album 'Every Picture Tells A Story' also started a four-week run on this day at #1 on the UK and US chart.
In 1975, a bomb scare canceled a Bruce Springsteen concert in Milwaukee. The show was re-scheduled for midnight. Meanwhile Springsteen has a few drinks at the hotel and rode on the hood of a car back to the concert hall. A journalist writes “I have seen the future of Rock & Roll and he’s on my windshield.”
In 1976, John Belushi came out on stage with Joe Cocker while he was performing on "Saturday Night Live."
"Tonight's The Night" by Rod Stewart was released in 1976.
In 1977, the body of Elvis Presley and his mother Gladys were moved from the cemetery where they were buried to Graceland's after an unsuccessful attempt was made to body snatch the coffin.
Also in 1977, Gene Simmons (KISS) received a platinum record for his solo album.
In 1980, Leaveil Degree from the soul group The Whispers started a two-year prison sentence in Boron California for his part in diamond robbery.
1982, John Cougar started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1982 with "Jack and Diane," his first US #1 hit.
Rush’s “Signals” entered the LP charts in 1982. In addition, The Clash’s “Rock The Casbah” hits the singles charts. And at a benefit concert in England, current members of Genesis (Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks) were joined by past members Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel.
Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler was at #1 on the US singles chart in 1983 with the Jim Steinman written and produced track "Total Eclipse Of The Heart." It made her the only Welsh artist to score a US #1.
Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." tour ended in 1985 in Los Angeles, CA .
The Prince single "America" was released in 1985.
In 1994, John Mellencamp announced that it was true - that he had suffered a mild heart attack.
Oasis released their second album '(What's The Story), Morning Glory' in 1995, which entered the UK chart at #1.
Iron Maiden's tenth album "The X Factor" was released in 1995. It was the first album to include Blaze Bayley as vocalist.
In 1996, a Pearl Jam show in Hartford Connecticut ended in a riot when mass fighting broke out among the 30,000 strong crowds.
In 1997, Juanita L. Evans filed suit against Wu-Tang members RZA and Method Man, rapper Redman, and a Pennsylvania university and its student government. Evans claimed that she was distracted by Redman and therefore did not see Method Man when he leapt off stage and landed on her. Evans was knocked unconscious.
Radiohead's fourth album, "Kid A", was released in 2000.
Come Together: A Night For John Lennon’s Words and Music was held at New York’s Radio City Music Hall in 2001. Dave Matthews and the Stone Temple Pilots are among the performers.
In 2002, Adam Ant (yes, that Adam Ant!) escaped a prison sentence after a judge ruled that an incident in which he threatened drinkers with a replica pistol in a London pub was a result of mental illness. The 1980's pop star had been voluntarily having psychiatric treatment since the incident.
Robbie Williams signed the most lucrative British record deal in history in 2002 when he signed with EMI records for £80m (over 125 million). Asked what he was going to do with money Robbie said, "I'm going to count it all." Can I help?
In 2003, police were called to a suspected burglary at the Los Angeles house of Courtney Love's former boyfriend and ex-manager Jim Barber in the early hours. Love was picked up in the street outside and detained - with officers noting "Miss Love's behaviour was consistent with being under the influence of a controlled substance." Shortly after her arrest, Love was taken to hospital with a suspected drug overdose. Real smart.......
In 2006, the second leg of the Rolling Rock and Roll Show cranks up with The Romantics and Shadows Of Knight. The Garage Rock-themed tour featuring ‘60s bands was organized by E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt. The first stop was San Diego.
Matchbox 20 released 'Exile On Mainstream' in 2007.
John Fogerty's LP 'Revival,' with the single, "Don't You Wish It Was True," was released in 2007. Recorded in L.A., the disc's title references the singer-guitarist’s former band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, as does the track, "Creedence Song." Fogerty also appears on CBS' Late Show With David Letterman to promote the album.
Bruce Springsteen released 'Magic' in 2007. The 11-track album was his first in five years (since '02's 'The Rising') with the E Street Band. "You could say that it's a little more sonically guitar-driven than any past Bruce album," says Jon Landau, Springsteen's long-time manager. A single, "Radio Nowhere," was initially available as a free download exclusively at iTunes. Springsteen and Co. also kicked off a North American tour in Hartford, CT.
Songs by Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan were free at Starbucks locations in 2007 via "Song of the Day" cards that are redeemable at iTunes. During the month-long promotion Starbucks issued 1.5 million free downloads per day.
In 2007, Britney Spears was ordered to hand over her two young children to her former husband Kevin Federline by a judge in Los Angeles. The court ruled that Federline would be given custody of Sean Preston, two, and one-year-old Jayden James, until further notice. Last month Judge Scott Gordon had said Ms Spears showed "a habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol." The singer was ordered to undergo random drug and alcohol tests twice a week as part of her child custody dispute with Mr Federline. Idiot......
The Unseen Beatles, a DVD with rare footage of the lads from Liverpool, was in stores in 2007. The 65-minute documentary has interviews and personal home movies of the band shot in the '50s and '60s.
Elton 60: Live at Madison Square Garden, a two-DVD set documenting John's 60th birthday concert (earlier in the year) in New York was released in 2007.
"The Best Of Steely Dan: The Millennium Collection" was also released in 2007.
An eBay auction to help pay the medical bills of founding Poco drummer George Grantham, who suffered a debilitating stroke in '04, got underway in 2007. Items for sale during the weeklong auction were contributed by ex-Poco/Buffalo Springfield member Richie Furay, Graham Nash and the Eagles' Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit.
Mott The Hoople's five original members reunited in 2009 for the first of two London concerts to commemorate the band's 40th anniversary. "Why are we doing it? I can't speak for the others, but I'm doing it just to see what it's like," writes frontman Ian Hunter. A second show is the following day. Cool......
For the serious vintage music listener there is no turntable out there I know of with the speed flexibility to accommodate for the many different types of records made over time.
Bowers & Wilkins CM9 loudspeakers, Bowers & Wilkins Signature 8NT loudspeakers, Bowers & Wilkins 804 Diamond Speakers, Meridian 568.2MM Preamplifier, McIntosh MC402 Amplifier, Sunfire Cinema Grand Amplifier, Krell S-300i Integrated Amplifier, Sonneteer Sedley Phono Preamplifier, Benz L2 and Grado 78E phono cartridge (mono 78), Furman Elite 15i Power Conditioner, PS Audio Power Plant Premier, Audioquest, Canare, DeCorp cables, McIntosh MCD301 CD Player, Tascam US-122 MKII external sound mixer, Dell Studio 1537 Laptop, Audacity 1.3 recording software.
Setup and Impressions
In the early days of my retail career (in the 90s) I would occasionally have customers interested in variable speed turntables that could play 78 rpm records. In those days I remember a leaflet that Esoteric put out listing their various Technics modded 78 rpm players. It’s only fitting that I’ve finally received one of their players for review. This, however, is not simply an upgraded Technics.
When I first pulled the Rondine out of the box I thought that the table looked a little bit homebrewed. The arm looks like one manufactured from Jelco (similar to the Sumiko MMT and the arms from Audioquest). The control box is metal and mounted underneath the plinth. The screws that protrude from it will scratch the platform surface unless the supplied Vibrapod feet are utilized. These just sit under the pillars at each corner of the table, so placement is a bit delicate as there is no way to level the table. The plinth is fairly heavy and vinyl-covered, but the cutout for the motor is not fully hidden by the platter. The spindle comes off which seems like an advantage, but it would occasionally also come off when I just lifted the record off the platter.
The headshell is detachable, which is advantageous for those who will be using a variety of cartridges. Set up and alignment was no more difficult than the last few turntables I’ve used. There is a VTA adjustment, but I didn’t need it as I was right on the money with the L2 (although it is a little hard to get at). Azimuth is adjusted right on the headshell itself by a small setscrew.
The dust cover was a pain to get on as the hinges require prying open (with a flathead screwdriver) while sliding the plastic lid into them. The lid is rounded on the one side, but whether I put this part in front or back it did not line up with the front edge of the table. There are some rubber pads on the plinth up front to cushion the lid as it comes down. I’m not a big fan of dust covers, but leaving this one off meant having to look at three ugly hinges on the back. Luckily, you can just unscrew them and this will clean it up. I suppose you can remove the rubber pads in the front corners as well. The control box is very convenient, but some users might prefer having it separate from the table.
There is no need for a mat—the record goes right on the playing surface. Startup is fast (like a direct drive table). The rough speed settings are on a stepped, rotary switch. If the speed needs to be adjusted from these rough settings there is a switch that engages a smooth rotary control that can increase or decrease the speed by 15%. In addition, each fixed speed has an adjustment screw in the back of the control box for fine tuning. I checked speed at 33 1/3 and 45 and I didn’t feel the need to bother tweaking (as the speed was almost right on).
The manual is well-written and easy to follow even for the novice. There is a troubleshooting section for any that get lost along the way.
Phono Preamplifiers and Cartridges
Although there is standardization when it comes to playing back modern records using an RIAA curve, older records use a variety of different EQ curves for correct playback. There are several options for phonograph preamplifiers that will accommodate older recordings (and new as well). has two: KAB Electro Acoustics the VSP MK2 at $600 that only accepts MM cartridges and the EQS MK12 (at $1625)—a more full-featured model (10 curves + RIAA) with better specifications, two turntable connections, ability to use MC cartridges, adjustable level output and more. Another offering is by Vadlyd ($1760) and available here This piece looks like a good higher-end option as well. Esoteric themselves offer the Re-Equalizer II at $350. If you want to go all out there is always the LOC Analog Legacy at $10000. Lastly, there is the Graham Slee Revelation at $1600 which offers switching capabilities as well. Nauck’s Vintage Records offers a book that lists the proper EQ for many older recordings.
The type of stylus used for older records is also different from those typically used for 45 and 33 1/3 rpm records. Some of the popular ones are from Audio Technica, Grado, Shure and Stanton. Modern records use needles with tips that typically measure .7 mil (mil- 1000th of an inch) around for conical or spherical tips (and represent the longer length for elliptical styli). Due to the fact that older discs have larger grooves, these styli are not a good choice for 78 and older records. Choices are often 2.5 (transcriptions) – 3.0 mil (30s to 50s discs and Edison) although 3.5, 4.0 (raw aluminum) and even some bigger styli exist. Many companies offer a kit that includes a variety of sizes to accommodate different vintages or condition of the records. Tracking force can typically be higher than with LPs, so caution should be taken if switching back and forth.
Recommended Speeds
This information comes from the manual:
(1) 71.29- Berliner, Early Victor (no label), Zonaphone
(2) 76.59- Acoustic Victor
(3) 78.26- Modern 78 records
(4) 80- Edison, Pathe vertical (paper label), acoustic Columbia & Okeh, most vertical
(5) 90- Some Pathe
(6) 16.66- Half speed of 33 1/3
(7) 22.5- Half speed of 45
(8) 39.13- Half speed of 78.26
Vertical-cut records could be from: Pathe, Edison, Sapphire, Arya, Lyric, Genet, Phono-Cut, Star, Crescent, Empire, Mozart, Okeh, Operaphone, Rex, Rishell, Aeolian, Vocalion, World Transcription. To set up for vertical playback just reverse the leads to one channel of the phono cartridge. Esoteric offers a pre-wired vertical only headshell as well. Esoteric offers older records for sale here
Listening – Part I (LP)
As is typical of my latest phono reviews, I did some comparisons by recording tracks to a computer and then burning a CD for direct comparison on playback (with the same cartridge and phono preamp as reference). In this case, I compared the Rondine 3 with a Linn LP12 (with a Valhalla power supply). I have to say that there wasn’t a huge difference with the recordings I listened with (a mix of jazz, rock, vocal, etc.) The Linn combination sounded slightly mellower (due to the cartridge choice). The Rek-o-Kut had a bit more top end by comparison and bass wasn’t as good, but it was close. The fact that it could keep up with an LP12 (performance-wise) is saying a lot for the Esoteric and makes me think that unless the listener is looking for a much better LP player, the Rondine 3 is “good enough” for both newer and older records.
I spent hours listening to various records with this table and have nothing negative to report. My wife liked the fact that she could easily switch between 33 1/3 and 45 speeds with the turn of a knob (and that there weren’t a bunch of separate boxes to make this occur). Records sounded good and competitive with tables in this price range. To get up to the next level I’d say double the price is where you’d be at and that is not figuring in the multi-speed capability.
Listening – Part II (78 rpm)
Years ago I had given away the old 78 records I’d had for lack of the ability to play them. There are a few factors that need to be considered for playback. First, there is the need for the specialized phono preamp and cartridge (as mentioned above). Next, you’ll need to realize that due to the speed increase, you typically get a single song per side. For classical listening this is going to be a huge issue. Typically, popular music comes in little “books” that house four or more records for an entire album (figuring both sides are in use). If you aren’t big on record flipping then you will soon tire from constantly having to get up.
People often have the misconception about the sound of these records having only listened to them on old victrolas or what those in the industry (un)affectionately call “close n’ plays” (i.e. all-in-one devices that accommodate 78s and have speakers built-in). The truth is: On a good system these records can incredibly lifelike and that is even without the proper equalization (unfortunately I did not have a proper phono preamp during this review). This meant a boost in highs and a cut in the lows. Vocals came through beautifully and it’s easy to get immersed in the performance. With people giving away these records by the bunch in pawn shops and swap meets, fans of “older” music might want to jump in head first.
[One carriage-trade-level historic recordings dealer had several 78s for sale alongside his LPs and one was the complete Bach Cello Suites with Pablo Casals for $500. The Angel/EMI reissue CDs are pretty bad, but recent software improvements in remastering recordings have made huge advancements in reducing the noise in the grooves while still capturing all the music. I have a recent Italian double CD reissue of the Casals Suites which is excellent, but the one original 78 rpm side I once heard still surpasses it…Ed.]
Conclusion
My reservations on the physical appearance aside, the Rondine 3 offers an attractive performance package. The modern record listener can get very good performance with a high-end phono cartridge and for the serious vintage music listener there is no turntable out there I know of with the speed flexibility (and ease of adjustment) to accommodate for the many different types of records made over time. Anyone looking at revitalizing a system with LP playback and needing 78 (or variable speed playback) should give this a turntable a serious look. Highly recommended!
-- Brian Bloom
AUDIOPHILE AUDITION focuses on recordings of interest to audiophiles and collectors, with an accent on surround sound for music, and on all hi-res disc formats. Over 100 SACD, DVD Video/Audio and standard CD reviews are published during each month, and our archives go back to January 2001.
INSPIRED COLLECTION OF STRIPPED DOWN HITS SPANNING ADAMS' ILLUSTRIOUS THREE-DECADE CAREER
NEW YORK, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Decca is pleased to announce its first CD release by Grammy-winning superstar, singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. Slated for release on November 16th, Bare Bones is an inspired collection of minimally arranged hits culled from Adams' impressive body of work spanning three decades. Recorded in spring of 2010 during his "Bare Bones Tour," the disc captures a raw Adams, featuring only his distinctive voice and guitar, accompanied on select songs by keyboardist Gary Breit, lending a newfound appreciation and perspective to what many consider some of the most beloved songs in pop/rock music.
Inspired by his experience recording "MTV's Unplugged" in the 90's, Adams decided to revisit performing his material pared down once again in 2008. With a consistently loyal following on the road, Adams continued playing live shows with these new spare arrangements in 2010, and as an experiment decided to start recording them for a possible record. Comments Adams, "as the tour rolled across the USA and Canada, many people were asking for a recording of the songs as they had just heard in the show. So in response to that, I decided to record a few shows to see if a recording was even interesting… I like the way the songs carry themselves warts and all, bare-boned, without the original arrangements of a full band or an orchestra." He continues, "These recordings only have the voices and handclaps of the fans in the audience and the ambience of the room to lift them."
Narrowing down the selections for Bare Bones was a challenging exercise given Adams' expansive catalogue, so he enlisted the assistance of his fans. Chosen by a combination of suggestions received through Twitter and his official website, the final tracklisting reflects a well-balanced mixture of old, rare, familiar and new material.
Bare Bones Tracklisting:
You've Been A Friend To Me
Here I Am
I'm Ready
Night To Remember
It Ain't A Party (If You Can't Come 'Round)
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You
Cuts Like A Knife
Please Forgive Me
Summer Of '69
Walk On By
Cloud Number 9
It's Only Love
Heaven
Right Place
The Way You Make Me
The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You
You're Still Beautiful To Me
Straight From The Heart
I Still Miss You...A Little Bit
All For Love
About Bryan Adams
The Canadian-born, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has sold more than 65 million albums worldwide, garnered 21 top ten hits, earned nominations for three Academy Awards and five Golden Globes, received 18 Juno Awards, an American Music Award and five ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture (his music has appeared on more than 40 movie soundtracks).
Adams was recently honored to perform at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, performing a duet with Nelly Furtado. This past spring, he was the recipient of the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, a tribute to his fundraising and charitable efforts. A week later he received the prestigious Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement. Adams has been awarded the Order of British Columbia and is a companion of the Order of Canada; he has received an award for "Artist of the Decade" and was recently inducted into the Juno Hall of Fame. He also has a star on Canada's Walkway of Fame and recently added his handprint to the Wembley Square of Fame in celebration of his 25th show at the famed stadium.
Bryan Adams' live performances have benefited His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales Prince's Trust, Live Aid, Live 8, The Concert for Freedom for Nelson Mandela, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, Net Aid, The Canadian Avalanche Foundation and Breast Cancer, as well as campaigns that have saved the rainforests, provided food and comfort for the needy and created whale sanctuaries. Through his own foundation he has also helped build schools in areas of Southeast Asia, devastated by the tsunami in 2004.
Adams is also an acclaimed photographer and donates his fees to his namesake foundation that funds projects supporting the elderly, victims of wars and natural disasters and other disadvantaged individuals. His work has also been on display with Hear the World presents "Hear the World Ambassadors" – featuring exclusive portraits of renowned personalities from the film, music, and fashion industries. His critically acclaimed exhibit, "Modern Muses," was on display in 2008 at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Adam's outstanding live concerts have established him as one of the world's best rock singers of our time, performing over 120 concerts a year as he works to spread his message of music and environmental awareness to an audience of millions around the globe.
Radio Jimmy Eat World Provides a One of a Kind Listening Experience Created and Hosted by the Band
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Jimmy Eat World and Slacker, Inc. today launched Radio Jimmy Eat World, a radio station featuring songs from the alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona and songs that have inspired their ever-evolving style with comments and introductions from Jimmy Eat World band members. Songs from the band's entire career will be featured on the station including those from the band's brand new album Invented available now in stores and digitally. The new album marks the reunion of the band and producer Mark Trombino who served as producer on the band's two biggest selling albums Clarity and Bleed American. Radio Jimmy Eat World is now available for free in the Slacker Spotlight http://www.slacker.com/ section of the Slacker Radio application on the web, on home entertainment devices and leading smartphones.
Slacker Spotlight is a special station category that can be found on any Slacker Radio application. The Radio Jimmy Eat World station can also be accessed directly on the web at: http://www.Slacker.com/RadioJimmyEatWorld
"Radio Jimmy Eat World is a reflection of who we are as a band and as individuals, offering our fans a glimpse into the music we love and what inspires us," said Jim Adkins, Jimmy Eat World lead vocalist. "Slacker is providing their listeners with a completely unique experience through free radio and unparalleled music discovery options – which we have experienced personally – we are stoked to work with them to provide a truly intimate look into who we are as a band and as music lovers." Drummer Zach Lind added, "We are very excited to have our own Slacker station so we can share some of our favorite songs with everyone."
Radio Jimmy Eat World was programmed by Jimmy Eat World lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind. The station provides listeners with Jimmy Eat World hits, an eclectic mix of hundreds of hand-picked favorites from a range of other artists such as Arcade Fire, The Cure, Rogue Wave, Rocket From The Crypt, Frightened Rabbit and many more, as well as commentary from the band on the tunes that have influenced them over almost two decades of playing together. In addition to the band's selections, each song from the new album Invented is also programmed on the station, along with other Jimmy Eat World favorites as selected by the Slacker Radio programming team.
"The Artist Showcase stations provide artists with the rare opportunity to express the genesis of who they are and leverage today's technologies to connect with their audience in a transformative way," said Scott Riggs, Director of Radio at Slacker. "By working directly with Jimmy Eat World, Slacker provides listeners with the opportunity to discover extraordinary insight into what makes their favorite band who they are."
Whether listening on the web, BlackBerry smartphones, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, Android-powered smartphones, webOS smartphones, a Slacker-enabled SONY TV or Blu-ray player (or any of the many available devices the support Slacker Radio), Radio Jimmy Eat World listeners have instant access to the group's favorite music along with artist profiles, album reviews and album cover art. To get the free Slacker mobile application, simply direct your mobile web browser to Slacker.com
About Jimmy Eat World
Formed in Mesa, Arizona, Jimmy Eat World got their start in 1994 and has gained a reputation for being a band of great perseverance and hard work. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind. Since the 1999 release of their breakthrough debut album Clarity, they've sold millions of records, have had numerous top ten singles at Modern Rock Radio, appeared on Saturday Night Live and have toured with Foo Fighters, Green Day and Weezer. For more information please visit Jimmy Eat world on the web at http://www.jimmyeatworld.com/.
About Slacker, Inc.
Slacker is the world's first Personal Radio company offering "Your Radio Everywhere." Slacker enables music lovers to play highly personalized music online at the Slacker web site, at home on products such as Slacker-enabled SONY TV and Blu-ray players or on the go with all leading smartphones. Slacker mobile applications are currently available for Android, iPhone, Palm webOS, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry smartphones. For more information on where Slacker is available visit http://www.Slacker.com/everywhere.
Slacker and http://www.slacker.com/ are registered trademarks of Slacker, Inc. All other trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.
Gwar Streaming Song From New Album "GWAR’s Bloody Pit of Horror"
Richmond, Virginia natives and shock-thrasher band Gwar has revealed the cover artwork for their upcoming studio album 'GWAR’s Bloody Pit of Horror.' The follow up to 2009's 'Lust in Space' is scheduled for release on November 9, 2010 through Metal Blade Records. The cover art as well as "Zombies March," the first single from "Bloody Pit of Horror," is available at this location. http://www.metalblade.com/gwar
Gwar will kick off its North American "Bloody Tour Of Horror," with The Casualties, Infernaeon and Mobile Deathcamp on October 2, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Rihanna Unveils New Album Artwork
Rihanna has revealed the colorful cover art for her upcoming new album 'Loud' after leaving a series of teasers on her Twitter and Facebook pages for fans to pour over. The R&B superstar left different portions of the artwork on her various social media sites before revealing the full picture on her official website. The cover is a close up shot of Rihanna sporting her new bright red haired look.
'Loud' is Rihanna's fifth studio album and is set for release on November 12th. It will feature her latest single "Only Girl (In The World)" and her upcoming single "What's My Name," for which Rihanna has reportedly just finished shooting a new video. A full track list has yet to be confirmed, more detials when they become available......
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Death Cab, M Ward, Laura Veirs On Led Zeppelin Tribute
M. Ward, Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla and Colorado alt-folk singer Laura Veirs are among the artists covering some of their favorite Led Zeppelin tracks on a new tribute album to the 70s rock icons.
The album, 'From The Land Of Ice And Snow: The Songs Of Led Zeppelin,' is scheduled for release on Jealous Butcher Records on October 8th. It has been six years in the making and reportedly came out when Rob (Jealous Butcher), Matt (Ward) and John (King) were sitting around the basement in the evening working on cover art for a project, each proclaiming their love and respect for Led Zeppelin in their formative musical years and that it be nice to put together a tribute release featuring friends; not being a "who's who" sort of tribute, but rather a 'community' inspired collection of Zeppelin songs."
Laura Veirs collaborated with Mount Analog on her take on 'The Ocean', which you can listen to via Stereogum.com.
Here is full track list for 'From The Land Of Ice And Snow: The Songs Of Led Zeppelin:'
DISC 1
Good Times Bad Times / KIND OF LIKE SPITTING
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You / THE CLAMPITT FAMILY
Dazed And Confused / THE PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT
featuring LAURA GIBSON & JOHN MOEN
Your Time Is Gonna Come / NICK JAINA
Whole Lotta Love / FUKD'UPTIGHT
Poor Tom / ADAM SELZER
Nobody's Fault But Mine / CARCRASHLANDER
Fool In The Rain / KAIA
Thank You / DAN JONES
Heartbreaker / LACKTHEREOF FEAT. PETE MCCRACKEN
Moby Dick / KNOCK-KNOCK
Out On The Tiles / SUPER XX MAN
Friends / AMY ANELLE & THE SHISHI VALLEY BOYS
Tangerine / JEFF LONDON
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp / ARCH CAPE
Hey Hey What Can I Do / WEINLAND
In The Evening / CHRIS WALLA
DISC 2
Black Dog / LANA REBEL
Rock and Roll / PELLET GUN
The Battle of Evermore / TU FAWNING
Stairway To Heaven / KELLY BLAIR BAUMAN
Misty Moutain Hop / BUELTON
Four Sticks / REBECCA GATES AND THE CONSORTIUM
Over The Hills and Far Away / JOHANNA KUNIN
No Quarter / TESTFACE
The Ocean / LAURA VEIRS & MOUNT ANALOG
Houses Of The Holy / BELTLINE
Kashmir / LOCH LOMOND
In The Light / THE LONG WINTERS
Bron-Yr-Aur / M. WARD
Down By The Seaside / POWER OF COUNTY
All My Love / PARKS & RECREATION
I'm Gonna Crawl / DAVE DEPPER
DIGITAL BONUS TRACKS
Communication Breakdown / CAPTAIN VS. CREW
Heartbreaker / WOW & FLUTTER
Ramble On / THE LITTLE BETTERS
Immigrant Song / LEIGH MARBLE
That's The Way / THIS BUSY MONSTER
Rock and Roll / TRACTOR OPERATOR
Going To California / THE VALIANT ARMS
When the Levee Breaks / LARRY CRANE
The Rain Song / ANTLERAND
Over The Hills and Far Away / THE MIGHTY GHOSTS OF HEAVEN
Dancing Days / MISS MURGATROID AND THE QUEENS OF HEART
D'yer Mak'er / CHAD CROUCH
The Wanton Song / REMOTE TREE CHILDREN
Nobodys Fault But Mine V.1 / CARCRASHLANDER
Going To California / COOL SUMNER
featuring LISA SCHONBERG, KATY DAVIDSON & TARA JANE O'NEIL
Tea For One / LKN
Hot Dog / THE BIG RIVER BAND
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Hour Of The Wolf collection set for release
After the "Power Of The Wolf" EP in 2006 (Limekiln), "Waste Makes Waste" EP in 2007 (Think Fast!), "Split" with Lewd Acts in 2008 (Think Fast!), and the "Obsolete" EP in 2009 (Hellfish), it appears time for that annual release from Arizona's bastard sons, Hour Of The Wolf. "Decompositions Volume 1" is one half of a complete collection from 'The Wolf and it's now available for pre-order. Think Fast! Records co-owner and Hour Of The Wolf super-fan, Ryan O'Connor details the release:
"One time in Tokyo, Addison and I were were talking about how someday we hoped to team up to release an Hour Of The Wolf discography. Two and a half years later we have half of it ready...so at this rate, we will have Volume 2 ready in 2013. Okay it'll probably come out sooner than that. But anyway, with all of the odds and ends we've seen from Hour Of The Wolf (and never a proper full-length), this is a necessary collection, and a must-have for any fan of the band. It's the first time any of the songs have been released on vinyl, includes a new track which is grimiest they've ever written, the entire "Power Of The Wolf" EP, and a bunch of awesome cover tunes. It comes in a gatefold jacket, includes a digital download coupon for those who don't have a turn table, and the first press is limited to 500 copies on colored vinyl. With more headaches than we care to count, we're very stoked for this release to finally see the light of day."
The first press of the release features clear blue with dark blue swirl vinyl (limited to 200) and split red/yellow vinyl (limited to 300). There is a discounted package for the vinyl nerds who want to order both colored vinyl versions of the record. Also worth noting is that an Hour Of The Wolf coffee mug is being made available for all pre-orders! We couldn't think of a more appropriate artist to brand Think Fast!'s first ever coffee mug, and it's going to be a limited run, with no promises to print more. Right now the mug is only available when you pre-order the new record. Pre-orders are expected to ship on November 2nd, with the official release date being November 9th. All pre-orders come with a free digital download coupon, and a free, full color Think Fast! Showcase Tour poster. The showcase tour hits most major U.S. cities this Fall and features Hour Of The Wolf, Outbreak, and lots more.
Switchfoot, Fat Mike, Tegan and Sara and More Celebrate Bad Religion
In celebration of Bad Religion's 30th anniversary and new album, 'The Dissent of Man,' some music giants including MySpace Music, SPIN and Epitaph Records have partnered up to release a free compilation, 'Germs of Perfection: A Tribute to Bad Religion,' which will feature an assortment of artists and bands covering songs from the hard-rocking group's catalog.
The excitement kicks off with Tegan and Sara's somber version of "Suffer," the title track from Bad Religion's groundbreaking 1988 album, and Polar Bear Club's cover of "Better off Dead" from 1994's 'Stranger Than Fiction,' which can both be heard now at SPIN.com or Myspace.com/music.
Over the next three weeks MySpace Music and SPIN.com will be rolling out new songs from the Bad Religion tribute compilation which will feature covers from William Elliott Whitmore, Frank Turner, The Weakerthans, Switchfoot, Ted Leo, Cheap Girls, New Politics, Cobra Skulls featuring Fat Mike from NOFX and Riverboat Gamblers.
The compilation will be available for download on October 19 at SPIN.com in conjunction with an oral history of Epitaph Records with liner notes for the tribute album running in the November issue of SPIN magazine.
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50th Anniversary of The Rat Pack Brings Two Albums
To mark the 50th anniversary of The Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., Reprise Records and Capitol/EMI is set to release two essential collections: 'The Very Best Of The Rat Pack '(Reprise) on November 9 and 'Christmas With The Rat Pack '(Capitol/EMI) on October 5, available at all retail outlets (CD and digital), including http://www.sinatra.com/.
Featuring 18 Vegas-era favorites that spotlight each singer, 'The Very Best Of The Rat Pack' captures the upbeat entertainment style synonymous with the trio. Showcasing swinging classics from each member solo along with two duets that feature Sinatra and Davis ("Me And My Shadow") and Davis and Martin ("Sam's Song"). The collection also includes a previously unreleased alternate version of Sinatra's "I'm Gonna Live Until I Die."
Ol' Blues Eyes opens the album with the signature track "Come Fly With Me" and also contributes his irresistible hits "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and "Witchcraft." The collection also includes "I've Got You Under My Skin," ranked among Sinatra aficionados as one of his finest collaborations with Nelson Riddle, and "Luck Be A Lady," a song featured in the musical "Guys And Dolls."
Dino's velvety croon takes the spotlight on six unforgettable performances that include "Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)," the dramatic Italian ballad that Martin took to #12 in 1958, "Who's Got The Action?" from the 1962 film of the same name starring Martin and Lana Turner, and "Ain't That A Kick In The Head," a tune he sang in the Rat Pack's classic 1960 heist film Ocean's 11.
Davis' ebullient delivery and vocal power shine on standout tracks such as "Eee-O Eleven" from the Ocean's 11 soundtrack, "A Lot Of Livin' To Do," a song originally written for the 1960 musical Bye Bye Birdie, and "Too Close For Comfort," from the 1956 Broadway play Mr. Wonderful in which Davis played the starring role.
Christmas With The Rat Pack, a 16-track collection of festive holiday classics begins with Dean Martin's "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," followed by Frank Sinatra's take on "Mistletoe And Holly," and Sammy Davis Jr.'s "Christmas Time All Over The World." Other songs featured in the collection include Martin's "Silver Bells," "White Christmas," "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "Winter Wonderland," Sinatra's "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear," and "The First Noel," and Davis' "Jingle Bells" and "The Christmas Song," among others.
THE VERY BEST OF THE RAT PACK
1. Come Fly With Me – Frank Sinatra
2. Ain't That A Kick In The Head – Dean Martin
3. Too Close For Comfort – Sammy Davis Jr.
4. I've Got You Under My Skin – Frank Sinatra
5. Who's Got The Action? – Dean Martin
6. A Lot Of Livin' To Do – Sammy Davis Jr.
7. Ring-A-Ding Ding – Frank Sinatra
8. Eee-O Eleven – Sammy Davis Jr.
9. Luck Be A Lady – Frank Sinatra
10. Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) – Dean Martin
11. Birth Of The Blues – Sammy Davis Jr.
12. Witchcraft – Frank Sinatra
13. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You – Dean Martin
14. I Get A Kick Out Of You – Frank Sinatra
15. Sam's Song – Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Jr.
16. I'm Gonna Live Until I Die – Frank Sinatra (Alternate Version)
17. Everybody Loves Somebody – Dean Martin
18. Me And My Shadow – Frank Sinatra & Sammy Davis Jr.
CHRISTMAS WITH THE RAT PACK
1. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Dean Martin
2. Mistletoe And Holly – Frank Sinatra
3. Christmas Time All Over The World – Sammy Davis Jr.
4. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Frank Sinatra
5. Silver Bells – Dean Martin
6. The Christmas Waltz – Frank Sinatra
7. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Dean Martin
8. Jingle Bells – Sammy Davis, Jr.
9. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Frank Sinatra
10. Peace On Earth / Silent Night – Dean Martin
11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear – Frank Sinatra
12. Winter Wonderland – Dean Martin
13. The Christmas Song – Sammy Davis Jr.
14. The First Noel – Frank Sinatra
15. White Christmas – Dean Martin
16. I'll Be Home For Christmas (If Only In My Dreams) – Frank Sinatra
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Iron Maiden/Deep Purple/Black Sabbath Supergrouping
Tony Iommi and Ian Gillan are going to be recording together again, however this time they will bring in Iron Maiden's Nicko McBrain and Deep Purple's Jon Lord along for the ride... and it's all for a good cause. Iommi's site explains:
"In 1989 Tony Iommi and Ian Gillan were just a few names in a long list of talent involved in the recording of the Deep Purple track "Smoke on The Water." This song was re-recorded to raise money for those affected by the Leninakan earthquake that struck Armenia in 1988."
In October of last year both Tony and Ian travelled to Armenia to see how the funds raised had helped the local community. On their trip they visited a music school only to find it being run out of temporary accommodation, it was only location not to have been rebuilt 20 years after the earthquake had struck.
Next week Tony and Ian will be heading back into the studio, joined by Jon Lord (ex Deep Purple / Whitesnake) and Nicko McBrain (drummer of Iron Maiden) to record a new track to raise money to rebuild the Armenian music school. More information about the charity single "Out of my Mind" very soon......
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Sorrows Path Announces New Album Track Listing And Reveals Artwork
Sorrows Path have issued the following announcement about revealing the cover artwork for the band's new album:
"Hail doomsters and friends! We are really proud to reveal the cover and the track listing of our newborn child 'The Rough Path of Nihilism' which is going to be released on October 29, 2010 by Rock It Up Records! The cover was done by artist Seth Siron Anton, the famous bassist and vocalist of Septic Flesh, who already worked with big names such as Paradise Lost, Kamelot, Moonspell, Exodus, and many more!"
The album's track list::
1. All Love is Lost
i) Lost Innocence
ii) Lost Youth
2. The Beast (S.P.R.)
3. Honestly...
4. Fetish
5. Dirty Game
6. Mr. Holy
7. Getting Closer
8. Queen of Doom
9. Prostitute
10. Hymn of Differentiation
11. Empty Eyes and Blackened Hearts
12. Nihilism
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JIMMY PAGE and EDDIE VAN HALEN Top 'Greatest Guitar Solo' List
According to The Pulse of Radio, Jimmy Page's 1971 solo to LED ZEPPELIN's "Stairway To Heaven" topped the Gibson.com list of the "Top 50 Guitar Solos Of All Time." Next at #2 is Eddie Van Halen's 1978 groundbreaking instrumental "Eruption" from VAN HALEN's self-titled debut, with Jimi Hendrix's solo on his 1968 cover of BOB DYLAN's "All Along The Watchtower" rounding out the Top 3.
Hendrix made the list four times — the most of any guitarist. Eric Clapton scored three times with solos for tracks with CREAM, THE BEATLES, and DEREK & THE DOMINOES. In addition to his runner-up spot with "Eruption", Van Halen's 1982 solo on MICHAEL JACKSON's "Beat It" came in at No. 50.
Jimmy Page — whose solos to LED ZEPPELIN's "Since I've Been Loving You", "Heartbreaker" and "Whole Lotta Love" also made the list — says that after all the success LED ZEPPELIN had, the real reward has been that the music has lasted so well: "The most satisfying, the most rewarding part of it, is having been part of music like that, which has stood up to the test of time. Every musician hopes that their music will hold up. And it's wonderful."
Peter Frampton has been close friends with Page since the mid-1960s. He frequently watched ZEPPELIN record in the early '70s at London's Olympic Studios, while taking breaks from his own recordings and was consistently impressed with Jimmy Page's guitar technique: "He's a very well-rounded player. His technique on acoustic is phenomenal. And he uses various different open tunings. He tunes his guitar down and there's a special 'Jimmy Page' tuning (laughs) that he uses on a lot of the stuff."
Gibson.com's "Top 50 Guitar Solos Of All Time":
1. Stairway To Heaven - Jimmy Page (LED ZEPPELIN)
2. Eruption - Eddie Van Halen (VAN HALEN)
3. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix (THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE)
4. Hotel California - Don Felder and Joe Walsh (THE EAGLES)
5. Comfortably Numb - David Gilmour (PINK FLOYD)
6. Free Bird - Gary Rossington and Allen Collins (LYNYRD SKYNYRD)
7. Layla - Eric Clapton and Duane Allman (DEREK & THE DOMINOS)
8. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Eric Clapton (THE BEATLES)
9. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
10. Bohemian Rhapsody - Brian May (QUEEN)
11. Crazy Train - Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE)
12. 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers - Jeff Beck
13. Sweet Child O' Mine - Slash (GUNS N' ROSES)
14. Hot For Teacher - Eddie Van Halen (VAN HALEN)
15. Since I've Been Loving You - Jimmy Page (LED ZEPPELIN)
16. November Rain - Slash (GUNS N' ROSES)
17. Mr. Crowley - Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE)
18. Whole Lotta Rosie - Angus Young (AC/DC)
19. Like A Hurricane - Neil Young
20. Sultans Of Swing - Mark Knopfler (DIRE STRAITS)
21. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan (STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE)
22. One - Kirk Hammett (METALLICA)
23. Cortez The Killer - Neil Young
24. Rock Around the Clock - Danny Cedrone (BILL HALEY & THE COMETS)
25. Sweet Jane - Live - Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner (LOU REED)
26. Purple Rain - Prince (PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION)
27. Heartbreaker - Jimmy Page (LED ZEPPELIN)
28. Jessica - Dickey Betts (THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND)
29. Machine Gun - Jimi Hendrix
30. Crossroads - Eric Clapton (CREAM)
31. Time - David Gilmour (PINK FLOYD)
32. Are You Experienced? - Jimi Hendrix (THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE)
33. Race With the Devil - Cliff Gallup (GENE VINCENT)
34. Don't Believe A Word - Brian Robertson (THIN LIZZY)
35. Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix (THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE)
36. Besame Mucho - Wes Montgomery
37. Sympathy For The Devil - Keith Richards (THE ROLLING STONES)
38. Blue Sky - Duane Allman and Dickey Betts (THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND)
39. My Sharona - Berton Averre (THE KNACK)
40. Marquee Moon - Tom Verlaine (TELEVISION)
41. Hitch A Ride - Tom Scholz (BOSTON)
42. The End - Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison (THE BEATLES)
43. Whole Lotta Love - Jimmy Page (LED ZEPPELIN)
44. Train Kept A-Rollin' - Live - Joe Perry (AEROSMITH)
45. Highway Star - Ritchie Blackmore (DEEP PURPLE)
46. Dirt - Ron Asheton (THE STOOGES)
47. Off The Handle - Rory Gallagher
48. The Great Curve - Adrian Belew (THE TALKING HEADS)
49. The Messiah Will Come Again - Roy Buchanan
50. Beat It - Eddie Van Halen (MICHAEL JACKSON)
Like all of these types of lists, it is very subjective. Personally, I love the guitar work on "Aqualung," by Jethro Tull as well as the riffs and solos on Neil Young's "Cowgirl In The Sand." And, the guitar solo on "My Sharona" making the list? Not when you only have one Stevie Ray Vaughan cut, that's just silly. Any thoughts, who's on your list?
Soul singer Cissy Houston, and mother of Whitney Houston. Member of Sweet Inspirations, The Drinkard Singers, (with Dionne Warwick), back-up singer with Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross. (1933)
Johnny Mathis - His 'Greatest Hits' album spent over nine years on the US chart (1935)
Dewey Martin - The Dillards, Buffalo Springfield (1942)
Marilyn McCoo - 5th Dimension (1943)
Sylvia Peterson - Chiffons (1946)
John Lombardo - 10,000 Maniacs (1952)
Robby Takac - Goo Goo Dolls (1964)
Trey Anastasio - Phish (1964)
Steve Klein - New Found Glory (1979)
Keisha Buchanan - Sugababes (1984)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1942, Frankie Lymon, singer, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. He died from a drug overdose on February 28, 1968 (age 25).
Born today in 1942 Gus Dudgeon, producer. Best known for his work with Elton John. Also produced David Bowie, The Beach Boys, Zombies, Kiki Dee, Strawbs, XTC and Joan Armatrading. Dudgeon was killed in a car accident on July 21, 2002 (his wife, Sheila, was also killed in the accident).
Born on this day in 1947, Marc Bolan, guitarist, singer-songwriter, member of T Rex. Bolan was killed in a car accident on September 16, 1977.
Mary Ford died from cancer in 1977, after being in a diabetic coma for 54 days. One-half of the husband-and-wife musical team, Les Paul and Mary Ford. Between 1950 and 1954, the couple had 16 top-ten hits; in 1951 alone, they sold six million records.
History:
The show "Porgy and Bess" opened for the first time in Boston in 1935.
The Beatles performed at the Indra Club, Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg, West Germany in 1960.
In 1961, unknown Bob Dylan played harmonica for the recording of Caroline Hester's first Columbia album. Producer John Hammond is so impressed, he signed Dylan to a contract with Columbia Records.
In 1965, Donovan made his US television debut on Shindig! along with The Hollies, The Turtles and the Dave Clark Five.
BBC Radio 1 was launched in the UK in 1967. Former Radio Caroline DJ Tony Blackburn was the first presenter on air. The Move's "Flowers In The Rain," was the first record played.
Van Morrison's "Brown-Eyed Girl" peaked at #10 on the pop chart in 1967.
On the David Frost Show in 1967, John Lennon and Paul McCartney promoted transcendental meditation and the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. They are true believers, for awhile. Ohmmmmm.....
Christine Hinton, the girlfriend of David Crosby, was killed in a car crash near San Francisco in 1969. Crosby spends years trying to cope with the tragedy.
In 1971, Rick Wakeman made his live debut with Yes at The De Montford Hall, Leicester at the start of a 23-date UK tour.
Columbia Records announced that they were closing down four Hollywood studios in 1972.
Ringo Starr released the album "Ringo The Fourth" in 1977.
In 1977, Foghat played a benefit concert in New York for the preservation of rare Blues recordings. Since Foghat built their reputation recycling Blues riffs, it`s an appropriate payback.
David Cassidy was at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1972 with "How Can I Be Sure." It was the star from the US TV series the Partridge Family's first UK #1 and the cut was originally recorded by The Young Rascals in 1967.
In 1974, police were called to a Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blue Oyster Cult concert after a fight broke out between two sound engineers. The Skynyrd roadie claimed that the sound had been deliberately turned off during the bands set.
Exile started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1978 with "Kiss You All Over."
Roy Orbison's cable TV special 'A Black and White Night' was filmed in 1982, with Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, K.D. Lang and?? Bonnie Raitt, Jennifer Warnes, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, T Bone Burnett (and others) backing up the legend.
In 1988, John Lennon was awarded a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Bette Midler was awarded $400,000 in a lawsuit against the Ford Motor Company in 1989 over their use of a soundalike singer in their commercials.
Neil Young appeared on "Saturday Night Live" in 1989 and performed "Rockin' In The Free World."
The Rolling Stones recorded the video for "Rock And A Hard Place" at Foxboro-Sullivan Stadium in 1989.
Singer Steve Earle was arrested in Nashville in 1992 after he failed to report for jury service.
Kate Pierson from The B-52's was charged with criminal mischief and trespassing during an anti-fur protest at 'Vogue's' New York City offices in 1993.
David Crosby and George Harrison appeared on the fifth season premiere of "The Simpsons" in 1993. Homer recounts his brief pop success as a member of the B-Sharps. Following a bitter break-up, the B-Sharps reunite on the rooftop of Moe`s Tavern to sing their one hit "Baby On Board." George drives by in a limo and intones "it`s been done."
Mariah Carey made chart history in 1995 when she started an eight week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Fantasy," making her the first female act to enter the chart in top position.
The Bob Dylan album 'Time Out of Mind' was released in 1997.
The Rolling Stones released 'Bridges To Babylon' in 1997.
Jonny Lang, Slash (Guns 'n' Roses), Joey Ramone (Ramones) and Rick Nelson (Cheap Trick) and others appeared on "The Drew Carey Show" in 1998. All the musicians were trying out for lead guitarist of Carey's band.
In 2004, Bono called on Europe and the United States to commit more resources to stemming poverty and AIDS in Africa. He addressesed the annual conference of the United Kingdom`s governing Labour Party in Brighton, England. "This is not about charity, this is about justice," says U2’s frontman. And we thought he was just a singer.....
Justin Timberlake started a two week run at #1 on the US album chart in 2006 with his second solo album ‘FutureSex/LoveSounds’ which also became the biggest album ever for pre-orders on iTunes.
Billy Joel puts his Long Island home on the market in 2006. Frustrated by legal barriers preventing him from constructing a dock in the harbor to store three boats, Joel’s asking price for the 14,000-square-foot mansion, a guest cottage and a beach house is a mere $37.5 million. I'll write a check...
The 21st edition of Farm Aid was in Camden, NJ in 2006, with performances by founders Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson. Gov't Mule and the legendary Jerry Lee Lewis also take the stage. The event grossed $1.1 million in ticket sales for US family farmers. "It is unfortunate that we have to continue doing this," says Young. "I really hope that we don't have to do Farm Aid forever." Meanwhile on the left coast... Jackson Browne and ex-Doobie Brothers singer-keyboardist Michael McDonald headline the fourth annual Ventura Hillsides Music Festival in Ventura, Calif. Proceeds from the event benefit the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy.
Country music singer Keith Urban crashed his motorcycle in 2007 on the way to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. The 39-year-old, who was not injured, said he was being followed by a photographer when the accident happened near his home in Sydney, Australia.
Reba McEntire was at #1 on the US album chart in 2007 with 'Reba: Duets.'
“Nightmare Revisited” was released in 2008. Marilyn Manson, KoRn, Rise Against, Flyleaf and Evanescence singer Amy Lee reworked songs from Tim Burton's ‘93 movie 'The Nightmare Before Christmas.'
Alice Cooper had to tone down his performance on CBS' Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson in 2008 after network officials deemed a planned segment too graphic. Cooper initially intended to re-enact a scene from his "Vengeance Is Mine" video by pretending to strangle a female audience member with a scarf. That was a no-go. Why didn’t he just hang himself like in the old days?
In 2009, Bruce Springsteen played the first of 5 sold-out shows to close out the life of Giants Stadium (in NJ). At each concert, Springsteen performs one of his classic albums – “Born To Run” (2x), “Darkness On The Edge Of Town” and “Born In The U.S.A.”(2x) – in its entirety.
Poobah 1972 http://www.poobahband.com/
In the early 1990’s a small record label broke out of San Antonio, Monster Records, specializing in limited release/collector’s vinyl from underground 1970’s hard rock bands. For several years, Monster churned out an impressive array of steaming protometal, adding such bands as Poobah, JPT Scare Band, Truth and Janey, Hawkwind, and Manilla Road to their roster. But as so often happens in the music business, time passed, tastes changed and Monster Records ceased to exist.
Fast forward 20 years, and the sands of the hourglass churn backwards in time. Suddenly metal legends, Youngstown Ohio’s Poobah, and Kansas City’s JPT Scare Band, find themselves as popular as ever and stunningly, back on the same record label. This time it’s Ripple Music filling the void, providing the world with the tasty underground protometal that they crave.
Within a span of two months, both JPT Scare Band and Poobah released classic works with Ripple Music, JPT Scare Band’s “Acid Blues is the White Man’s Burden,” and Poobah’s 1972 seminal debut, “Let Me In.” Both releases hit the world in eye-opening, two-tone double LP packages with gatefold covers as well as CD formats. Both packed with rare pictures, notes, and bonus tracks.
Jim Gustafson, the mastermind behind Poobah, sums it up. “It’s cool that Poobah ended up with JPT again on the same label, only better this time. I saved these tapes for decades, looking for the right time and place to do this, and now it has happened.”
And 40 years after originally forming, both bands find themselves cranking out their music to a legion of fans new and old. WFMU in New York has both bands on frequent rotation, spreading the protometal, acid rock gospel to hungry, waiting ears.
Ripple Music plans to keep bringing on the ballsy retro-metal with future releases by Scottish protometal icons, Iron Claw, as well as modern purveyors following the raw, sonic blueprint, Stone Axe, Mos Generator, Grifter, Mighty High, and Venomin James.
As Ripple founders Todd Severin and John Rancik say, “Ripple Music exists to bring the guts back to rock and roll!”
DEAR JERRY:Lately I've been having a blast with a fun and very inexpensive hobby; collecting 78 rpm singles.
I find them in thrift and second-hand stores, as well as at yard and estate sales, and they usually cost a quarter or less.
One recent find is “On the Beach at Waikiki-Medley,” backed with “Moe Uhane Waltz,” by Helen Louise and Frank Ferera (Victor 17880).
The A-side label indicates a medley, yet only mentions “On the Beach at Waikiki.” Are there other tunes played that are not named? I can't tell by listening.
These two Hawaiian guitarists are great, and I'm on the lookout for more of their records.
Having never heard of them before, what can you tell me about their place in Hawaiian music history? —Jamie Evans, Greendale, Wisc.
DEAR JAMIE: A native Hawaiian, Frank Ferera (nee: Palakiko Ferreira) is to Hawaiian music as Django Reinhardt to jazz guitarists, or to Edith Piaf who took the music of France far beyond French borders.
With regard to significance and his place in Hawaiian music history, it's hard to rank anyone above him.
Ferera (1885-1951) came to the U.S. in 1902, where he soon added the Hawaiian steel guitar to his repertoire. He even became a fine singer, though most of his recordings are instrumentals.
In 1915, he met Helen Louise Greenus and her sister Irene Lilliam Greenus, two gals from Seattle who played Hawaiian music on guitar and ukulele. With so much in common, Frank and Helen connected instantly, soon married, then toured the vaudeville circuit as a duo.
Irene often joined her sister and brother-in-law in concerts and on recordings, though this trio is always credited on record labels as Louise, Ferera and Greenus. Best known among their Columbia titles are: (#2405) “La Paloma”; (#2450) “Little Alabama Coon”; (#2614) “Funiculi Funicula”; and (#2916) “In the Heart of Hawaii.”
Victor Records signed the newlyweds in 1915, and their first release is the record you just found: “On the Beach at Waikiki-Medley.”
After a portion of “On the Beach at Waikiki,” the medley continues with: “My Honolulu Tom Boy”; “Waikiki Hula”; “Kawaihau”; “Mauna Keala”; and “Ninipo.”
Tragedy struck the Fereras on December 12, 1919. Frank and Helen were traveling from Los Angeles to Seattle aboard Pacific Steamship's SS President, to spend Christmas with her family.
At around 4:00 a.m. on that Friday morning, with the ship steaming toward San Francisco, Helen reportedly walked out of their room, giving no reason for leaving.
She was never seen again.
After searching from bow to stern, and finding no clues to Helen's unexplained disappearance, authorities concluded she somehow ended up overboard and was lost at sea. Apparently, neither suicide nor foul play seemed likely.
According to Pacific Steamship, adverse weather also played no part in whatever happened to Helen. After the vessel docked in San Francisco, a company superintendent told reporters “the seas were as smooth as a mill pond.”
Based on what information, we don't know, but one week later Helen's mother - who was in Washington and not on board the ship — offered a much different opinion to the Seattle Daily Times:
“There was a strong wind blowing when my daughter left her stateroom and we believe she was washed overboard.”
Truly an unsolved mystery.
IZ ZAT SO? In the years following the loss of Helen Louise, Frank Ferera continued to record, often with sidekicks Anthony J. Franchini and John K. Paaluhi.
He also provided Hawaiian style backing for the immensely popular vocalist Annette Hanshaw, as well as many other lesser known artists.
During Frank's 15-year recording career (1915-1930), he is heard on no less than 2000 records, on numerous labels. Among them are: Brunswick; Cameo; Columbia; Conqueror; Edison; Gennett; Harmony; Perfect; Puritone; Velvet Tone; and Victor.
Ballpark estimates credit Ferera as being involved in about 25% of all Hawaiian music recorded during those years.
Prices for Ferera's 78s vary widely, with most selling in the $30 to $300 range. Any of these would be a steal for 25-cents.
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368 E-mail: jpo@olympus.net Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com
All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
I came across a new site lately and contacted the gentleman who owns and operates it and he (Mike) has been gracious enough to allow me to share some of his work with the CVR audience. Be sure to stop by his site http://hifihipster.com and look around and welcome a new contributor to the CVR Blog!
An affordable hifi stereo system for vinyl
One of the major topics of this blog is affordable audio, so i’ve decided to put together a reasonable priced system for playing vinyl records. These recommendations are just starting points, and I would encourage you to substitute components for any vintage or used stuff you might find. You can always upgrade later, the point now is to start spinning records as soon as possible.
Basically, a hifi stereo setup involves three parts: the source(s), amplifier and speakers. There are a variety of other sources possible (CD/SACD players, iPods, computers, etc) but for now we’ll stick to a turntable. You probably already own a MP3 or CD player anyway.
This is the table I currently use, and I highly recommend it. Professional reviewers agree that it is a perfect entry level turntable for those curious about vinyl. Unlike other, more expensive turntables, it’s pretty much ready to go right out of the box and comes complete with a cartridge (the needle), tonearm, dust cover, felt record mat and attached L+R and grounding cables. The MSRP is currently $349, and there is a $499 version that includes a USB output so you can rip your records to your computer and convert them to MP3. Amazon is currently sold out, but Acoustic Sounds has it, and they can also be found at Magnolia outlets (which are often located in Best Buy stores).
The signal from a turntable must go through a preliminary stage of amplification before it can go to the main amp. This might be accomplished with a “phono stage” like the NAD PP-2 , which I use, but it is an additional expense, takes up more space and uses more resources. The solution is to use an amplifier that has an integrated phono stage, like the Topaz AM10. I haven’t listened to this particular amp, but Stereophile’s Stephen Mejias recommends this and it is the cheapest one of the four he lists in the linked article. In addition to the phono stage, it’s small, light, looks cool, and has a front input to plug in your iPod. Amazon’s got it for 349 dollars , and it’s probably your cheapest, easiest bet for beginner hifi amplification.
Speakers -
For beginners, floorstanders might not be the best idea, simply due to their size and expense (although you wouldn’t need to buy speaker stands). Bookshelf speakers are the optimal entry level solution. The problem with speakers is that they are the most subjective in terms of sound quality; what sounds good to me might sound awful to you. This is why it’s kind of difficult to recommend a good speaker without listening first, but sticking with established brands that specialize in making speakers is a good start. This means avoiding crap from Sony or Yamaha, which might be cheap but are of poor quality. Bose speakers have an undeserved reputation for quality thanks to aggressive marketing, but they are the laughing stock of the audiophile world. The Polk Audio TSi200 is available for about $300 a pair, or if you need to go cheaper then the Klipsch B-2 Synergy is only a bit over $180. Either of these would work fine for a hi-fi-curious individual. A set of speaker stands can be found at most any big box store for 20-30 bucks, or you could DIY up some of your own.
Pricing:
Turntable – $349
Amp – $349
Speakers- $180
Cables and other accessories – $50
Total: +- $928
I hear ya, that’s hardly pocket change. But as I mentioned in the beginning, this is only a suggestion. The best deal and the most important purchase is the Pro-ject turntable, I can’t really think of a better value for the money. The speakers can vary, if you already have a cheapo pair then use them to begin with. The amplifier is optional as well, in fact, if you browse vintage or thrift stores you shouldn’t have a problem finding a decent integrated amp. Most older (pre-1990s) amps that you’ll likely encounter have a phono stage; if it has an input on the back labeled “PHONO” then you’re good to go.
Every system has humble origins, and once you get into vinyl you’ll be hooked.
This article is from http://www.hifihipster.com/, a blog about affordable hi-fi audio for beginners. Featured articles include equipment reviews, music reviews, beginner's guides and other essays/opinions about audio. Reprinted by Permission
Serato is proud to announce the release of the first ever picture disc in the Serato Artist Series - The Eric Orr DJ Robot Control Vinyl.
This Control Vinyl will showcase pieces designed exclusively for Serato by artists from around the world. Working with STOKYO we have created an incredibly unique Control Vinyl. Hand pressed in Japan and 30% lighter than a traditional picture disc; these records are designed by DJs, for DJs.
We are honoured to have the legendary Eric Orr design our first release, which includes a double sided pressing with the licensed Serato Control Tone on each side and 10 hologram cue point stickers.
Eric Orr is an artist and designer from New York City. He attended the School of Visual Arts in 1979 and the Arts Student League during 1980-83, and began his career painting in the NYC subway stations through the early 1980’s. It was there that he substituted typography for his unique character, or symbol, the “Robothead” and collaborated with pop artist Keith Haring on the black panel subway spaces.
Paralleling his art world in the NYC street culture, Eric was part of the hip-hop scene in the late 70’s. He produced work for DJ and community leader Afrika Bambaataa (the godfather of hip hop), the brand logo for the Strong City Records label, and legendary hip hop artists of the 80’s such as Jazzy Jay, Don Baron, Busy Bee, Nu-Sounds, Ultimate Force, Masters of Ceremony and Tony D moving into the 90’s with the Diggin’ In The Crates (DITC) crew and rapper Lord Finesse, Jazzy Joyce, JoeSki Love and Positive K just to name a few.
