Vinyl Record News & Notes, Did You Know?

2011 Grammy Award Winners

As someone interested in music, I watched a little bit of the Grammy Awards last night. OK, I'll be honest, I could only stomach a few minutes of it all. I watched Lady GaGa and her birth from the egg and thought to myself, 'if this is what is popular music these days, I feel sorry for our youth.' However, all was not lost as great musician after great musician were honored. Train, John Legend, Muse, Stanley Clarke and Neil Young all won awards.

But, Arcade Fire took home one of the the biggest awards of the night during the 2011 Grammy Awards. The Montreall-based group won the Album of the Year Award beating early favorites and more popular musicians like Eminem. The indie rock band composed of Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Richard Reed Parry, Sarah Neufield, Tim Kingsbury, Will Butler and Jeremy Gara were all in shock and thanked all their fans. Apparently, they played the end of the show (the commercials in the video give that away) , however, I missed it, should have been there to watch this performance



Winners at Sunday's 53rd Annual Grammy Awards:

Album of the Year: "The Suburbs," Arcade Fire  Buy The Suburbs on Vinyl Here

Arcade Fire - Ready to Start

Record of the Year: "Need You Now," Lady Antebellum

Song of the Year: "Need You Now," Lady Antebellum

New Artist: Esperanza Spalding

Pop Vocal Album: "The Fame Monster," Lady Gaga

Pop Performance by a Duo or Group: "Hey Soul Sister," Train

Female Pop Vocal Performance: "Bad Romance," Lady Gaga

Male Pop Vocal Performance: "Just The Way You Are," Bruno Mars

Rock Song: "Angry World," Neil Young



Rock Album: "The Resistance," Muse

R&B Song: "Shine," John Legend & The Roots

R&B Album: "Wake up!" John Legend & The Roots

Rap Solo Performance: "Not Afraid," Eminem

Rap Song: "Empire State of Mind," Jay-Z and Alicia Keys

Rap Album: "Recovery," Eminem

Female Country Vocal Performance: "The House That Built Me," Miranda Lambert

Male Country Vocal Performance: "'Til Summer Comes Around," Keith Urban

Country Performance by a Duo or Group: "Need You Now," Lady Antebellum

Country Album: "Need You Now," Lady Antebellum

Latin Pop Album: "Paraiso Express," Alejandro Sanz

Contemporary Jazz Album: "The Stanley Clarke Band," The Stanley Clarke Band

Classical Album: "Verdi: Requiem," Riccardo Muti, conductor

Traditional Gospel Album: "Downtown Church," Patty Griffin

Dance Recording: "Only Girl (In The World)," Rihanna

Electronic Dance Album: "La Roux," La Roux

Alternative Music Album: "Brothers," The Black Keys

Spoken Word Album: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Audiobook)," Jon Stewart

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Gibson.com’s Top 50 Guitar Riffs of All Time – #10-1

There’s a bit of magic in that mystical combination of notes that makes up a good riff. And there’s no perfect formula for success. Sometimes it takes a pile of rapid-fire shots to do the trick. In other cases, it only takes three.

Gibson.com recently called upon its editors, writers and – most importantly – readers, to weigh in on the greatest riffs in music history. After all the votes were tallied, we were left with the Top 50 Guitar Riffs of All Time.

Did "Smoke On The Water" make the list? Read more about the Top Ten at Gibson.com

Take a look at the Top 50 HERE

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Buffalo Springfield Planning Reunion Tour

Bryan Wawzenek

David Crosby has revealed that Buffalo Springfield will embark on a reunion tour later this year. Crosby told Rolling Stone magazine that the ’60s folk-rockers, which include Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay, will perform some dates in the Fall. It will be the band’s first tour since 1968.

Read more at Gibson.com

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Radiohead Set To Release New Album 'The King of Limbs' This Saturday

The album’s title refers to a 1,000-year-old oak tree in Wiltshire’s Savernake Forest, which was three miles away from where Radiohead recorded In Rainbows.


Newspaper Album - PRESALE


Radiohead's new record, The King Of Limbs, is presented here as the world's first* Newspaper Album, comprising:

•Two clear 10" vinyl records in a purpose-built record sleeve.
•A compact disc.
•Many large sheets of artwork, 625 tiny pieces of artwork and a full-colour piece of oxo-degradeable plastic to hold it all together.
•The Newspaper Album comes with a digital download that is compatible with all good digital media players.
•The Newspaper Album will be shipped on Monday 9th May 2011 you can, however, enjoy the download on Saturday 19th February 2011.
•Shipping is included in the prices shown.
•One lucky owner of the digital version of The King Of Limbs, purchased from this website, will receive a signed 2 track 12" vinyl.

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Pains Of Being Pure At Heart to release new album in March

The Brooklyn quartet will release 'Belong', the follow-up to their 2009 self-titled debut album, on March 28, 2011.  ‘Belong’ has been produced and mixed by U2 and Nine Inch Nails collaborators Flood and Alan Moulder.

The band have scheduled a European tour for March, with a UK show set for London’s King’s College Students' Union on March 3.

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Occult Detective Club's Crimes Coming Tomorrow

Occult Detective Club's new album Crimes will be released tomorrow, February 15th, through Alive Records on CD, Digital and LTD. Edition Vinyl formats (The first vinyl pressing of 500 copies comes with free MP3 download).

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Album Review: Corinne Bailey Rae – The Love EP  ConsequenceOfSound.net

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Did You Know?

more stuff everybody should know...

A flush toilet exists that dates back to 2000 BC.

In 1391 - Toilet paper first produced in China (for the Emperor's use). Each sheet 2' by 3'

In 1857 - Joseph Gayetty sells first factory-made toilet paper These were loose, flat, sheets of paper

And in 1871 - Zeth Wheeler patents rolled and perforated wrapping paper

Boys who have unusual first names are more likely to have mental problems than boys with conventional names. Girls don't seem to have this problem.

Compact discs read from the inside to the outside edge, the reverse of how a record works.

Crickets hear through their knees. What?

Daniel Boone detested coonskin caps.

Every photograph of an American atomic bomb detonation was taken by Harold Edgerton.

If you are locked in a completely sealed room, you will die of carbon dioxide poisoning before you will die of oxygen deprivation.

If you can see a rainbow you must have your back to the sun. If you don't, you can't see it.

and in music history today:

In 1931 Ted Lewis' version of "Just A Gigolo" is the most popular tune in America. David Lee Roth would score a number 12 hit with the same song 54 years later in 1985.

In 1967, Aretha Franklin recorded "Respect."

In 1968, Manfred Mann were at #1 on the U.K. singles chart with their version of the Bob Dylan song “The Mighty Quinn.”



In 1970, The Who recorded their album Live at Leeds during a show at Leeds University.

Also in 1970, the Jaggerz, a six piece group from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, entered the Billboard chart with a song called "The Rapper". Although the tune would rise to #2 during an eleven week run, it would be the band's only chart appearance.

In 1974, "Americans," a spoken word record by Byron McGregor, hit number one on the Cash Box Best Sellers Chart. McGregor was a newsman at Windsor Ontario's CKLW radio and recorded an editorial that was written by Canadian journalist Gordon Sinclair. The record described how Americans donate food, medicine and millions of dollars to those in trouble around the world and are rewarded with protests and flag burnings in other nations.



The B-52's made their first public appearance in Athens, GA in 1977..

In 1977, singer songwriter Janis Ian received 461 Valentine's Day cards after indicating in the lyrics of her song “At Seventeen,” she had never received any.

Dire Straits started recording their first album in 1978.

In 1985, Whitney Houston's self titled debut album is released by Arista Records on Valentine's Day. The LP will produce four giant Billboard hits, "You Give Good Love" (#3), "Saving All My Love For You" (#1), "How Will I Know" (#1), and "Greatest Love Of All" (#1).

In 1999, Buddy Knox, who scored a #1 hit in 1957 with "Party Doll", died of cancer at the age of 65.

In 2009 - Bruce Springsteen's 16th studio album, Working on a Dream, went to number 1 in the U.S.

And in 2010, Dale Hawkins, a Rockabilly artist most often remembered for his 1957 hit "Susie-Q", lost his battle with colon cancer at the age of 73.

Michael Fremer Album Review

Time and a Word
(Reissue)

Yes

Atlantic/Friday Music FRM8273 180g LP
Produced by: Tony Colton
Engineered by: Eddie Offord
Mixed by: Eddie Offord
Mastered by: Ron McMaster and Capitol Studios

MUSIC

SOUND





1970 Sophomore Effort Reissued With Original Artwork
by Michael Fremer
January 01, 2011

The second Yes album begins with a strutting cover of Richie Havens' "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed."

It opens with a pretentious organ/synth fanfare and descends into ripping off the familiar and exhilarating theme to the Western "The Big Country." It's as if the boys didn't know what to do first other than to play in the studio.

The song itself is one of those self-examination tunes "Take a look at yourself, take a good look at yourself" that lead singer Jon Anderson would himself later specialize in writing. He got real busy after this record exhorting listeners to sit down, stand up, look around, and so on.

While Yes is best known as a "prog-rock" outfit, the accent here is on jazz, a genre this instrumentally talented bunch could easily play. Bill Bruford is a jazz drummer after all. The cover of Stephen Stills' brilliant "Everydays" is a standout and "Sweet Dreams," Anderson's collaboration with David Foster shows compositional sophistication and playing to match.

Anderson's high pitched, delicate vibrato surely influenced Sting. In fact, unlikely as it may at first seem, I'd say the entire instrumental palette affected him and The Police. I could be hallucinating.

The players and their musical personalities are so strong, that even on the first album the group had developed a unique sound that's only enforced here, particularly the rhythm section of Bruford and Chris Squire. Original guitarist Peter Banks didn't have Steve Howe's chops, but he more than made up for it with excellent taste.

The group was still in its developmental stage here, moving slowly from its jazz phase to one that was "heavier," but if any band could be said to have invented "prog rock" it would be Yes. Could they be precious and pretentious? You betcha! But listening to songs like "The Prophet" is to listen to the birth of a decade long musical movement and that makes for exciting listening, even if the added orchestration may today sound like a bit much.

Recording engineer Eddie Offord would be there for later Yes masterpieces like the big leap the group took with its next record The Yes Album. Offord's production took a big leap there too. Here, he's developing the sound but it's not quite complete. There's plenty of compression applied and the presentation lacks the subtlety of later productions. That's not surprising considering the time: at the end of rock's first great era.

So the sound on the original is somewhat hard and spatially flat and closed in, though part of that may have been Atlantic's choice, so that the record produced more "noise." The reissue is a bit brighter and spatially flatter than the original, and it has less bottom end weight, but it's also more dynamic and far cleaner overall (at least compared to the one original pressing I have). Neither version is the sonic spectacular that later Yes albums would be.

Friday Music chose to reproduced the original UK cover art that Atlantic probably felt was too "racy" for America and it chose the green/blue label that Atlantic used on earlier releases. By the time this album came out in 1970 Atlantic had switched to the familiar green and red label.

This is the first Friday Music album reviewed here and overall I think they've done a good job with this album.

Thanks to Michael over at www.musicangle.com  for the exclusive rights to reprint this material. Stop by MusicAngle.com for more reviews and features.

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

Reprinted by Permission

Vinyl Record News & Notes, Did You Know?

Vinyl records still in demand at music store

By RYAN BERLIN Sun Staff Writer

Rorik Brooks and Brent Fisher are trying to restore the smooth sound of vinyl.

Justice Records, located at 617 N. Mission St. in Mt. Pleasant, specializes in the now niche market of selling vinyl records.

"Vinyl never stopped being produced," co-owner Rorik Brooks said. "More so in the underground punk, hardcore, and metal community."

Jazz and reggae also have never stopped producing vinyl, according to Brooks.

Read more HERE

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Atmosphere's 'The Family Sign' Album Cover Art


Atmosphere has revealed the art for what is being called "Atmosphere's most personal and intimate album yet."

Here's some more information from the label:

The Family Sign comes from a place well refined and firmly planted, from a universal perspective. It's about being okay with losing friends and strengthening your bonds with others, celebrating the person who's been the most positive in your life, your kids, your homies, leaving the people you need to behind, and bringing the ones you love with you. It's about your family, your time and the time you have with them. It's about living and dying. It's the truth about family, that it comes from loyalty as much as biology. It's about breaking down your perceptions of family and really appreciating the people who've made you who you are and continue doing so.

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Painstaking effort went into album's artwork

By Kevin Coffey WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

“The People's Key” has been months in the making.

Not the music. The artwork.

Sure, the tracks on the album took awhile to record and mix, but the album artwork went through quite a process as well.

Zack Nipper, a graphic designer for Saddle Creek Records, created the fiery art for the album.

Nipper's last artistic effort for Bright Eyes, the art for “Cassadaga,” earned him a Grammy Award for best recording package.

Read the rest of this interesting article HERE




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vinyl alive and well in Kenya!

The vinyl record still alive in many Kenyans’ living rooms

Mr Jimmy Muragami with a record player at his record shop at Kenyatta market in Nairobi. The old technology of vinyl records is still alive and kicking in many homes in Kenya.

By John Makeni

Standing by the counter of his music shop, Jimmy Muragami meticulously places an LP on the record player. He looks like a DJ, complete with a leather godfather hat.

But he is not a DJ, and this is not a disco. Mr Muragami is in his music shop in Nairobi’s Kenyatta Market. The shop specialises in old style music records that date as far back as the 1930s.

While the world has moved on to CDs and Web-based digital music formats, Mr Muragami is stuck on his old vinyl records.

His passion for music began while growing up in Murang’a. Though his father had a radio cassette, the young Muragami was fascinated by his brother’s turntable. That is where he spent time listening to Kikuyu country music and jazz.

Read the rest HERE

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Ian Axel

Got a note about a musician from CROWD SURF..... his name is Ian Axel and you may have seen his live performance on Rachael Ray or be one of the close to 800,000 visitors to YouTube to watch his video 'This Is the New Year' - if not, take a look at it here:




“This is the New Year,” hits iTunes on February 15. Infectious song, I like it and look forward to hearing more!

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and a quick look at what's selling at Grimey's, the world famous record store:

Spin magazine has ranked Grimey’s as one of the top indie record shops in the nation, calling it “A stalwart of indie cool in a town that’s known for a very different kind of music scene.”

Grimey’s Top 20 Selling Vinyl Albums (Jan. 31-Feb. 6)

1. The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
2. Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
3. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
4. Todd Snider - Live: The Storyteller
5. Wanda Jackson - The Party Ain't Over
6. The Black Keys - Brothers
7. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
8. Metallica - Live At Grimey's
9. Social Distortion - Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes
10. Charles Bradley w/ Menahan Street Band - No Time For Dreaming
11. Destroyer - Kaputt
12. Robert Pollard - Space City Kicks
13. Deerhoof - Deerhoof vs. Evil
14. Pearl Jam - Live On Ten Legs
15. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Carolina Chocolate Drops / Luminescent Orchestrii
16. The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts
17. David Lowery - Palace Guards
18. Cake - Showroom Of Compassion
19. Bobby Long - Winter Tale
20. Amos Lee - Mission Bell

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The Grammy's are tonight, here's a preview of the music and the show:

BOB DYLAN TO PERFORM WITH MUMFORD & SONS AND AVETT BROTHERS IN A SPECIAL SALUTE TO ACOUSTIC MUSIC DR. DRE TO PERFORM ON THE GRAMMY STAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME, JOINING EMINEM FOR A HISTORIC PERFORMANCE ON MUSIC'S BIGGEST NIGHT®

Adam Levine Also Set to Perform with Eminem

Zac Brown, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Clay Matthews, Matthew Morrison, Ryan Seacrest, Jason Segel, Keith Urban, and will.i.am Added as Presenters to the Superstar Lineup for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards®

All Five Album Of The Year Nominees and All Five Best New Artist Nominees Set to Perform on This Year's Telecast

The Music Industry's Premier Event Airs Live Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, 8 P.M. ET/PT, Only on CBS

 — Ten-time GRAMMY® winner and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Bob Dylan will perform with current GRAMMY® nominee Mumford & Sons and folk-rock band the Avett Brothers in a special salute to acoustic music; and six-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee Dr. Dre — in his first live television performance in more than a decade — will grace the GRAMMY stage for the first time joining current 10-time nominee Eminem for a historic collaboration, along with Maroon 5 front man and current GRAMMY nominee Adam Levine, at the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards®. GRAMMY winner and current four-time nominee Zac Brown, actor Eva Longoria, actor/singer Jennifer Lopez, GRAMMY and three-time Latin GRAMMY® winner Ricky Martin, Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, actor/singer and current nominee Matthew Morrison, television and radio host Ryan Seacrest, actor Jason Segel, three-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee Keith Urban, and seven-time GRAMMY winner will.i.am, have been added as presenters to the music industry's premier event. The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in high definition and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The show also will be supported on radio worldwide via Westwood One, and covered online at GRAMMY.com and CBS.com, and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/thegrammys. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon. For GRAMMY coverage, updates and breaking news, please visit The Recording Academy®'s social networks on Twitter and Facebook: www.twitter.com/thegrammys , www.facebook.com/thegrammys .

Avett Brothers, Dr. Dre., Dylan, Levine, and Mumford & Sons join previously announced performers and nominees Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, Muse, Katy Perry, and Barbra Streisand; Yolanda Adams, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride and current nominee Florence Welch in a special Aretha Franklin segment; nominees Justin Bieber and Usher, with Jaden Smith; nominees B.o.B, Bruno Mars, and Janelle Monáe; nominees Drake and Rihanna; nominee Cee Lo Green, with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Jim Henson Company Puppets; Mick Jagger with Raphael Saadiq; and Esperanza Spalding performing with members of the GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles and GRAMMY Camp. Previously announced presenters include two-time GRAMMY and three-time Latin GRAMMY winner Marc Anthony, current three-time GRAMMY nominee Dierks Bentley, pop singer/actor Miley Cyrus, GRAMMY and Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx, singer/actor Selena Gomez, two-time Emmy® winner Neil Patrick Harris, current nominee Jewel, nine-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee Norah Jones, three-time GRAMMY winner Kris Kristofferson (who will introduce Streisand's performance), six-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee John Legend, two-time GRAMMY winner and actor LL COOL J, seven-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee John Mayer, current nominee Nicki Minaj, current nominee Paramore, actor Pauley Perrette, actor Seth Rogen, current nominee Blake Shelton, and actor/singer Donnie Wahlberg.

Arcade Fire, Avett Brothers, Bieber, B.o.B, Dr. Dre, Jagger, Lambert, Mars, Monáe, Mumford & Sons, Muse, Paltrow, Smith, Spalding, and Welch will be performing on the GRAMMY telecast for the first time. All five Album Of The Year nominees are set to perform on Music's Biggest Night: Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, and Perry, as well as all five of the Best New Artist nominees: Bieber, Drake, Mumford & Sons, Spalding, and Welch.

Mumford & Sons have two nominations: Best New Artist and Best Rock Song for "Little Lion Man."

Dr. Dre and Levine each have one nod: Dr. Dre for Album Of The Year (as a producer on Eminem's Recovery); and Levine for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for "Misery" (as a member of Maroon 5).

Additionally, the 53rd Annual GRAMMYAwards Pre-Telecast Ceremony will take place from 1 – 4 p.m. PT at the Los Angeles Convention Center and will be streamed live internationally on www.grammy.com/live and on www.youtube.com/thegrammys beginning at 1 p.m. PT. Well-attended by nominees and industry VIPs, current GRAMMYnominees Bobby McFerrin and Esperanza Spalding will co-host the star-studded ceremony, which will feature performances by current nominees including Afro-Colombian hip-hop trio and Latin GRAMMY® winner ChocQuibTown; blues musician and five-time GRAMMY winner Buddy Guy; singer/songwriter and GRAMMY winner Cyndi Lauper; American roots musician Maria Muldaur; contemporary blues artist Kenny Wayne Shepherd; trombone and trumpet player Trombone Shorty; legendary gospel and soul singer Mavis Staples; jazz musician Kirk Whalum; and R&B singer/songwriter and GRAMMY winner Betty Wright.Presenting the first GRAMMY Awards of the night in approximately 98 categories will be current nominees performance artist Laurie Anderson, pop singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles, electronic/dance music artist and remixer BT, actor/comedian Kathy Griffin, and Latin Jazz musician Wayne Wallace. The live stream of the Pre-Telecast will remain on GRAMMY.com as video on demand for 30 days following the event.

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John Cossette Productions and AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich and John Cossette are executive producers, Louis J. Horvitz is director, and David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit http://www.grammy.com/. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social networks as a Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/thegrammys , a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/thegrammys, and aYouTube channel subscriber at www.youtube.com/thegrammys

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Did You Know?

more stuff everybody should know...

Cheryl Ladd (of Charlie's Angels fame) played the voice, both talking and singing, of Josie in the 70s Saturday morning cartoon "Josie and the Pussycats."

Chop-suey is not a native Chinese dish, it was created in California by Chinese immigrants.

Flying from London to New York by Concord, due to the time zones crossed, you can arrive 2 hours before you leave.

Human birth control pills work on gorillas.

If you put a raisin in a glass of champagne, it will keep floating to the top and sinking to the bottom.

Lorne Greene had one of his nipples bitten off by an alligator while he was host of "Lorne Greene's Wild Kingdom."

Rhythm and "syzygy" are the longest English words without vowels.

Iguanas, koalas and Komodo dragons all have two penises.

and on that bit of trivia, on to today's music history lesson:

In 1914 - The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (known as ASCAP) was formed in New York City. The society was founded to protect the copyrighted musical compositions of its members.

Gene Autrey recorded the immortal "Back in the Saddle Again" back in 1946.

Frank Sinatra launched Reprise Records in 1961.

Gary Lewis recorded "Count Me In" in 1965.



The Beatles released "Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane" in 1967.

Black Sabbath's debut album was released in 1970.

In 1972 - Led Zeppelin cancelled a Singapore appearance after officials wouldn't let them off their plane, objecting to their long hair.

In 1976 - Genesis released A Trick of the Tail, their first album after the departure of Peter Gabriel.

In 1981 - Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon became the longest running album in Billboard chart history (402 weeks).

Waylon Jennings passed away in 2002 from complications of diabetes.

In 2003 - Album art and reel-to-reel tapes from the Beatles' White Album and Abbey Road sessions were found by Australian police during a raid.

In 2010, we lost Doug Fieger of the Knack (from cancer).

and birthday wishes to Peter Gabriel (61)

Vinyl Record News & Notes, Did You Know?

Guns N’ Roses in Talks for Next Year’s Super Bowl Halftime (with All Original Members)

by Kent Sterling

Kentsterling.com has been told that preliminary talks have already taken place to reconvene the most popular lineup of Guns N’ Roses to turn Indianapolis into Paradise City. Gun N’ Roses might be the only rock band with it’s members still living that hasn’t played a Super Bowl halftime show that could generate a real sense of excitement for what this year became a devolving mess.

After a significantly lesser halftime show this year with the overexposed Black Eyed Peas with Usher (who had to cancel a bar mitzvah appearance) and Slash from GNR, the NFL is looking to make a splash, and reuniting Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, either Steven Adler or Matt Sorum, and Dizzy Reed.

Read more: KentSterling.com


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Burton Cummings Calling For Help In Stopping Fake Version of the Guess Who

Burton Cummings, the former lead singer of the Canadian band the Guess Who, has written on his web site asking for the help of fans to stop a group of musicians who are portraying themselves as the original hitmakers. Here is what he said (in all caps, by the way):


NOW, MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED THE HELP OF ALL FAITHFUL FANS WHO EVER LIKED A GUESS WHO RECORD OR CONCERT OR SONG. THE TRAVELING “SHOW” THAT’S CALLING ITSELF “THE GUESS WHO” IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET, USING ALBUM COVERS, VIDEOS, RECORDINGS AND PHOTOS OF THE ORIGINAL BAND TO PROMOTE THEIR CURRENT SHOWS. THIS IS FRAUD AND IT’S TIME IT CAME TO LIGHT IN EVERY STATE. PLEASE LISTEN AND WATCH FOR ANY AND ALL OF THIS FALSE ADVERTISING. THEY HAVE CONTINUALLY IGNORED EFFORTS AND REQUESTS TO STOP THIS, RELYING ON VIDEOS AND RECORDINGS BY THE ORIGINAL GROUP TO DRAW FANS TO WHATEVER THEY PRESENT AS THEIR “GUESS WHO SHOW”…

WE NEED SPECIFIC INSTANCES OF RADIO STATION CALL LETTERS AND DIAL NUMBERS, TELEVISION ADVERTISING, NEWSPAPER OR PRINTED POSTER ADVERTISING, AND ANY REFERENCE WHATSOEVER TO THE ORIGINAL MUSIC OR BAND MEMBERS THAT THE BAND CALLING ITSELF “THE GUESS WHO” IS USING CURRENTLY AND ANYTIME FROM HEREON TO PROMOTE ITS LIVE CONCERTS. WHAT’S WORSE IS THAT EVEN AFTER REPEATED REQUESTS AND WARNINGS THEY HAVE CONTINUED THEIR MISREPRESENTATION TO MISLEAD OR FOOL THE PUBLIC.

PLEASE FORWARD ALL INSTANCES OF THIS FALSE ADVERTISING BY THE GROUP CALLING ITSELF “THE GUESS WHO” TO US HERE. HELP US PUT AN END TO THIS FOR GOOD. FROM FLORIDA TO MISSISSIPPI TO THE MIDWEST TO THE WEST COAST TO THE EASTERN SEABOARD, THIS GROUP CALLING ITSELF “THE GUESS WHO” HAS MISLED UNTOLD LEGIONS OF FANS OF THE ORIGINAL BAND AND THEIR MUSIC.

PLEASE SEND US EVERYTHING YOU CAN FIND. YOUR HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE…
THE GOOD GUYS

It wouldn't be the same without all the memebers, I hate when one or two members of a broken up group try to come back and call themselves the originals. Any thoughts?

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MICHAEL MONROE: New Album Cover Artwork Unveiled

Michael Monroe, iconic rock 'n' roll frontman and founding member of hugely influential Finnish outfit HANOI ROCKS, will release his new solo album, "Sensory Overdrive", on March 14 via Universal Music subsidiary Spinefarm Records. The CD features guest appearances by MOTÖRHEAD's Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister and three-time Grammy-winning country/folk singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams.

Read more at Blabbermouth.com









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METALLICA's 'Garage Inc.' To Be Reissued On Vinyl

METALLICA's collection of covers, "Garage Inc." is set to be reissued on vinyl on March 1 on Warner Bros. A standard three-LP pressing will be made available along with a six-LP, 180-gram vinyl deluxe pressing. Included are METALLICA's previously recorded cover songs, all of the band's B-side covers released up to 1998, and the entire "The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited", which had gone out of print since its original release in 1987.

Features:

* 45 rpm 180-gram audiophile quality deluxe vinyl box
* Deluxe six LP
* 180g vinyl
* 45 rpm
* Pressed at Pallas
* Direct-to-board Stoughton single pocket jackets
* Telescoping box with six panel folder

Track listing:

01. Free Speech for the Dumb (DISCHARGE, 1982)
02. It's Electric (DIAMOND HEAD, 1980)
03. Sabbra Cadabra (BLACK SABBATH, 1973)
04. Turn the Page (BOB SEGER, 1973)
05. Die Die My Darling (MISFITS, 1984)
06. Loverman (NICK CAVE, 1994)
07. Mercyful Fate (medley) (MERCYFUL FATE, 1982)
08. Astronomy (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, 1974)
09. Whiskey In the Jar (THIN LIZZY, 1973)
10. Tuesday's Gone (LYNYRD SKYNYRD, 1973)
11. The More I See (Discharge, 1984)
12. Helpless (DIAMOND HEAD, 1980)
13. The Small Hours (HOLOCAUST, 1983)
14. The Wait (KILLING JOKE, 1980)
15. Crash Course in Brain Surgery (BUDGIE, 1971)
16. Last Caress/Green Hell (MISFITS, 1978/1983)
17. Am I Evil? (Diamond Head, 1980)
18. Blitzkrieg (BLITZKRIEG, 1981)
19. Breadfan (BUDGIE, 1973)
20. The Prince (Diamond Head, 1980)
21. Stone Cold Crazy (QUEEN, 1974)
22. So What? (ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE, 1981)
23. Killing Time (SWEET SAVAGE, 1981)
24. Overkill (MOTÖRHEAD, 1979)
25. Damage Case (MOTÖRHEAD, 1979)
26. Stone Dead Forever (MOTÖRHEAD, 1979)
27. Too Late Too Late (MOTÖRHEAD, 1979)

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THE POODLES: New Album Details Revealed

Frontiers Records has set an April 15 European release date (May 5 in North America) for the fourth album from Swedish hard rockers THE POODLES, entitled "Performocracy".

According to a press release, the CD title is a combination of the words "performance" and "democracy," meaning "the power of performance" or "rule by performance." The album was again produced by Mats Valentin, but this time Tobias Lindell (EUROPE, MUSTASCH) mixed the 12 outstanding tracks that make up the CD.

Read more at Blabbermouth.com







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for Goth fans everywhere and a pretty cool collectible:

Vinyl release for Borghesia on Dark Entries Records

The US label Dark Entries Records has recently announced the vinyl release of Borghesia’s “Ljubav Je Hladnija Od Smrti” (“Love Is Colder Than Death”). The release will be in blood spattered red vinyl, with a large fold out poster acting as the record jacket and in a first hand-numbered edition of 1000. All songs from “Ljubav Je Hladnija Od Smrti” are sung/recited in Croatian and use the imagery of the prohibited, tabooed and repressed.

All tracks have been remastered by George Horn at the Fantasy Studio in Berkeley. Pressed on blood red vinyl, each disc is manufactured with its own unique pattern: no two discs are identical. Each LP is housed in an exact replica of the original large 6-panel fold out poster with lyrics and photos

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Extra Life Announce New "Ripped Heart" EP Out April 5th on Newly Launched Last Things

On April 5 2011, Brooklyn art rock audience-dividers Extra Life will release their new EP Ripped Heart on the newly launched Last Things Records (digital and limited edition 12” vinyl) in the US, through LOAF Records (digital only) in Europe. Their third proper studio release, it includes four new exclusive tracks.

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JOE BONAMASSA's New Solo Album To Feature Guest Appearance

By GLENN HUGHES

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION guitarist Joe Bonamassa will release his 12th full-length solo album, "Dust Bowl", in Europe on March 21 and in the USA on March 22. The album will be promoted on Bonamassa's forthcoming 2011 "Dust Bowl" world tour that will take in America, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Provogue Records has announced that a limited-edition digibook format of "Dust Bowl" will be released in Europe alongside the standard CD and vinyl editions of the same album.

Read more at Blabbermouth.com







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Mastodon To Release Debut Live Album 'Live At The Aragon' In March

Mastodon will release their first ever live album entitled ‘Live At The Aragon’ on March 14th on Reprise Records. A CD/DVD package, the film was recorded and film at the band’s show at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom on October 19th 2009 as the band toured in support of their critically acclaimed fourth studio album ‘Crack The Skye.’

Mastodon will mark Record Store Day on April 16th by releasing two limited-edition vinyl pressings. ‘Live At The Aragon’ will be pressed onto 180 gram audiophile weight vinyl which will also be packaged with the DVD of the live show and ‘Crack the Skye: The Movie’. Also to be released the same day will be an exclusive split 7” vinyl single of the ZZ Top classic ‘Just Got Paid’, with Mastodon’s version on one side backed with the original ZZ Top version on the other, housed in a clear plastic slipcase.





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Vinyl, Texas style:

Fall Back into vinyl

Nostalgia and alternative music come together at McAllen record store


By Nadia Tamez-Robledo

Customers shop for new vinyl at Fall Back Records. The record shop celebrated it's one-year anniversary Saturday with live music and a vinyl release.

Tucked inside a downtown McAllen plaza alongside a new age store and a sewing shop, the walls of Fall Back Records are lined with a patchwork of vinyl albums. The selection spans from independent releases by an Austin punk rock outfit to a $600 triple-decker rarity, one of only 300 released by Jack White's band Dead Weather.

It has been a year since the vinyl-only record store first opened its doors, the result of an appreciation for the retro music format that was sparked with a seven-inch LP from punk rockers NOFX over a decade ago.

Read the rest HERE

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The Strokes Reveal Cover Art For New LP

The Strokes are scheduled to release their fourth album, 'Angles,' on March 21st via Rough Trade (UK) and March 22nd through RCA (US). Here is the cover art for 'Angles' which The Strokes recently revealed via Twitter.











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Pearl Jam's "Vs.," "Vitalogy" To Be Released In Newly Restored And Expanded Editions

Epic Records and Legacy Recordings celebrate Pearl Jam's 20th anniversary with the release of newly restored and expanded editions of "Vs." and "Vitalogy," the second and third albums from Pearl Jam which broke all initial SoundScan records and secured the band's reputation as a preeminent force in American rock music.

"Vs." and "Vitalogy" will be available in new Expanded Editions (featuring three bonus tracks on each) or together in a three-disc Deluxe Edition (featuring Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, April 12, 1994) and Limited Edition Collector's Box Set, on Tuesday, March 29th. Each album will also be released in new commemorative remastered Vinyl Editions on April 12th in time for Record Store Day 2011 (April 16th).

Details on the new Reissue Formats of Vs. and Vitalogy are as follows:

1. Expanded Editions (CD and Digital)
The expanded editions of Vs. and Vitalogy -- including the original studio albums, newly remastered, along with album-era bonus tracks -- will each be available on CD and digital formats:
The Expanded Edition of Vs. includes three bonus tracks recorded by Brendan O'Brien at The Site studio during the Vs. sessions:
a previously unreleased acoustic version of "Hold On"
"Cready Stomp" - a previously unreleased studio outtake
cover of Victoria Williams' "Crazy Mary" featuring Williams on backing vocals and guitar.
The Expanded Edition of Vitalogy includes three bonus tracks:
the previously unreleased guitar/organ-only mix of "Betterman";
a previously unreleased alternate take of "Corduroy" from the Vitalogy session (recorded by Brendan O'Brien);
a previously unreleased demo version of "Nothingman," taken from the original DAT (recorded at John and Stu's in Seattle on October 14, 1993, featuring Richard Stuverud on drums).

2.Deluxe Editions (3 CDs or Digital Download Bundle at Various Digital Service Providers)

Deluxe Edition CD version - Vs. and Vitalogy will be available together in a CD deluxe edition which includes:
the Expanded Edition of each album;
a copy of Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, April 12, 1994. A special performance recorded at the tail end of the mythic Vs. tour, Live at the Orpheum Theater showcases a dream setlist created especially by the Pearl Jam crew and has for years been one of the most sought-after recordings among serious aficionados.

3. Limited Edition Collector's Box Set (5 LPs, 4 CDs, 1 Cassette, Digital Download, Composition Notebook, Memorabilia-filled Envelope)

Vs. and Vitalogy will be available together in a limited edition collector's box set that includes 59 unique Pearl Jam performances on four CDs, five LPs and one cassette in addition to a number of guest artist performances. The Limited Edition Box set is only available for sale at pearljam.com.

Contents include:

Expanded Editions of Vs. and Vitalogy remastered with bonus tracks on CD;
Remastered Vinyl Editions of Vs. (single LP) and Vitalogy (double LP);
Double vinyl LP and CD of Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, April 12, 1994 plus an exclusive digital download of the concert. A special performance recorded at the tail end of the mythic Vs. tour, Live at the Orpheum Theater showcases a dream setlist created especially by the Pearl Jam crew and has for years been one of the most sought-after recordings among serious aficionados;
◦Exclusive collector's cassette featuring live tribute and studio performances from a number of Pearl Jam's fellow artist friends. Broadcast on January 8, 1995, this recording is part of the legendary Monkeywrench/Self-Pollution Radio series produced by the band;
80-page composition book filled with photos, drawings and artwork by Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament;
A glassine envelope containing a collection of Vs. and Vitalogy- era memorabilia including beautiful lithographs of each band member, postcards, posters and much more.

4. Record Store Day Vinyl Editions (Remastered) - Available April 12th
Vs. and Vitalogy will be available at independent record retailers in new commemorative Vinyl Editions on April 12th in time for Record Store Day 2011 (April 16th).

Vs. (single LP) and Vitalogy (double LP) - both remastered
Originally released in 1993, Vs., Pearl Jam's sophomore effort, faced the daunting challenge of following the success of Ten, the band's 1991 debut. Shattering all expectations, Vs., the first Pearl Jam album helmed by producer Brendan O'Brien, rolled into its first of five weeks atop the Billboard 200 at #1 with the highest first week's sales (more than 950,000 copies) in music history; a record it would hold for the next five years.

Vs. Original Tracklisting:

•Go
•Animal
•Daughter
•Glorified G
•Dissident
•W.M.A.
•Blood
•Rearviewmirror
•Rats
•Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
•Leash
•Indifference
Released in December 1994, Pearl Jam's third studio album, Vitalogy entered the Billboard 200 at #1, second only to Vs. as the fastest-selling CD in chart history at that time.

Vitalogy Original Tracklisting:

•Last Exit
•Spin The Black Circle
•Not For You
•Tremor Christ
•Nothingman
•Whipping
•Pry, To
•Corduroy
•Bugs
•Satan's Bed
•Betterman
•Aye Davanita
•Immortality
•Stupid Mop

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Did You Know?

more stuff everybody should know...

A fully loaded supertanker traveling at normal speed takes a least twenty minutes to stop.

A rat can last longer without water than a camel.

Casey Kasem is the voice of Shaggy on "Scooby-Doo."

According to Genesis 1:20-22 the chicken came before the egg. now you know!

Ancient Egyptians shaved off their eyebrows to mourn the deaths of their cats.

Anteaters prefer termites to ants.

Blonde beards grow faster than darker beards.

Both Hitler and Napoleon were missing one testicle.

and on that note, on to today's music history:

In 1963, the Beatles recorded their immortal cuts "Twist & Shout" and "I Saw Her Standing There," plus eight more tracks for their debut album.

The Beatles made their first concert appearance in the US at Washington Colosseum in 1964.

In 1967, the Monkees saw their second album, 'More of The Monkees' leap from position 122 to number 1; where it would stay for an amazing 18 weeks. The made-for-TV band only provided the vocals and were backed by some of the finest studio musicians around, like Glen Campbell and Neil Sedaka. The L.P. contained the hits, "I'm a Believer" and "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" and was produced by Carole King, Carole Bayer Sager, Tommy Boyce and others. After being pressured by the press, The Monkees later announced that they would play their own instruments on all future recordings.



In 1979, the TV movie 'Elvis,' starring Kurt Russell, aired on ABC-TV with an estimated audience of 43 million viewers.

In 1989, future (and now ex) American Idol judge Paula Abdul enjoyed the first of her six US number one hits with "Straight Up."

In 2003, the British Phonographic Industry reported that the year 2002 saw the largest sales decline in decades, with the most severe slump in a single year since the birth of the CD market in the early 1980s. Piracy, illegal duplication and distribution of CD's by international criminals were blamed for the decrease. Buy vinyl!
2007 Artists who won awards at the 49th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles included Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Frampton, Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, George Benson and Ike Turner.

In 2009, we lost the legendary Estelle Bennett of the Ronettes, who passed away at age 67.

Vinyl Record News & Notes, Did You Know?

Primus Primed to Release First Album in 12 Years

Bryan Wawzenek

Primus have been hard at work on their first studio album in more than a decade. In a post on the band’s website, Les Claypool and pals has said the record is nearly complete.

“For those of you that enjoyed the new song, ‘Last Salmon Man,’ that we played New Year’s, you’ll love the record because every song basically sounds exactly the same as that one,” Claypool joked in the post. “In fact, we just kept recording the same song over and over and I would just change a few of the lyrics around.”

Read more at Gibson.com





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I'll let the explanation at the ThirdManRecords  site do the talking. However, I marvel at what Jack White is doing, and also wonder if people buy into what he does. Making collectibles is a tricky market, he is over stepping on this? Any comments?

NEW GREEN SERIES RECORDS


Third Man Records is ecstatic to announce its latest additions to its spoken word/instructional Green Series.

From the depths of Fletcher, North Carolina are the exciting auctioneering sounds of Jerry King. Whether it’s farm equipment, real estate, vintage autos or homemade baked goods, Jerry has skills it takes not only to sell these disparate items, but does so with such a smooth delivery that his voice truly does resonate. Jerry truly is one of the world’s greatest auctioneers.

Read what else is said at ThirdManRecords  

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some of the best cover art of the year

 Ponytail Announe New LP

Ponytail’s third full-length album, 'Do Whatever You Want All The Time,' is set for April 12th of this year via We Are Free.

The seven-track album was produced by J. Robbins. The cover art was designed by Boredoms’ EYE. The track listing is below.

Do Whatever You Want All the Time:
01 Easy Peasy
02 Flabbermouse
03 Honey Touches
04 Beyondersville//Flight of Fancy
05 AwayWay
06 Tush
07 Music Tunes









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SLIPKNOT Percussionist's THE BLACK DOTS OF DEATH: Debut Album Gets New Release Date

M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan, best known as one of the founding members of SLIPKNOT, has just unveiled ApocalypticNightmare.com, his new home on the web. The site will be the new one-stop shop to see everything going on in Clown's world, from art to music. The features on the site will include an online gallery of Clown's photographs and paintings, as well as an extensive music section. The music section will include streaming tracks of bands Clown has produced, remixed, and played drums on, as well as his solo project BRAIN WASH LOVE, TO MY SURPRISE, DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS and his latest venture, THE BLACK DOTS OF DEATH.


Read the rest at Blabbermouth




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Warner Music Group Loses $18 Million

Despite new releases From Kid Rock and Michael Bublé, label's stock price decreases significantly

Read the rest at RollingStone.com

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vinyl in the Detroit area:

Record Collector Goes on the Record: Keeps Operation Spinning Along

Diving the "'buck bin" proves one of the best music education programs available

By Jeff Milo
Among the dusty aesthetics of the Record Collector, with towers of CDs, records and tapes wobbling on the counter, General Manager Mike Ross, 36, weighs in on the shop.

“I think we’re your stereotypical crusty, dusty, ol’ record store," he said with an air of romance.

The music store, just east of Planavon on Nine Mile, is one of the surviving record stores in Metro Detroit.

Read the rest   HERE

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The STEVE MILLER BAND announces LET YOUR HAIR DOWN for April 19, Spring Tour

Written by James Zahn

The STEVE MILLER BAND is already back with a brand-new album. LET YOUR HAIR DOWN will be released on April 19th the Miller's Space Cowboy Records in partnership with Roadrunner's Loud & Proud imprint. Check out all the details on the new release below!

The band will kick off the album release with a Spring tour beginning April 19 featuring special guest Gregg Allman. Prior to the album release and tour, The Steve Miller Band will celebrate the opening of the new Austin City Limits venue at The Moody Theater with a sold out gala concert event to benefit KRLU-TV, Austin PBS, on February 24, followed by the inaugural live taping on February 26.

Let Your Hair Down features the last recordings by harmonica virtuoso Norton Buffalo, Miller's "partner in harmony" for thirty-three years. Noted Pink Floyd album cover artist Storm Thorgerson, who also did the wonderfully whimsical cover to BINGO! returns to Let Your Hair Down with one of the great album covers of his career.

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

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Pulled Apart By Horses Re-Release ‘I Punched A Lion In The Throat’

Pulled Apart By Horses are re-releasing their 2009 single 'I Punched A Lion In The Throat'.

It will be available through Transgressive Records on extremely limited seven-inch vinyl and download, from 7th March.

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R.E.M. Say New Album is Their Best in 20 Years

Bryan Wawzenek

R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck are pretty excited about their new record, Collapse Into Now. The guys think highly of their band’s 15th studio album, which will be released on March 7.

“This is, song for song, the best thing we’ve ever done,” guitarist Buck told Rolling Stone. “A lot of people say we did our best work in the early ’90s. But 15 years later, here we are again.”

Read the rest at Gibson.com

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Stevie Nicks to Release New Album

Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks is set to release her first solo album in 10 years. According to Undercover.fm, the new record is called 'In Your Dreams' and was co-produced by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard.

More info to follow....

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Stryper Releasing Covers Album


Stryper are offering fans a headbanging view of who their influences were early on, with the arrival of an almost entire album's worth of covers, 'The Covering.' Set for release on February 15th via Big3 Records, the album includes twelve rocking covers, as well as an all-new original tune, "God." And most significantly, the album marks the return of original bassist Tim Gaines back into the Stryper fold, setting up the first Stryper release in years to feature the definitive line-up of Michael Sweet (vocals/guitar), Oz Fox (guitar), Tim Gaines (bass), and Robert Sweet (drums).

According to Michael Sweet, the impetus for putting out a mostly covers set was a simple one. "Every Stryper album is pretty serious and pretty bold in the lyrical faith sense of the word. We just wanted to roll our sleeves up, cut loose, and have some fun......

Read more at AntiMusic.com

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Cover version

Although many consumers download music, Grammy-nominated designer Xiao Qing-yang believes that the album cover continues to be an important form of art

By Catherine Shu / Staff reporter

 

If you follow Taiwan’s indie music scene, you’re probably familiar with Xiao Qing-yang’s (蕭青陽) work, even if you don’t recognize his name. Over the past 26 years, the prolific designer has created nearly 1,000 album covers. On Sunday Xiao will find out if he wins a Grammy Award for the packaging of Story Island (故事島), an instrumental album by composer Lee Cin-cin (李欣芸).

This is the fourth time Xiao has been nominated for the Best Recording Package award. But Xiao was still effusive during an interview at his New Taipei City studio last month as he talked about his upcoming trip to the US, the continuing relevance of CD packaging in an era of music downloads, and the concept behind Story Island.

Read the rest of this compelling glimpse of album cover art by one of the masters at taipeitimes.com

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Did You Know?

more stuff everybody should know...

There are more beetles than any other kind of creature in the world.

Pearls melt in vinegar.

Soda water does not contain soda.

The childrens' nursery rhyme 'Ring-a-Round-The-Rosies' actually refers to the Black Death which killed about 30 million people in the fourteenth-century.

Termites eat wood twice as fast when listening to heavy metal music.

The Andy Griffth Show was the first spin-off in TV history. It was spun-off from the Danny Thomas Show.

St. Bernards, famous for their role as alpine rescue dogs, do NOT wear casks of brandy around their necks.

Video Killed the Radio Star was the very first video ever played on MTV.

and in music today:

In 1956, Little Richard records "Long Tall Sally", which will go on be his highest charting record in the US, climbing to number 6 on Billboard's Pop chart and number 1 on the R&B chart by next April. Rolling Stone magazine has listed the tune as #56 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.

In 1959, Link Wray performs his controversial instrumental hit "Rumble" on American Bandstand. Because of its title, many radio stations refused to play the record, but it still managed to sell over a million copies and reach #16 on the Billboard Pop chart.

In 1967, The Beatles recorded the orchestral build-up for the middle and end of “A Day in the Life.” At The Beatles' request, the orchestra members arrived in full evening dress, along with novelty items. One violinist wore a red clown's nose, while another wore a fake gorilla's paw on his bow hand. Others wore funny hats and other assorted novelties. The recording was filmed for a possible Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band television special, which was ultimately abandoned. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mike Nesmith from The Monkees and Donovan also attended the session.

In 1968, the Bubble Gum music craze got its start when "Simon Says" by The 1910 Fruitgum Company entered the US record charts, where it would peak at number 4. Over the next year and a half, the group will have four more US Top 40 hits.


The Clash started recording their debut album at CBS studios in London, England in 1977.

Van Halen's debut album was released in 1978. In 1979, Rod Stewart started a four-week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Da Ya Think I'm Sexy,” his third U.S. #1 (and a #1 hit in the U.K.). The record also went to the top in ten other countries.  Happens to be one of the worst songs ever recorded in my book and if I never hear it again in my lifetime, I won't miss it!

In 1997, Brian Connolly, singer with the 1970s glam rock group Sweet, died of kidney and liver failure, aged 51. Connolly replaced Ian Gillan (later of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath) in Wainwright's Gentlemen, and later joined Sweetshop, who became Sweet.



In 1998, Carl Wilson, lead guitarist and vocalist for The Beach Boys, died of cancer at the age of 51. Although Brian Wilson and Mike Love were featured on many of the band's biggest hits, it was Carl's voice that took the lead on "God Only Knows", "I Can Hear Music" and ""Good Vibrations".

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 7, 2011


DEAR JERRY: Glad to see you occasionally include questions and commentary about picture sleeves for singles. They are important pieces of pop culture, and usually more valuable than the record they contain.

In my Motown sleeve collection are nine for the Supremes (featuring Diana Ross) and another nine for Diana Ross after she went solo.

Until a few days ago, I thought no others existed, at least not ones made in the U.S.

This recent grapevine buzz is about a very rare Motown promotional picture sleeve for “The Boss,” a 1979 hit and one of Diana's many singles never issued with a commercial sleeve.

So far, no one seems to be able to describe this one, picture it, or provide any details. Asking you about it seemed like a good idea to me.
—Jackie DeLancy, Wauwatosa, Wisc.

DEAR JACKIE: How could you, an admitted Motown aficionada, miss the opportunity to say “I heard it through the grapevine”? Yes, I know about this extremely bizarre sleeve. After finally seeing it, I even did some research into its history.

Though the back side clearly reads “Record insert … The Boss by Diana Ross, courtesy of Motown Records,” it seems Motown had very little, if anything, to do with this picture sleeve. For one thing, there is no other mention of Motown or Diana Ross, and no company logo.

Based on the text provided, we know this paper sleeve, along with a promotional copy of “The Boss” (Motown 1462), were made specifically for a record industry party in Chicago, possibly a gathering to announce Diana's new release to local record distributors.

The event details are printed on the sleeve, almost like an R.S.V.P. invitation: “A Party! Saturday, June 23, 1979, 10 p.m., 3257 N. Sheffield.”

The timing makes sense, as just three weeks later “The Boss” made its national chart debut.

Now for the really bizarre parts:

The front has a black-and-white photo of six white, nude from the waist up, so-called warlocks (male witches). With their all-white eyes — having neither iris nor pupil, only sclera — these guys look more like extras from “Night of the Living Dead.”.

Across the top is, “A Bunch of Queers Presents Warlock.”

On the back side is a black zombie-like warlock, along with many lines of gobbledygook text. Here are just two thought-provoking definitions:

“Warlock: a practitioner of black magic; a satanic being known to have intercourse with the dark forces.”

“Solstice: a highest point, culmination or limit; the summer solstice, when the sun is at the zenith of the Tropic of Cancer.”

We know of a few bands named Warlock, but there is no connection between them and anything on this sleeve.

If this Warlock ever recorded, or planned to record, songs titled “Warlock” and “Solstice,” then why is their sleeve used in conjunction with “The Boss”? I'm sure hundreds of photos of Diana Ross were easily available for use with her record.

As for 3257 N. Sheffield, it's not exactly the banquet room at the Hyatt. Today, the long-standing three-story brick building appears to be mostly vacant, with prominent “For Rent” and “For Lease” signs on walls and windows.

The only active business there now is Heaven's Morning Cleaners, so I called and spoke with the attendant on duty. She politely indicated she was too busy to talk about zombies and warlocks from 31 years ago.

Maybe I should have asked for the boss.


IZ ZAT SO? For now, only one copy of the Warlock “The Boss” picture sleeve is known to exist. One would think more were made, especially if intended to be an attention-getting way of circulating promo copies of Diana's new release. Perhaps there were more at the party, and only this one survived.

Drooling Motown collectors are calling it a monster and they don't mean in the zombie, science-fiction sense.

They refer to its possible four-figure value, if ever offered for sale.

Having “The Boss” promo only adds about $10 to the package.

Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368 E-mail: jpo@olympus.net  Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com 

All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.

Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission

Vinyl Record News & Notes, Did You Know?

The Rolling Stones To Release Singles Box Set

Record Store Day Special Vinyl Release Also Slated

The Rolling Stones are scheduled to release a box set in April, 'The Rolling Stones Singles (1971-2006),' that will feature 45 singles by the legendary group.  Starting with "Brown Sugar," which was released in 1971, the box set will contain 30 plus years of singles from the group.

The package itself will contain a total of 173 tracks, including 83 that never had an 'official release.'  There will also be a 32 page booklet, which will boast an essay by journalist and Stones expert, Paul Sexton, as well as an interview with former bassist for the band, Bill Wyman.

It was also announced that The Rolling Stones will be releasing a limited edition vinyl of "Brown Sugar" to coincide with this year's Record Store Day - an annual celebration of independent record stores across the country - on April 16th. The vinyl will include original B-sides, "Bitch" and "Let it Rock."



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Superchunk and Coliseum Cover Misfits' For Limited Edition 7-inch

Superchunk and Coliseum will release a limited edition 7-inch covering Misfits' Horror Business b/w Bullet for release on Record Store Day - April 16th.

The 7-inch will be issued on three different colors of vinyl: yellow w/ black splatter; magenta w/ black splatter; and standard black (500 copies of each) and available exclusively in record stores.

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The Cars Reveal Cover Art For ‘Move Like This’

It's their first new album in 24 years. The seminal Boston new-wave vets have reunited with frontman/creative force Ric Ocasek and will release their new album 'Move Like This' on May 10 via Concord Music. This is the first album from the original band -- Ocasek, Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes and David Robinson (minus the late Ben Orr) -- since the band officially broke up 23 years ago. "Sad Song", a retro-sounding single from 'Move Like This' drops mid-March.









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Check this out!

Mr. Zero's Pop-Culture Heaven

Rik Schwinden's store offers nostalgia trip

By Cyn Collins

Mr. Zero's entertainment shop is stranger than fiction. As you approach the purple, '70s-font sign and stride past the window display with a vintage mannequin surrounded by 45s and life-size rock-star cutouts, you feel like you're entering another dimension. And as you step through the portal, your mind whirls from the phantasmagorical array of posters, instruments, vinyl-record mobiles, and wall-to-wall vinyl with out-of-this-world cover art—from the Suburbs to Iggy Pop to the Runaways to Black Sabbath—beckoning music lovers with their siren call against the sonic backdrop of KISS blasting out of the stereo.

Read the rest of the journey HERE CityPages.com



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more about the rock and roll detective:

Beatles expert Jim Berkenstadt is a rock 'n' roll detective

The band hired him to piece together their story

By Will McClain

When Jim Berkenstadt first heard about the Beatles, he thought they were a comedy troupe. There they were, four grown men, cavorting together in a bed to advertise their 1964 TV debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. Berkenstadt tuned in to learn who the Beatles really were, and he never tuned out.

Though he's hobnobbed with rock royalty, James Berkenstadt, 54, is as Midwestern as they come. He was born in Illinois and attended Northwestern University before relocating to Madison, Wisconsin, where he took the job of corporate lawyer for—get this—a cheese company. While outwardly he became "the man" his musical idols railed against, life never hardened his rubber soul.

Read the rest at   CityPages.com

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the LATimes has an interesting piece of history and an amazing video:

Thousands Of Sinatra And Other WWII Vinyl Records Discovered At Army Base

More than 8,000 records were found hidden between a narrow 16-inch wall space

James Lynch
Q13 FOX News Reporter

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD —

Thousands of pieces of history was discovered at the 'Old Madigan Hospital' complex during renovation efforts at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

Officials say more than 8,000 vinyl records were found hidden between a narrow 16-inch wall space. The vinyl recordings were dated from 1942 to 1960.

 


Read the rest LATimes

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Rumors Point to New Van Halen Album in August

After a hugely successful reunion tour, Van Halen is back in the studio with David Lee Roth putting together their first new album since 1984. Now, rumors are circulating.....

Read more: VintageVinylnews.com

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BON SCOTT's 'Round And Round' Due This Month; Audio Samples Available

Starline Media Entertainment has set a February 22 release date for Bon Scott's "Round And Round", featuring rare recordings made prior to the singer joining Australian hard rock legends AC/DC.

Read more at RoadRunnerRecords.com/Blabbermouth.net










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this from www.pluginmusic.com

Rise Against Announce North American Headline Tour

Rise Against sets out on a tour of North America beginning April 5th in Las Vegas, NV. The tour, featuring special guests Bad Religion and Four Year Strong, will hit major markets across the United States throughout the spring, including two nights at New York City's Terminal 5 in early May. Joining the line-up for a special performance at the Long Beach show on April 7th will be California punk-band The Descendents. The April 7th show will be The Descendents' first Los Angeles area show in 14 years.

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

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Great article about James Blake and his new LP at paste magazine:

James Blake

British dubstep-minimalist artist, James Blake, has brought his unique sound Stateside with the release of his self-titled debut album. His trio of 2010 EPs—Klavierwerke, CMYK and The Bells Sketch—garnered so much attention that Blake was named runner-up for BBC’s Sound of 2011, which highlights buzzworthy up-and-coming artists.

Read the rest at PasteMagazine.com

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New Release: Sugar Hill to Release Nickel Creek Titles for Record Store Day

Read about it at Cybergrass

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Did You Know?

more stuff everybody should know...

From the age of thirty, humans gradually begin to shrink in size.

George Washington grew marijuana in his garden.

Gilligan of Gilligan's Island had a first name that was only used once, on the never-aired pilot show. His first name was Willy. The skipper's real name on Gilligan's Island is Jonas Grumby. It was mentioned once in the first episode.  I did not know that...

Human hair and fingernails do not continue to grow after death.

Did you know you share your birthday with at least 9 other million people in the world.

Cat's urine glows under a black light.

Hummingbirds can't walk.

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. that, I did not know.....

THE LAW OF THE LAND

In the State of Kansas, you're not allowed to drive a buffalo through a street.  This is a problem?

and in music today:

In 1959, Lloyd Price reached number one on the Billboard Pop chart with "Stagger Lee", an up-dated version of an old Folk song called "Stack-O-Lee". Wilson Pickett would take the song to number 22 in 1967.

In 1963, Ray Hildebrand and Jill Jackson, who were billed as Paul and Paula, had the top tune in the US with "Hey Paula".



In 1964, The Beatles made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which was watched by over 73 million people (60% of the viewing audience). The Fab Four performed "All My Loving", "Till There Was You", "She Loves You", "I Saw Her Standing There" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand". Also performing on the show is a future member of The Monkees, Davy Jones, who appeared as part of the cast of Oliver.



In 1972, Paul McCartney's Wings make their concert debut at Nottingham University in England.

In 1976, Percy Faith, who led his orchestra to the top of the Billboard Pop chart with "Theme From A Summer Place" in 1960, died of cancer at the age of 62. Between 1950 and 1973, Faith charted in the US Top 40 sixteen times.

In 1981, Rock and Roll pioneer, Bill Haley died of a heart attack at the age of 55. He was still a big star in Europe and in Mexico where his "Twist" album was the best selling LP of all time for many years. Haley was getting ready to release a new Country and Western album when he passed away in Harlingen, Texas. He had been suffering from a brain tumor and had given his last concert in South Africa in April of 1980. During his career, Bill Haley sold over 60 million records.

Prince's "Little Red Corvette" was released in 1983.

and birthday wishes to the peerless Carole King (1942)