written by Mark Erbacher
In an age when MP3 players are the norm and everyone holds their iPods and earbuds as treasures, it is a shock to some to learn that while CD sales continue to fall, vinyl record sales continue to climb.
It can’t yet be said that vinyl is taking over CDs and other digital forms of music. According to the music-tracking system Nielsen Soundscan, in 2007, only about .2 percent of music sales were on records, compared to 10 percent for digital downloads, and 89.7 percent of sales on CDs. But this small slice of sales for vinyl represents more than a 15-percent jump in sales over 2006 — up to 990,000 records from 858,000 the year before.
So one must wonder why people are going back to what many thought to have been a format that “died” more than 20 years ago. For many, it’s about actually owning the record. In the Digital Age when people can have literally thousands of songs at their fingertips with their MP3 players, it’s endearing to have a large cardboard cover — prime real estate for artwork. The somewhat archaic form of records allows for large sheets of liner-notes where lyrics and other cool things can be written.
Records are also substantially cheaper than other formats readily available today. While new vinyl can cost as much as a CD, it’s easy to walk into local shops — like Sisters of Sound Music in Manhattan — and buy five used records in good shape for 10 bucks. This allows college students and others short on funds to really collect music and learn to appreciate great old albums.
Since records are an older form of music, they require a bit of work, of course. To play a record, one must actually take the record out of the sleeve, put it on the turntable, place the needle on the track, etc.
However, this allows for people to really appreciate music. On an MP3 player, so often people skip from track to track, blindly switching genres and styles of music, but listening to a record is more like reading a book — it’s better listening from start to finish.
When people do decide to listen to a record from start to finish, it opens doors to new tracks that people who are only interested in top 40 hits would miss out on.
And when it comes to sound quality, nothing can match the warm soft sound of a vinyl record. The secret is the analog recording. According to electronics.howstuffworks.com, “original sound is analog by definition. A digital recording takes snapshots of the analog signal at a certain rate — for CDs it is 44,100 times per second — and measures each snapshot with a certain accuracy.”
The fact that the digital recording chops the sound wave into a number of steps lessens the quality of the sound and can be heard relatively easily if one was to listen to a digital recording and then an analog record recording of the same song.
So dig through those basements and ransack those attics; get those old turntables out and start playing records again. When you hear the superior sound quality and read the lyrics sheet, you’ll be glad you did.
Mark Erbacher is a junior in political science. Please send comments to opinion@spub.ksu.edu.
SOURCE: http://kstatecollegian.com/1.838396
Monday, October 20, 2008
New Vinyl Website Focuses on the Social Elements of Records and Music
written by Robert Benson
Well, we made it. The vinyl record revival is in full swing. With many mainstream artists issuing new releases via the format and independent artists following suit, it is a great place in music history. Add to this the numerous reissues of classic LP’s and the vinyl comeback is complete.
Along with the vinyl revival are new Internet web sites that cater to collectors and music lovers. One such site that has just launched is www.NYLVI.com, is social marketplace that will support independent artists, labels and record stores and will aid in the spreading of musical innovation to the global community of music lovers and record collectors.
I spoke with NYLVI co-founder Ivar Lien about the goals, ideals and values of this new, growing vinyl record community:
There are many vinyl sites on the Internet today, what will set yours apart from the others- what will make you unique?
We think there are two main aspects that set us apart from other sites. First of all, we have structured our marketplace to reflect the world's major music scenes. This we hope will make it easier for users to discover more new music and that local artists will be able to find a bigger audience. To make this possible we are cooperating with some of the finest bloggers from these scenes, so previews of all their posts can be read on our scene pages. Instead of creating distant editorials and boring recommendations, we think it's much better to give the word to local experts, who participate in these scenes on a daily basis.
A second aspect we think set us a part from other services is how we emphasize the social aspects of vinyl collecting. We want to be something more than a simple marketplace. Through various features we want to include the users and enable increased interaction. We want to be a community for music and vinyl enthusiasts, a place where they can meet, share and exchange knowledge and experiences.
Obviously, you and your partners feel that vinyl is a good niche to get into, but why the interest in vinyl- where do you see the vinyl record in, let's say ten years from now?
NYLVI is definitely all about vinyl. We love pretty much everything about the format, but also part of the reason we have started a business focused exclusively around vinyl is that we think it's very compatible with the digital future of the music industry. In the next years we think vinyl's position is going to grow much stronger. In music and art in general, it seems like it's a strong movement away from postmodernism and over to what Bourriaud has called the altermodern, where more art is made as a protest and reaction against standardization and commercialism in an increasingly globalized world.
Digital music enables fast and easy sharing between people, which we love, but it also makes music and songs feel more like a commodity. The vinyl revival can be seen as reaction against this, where both artists and listeners appreciate the more exclusive qualities of the vinyl format. In ten years vinyl will still be a niche format, but hopefully a bigger and more vibrant niche!
Is your site 'modeled' after anyone in particular?
No, we cannot say that we have modeled our site after anyone in particular. Of course we have glanced at other sites for inspiration, however these sites span across a wide range. We have tried to take ideas from these sites and turn them into something new with NYLVI. The most important thing for us has been to do our own thing and create something that music and vinyl lovers hopefully will enjoy using. That said, we live in a time where speed of change is accelerating, and we constantly look forward and will continue to develop and improve to be one of the most complete and enjoyable places to buy music on vinyl.
So this will be a global site, encouraging members from all over the world?
Yes, part of what we found so fascinating with starting an online marketplace for vinyl was how we in a way would be situated at the junction between the global and local. Here users, artists, labels, record stores and collectors from around the world can come together and, by drawing on special knowledge from within local scenes, explore new music or discover old classics they have been looking a long time for.
What does NYLVI mean or stand for?
It both means and stands for VINYL first of all! But we also want NYLVI to be associated with the same values and ideals as your local independent record shop: knowledge, enthusiasm and love of music, support of artists and musical communities, and contribution to local variations and musical diversity.
What do you listen to, what is your kind of music?
Close to impossible to answer this. I guess we have an extremely broad music taste. We're big fans of garage rock, like the whole line of bands from the 60's like The Sonics and Chocolate Watchband and upwards with The Pandoras, The Lemon Spiders, The Fleshtones, The Fuzztones, The Cramps, Reigning Sound, Swingin Neckbreakers, King Khan & BBQ and Los Peyotes and, and, and.... But we are also big fans of African Funk and high-life music. I guess one of the records we have been listening most to this year is the Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump compilation, which is really awesome. And it's a lot of new exciting music coming out from London now, the outernational inspired artists like Roots Manuva and Radioclit have all been making really cool music lately. And there are so many other artists too from Bo Diddley and Bob Dylan to Momus, Xiu Xiu and OOTORUICHI. It's a long list.
So if you are a buyer or seller of vinyl records, NYLVI.com brings a fresh new online presence that will continue to bring the value of the vinyl record to the forefront, both musically and socially. After all, it is about the music and music is a social phenomenon in itself.
Well, we made it. The vinyl record revival is in full swing. With many mainstream artists issuing new releases via the format and independent artists following suit, it is a great place in music history. Add to this the numerous reissues of classic LP’s and the vinyl comeback is complete.
Along with the vinyl revival are new Internet web sites that cater to collectors and music lovers. One such site that has just launched is www.NYLVI.com, is social marketplace that will support independent artists, labels and record stores and will aid in the spreading of musical innovation to the global community of music lovers and record collectors.
I spoke with NYLVI co-founder Ivar Lien about the goals, ideals and values of this new, growing vinyl record community:
There are many vinyl sites on the Internet today, what will set yours apart from the others- what will make you unique?
We think there are two main aspects that set us apart from other sites. First of all, we have structured our marketplace to reflect the world's major music scenes. This we hope will make it easier for users to discover more new music and that local artists will be able to find a bigger audience. To make this possible we are cooperating with some of the finest bloggers from these scenes, so previews of all their posts can be read on our scene pages. Instead of creating distant editorials and boring recommendations, we think it's much better to give the word to local experts, who participate in these scenes on a daily basis.
A second aspect we think set us a part from other services is how we emphasize the social aspects of vinyl collecting. We want to be something more than a simple marketplace. Through various features we want to include the users and enable increased interaction. We want to be a community for music and vinyl enthusiasts, a place where they can meet, share and exchange knowledge and experiences.
Obviously, you and your partners feel that vinyl is a good niche to get into, but why the interest in vinyl- where do you see the vinyl record in, let's say ten years from now?
NYLVI is definitely all about vinyl. We love pretty much everything about the format, but also part of the reason we have started a business focused exclusively around vinyl is that we think it's very compatible with the digital future of the music industry. In the next years we think vinyl's position is going to grow much stronger. In music and art in general, it seems like it's a strong movement away from postmodernism and over to what Bourriaud has called the altermodern, where more art is made as a protest and reaction against standardization and commercialism in an increasingly globalized world.
Digital music enables fast and easy sharing between people, which we love, but it also makes music and songs feel more like a commodity. The vinyl revival can be seen as reaction against this, where both artists and listeners appreciate the more exclusive qualities of the vinyl format. In ten years vinyl will still be a niche format, but hopefully a bigger and more vibrant niche!
Is your site 'modeled' after anyone in particular?
No, we cannot say that we have modeled our site after anyone in particular. Of course we have glanced at other sites for inspiration, however these sites span across a wide range. We have tried to take ideas from these sites and turn them into something new with NYLVI. The most important thing for us has been to do our own thing and create something that music and vinyl lovers hopefully will enjoy using. That said, we live in a time where speed of change is accelerating, and we constantly look forward and will continue to develop and improve to be one of the most complete and enjoyable places to buy music on vinyl.
So this will be a global site, encouraging members from all over the world?
Yes, part of what we found so fascinating with starting an online marketplace for vinyl was how we in a way would be situated at the junction between the global and local. Here users, artists, labels, record stores and collectors from around the world can come together and, by drawing on special knowledge from within local scenes, explore new music or discover old classics they have been looking a long time for.
What does NYLVI mean or stand for?
It both means and stands for VINYL first of all! But we also want NYLVI to be associated with the same values and ideals as your local independent record shop: knowledge, enthusiasm and love of music, support of artists and musical communities, and contribution to local variations and musical diversity.
What do you listen to, what is your kind of music?
Close to impossible to answer this. I guess we have an extremely broad music taste. We're big fans of garage rock, like the whole line of bands from the 60's like The Sonics and Chocolate Watchband and upwards with The Pandoras, The Lemon Spiders, The Fleshtones, The Fuzztones, The Cramps, Reigning Sound, Swingin Neckbreakers, King Khan & BBQ and Los Peyotes and, and, and.... But we are also big fans of African Funk and high-life music. I guess one of the records we have been listening most to this year is the Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump compilation, which is really awesome. And it's a lot of new exciting music coming out from London now, the outernational inspired artists like Roots Manuva and Radioclit have all been making really cool music lately. And there are so many other artists too from Bo Diddley and Bob Dylan to Momus, Xiu Xiu and OOTORUICHI. It's a long list.
So if you are a buyer or seller of vinyl records, NYLVI.com brings a fresh new online presence that will continue to bring the value of the vinyl record to the forefront, both musically and socially. After all, it is about the music and music is a social phenomenon in itself.
Album Cover Art
We are now winding down Gigwise.com's list of the most controversial, weirdest, best and worst album covers as compiled by their crack staff. Let's explore #9 on thier list:
Controversial
9. Rammstein: ‘Sehnsucht’ So how does rotting flesh, impaled skulls and mutilated faces fit in this category? I have seen better effects in horror movies. Oh well, it must have offended somone, somewhere.
Sehnsucht (German for "Longing", "Desire" and sometimes "Hunger") is the German NDH-metal band Rammstein's second album. It was released on August 22, 1997.
The album booklet folds out to reveal six different covers, one for each band member (each photo depicting the member with a facial mutilation). The cover most commonly seen features Till Lindemann with a muzzle and odd metal objects blocking his view, as they are placed over his eyes. The cover art was created by Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein. The album is the only album entirely in German to be certified Platinum by the RIAA in the United States. The album cover on the right features Rammstein drummer Christoph Schneider.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weird
9. Kevin Rowland: 'My Beauty' Uh, ewwwwww. Kevin Rowland is an English singer-songwriter and frontman for pop band Dexys Midnight Runners. Rowland draws on his Irish ancestry in much of his music. For a singer who had it all going for him, this was a nightmare of a career move.
---------------------------------------------
Worst
9. The Beatles – ‘Yesterday and Today’- I am amazed that this would make the 'worst' list, this is an iconic cover, and certainly a highly valuable and collectible piece of art. I have certainly seen worse, but here it is at #9 on the Gigwise list.
Yesterday and Today (rendered as "Yesterday" …and Today on the record label and in most published discographies) is the ninth Capitol release by the The Beatles, and was issued only in the United States and Canada. The album is remembered primarily for the controversy surrounding its original cover image, the "butcher cover" featuring the band dressed in white smocks and covered with decapitated baby dolls and pieces of meat. The album's title is loosely based on the song "Yesterday". Early album cover proofs show the word "Yesterday" in quotes.
In early 1966, photographer Robert Whitaker had The Beatles in the studio for a conceptual art piece entitled "A Somnambulant Adventure." For the shoot, Whitaker took a series of pictures of the group dressed in butcher smocks and draped with pieces of meat and body parts from plastic baby dolls. The group played along as they were tired of the usual photo shoots and the concept was compatible with their own "black humour". Although not originally intended as an album cover, The Beatles submitted photographs from the session for their promotional materials. In particular, John Lennon pushed to use it as an album cover. A photograph of the band smiling amid the mock carnage was used as promotional advertisements for the British release of the "Paperback Writer" single. Also, a similar photograph from this shoot was used for the cover of the 11 June 1966 edition of the British music magazine Disc.
In the United States, Capitol Records printed approximately 750,000 copies of Yesterday and Today with the same photograph as "Paperback Writer". They were assembled in Capitol's four U.S. plants situated in different cities: Los Angeles; Scranton, Pennsylvania; and Jacksonville, Illinois. Copies from the various plants may be easily differentiated by examining the number printed near the RIAA symbol on the back; for example, stereo copies from the Los Angeles plant are designated "5" and mono Los Angeles copies are marked "6". Mono copies outnumbered stereo copies by about 10 to 1, making the stereo copies far more valuable today. A small fraction of the original covers were shipped to disc jockeys and store managers as advance copies. Reaction was immediate. The record was immediately recalled. All copies were ordered shipped back to the record label, leading to its collectability. It has been substantiated that the record was indeed for sale in some stores in limited areas, probably for only one day.
Capitol initially ordered plant managers to destroy the covers, and the Jacksonville plant delivered most of its copies to an area landfill. However, faced with so many jackets already printed, Capitol quickly changed course and decided instead to paste a new cover over the old one, cropping the open end of the album jacket by about 1/8 inch to address problems where the new sheet was not placed exactly "square" on top of the original cover. Tens of thousands of these were sent out. As word of this manoeuvre made the rounds, people attempted, sometimes successfully, to peel off the pasted-over cover of their copy of the album, hoping to reveal the original image hidden below.
Copies that have never had the white cover pasted onto them, known as "first state" covers, are very rare and command the highest prices. Copies with the pasted-on cover intact above the butcher image are known as "second state" or "pasteovers"; today, pasteover covers that have not been altered in an attempt to remove the white cover are also becoming increasingly rare and valuable. Covers that have had the white cover steamed or peeled off to reveal the underlying butcher image are known as "third state" covers; these are now the most common (and least valuable, although their value varies depending on how well the cover is removed) as people continue to peel second state covers to reveal the butcher image underneath. In December 2005 a "first state" copy of the album was sold for $10,500.
Then-president of Capitol Records, Alan Livingston, has in recent years confirmed the existence and private sale of twenty "first state" butcher covers, salvaged from his personal collection. These still-sealed pristine items with the controversial cover are the very rarest specimens. The so-called "Livingston Butchers" today command prices of $40,000 and up among collectors.
At the time, some of the Beatles defended the use of the photograph. Lennon said that it was "as relevant as Vietnam" and Paul McCartney said that their critics were "soft". However, not all of them were as comfortable with it. George Harrison commented, "I thought it was gross, and I also thought it was stupid. Sometimes we all did stupid things thinking it was cool and hip when it was naïve and dumb; and that was one of them." Capitol Records apologized for the offense. Yesterday and Today was the only Beatles record to lose money for Capitol.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best
9. Led Zeppelin: ‘Houses of the Holy’ I agree with this selection, though I would have it rated higher. I loved this cover when it came out and time has not changed my thinking. And the music is top-notch. Kudos to Zeppelin.
Houses of the Holy is the fifth album by English rock band Led Zeppelin released by Atlantic Records on March 28, 1973. The album title is a dedication by the band to their fans who appeared at venues they dubbed "Houses of the Holy." It was the first Led Zeppelin album to not be, at least unofficially, titled after the band. The album represents a turning point for the band, as they began to use more layering and production techniques in recording their songs.
Although Houses of the Holy initially received mixed reviews, it has since become regarded by critics as one of Led Zeppelin's best albums. The album produced the favorites "Over the Hills and Far Away", "Dancing Days", "The Song Remains the Same, "D'yer Mak'er", "No Quarter" and "The Ocean", and it has sold over 11 million copies in the United States. In 2003, the album was ranked number 149 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
The cover art for Houses of the Holy was inspired by the ending of Arthur C. Clarke's novel Childhood's End. (The ending involves several hundred million naked children, only slightly and physically resembling the human race in basic forms). It is a collage of several photographs which were taken at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, by Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis. This location was chosen ahead of an alternative one in Peru.
The two children who modelled for the cover were siblings Stefan and Samanatha Gates. The photoshoot was a frustrating affair over the course of ten days. Shooting was done first thing in the morning and at sunset in order to capture the light at dawn and dusk, but the desired effect was never achieved due to constant rain and clouds. The photos of the two children were taken in black and white and were multi-printed to create the effect of 11 nubiles that can be seen on the album cover. The results of the shoot were less than satisfactory, but some accidental tinting effects in post-production created an unexpectedly magical album cover. The inner sleeve photograph was taken at Dunluce Castle near to the Causeway.
In 1974 the album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of best album package. The cover was rated #6 on VH1's 50 Greatest Album Covers in 2003.
Jimmy Page has stated that the album cover was actually the second version submitted by Hipgnosis. The first, by artist Storm Thorgerson, featured an electric green tennis court with a tennis racquet on it. Furious that Thorgerson was implying their music sounded like a "racket", the band fired him and hired Powell in his place. Thorgerson did, however, go on to produce the album artwork for Led Zeppelin's subsequent albums Presence and In Through the Out Door.
Controversial
9. Rammstein: ‘Sehnsucht’ So how does rotting flesh, impaled skulls and mutilated faces fit in this category? I have seen better effects in horror movies. Oh well, it must have offended somone, somewhere.
Sehnsucht (German for "Longing", "Desire" and sometimes "Hunger") is the German NDH-metal band Rammstein's second album. It was released on August 22, 1997.
The album booklet folds out to reveal six different covers, one for each band member (each photo depicting the member with a facial mutilation). The cover most commonly seen features Till Lindemann with a muzzle and odd metal objects blocking his view, as they are placed over his eyes. The cover art was created by Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein. The album is the only album entirely in German to be certified Platinum by the RIAA in the United States. The album cover on the right features Rammstein drummer Christoph Schneider.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weird
9. Kevin Rowland: 'My Beauty' Uh, ewwwwww. Kevin Rowland is an English singer-songwriter and frontman for pop band Dexys Midnight Runners. Rowland draws on his Irish ancestry in much of his music. For a singer who had it all going for him, this was a nightmare of a career move.
---------------------------------------------
Worst
9. The Beatles – ‘Yesterday and Today’- I am amazed that this would make the 'worst' list, this is an iconic cover, and certainly a highly valuable and collectible piece of art. I have certainly seen worse, but here it is at #9 on the Gigwise list.
Yesterday and Today (rendered as "Yesterday" …and Today on the record label and in most published discographies) is the ninth Capitol release by the The Beatles, and was issued only in the United States and Canada. The album is remembered primarily for the controversy surrounding its original cover image, the "butcher cover" featuring the band dressed in white smocks and covered with decapitated baby dolls and pieces of meat. The album's title is loosely based on the song "Yesterday". Early album cover proofs show the word "Yesterday" in quotes.
In early 1966, photographer Robert Whitaker had The Beatles in the studio for a conceptual art piece entitled "A Somnambulant Adventure." For the shoot, Whitaker took a series of pictures of the group dressed in butcher smocks and draped with pieces of meat and body parts from plastic baby dolls. The group played along as they were tired of the usual photo shoots and the concept was compatible with their own "black humour". Although not originally intended as an album cover, The Beatles submitted photographs from the session for their promotional materials. In particular, John Lennon pushed to use it as an album cover. A photograph of the band smiling amid the mock carnage was used as promotional advertisements for the British release of the "Paperback Writer" single. Also, a similar photograph from this shoot was used for the cover of the 11 June 1966 edition of the British music magazine Disc.
In the United States, Capitol Records printed approximately 750,000 copies of Yesterday and Today with the same photograph as "Paperback Writer". They were assembled in Capitol's four U.S. plants situated in different cities: Los Angeles; Scranton, Pennsylvania; and Jacksonville, Illinois. Copies from the various plants may be easily differentiated by examining the number printed near the RIAA symbol on the back; for example, stereo copies from the Los Angeles plant are designated "5" and mono Los Angeles copies are marked "6". Mono copies outnumbered stereo copies by about 10 to 1, making the stereo copies far more valuable today. A small fraction of the original covers were shipped to disc jockeys and store managers as advance copies. Reaction was immediate. The record was immediately recalled. All copies were ordered shipped back to the record label, leading to its collectability. It has been substantiated that the record was indeed for sale in some stores in limited areas, probably for only one day.
Capitol initially ordered plant managers to destroy the covers, and the Jacksonville plant delivered most of its copies to an area landfill. However, faced with so many jackets already printed, Capitol quickly changed course and decided instead to paste a new cover over the old one, cropping the open end of the album jacket by about 1/8 inch to address problems where the new sheet was not placed exactly "square" on top of the original cover. Tens of thousands of these were sent out. As word of this manoeuvre made the rounds, people attempted, sometimes successfully, to peel off the pasted-over cover of their copy of the album, hoping to reveal the original image hidden below.
Copies that have never had the white cover pasted onto them, known as "first state" covers, are very rare and command the highest prices. Copies with the pasted-on cover intact above the butcher image are known as "second state" or "pasteovers"; today, pasteover covers that have not been altered in an attempt to remove the white cover are also becoming increasingly rare and valuable. Covers that have had the white cover steamed or peeled off to reveal the underlying butcher image are known as "third state" covers; these are now the most common (and least valuable, although their value varies depending on how well the cover is removed) as people continue to peel second state covers to reveal the butcher image underneath. In December 2005 a "first state" copy of the album was sold for $10,500.
Then-president of Capitol Records, Alan Livingston, has in recent years confirmed the existence and private sale of twenty "first state" butcher covers, salvaged from his personal collection. These still-sealed pristine items with the controversial cover are the very rarest specimens. The so-called "Livingston Butchers" today command prices of $40,000 and up among collectors.
At the time, some of the Beatles defended the use of the photograph. Lennon said that it was "as relevant as Vietnam" and Paul McCartney said that their critics were "soft". However, not all of them were as comfortable with it. George Harrison commented, "I thought it was gross, and I also thought it was stupid. Sometimes we all did stupid things thinking it was cool and hip when it was naïve and dumb; and that was one of them." Capitol Records apologized for the offense. Yesterday and Today was the only Beatles record to lose money for Capitol.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best
9. Led Zeppelin: ‘Houses of the Holy’ I agree with this selection, though I would have it rated higher. I loved this cover when it came out and time has not changed my thinking. And the music is top-notch. Kudos to Zeppelin.
Houses of the Holy is the fifth album by English rock band Led Zeppelin released by Atlantic Records on March 28, 1973. The album title is a dedication by the band to their fans who appeared at venues they dubbed "Houses of the Holy." It was the first Led Zeppelin album to not be, at least unofficially, titled after the band. The album represents a turning point for the band, as they began to use more layering and production techniques in recording their songs.
Although Houses of the Holy initially received mixed reviews, it has since become regarded by critics as one of Led Zeppelin's best albums. The album produced the favorites "Over the Hills and Far Away", "Dancing Days", "The Song Remains the Same, "D'yer Mak'er", "No Quarter" and "The Ocean", and it has sold over 11 million copies in the United States. In 2003, the album was ranked number 149 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
The cover art for Houses of the Holy was inspired by the ending of Arthur C. Clarke's novel Childhood's End. (The ending involves several hundred million naked children, only slightly and physically resembling the human race in basic forms). It is a collage of several photographs which were taken at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, by Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis. This location was chosen ahead of an alternative one in Peru.
The two children who modelled for the cover were siblings Stefan and Samanatha Gates. The photoshoot was a frustrating affair over the course of ten days. Shooting was done first thing in the morning and at sunset in order to capture the light at dawn and dusk, but the desired effect was never achieved due to constant rain and clouds. The photos of the two children were taken in black and white and were multi-printed to create the effect of 11 nubiles that can be seen on the album cover. The results of the shoot were less than satisfactory, but some accidental tinting effects in post-production created an unexpectedly magical album cover. The inner sleeve photograph was taken at Dunluce Castle near to the Causeway.
In 1974 the album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of best album package. The cover was rated #6 on VH1's 50 Greatest Album Covers in 2003.
Jimmy Page has stated that the album cover was actually the second version submitted by Hipgnosis. The first, by artist Storm Thorgerson, featured an electric green tennis court with a tennis racquet on it. Furious that Thorgerson was implying their music sounded like a "racket", the band fired him and hired Powell in his place. Thorgerson did, however, go on to produce the album artwork for Led Zeppelin's subsequent albums Presence and In Through the Out Door.
Soul singer Dee Dee Warwick dies in NJ at age 63
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Dee Dee Warwick, a soul singer who won recognition for both her solo work and her performances with her older sister Dionne Warwick, has died. She was 63.
Warwick died Saturday at a nursing home in Essex County, said Kevin Sasaki, a family spokesman. She had been in failing health in recent months, he said, and her sister was with her when she died.
Warwick had several hits on the soul and R&B charts in the 1960s and 70s, including "Foolish Fool," "She Didn't Know (She Kept on Talking)" and a version of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" that was later covered by Diana Ross and The Supremes.
Warwick also was a two-time Grammy Award nominee and sang backup for Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and others before starting her solo career.
Warwick was the niece of gospel singer Cissy Houston and a cousin of Whitney Houston.
Born in Newark, Warwick was a teenager when she began singing with her older sister in the late 1950s. The two performed as The Gospelaires and also collaborated and sang with the Drinkard Singers, a long-running gospel group that also featured some of the Warwicks' aunts and uncles and was managed by their mother.
Most recently, Warwick provided background vocals for her sister's recent one-woman autobiographical show, "My Music & Me," which played to sold-out crowds in Europe this year. She also performed on the title song from Dionne Warwick's gospel album, "Why We Sing," released January 2008.
This Date In Music History- October 20
Birthdays:
Jay Siegel of the Tokens ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight") was born in 1939.
It's Snoop Dogg's birthday (1972).
Tom Petty ("Refugee")is 55.
Wanda Jackson ("Right Or Wrong") turns 71.
History:
Led Zeppelin’s concert documentary, ‘The Song Remains the Same,' premiered in New York in 1976.
In 1979,'The Long Run' (by the Eagles) began its yearlong run on the charts, including nine weeks at #1—one more week than Hotel California's reign at the top.
Bill Haley, Pat Boone and Elvis Presley all appeared together in concert at a Cleveland High School in 1955 (the concert was filmed for a documentary of Cleveland DJ Bill Randle but never released).
John Lennon and Yoko Ono released their "Wedding Album" LP in 1969 (with a photo of their own wedding cake and a copy of their marriage certificate included). Highlights included the cut "John and Yoko," in which the couple yell each other's name for 25 minutes.
The Rolling Stones had the number 1 song in the US in 1973 with "Angie.” It made #5 in the UK. It is often reported that the song was written about David Bowie's wife at the time, the former Angela Barnett, but many reliable sources say that the song is really about Anita Pallenberg, the long-time love of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.
In 2005, Jazz vocalist and pianist Shirley Horn died of diabetes complications in Washington, D.C., aged 71. In a career lasting five decades, she worked with Miles Davis, Quincy Jones and Wynton Marsalis.
The Elvis Presley film "G.I. Blues" premiered in 1960.
In 1977, three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, his sister Cassie Gaines (one of three backing singers) and manager Dean Kilpatrick were killed in a plane crash en route from Greenville, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The remaining members, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Billy Powell and Leon Wilkeson were seriously injured, but all recovered. The band was finished for ten years, until the survivors invited Ronnie's younger brother Johnny to join them in a reunion concert in 1987.
The Four Seasons' "Big Girls Don't Cry" was released in 1962. It will become their second consecutive Billboard #1 hit.
"The Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett, reached the top of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart in 1962. This novelty song, which was recorded in less than two hours, has become an annual favorite.
In 1969, The Who played the first of six nights at New York's Filmore East performing a two-hour show featuring the songs from 'Tommy.'
The Police made their US debut at C.B.G.B.S, New York in 1978. The trio had flown on low cost tickets with Laker Airtrain from the UK, carrying their instruments as hand luggage.
In 1960, Roy Orbison had his first UK No.1 single with 'Only The Lonely.' The song was turned down by The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley, so Orbison decided to record the song himself.
US country singer, songwriter Merle Travis died at age 65 in 1983. Invented the first solid body electric guitar. Wrote 'Sixteen Tons' 1955 US No.1 for Ernie Ford.
Jay Siegel of the Tokens ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight") was born in 1939.
It's Snoop Dogg's birthday (1972).
Tom Petty ("Refugee")is 55.
Wanda Jackson ("Right Or Wrong") turns 71.
History:
Led Zeppelin’s concert documentary, ‘The Song Remains the Same,' premiered in New York in 1976.
In 1979,'The Long Run' (by the Eagles) began its yearlong run on the charts, including nine weeks at #1—one more week than Hotel California's reign at the top.
Bill Haley, Pat Boone and Elvis Presley all appeared together in concert at a Cleveland High School in 1955 (the concert was filmed for a documentary of Cleveland DJ Bill Randle but never released).
John Lennon and Yoko Ono released their "Wedding Album" LP in 1969 (with a photo of their own wedding cake and a copy of their marriage certificate included). Highlights included the cut "John and Yoko," in which the couple yell each other's name for 25 minutes.
The Rolling Stones had the number 1 song in the US in 1973 with "Angie.” It made #5 in the UK. It is often reported that the song was written about David Bowie's wife at the time, the former Angela Barnett, but many reliable sources say that the song is really about Anita Pallenberg, the long-time love of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.
In 2005, Jazz vocalist and pianist Shirley Horn died of diabetes complications in Washington, D.C., aged 71. In a career lasting five decades, she worked with Miles Davis, Quincy Jones and Wynton Marsalis.
The Elvis Presley film "G.I. Blues" premiered in 1960.
In 1977, three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, his sister Cassie Gaines (one of three backing singers) and manager Dean Kilpatrick were killed in a plane crash en route from Greenville, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The remaining members, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Billy Powell and Leon Wilkeson were seriously injured, but all recovered. The band was finished for ten years, until the survivors invited Ronnie's younger brother Johnny to join them in a reunion concert in 1987.
The Four Seasons' "Big Girls Don't Cry" was released in 1962. It will become their second consecutive Billboard #1 hit.
"The Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett, reached the top of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart in 1962. This novelty song, which was recorded in less than two hours, has become an annual favorite.
In 1969, The Who played the first of six nights at New York's Filmore East performing a two-hour show featuring the songs from 'Tommy.'
The Police made their US debut at C.B.G.B.S, New York in 1978. The trio had flown on low cost tickets with Laker Airtrain from the UK, carrying their instruments as hand luggage.
In 1960, Roy Orbison had his first UK No.1 single with 'Only The Lonely.' The song was turned down by The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley, so Orbison decided to record the song himself.
US country singer, songwriter Merle Travis died at age 65 in 1983. Invented the first solid body electric guitar. Wrote 'Sixteen Tons' 1955 US No.1 for Ernie Ford.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales
Week Ending 09/27/2008
1. 45rpm - Lester Tipton "This Won't Change" / "Go On" La Beat - $6,546.00 Start: $99.99 Bids: 32
2. LP - Sonny Clark "Cool Struttin'" Blue Note Mono - $3,750.00 Start: $5.00 Bids: 12
3. 45rpm - Eric Mercury and the Soul Searchers "Lonely Girl, Part 1" / "Lonely Girl, Part 2" SAC - $3,100.00 Start: $4,500.00 Bids: Best Offer
4. 12" - U2 "Three" #902 - $2,758.00 Start: $500.00 Bids: 27
5. 45rpm - T-Rex "Ride A White Swan" / "Summer Time Blues" Blue Thumb Japan Pic Sleeve - $1,799.99 Start: $1,799.99 Bids: 1
A Northern Soul 45 breaks past $5k this week, a Lester Tipton record on La Beat hitting past $6.5k. La Beat was a label out of Los Angeles that has a huge following in Northern Soul circles and many dozens of records on the label sell in the $30 - $300 range. At least from a glance, it seems La Beat, more than any other small label, has the largest number of high dollar collectible records.
As far as labels go, Blue Note likely has the highest number of high dollar LP's. And the #2 spot goes to Sonny Clarks' "Cool Struttin" on Blue Note. This record sells for over $3.7k. Next, another Northern Soul 45 from Eric Mercury sells on a Best Offer for $3.1k down from an asking price of $4.5k.
The famous U2 12" known as "Three" gets the #4 spot selling for over $2.6k. And last, a Japanese T-Rex 45 closes for a penny less than $1.8k.
SOURCE: http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com
1. 45rpm - Lester Tipton "This Won't Change" / "Go On" La Beat - $6,546.00 Start: $99.99 Bids: 32
2. LP - Sonny Clark "Cool Struttin'" Blue Note Mono - $3,750.00 Start: $5.00 Bids: 12
3. 45rpm - Eric Mercury and the Soul Searchers "Lonely Girl, Part 1" / "Lonely Girl, Part 2" SAC - $3,100.00 Start: $4,500.00 Bids: Best Offer
4. 12" - U2 "Three" #902 - $2,758.00 Start: $500.00 Bids: 27
5. 45rpm - T-Rex "Ride A White Swan" / "Summer Time Blues" Blue Thumb Japan Pic Sleeve - $1,799.99 Start: $1,799.99 Bids: 1
A Northern Soul 45 breaks past $5k this week, a Lester Tipton record on La Beat hitting past $6.5k. La Beat was a label out of Los Angeles that has a huge following in Northern Soul circles and many dozens of records on the label sell in the $30 - $300 range. At least from a glance, it seems La Beat, more than any other small label, has the largest number of high dollar collectible records.
As far as labels go, Blue Note likely has the highest number of high dollar LP's. And the #2 spot goes to Sonny Clarks' "Cool Struttin" on Blue Note. This record sells for over $3.7k. Next, another Northern Soul 45 from Eric Mercury sells on a Best Offer for $3.1k down from an asking price of $4.5k.
The famous U2 12" known as "Three" gets the #4 spot selling for over $2.6k. And last, a Japanese T-Rex 45 closes for a penny less than $1.8k.
SOURCE: http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com
Album Cover Art
Well, here we are (drumroll please), we have arrived at Gigwise.com's list of the top ten most controversial, weirdest, best and worst album covers of all time (according to their crack staff). Let's roll up our sleeves and get to it:
Controversial
10. Slayer: ‘God Hates Us All’ This is the eighth studio album by the American thrash metal band Slayer. Released on September 11, 2001, the album received mixed critical reviews, although it entered the Billboard 200 at number 28. Recorded in three months at The Warehouse Studio in Canada, God Hates Us All includes the Grammy Award-nominated "Disciple" and is the band's last album to feature drummer Paul Bostaph.
Guitarist Kerry King wrote roughly 80% of the lyrics, adopting a different approach from earlier recordings by including prevalent themes such as religion, murder, revenge, and self-control. Limiting the lyrics to topics which everyone could relate to, King wished to explore more in depth, realistic subject matter. The band experimented musically by recording two songs with seven-string guitars, and a further two with drop B tunings. The album's release was delayed due to the graphic nature of its artwork for which slip covers were created to cover the original artwork, difficulties encountered during audio mixing, and the change of distributor by the band's record label during the release period.
God Hates Us All was originally intended to be named Soundtrack to the Apocalypse. However, Araya suggested that the title would be a better used for a box set, which the band released in 2003. The phrase God Hates Us All originates from the song "Disciple", during which the line is repeated over the chorus. The lyrics are in reference to God's allowance of acts such as suicide and terrorism, while seemingly doing nothing to prevent them. A member of the heavy metal band Pantera suggested using "God Hates Us All" for a shirt design after King played the song to the band. King agreed, although he thought the phrase would have more impact as the album title.
The original album cover depicts a Bible spiked with nails, covered in blood and "Slayer" burnt across it, while the liner notes feature Bible verses crossed out with a black marker. The idea was suggested by the band's record company, although King wished to have more time to develop a better cover. King thought the idea "represents a record company with absolutely no idea what the fuck they were going to do", and said that the effort "looked like a seventh grader defaced the Bible." King's concept for the cover was to insert nails in a shape of a pentagram, and have the nails miss keywords in Bible verses so it appeared as if it had been created by a sociopath who knew where every word appears. A slip insert was created to be placed in front of the covers in stores.
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Weird
10. The Handsome Beasts: 'O4' A pig (or two), a nun and a dog, hmmm, not too weird for me. But, the band is probably more famous for their cover art than they are the music...that's just sad, in my opinion
----------------------------------------
Worst
10. The Handsome Beasts – ‘Beastiality’ Need I say more?
--------------------------------------------
Best
10. The Velvet Underground: ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ is often referred to as the ‘Banana Album’ because of Andy Warhol’s fruity creation on its front cover. I still don't see why everyone thinks this is a great cover- it's a freaking banana people!
The Velvet Underground & Nico is the debut album by experimental rock band The Velvet Underground and vocal collaborator Nico. It was originally released in March 1967 by Verve Records, a subsidiary of MGM Records.
Recorded in 1966 during Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable multimedia event tour, The Velvet Underground & Nico would gain notoriety for its experimentalist performance sensibilities, as well as its focus on controversial subject matter expressed in many of their songs.
Though largely ignored upon its release, it has since become one of the most influential and critically lauded rock albums in history, appearing as #13 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time as well as being added to the 2006 National Recording Registry by the Librarian of Congress.
The Velvet Underground & Nico is sometimes referred to as the "banana album" as it features a Warhol print of a banana on the cover. Early copies of the album invited the owner to "Peel slowly and see"; peeling back the banana skin revealed a flesh-colored banana underneath. A special machine was needed to manufacture these covers (one of the causes of the album's delayed release), but MGM paid for costs figuring that any ties to Warhol would boost sales of the album.
On the 1996 CD reissue, the banana image is on the front cover while the image of the peeled banana is on the inside of the jewel case, beneath the CD itself.
Back cover lawsuit controversy
When the album was first issued, the main back cover photo (taken at an Exploding Plastic Inevitable performance) featured an image of actor Eric Emerson projected upside-down on the wall behind the band. Emerson threatened to sue over this unauthorized use of his image, unless he was paid. Rather than complying, MGM recalled copies of the album and halted its distribution until Emerson's image could be airbrushed from the photo on subsequent pressings. Copies that had already been printed were sold with a large black sticker covering the actor's image. The image was restored in the 1996 CD reissue.
It's still a picture of a freaking banana to me.
Controversial
10. Slayer: ‘God Hates Us All’ This is the eighth studio album by the American thrash metal band Slayer. Released on September 11, 2001, the album received mixed critical reviews, although it entered the Billboard 200 at number 28. Recorded in three months at The Warehouse Studio in Canada, God Hates Us All includes the Grammy Award-nominated "Disciple" and is the band's last album to feature drummer Paul Bostaph.
Guitarist Kerry King wrote roughly 80% of the lyrics, adopting a different approach from earlier recordings by including prevalent themes such as religion, murder, revenge, and self-control. Limiting the lyrics to topics which everyone could relate to, King wished to explore more in depth, realistic subject matter. The band experimented musically by recording two songs with seven-string guitars, and a further two with drop B tunings. The album's release was delayed due to the graphic nature of its artwork for which slip covers were created to cover the original artwork, difficulties encountered during audio mixing, and the change of distributor by the band's record label during the release period.
God Hates Us All was originally intended to be named Soundtrack to the Apocalypse. However, Araya suggested that the title would be a better used for a box set, which the band released in 2003. The phrase God Hates Us All originates from the song "Disciple", during which the line is repeated over the chorus. The lyrics are in reference to God's allowance of acts such as suicide and terrorism, while seemingly doing nothing to prevent them. A member of the heavy metal band Pantera suggested using "God Hates Us All" for a shirt design after King played the song to the band. King agreed, although he thought the phrase would have more impact as the album title.
The original album cover depicts a Bible spiked with nails, covered in blood and "Slayer" burnt across it, while the liner notes feature Bible verses crossed out with a black marker. The idea was suggested by the band's record company, although King wished to have more time to develop a better cover. King thought the idea "represents a record company with absolutely no idea what the fuck they were going to do", and said that the effort "looked like a seventh grader defaced the Bible." King's concept for the cover was to insert nails in a shape of a pentagram, and have the nails miss keywords in Bible verses so it appeared as if it had been created by a sociopath who knew where every word appears. A slip insert was created to be placed in front of the covers in stores.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weird
10. The Handsome Beasts: 'O4' A pig (or two), a nun and a dog, hmmm, not too weird for me. But, the band is probably more famous for their cover art than they are the music...that's just sad, in my opinion
----------------------------------------
Worst
10. The Handsome Beasts – ‘Beastiality’ Need I say more?
--------------------------------------------
Best
10. The Velvet Underground: ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ is often referred to as the ‘Banana Album’ because of Andy Warhol’s fruity creation on its front cover. I still don't see why everyone thinks this is a great cover- it's a freaking banana people!
The Velvet Underground & Nico is the debut album by experimental rock band The Velvet Underground and vocal collaborator Nico. It was originally released in March 1967 by Verve Records, a subsidiary of MGM Records.
Recorded in 1966 during Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable multimedia event tour, The Velvet Underground & Nico would gain notoriety for its experimentalist performance sensibilities, as well as its focus on controversial subject matter expressed in many of their songs.
Though largely ignored upon its release, it has since become one of the most influential and critically lauded rock albums in history, appearing as #13 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time as well as being added to the 2006 National Recording Registry by the Librarian of Congress.
The Velvet Underground & Nico is sometimes referred to as the "banana album" as it features a Warhol print of a banana on the cover. Early copies of the album invited the owner to "Peel slowly and see"; peeling back the banana skin revealed a flesh-colored banana underneath. A special machine was needed to manufacture these covers (one of the causes of the album's delayed release), but MGM paid for costs figuring that any ties to Warhol would boost sales of the album.
On the 1996 CD reissue, the banana image is on the front cover while the image of the peeled banana is on the inside of the jewel case, beneath the CD itself.
Back cover lawsuit controversy
When the album was first issued, the main back cover photo (taken at an Exploding Plastic Inevitable performance) featured an image of actor Eric Emerson projected upside-down on the wall behind the band. Emerson threatened to sue over this unauthorized use of his image, unless he was paid. Rather than complying, MGM recalled copies of the album and halted its distribution until Emerson's image could be airbrushed from the photo on subsequent pressings. Copies that had already been printed were sold with a large black sticker covering the actor's image. The image was restored in the 1996 CD reissue.
It's still a picture of a freaking banana to me.
Vinyl Record Comeback - How Is It Going?
By Thomas Stenumgaard
We have written earlier about how we view the future of the music industry, and what role we think vinyl will play in that future. So today we have been searching around a little bit to see what has been written about vinyl in the media lately. Below is a short wrap up of what we found:
CNET News.com- Making vinyl records the old-fashioned way. According to Jay Millar, the marketing and sales manager for United Record Pressing, it has everything to do with the emergence of Apple's oh-so-ubiquitous MP3 player.
"It really started picking up when iPods started coming onto the scene" Millar said. "Everything got so sterile with digital that people were not spending time" with the physical manifestation of their music.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-9977878-52.html
Rollingstone - Vinyl Returns in the Age of MP3 - LP and turntable sales grow as fans find warmer sound in classic format.
There's also something less technical lurking behind vinyl's mini-renaissance. Whether it's inspecting a needle for dust or flipping the record over at the end of a side, LPs demand attention. And for a small but growing group, those demands aren't a nuisance. "There's nothing like putting the needle into the groove of a record" says country singer Shelby Lynne. "It's about as real as you can get. You got your vinyl, your weed, your friends, and while you're rollin', they're pickin' out another record. We're all taking music for granted because it's so easy to push a button. I mean, come on music should be fun.
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/20947918/vinyl_returns_in_the_age_of_mp3/print
CNN.com/US - Retailers giving vinyl records another spin
But it's not just about the sound. Audiophiles say they also want the format's overall experience the sensory experience of putting the needle on the record, the feeling of side A and side B and the joy of lingering over the liner notes.
"I think music products should be more than just music," said Isaac Hudson, a 28-year-old vinyl fan standing outside one of Portland's larger independent music stores.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/06/10/vinyl.records.ap/
We are convinced that the vinyl format will have a strong position in the future and the statistics show that the sales are increasing steadily. One of the reasons why we think so is of course the reasons laid out above. Vinyl offers a different context. A second reason, which we believe is important is that even if artists can record and publish their music on the Internet almost for free there will still, to some extent, be a need for putting out something physical. Since releasing something physical entails some kind of investment it also means that there is some kind of risk involved. We believe that artist will need to be willing to, to some degree, take that risk.
About the Author- Nylvi co-founder Thomas Stenumgaard writes about vinyl records and the future of the music industry. A new social marketplace for buying and selling vinyl records. For more information check out www.nylvi.com
We have written earlier about how we view the future of the music industry, and what role we think vinyl will play in that future. So today we have been searching around a little bit to see what has been written about vinyl in the media lately. Below is a short wrap up of what we found:
CNET News.com- Making vinyl records the old-fashioned way. According to Jay Millar, the marketing and sales manager for United Record Pressing, it has everything to do with the emergence of Apple's oh-so-ubiquitous MP3 player.
"It really started picking up when iPods started coming onto the scene" Millar said. "Everything got so sterile with digital that people were not spending time" with the physical manifestation of their music.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-9977878-52.html
Rollingstone - Vinyl Returns in the Age of MP3 - LP and turntable sales grow as fans find warmer sound in classic format.
There's also something less technical lurking behind vinyl's mini-renaissance. Whether it's inspecting a needle for dust or flipping the record over at the end of a side, LPs demand attention. And for a small but growing group, those demands aren't a nuisance. "There's nothing like putting the needle into the groove of a record" says country singer Shelby Lynne. "It's about as real as you can get. You got your vinyl, your weed, your friends, and while you're rollin', they're pickin' out another record. We're all taking music for granted because it's so easy to push a button. I mean, come on music should be fun.
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/20947918/vinyl_returns_in_the_age_of_mp3/print
CNN.com/US - Retailers giving vinyl records another spin
But it's not just about the sound. Audiophiles say they also want the format's overall experience the sensory experience of putting the needle on the record, the feeling of side A and side B and the joy of lingering over the liner notes.
"I think music products should be more than just music," said Isaac Hudson, a 28-year-old vinyl fan standing outside one of Portland's larger independent music stores.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/06/10/vinyl.records.ap/
We are convinced that the vinyl format will have a strong position in the future and the statistics show that the sales are increasing steadily. One of the reasons why we think so is of course the reasons laid out above. Vinyl offers a different context. A second reason, which we believe is important is that even if artists can record and publish their music on the Internet almost for free there will still, to some extent, be a need for putting out something physical. Since releasing something physical entails some kind of investment it also means that there is some kind of risk involved. We believe that artist will need to be willing to, to some degree, take that risk.
About the Author- Nylvi co-founder Thomas Stenumgaard writes about vinyl records and the future of the music industry. A new social marketplace for buying and selling vinyl records. For more information check out www.nylvi.com
Saturday, October 18, 2008
An email question
Two questions for you:
On the best way to store properly cared for records:
It's already a given that they must be:
In the record jacket, and in a plastic sleeve. But should the plastic
sleeve's open edge be at the top, or on the open side of the album
jacket? If you store them with the open edge of the plastic cover at
the top, you have to remove the album entirely to play it, and then
assemble the whole thing again upon storing it. If you have an
exceptionally rare or old record jacket, you risk damaging the edges
by constantly removing and replacing the cover in the plastic. If you
store them with the open side where the opening in the album cover is,
when you place the album back on the shelf the plastic starts inching
back, making it harder to read the spine.
I would be interested in reading your answer, and I'm sure your blog
readers will as well. Thanks!
- Bill
North Olmsted, OH
Thanks for your question Bill. There are some solutions to this. I have some Scotch tape handy in my music room and use this to keep this from happening. I store my LP's in protective plastic sleeves with the opening in the back. My records are placed in the album jacket so that the record and sleeve open at the top, so if someone were to pull the album out and opening it, the record is easily acessible. The Scotch tape is placed at the open end of the plastic sleeve, (which is in the back, when stored) usually about two small pieces. This helps to prevent the problem you have encountered, by not allowing the plastic to inch back, thus making the spine easier to read. Another method is to not store your albums so tight- give the records room to breathe. You can also take about 5-8 out and when placing the album of choice back in its place, have a handful of LP's instead of the one, it makes it easier to 'repack' the Lp's and helps with the problem you are having. But, for me, the scotch tape method works best, it also prevents the album from falling out once you have selected it; meaning you could have the open end of the plastic upsidedown and the LP would not fall out.
On the best way to store properly cared for records:
It's already a given that they must be:
In the record jacket, and in a plastic sleeve. But should the plastic
sleeve's open edge be at the top, or on the open side of the album
jacket? If you store them with the open edge of the plastic cover at
the top, you have to remove the album entirely to play it, and then
assemble the whole thing again upon storing it. If you have an
exceptionally rare or old record jacket, you risk damaging the edges
by constantly removing and replacing the cover in the plastic. If you
store them with the open side where the opening in the album cover is,
when you place the album back on the shelf the plastic starts inching
back, making it harder to read the spine.
I would be interested in reading your answer, and I'm sure your blog
readers will as well. Thanks!
- Bill
North Olmsted, OH
Thanks for your question Bill. There are some solutions to this. I have some Scotch tape handy in my music room and use this to keep this from happening. I store my LP's in protective plastic sleeves with the opening in the back. My records are placed in the album jacket so that the record and sleeve open at the top, so if someone were to pull the album out and opening it, the record is easily acessible. The Scotch tape is placed at the open end of the plastic sleeve, (which is in the back, when stored) usually about two small pieces. This helps to prevent the problem you have encountered, by not allowing the plastic to inch back, thus making the spine easier to read. Another method is to not store your albums so tight- give the records room to breathe. You can also take about 5-8 out and when placing the album of choice back in its place, have a handful of LP's instead of the one, it makes it easier to 'repack' the Lp's and helps with the problem you are having. But, for me, the scotch tape method works best, it also prevents the album from falling out once you have selected it; meaning you could have the open end of the plastic upsidedown and the LP would not fall out.
Album Cover Art
Let's continue our look at album cover art and look at number 11 on Gigwise.com's list of the most controversial, weirdest, best and worst album covers:
Controversial
11. Royal Trux: ‘Sweet Sixteen’ Nothing like a great image of a toilet, err, I think that what it is.
Royal Trux was an American alternative rock band from 1987 to 2001, founded by Neil Hagerty (vocals, guitar) and Jennifer Herrema (vocals). Hagerty and Herrema released their first album, Royal Trux, in 1989. Then, after moving to San Francisco, Royal Trux released the experimental double-album Twin Infinitives. They're parents must be reall proud.
----------------------------------------------
Weird
11. Tripping Daisy: 'I Am An Elastic Firecracker' The second album by Tripping Daisy, released in 1995. Tripping Daisy weaves their own alterna-rock path like a weary prisoner of war from the battle for college radio and MTV dominance. The band sounds a bit like Public Image Limited morphed into Jane's Addiction.
-------------------------------------------
Worst
11. David Cassidy – ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ Makes the Gigwise 'worst' list (he does look kind of stoned), but Mr. Cassidy was a hot item at one time. "Home is Where the Heart Is" was the second album released on RCA Records by David Cassidy. It was released in 1976 and was produced by Cassidy and Bruce Johnston.
The album is notable for a strong composing contribution from Gerry Beckley of the band America. Beckley also takes a few lines of lead vocals. Some tracks from this album are compiled on the 1996 collection, When I'm a Rock 'n' Roll Star.
Now, I know I am showing my age when I say that my yearbook picture looked a lot like this. Man, I'm an old fart.
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Best
11. Sigur Rós: ‘Agaetis Byrjun’ This makes the 'best' list? Man, I thought that the staff had options. Maybe someone was hungover, but this certainly does not belong here.
Ágætis byrjun (Icelandic for "An alright start") is the second album by the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, which was released in 1999. Ágætis byrjun was recorded between the summer of 1998 to the spring of 1999 with producer Ken Thomas, and became Sigur Rós's breakthrough album, both critically and commercially. Ágætis byrjun represented a substantial departure from the band's previous album Von, with that album's Cocteau Twins-esque dream pop and extended ambient soundscapes replaced by Jónsi Birgisson's now signature cello-bowed guitarwork and lush orchestration (using a double string octet amongst other orchestral elements).
The album's title came from a friend hearing the first song they had written for the album; what would become "Ágætis byrjun". After hearing the song, he said it was "an alright start"; the name stuck.
The sketch on the cover was drawn by Gotti Bernhöft with a Bic Cristal ballpoint pen. The booklet cover for the CD edition of the album features the line: "Ég gaf ykkur von sem varð að vonbrigðum... þetta er ágætis byrjun" which translates to "I gave you hope that became a disappointment... this is an alright start." This line is a reference to their two previous releases, Von and Von brigði.
Sigur Rós assembled and glued together the cases of the first print of Ágætis byrjun themselves. This resulted in many of the CDs being unusable due to glue stains on them.
Controversial
11. Royal Trux: ‘Sweet Sixteen’ Nothing like a great image of a toilet, err, I think that what it is.Royal Trux was an American alternative rock band from 1987 to 2001, founded by Neil Hagerty (vocals, guitar) and Jennifer Herrema (vocals). Hagerty and Herrema released their first album, Royal Trux, in 1989. Then, after moving to San Francisco, Royal Trux released the experimental double-album Twin Infinitives. They're parents must be reall proud.
----------------------------------------------
Weird
11. Tripping Daisy: 'I Am An Elastic Firecracker' The second album by Tripping Daisy, released in 1995. Tripping Daisy weaves their own alterna-rock path like a weary prisoner of war from the battle for college radio and MTV dominance. The band sounds a bit like Public Image Limited morphed into Jane's Addiction.
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Worst
11. David Cassidy – ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ Makes the Gigwise 'worst' list (he does look kind of stoned), but Mr. Cassidy was a hot item at one time. "Home is Where the Heart Is" was the second album released on RCA Records by David Cassidy. It was released in 1976 and was produced by Cassidy and Bruce Johnston.
The album is notable for a strong composing contribution from Gerry Beckley of the band America. Beckley also takes a few lines of lead vocals. Some tracks from this album are compiled on the 1996 collection, When I'm a Rock 'n' Roll Star.
Now, I know I am showing my age when I say that my yearbook picture looked a lot like this. Man, I'm an old fart.
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Best
11. Sigur Rós: ‘Agaetis Byrjun’ This makes the 'best' list? Man, I thought that the staff had options. Maybe someone was hungover, but this certainly does not belong here.
Ágætis byrjun (Icelandic for "An alright start") is the second album by the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, which was released in 1999. Ágætis byrjun was recorded between the summer of 1998 to the spring of 1999 with producer Ken Thomas, and became Sigur Rós's breakthrough album, both critically and commercially. Ágætis byrjun represented a substantial departure from the band's previous album Von, with that album's Cocteau Twins-esque dream pop and extended ambient soundscapes replaced by Jónsi Birgisson's now signature cello-bowed guitarwork and lush orchestration (using a double string octet amongst other orchestral elements).
The album's title came from a friend hearing the first song they had written for the album; what would become "Ágætis byrjun". After hearing the song, he said it was "an alright start"; the name stuck.
The sketch on the cover was drawn by Gotti Bernhöft with a Bic Cristal ballpoint pen. The booklet cover for the CD edition of the album features the line: "Ég gaf ykkur von sem varð að vonbrigðum... þetta er ágætis byrjun" which translates to "I gave you hope that became a disappointment... this is an alright start." This line is a reference to their two previous releases, Von and Von brigði.
Sigur Rós assembled and glued together the cases of the first print of Ágætis byrjun themselves. This resulted in many of the CDs being unusable due to glue stains on them.
Blender Selects the 100 Greatest American Albums of All Time
I, too was a bit shocked at this list and it is certainly up for debate. I think Nirvana's "Nevermind" deserves a higher ranking (I am not a big Madonna fan), but I think some greats have been missed. Where is the Band? What about a any Simon & Garfunkel LP? Where is the first Boston LP? And "Hotel California" at #91? No Zappa, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top? What about the Cars debut album? Buffalo Springfield or Jefferson Airplane or maybe Chicago's first LP? And as long as they inlcude Canada, what about the Guess Who? I think they need to rework this, but I am sure that anyone could argue about some of the bands on the list. There are some glaring omissions.
What do you get when you take the greatest albums ever made and remove any by the Beatles, Rollings Stones, Kinks, AC/DC, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Clash, Elvis Costello, etc.?
You get Blender's list of the 100 Greatest American Albums of All Time. This one should generate a lot of discussion because for every good thing about the list, there's something equally off.
Let's start with the good. Blender has managed to name a number of albums to the list that aren't usually recognized in such compilations. Albums by Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Chic deserve to be recognized along with all the "regulars."
They've been adventurous in some of their selections within an artist's repertoire. For Steely Dan, it's Katy Lied that made the list instead of Aja. Off the Wall for Michael Jackson instead of Thriller. Let's Get It On for Marvin Gaye instead of What's Goin' On.
On the other hand, can a list that doesn't include classics like What's Goin' On really be taken seriously, especially when so many other lists include it in the top ten albums ever made in ANY country...and what's the deal with including Bruce Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town but omitting Born to Run?
There are also a great many greatest hits and compilation albums, including the Madonna album deemed to be the greatest by an American artist. While these albums sell in great quantities, the fact remains that they are mainly tracks taken from other works by the artists and the only real new "art", save for the occasional bonus track, is the sequencing and the liner notes. About the only good reason to include them on the list is to acknowledge acts that were never considered to be album artists like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Hank Williams, the Coasters and the Carpenters (but definitely not Madonna).
Finally, these are supposed to be albums by American artists. Joni Mitchell and Neil Young are Canadian and don't really belong here.
Here is the full top ten and all other listings for veteran artists.
1. The Immaculate Collection - Madonna
2. Licensed to Ill - Beastie Boys
3. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
4. Innervisions - Stevie Wonder
5. Appetite For Destruction - Guns N' Roses
6. Ramones - Ramones
7. Parallel Lines - Blondie
8. The Great Twenty-Eight - Chuck Berry
9. Nevermind - Nirvana
10. Blue - Joni Mitchell
12. Metallica - Metallica
13. Off the Wall - Michael Jackson
14. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys
15. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
16. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music - Ray Charles
17. The Velvet Underground & Nico - Velvet Underground, Nico
18. Purple Rain - Prince & the Revolution
19. Rust Never Sleeps - Neil Young
20. Sex Machine - James Brown
21. Blonde on Blonde - Bob Dylan
22. King of the Delta Blues Singers - Robert Johnson
23. Murmer - R.E.M.
24. Mothership Connection - Parliament
26. Van Halen - Van Halen
27. Call Me - Al Green
28. Rocks - Aerosmith
30. Grooviest 17 Original Hits! - Little Richard
31. The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings - Louis Armstrong
32. Superfly - Curtis Mayfield
33. 40 Greatest Hits - Hank Williams
34. Katy Lied - Steely Dan
35. The B-52's - B-52's
36. Risque - Chic
37. Paul's Boutique - Beastie Boys
38. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin
39. The Sun Sessions - Elvis Presley
41. Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix
42. Horses - Patti Smith
43. There's a Riot Goin' On - Sly & the Family Stone
46. Raising Hell - Run-DMC
47. Back to Mono: 1958-1969 - Various Artists (Phil Spector)
48. Kind of Blue - Miles Davis
50. Destroyer - KISS
51. Court and Spark - Joni Mitchell
52. 12 Songs - Randy Newman
54. In the Wee Small Hours - Frank Sinatra
55. The Basement Tapes - Bob Dylan
58. American Beauty - Grateful Dead
60. Graceland - Paul Simon
61. 50 Coastin' Classics - Coasters
62. Darkness on the Edge of Town - Bruce Springsteen
63. At Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash
64. Grevious Angel - Gram Parsons
65. Lady in Satin - Billie Holiday
66. Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers
69. (Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd) - Lynyrd Skynyrd
70. Sign "O" the Times - Prince
71. Radio - L.L. Cool J
72. The Singles 1969-1981 - Carpenters
74. Lady Soul - Aretha Franklin
76. At Newport 1960 - Muddy Waters
78. From Elvis in Memphis - Elvis Presley
79. Dust Bowl Ballads - Woody Guthrie
81. Nuggets - Various Artists
83. Double Nickles on the Dime - Minutemen
84. Greatest Hits - Buddy Holly
85. Red Headed Stranger - Willie Nelson
86. After the Goldrush - Neil Young
87. Automatic For the People - R.E.M.
89. Remain in Light - Talking Heads
91. Hotel California - Eagles
92. Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams
95. Nilsson Schmilsson - Nilsson
97. The Doors - Doors
98. Let It Be - Replacements
99. Fulfillingness First Finale - Stevie Wonder
100. Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul - Otis Redding
SOURCES: http://winkscollectibles.blogspot.com
http://www.blender.com/
What do you get when you take the greatest albums ever made and remove any by the Beatles, Rollings Stones, Kinks, AC/DC, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Clash, Elvis Costello, etc.?
You get Blender's list of the 100 Greatest American Albums of All Time. This one should generate a lot of discussion because for every good thing about the list, there's something equally off.
Let's start with the good. Blender has managed to name a number of albums to the list that aren't usually recognized in such compilations. Albums by Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Chic deserve to be recognized along with all the "regulars."
They've been adventurous in some of their selections within an artist's repertoire. For Steely Dan, it's Katy Lied that made the list instead of Aja. Off the Wall for Michael Jackson instead of Thriller. Let's Get It On for Marvin Gaye instead of What's Goin' On.
On the other hand, can a list that doesn't include classics like What's Goin' On really be taken seriously, especially when so many other lists include it in the top ten albums ever made in ANY country...and what's the deal with including Bruce Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town but omitting Born to Run?
There are also a great many greatest hits and compilation albums, including the Madonna album deemed to be the greatest by an American artist. While these albums sell in great quantities, the fact remains that they are mainly tracks taken from other works by the artists and the only real new "art", save for the occasional bonus track, is the sequencing and the liner notes. About the only good reason to include them on the list is to acknowledge acts that were never considered to be album artists like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Hank Williams, the Coasters and the Carpenters (but definitely not Madonna).
Finally, these are supposed to be albums by American artists. Joni Mitchell and Neil Young are Canadian and don't really belong here.
Here is the full top ten and all other listings for veteran artists.
1. The Immaculate Collection - Madonna
2. Licensed to Ill - Beastie Boys
3. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
4. Innervisions - Stevie Wonder
5. Appetite For Destruction - Guns N' Roses
6. Ramones - Ramones
7. Parallel Lines - Blondie
8. The Great Twenty-Eight - Chuck Berry
9. Nevermind - Nirvana
10. Blue - Joni Mitchell
12. Metallica - Metallica
13. Off the Wall - Michael Jackson
14. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys
15. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
16. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music - Ray Charles
17. The Velvet Underground & Nico - Velvet Underground, Nico
18. Purple Rain - Prince & the Revolution
19. Rust Never Sleeps - Neil Young
20. Sex Machine - James Brown
21. Blonde on Blonde - Bob Dylan
22. King of the Delta Blues Singers - Robert Johnson
23. Murmer - R.E.M.
24. Mothership Connection - Parliament
26. Van Halen - Van Halen
27. Call Me - Al Green
28. Rocks - Aerosmith
30. Grooviest 17 Original Hits! - Little Richard
31. The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings - Louis Armstrong
32. Superfly - Curtis Mayfield
33. 40 Greatest Hits - Hank Williams
34. Katy Lied - Steely Dan
35. The B-52's - B-52's
36. Risque - Chic
37. Paul's Boutique - Beastie Boys
38. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin
39. The Sun Sessions - Elvis Presley
41. Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix
42. Horses - Patti Smith
43. There's a Riot Goin' On - Sly & the Family Stone
46. Raising Hell - Run-DMC
47. Back to Mono: 1958-1969 - Various Artists (Phil Spector)
48. Kind of Blue - Miles Davis
50. Destroyer - KISS
51. Court and Spark - Joni Mitchell
52. 12 Songs - Randy Newman
54. In the Wee Small Hours - Frank Sinatra
55. The Basement Tapes - Bob Dylan
58. American Beauty - Grateful Dead
60. Graceland - Paul Simon
61. 50 Coastin' Classics - Coasters
62. Darkness on the Edge of Town - Bruce Springsteen
63. At Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash
64. Grevious Angel - Gram Parsons
65. Lady in Satin - Billie Holiday
66. Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers
69. (Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd) - Lynyrd Skynyrd
70. Sign "O" the Times - Prince
71. Radio - L.L. Cool J
72. The Singles 1969-1981 - Carpenters
74. Lady Soul - Aretha Franklin
76. At Newport 1960 - Muddy Waters
78. From Elvis in Memphis - Elvis Presley
79. Dust Bowl Ballads - Woody Guthrie
81. Nuggets - Various Artists
83. Double Nickles on the Dime - Minutemen
84. Greatest Hits - Buddy Holly
85. Red Headed Stranger - Willie Nelson
86. After the Goldrush - Neil Young
87. Automatic For the People - R.E.M.
89. Remain in Light - Talking Heads
91. Hotel California - Eagles
92. Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams
95. Nilsson Schmilsson - Nilsson
97. The Doors - Doors
98. Let It Be - Replacements
99. Fulfillingness First Finale - Stevie Wonder
100. Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul - Otis Redding
SOURCES: http://winkscollectibles.blogspot.com
http://www.blender.com/
This Date In Music History- October 18
Birthdays:
Charles ("Chuck") Berry was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1926.
Songwriter Cynthia Weil (wrote "Kicks", "On Broadway", "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and many others, usually with then-husband Barry Mann) is 71.
Happy birthday to Russ Gugiere- guitarist/vocalist with the Association ("Along Comes Mary").
REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath was born in Peoria, Illinois in 1949.
Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis was born in New Orleans in 1961.
History:
Paul McCartney made his debut with the Quarrymen in 1957, a skiffle group founded by John Lennon. He blows the solo on “Guitar Boogie.” The Quarrymen eventually became The Beatles and Paul switched to bass.
'The Graduate', starring Dustin Hoffman and featuring a soundtrack by Simon and Garfunkel, was released in 1967.
Jimi Hendrix's version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" was released in 1968. "Before I came to England, I was digging a lot of the things Bob Dylan was doing," Jimi said. "He is giving me inspiration."
John Lennon and Yoko Ono were busted for possession of marijuana in 1968. The bust, while not a major deal in England, was used in the 1970s as the reason the U.S. government didn’t want Lennon to immigrate. Actually, the government felt Lennon was a political radical/troublemaker.
'Easy Rider', starring Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson, was released in 1969.
The Band’s masterful self-titled second album - which contains such classics as “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” – entered Billboard’s album chart in 1969. It reached #9 and eventually went platinum (1 million copies sold).
The late songwriter Laura Nyro ("And When I Die", "Eli's Coming", "Wedding Bell Blues" and many others) was born in 1947.
Today in 1969, the song "I Can't Get Next to You" by the Temptations topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.
In 1956, 21 year old Elvis Presley pulled into a Memphis gas station where he started to attract a crowd of autograph seekers. After repeatedly asking Elvis to move on so he could resume normal business, station manager Edd Hopper slapped Presley on the head and finds himself on the receiving end of a punch in the eye from Elvis. Station employee Aubrey Brown tries to help his boss, but is no match for Presley. After police are called, Hopper and Brown are charged with assault and are eventually fined $25 and $15 respectively.
The Jackson 5 made their US network TV debut on Hollywood Palace in 1968. The group included Jackie (18), Tito (15), Jermaine (14), Marlon (12) and Michael (10).
Dickie Goodman had the best selling single in the US in 1975, with the novelty tune, "Mr. Jaws", which mixed his rapid-fire mock interviews with answers that were snipped from contemporary hit singles. Goodman first entered the US charts in 1956 when he and his partner Bill Buchanan used a similar format on a record called "The Flying Saucer".
At a Rock 'n' Roll revival concert at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1968, Bill Haley was given an eight minute standing ovation.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience played its first major show backing Billy Hallyday at the Paris Olympia Theatre in 1966.
Richard Lester’s "How I Won The War” premiered in London in 1968. The anti-war film featured John Lennon as Corporal Gripweed. Lester directed the first two Beatle films (A Hard Day’s Night and Help!).
The Animals first UK tour as headliners opened in Manchester, England, in 1964 with Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent, Tommy Tucker and the Nashville Teens as supporting acts.
Charles ("Chuck") Berry was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1926.
Songwriter Cynthia Weil (wrote "Kicks", "On Broadway", "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and many others, usually with then-husband Barry Mann) is 71.
Happy birthday to Russ Gugiere- guitarist/vocalist with the Association ("Along Comes Mary").
REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath was born in Peoria, Illinois in 1949.
Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis was born in New Orleans in 1961.
History:
Paul McCartney made his debut with the Quarrymen in 1957, a skiffle group founded by John Lennon. He blows the solo on “Guitar Boogie.” The Quarrymen eventually became The Beatles and Paul switched to bass.
'The Graduate', starring Dustin Hoffman and featuring a soundtrack by Simon and Garfunkel, was released in 1967.
Jimi Hendrix's version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" was released in 1968. "Before I came to England, I was digging a lot of the things Bob Dylan was doing," Jimi said. "He is giving me inspiration."
John Lennon and Yoko Ono were busted for possession of marijuana in 1968. The bust, while not a major deal in England, was used in the 1970s as the reason the U.S. government didn’t want Lennon to immigrate. Actually, the government felt Lennon was a political radical/troublemaker.
'Easy Rider', starring Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson, was released in 1969.
The Band’s masterful self-titled second album - which contains such classics as “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” – entered Billboard’s album chart in 1969. It reached #9 and eventually went platinum (1 million copies sold).
The late songwriter Laura Nyro ("And When I Die", "Eli's Coming", "Wedding Bell Blues" and many others) was born in 1947.
Today in 1969, the song "I Can't Get Next to You" by the Temptations topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.
In 1956, 21 year old Elvis Presley pulled into a Memphis gas station where he started to attract a crowd of autograph seekers. After repeatedly asking Elvis to move on so he could resume normal business, station manager Edd Hopper slapped Presley on the head and finds himself on the receiving end of a punch in the eye from Elvis. Station employee Aubrey Brown tries to help his boss, but is no match for Presley. After police are called, Hopper and Brown are charged with assault and are eventually fined $25 and $15 respectively.
The Jackson 5 made their US network TV debut on Hollywood Palace in 1968. The group included Jackie (18), Tito (15), Jermaine (14), Marlon (12) and Michael (10).
Dickie Goodman had the best selling single in the US in 1975, with the novelty tune, "Mr. Jaws", which mixed his rapid-fire mock interviews with answers that were snipped from contemporary hit singles. Goodman first entered the US charts in 1956 when he and his partner Bill Buchanan used a similar format on a record called "The Flying Saucer".
At a Rock 'n' Roll revival concert at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1968, Bill Haley was given an eight minute standing ovation.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience played its first major show backing Billy Hallyday at the Paris Olympia Theatre in 1966.
Richard Lester’s "How I Won The War” premiered in London in 1968. The anti-war film featured John Lennon as Corporal Gripweed. Lester directed the first two Beatle films (A Hard Day’s Night and Help!).
The Animals first UK tour as headliners opened in Manchester, England, in 1964 with Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent, Tommy Tucker and the Nashville Teens as supporting acts.
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