The Beatles - Devil in Her Heart
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Rock & Roll Tidbits
After Nino Tempo and April Stevens hastily recorded a song called "Deep Purple", the master tape was sent to Atlantic Records producer Ahmet Ertegun, who said that the effort was not only embarrassing, but the worst thing Nino and April had ever done. After some pressure from Nino, Ertegun gave in and released the song as a single. It quickly soared to #1 on the Billboard Pop chart and enjoyed a twelve week run. The following year it won a Grammy Award for the Best Rock and Roll Recording of 1963.
Although she is mostly remembered for her hit "Stand By Your Man,” country singer Tammy Wynette has been married five times.
Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote "The Loco-Motion" with the hope that Dee Dee Sharp would record it. For the demo, they asked their infant daughter's baby sitter, Eva Boyd to sing the song. Sharp's producers turned it down, but their publishing firm liked the demo so much, they released it as a single, giving Little Eva a number one record.
The videos for Neil Young’s song “This Note’s For You” lampooned corporate rock sponsorship. The video featured a faux Michael Jackson with his hair on fire, an obvious reference to the accident that occurred while the gloved one was shooting a Pepsi commercial. Stunned MTV immediately banned the video, only to declare it Best Video of the Year at the 1989 Video Music Awards.
In the fall of 1958, Neil Diamond entered New York University on a fencing scholarship.
Brothers Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks took sibling rivalry to new heights. Dining in a Manhattan establishment in 1971, Dave tried to steal one of Ray’s french fries and was promptly stabbed in the chest with a fork by Ray.
Payback came during a Boston performance of the Kinks rock epic, “Preservation,” when Dave was so mad at his brother that he left the stage and played the whole show from behind a curtain.
Bobby Vinton found his biggest hit, "Roses Are Red" in a pile of reject demo records while he was waiting to be told of his release from his recording contract. He talked Epic Records management into letting him record the song and soon after, he and the label had their first million selling, number one smash.
Gale Garnett, who sang the Top 40 song, "We'll Sing In The Sunshine,” appeared in a number of episodes of the TV show Bonanza.
Madonna is a glutton for publicity. In a 1994 appearance on the David Letterman Show, she said the “F-Word” a total of thirteen times. Then she demanded that Letterman sniff her undies, to which a startled Letterman declined to do.
None of The Beatles played instruments on "Eleanor Rigby” though John Lennon and George Harrison did contribute harmony and backing vocals. Instead, Paul McCartney used a string octet of studio musicians, composed of four violins, two cellos, and two violas all working off a score written by producer George Martin.
The Eagles were not satisfied with record producer Glyn Johns. In fact, while they were recording their LP “Desperado” in 1973, drummer Don Henley asked Johns to make him sound like Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. But John’s could only sigh and say, “You don’t play like John Bonham.”
Shock rock artist G.G.Allin had his share of classic escapades during his brief career (he died in 1993 from a heroin and cocaine overdose). Before a gig in New York, Allin entered a women’s restroom and asked for a volunteer to urinate in his mouth. One gal declined, but did give him the sanitary product that she had just removed. As Allin explained: “I just ate it right in front of her, just swallowed the whole thing.”
Even in death, strange circumstances followed G.G.Allin. He was buried in a leather jacket and a jockstrap upon which was written the epitaph “Eat Me.” At his open-coffin funeral, a microphone was positioned in his hand as well as a bottle of Jim Beam bourbon. His friends all took turns taking swigs from the bottle and put pills into the corpse’s mouth. Others pulled down the jockstrap, posed for pictures and drew on Allin’s corpse with a marker. Some friends.
In 1977, Pink Floyd created a forty-foot inflatable pig for a photo shoot. However, during the session, the renegade pig broke free from its moorings and drifted toward London’s Heathrow Airport. Pilots approaching Heathrow were amused to hear British aviation officials warn, “Pig on the loose!” The Pink Floyd pig eventually crashed into a farmer’s field and no injuries were reported. I guess pigs really do fly, or at least they did for one day.
Although she is mostly remembered for her hit "Stand By Your Man,” country singer Tammy Wynette has been married five times.
Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote "The Loco-Motion" with the hope that Dee Dee Sharp would record it. For the demo, they asked their infant daughter's baby sitter, Eva Boyd to sing the song. Sharp's producers turned it down, but their publishing firm liked the demo so much, they released it as a single, giving Little Eva a number one record.
The videos for Neil Young’s song “This Note’s For You” lampooned corporate rock sponsorship. The video featured a faux Michael Jackson with his hair on fire, an obvious reference to the accident that occurred while the gloved one was shooting a Pepsi commercial. Stunned MTV immediately banned the video, only to declare it Best Video of the Year at the 1989 Video Music Awards.
In the fall of 1958, Neil Diamond entered New York University on a fencing scholarship.
Brothers Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks took sibling rivalry to new heights. Dining in a Manhattan establishment in 1971, Dave tried to steal one of Ray’s french fries and was promptly stabbed in the chest with a fork by Ray.
Payback came during a Boston performance of the Kinks rock epic, “Preservation,” when Dave was so mad at his brother that he left the stage and played the whole show from behind a curtain.
Bobby Vinton found his biggest hit, "Roses Are Red" in a pile of reject demo records while he was waiting to be told of his release from his recording contract. He talked Epic Records management into letting him record the song and soon after, he and the label had their first million selling, number one smash.
Gale Garnett, who sang the Top 40 song, "We'll Sing In The Sunshine,” appeared in a number of episodes of the TV show Bonanza.
Madonna is a glutton for publicity. In a 1994 appearance on the David Letterman Show, she said the “F-Word” a total of thirteen times. Then she demanded that Letterman sniff her undies, to which a startled Letterman declined to do.
None of The Beatles played instruments on "Eleanor Rigby” though John Lennon and George Harrison did contribute harmony and backing vocals. Instead, Paul McCartney used a string octet of studio musicians, composed of four violins, two cellos, and two violas all working off a score written by producer George Martin.
The Eagles were not satisfied with record producer Glyn Johns. In fact, while they were recording their LP “Desperado” in 1973, drummer Don Henley asked Johns to make him sound like Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. But John’s could only sigh and say, “You don’t play like John Bonham.”
Shock rock artist G.G.Allin had his share of classic escapades during his brief career (he died in 1993 from a heroin and cocaine overdose). Before a gig in New York, Allin entered a women’s restroom and asked for a volunteer to urinate in his mouth. One gal declined, but did give him the sanitary product that she had just removed. As Allin explained: “I just ate it right in front of her, just swallowed the whole thing.”
Even in death, strange circumstances followed G.G.Allin. He was buried in a leather jacket and a jockstrap upon which was written the epitaph “Eat Me.” At his open-coffin funeral, a microphone was positioned in his hand as well as a bottle of Jim Beam bourbon. His friends all took turns taking swigs from the bottle and put pills into the corpse’s mouth. Others pulled down the jockstrap, posed for pictures and drew on Allin’s corpse with a marker. Some friends.
In 1977, Pink Floyd created a forty-foot inflatable pig for a photo shoot. However, during the session, the renegade pig broke free from its moorings and drifted toward London’s Heathrow Airport. Pilots approaching Heathrow were amused to hear British aviation officials warn, “Pig on the loose!” The Pink Floyd pig eventually crashed into a farmer’s field and no injuries were reported. I guess pigs really do fly, or at least they did for one day.
EXODUS: 'Let There Be Blood'
EXODUS: 'Let There Be Blood' Released On Limited-Edition Red Vinyl - Jan. 31, 2009
"Let There Be Blood", the controversial re-recording of EXODUS' classic 1985 debut album "Bonded by Blood", has been released on limited-edition red vinyl. Only 2,500 numbered copies are available via Zaentz Records' web site. Zaentz Records
"Let There Be Blood" sold 2,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Issued on October 28 through Zaentz Records, the CD was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California; JKZ Production Studio in San Rafael, California; with vocal tracks recorded at J. Rod Production Studios in New City, New York. Andy Sneap mixed the album at his Backstage studio in Derbyshire, England.
Regarding the band's decision to re-record "Bonded By Blood", guitarist Gary Holt previously said: "It is our way of paying homage to Paul Baloff [former EXODUS vocalist who passed away in 2002] by showing how relevant these songs we had written together still are. We aren't trying to replace the original; that's impossible anyway. We are just giving these songs the benefit of modern production. It's something we talked about before Paul's death and it's always been important to us to do. We were super-excited about entering the studio once again to record these classics, and now it's back to writing the next studio record!"
New Vinyl Releases
Pick up these great vinyl releases here: http://tinyurl.com/aawcqu
New Releases for the week of 2/3/2009
Mr. Scruff/Get On Down & Hold On (feat. Andreya Triana)/Ninja Tuna/12InchSingle
Mr. Scruff/Music Takes Me Up (feat. Alice Russell)/Ninja Tuna/12InchSingle
S.P.A./Pets Dance/12" Single/Downtown Records
An Albatross/The An Albatross Family Album/Eyeball Records/LP
Andrew Bird/Noble Beast [2 LP] (in Gatefold Jacket)/Fat Possum
Antony And The Johnsons/The Crying Light/Secretly Canadian/LP
Astronautalis/Pomegranate/Eyeball Records/LP
Bad Plus/For All I Care/Telarc/LP/Also available as a numbered limited-edition autographed 180-gram 2-LP set with digital download card and bonus tracks: U2's ''New Years Day'' and Reid Anderson's ''You And I Is A Comfort Zone'"
Ben Kweller/Changing Horses/[2LP]/ATO
Black Gold/Rush/Red Bull/LP
Brian Eno & David Byrne/My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts [2 LP]/Nonesuch
Crispian St.Peters/The Pied Piper [2 LP]/Vinyl Lovers
Dawid Szczesny/Luxated Symmetry/[LP]/Porter Records
Dent May And His Magnificent/The Good Feeling Music Of Dent Paw Tracks/LP
Fear/The Record [LP] (180 Gram Vinyl)/Rhino
Fiction Family/Fiction Family/[LP]/(includes CD)/ATO
Fray/The Fray/[LP]/(with digital download)/Epic 88
Gong/Zero To Infinity [2 LP] (Picture Disc)/Vinyl Lovers
Herd (Peter Frampton)/The Fontana Years [2 LP]/Vinyl Lovers
Josh Reichmann Oracle Band/Life Is Legal/[EP]/Paperbag
Marty Paich /I Get A Boot Out Of You/[LP]/(180 Gram Vinyl Analog Mastering with insert)/Rhino Records
Michael Buble'/Totally Blonde Soundtrack/[10''] (Blue Vinyl)/Vinyl Lovers
Mike Bones/A Fool For Everyone/Social Registry/LP
My Chemical Romance/I Brought You My Bullets You/Eyeball Records/LP
Owen/The EP/Polyvinyl Records/LP
Ozric Tentacles/Erpland/[2 LP]/Vinyl Lovers
Ozric Tentacles/Sliding Gliding Worlds/[2 LP]/Vinyl Lovers This edition contains 9 bonus tracks from the 1986 cassette ''There is Nothing''.
Phosphorescent/To Willie/Dead Oceans/LP
R.L. Burnside/Ass Pocket of Whiskey/[2LP]/Fat Possum
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus/Lonely Road [LP]/Virgin
Rihanna/Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes/[2 LP]/(Dance Remixes)/Def Jam
Thursday/Waiting/Eyeball Records/EYE/LP
Vulture Whale/Vulture Whale/[LP]/MRI
Yeasayer/All Hour Cymbals/We Are Free/LP
Zero Boys/History Of/Secretly Canadian/LP
Zero Boys/Vicious Circle/Secretly Canadian/LP
New Releases for the week of 2/3/2009
Mr. Scruff/Get On Down & Hold On (feat. Andreya Triana)/Ninja Tuna/12InchSingle
Mr. Scruff/Music Takes Me Up (feat. Alice Russell)/Ninja Tuna/12InchSingle
S.P.A./Pets Dance/12" Single/Downtown Records
An Albatross/The An Albatross Family Album/Eyeball Records/LP
Andrew Bird/Noble Beast [2 LP] (in Gatefold Jacket)/Fat Possum
Antony And The Johnsons/The Crying Light/Secretly Canadian/LP
Astronautalis/Pomegranate/Eyeball Records/LP
Bad Plus/For All I Care/Telarc/LP/Also available as a numbered limited-edition autographed 180-gram 2-LP set with digital download card and bonus tracks: U2's ''New Years Day'' and Reid Anderson's ''You And I Is A Comfort Zone'"
Ben Kweller/Changing Horses/[2LP]/ATO
Black Gold/Rush/Red Bull/LP
Brian Eno & David Byrne/My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts [2 LP]/Nonesuch
Crispian St.Peters/The Pied Piper [2 LP]/Vinyl Lovers
Dawid Szczesny/Luxated Symmetry/[LP]/Porter Records
Dent May And His Magnificent/The Good Feeling Music Of Dent Paw Tracks/LP
Fear/The Record [LP] (180 Gram Vinyl)/Rhino
Fiction Family/Fiction Family/[LP]/(includes CD)/ATO
Fray/The Fray/[LP]/(with digital download)/Epic 88
Gong/Zero To Infinity [2 LP] (Picture Disc)/Vinyl Lovers
Herd (Peter Frampton)/The Fontana Years [2 LP]/Vinyl Lovers
Josh Reichmann Oracle Band/Life Is Legal/[EP]/Paperbag
Marty Paich /I Get A Boot Out Of You/[LP]/(180 Gram Vinyl Analog Mastering with insert)/Rhino Records
Michael Buble'/Totally Blonde Soundtrack/[10''] (Blue Vinyl)/Vinyl Lovers
Mike Bones/A Fool For Everyone/Social Registry/LP
My Chemical Romance/I Brought You My Bullets You/Eyeball Records/LP
Owen/The EP/Polyvinyl Records/LP
Ozric Tentacles/Erpland/[2 LP]/Vinyl Lovers
Ozric Tentacles/Sliding Gliding Worlds/[2 LP]/Vinyl Lovers This edition contains 9 bonus tracks from the 1986 cassette ''There is Nothing''.
Phosphorescent/To Willie/Dead Oceans/LP
R.L. Burnside/Ass Pocket of Whiskey/[2LP]/Fat Possum
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus/Lonely Road [LP]/Virgin
Rihanna/Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes/[2 LP]/(Dance Remixes)/Def Jam
Thursday/Waiting/Eyeball Records/EYE/LP
Vulture Whale/Vulture Whale/[LP]/MRI
Yeasayer/All Hour Cymbals/We Are Free/LP
Zero Boys/History Of/Secretly Canadian/LP
Zero Boys/Vicious Circle/Secretly Canadian/LP
This Date In Music History-February 1
Birthdays:
Bob Shane- Kingston Trio (1934)
Ray Sawyer- Dr Hook (1937)
Don Everly- Everly Brothers (1937)
Mike Campbell- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1954)
Lisa Marie Presley (1968)
Patrick Wilson- Weezer (1969)
Exene Cervenka, co-leader and singer of the Californian punk band X, was born in Chicago in 1956.
Big Boi- Outkast (1975)
They Are Missed:
Rick James, US singer and Super Freak was born in 1948. Found dead at his Los Angeles home on August 6, 2004.
Paul Robi from The Platters died of cancer in 1989.
History:
In 1949, RCA Records issued the first ever 45rpm single.
In 1962, the Beatles played the Thistle Cafe in West Kirkby, England. It was their first gig under the management of Brian Epstein.
Joni Mitchell made her Carnegie Hall debut in 1969.
In 1964, the governor of Indiana asked the Indiana Broadcasters Association to ban "Louie Louie," claiming the Kingsmen's song was pornographic and made his ears tingle. DJs claim that it's impossible to decipher the true lyrics in the allegedly smutty hit.
Frank Sinatra sang "Too Romantic" and "The Sky Fell Down" in his first recording session with the Tommy Dorsey Band in 1940. Frank replaced Jack Leonard as lead singer with the band.
In 2008, US space agency Nasa announced that “Across the Universe” by the Beatles was to become the first song ever to be beamed directly into space. The track would be transmitted through the Deep Space Network - a network of antennas - on the 40th anniversary of the song being recorded, being aimed at the North Star, Polaris, 431 light-years from Earth. In a message to Nasa, Sir Paul McCartney said the project was an "amazing" feat. "Well done, Nasa," he added. "Send my love to the aliens. All the best, Paul."
In 2004, Janet Jackson inadvertently bared her breast when Justin Timberlake tugs at her costume during the Super Bowl half-time show in Houston, Texas.
George Michael and Elton John went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1992 with “Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” also #1 in the UK. All proceeds from the single went to Aids charities.
In 1988, the Cars announced they were breaking up after 12 years of working together.
In 1969, Led Zeppelin supported Iron Butterfly at the Fillmore East concert hall in New York. As Butterfly drummer Ron Bushy played his lengthy solo on "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," John Bonham launched a stage invasion, upsetting several Atlantic Records executives in the audience.
Tommy James and the Shondells started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1969 with “Crimson And Clover,” the groups second and last #1.
At Abbey Road studios in London in 1967, the Beatles started work on a new song “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.” It wasn't until the Beatles had recorded the song that Paul McCartney had the idea to make the song the thematic pivot for their forthcoming album.
17 year-old Neil Young performed his first professional date at a country club in Winnipeg in 1963.
Neil Sedaka had his second US #1 single in 1975 with “Laughter In The Rain,” over 12 years after his last chart topper “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.”
Bob Shane- Kingston Trio (1934)
Ray Sawyer- Dr Hook (1937)
Don Everly- Everly Brothers (1937)
Mike Campbell- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1954)
Lisa Marie Presley (1968)
Patrick Wilson- Weezer (1969)
Exene Cervenka, co-leader and singer of the Californian punk band X, was born in Chicago in 1956.
Big Boi- Outkast (1975)
They Are Missed:
Rick James, US singer and Super Freak was born in 1948. Found dead at his Los Angeles home on August 6, 2004.
Paul Robi from The Platters died of cancer in 1989.
History:
In 1949, RCA Records issued the first ever 45rpm single.
In 1962, the Beatles played the Thistle Cafe in West Kirkby, England. It was their first gig under the management of Brian Epstein.
Joni Mitchell made her Carnegie Hall debut in 1969.
In 1964, the governor of Indiana asked the Indiana Broadcasters Association to ban "Louie Louie," claiming the Kingsmen's song was pornographic and made his ears tingle. DJs claim that it's impossible to decipher the true lyrics in the allegedly smutty hit.
Frank Sinatra sang "Too Romantic" and "The Sky Fell Down" in his first recording session with the Tommy Dorsey Band in 1940. Frank replaced Jack Leonard as lead singer with the band.
In 2008, US space agency Nasa announced that “Across the Universe” by the Beatles was to become the first song ever to be beamed directly into space. The track would be transmitted through the Deep Space Network - a network of antennas - on the 40th anniversary of the song being recorded, being aimed at the North Star, Polaris, 431 light-years from Earth. In a message to Nasa, Sir Paul McCartney said the project was an "amazing" feat. "Well done, Nasa," he added. "Send my love to the aliens. All the best, Paul."
In 2004, Janet Jackson inadvertently bared her breast when Justin Timberlake tugs at her costume during the Super Bowl half-time show in Houston, Texas.
George Michael and Elton John went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1992 with “Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” also #1 in the UK. All proceeds from the single went to Aids charities.
In 1988, the Cars announced they were breaking up after 12 years of working together.
In 1969, Led Zeppelin supported Iron Butterfly at the Fillmore East concert hall in New York. As Butterfly drummer Ron Bushy played his lengthy solo on "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," John Bonham launched a stage invasion, upsetting several Atlantic Records executives in the audience.
Tommy James and the Shondells started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1969 with “Crimson And Clover,” the groups second and last #1.
At Abbey Road studios in London in 1967, the Beatles started work on a new song “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.” It wasn't until the Beatles had recorded the song that Paul McCartney had the idea to make the song the thematic pivot for their forthcoming album.
17 year-old Neil Young performed his first professional date at a country club in Winnipeg in 1963.
Neil Sedaka had his second US #1 single in 1975 with “Laughter In The Rain,” over 12 years after his last chart topper “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.”
Album Cover Art
The Heartless Bastards
I found this cover to be very interesting, I am sure there is a reason for this great collage.
The Heartless Bastards' story starts in Dayton, Ohio, where Wennerstrom found the name on a multiple choice video trivia game at a bar.
As a songwriting teenager during a time when GBV and Brainiac were packing local bars and three of the Breeders were still in town, Wennerstrom used to sneak into clubs to check out the scene. "I would just see those people—my music heroes—hanging out at the bar like everyone else," she remembers. "I could see myself in them. It gave me inspiration to do my own thing."
After doing the usual business of playing local shows, the trio set out the following year on a regional tour. One of the first gigs of the trip took them to a bar in Akron, where Black Keys' drummer Patrick Carney just happened to be one of only a handful of people in the audience. This chance encounter led Wennerstrom and the Heartless Bastards to Fat Possum Records, with whom they released their debut, Stairs and Elevators, in early 2005.
The band moved on with critical praise in their back pocket, including a four-and-a-half star review from Rolling Stone, which took note that, when Wennerstrom “opens her throat on Stairs and Elevators … she sounds like she’s wailing on the shoulders of giants; her sad and angry vocals channeling all the swagger and spit of a young Robert Plant”
All This Time, was released during the summer of 2006, it received even more widespread critical acclaim than Stairs and Elevators. The Bastards played hundreds of shows to support the record. They played huge festivals and toured with Wilco & Lucinda Williams. Wennerstrom’s songs appeared often on TV shows & in films, this would be measured by most as a huge success. Though in Wennerstrom’s mind her sound and band were still evolving, and she knew it was time for a change.
In true ascetic discipline, she moved to Austin, Texas in 2007 for a change of inspirational scenery and a new recording project. With the help of producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Trail of Dead), she assembled a group of musicians with whom she gave the songs life and uncovered yet another layer of herself and the Heartless Bastards. The two new Bastards aren’t Texas ringers, but fellow Dayton brethren Dave Colvin on drums, and Jesse Ebaugh on bass, who actually played on the original demo that hooked Fat Possum.
The album, entitled The Mountain, delivers the powerful howl that fans expect from the Heartless Bastards, but also weaves in adventure with mandolins, banjos, strings and Erika’s transcendent voice.
The Mountain, a powerful howl, is due in January 2009, and the band will tour its ass off.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Rock & Roll Tidbits
"I'm A Believer,” the Monkees’ follow-up to their number one hit, "Last Train To Clarksville" was a million seller before it was even released, due to over 1 million advance orders.
Although many fans thought that the Beatles "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" was about LSD, John Lennon would later say that he got the inspiration for the song from a picture that his son Julian had painted at school.
John Lennon deliberately wrote nonsense words to "I Am The Walrus" to throw off listeners who tried to find hidden meanings in his lyrics.
It’s said that Beatle George Harrison really appreciated the true talent of the Spice Girls. “The good thing about them,” the quiet Beatle mused, “Is that you can look at them with the sound turned down.”
In 1956, Micky and Sylvia recorded the million selling "Love Is Strange.” After the duo split in 1961, Micky Baker would write several guitar instruction books, including the best seller "Jazz Guitar.” Sylvia Vanderpool co-founded All Platinum Records and co-wrote The Moments 1970 gold record "Love On A Two Way Street.”
To say Kurt Cobain was a bit sloppy is an understatement. Routinely, his house was littered with garbage and rotting food. When the Cobain’s tried to hire a maid, she ran out of their house screaming that “Satan lives here!”
When Alice Cooper and his band mates auditioned for musician Frank Zappa, he put his hands over his ears and screamed: “Alright, alright I’ll sign you! I’ll sign you! Just stop playing!” He wanted the band to become a comedy act called Alice’s Cookies.
Alice Cooper’s band invited a prospective manager to attend on of their gigs and soon after the group started playing, the crowd of more than 3,000 people got up and left. This actually impressed the manager, he stated, “Do you know how hard it is to get three thousand people to do anything all at once!”
David Bowie proposed to his first wife Angie with the words: “Can you handle the fact that I don’t love you?”
Rocker John Mellencamp was born with spina bifida, a potentially crippling neural tube defect that required surgery and a lengthy hospitalization.
Despite having a long list of hit records to her credit, there were two more that Cher could have had. In 1973 she was offered "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia,” but turned it down. Vicki Lawrence took it to number one. She also had first crack at "Angie Baby" in 1974, but again felt it wasn't her kind of song. Helen Reddy's version would top the US chart.
The Strawberry Alarm Clock had a 1967, number one hit with "Incense and Peppermints.” As a part of their live act, drummer Randy Seol played the bongos with his hands on fire.
Apparently playing guitar for Fleetwood Mac drove musicians crazy. Guitarist Peter Green would cry while watching the TV news, wore white robes onstage and fought very hard to give all the band’s money away to charity. In fact, when the band’s manager tried to present Green with a royalty check, Green attached him with an air rifle and was sent away to a mental hospital.
Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer was a bit eccentric. He traveled with a tiny bible sewn into the lining of his coat and he filled condoms with milk and would hang them from the pegs of his guitar. In Hawaii, he left the hotel where they were staying, stating: “I’ll be right back.” However, he changed his name to Jonathan and joined a religious cult known as the “Children of God.”
In 1972, Fleetwood Mac guitarist Danny Kirwan got so stressed out that five minutes before a gig, he vanished into a bathroom, bashed his head against the all, smashed his guitar, and stated: “I’m not going on.” He wound up watching the gig from the soundboard and was later admitted to a mental institution.
Before Neil Young joined Crosby, Stills and Nash, the original trio had already asked George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood to become the fourth member of their group.
Paul Simon took the title of his song "Mother and Child Reunion" from the name of a chicken-and-egg dish he saw on a Chinese restaurant's menu.
Trent Reznor of Nine Inch nails really disliked Axl Rose. According to Reznor, the Guns N’ Roses front man was surrounded by people who said things like: “Yes, Mr. Rose, that does smell good, can I flush it for you?”
If you listen carefully to Marvin Gaye's 1971 smash "What's Going On,” you can hear former Detroit Lions Mel Farr and Lem Barney talking and singing in the background.
During the recording of Ted Nugent's 1976 album "Free For All,” singer / guitarist Derek St. Holmes left the band for personal reasons. A singer named Marvin Aday, who would one day be known as Meat Loaf, replaced him on five songs.
Although many fans thought that the Beatles "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" was about LSD, John Lennon would later say that he got the inspiration for the song from a picture that his son Julian had painted at school.
John Lennon deliberately wrote nonsense words to "I Am The Walrus" to throw off listeners who tried to find hidden meanings in his lyrics.
It’s said that Beatle George Harrison really appreciated the true talent of the Spice Girls. “The good thing about them,” the quiet Beatle mused, “Is that you can look at them with the sound turned down.”
In 1956, Micky and Sylvia recorded the million selling "Love Is Strange.” After the duo split in 1961, Micky Baker would write several guitar instruction books, including the best seller "Jazz Guitar.” Sylvia Vanderpool co-founded All Platinum Records and co-wrote The Moments 1970 gold record "Love On A Two Way Street.”
To say Kurt Cobain was a bit sloppy is an understatement. Routinely, his house was littered with garbage and rotting food. When the Cobain’s tried to hire a maid, she ran out of their house screaming that “Satan lives here!”
When Alice Cooper and his band mates auditioned for musician Frank Zappa, he put his hands over his ears and screamed: “Alright, alright I’ll sign you! I’ll sign you! Just stop playing!” He wanted the band to become a comedy act called Alice’s Cookies.
Alice Cooper’s band invited a prospective manager to attend on of their gigs and soon after the group started playing, the crowd of more than 3,000 people got up and left. This actually impressed the manager, he stated, “Do you know how hard it is to get three thousand people to do anything all at once!”
David Bowie proposed to his first wife Angie with the words: “Can you handle the fact that I don’t love you?”
Rocker John Mellencamp was born with spina bifida, a potentially crippling neural tube defect that required surgery and a lengthy hospitalization.
Despite having a long list of hit records to her credit, there were two more that Cher could have had. In 1973 she was offered "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia,” but turned it down. Vicki Lawrence took it to number one. She also had first crack at "Angie Baby" in 1974, but again felt it wasn't her kind of song. Helen Reddy's version would top the US chart.
The Strawberry Alarm Clock had a 1967, number one hit with "Incense and Peppermints.” As a part of their live act, drummer Randy Seol played the bongos with his hands on fire.
Apparently playing guitar for Fleetwood Mac drove musicians crazy. Guitarist Peter Green would cry while watching the TV news, wore white robes onstage and fought very hard to give all the band’s money away to charity. In fact, when the band’s manager tried to present Green with a royalty check, Green attached him with an air rifle and was sent away to a mental hospital.
Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer was a bit eccentric. He traveled with a tiny bible sewn into the lining of his coat and he filled condoms with milk and would hang them from the pegs of his guitar. In Hawaii, he left the hotel where they were staying, stating: “I’ll be right back.” However, he changed his name to Jonathan and joined a religious cult known as the “Children of God.”
In 1972, Fleetwood Mac guitarist Danny Kirwan got so stressed out that five minutes before a gig, he vanished into a bathroom, bashed his head against the all, smashed his guitar, and stated: “I’m not going on.” He wound up watching the gig from the soundboard and was later admitted to a mental institution.
Before Neil Young joined Crosby, Stills and Nash, the original trio had already asked George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood to become the fourth member of their group.
Paul Simon took the title of his song "Mother and Child Reunion" from the name of a chicken-and-egg dish he saw on a Chinese restaurant's menu.
Trent Reznor of Nine Inch nails really disliked Axl Rose. According to Reznor, the Guns N’ Roses front man was surrounded by people who said things like: “Yes, Mr. Rose, that does smell good, can I flush it for you?”
If you listen carefully to Marvin Gaye's 1971 smash "What's Going On,” you can hear former Detroit Lions Mel Farr and Lem Barney talking and singing in the background.
During the recording of Ted Nugent's 1976 album "Free For All,” singer / guitarist Derek St. Holmes left the band for personal reasons. A singer named Marvin Aday, who would one day be known as Meat Loaf, replaced him on five songs.
Album Cover Art
Continuing the series about album cover art, let's look at a 1972 LP from Dianne Davidson. When I first saw it, I was impressed with the amount of color, check it out
Music News & Notes
Nash & CSN News
On his way to Rolling Stone headquarters in New York to talk about his new three-CD career spanning box set, Graham Nash was thinking about a song he wrote more than 40 years ago. “I was seduced by a beautiful woman down in Long Island,” Nash says. “She was married. The song is a confession to a friend.”
The song is one of 64 tracks on "Reflections," which will trace Nash's career from the Hollies, through the many incarnations of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, to his recent solo work.
“I went through 44 versions of the set before I settled on this one,” he stated. “It was painful for me because I’m not for introspection or resting on my laurels. A lot of the musical soundtrack to my life is on this box set.”
Nash also plans on hitting the road this summer for Crosby, Stills and Nash’s 40th anniversary tour. The iconic trio are also in the early stages of recording a new covers album under the guidance of legendary producerRick Rubin.
=====================================
White Stripes Auction
White Stripes drummer Meg White is donating a drum kit to auction off as part of a fundraiser for Detroit music scene legend Jim Shaw. Shaw was recently diagnosed with cancer.
The drum kit, which is from the Stripes' 2003 video "The Hardest Button To Button," will be auctioned off online. Besides the drum kit, the auction includes photographs and other pieces of art.
For more details about the benefit, visit the Jim Shaw Fundraiser MySpace page.
Jim Shaw MySpace
=====================================
Country Star Rich Pens Song For Autoworkers
Country super star John Rich — of the duo Big & Rich — has written a song/anthem called "Shuttin' Detroit Down" to help the embattled auto workers in their time of need. Rich premiered it this week on Detroit's WYCD-FM and has been performing it during a radio station tour.
The Detroit Free Press reported on Friday that the host of the "AfterMidNite" country program that is heard on more than 250 outlets says the initial reaction to the song have been strong. A Warner Bros. spokeswoman says it rushed a copy of the song to radio stations and had no idea it would explode.
The chorus begins, "In the real world, they're shuttin' Detroit down, while the boss-man takes his bonus and jets on out of town."
Now, if he would donoate the proceeds to help laid off auto workers......
=====================================
Springsteen calls Wal-Mart deal a mistake
The Boss is owning up to a mistake.
In an interview with The New York Times, Bruce Springsteen says he shouldn't have inked an exclusive deal with Wal-Mart. Starting this month, the giant retailer started selling a Springsteen greatest-hits CD.
Some lontime fans were critical because Springsteen has been a longtime supporter of worker's rights and Wal-Mart has faced criticism for its labor practices. Springsteen's marketing team didn't explore the issue as closely as it should have and that he "dropped the ball on it," he told the New York Times for a story that will be published in the Sunday editions.
According to the boss: "It was a mistake. Our batting average is usually very good, but we missed that one. Fans will call you on that stuff, as it should be."
"Millions of Springsteen fans have counted on Wal-Mart over the years to deliver his music into their lives, and we it will continue to offer those fans this 'Greatest Hits' exclusive and his other popular albums at unbeatable prices," Wal-Mart said in a statement, adding: "We are proud of the good jobs, benefits and career opportunities we provide to more than 1.4 million U.S. associates who choose to work at Wal-Mart and serve our customers every day."
Springsteen released his new CD "Working on a Dream" this week and will be performing the halftime show at the Super Bowl.
=====================================
Germany's RITUAL To Release New Album In March - Jan. 30, 2009
German hardcore band RITUAL will release its new album, "Beneath Aging Flesh And Bone", on March 17 via Reflections Records. According to a press release, RITUAL has "created a record that combines melody, heaviness, anger and angst to an absolute hardcore masterpiece." "Beneath Aging Flesh And Bone" is "the best, the smartest, the most reflected and above all, the darkest material that RITUAL has written so far."
The CD comes in a deluxe digipack and LP in gatefold sleeve and in the following colors:
* 250 x transparent blue vinyl
* 250 x transparent blue/black splatter vinyl
* 500 x solid white vinyl
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/ritualeurope.
=====================================
Grammy Awards
Kid Rock, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Rihanna, and U2 are the latest performers announced for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.
They join previously announced performers Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Jennifer Hudson, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, Paul McCartney (with special guest drummer Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters), Katy Perry, Radiohead, T.I. and Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, and Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Kanye West in a special performance of their hit single "Swagga Like Us."
=====================================
Punk Singer Dies
John McCarthy, the singer for '80s Boston punk metal pioneers Post Mortem, has died at age 40. The group's guitarist John Alexander wrote on Myspace, " He was/is one of my oldest friends. An interesting character with many great stories to tell, he will be missed..... We had just finished recording the music for a new Post Mortem record (John wrote most of the words for it.) The vocals were not done and John was planning on doing his vocals in February. His goal of making another Post Mortem record has ended. This band was everything to him. I think we'll finish it up somehow and dedicate it to him....."
=====================================
Super Furry Animals LP
Super Furry Animals are putting the finishing touches to their ninth studio album and it will be released this Spring. The album will first be released digitally on March 16 through the band's official website, with a physical format following on April 13 for the UK and April 21 for the US.
=====================================
Metallica Working Hard
Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo recently spoke with LiveDaily. During the interview the topic of the band's future was brought up and Robert let drop that they are already working on new musical ideas. Here is that part of the exchange:
LiveDaily: What do you see for the future of Metallica? You have one more album left on your deal with Warner Bros., correct?
Trujillo: Basically, I don't know the technical details. I can only tell you this: outside of the business side of things — which is probably what you're asking me — on a creative level, the sky's the limit. To me, "Death Magnetic" is only a launch pad. We're already jamming on new ideas and new riffs. There's a rhythm-section thing that I'm feeling with Lars that I'd like to dive into even more so with the future. It's great to be playing thrashy, heavy riffs again, too. That's one of the things with this band — there's no shortage of musical ideas. When you check out some of the other bands that have been around for so many years, sometimes the hardest thing is to stay motivated. Sometimes bands will end up playing almost like — how do you say it? — a tribute scenario where they're playing all the hits all the time. That's cool. But the future of [that type of] band doesn't seem as interesting. I think we still got it in us to create interesting music and to get even better with it. That's kind of fun.
On his way to Rolling Stone headquarters in New York to talk about his new three-CD career spanning box set, Graham Nash was thinking about a song he wrote more than 40 years ago. “I was seduced by a beautiful woman down in Long Island,” Nash says. “She was married. The song is a confession to a friend.”
The song is one of 64 tracks on "Reflections," which will trace Nash's career from the Hollies, through the many incarnations of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, to his recent solo work.
“I went through 44 versions of the set before I settled on this one,” he stated. “It was painful for me because I’m not for introspection or resting on my laurels. A lot of the musical soundtrack to my life is on this box set.”
Nash also plans on hitting the road this summer for Crosby, Stills and Nash’s 40th anniversary tour. The iconic trio are also in the early stages of recording a new covers album under the guidance of legendary producerRick Rubin.
=====================================
White Stripes Auction
White Stripes drummer Meg White is donating a drum kit to auction off as part of a fundraiser for Detroit music scene legend Jim Shaw. Shaw was recently diagnosed with cancer.
The drum kit, which is from the Stripes' 2003 video "The Hardest Button To Button," will be auctioned off online. Besides the drum kit, the auction includes photographs and other pieces of art.
For more details about the benefit, visit the Jim Shaw Fundraiser MySpace page.
Jim Shaw MySpace
=====================================
Country Star Rich Pens Song For Autoworkers
Country super star John Rich — of the duo Big & Rich — has written a song/anthem called "Shuttin' Detroit Down" to help the embattled auto workers in their time of need. Rich premiered it this week on Detroit's WYCD-FM and has been performing it during a radio station tour.
The Detroit Free Press reported on Friday that the host of the "AfterMidNite" country program that is heard on more than 250 outlets says the initial reaction to the song have been strong. A Warner Bros. spokeswoman says it rushed a copy of the song to radio stations and had no idea it would explode.
The chorus begins, "In the real world, they're shuttin' Detroit down, while the boss-man takes his bonus and jets on out of town."
Now, if he would donoate the proceeds to help laid off auto workers......
=====================================
Springsteen calls Wal-Mart deal a mistake
The Boss is owning up to a mistake.
In an interview with The New York Times, Bruce Springsteen says he shouldn't have inked an exclusive deal with Wal-Mart. Starting this month, the giant retailer started selling a Springsteen greatest-hits CD.
Some lontime fans were critical because Springsteen has been a longtime supporter of worker's rights and Wal-Mart has faced criticism for its labor practices. Springsteen's marketing team didn't explore the issue as closely as it should have and that he "dropped the ball on it," he told the New York Times for a story that will be published in the Sunday editions.
According to the boss: "It was a mistake. Our batting average is usually very good, but we missed that one. Fans will call you on that stuff, as it should be."
"Millions of Springsteen fans have counted on Wal-Mart over the years to deliver his music into their lives, and we it will continue to offer those fans this 'Greatest Hits' exclusive and his other popular albums at unbeatable prices," Wal-Mart said in a statement, adding: "We are proud of the good jobs, benefits and career opportunities we provide to more than 1.4 million U.S. associates who choose to work at Wal-Mart and serve our customers every day."
Springsteen released his new CD "Working on a Dream" this week and will be performing the halftime show at the Super Bowl.
=====================================
Germany's RITUAL To Release New Album In March - Jan. 30, 2009
German hardcore band RITUAL will release its new album, "Beneath Aging Flesh And Bone", on March 17 via Reflections Records. According to a press release, RITUAL has "created a record that combines melody, heaviness, anger and angst to an absolute hardcore masterpiece." "Beneath Aging Flesh And Bone" is "the best, the smartest, the most reflected and above all, the darkest material that RITUAL has written so far."
The CD comes in a deluxe digipack and LP in gatefold sleeve and in the following colors:
* 250 x transparent blue vinyl
* 250 x transparent blue/black splatter vinyl
* 500 x solid white vinyl
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/ritualeurope.
=====================================
Grammy Awards
Kid Rock, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Rihanna, and U2 are the latest performers announced for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.
They join previously announced performers Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Jennifer Hudson, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, Paul McCartney (with special guest drummer Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters), Katy Perry, Radiohead, T.I. and Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, and Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Kanye West in a special performance of their hit single "Swagga Like Us."
=====================================
Punk Singer Dies
John McCarthy, the singer for '80s Boston punk metal pioneers Post Mortem, has died at age 40. The group's guitarist John Alexander wrote on Myspace, " He was/is one of my oldest friends. An interesting character with many great stories to tell, he will be missed..... We had just finished recording the music for a new Post Mortem record (John wrote most of the words for it.) The vocals were not done and John was planning on doing his vocals in February. His goal of making another Post Mortem record has ended. This band was everything to him. I think we'll finish it up somehow and dedicate it to him....."
=====================================
Super Furry Animals LP
Super Furry Animals are putting the finishing touches to their ninth studio album and it will be released this Spring. The album will first be released digitally on March 16 through the band's official website, with a physical format following on April 13 for the UK and April 21 for the US.
=====================================
Metallica Working Hard
Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo recently spoke with LiveDaily. During the interview the topic of the band's future was brought up and Robert let drop that they are already working on new musical ideas. Here is that part of the exchange:
LiveDaily: What do you see for the future of Metallica? You have one more album left on your deal with Warner Bros., correct?
Trujillo: Basically, I don't know the technical details. I can only tell you this: outside of the business side of things — which is probably what you're asking me — on a creative level, the sky's the limit. To me, "Death Magnetic" is only a launch pad. We're already jamming on new ideas and new riffs. There's a rhythm-section thing that I'm feeling with Lars that I'd like to dive into even more so with the future. It's great to be playing thrashy, heavy riffs again, too. That's one of the things with this band — there's no shortage of musical ideas. When you check out some of the other bands that have been around for so many years, sometimes the hardest thing is to stay motivated. Sometimes bands will end up playing almost like — how do you say it? — a tribute scenario where they're playing all the hits all the time. That's cool. But the future of [that type of] band doesn't seem as interesting. I think we still got it in us to create interesting music and to get even better with it. That's kind of fun.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Rock & Roll Tidbits
Rocky Burnette's "Tired Of Toein' The Line" was written in half an hour and was originally released as the "B" side of a single called "Clowns From Outerspace.” After EMI Records re-released it as an "A" side, the song became a #8 hit in the US.
The inspiration for Tommy Tutone's 1982 hit "867-5309 / Jenny" actually came from a girl named Jenny whose parent's phone number really was 867-5309.
In the late 60’s, Maurice Gibb (of the Bee Gees) loved to drive his cars, especially his Rolls-Royce. However, he had a problem; he was so short that he had to sit on a phone book to see over the hood.
Danny and The Juniors got their big break when they were called to fill in for a group that failed to show up for Dick Clark’s American Bandstand show in Philadelphia. They lip-synced "At The Hop,” which then took off like a rocket to #1 in the US. A few years later, Chubby Checker was invited to make his first TV appearance on Bandstand when Danny and The Juniors didn't show.
When Bob Dylan became a born-again Christian in 1978, he tried to convince his record producer Jerry Wexler to join the flock. No matter how hard he tried, Dylan’s efforts were futile as Wexler explained: “Bob, you’re dealing with a sixty-two year old confirmed Jewish atheist. I’m hopeless. Let’s just make an album.”
Elvis Presley was always known as a spiritual person. In fact, he always wore a Christian cross, a Star of David and the Hebrew letter Chi. As Presley stated: “I don’t want to miss out on Heaven due to a technicality.”
For a religious man, Elvis had some odd quirks, including shooting at television sets whenever annoying performers were on. One of his favorite ‘shoot the TV’ episodes was whenever singer Robert Goulet was on a show.
In the spring of 1966, jam rockers the Grateful Dead moved to Rancho Olompali off of California Highway 101. They posted a sign out front stating: “No Trespassing- Violators will Be Experimented Upon.”
Vocalist David Dee of the British rock group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, was a former policeman who was at the scene of the automobile accident that took the life of American rocker Eddie Cochran and injured Gene Vincent in April 1960. Dee rescued Cochran's guitar from the wreck and held it until it could be returned, undamaged, to Cochran's family.
It’s reported that while Fleetwood Mac was recording their legendary album “Rumors” in 1977, the group snorted so much cocaine that they insisted that their dealer be credited on the LP. The dilemma was solved when the dealer was killed before the album was released.
During this same recording session, Fleetwood Mac spent four days trying to tune a piano; then wound up bringing in nine different pianos- only to decide to not even use a piano after all.
While he was living with his fiancée Linda Ann Woodrow and his song writing partner Bernie Taupin, Elton John became depressed. But Taupin and Woodrow found him before he could harm himself. However, it was only a half-hearted attempt as Taupin explains: “He had his head in the gas range oven, but he only turned the gas on to low and left the kitchen window open. He even thought to take a cushion to rest his head on.”
After recording the iconic album “Pet Sounds,” Brian Wilson decided he needed to do some redecorating. So he turned his den (where his piano was located) into a giant sandbox so he could “feel the sand under his feet” as he wrote music.
Early manufacturers of Jukeboxes never referred to them as "jukeboxes,” they called them Automatic Coin-Operated Phonographs. The term "juke" is Southern US slang for dancing.
Keith Moon of the Who was one strange fellow. After his wife Kim left the rocking drummer in 1973 she sighed, “He’ll wake up in the morning and decide to be Adolph Hitler for the day. And he is Adolph Hitler.”
The late Freddie Mercury of Queen and his friends often enjoyed feasting on marijuana-filled brownies. On one particular rowdy night, the police arrived and asked the stoned rockers to quiet down. Mercury offered the officers some brownies, which they happily ate. Recalled Mercury, “I would love to have been a fly on the windscreen of their police car after about half an hour.”
In December, 1962, The Four Season's version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" reached number 23 on the Billboard singles chart. The song was originally a hit for George Hall in 1934.
The inspiration for Tommy Tutone's 1982 hit "867-5309 / Jenny" actually came from a girl named Jenny whose parent's phone number really was 867-5309.
In the late 60’s, Maurice Gibb (of the Bee Gees) loved to drive his cars, especially his Rolls-Royce. However, he had a problem; he was so short that he had to sit on a phone book to see over the hood.
Danny and The Juniors got their big break when they were called to fill in for a group that failed to show up for Dick Clark’s American Bandstand show in Philadelphia. They lip-synced "At The Hop,” which then took off like a rocket to #1 in the US. A few years later, Chubby Checker was invited to make his first TV appearance on Bandstand when Danny and The Juniors didn't show.
When Bob Dylan became a born-again Christian in 1978, he tried to convince his record producer Jerry Wexler to join the flock. No matter how hard he tried, Dylan’s efforts were futile as Wexler explained: “Bob, you’re dealing with a sixty-two year old confirmed Jewish atheist. I’m hopeless. Let’s just make an album.”
Elvis Presley was always known as a spiritual person. In fact, he always wore a Christian cross, a Star of David and the Hebrew letter Chi. As Presley stated: “I don’t want to miss out on Heaven due to a technicality.”
For a religious man, Elvis had some odd quirks, including shooting at television sets whenever annoying performers were on. One of his favorite ‘shoot the TV’ episodes was whenever singer Robert Goulet was on a show.
In the spring of 1966, jam rockers the Grateful Dead moved to Rancho Olompali off of California Highway 101. They posted a sign out front stating: “No Trespassing- Violators will Be Experimented Upon.”
Vocalist David Dee of the British rock group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, was a former policeman who was at the scene of the automobile accident that took the life of American rocker Eddie Cochran and injured Gene Vincent in April 1960. Dee rescued Cochran's guitar from the wreck and held it until it could be returned, undamaged, to Cochran's family.
It’s reported that while Fleetwood Mac was recording their legendary album “Rumors” in 1977, the group snorted so much cocaine that they insisted that their dealer be credited on the LP. The dilemma was solved when the dealer was killed before the album was released.
During this same recording session, Fleetwood Mac spent four days trying to tune a piano; then wound up bringing in nine different pianos- only to decide to not even use a piano after all.
While he was living with his fiancée Linda Ann Woodrow and his song writing partner Bernie Taupin, Elton John became depressed. But Taupin and Woodrow found him before he could harm himself. However, it was only a half-hearted attempt as Taupin explains: “He had his head in the gas range oven, but he only turned the gas on to low and left the kitchen window open. He even thought to take a cushion to rest his head on.”
After recording the iconic album “Pet Sounds,” Brian Wilson decided he needed to do some redecorating. So he turned his den (where his piano was located) into a giant sandbox so he could “feel the sand under his feet” as he wrote music.
Early manufacturers of Jukeboxes never referred to them as "jukeboxes,” they called them Automatic Coin-Operated Phonographs. The term "juke" is Southern US slang for dancing.
Keith Moon of the Who was one strange fellow. After his wife Kim left the rocking drummer in 1973 she sighed, “He’ll wake up in the morning and decide to be Adolph Hitler for the day. And he is Adolph Hitler.”
The late Freddie Mercury of Queen and his friends often enjoyed feasting on marijuana-filled brownies. On one particular rowdy night, the police arrived and asked the stoned rockers to quiet down. Mercury offered the officers some brownies, which they happily ate. Recalled Mercury, “I would love to have been a fly on the windscreen of their police car after about half an hour.”
In December, 1962, The Four Season's version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" reached number 23 on the Billboard singles chart. The song was originally a hit for George Hall in 1934.
Album Cover Art
Continuing our new feature, let's explore some great album cover art:
CANNIBAL CORPSE: "Evisceration Plague"
Want to see some awesome album cover art? Check out "Evisceration Plague," the new album from death metal veterans CANNIBAL CORPSE. "Evisceration Plague" is scheduled for release on February 3, 2009 via Metal Blade Records.
Commented bassist Alex Webster: "In CANNIBAL CORPSE, our goal has always been to try and make each new album we record our heaviest. That goal was a bit more challenging this time since we were extremely satisfied with our last album 'Kill', but we knew that by working with producer Erik Rutan at Mana Recording Studios again, we would be able to start at that same level of heaviness and take it even further. Now that we can hear the finished product, I would say we've been able to achieve this goal, and I think our fans will agree. 'Evisceration Plague' has the best guitar sound we've ever recorded, and the entire band has never played with more precision and power. We can't wait until you all get a chance to hear the album in early 2009, because we think you'll be as happy with it as we are."
"Evisceration Plague" will be available as a limited-edition digipack including a bonus track and bonus DVD, jewelcase CD and on limited splatter vinyl.
CANNIBAL CORPSE: "Evisceration Plague"
Want to see some awesome album cover art? Check out "Evisceration Plague," the new album from death metal veterans CANNIBAL CORPSE. "Evisceration Plague" is scheduled for release on February 3, 2009 via Metal Blade Records.
Commented bassist Alex Webster: "In CANNIBAL CORPSE, our goal has always been to try and make each new album we record our heaviest. That goal was a bit more challenging this time since we were extremely satisfied with our last album 'Kill', but we knew that by working with producer Erik Rutan at Mana Recording Studios again, we would be able to start at that same level of heaviness and take it even further. Now that we can hear the finished product, I would say we've been able to achieve this goal, and I think our fans will agree. 'Evisceration Plague' has the best guitar sound we've ever recorded, and the entire band has never played with more precision and power. We can't wait until you all get a chance to hear the album in early 2009, because we think you'll be as happy with it as we are."
"Evisceration Plague" will be available as a limited-edition digipack including a bonus track and bonus DVD, jewelcase CD and on limited splatter vinyl.
Music News & Notes
McCartney's Amoeba's Secret Released
(PR) On June 27, 2007, Paul McCartney and his great band shocked the music world by performing a surprise, first ever in-store concert at famed Los Angeles record shop, Amoeba Records. Four songs from this now legendary show were recorded and made available on limited edition vinyl entitled Amoeba's Secret. On January 27, 2009 this historic performance will be available exclusively in the U.S., for the first time ever on CD and digitally.
The CD is packaged in a unique edition mini-LP jacket and features four songs: "Only Mama Knows" and "That Was Me" from McCartney's Hear Music release Memory Almost Full, the obscure Wings gem "C Moon" and the Beatles classic "I Saw Her Standing There."
In December, McCartney received two 2009 Grammy Award nominations from Amoeba's Secret including Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "That Was Me" and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for "I Saw Her Standing There."
The lucky people who camped out for two days to attend this rare performance know how special that night was. Now the rest of us have a chance to experience one of popular music's true icons in such an unusual and intimate setting.
============================
Diamond To Give
Neil Diamond has turned over the profits from his latest tour's t-shirt and souvenir sales to the victims of last summer's hurricane Ike.
He told CNN, "Hurricane Ike hit southern Texas so fiercely and has been forgotten about by the rest of the country - but these people are still in desperate straits, and are in dire need of our help. I saw what was going on. The mayor of Houston took me around, and he told me about it and introduced me to some people.
"The next day, I drove down to some of the hardest-hit areas, and I just felt that I had to do something, and I felt that maybe my audience would help me out with it."
============================
Whiskey-A-Go-Go Ave
Mickey Dolenz (Monkees), John Densmore (Doors), Lou Adler, Jack Nicholson and Michelle Phillips (Mamas & the Papas) were among the people attending the unveiling of a street sign renaming the street outside of Whiskey-A-Go-Go after its late owner, Elmer Valentine. John Mayall and Johnny Rivers were among those who played a tribute show at the club.
(PR) On June 27, 2007, Paul McCartney and his great band shocked the music world by performing a surprise, first ever in-store concert at famed Los Angeles record shop, Amoeba Records. Four songs from this now legendary show were recorded and made available on limited edition vinyl entitled Amoeba's Secret. On January 27, 2009 this historic performance will be available exclusively in the U.S., for the first time ever on CD and digitally.
The CD is packaged in a unique edition mini-LP jacket and features four songs: "Only Mama Knows" and "That Was Me" from McCartney's Hear Music release Memory Almost Full, the obscure Wings gem "C Moon" and the Beatles classic "I Saw Her Standing There."
In December, McCartney received two 2009 Grammy Award nominations from Amoeba's Secret including Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "That Was Me" and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for "I Saw Her Standing There."
The lucky people who camped out for two days to attend this rare performance know how special that night was. Now the rest of us have a chance to experience one of popular music's true icons in such an unusual and intimate setting.
============================
Diamond To Give
Neil Diamond has turned over the profits from his latest tour's t-shirt and souvenir sales to the victims of last summer's hurricane Ike.
He told CNN, "Hurricane Ike hit southern Texas so fiercely and has been forgotten about by the rest of the country - but these people are still in desperate straits, and are in dire need of our help. I saw what was going on. The mayor of Houston took me around, and he told me about it and introduced me to some people.
"The next day, I drove down to some of the hardest-hit areas, and I just felt that I had to do something, and I felt that maybe my audience would help me out with it."
============================
Whiskey-A-Go-Go Ave
Mickey Dolenz (Monkees), John Densmore (Doors), Lou Adler, Jack Nicholson and Michelle Phillips (Mamas & the Papas) were among the people attending the unveiling of a street sign renaming the street outside of Whiskey-A-Go-Go after its late owner, Elmer Valentine. John Mayall and Johnny Rivers were among those who played a tribute show at the club.
[Vinyl fights on in a digital world]
Despite ease, popularity of music downloads vintage LPs maintain niche fan base
By: Elizabeth Ghiorso
A death match between vinyl and MP3 is like a standoff between Mr. Miyagi and Katy Perry. In other words, it's a fight between something awesome and something popular.
MP3s, like Katy Perry, are trendy, easy and cheap. However, for those who call themselves authentic audiophiles, nothing beats vinyl for depth and richness of sound.
The LP offers a complete experience and a culture all its own - a culture that has transcended all other music mediums and carried vinyl into the digital age.
Why are vinyl records still thriving after all this time? The answer is simple; vinyl records, like Mr. Miyagi, kick ass.
While iTunes may be shiny and hip, digital downloads don't come close to the record store experience. No degree of convenience beats the atmosphere, the crowd or the prices at the local vinyl shop. Even big record stores like Amoeba and huge, corporate mega-stores like Virgin bring music-lovers together and provide a common ground for punkers and pianists alike.
The record store is a social mecca - a place for exchange and free-expression. It's the only place where people can run their fingers along the tops of hundreds of record jackets until they find one that speaks to their situation, one that they just can't live without. iTunes is just a place to buy some music.
"When you listen to a record, you are listening to the music the way it was meant to be heard," said Johnny, the lead singer and guitarist of Chico's rockabilly/punk band The Shankers.
Johnny, who goes by the one-name moniker ala Prince, works at Melody Records, and when I walked in, he was about to sell a few LPs to Neem-I, a local DJ on KZFR who hosts the show Roots & Culture.
Neem-I was buying records for the first time because he had recently received some equipment that allowed him to spin vinyl, he said. He had been thinking about checking out some records for a long time and now he was "feelin' it."
Johnny related the difference between records and MP3s to that of driving an automatic or a stick shift.
"If you really want the experience of driving a car, you drive a stick," he said. "But if you want to pick your nose and just cruise, you drive an automatic.
Johnny also shed some light on the contrast from a musician's perspective.
"For a band, vinyl is a huge deal," he said. "Any Joe Blow can put something on CD, but it's a commitment to put something on vinyl."
The further into the vinyl community one gets, the more one realizes that vinyl records are personal to people. Each record is an individual entity and most have stories to go along with them.
"The first record I ever got - I blackmailed my sister to take me to a record store," said Brad Finney, the singer and guitarist behind Chico's acoustic punk-rock band, Nothing Left.
Vinyl ownership carries a sense of nostalgia for Finney.
"I have been collecting records since I was 14 years old," he said. "They all have stories."
Vinyl records are important to Finney because they represent his history, he said.
"I grew up in Southern California," Finney said. "I would mow lawns and make some cash and then blow it all on a bunch of 7-inches or a few LPs."
Vinyl aficionados crave not only the killer sound of the record but the full-bodied experience that comes with it. Vinyl isn't just the best way to listen to music; it's a lifestyle. Each record in a collection represents both the true intentions of the artist and the circumstances of the collector.
Searching for scratches, scouring the planet for original presses and hearing that little pop as the turntable switches sides adds to the romance of the vinyl experience.
As for the MP3 experience - there isn't one. Buying and listening to music online is commercial and soulless. Online music sources have no stoned record-store clerks, no stale incense smell, no faded album art, and no cliche political bumper stickers. MP3s are songs stripped of artistic identity and individuality; they are lost in ambiguity.
If all you want is the latest Taylor Swift single, then you may be better off with iTunes. But if you want to really hear some music, feel the depth of sound, experience the true intentions of the artist and kick ass like Mr. Miyagi, then vinyl is the way to go.
SOURCE: http://www.theorion.com
Reprinted By Permission
By: Elizabeth Ghiorso
A death match between vinyl and MP3 is like a standoff between Mr. Miyagi and Katy Perry. In other words, it's a fight between something awesome and something popular.
MP3s, like Katy Perry, are trendy, easy and cheap. However, for those who call themselves authentic audiophiles, nothing beats vinyl for depth and richness of sound.
The LP offers a complete experience and a culture all its own - a culture that has transcended all other music mediums and carried vinyl into the digital age.
Why are vinyl records still thriving after all this time? The answer is simple; vinyl records, like Mr. Miyagi, kick ass.
While iTunes may be shiny and hip, digital downloads don't come close to the record store experience. No degree of convenience beats the atmosphere, the crowd or the prices at the local vinyl shop. Even big record stores like Amoeba and huge, corporate mega-stores like Virgin bring music-lovers together and provide a common ground for punkers and pianists alike.
The record store is a social mecca - a place for exchange and free-expression. It's the only place where people can run their fingers along the tops of hundreds of record jackets until they find one that speaks to their situation, one that they just can't live without. iTunes is just a place to buy some music.
"When you listen to a record, you are listening to the music the way it was meant to be heard," said Johnny, the lead singer and guitarist of Chico's rockabilly/punk band The Shankers.
Johnny, who goes by the one-name moniker ala Prince, works at Melody Records, and when I walked in, he was about to sell a few LPs to Neem-I, a local DJ on KZFR who hosts the show Roots & Culture.
Neem-I was buying records for the first time because he had recently received some equipment that allowed him to spin vinyl, he said. He had been thinking about checking out some records for a long time and now he was "feelin' it."
Johnny related the difference between records and MP3s to that of driving an automatic or a stick shift.
"If you really want the experience of driving a car, you drive a stick," he said. "But if you want to pick your nose and just cruise, you drive an automatic.
Johnny also shed some light on the contrast from a musician's perspective.
"For a band, vinyl is a huge deal," he said. "Any Joe Blow can put something on CD, but it's a commitment to put something on vinyl."
The further into the vinyl community one gets, the more one realizes that vinyl records are personal to people. Each record is an individual entity and most have stories to go along with them.
"The first record I ever got - I blackmailed my sister to take me to a record store," said Brad Finney, the singer and guitarist behind Chico's acoustic punk-rock band, Nothing Left.
Vinyl ownership carries a sense of nostalgia for Finney.
"I have been collecting records since I was 14 years old," he said. "They all have stories."
Vinyl records are important to Finney because they represent his history, he said.
"I grew up in Southern California," Finney said. "I would mow lawns and make some cash and then blow it all on a bunch of 7-inches or a few LPs."
Vinyl aficionados crave not only the killer sound of the record but the full-bodied experience that comes with it. Vinyl isn't just the best way to listen to music; it's a lifestyle. Each record in a collection represents both the true intentions of the artist and the circumstances of the collector.
Searching for scratches, scouring the planet for original presses and hearing that little pop as the turntable switches sides adds to the romance of the vinyl experience.
As for the MP3 experience - there isn't one. Buying and listening to music online is commercial and soulless. Online music sources have no stoned record-store clerks, no stale incense smell, no faded album art, and no cliche political bumper stickers. MP3s are songs stripped of artistic identity and individuality; they are lost in ambiguity.
If all you want is the latest Taylor Swift single, then you may be better off with iTunes. But if you want to really hear some music, feel the depth of sound, experience the true intentions of the artist and kick ass like Mr. Miyagi, then vinyl is the way to go.
SOURCE: http://www.theorion.com
Reprinted By Permission
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