Birthdays:
Ben E. King - Drifters (1938)
Toni Basil - US singer actress and dancer (1943). Basil worked as David Bowie's choreographer on his Diamond Dogs tour in 1974 and on his Glass Spider tour of 1987.
Steve Boone - Lovin Spoonful (1943)
Julio Iglesias (1943)
John Banks - Merseybeats (1943)
Ronald Bushy - Iron Butterfly (1945)
Bruce Springsteen (1949)
Lita Ford (1959)
Ani DiFranco (1970)
Mike Felumiee - Smoking Popes (1974)
They Are Missed:
John William "Trane" Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) jazz saxophonist and composer.
The drummer for the Average White Band, Robbie McIntosh, died in his North Hollywood hotel room in 1974. He died of a heroin overdose when earlier that night he inhaled a white powder thought to be cocaine but was actually pure heroin. McIntosh was 24.
Born on this day 1930, Ray Charles, singer songwriter, (over 30 US Top 40 singles, 2005 #1 album 'Genius Loves Company'). Charles died on June 10, 2004 (age 73).
Born today in 1939, Roy Buchanan, US guitarist, first worked with Dale Hawkins, released over 15 solo albums. Died after hanging himself by his own shirt on Aug 14, 1988 in Fairfax County Jail, Virginia after being arrested for drunkenness.
History:
The Spaniels recorded "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" in 1953.
The Crickets went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1957 with "That'll Be The Day." The title was taken from a phrase used by John Wayne in the film 'The Searchers.'
Making their UK live debut, The Mothers Of Invention appeared at the Royal Albert Hall London in 1967.
In 1967, the Box Tops started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "The Letter." The record went on to sell over four million copies and receive two Grammy nominations. It was also a Top Ten hit for Joe Cocker in 1970.
The Doors' "People Are Strange" was released in 1967.
In 1968, working on new songs for their forthcoming ‘White Album’, The Beatles recorded a new John Lennon song "Happiness Is A Warm Gun In Your Hand," (working title of 'Happiness Is A Warm Gun'). The title came from the cover of a gun magazine that producer George Martin showed Lennon.
In 1969, the Illinois University newspaper, "The Northern Star" ran an article with the headline "Clues Hint At Beatle Death", citing the Sgt. Pepper album cover and the line "I buried Paul." [John Lennon would later claim it was "I'm very bored"] in the fadeout of "Strawberry Fields Forever." Russell Gibb of WKNR-FM in Detroit picked up on the claim and the story went worldwide. By late October 1969 the hoax was well entrenched, that McCartney came out of seclusion at his Scottish farm to deny the story. When McCartney was asked to comment by a reporter visiting Macca’s farm, he replied, “Do I look dead? I’m as fit as a fiddle.”
Mott The Hoople's "All The Young Dudes" was released in 1972.
In 1972, Mac Davis started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me."
Foreigner's "Double Vision" was released in 1978.
In 1980, Bob Marley collapsed on stage during a concert at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Marley had collapsed in New York's Central Park while jogging, two days before and was told to immediately cancel the US leg, but flew to Pittsburgh to perform one final performance. This was the last time Marley ever appeared on stage performing, Marley died of cancer on in May 1981.
In 1989, Milli Vanilli started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Girl I'm Gonna Miss You," the duo's second US #1 hit.
Nelson (Rick Nelson's twin sons, Gunnar and Matthew) top Billboard magazine's Hot 100 in 1990, becoming the third generation of Nelsons to top the charts (yes, Grampa Ozzie Nelson did it, as well).
'Ragged Glory,' an electric return to form by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, was released in 1990.
Guitarist Izzy Stradlin leaves Guns N' Roses in 1991 and was replaced by Gilby Clarke.
In 2001, Jay-Z started a three-week run at #1 on the US album chart with 'The Blueprint'.
Musical winners at this years Oscars in 2002 included, Sting who won Best Musical Performance for 'Sting In Tuscany...All This Time' and the Best Reality TV Show went to The Osbournes.
In 2004, Slipknot's Corey Taylor issued a statement denying he was dead. Rumours started after a shock jock in Des Moines broadcast the announcement that the singer had died of a drug overdose, which then became a fatal car crash.
Also in 2004, a bodyguard for rapper Lil' Kim was sentenced to 12 years in prison after admitting firing at least 20 times in a shoot-out with a rival gang. The judge sentencing Suif Jackson, said society needed protection from a gun-toting man with five convictions. The shooting took place when the entourages of Lil' Kim and Capone-N-Noreaga crossed at a New York radio station.
In 2006, Neil Young was named artist of the year at the Americana Honors and Awards at the fifth annual event in Nashville, Tennessee. The 60-year-old singer-songwriter released the protest album 'Living With War' this year.
Beyonce was at #1 on the US album chart in 2006 with her second solo album ‘B'Day.’
In 2007, the CBS crime drama Cold Case used Nirvana songs exclusively. The episode focused on a '94 murder and featured "Come as You Are," "Heart Shaped Box" and All Apologies," among other tracks by the Seattle Grunge band. "Nirvana's music not only evokes the era when this case's killings took place but brings a starkness and poetry to the story that deeply enhances it," says Cold Case executive producer Veena Sud.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Detailing the Success of the Beatles Reissues in 20 Countries
This is an amzing feat that only the Beatles could ever achieve, not bad for a band that broke up forty years ago!
EMI Music and Apple Corps put out a press release earlier today touting the success of the Beatles reissues and box sets. Just in the U.K., Japan and North America, over 2.25 million copies of the albums were sold during the first five days of release.
We've been tracking the success of the titles in our four weekly Chart Watch columns, covering America, Britain, Canada and Australia. The press release brings those four countries into focus and details their success in 16 more.
•US: During the first five days of release, consumers purchased more than one million copies of re-mastered Beatles titles, and the individual CD and boxed sets debuted strongly across multiple Billboard charts.
•On Billboard's Comprehensive Albums chart, which lists the most popular album releases in the US, including current and catalogue titles, The Beatles set a new record for the most simultaneous titles by a single artist (18), including five of the top 10 and nine of the top 20.
•On the Pop Catalog chart, The Beatles achieved another new Billboard chart first for the most simultaneous titles in the top 50 (16), a record they previously set themselves with 12 titles in December 1995. The Beatles have nine of the chart's top 10 titles, and all 14 re-mastered CDs are in the top 20, led by 'Abbey Road' at number one and 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' at number two.
•On the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, 'The Beatles' stereo boxed set debuted at number 15, and 'The Beatles in Mono' limited edition boxed set debuted at number 40.
•UK: In last week's chart, The Beatles had four titles in the top 10, seven in the top 40 and 16 in the top 75, including both the stereo and mono boxes, as well as 2000's 'Beatles 1' compilation. This set a new record for the most simultaneous albums in the UK charts according to the UK Official Charts Company. In this week's UK chart, The Beatles have 13 albums in the top 75. A further 84,000 CDs were sold last week, bringing their total sales of the re-masters to more than 354,000 in 11 days and their total UK sales this decade to 6,755,000.
•Japan: All 14 re-mastered titles and boxed sets debuted in the top 25 of the international chart, including seven of the top 10, led by the stereo boxed set at number two, the mono boxed set at number three, 'Abbey Road' at four and 'Let It Be' at six. Across all titles and box sets, more than 840,000 albums were purchased by consumers in Japan in the first three days of sales.
•Canada: The Beatles have 15 of the top 20 catalogue titles including all of the top 11. The stereo boxed set is a new entry in the current albums chart at number four, the highest debut for a boxed set in Canada since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking sales. Cumulative sales across all titles were just under 160,000 over the counter.
•France: All 14 of the re-mastered titles and boxed sets entered the latest album chart, including three in the top 10, led by 'Abbey Road' at number four, a new record for the most original studio albums in the French album chart in one week.
•Italy: The Beatles have 17 titles in the current chart - all 14 re-mastered titles, the two boxed sets, plus the '1' compilation, a record for the most simultaneous entries in the album chart.
•Belgium: With 17 entries in the current chart - the 14 re-mastered titles, two boxed sets and '1' compilation - The Beatles have set a new record for the most simultaneous albums in the Belgian chart as confirmed by chart compiler Ultrapop.
•Sweden: The Beatles have 16 titles simultaneously in the top 60, led by 'Abbey Road' at number six. Local industry body IFPI have confirmed that this is a record for the Swedish charts.
•Argentina: Seven of the current top 10 albums are Beatles re-masters, led by 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band at number two, 'Abbey Road' at number three and 'The Beatles' (The White Album) at number four. All 14 re-mastered titles are in the top 20 and the boxed sets are at numbers 73 and 74 in the chart.
•Spain: 13 Beatles albums plus both boxed sets debuted in the latest chart, a record for a single artist. The combined sales of the boxed sets places them at number four in the chart.
•Poland: All 14 re-mastered albums and two boxed sets debuted in the current top 100, led by 'Abbey Road' at six. This is a record for the highest number of simultaneous entries in the Polish chart.
•Switzerland: 14 Beatles titles, including the stereo boxed set, debuted in the most recent album chart, a record for the most simultaneous titles in the album chart.
•Denmark: The latest album chart includes 15 re-mastered Beatles titles, plus the '1' compilation, including four of the top 20.
•Australia: The Beatles have 14 titles in the current chart, including the '1' compilation.
•Germany: The combined sales of the stereo and mono boxed sets, with one boxed set counted as one unit sale, places them as the number three best seller in the latest chart.
•Austria: The current top 75 contains 12 re-mastered titles plus the stereo boxed set.
•Portugal: The re-mastered titles occupy 11 places in the current top 30 album chart, including three of the top 10.
•Norway: The combined stereo and mono boxed sets debut at number three with a further 12 re-mastered titles in the top 100.
•Colombia: Half of the current top 10 albums are Beatles re-mastered titles.
•Korea: During the first sales week The Beatles occupied 16 out of the top 17 spots in Korea's Hottracks album chart.
I want to thank http://winkscollectibles.blogspot.com for this interesting data!
Music News & Notes
Jackson Film Opening Simultaneously in 15 Countries, Soundtrack Details Revealed
The movie on Michael Jackson's last days as a performer, This is It, will open in 25 countries on October 27, including 15 that will open the film simultaneously. The actual premier will take place that night at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles and will then spread around the world.
Jeff Blake of Sony Pictures said in a statement, "Michael Jackson has an army of fans everywhere around the world. We are giving the audiences an incredible opportunity to join together in celebration of Michael Jackson's incredible career."
Details about the soundtrack for the Michael Jackson documentary This Is It have been revealed, and the biggest news is that the two-disc collection will feature two versions of a brand new Jackson song titled “This Is It.” The song, which will feature in the film’s closing credits, includes background vocals by Jackson’s brothers. The previously unreleased track will be released as a single on October 12th, two weeks before the This Is It film hits theaters for a two-week limited engagement starting with advance screenings on October 27th.
“This song only defines, once again, what the world already knows — that Michael is one of God’s greatest gifts,” said John McClain, a co-producer of the This Is It film and soundtrack and a co-executor of Michael Jackson’s estate. The soundtrack, like the film, will be released on October 27th. Disc one of the This Is It album will contain the original album masters of the hit songs included in This Is It, sequenced in the order that they appear in the film. The first disc will close out with the two versions of “This Is It.”
Disc two will feature previously unreleased versions of some of Jackson’s most famous songs, plus an unreleased spoken word track of a poem written by Jackson titled “Planet Earth.” The set will also come with a 36-page commemorative booklet stocked with photos of Jackson’s last rehearsal for his planned This Is It concerts. As Rolling Stone previously reported, a brief clip of Jackson rehearsing “Human Nature” was unveiled on the This Is It official YouTube page. The trailer for the film premiered during this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.
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Van Zandt Chimes In On Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Nominees
Most likely sometime in the next week we should know the nominees who may make it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Steven Van Zandt decided to start the controversy a little early by telling Rolling Stone, "There's dozens of early rock & roll groups that should be in (the Hall of Fame). I notice a bias toward the post-art-form rock critics' sensibility... We'll probably never get Paul Revere & The Raiders in.
"It's very difficult for me to justify the Talking Heads being in the Hall of Fame before The Hollies, or Michael Jackson being in before Johnny Burnette."
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Vinyl Collective Restocks
Stop by www.vinylcollective.com for some great vinyl, tell Virgil hello!
AGAINST ME! “Live In London” dbl LP
AGAINST ME! “Searching For A Former Clarity” dbl LP
AMERICAN STEEL “Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts” LP
AMERICAN STEEL “Destroy Their Future” LP
BISHOP “Asylum” 7
BULLET TREATMENT “Designated Vol 1″ 7″
DEAD TO ME “Cuban Ballerina” LP
DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR “Our Glory Days” 7″ red vinyl
FUGAZI “Red Medicine” LP w/ digital download
GORILLA BISCUITS “S/T” 7″
MAD CADDIES “Just One More” LP
NO DOUBT “Tragic Kingdom” LP green vinyl
NOFX “Regaining Unconsciousness” 7″
O’ DEATH “Head Home” LP
PAINT IT BLACK “Amnesia” 7″ white vinyl
PAINT IT BLACK “Surrender” 7
POLAR BEAR CLUB “Sometimes Things Just Disappear” LP green vinyl w/ CD
RISE AGAINST “Revolutions Per Minute” LP
SHAI HULUD “A Profound Hatred Of Man” LP pic disc
SMOKE OR FIRE “Above the City” LP
TEXAS IS THE REASON “Do Yo Know Who You Are?” LP
TEXAS IS THE REASON “S/T” 7″
THE BROKEDOWNS / TURKISH TECHNO split 7″ black vinyl
THE EVENS “Get Evens” LP
V/A “Bridge Nine Summer Compilation 2009″ LP
V/A “Dangerous Intersections II” 7″ black vinyl
V/A “Dangerous Intersections IV” 7″ black vinyl
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Boris 7" Vinyl Series To Be Released Via Southern Lord Records
For over 15 years Boris has lead the charge as Japan's most exciting experimental rock act. This fall marks yet another first for the band as they release Japanese Heavy Rock Hits, a series of 7"s showcasing their wide-reaching, genre-smashing sound. The band has been locked in the studio over the last few months and in association with Southern Lord are ready to bring to you their latest offerings. Over the course of the next three months three brand new exclusive vinyl 7"s will be released.
September
Japanese Heavy Rock Hits Vol. 1
Side A: "8″
Side B :" Hey Everyone"
October
Japanese Heavy Rock Hits Vol. 2
Side A: "H.M.A. - Heavy Metal Addict"
Side B: "Black Original"
November
Japanese Heavy Rock Hits Vol. 3
Side A: "16:47:52..."
Side B:" ..and Hear Nothing"
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Terrible Vinyl
(PR) Brooklyn-based Terrible Records, formed by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, and Ethan Silverman of Lust Boys, are excited to announce the launch of their label with the release of the first in a series of 7-inches recorded at Terrible Studios, followed by the release of NY quintet Acrylics' debut EP, All of the Fire.
The 7-inch features Chris Taylor's first solo release as well as a previously unreleased song by Arthur Russell. CANT, as Taylor has chosen to call his project, offers the aptly-titled "Ghosts." The song is a haunting underwater trip through his familiar sonic territory that is found on each Grizzly Bear release. "Come To Life" is a previously unreleased folk track written and recorded by Arthur Russell in the late '70's. Its origins are a mystery but the beauty of the song shines brightly. Initially intended for inclusion on last years compilation of unreleased folk, pop, and country tunes "Love Is Overtaking Me." The track comes courtesy of Audika Records who will release the digital download of the song on October 13th. The CANT 7-inch release is limited to 1000 copies and will be available at the label's website and select retailers.
The 7-inch series will continue with songs produced by Taylor, recorded at his church-studio in Brooklyn where Taylor produced much of the latest Grizzly Bear record, Veckatimist.
The label will subsequently release a Taylor-produced 5-song, 10" EP from NY group Acrylics on October 28th, entitled All of the Fire. Acrylics will be at the Mercury Lounge on Saturday, October 3, and will be performing at several shows and parties at this year's CMJ Music Marathon.
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Neutral Milk Hotel Albums to Be Reissued on Vinyl by Merge
It has now been 11 years since the last time we heard a new album from Elephant 6 soul-stirrers Neutral Milk Hotel, and we still don't know if we're ever going to hear another full-on rock album from the band or reclusive leader Jeff Mangum. If anything, NMH's two albums have only grown in stature, especially 1998's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.
On November 3, Merge will reissue both Neutral Milk Hotel albums (Aeroplane and the 1996 full-length debut On Avery Island) on 180 gram vinyl. Both records will come with download codes so you'll be able to get the albums at 320 kpbs. No bonus tracks or anything, but there's no bad reason to buy these albums again.
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HORSE The Band plan 10 bonus tracks for digital release, vinyl
HORSE the Band have announced some details on what kind of bonus material to expect on the forthcoming digital and vinyl versions of their Vagrant Records debut, Desperate Living. The album is due out October 6, 2009.
iTunes purchases will include ten bonus tracks that include remixes by some of HTB’s favorite artists and friends. The tracks will also be included in the upcoming vinyl versions. The band also just announced a pre-order through Newbury Comics. Fans that buy the album will receive an exclusive signed booklet, autographed by the entire band.
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Sony Music Entertainment Releases Entire Catalog on AmieStreet.com
Pioneering Startup Inks First Deal With Major Label
NEW YORK, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- AmieStreet.com, the up-and-coming music retailer and discovery service, today announced an agreement with Sony Music Entertainment to sell music from the major label's vast catalog of legendary artists.
The deal covers both current hits and classic recordings from Sony Music. Under the agreement, tracks will be priced at set levels of $.69, $.99 and $1.29 per song.
Sony Music becomes the first major label to offer its content through AmieStreet.com, which was founded just three years ago in the dorm rooms of Brown University.
In adding one of the world's most important music catalogs, the deal marks a significant next step in Amie Street's mission to offer its users the richest and most diverse music experience possible, and to create a service that appeals to a broad base of mainstream music fans.
"Amie Street has proven to be an innovative platform for engaging music fans and introducing them to both emerging and established artists," said Michael Paull, Executive Vice President, Global Digital Business, Sony Music Entertainment. "We look forward to our music being available to Amie Street's growing community."
For today's release, Amie Street has created a special section on it's website (http://amiestreet.com/blog/sony) highlighting just a small sample of the great artists, both old and new, that are now available, including dozens of classic albums that have been discounted to $4.99.
"The partnership with Sony Music is a huge development for Amie Street," said Peter Asbill, Co-Founder of AmieStreet.com. "We want to be the best place to discover new music for all types of customers, from indie to mainstream, and adding the unparalleled Sony Music catalog is a critical step towards fulfilling that promise."
About Sony Music Entertainment(R)
Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including American Recordings, Arista Nashville, Arista Records, Aware, Battery Records, Beach Street Records, Black Seal, BNA Records, Cinematic, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Epic Records, Essential Records, Flicker Records, Fo-Yo Soul, GospoCentric, Hitz Committee Entertainment, J Records, Jive Records, LaFace Records, Legacy Recordings, Masterworks, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA Nashville, RCA Red Seal, RCA Victor, Reunion Records, Slightly Dangerous, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Verity Records, and Volcano Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.
About AmieStreet.com(R)
AmieStreet.com is a place to discover, download and share music of every genre, from all over the world. It is the first store where the customers collectively determine the price of music. On AmieStreet.com, most songs start free and increase in price up to 98 cents, based on their popularity among members. Members are also rewarded with credit for more downloads when they recommend songs--the more a song increases in price after it's been recommended the more credit the they receive. Amie Street is one of the easiest ways to discover new music online, and with over 1.5 million songs on the site, from the most recognizable musicians to the most promising unsigned acts, there is plenty of music to choose from. AmieStreet.com was founded in 2006, by three then Brown University seniors, and is now headquartered in New York City.
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Avenger To Release New Album "Feast of Anger - Joy of Despair" On Vinyl
Doomentia Records has issued the following brief update about releasing the "Feast of Anger - Joy of Despair" album by Avenger on vinyl:
"Vinyl version of fourth full-length album of legendary Czech black metal horde AVENGER will be released through DOOMENTIA RECORDS later this year."
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ANVIL: 'This Is Thirteen' First-Week Sales Revealed
ANVIL's re-release of the group's latest album, "This is Thirteen", sold around 1,400copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (Note: Internet/digital sales **ARE** included in the SoundScan totals.) The CD landed at position No. 19 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"This is Thirteen" was finally given proper national distribution on CD and vinyl on September 15 via VH1 Classic Records. The collectible double vinyl LP boasts newly re-recorded versions of ANVIL classics "Metal on Metal" and "666". The album, originally recorded in 2007 and produced by Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, THIN LIZZY), was primarily available directly from the band via their web site and at their concerts.
ANVIL will take part in an in-store performance and signing session at Vintage Vinyl in Fords, New Jersey on September 27, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. A free screening of the band's acclaimed documentary, "Anvil! The Story Of Anvil", will take place at Vintage Vinyl on September 25, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
ANVIL, considered a major influence for a generation of hard rockers including METALLICA, SLAYER, ANTHRAX, and GUNS N' ROSES, was the subject of a critically acclaimed, must-see rock-doc, "Anvil! The Story of Anvil", directed by Sacha Gervasi. And in the process, the film has made the group (led by Kudlow and Reiner — both founding members) a household name. But the group's story will certainly not end with the film.
According to RollingStone.com, ANVIL is currently re-recording several other classics with producer Chris Tsangarides, which will be included on a forthcoming "Anvil!" soundtrack. "What happened was the label that owns the old material wanted so much money to license the songs, that it became ridiculous," explained Lips. "In fact, it was far cheaper to go in and re-record in the same studio [Phase One], with the same producer, and re-do the songs. The new version of 'Forged in Fire' is amazing — I think the original version was played too fast. Remarkably, we're getting a second chance to record the songs."
Other freshly re-recorded tunes are "Winged Assassins", "March Of The Crabs", and "School Love". "It's going to be a true 'Best of Anvil', in a way," added Reiner.
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Metal Blade Records to reissue two King Diamond albums
King Diamond has to be the most unique character in the world of heavy metal. Having a career that has spanned a quarter century and divided between time in Mercyful Fate and his self-titled band, the man shows no sign of letting up. Metal Blade Records will be reissuing two classic King Diamond albums on October 13th, just one day before my birthday!
The Spider’s Lullaby and The Graveyard have both been re-mastered by King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque and are set to be released on October 13th. Each album will include bonus material that purchasers will be able to obtain digitally. Both The Spider’s Lullabye and The Graveyard will include live “bootleg” versions (with video footage) of the following songs: “The Spider’s Lullabye” from the album of the same name, and ‘Trick Or Treat’ and ‘Up From The Grave’ from The Graveyard.
The King had this to say about the upcoming reissues:
“Andy LaRocque re-mastered both records and you can really hear more details and sounds that I remember recording but didn’t come through in the original mastering. The records have much more bottom end this time around. There’s even more details and clarity than the original version and you’ll hear things you’ve never heard before in both releases. Andy did a great job re-mastering and improving these albums above and beyond my expectations. The artwork has also been completely redone for Spiders and Graveyard and is just amazing. I did not expect them to come out this good and am just completely thrilled with the result.
We originally were going to include bonus footage on the albums as a CD-ROM,but the sound and video quality was going to suffer tremendously and that is just unacceptable. Instead, the bonus footage is going to be available for download to those who purchase the albums. The video downloads will be available in multiple formats so everyone can see them”
In related King Diamond news, Both King Diamond and Mercyful Fate have worked out a deal with C1rca Shoes to have featured artwork on several of their sneakers, the first pair set to arrive in October 2009 with more to follow in 2010.
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THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD: New Album Details Revealed
South Carolina death metallers THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD have set "Skepsis" as the title of their third full-length album. The CD, which will be released via Prosthetic Records, was recorded at New York's Gellar Cellar Studios and will be mastered by Alan Douches (CONVERGE, MISFITS, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, HATEBREED, MASTODON) at West West Side Music in New Windsor, New York.
Commented guitarist Justin Longshore: "The recording process for 'Skepsis' has been going really well. We really focused on writing a record that will satisfy fans of our previous two records along with pushing new boundaries. Danny is currently finishing up vocal tracking and we couldn't be any more satisfied with the way things are sounding. I'm really stoked for everyone to hear these new songs."
The cover art for the album was created by Paul Romano, who has previously worked with THE ACACIA STRAIN, MASTODON, and THE RED CHORD.
Stated Longshore, "We had Paul Romano do the artwork once again and it is easily one of my favorite pieces he has done. It really captures the concept and music that is behind the album. We wanted the art to really project and not look like every other metal album that you see at your local record shop."
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Blasphemous Creation Reveals Debut Album, "Diabolical Kingdom," Cover Art
Reno, Nevada blackened thrash metallers Blasphemous Creation will be releasing their debut album, entitled "Diabolical Kingdom," on Apocrypha Records. The album drops on December 4th. The cover art was done by Dimitar Nikolov.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
New Music Releases – September 22, 2009
Buy New Music
A Storm of Light - Forgive Us Our Trespasses
Ahab - The Divinity of Oceans
Alan Cumming - I Bought A Blue Car Today
Alberta Cross - Broken Side Of Time
Alice Donut - Ten Glorious Animals
Almighty Defenders - The Almighty Defenders (vinyl)
Amorphous Androgynous – Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind: Volume 2
Amy Millan - Masters of the Burial (vinyl)
Andrew Hoover - Chances, Stances & Romances
Banco de Gaia - Memories Dreams Reflections
Basement - Jaxx Scars
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty (remastered with bonus disc) (vinyl)
Big Pink - A Brief History of Love
Billy Talent - Billy Talent III
Blk Jks - After Robots
Brand New - Daisy
Brother Ali – Us
Castanets - Texas Rose, The Thaw & The Beasts (vinyl)
Children Of Bodom - Skeletons in the Closet
Danko Jones - Never Too Loud
David Gray - Draw The Line
Deadmau5 - For Lack of a Better Name
Delbert McClinton - Acquired Taste
Despised Icon - Day of Mourning
Diddy - Last Train to Paris
Dizzee Rascal - Tongue N' Cheek
Early Day Miners: Treatment (vinyl)
Elvis Costello - Extreme Honey: The Very Best Of The Warner Bros. Years (reissue)
Elvis Costello - Mighty Like a Rose (reissue)
Elvis Costello - Spike (reissue)
Five Finger Death Punch - War Is The Answer
Fryars - Dark Young Hearts
Geoff Muldaur - Texas Sheiks
Girls - Album (vinyl)
Green Day - Shenanigans (vinyl reissue)
Guy Clark - Somedays The Songs Writes You
Hallelujah the Hills - Colonial Drones
Harry Connick, Jr. - Your Songs
Hornet Leg - Ribbon of Fear (vinyl)
Insomnium - Across the Dark
Islands - Vapours
Buy New Music
J Dilla - Jay Stay Paid (vinyl)
Janus- Red Light Return
John Fahey - Twilight on Prince Georges Avenue: Essential Recordings
John Forte - StyleFREE
Jonathan Richman - Vampire Girl: Essential Recordings
Joshua James - Build Me This
Julie Peel - Near the Sun
L.T.J. Bukem - Fabriclive.46
LCD Soundsystem - 45:33 Remixes
Le Loup - Family (vinyl)
Leaves' Eyes - My Destiny
Lisa Germano - Magic Neighbor
Los Lobos - Los Lobos Goes Disney
Madonna - Celebration: Definitive Greatest Hits Collection
Mae - (m)orning
Mantles - Mantles
Buy New Music
Merzbow - 13 Japanese Birds, Vol. 9
Micah P Hinson - All Dressed Up & Smelling Of Strangers
Mika - The Boy Who Knew Too Much
M�m - Sing Along To Songs You Don't Know
Monsters Of Folk - Monsters Of Folk
Mudhoney - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (vinyl reissue)
Mudhoney - Mudhoney (vinyl reissue)
Mudhoney - Superfuzz Bigmuff (vinyl reissue)
Mum - Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know
Music Go Music -Music Go Music
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - White Lunar (soundtrack)
Noisettes - Wild Young Hearts (vinyl)
One Eskimo - One Eskimo
Or, The Whale - Or, The Whale
Owen - New Leaves
Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Higher Than The Stars [EP]
Part Chimp - Thriller
Pastels and Tenniscoats - Two Sunsets
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
Rain Machine - Rain Machine
Rescue Signals - Indecisions
Richard Hawle - Truelove's Gutter
Rollercoaster Project - Revenge
Rose Melberg - Homeade Ship (vinyl)
Rufus Wainwright -Milwaukee at Last!!!
Ruiner - Hell Is Empty
Buy New Music
Sea Wolf - White Water, White Bloom
Sean Kingston - Tomorrow
Sign of the Southern Cross - Of Mountains and Moonshine
Sissy Wish - Beauties Never Die
Skindred - Shark Bites and Dog Fights
Spiral Beach - The Only Really Thing
Stephen Stills - Manassas--Pieces
Tears For Fears - Raoul and the Kings of Spain (remastered with bonus tracks)
They Might Be Giants - Here Comes Science
Three Days Grace - Life Starts Now
Times New Viking - Born Again Revisited (vinyl)
To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie - Marlone
Tom Brosseau - Posthumous Success
Tommy Reilly - Words On The Floor
Twilight Sad - Forget the Night Ahead (vinyl)
U2 - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Vader – Necropolis
Various Artists - Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs Of Mark Mulcahy
Various Artists - Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Sill
Various Artists - New Tales to Tell: A Tribute to Love and Rockets (vinyl)
Various Artists - Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965 - 1968 (4-CD box set)
Vertical Horizon - Burning The Days
Vic Chesnutt - At the Cut
Vivian Girls - Everything Goes Wrong
Volcano Choir - Unmap
Vowels - The Pattern Prism
Wale - Attention Deficit
Wallpaper - Doodoo Face (vinyl)
Ween - Paintin' the Town Brown: Ween Live '90-'98 (reissue)
Ween - Pure Guava (reissue)
Why? - Eskimo Snow
Willie Nelson - Phases and Stages (vinyl reissue)
Wrinkle Neck Mules - Let The Lead Fly
Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band - Between My Head & The Sky
Yura Yura Teikoku - Hollow Me/ Beautiful
Buy New Music
A Storm of Light - Forgive Us Our Trespasses
Ahab - The Divinity of Oceans
Alan Cumming - I Bought A Blue Car Today
Alberta Cross - Broken Side Of Time
Alice Donut - Ten Glorious Animals
Almighty Defenders - The Almighty Defenders (vinyl)
Amorphous Androgynous – Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind: Volume 2
Amy Millan - Masters of the Burial (vinyl)
Andrew Hoover - Chances, Stances & Romances
Banco de Gaia - Memories Dreams Reflections
Basement - Jaxx Scars
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty (remastered with bonus disc) (vinyl)
Big Pink - A Brief History of Love
Billy Talent - Billy Talent III
Blk Jks - After Robots
Brand New - Daisy
Brother Ali – Us
Castanets - Texas Rose, The Thaw & The Beasts (vinyl)
Children Of Bodom - Skeletons in the Closet
Danko Jones - Never Too Loud
David Gray - Draw The Line
Deadmau5 - For Lack of a Better Name
Delbert McClinton - Acquired Taste
Despised Icon - Day of Mourning
Diddy - Last Train to Paris
Dizzee Rascal - Tongue N' Cheek
Early Day Miners: Treatment (vinyl)
Elvis Costello - Extreme Honey: The Very Best Of The Warner Bros. Years (reissue)
Elvis Costello - Mighty Like a Rose (reissue)
Elvis Costello - Spike (reissue)
Five Finger Death Punch - War Is The Answer
Fryars - Dark Young Hearts
Geoff Muldaur - Texas Sheiks
Girls - Album (vinyl)
Green Day - Shenanigans (vinyl reissue)
Guy Clark - Somedays The Songs Writes You
Hallelujah the Hills - Colonial Drones
Harry Connick, Jr. - Your Songs
Hornet Leg - Ribbon of Fear (vinyl)
Insomnium - Across the Dark
Islands - Vapours
Buy New Music
J Dilla - Jay Stay Paid (vinyl)
Janus- Red Light Return
John Fahey - Twilight on Prince Georges Avenue: Essential Recordings
John Forte - StyleFREE
Jonathan Richman - Vampire Girl: Essential Recordings
Joshua James - Build Me This
Julie Peel - Near the Sun
L.T.J. Bukem - Fabriclive.46
LCD Soundsystem - 45:33 Remixes
Le Loup - Family (vinyl)
Leaves' Eyes - My Destiny
Lisa Germano - Magic Neighbor
Los Lobos - Los Lobos Goes Disney
Madonna - Celebration: Definitive Greatest Hits Collection
Mae - (m)orning
Mantles - Mantles
Buy New Music
Merzbow - 13 Japanese Birds, Vol. 9
Micah P Hinson - All Dressed Up & Smelling Of Strangers
Mika - The Boy Who Knew Too Much
M�m - Sing Along To Songs You Don't Know
Monsters Of Folk - Monsters Of Folk
Mudhoney - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (vinyl reissue)
Mudhoney - Mudhoney (vinyl reissue)
Mudhoney - Superfuzz Bigmuff (vinyl reissue)
Mum - Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know
Music Go Music -Music Go Music
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - White Lunar (soundtrack)
Noisettes - Wild Young Hearts (vinyl)
One Eskimo - One Eskimo
Or, The Whale - Or, The Whale
Owen - New Leaves
Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Higher Than The Stars [EP]
Part Chimp - Thriller
Pastels and Tenniscoats - Two Sunsets
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
Rain Machine - Rain Machine
Rescue Signals - Indecisions
Richard Hawle - Truelove's Gutter
Rollercoaster Project - Revenge
Rose Melberg - Homeade Ship (vinyl)
Rufus Wainwright -Milwaukee at Last!!!
Ruiner - Hell Is Empty
Buy New Music
Sea Wolf - White Water, White Bloom
Sean Kingston - Tomorrow
Sign of the Southern Cross - Of Mountains and Moonshine
Sissy Wish - Beauties Never Die
Skindred - Shark Bites and Dog Fights
Spiral Beach - The Only Really Thing
Stephen Stills - Manassas--Pieces
Tears For Fears - Raoul and the Kings of Spain (remastered with bonus tracks)
They Might Be Giants - Here Comes Science
Three Days Grace - Life Starts Now
Times New Viking - Born Again Revisited (vinyl)
To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie - Marlone
Tom Brosseau - Posthumous Success
Tommy Reilly - Words On The Floor
Twilight Sad - Forget the Night Ahead (vinyl)
U2 - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Vader – Necropolis
Various Artists - Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs Of Mark Mulcahy
Various Artists - Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Sill
Various Artists - New Tales to Tell: A Tribute to Love and Rockets (vinyl)
Various Artists - Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965 - 1968 (4-CD box set)
Vertical Horizon - Burning The Days
Vic Chesnutt - At the Cut
Vivian Girls - Everything Goes Wrong
Volcano Choir - Unmap
Vowels - The Pattern Prism
Wale - Attention Deficit
Wallpaper - Doodoo Face (vinyl)
Ween - Paintin' the Town Brown: Ween Live '90-'98 (reissue)
Ween - Pure Guava (reissue)
Why? - Eskimo Snow
Willie Nelson - Phases and Stages (vinyl reissue)
Wrinkle Neck Mules - Let The Lead Fly
Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band - Between My Head & The Sky
Yura Yura Teikoku - Hollow Me/ Beautiful
Buy New Music
Michael Fremer Review
I am very proud to continue our new feature: music reviews that are written by the senior contributing editor of Stereophile magazine- Michael Fremer. It has been a pleasure to speak with Michael and learn more about audio sound and equipment. In fact, his new DVD, "It's A Vinyl World, After All" has hit the shelves and is selling out very quickly. This is a must have for anybody who loves vinyl, it is a true masterpiece.
Additionally, make sure to stop by his site, www.musicangle.com and bookmark it for further exploration. I certainly want to thank Michael for the exclusive rights to reprint his fantastic material.
The Cars (Reissue)
The Cars
Elektra/Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-274 180g LP
Produced by: Roy Thomas Baker
Engineered by: Geoff Workman
Mixed by: Roy Thomas Baker
Mastered by: Shawn R. Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-09-01
The Cars didn’t swing but that was the point. Rick Ocasek didn’t emote much, but that too was the point. The Cars were all about gleaming chrome, hard edges, not too glam-rock and taking Roxy Music to its logical, stripped down conclusion. The musical and cultural concept was modern yet retro. It was an American band, after all.
It was 1978 and The Cars helped usher in and would eventually be overtaken by the synth disco hair bands. Despite the trappings, The Cars were very conservative, from David Robinson’s tidy on-the-beat drumming to Greg Hawkes’ orderly synth lines. No raucous Eno squealing for him.
Even when allowed to predominate, on the final tune “All Mixed Up,” the synth parts are neat and punctual. Elliot Easton’s guitar lines were dazzlingly understated, serving to fill more than to puncture. Ric Ocasek’s vocals were cool and detached but hardly campy.
What made the debut click with the American public almost immediately were Ocasek’s songs: familiar enough and tuneful at their core but sufficiently alienated and alienating to effectively counterbalance the then dominant California culture.
Look at the pictures on the inner sleeve of the gatefold reissue and you see, despite the leopard skin tights, suspenders and the rest of the modestly hip get ups, more beantown working class earnestness than rock and roll outrageousness.
The album opens with “Good Times Roll,” a concept that usually produces musical and lyrical abandon but here, not so much. Over a stiff beat Ocasek makes it almost painful: “let them knock you around,” “let the stories be cold,” “let them make you a clown.” Sure, the idea is sort of roll with it but not comfortably or with abandon.
While “My Best Friend’s Girl” hints at a well-worn theme of longing and possessiveness, Ocasek flips it brilliantly at the end with “and she used to be mine.” The dismissive obsessiveness and cool cruelty of “Just What I Needed,” written by Ocasek but sung by bassist Benjamin Orr remains one of the great lyrical coups of modern rock. Combined with a brilliant opening, a tightly wound center and non-resolved ending, the tune’s demo version was much requested on WBCN-FM and helped signal the station’s paradigm shift from hippiedom to the “new wave” led by the program director Oedipus.
Over the decades, Ocasek’s spare, cool lyrics, filled with desire and ambivalence, only gleam brighter. There’s not a bad tune on this debut and the arrangements, though now familiar, are spare works that craftily whip rock guitar and new synth into candy gloss, carousel perfection. You could say some of it is too cute by half and accuse the beat of plodding now, but it did back then too. In fact, the deliberativeness of Robinson’s mechanical sounding rhythm tracks was and remains one of the album’s core strengths even as you will them to break free.
Recorded at AIR Studios in the UK and produced by Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker and originally mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, the album has always had a cool crunchiness that may have been intentional both to mirror the musical intent and to make it “pop” more on the radio but it never made for a great listen on a high performance audio system.
The original pressing has both a Sterling stamp on the lead out groove area and the initials “RTB” (scribed in the plastic), which probably means he was involved in the original cut. Clearly RTB wanted it cool and somewhat crunchy because the original Japanese pressing (Elektra Warner-Pioneer P-10552E) is more dynamic, more bass-intense and produces far more depth than does the original American issue.
Mo-Fi’s new gatefold edition sounds closer to the Japanese than to the original but it’s even better in most ways and as good in others. The Mo-fi is just crunchy enough, but not too crunchy and has excellent bottom end extension and definition. It also produces more depth and width than does the original and it doesn’t push the vocal harmonies up against a glass wall, which is something the others do.
If this is one of your ‘go to’ albums, go to your favorite records store, virtual or brick and mortar, and get this. It’s just what you’re needing.
SOURCE: http://www.musicangle.com Reprinted By Permission
Pick up Michael's DVD's Here:
Additionally, make sure to stop by his site, www.musicangle.com and bookmark it for further exploration. I certainly want to thank Michael for the exclusive rights to reprint his fantastic material.
The Cars (Reissue)
The Cars
Elektra/Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-274 180g LP
Produced by: Roy Thomas Baker
Engineered by: Geoff Workman
Mixed by: Roy Thomas Baker
Mastered by: Shawn R. Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-09-01
The Cars didn’t swing but that was the point. Rick Ocasek didn’t emote much, but that too was the point. The Cars were all about gleaming chrome, hard edges, not too glam-rock and taking Roxy Music to its logical, stripped down conclusion. The musical and cultural concept was modern yet retro. It was an American band, after all.
It was 1978 and The Cars helped usher in and would eventually be overtaken by the synth disco hair bands. Despite the trappings, The Cars were very conservative, from David Robinson’s tidy on-the-beat drumming to Greg Hawkes’ orderly synth lines. No raucous Eno squealing for him.
Even when allowed to predominate, on the final tune “All Mixed Up,” the synth parts are neat and punctual. Elliot Easton’s guitar lines were dazzlingly understated, serving to fill more than to puncture. Ric Ocasek’s vocals were cool and detached but hardly campy.
What made the debut click with the American public almost immediately were Ocasek’s songs: familiar enough and tuneful at their core but sufficiently alienated and alienating to effectively counterbalance the then dominant California culture.
Look at the pictures on the inner sleeve of the gatefold reissue and you see, despite the leopard skin tights, suspenders and the rest of the modestly hip get ups, more beantown working class earnestness than rock and roll outrageousness.
The album opens with “Good Times Roll,” a concept that usually produces musical and lyrical abandon but here, not so much. Over a stiff beat Ocasek makes it almost painful: “let them knock you around,” “let the stories be cold,” “let them make you a clown.” Sure, the idea is sort of roll with it but not comfortably or with abandon.
While “My Best Friend’s Girl” hints at a well-worn theme of longing and possessiveness, Ocasek flips it brilliantly at the end with “and she used to be mine.” The dismissive obsessiveness and cool cruelty of “Just What I Needed,” written by Ocasek but sung by bassist Benjamin Orr remains one of the great lyrical coups of modern rock. Combined with a brilliant opening, a tightly wound center and non-resolved ending, the tune’s demo version was much requested on WBCN-FM and helped signal the station’s paradigm shift from hippiedom to the “new wave” led by the program director Oedipus.
Over the decades, Ocasek’s spare, cool lyrics, filled with desire and ambivalence, only gleam brighter. There’s not a bad tune on this debut and the arrangements, though now familiar, are spare works that craftily whip rock guitar and new synth into candy gloss, carousel perfection. You could say some of it is too cute by half and accuse the beat of plodding now, but it did back then too. In fact, the deliberativeness of Robinson’s mechanical sounding rhythm tracks was and remains one of the album’s core strengths even as you will them to break free.
Recorded at AIR Studios in the UK and produced by Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker and originally mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, the album has always had a cool crunchiness that may have been intentional both to mirror the musical intent and to make it “pop” more on the radio but it never made for a great listen on a high performance audio system.
The original pressing has both a Sterling stamp on the lead out groove area and the initials “RTB” (scribed in the plastic), which probably means he was involved in the original cut. Clearly RTB wanted it cool and somewhat crunchy because the original Japanese pressing (Elektra Warner-Pioneer P-10552E) is more dynamic, more bass-intense and produces far more depth than does the original American issue.
Mo-Fi’s new gatefold edition sounds closer to the Japanese than to the original but it’s even better in most ways and as good in others. The Mo-fi is just crunchy enough, but not too crunchy and has excellent bottom end extension and definition. It also produces more depth and width than does the original and it doesn’t push the vocal harmonies up against a glass wall, which is something the others do.
If this is one of your ‘go to’ albums, go to your favorite records store, virtual or brick and mortar, and get this. It’s just what you’re needing.
SOURCE: http://www.musicangle.com Reprinted By Permission
Pick up Michael's DVD's Here:
Rock/Pop Tidbits
Both Davy Jones and Mickey Dolenz were child actors before landing a gig with the Monkees. Neither cared much about the music, they cared more about close-ups. Dolenz slipped the cameraman $25 to make sure he got the most close-ups. That didn’t fair too well, especially when Jones would slip the guy $35 and steal the show.
The drummer who played on the Marvelettes 1961, number one hit, "Please Mr. Postman" was 22 year old Marvin Gaye.
When RCA released 55 albums in stereo in May of 1958, executives at other record companies declared stereo a passing fad and predicted that mono would always be around.
The drum sound on Buddy Knox's 1957 hit, "Party Doll" was actually made by a cardboard box filled with cotton.
After Prince converted to being a Jehovah's Witness in May of 2001, fans could count at least 50 songs the artist can no longer perform due to their explicit content, including hits such as "Little Red Corvette" and "Cream.”
One day Michael Jackson decided to entertain himself. So he sat on the floor of his living room tearing up $100 bills; throwing them into the air saying, “Isn’t it pretty. Money makes the best confetti.” Uh, I wouldn’t know, gloved one.
Ernie K-Doe found a tune called "Mother-In-Law" in songwriter Allen Toussaint's discarded song pile and immediately wanted to record it, as he was having marital problems and blamed his wife's mother for much of them. The result was a surprising number one hit in May of 1961.
The first pressings of John Sebastian's May, 1976 solo hit, "Welcome Back", were entitled "Welcome Back Kotter" to make sure that the public identified the record as the theme song to the TV show of the same name.
When Elvis Presley married his longtime girlfriend, Priscilla Beaulieu on May 1, 1967, they danced to the Elvis song she heard when they met in 1959, "Love Me Tender.”
Keyboard player Billy Preston is the only studio musician to ever get credit on a Beatles' record.
The only artist in rock and roll history to record Billboard's number one single of the year for two years in a row was Elvis Presley, with "Heartbreak Hotel" in 1956 and "All Shook Up" in 1957. Both records held the top spot for 25 weeks in those years.
Stephen Stills of CSN fame actually auditioned to be one of the Monkees. But the producers didn’t hire him because his hair was falling out and he had bad teeth. So Stills suggested to his friend, Peter Tork, to go in for a tryout. Tork walked into the wall as he entered the audition and the job was his.
Lawrence Welk is the only US recording artist to have more appearances on network television than Paul Revere and The Raiders.
Gene Pitney started his music career in the early 1960s as a song writer, penning Rick Nelson's "Hello Mary Lou,” Bobby Vee's "Rubber Ball" and the Crystals' "He's a Rebel.”
The drummer who played on the Marvelettes 1961, number one hit, "Please Mr. Postman" was 22 year old Marvin Gaye.
When RCA released 55 albums in stereo in May of 1958, executives at other record companies declared stereo a passing fad and predicted that mono would always be around.
The drum sound on Buddy Knox's 1957 hit, "Party Doll" was actually made by a cardboard box filled with cotton.
After Prince converted to being a Jehovah's Witness in May of 2001, fans could count at least 50 songs the artist can no longer perform due to their explicit content, including hits such as "Little Red Corvette" and "Cream.”
One day Michael Jackson decided to entertain himself. So he sat on the floor of his living room tearing up $100 bills; throwing them into the air saying, “Isn’t it pretty. Money makes the best confetti.” Uh, I wouldn’t know, gloved one.
Ernie K-Doe found a tune called "Mother-In-Law" in songwriter Allen Toussaint's discarded song pile and immediately wanted to record it, as he was having marital problems and blamed his wife's mother for much of them. The result was a surprising number one hit in May of 1961.
The first pressings of John Sebastian's May, 1976 solo hit, "Welcome Back", were entitled "Welcome Back Kotter" to make sure that the public identified the record as the theme song to the TV show of the same name.
When Elvis Presley married his longtime girlfriend, Priscilla Beaulieu on May 1, 1967, they danced to the Elvis song she heard when they met in 1959, "Love Me Tender.”
Keyboard player Billy Preston is the only studio musician to ever get credit on a Beatles' record.
The only artist in rock and roll history to record Billboard's number one single of the year for two years in a row was Elvis Presley, with "Heartbreak Hotel" in 1956 and "All Shook Up" in 1957. Both records held the top spot for 25 weeks in those years.
Stephen Stills of CSN fame actually auditioned to be one of the Monkees. But the producers didn’t hire him because his hair was falling out and he had bad teeth. So Stills suggested to his friend, Peter Tork, to go in for a tryout. Tork walked into the wall as he entered the audition and the job was his.
Lawrence Welk is the only US recording artist to have more appearances on network television than Paul Revere and The Raiders.
Gene Pitney started his music career in the early 1960s as a song writer, penning Rick Nelson's "Hello Mary Lou,” Bobby Vee's "Rubber Ball" and the Crystals' "He's a Rebel.”
Music News & Notes
Sub Pop reissuing ‘Superfuzz Bigmuff,’ early Mudhoney LPs on colored vinyl
Following last year’s superb expanded reissue of Superfuzz Bigmuff, Sub Pop Records is releasing remastered editions of that classic proto-grunge EP and the first two Mudhoney albums on colored vinyl today.
Due out Sept. 22 and remastered from the original tapes, 1988’s Superfuzz Bigmuff will be on grey/off-black vinyl, 1989’s Mudhoney will be on magenta/”purple-y” vinyl and 1991’s Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge will be on “salmon-y”/orange vinyl, according to the label — which notes “some of these records haven’t been available on vinyl for ages/a couple of years.” Each also comes with a download code.
It’s worth noting, too, that the reissued Superfuzz Bigmuff is the original six-track EP, not the 1990 12-song compilation Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles, nor 2008’s 2-disc expanded edition.
=================
The "Octopus Project" reissues first two albums on vinyl
On the heels of a new EP and recent North American tour, Austin group The Octopus Project are returning to the studio to record their next full-length. To tide fans over in the meantime, the band's first two albums have been reissued on vinyl and are available in stores now. The band's haunting debut, Identification Parade, was originally issued by Peek-A-Boo Records in 2002, and deftly combines the experimentation of progressive post-rock, the blips and bleeps of electronic music and the raw, human ROCK of rock. Recorded and assembled over several years while the band was still mostly a recording project, Identification Parade is far more etherial, hypnotic and atmospheric than subsequent albums, and has been best described as "ambidextrous equipment failure junk-tronica."
Several years and many tours later, the 2005 sophomore album, "One Ten Hundred Thousand Million", captured the barely-controlled chaos of The Octopus Project's live performances in a rich, surround sound, 3-D, technicolor studio amalgamation injected with the wild energy they felt in noisy, tightly-packed clubs. It was this album that caught the attention of Rolling Stone Senior Editor David Fricke, who described the band's sound as "an outtake of the Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations' with Mogwai as the studio band" and "tightly composed bundles of synthesized whoop and circus-calliope cheer... like Stereolab with happy feet."
"Identification Parade" has never appeared on vinyl until now. "One Ten Hundred Thousand Million" was originally released on vinyl in a very limited edition of 500 copies with alternate hand-screened cover artwork. Peek-A-Boo Records is very excited to finally make both of these stellar albums available for vinyl enthusiasts.
=================
JIMI HENDRIX's Sister Promises 'Another Decade Of Previously Unreleased Music'
Jimi Hendrix's sister has stated that there is still "another decade" of unreleased music and video to come from the guitarist.
Janie Hendrix, also president and CEO of Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix (the companies that deal with his legacy), revealed that she wants to release new material every 12 to 18 months for the next ten years.
"We probably have another decade of music, including video. Every 12 to 18 months we'll continue to have new releases and Dagger [Experience Hendrix's label for live recordings] official bootlegs," she told Gibson.
"Jimi was a workaholic. After Electric Lady studios was built he was able to record constantly for as many hours as he wanted to. It's almost as if he knew he had only four years to accomplish everything that he did. We have an amazing amount of original masters, including a lot of material that hasn't been previously released."
=================
Pianist Ferrante Dies
Pianist and composer Arthur Ferrante passed away on early Saturday from natural causes at the age of 88. He and Lou Teicher recorded for 40 years as Ferrante and Teicher, releasing 150 albums, receiving 22 gold and platinum awards.
While their style could best be characterized as Easy Listening or "Beautiful Music" they nonetheless reached the Billboard top 10 four times in their career with the Theme From The Apartment (1960/#10 Pop/#24 R&B), Theme From Exodus (1961/#2 Pop/#6 R&B), Tonight (1961/#8 Pop/#2 Adult Contemporary) and Midnight Cowboy (1970/#10 Pop/#2 Adult Contemporary). 31 of their albums made the Top 200 between 1962 and 1972.
=================
Emerson, Lake & Palmer May Reform Next Year
There may be a chance that Emerson, Lake and Palmer will reunite next year for their first tour in over a decade. Carl Palmer told the Birmingham (U.K.) Post:
“We were going to reform ELP this year but we had a few medical problems involving Keith.
“One of his hands needs looking at so we had to postpone it. It’s an occupational hazard, with both of my hands having been operated on, but hopefully we can make it happen next year. Our second reformation was from 1991 to 1998 so I suppose we are due another one.”
Sanctuary/UMC will be releasing deluxe remastered editions of two of their albums, Works Volume 1 & 2 (together in one set for the first time) and Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends… Ladies & Gentlemen, Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Both are set for release on November 10.
=================
Foo Fighters 'Greatest Hits' Tracklisting Unveiled
Including two new songs...
Foo Fighters have revealed the songs on their forthcoming singles collection 'Greatest Hits'.
The sixteen tracks on the album span the bands whole career including 'Big Me' from their self titled first album right up to the specially recorded new material. Two new tracks,'Wheels' and 'Word Forward', will be included on the album.
A deluxe edition of 'Greatest Hits' will be released that will come with a 28 page book of exclusive photograph's plus a DVD including highlights of the bands shows at Wembley Stadium and Hyde Park in London.
'Greatest Hits' tracklisting,
'All My Life'
'Best Of You'
'Everlong'
'The Pretender'
'My Hero'
'Learn To Fly'
'Times Like These'
'Monkey Wrench'
'Big Me'
'Breakout'
'Long Road To Ruin'
'This is a Call'
'Skin and Bones'
'Wheels'
'Word Forward'
'Everlong' (acoustic)
=================
Theory Of A Deadman Announce Special Edition
SCARS & SOUVENIRS SPECIAL EDITION RELEASE
Vancouver’s latest breakthrough rock band Theory of A Deadman will be releasing a special edition of their RIAA Gold Certified album Scars & Souvenirs on October 20th on Roadrunner Records. The album, which has produced numerous hits and propelled the band to new heights, was originally released in April 2008. The special edition will include eight bonus tracks, as well as a bonus DVD with 10 videos, which span the band’s entire career, as well an EPK which features exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and a hilarious vignette that spoofs MTV’s Cribs, entitled “Haciendas: Tyler’s Place.”
=================
Paper + Plastick Release Frank Turner's First Three Years Double LP
Paper + Plastick Records have announced the release of UK anti-folk troubadour Frank Turner's collection of demos, B-sides, live tracks and covers, collectively known as The First Three Years. The vinyl label, which normally includes a digital download of each album, will be releasing this double LP exclusively on wax, which fans can purchase at www.paperandplastick.com.
"Frank Turner is the future of British music," says P+P founder Vinnie Fiorello, "And I don't say that lightly. He channels Billy Bragg like he has Billy's blood running through his own veins. The lyrics, the melodies, and the way he connects with the crowd makes him a contender to be the ONLY British import that matters. I'm honored to be able to release his early songs all packaged up in a fantastic looking double LP. Long Live Frank Turner!"
Turner's solo career took off overseas after his London-based hardcore band Million Dead broke up in 2005. He recorded these 23 songs between 2005 and 2008, of which most were demos and B-sides that appeared on split releases or compilations in the UK, but are all available for the first time this side of the pond on The First Three Years. A nod to a Black Flag album in both name and artwork, Three Years... also features Turner's folky and haunting interpretations of songs from Black Flag and Bad Brains to The Lemonheads, The Postal Service and ABBA. Having released a new album earlier this month, Poetry Of The Deed, this collection comes just in time for fans to catch up on Turner's earlier work and sing along while he is out on the road this fall currently supporting The Gaslight Anthem.
=================
Chord & Fawn Debut LP
The Chord and the Fawn have announced that they will release their debut full-length album on December 1st. The band have taken their ukulele and other musical trinkets to Flowers Studio (The Jayhawks, The Replacements, Mark Mallman, Motion City Soundtrack) in Minneapolis where they are working on their debut full length titled "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I." With engineer Peter Anderson and producer Tom Rehbein, the production is sure to match the talent of this young duo and generate a huge buzz in the Twin Cities.
=================
Eyehategod Vinyl Release
New Orleans' Eyehategod have spent the last two decades at odds with a corrupt music industry, using their music as a proverbial middle finger aimed at everything from government officials to sanctimonious shitheads hiding behind organized religion. "Confederacy Of Ruined Lives" is their fourth studio album, released in late 2000. Vinyl-only imprint I'm Better Than Everyone Records is collaborating with Eyehategod on its vinyl release. This extremely special release will be available to the masses on Tuesday, October 22nd and will be available in two versions: The main edition will behand numbered and limited to 400 on thick black vinyl. There will also be an extremely limited edition of 100 hand numbered copies on white vinyl with tan and black splatter. Both editions will be encased in a deluxe triple gatefold!
Following last year’s superb expanded reissue of Superfuzz Bigmuff, Sub Pop Records is releasing remastered editions of that classic proto-grunge EP and the first two Mudhoney albums on colored vinyl today.
Due out Sept. 22 and remastered from the original tapes, 1988’s Superfuzz Bigmuff will be on grey/off-black vinyl, 1989’s Mudhoney will be on magenta/”purple-y” vinyl and 1991’s Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge will be on “salmon-y”/orange vinyl, according to the label — which notes “some of these records haven’t been available on vinyl for ages/a couple of years.” Each also comes with a download code.
It’s worth noting, too, that the reissued Superfuzz Bigmuff is the original six-track EP, not the 1990 12-song compilation Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles, nor 2008’s 2-disc expanded edition.
=================
The "Octopus Project" reissues first two albums on vinyl
On the heels of a new EP and recent North American tour, Austin group The Octopus Project are returning to the studio to record their next full-length. To tide fans over in the meantime, the band's first two albums have been reissued on vinyl and are available in stores now. The band's haunting debut, Identification Parade, was originally issued by Peek-A-Boo Records in 2002, and deftly combines the experimentation of progressive post-rock, the blips and bleeps of electronic music and the raw, human ROCK of rock. Recorded and assembled over several years while the band was still mostly a recording project, Identification Parade is far more etherial, hypnotic and atmospheric than subsequent albums, and has been best described as "ambidextrous equipment failure junk-tronica."
Several years and many tours later, the 2005 sophomore album, "One Ten Hundred Thousand Million", captured the barely-controlled chaos of The Octopus Project's live performances in a rich, surround sound, 3-D, technicolor studio amalgamation injected with the wild energy they felt in noisy, tightly-packed clubs. It was this album that caught the attention of Rolling Stone Senior Editor David Fricke, who described the band's sound as "an outtake of the Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations' with Mogwai as the studio band" and "tightly composed bundles of synthesized whoop and circus-calliope cheer... like Stereolab with happy feet."
"Identification Parade" has never appeared on vinyl until now. "One Ten Hundred Thousand Million" was originally released on vinyl in a very limited edition of 500 copies with alternate hand-screened cover artwork. Peek-A-Boo Records is very excited to finally make both of these stellar albums available for vinyl enthusiasts.
=================
JIMI HENDRIX's Sister Promises 'Another Decade Of Previously Unreleased Music'
Jimi Hendrix's sister has stated that there is still "another decade" of unreleased music and video to come from the guitarist.
Janie Hendrix, also president and CEO of Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix (the companies that deal with his legacy), revealed that she wants to release new material every 12 to 18 months for the next ten years.
"We probably have another decade of music, including video. Every 12 to 18 months we'll continue to have new releases and Dagger [Experience Hendrix's label for live recordings] official bootlegs," she told Gibson.
"Jimi was a workaholic. After Electric Lady studios was built he was able to record constantly for as many hours as he wanted to. It's almost as if he knew he had only four years to accomplish everything that he did. We have an amazing amount of original masters, including a lot of material that hasn't been previously released."
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Pianist Ferrante Dies
Pianist and composer Arthur Ferrante passed away on early Saturday from natural causes at the age of 88. He and Lou Teicher recorded for 40 years as Ferrante and Teicher, releasing 150 albums, receiving 22 gold and platinum awards.
While their style could best be characterized as Easy Listening or "Beautiful Music" they nonetheless reached the Billboard top 10 four times in their career with the Theme From The Apartment (1960/#10 Pop/#24 R&B), Theme From Exodus (1961/#2 Pop/#6 R&B), Tonight (1961/#8 Pop/#2 Adult Contemporary) and Midnight Cowboy (1970/#10 Pop/#2 Adult Contemporary). 31 of their albums made the Top 200 between 1962 and 1972.
=================
Emerson, Lake & Palmer May Reform Next Year
There may be a chance that Emerson, Lake and Palmer will reunite next year for their first tour in over a decade. Carl Palmer told the Birmingham (U.K.) Post:
“We were going to reform ELP this year but we had a few medical problems involving Keith.
“One of his hands needs looking at so we had to postpone it. It’s an occupational hazard, with both of my hands having been operated on, but hopefully we can make it happen next year. Our second reformation was from 1991 to 1998 so I suppose we are due another one.”
Sanctuary/UMC will be releasing deluxe remastered editions of two of their albums, Works Volume 1 & 2 (together in one set for the first time) and Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends… Ladies & Gentlemen, Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Both are set for release on November 10.
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Foo Fighters 'Greatest Hits' Tracklisting Unveiled
Including two new songs...
Foo Fighters have revealed the songs on their forthcoming singles collection 'Greatest Hits'.
The sixteen tracks on the album span the bands whole career including 'Big Me' from their self titled first album right up to the specially recorded new material. Two new tracks,'Wheels' and 'Word Forward', will be included on the album.
A deluxe edition of 'Greatest Hits' will be released that will come with a 28 page book of exclusive photograph's plus a DVD including highlights of the bands shows at Wembley Stadium and Hyde Park in London.
'Greatest Hits' tracklisting,
'All My Life'
'Best Of You'
'Everlong'
'The Pretender'
'My Hero'
'Learn To Fly'
'Times Like These'
'Monkey Wrench'
'Big Me'
'Breakout'
'Long Road To Ruin'
'This is a Call'
'Skin and Bones'
'Wheels'
'Word Forward'
'Everlong' (acoustic)
=================
Theory Of A Deadman Announce Special Edition
SCARS & SOUVENIRS SPECIAL EDITION RELEASE
Vancouver’s latest breakthrough rock band Theory of A Deadman will be releasing a special edition of their RIAA Gold Certified album Scars & Souvenirs on October 20th on Roadrunner Records. The album, which has produced numerous hits and propelled the band to new heights, was originally released in April 2008. The special edition will include eight bonus tracks, as well as a bonus DVD with 10 videos, which span the band’s entire career, as well an EPK which features exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and a hilarious vignette that spoofs MTV’s Cribs, entitled “Haciendas: Tyler’s Place.”
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Paper + Plastick Release Frank Turner's First Three Years Double LP
Paper + Plastick Records have announced the release of UK anti-folk troubadour Frank Turner's collection of demos, B-sides, live tracks and covers, collectively known as The First Three Years. The vinyl label, which normally includes a digital download of each album, will be releasing this double LP exclusively on wax, which fans can purchase at www.paperandplastick.com.
"Frank Turner is the future of British music," says P+P founder Vinnie Fiorello, "And I don't say that lightly. He channels Billy Bragg like he has Billy's blood running through his own veins. The lyrics, the melodies, and the way he connects with the crowd makes him a contender to be the ONLY British import that matters. I'm honored to be able to release his early songs all packaged up in a fantastic looking double LP. Long Live Frank Turner!"
Turner's solo career took off overseas after his London-based hardcore band Million Dead broke up in 2005. He recorded these 23 songs between 2005 and 2008, of which most were demos and B-sides that appeared on split releases or compilations in the UK, but are all available for the first time this side of the pond on The First Three Years. A nod to a Black Flag album in both name and artwork, Three Years... also features Turner's folky and haunting interpretations of songs from Black Flag and Bad Brains to The Lemonheads, The Postal Service and ABBA. Having released a new album earlier this month, Poetry Of The Deed, this collection comes just in time for fans to catch up on Turner's earlier work and sing along while he is out on the road this fall currently supporting The Gaslight Anthem.
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Chord & Fawn Debut LP
The Chord and the Fawn have announced that they will release their debut full-length album on December 1st. The band have taken their ukulele and other musical trinkets to Flowers Studio (The Jayhawks, The Replacements, Mark Mallman, Motion City Soundtrack) in Minneapolis where they are working on their debut full length titled "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I." With engineer Peter Anderson and producer Tom Rehbein, the production is sure to match the talent of this young duo and generate a huge buzz in the Twin Cities.
=================
Eyehategod Vinyl Release
New Orleans' Eyehategod have spent the last two decades at odds with a corrupt music industry, using their music as a proverbial middle finger aimed at everything from government officials to sanctimonious shitheads hiding behind organized religion. "Confederacy Of Ruined Lives" is their fourth studio album, released in late 2000. Vinyl-only imprint I'm Better Than Everyone Records is collaborating with Eyehategod on its vinyl release. This extremely special release will be available to the masses on Tuesday, October 22nd and will be available in two versions: The main edition will behand numbered and limited to 400 on thick black vinyl. There will also be an extremely limited edition of 100 hand numbered copies on white vinyl with tan and black splatter. Both editions will be encased in a deluxe triple gatefold!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Classic Album Cover Art- Guns N' Roses The Spagetti Incident
Anyone hungry for some pasta? The Spaghetti Incident? is the fifth album by hard rock band Guns N' Roses. The album was very unique for the band and consists entirely of cover versions, mostly of punk and glam rock songs of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The title is in reference to a food-fight between Axl Rose and Steven Adler, obviously involving spaghetti. Much was made of this food fight during Adler's resolution lawsuit with the band; and Adler's attorney referred to it as the Spaghetti Incident. It is suggested that the attorney's choice of name for the incident was a reference to the David Bowie movie, The Linguini Incident.Many of the tracks were recorded with original Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin during the Use Your Illusion I and II sessions. Those tracks were previously intended to be included in a combined Use Your Illusion album, consisting of three (or possibly even four) discs, instead of the two separate discs they ended up being.
Notes:
In 1992, the band prepared to release the leftover cover tracks as an EP, with then-Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke replacing Stradlin's guitar tracks. They later decided on making the album a full release and recorded several more tracks for it.
Then-Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan sings on many of the album's tracks and Hanoi Rocks frontman (and Axl Rose's idol) Michael Monroe appears on "Ain't It Fun" as a guest vocalist.
The album was released shortly after the conclusion of the Use Your Illusion World Tour which had lasted since early 1991. The vinyl copy of the album was released in clear plastic orange, and the CD was released with colour designs and markings, which would later be changed (in the 1997 reissue) to simply a plain silver coloured CD.
Despite protests from Rose's bandmates, an unadvertised cover of Charles Manson's song "Look at Your Game, Girl" was included on the album at his request. The CD release gave no track number to the song - it could only be found by listening through the dead air left after the last documented track on the album. In early 2000, Rose said that he would remove "Look at Your Game, Girl" from re-issues of the album, citing that critics and popular media misinterpreted his interest in Manson and that a misunderstanding public no longer deserved to hear it. However, the song is still present on the album, and in recent re-issues, "Look at Your Game, Girl" has been added as a separate, 13th track.
In the first week of sales "The Spaghetti Incident?" sold roughly 190,000 copies and debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, selling way less than their other releases, the album has failed to match the success of any other Guns N' Roses album, it did not increase the popularity with in the band, most reviews of the album were rated average saying the covers are just of mostly punk songs that really aren't that good.
To date, it is the last full-length studio album released by Guns N' Roses.
Rock/Pop Tidbits
Rod Stewart was always known as a ladies man. But his girlfriend Britt Ekland had a very stern warning for the loose lover: “If you screw another woman while you’re with me, I’ll chop your balls off.” We can only presume that the overly friendly Rod was on his best behavior while with Ekland.
It was rough going in the beginning for Axl Rose. In fact, in 1985, Axl and his band mates rented a small apartment in Los Angles. To cook dinner, the resourceful rockers had to set fire to a set of drum sticks and proceeded to roast hamburgers over the improvised flames.
Before joining the Monkees, Davy Jones was both a stage actor and a racehorse jockey.
Joey Dee, who had a US number one hit in January, 1962 with "Peppermint Twist" was surrounded by future recording stars at various stages of his life. He attended Passaic Highschool in New Jersey at the same time as the Shirelles. A female trio that was part of his act at the Peppermint Lounge went on to become The Ronettes. When he opened his own club, his backup band included Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish, and Eddie Brigati, who would form the Young Rascals. After Joey sold the club and went on the road, his guitar player was Jimi Hendrix.
After his short fifteen minutes of fame, former Partridge family actor Danny Bonaduce landed a gig as a DJ. So he had the call letters and the name of the station tattooed on his rear end. His thinking? He was under the impression that it would help him keep his job- it didn’t work.
In 1961 Ricky Nelson's father, Ozzie Nelson, filmed a video for the hit "Travelin Man,” featuring pictures of places mentioned in the song. This film is often called the world's first rock video. This is disputed however by Jay Perry Richardson, the son of J.P. Richardson, better known as The Big Bopper, claiming that his father made a video in 1958 for "Chantilly Lace" and actually coined the term 'music video' in 1959.
Wango tango! When a female reporter inquired why ted Nugent didn’t wear tuxedos on his album covers, his reply was, “Why did you decide not to douche yourself with molten lava?”
When Vernon Presley re-married on July 3rd, 1960, Elvis did not attend the ceremony.
Elton John wrote his US number one hit, "Philadelphia Freedom" after watching Billie Jean King play a tennis match with her World Tennis League team, the Philadelphia Freedoms.
It was in 1972 when John Denver dropped some acid and drove around on a motorcycle. Then he penned the hit song, “Rocky Mountain High.” Denver explained: “What a far out experience that was.”
Denver also thought that saying “far out” was really, well for the lack of a better term, far out. “The first time I appeared as guest host of the Tonight Show, I must have said ‘far out’ fifty times. I would say ‘far out’ without even thinking, it was like a nervous tic…” Far out.
After John Denver saw a Rolling Stones concert in Long Beach, California, the soft rock troubadour confessed, “I didn’t get Mick Jagger or his onstage gyrations. It just didn’t compute to me.” Maybe he needed more of that ‘Rocky Mountain’ high to appreciate it.
In 1951, when Brenda Lee was only 6 years old, she auditioned for a local Atlanta television show called TV Ranch. An hour and a half after singing "Hey, Good Lookin'" for the producer, she appeared on the program.
Apparently Madonna’s pet Chihuahua “Chiquita” was suffering a bout of doggy depression over the attention that was given to Madonna’s new baby, Lourdes. So the ‘material girl’ sent the sad pooch to a canine shrink. I guess the $7,500 choker from Tiffany’s just wasn’t enough to cheer up the little yapper.
Before Michael Jackson made love to his wife Debbie Rowe, the gloved one would dress up as Peter Pan and dance around the room. Another time he wore a horse’s head and galloped around on a broom stick. “It made him feel romantic,” explained Debbie. Uh, okay…and why doesn’t that surprise anyone?
The Queen song, “Radio Gaga” was actually inspired by band member Roger Taylor’s son who had heard a song on the radio and called it “Radio Ka-Ka.”
When the record producer for the Spice Girls hired a voice and singing coach to train the girls, his first impression: “My God, there’s a lot of work to be done here!”
In the early fifties, Neil Sedaka teamed up with some high school friends to form a vocal group. They had a local hit in New York, but then parted ways. The group later went on to record as The Tokens and in 1962, scored a Billboard number one smash with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain got very close early on in their relationship. “We bonded over pharmaceuticals,” detailed Love. “I had Vicodin extra-strength…and he had hycomine cough syrup.”
In a Vanity Fair interview in 1992, Love said “If there ever is a time that a person should be on drugs, it’s when they’re pregnant, because it sucks.”
At a Pink Floyd concert in 1980 for the concept album “The Wall,” fireworks ignited the stage curtains. Pieces of burning fabric rained down on the audience, who cheered mightily; they thought it was part of the show.
It was rough going in the beginning for Axl Rose. In fact, in 1985, Axl and his band mates rented a small apartment in Los Angles. To cook dinner, the resourceful rockers had to set fire to a set of drum sticks and proceeded to roast hamburgers over the improvised flames.
Before joining the Monkees, Davy Jones was both a stage actor and a racehorse jockey.
Joey Dee, who had a US number one hit in January, 1962 with "Peppermint Twist" was surrounded by future recording stars at various stages of his life. He attended Passaic Highschool in New Jersey at the same time as the Shirelles. A female trio that was part of his act at the Peppermint Lounge went on to become The Ronettes. When he opened his own club, his backup band included Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish, and Eddie Brigati, who would form the Young Rascals. After Joey sold the club and went on the road, his guitar player was Jimi Hendrix.
After his short fifteen minutes of fame, former Partridge family actor Danny Bonaduce landed a gig as a DJ. So he had the call letters and the name of the station tattooed on his rear end. His thinking? He was under the impression that it would help him keep his job- it didn’t work.
In 1961 Ricky Nelson's father, Ozzie Nelson, filmed a video for the hit "Travelin Man,” featuring pictures of places mentioned in the song. This film is often called the world's first rock video. This is disputed however by Jay Perry Richardson, the son of J.P. Richardson, better known as The Big Bopper, claiming that his father made a video in 1958 for "Chantilly Lace" and actually coined the term 'music video' in 1959.
Wango tango! When a female reporter inquired why ted Nugent didn’t wear tuxedos on his album covers, his reply was, “Why did you decide not to douche yourself with molten lava?”
When Vernon Presley re-married on July 3rd, 1960, Elvis did not attend the ceremony.
Elton John wrote his US number one hit, "Philadelphia Freedom" after watching Billie Jean King play a tennis match with her World Tennis League team, the Philadelphia Freedoms.
It was in 1972 when John Denver dropped some acid and drove around on a motorcycle. Then he penned the hit song, “Rocky Mountain High.” Denver explained: “What a far out experience that was.”
Denver also thought that saying “far out” was really, well for the lack of a better term, far out. “The first time I appeared as guest host of the Tonight Show, I must have said ‘far out’ fifty times. I would say ‘far out’ without even thinking, it was like a nervous tic…” Far out.
After John Denver saw a Rolling Stones concert in Long Beach, California, the soft rock troubadour confessed, “I didn’t get Mick Jagger or his onstage gyrations. It just didn’t compute to me.” Maybe he needed more of that ‘Rocky Mountain’ high to appreciate it.
In 1951, when Brenda Lee was only 6 years old, she auditioned for a local Atlanta television show called TV Ranch. An hour and a half after singing "Hey, Good Lookin'" for the producer, she appeared on the program.
Apparently Madonna’s pet Chihuahua “Chiquita” was suffering a bout of doggy depression over the attention that was given to Madonna’s new baby, Lourdes. So the ‘material girl’ sent the sad pooch to a canine shrink. I guess the $7,500 choker from Tiffany’s just wasn’t enough to cheer up the little yapper.
Before Michael Jackson made love to his wife Debbie Rowe, the gloved one would dress up as Peter Pan and dance around the room. Another time he wore a horse’s head and galloped around on a broom stick. “It made him feel romantic,” explained Debbie. Uh, okay…and why doesn’t that surprise anyone?
The Queen song, “Radio Gaga” was actually inspired by band member Roger Taylor’s son who had heard a song on the radio and called it “Radio Ka-Ka.”
When the record producer for the Spice Girls hired a voice and singing coach to train the girls, his first impression: “My God, there’s a lot of work to be done here!”
In the early fifties, Neil Sedaka teamed up with some high school friends to form a vocal group. They had a local hit in New York, but then parted ways. The group later went on to record as The Tokens and in 1962, scored a Billboard number one smash with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain got very close early on in their relationship. “We bonded over pharmaceuticals,” detailed Love. “I had Vicodin extra-strength…and he had hycomine cough syrup.”
In a Vanity Fair interview in 1992, Love said “If there ever is a time that a person should be on drugs, it’s when they’re pregnant, because it sucks.”
At a Pink Floyd concert in 1980 for the concept album “The Wall,” fireworks ignited the stage curtains. Pieces of burning fabric rained down on the audience, who cheered mightily; they thought it was part of the show.
This Date In Music History-September 21
Birthdays:
Singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen (1934)
Dickey Lee (1943)
Versatile session guitarist Jesse Ed Davis (1944)
Don Felder - Eagles (1947)
Phil "Filthy Animal" Taylor - Motorhead (1954)
Faith Hill (1967)
Timmy T (1967)
Tyler Stewart - Barenaked Ladies (1967)
Jon Brooks - Charlatans (1968)
Trugoy the Dove (real name David Jude Jolicoeur) - De La Soul (1968)
Liam Gallagher - Oasis (1972)
David Silveria - KoRn (1972)
They Are Missed:
In 1987, jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius died from injuries sustained in a fight. Pastorius was trying to enter the Midnight Bottle Club in Wilton Manors, Florida, (where he'd been banned), and became involved in a fight with a bouncer, Pastorius fell into a coma and was put on life support. In 2006, Pastorius was voted "The Greatest Bass Player Who Has Ever Lived" by readers in Bass Guitar magazine. Was a member of Weather Report and worked with various acts including Joni Mitchell and Herbie Hancock
Founding Bad Company bassist Raymond "Boz" Burrell died at his home in Spain in 2006 . He was 60 years old. Prior to the formation of Bad Company, Burrell was briefly a member of Prog-Rock pioneers King Crimson.
History:
The Platters' first million seller, "Only You," entered the pop charts in 1955 (#24). The song hits #1 on the R&B chart. It became the first record to sell more than a million copies in France.
In 1957, Scotty Moore and Bill Black quit as Elvis Presley's backup musicians in a salary dispute (Bill eventually forms Bill Black's Combo).
Bobby Vinton started a three week run at #1 on the US charts in 1963 with "Blue Velvet." The single became a hit in the UK 27 years later when it reached #2.
Jimmy Hendrix changed the spelling of his name to "Jimi" in 1966 during a trans-Atlantic flight to London.
Deep Purple made #4 on the charts in 1968 with their debut single "Hush."
Jeannie C Riley went to #1 on the charts in 1968 with "Harper Valley PTA." Jeannie won a Grammy for the best female country singer of 68.
Jimi Hendrix released his masterful reworking of Bob Dylan`s "All Along The Watchtower" in 1968. It`s Jimi`s biggest pop hit going up to #12.
BTO's stuttering single "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" was released in 1974.
Guitarist Ariel Bender left Mott the Hoople in 1974 and was replaced by former David Bowie guitarist, Mick Ronson.
Barry White went to #1 on the charts in 1974 with "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Baby," his first and only solo chart topper.
Also in 1974, Carl Douglas was at #1 on the US singles chart (also #1 in the UK) with "Kung Fu Fighting." The song was recorded in 10 minutes, had started out as a B-side and went on to sell over 10 million copies.
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter joined the Doobie Brothers in 1974.
In 1980, during a North American tour, Bob Marley collapsed while jogging in New York's Central Park. After hospital tests he was diagnosed as having cancer. Marley played his last ever concert two nights later at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Also in 1980 - Elton John signed a long-term exclusive, worldwide recording contract with Geffen Records, the new label that recently signed Donna Summer. This marked the first time his records will be released on the same label around the world.
Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing" was #1 in 1985 for the first of three weeks. Inspired by a shopping trip to a NYC appliance store, group leader Mark Knopfler composed the lyrics based on the critical lines he overheard a guy spew while watching display TVs all tuned to MTV. Coincidentally, the song was aided by an animated video that lands on MTV’s heavy rotation.
In 1986, the National Inquirer Magazine featured a picture of Michael Jackson in an oxygen chamber with a story claiming that Jackson had a bizarre plan to live until he was 150 years old.
In 1989, the Bangles issued a press statement confirming that the group were splitting. They reformed in 2000.
Color Me Bad scored their first #1 single with "I Adore Mi Amor."
Nirvana's album, "In Utero" was released in 1993.
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. in 2001, the commercial-free “America: A Tribute To Heroes” was broadcast. Bruce Springsteen opened the show that featured U2, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Sting, Billy Joel and Sheryl Crow. $150 million was pledged to help victims.
In 2003, Hilary Duff was at #1 on the US album chart with "Metamorphosis."
In 2004, singer Cat Stevens ("Wild World"), who changed his name to Yusuf Islam after becoming a Muslim, was denied entry into the United States after his name was found on an anti-terrorist watch list. Stevens denies links to the terror group Hamas.
In 2007, the Rolling Stones top Forbes' list of the top-earning musicians. From June, ’06 to June, ’07 the group earned nearly $88 million.
Singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen (1934)
Dickey Lee (1943)
Versatile session guitarist Jesse Ed Davis (1944)
Don Felder - Eagles (1947)
Phil "Filthy Animal" Taylor - Motorhead (1954)
Faith Hill (1967)
Timmy T (1967)
Tyler Stewart - Barenaked Ladies (1967)
Jon Brooks - Charlatans (1968)
Trugoy the Dove (real name David Jude Jolicoeur) - De La Soul (1968)
Liam Gallagher - Oasis (1972)
David Silveria - KoRn (1972)
They Are Missed:
In 1987, jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius died from injuries sustained in a fight. Pastorius was trying to enter the Midnight Bottle Club in Wilton Manors, Florida, (where he'd been banned), and became involved in a fight with a bouncer, Pastorius fell into a coma and was put on life support. In 2006, Pastorius was voted "The Greatest Bass Player Who Has Ever Lived" by readers in Bass Guitar magazine. Was a member of Weather Report and worked with various acts including Joni Mitchell and Herbie Hancock
Founding Bad Company bassist Raymond "Boz" Burrell died at his home in Spain in 2006 . He was 60 years old. Prior to the formation of Bad Company, Burrell was briefly a member of Prog-Rock pioneers King Crimson.
History:
The Platters' first million seller, "Only You," entered the pop charts in 1955 (#24). The song hits #1 on the R&B chart. It became the first record to sell more than a million copies in France.
In 1957, Scotty Moore and Bill Black quit as Elvis Presley's backup musicians in a salary dispute (Bill eventually forms Bill Black's Combo).
Bobby Vinton started a three week run at #1 on the US charts in 1963 with "Blue Velvet." The single became a hit in the UK 27 years later when it reached #2.
Jimmy Hendrix changed the spelling of his name to "Jimi" in 1966 during a trans-Atlantic flight to London.
Deep Purple made #4 on the charts in 1968 with their debut single "Hush."
Jeannie C Riley went to #1 on the charts in 1968 with "Harper Valley PTA." Jeannie won a Grammy for the best female country singer of 68.
Jimi Hendrix released his masterful reworking of Bob Dylan`s "All Along The Watchtower" in 1968. It`s Jimi`s biggest pop hit going up to #12.
BTO's stuttering single "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" was released in 1974.
Guitarist Ariel Bender left Mott the Hoople in 1974 and was replaced by former David Bowie guitarist, Mick Ronson.
Barry White went to #1 on the charts in 1974 with "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Baby," his first and only solo chart topper.
Also in 1974, Carl Douglas was at #1 on the US singles chart (also #1 in the UK) with "Kung Fu Fighting." The song was recorded in 10 minutes, had started out as a B-side and went on to sell over 10 million copies.
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter joined the Doobie Brothers in 1974.
In 1980, during a North American tour, Bob Marley collapsed while jogging in New York's Central Park. After hospital tests he was diagnosed as having cancer. Marley played his last ever concert two nights later at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Also in 1980 - Elton John signed a long-term exclusive, worldwide recording contract with Geffen Records, the new label that recently signed Donna Summer. This marked the first time his records will be released on the same label around the world.
Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing" was #1 in 1985 for the first of three weeks. Inspired by a shopping trip to a NYC appliance store, group leader Mark Knopfler composed the lyrics based on the critical lines he overheard a guy spew while watching display TVs all tuned to MTV. Coincidentally, the song was aided by an animated video that lands on MTV’s heavy rotation.
In 1986, the National Inquirer Magazine featured a picture of Michael Jackson in an oxygen chamber with a story claiming that Jackson had a bizarre plan to live until he was 150 years old.
In 1989, the Bangles issued a press statement confirming that the group were splitting. They reformed in 2000.
Color Me Bad scored their first #1 single with "I Adore Mi Amor."
Nirvana's album, "In Utero" was released in 1993.
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. in 2001, the commercial-free “America: A Tribute To Heroes” was broadcast. Bruce Springsteen opened the show that featured U2, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Sting, Billy Joel and Sheryl Crow. $150 million was pledged to help victims.
In 2003, Hilary Duff was at #1 on the US album chart with "Metamorphosis."
In 2004, singer Cat Stevens ("Wild World"), who changed his name to Yusuf Islam after becoming a Muslim, was denied entry into the United States after his name was found on an anti-terrorist watch list. Stevens denies links to the terror group Hamas.
In 2007, the Rolling Stones top Forbes' list of the top-earning musicians. From June, ’06 to June, ’07 the group earned nearly $88 million.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Rock/Pop Tidbits
A bit under the weather as they say, here's an expanded version of Tidbits. Hope to back in the groove tomorrow :O)
For the recording of "A Whiter Shade Of Pale,” Procol Harum's producer Denny Cordell chose to replace the band's regular drummer, Bobby Harrison, with session man Bill Eyden. Even though the song went to the top of the charts world wide, Eyden was paid the Musicians' Union rate of 15 pounds and 15 shillings. Harrison received, like all the other members of the band, 10,000 pounds, despite admitting he had taken no part in the recording. He later left the band and was replaced by B.J. Wilson.
The Bellemy Brothers hit "Let Your Love Flow" was written by Larry Williams, a roadie for Neil Diamond. It was the only song that he wrote that was ever recorded, but it sold over four million copies.
The Standells' drummer, Larry Tamblyn is the brother of Russ Tamblyn (star of West Side Story) and uncle of Amber Tamblyn (star of Joan of Arcadia and Grudge 2).
Barry McGuire, who recorded the number one smash "Eve Of Destruction" in 1965, never had another US Top 40 hit. He did however become a born again Christian in the 1970s and sold hundreds of thousands of Gospel records.
The follow-up album to the Beach Boys classic LP “Pet Sounds” was initially called “Dumb Angel,” then “Smile.” To record the album, Brian Wilson and a collaborator brought in $2,000 worth of black hash, toked it up and set their microphones about a foot from the ground and then lay on the floor. This plan was quickly nixed when the stoned-rockers ultimately decided to stand back up to keep from falling asleep. Ya think?
Michael Jackson owns the rights to the South Carolina State anthem.
The world's first cassette player was made available to the public at an electronics show in August 1965.
In 1980, former Amboy Dukes guitarist Ted Nugent, known as "the Motor City Madman,” was made a deputy sheriff near his home in southern Michigan.
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was at a press conference early in their career. He picked his nose and flicked the rock and roll bugar across the room. When an appalled writer made a comment, band mate Mick Jagger replied, “You’re lucky it wasn’t a green one, he eats those.”
The Beatles' last concert tour appearance was a 33-minute performance at San Francisco's Candlestick Park on Monday August 29th, 1966. The Park's capacity was 42,500 but the Beatles only filled 25,000 seats, leaving entire sections unsold. The last song they played was not even one of their own tunes. It was Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally.”
Gus Cannon had written and recorded a song called "Walk Right In" in 1930. Erik Darling heard the record over 30 years later and along with some friends, recorded it as The Rooftop Singers. Cannon was 79 years old at the time and had been living in a tiny trackside house, heated by coal. His financial situation improved dramatically when newly recorded song caught on across America and went to number one in January, 1963.
While still in the Doobie Brothers, Michael McDonald sang backup vocals on Christopher Cross' 1980, number two hit, "Ride Like The Wind.”
The last time all four Beatles were ever together was in a recording studio during a mixing session for "Abbey Road" on August 20th, 1969.
Faced with the Beatles' breakup, Paul McCartney told the others he wanted the band to get back to its roots and tour little clubs. John Lennon said he was nuts.
In 1980, Texas rockers ZZ Top wrote to NASA and formally requested that they be booked as the lounge act on the space shuttle. NASA actually responded saying that the band’s request would, “receive all due consideration.” Unfortunately, the band did not get the gig.
A popular fad of the 50's, the jukebox used to be known as 'the nickel in the slot machine'. The first of these were created when a coin operated slot was added to an Edison phonograph in San Francisco in 1889. In its first six months of service, the Nickel-in-the-Slot earned over $1000.
In 1966, a record company actually hired Frank Zappa and his band, The Mother’s of Invention, to cut a record with Burt Ward, who portrayed Robin on the TV series Batman. The result was a single appropriately called, “Boy wonder, I Love You.”
One night in 1968, while Gary U.S. Bonds was playing at a club in New Jersey, he thought he'd give a local kid a break and invite him up onstage to do a number. That kid turned out to be rock superstar Bruce Springsteen.
Prior to becoming rock and rolls most notorious lip synchers, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli tried their hand at modeling. Alas, they were not tall enough, so they switched to ‘singing,’ well, sort of.
Elvis Presley's 1958, number one smash, "I Beg Of You" took 34 takes to get it right.
As a youth, Billy Joel once contemplated suicide. “I went into the closet and said, ‘I’m gonna fill myself.’ There was chlorine bleach and I said, ‘Nah, that’s gonna taste bad.’ So I took the furniture polish Pledge- all I ended up doing was farting furniture polish.”
While we are on the subject (farts that is), it’s reported that comedian Sandra Bernhard was once romantically involved with Madonna, although the affair probably had more to do with publicity than passion. The ‘couple’ had a very public breakup with Bernhard stating: “Every time Madonna farts, the press picks up on it. They want to see how it smells. I hate to break the news, but it smells like everybody else’s farts.”
At the Argentina/Brazil border in 1981, while Queen traveled through Latin America on their “Gluttons for Punishment” tour, a customs official suffered a heart attack when he saw Queen’s equipment- all 110 tons of it.
At the end of a 1992 tour, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett lowered his pants and mooned a TV camera shouting, “that’s what I think of the Guns N’ Roses tour!”
In 1970, Jeff Christie offered his composition "Yellow River" to the Tremeloes. They recorded it to release as a single, but when they changed their minds, they allowed Jeff's own band to use the backing track themselves. The result was a UK number one hit in May 1970 and subsequently #23 in the US.
When Angus Young of AC/DC first started performing he wasn’t quite sure what to wear onstage. He tried a gorilla suit, then a Zorro outfit, when his sister suggested that he don an Australian schoolboy’s outfit- and a rock start was born!
For the recording of "A Whiter Shade Of Pale,” Procol Harum's producer Denny Cordell chose to replace the band's regular drummer, Bobby Harrison, with session man Bill Eyden. Even though the song went to the top of the charts world wide, Eyden was paid the Musicians' Union rate of 15 pounds and 15 shillings. Harrison received, like all the other members of the band, 10,000 pounds, despite admitting he had taken no part in the recording. He later left the band and was replaced by B.J. Wilson.
The Bellemy Brothers hit "Let Your Love Flow" was written by Larry Williams, a roadie for Neil Diamond. It was the only song that he wrote that was ever recorded, but it sold over four million copies.
The Standells' drummer, Larry Tamblyn is the brother of Russ Tamblyn (star of West Side Story) and uncle of Amber Tamblyn (star of Joan of Arcadia and Grudge 2).
Barry McGuire, who recorded the number one smash "Eve Of Destruction" in 1965, never had another US Top 40 hit. He did however become a born again Christian in the 1970s and sold hundreds of thousands of Gospel records.
The follow-up album to the Beach Boys classic LP “Pet Sounds” was initially called “Dumb Angel,” then “Smile.” To record the album, Brian Wilson and a collaborator brought in $2,000 worth of black hash, toked it up and set their microphones about a foot from the ground and then lay on the floor. This plan was quickly nixed when the stoned-rockers ultimately decided to stand back up to keep from falling asleep. Ya think?
Michael Jackson owns the rights to the South Carolina State anthem.
The world's first cassette player was made available to the public at an electronics show in August 1965.
In 1980, former Amboy Dukes guitarist Ted Nugent, known as "the Motor City Madman,” was made a deputy sheriff near his home in southern Michigan.
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was at a press conference early in their career. He picked his nose and flicked the rock and roll bugar across the room. When an appalled writer made a comment, band mate Mick Jagger replied, “You’re lucky it wasn’t a green one, he eats those.”
The Beatles' last concert tour appearance was a 33-minute performance at San Francisco's Candlestick Park on Monday August 29th, 1966. The Park's capacity was 42,500 but the Beatles only filled 25,000 seats, leaving entire sections unsold. The last song they played was not even one of their own tunes. It was Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally.”
Gus Cannon had written and recorded a song called "Walk Right In" in 1930. Erik Darling heard the record over 30 years later and along with some friends, recorded it as The Rooftop Singers. Cannon was 79 years old at the time and had been living in a tiny trackside house, heated by coal. His financial situation improved dramatically when newly recorded song caught on across America and went to number one in January, 1963.
While still in the Doobie Brothers, Michael McDonald sang backup vocals on Christopher Cross' 1980, number two hit, "Ride Like The Wind.”
The last time all four Beatles were ever together was in a recording studio during a mixing session for "Abbey Road" on August 20th, 1969.
Faced with the Beatles' breakup, Paul McCartney told the others he wanted the band to get back to its roots and tour little clubs. John Lennon said he was nuts.
In 1980, Texas rockers ZZ Top wrote to NASA and formally requested that they be booked as the lounge act on the space shuttle. NASA actually responded saying that the band’s request would, “receive all due consideration.” Unfortunately, the band did not get the gig.
A popular fad of the 50's, the jukebox used to be known as 'the nickel in the slot machine'. The first of these were created when a coin operated slot was added to an Edison phonograph in San Francisco in 1889. In its first six months of service, the Nickel-in-the-Slot earned over $1000.
In 1966, a record company actually hired Frank Zappa and his band, The Mother’s of Invention, to cut a record with Burt Ward, who portrayed Robin on the TV series Batman. The result was a single appropriately called, “Boy wonder, I Love You.”
One night in 1968, while Gary U.S. Bonds was playing at a club in New Jersey, he thought he'd give a local kid a break and invite him up onstage to do a number. That kid turned out to be rock superstar Bruce Springsteen.
Prior to becoming rock and rolls most notorious lip synchers, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli tried their hand at modeling. Alas, they were not tall enough, so they switched to ‘singing,’ well, sort of.
Elvis Presley's 1958, number one smash, "I Beg Of You" took 34 takes to get it right.
As a youth, Billy Joel once contemplated suicide. “I went into the closet and said, ‘I’m gonna fill myself.’ There was chlorine bleach and I said, ‘Nah, that’s gonna taste bad.’ So I took the furniture polish Pledge- all I ended up doing was farting furniture polish.”
While we are on the subject (farts that is), it’s reported that comedian Sandra Bernhard was once romantically involved with Madonna, although the affair probably had more to do with publicity than passion. The ‘couple’ had a very public breakup with Bernhard stating: “Every time Madonna farts, the press picks up on it. They want to see how it smells. I hate to break the news, but it smells like everybody else’s farts.”
At the Argentina/Brazil border in 1981, while Queen traveled through Latin America on their “Gluttons for Punishment” tour, a customs official suffered a heart attack when he saw Queen’s equipment- all 110 tons of it.
At the end of a 1992 tour, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett lowered his pants and mooned a TV camera shouting, “that’s what I think of the Guns N’ Roses tour!”
In 1970, Jeff Christie offered his composition "Yellow River" to the Tremeloes. They recorded it to release as a single, but when they changed their minds, they allowed Jeff's own band to use the backing track themselves. The result was a UK number one hit in May 1970 and subsequently #23 in the US.
When Angus Young of AC/DC first started performing he wasn’t quite sure what to wear onstage. He tried a gorilla suit, then a Zorro outfit, when his sister suggested that he don an Australian schoolboy’s outfit- and a rock start was born!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
This Date In Music History-September 19
Birthdays:
Bill Medley - Righteous Brothers (1940)
Sylvia Tyson - Ian and Sylvia (1940)
Lee Dorman - Iron Butterfly (1941)
Freda Payne (1945)
David Bromberg (1945)
John Coghlan - Status Quo (1946)
Lol Creme - 10CC (1947)
Daniel Lanois - producer, singer (1951)
Nile Rodgers - Chic (1952)
Lita Ford - Runaways (1958)
Jarvis Cocker - Pulp (1963)
Trisha Yearwood (1964)
Alan Jay "A. Jay" Popoff - Lit (1973)
Ryan Dusick - Maroon 5 (1977)
They Are Missed:
Billy Ward (Billy Ward and the Dominoes) was born in 1921. (died February 16, 2002)
Born today in 1931, Brook Benton. He died on April 9, 1998.
Born on this day in 1934, Brian Epstein, Beatles manager and manager of other Liverpool acts. Died of an accidental overdose of brandy and barbiturates on August 27, 1967.
Born today in 1935, Nick Massi of The Four Seasons. Massi died on December 24, 2000.
Born on this day in 1943, Cass Elliott, singer, Mamas and the Papas. Died from a heart attack on July 29, 1974 while staying at Harry Nilsson's London flat.
In 1973, country rock singer, songwriter 26-year-old Gram Parsons, formerly of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, died under mysterious conditions in Joshua Tree, California. His death was attributed to heart failure but later was officially announced as a drug overdose. His coffin was stolen by two of his associates, manager Phil Kaufman and Michael Martin, a former roadie for The Byrds, and was taken to Cap Rock in the California desert, where it was set on fire, in accordance to Parson's wishes. The two were later arrested by police.
American country music star Red Foley died in 1998 (age 58). Foley sold over 25 million records, hosted the first popular country music series on network television, Ozark Jubilee.
Edward Cobb died of leukaemia in 1999 (age 61). Singer songwriter & producer, member of The Four Preps and also wrote the infectious "Tainted Love," a hit for Soft Cell in 1981.
Australian country music singer-songwriter David Gordon "Slim Dusty" Kirkpatrick died in 2003 (age 76). He sold more than five million albums and singles in Australia. During his time with EMI, he released 105 albums.
Skeeter Davis, a country singer who went to #1 in 1963 with "The End of the World," died in 2004 (age 72). Davis also performed on the Grand Ole Opry show for over 40 years
Drummer Earl Palmer died in 2008. Worked with The Beach Boys, Little Richard (‘Tutti Frutti’), Frank Sinatra, Ike And Tina Turner (‘River Deep, Mountain High’), The Monkees, Fats Domino (‘I'm Walkin’), Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, The Righteous Brothers (‘You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin’), and Randy Newman, Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Buckley, Little Feat and Elvis Costello.
History:
16 year-old UK singer Cliff Richard, still known by his real name, Harry Webb, joined the Dick Teague Skiffle Group in 1957.
Former chicken plucker Chubby Checker went to #1 in 1960 with "The Twist."
In 1960, Hank Ballard and The Midnighters had the honour of being the first group to have three songs in the US Top 100 at the same time. "Finger Poppin’ Time," "Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go" and "The Twist" all made the Top 30.
The Lovin’ Spoonful got their first #1 single in 1966 with “Summer In The City.”
In 1968, recording starts on the Beatles song "Piggies."
In 1969, Child (featuring Bruce Springsteen) played the first of two nights at the Free University, Richmond, Virginia.
Diana Ross started a three week run at #1 in 1970 with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."
"Loaded," the Velvet Underground's fourth album, was released in 1970. Contains classic songs including "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll."
Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush" album entered the charts in 1970.
"Get Yer Ya Ya's Out" was released by the Rolling Stones in 1970.
In 1974, Max Weinberg made his debut as the drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
In 1976, readers of The New York Times opened their papers and discovered a full-page ad placed by promoter Sid Bernstein asking the Beatles to reunite. Bernstein had organized the Beatles shows at Shea Stadium in the mid-'60s. But his intentions are honorable. He asks the band to do it as a "symbol of hope."
The No Nukes concert was held at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1979. Performers included Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Poco, Tom Petty, Carly Simon, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen.
Also in 1979 - The New York Post claims The Beatles are considering a performance for a charity event. Paul McCartney was quoted as saying the group would “have to rehearse for six months” before they could play live. Since one of John and George’s big complaints about Paul back in The Beatle days was his desire to constantly rehearse, this idea dies.
Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York's Central Park in 1981. Over 400,000 fans attended the show. The performance was recorded for a record and video release.
The Rolling Stones album 'Tattoo You' started a nine-week run at #1 on the US chart in 1981, the band's ninth US #1.
"Press To Play" was released by Paul McCartney in 1986.
A reunited Pink Floyd, minus Roger Waters, released "A Momentary Lapse of Reason," in 1987, their first studio album since 1984's "The Final Cut."
In 2005, U2's Bono made a surprise appearance during Pearl Jam's Toronto concert. They do a version of Neil Young's "Keep On Rocking In The Free World."
In 2006, Willie Nelson was charged with drugs possession after being pulled over in Louisiana for a routine check. Police allegedly find 0.7g of marijuana and 91 grams of magic mushrooms on the country stoner's bus. Mushrooms Willie?
In 2008, ex-Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker is seriously injured when his plane crashes during take-off following a free concert in West Columbia, SC (University of South Carolina). A blown tire is the suspected cause. Two members of Barker’s personal staff, the pilot and co-pilot die in the accident. Barker and another passenger survive by sliding down the craft's wing.
Bill Medley - Righteous Brothers (1940)
Sylvia Tyson - Ian and Sylvia (1940)
Lee Dorman - Iron Butterfly (1941)
Freda Payne (1945)
David Bromberg (1945)
John Coghlan - Status Quo (1946)
Lol Creme - 10CC (1947)
Daniel Lanois - producer, singer (1951)
Nile Rodgers - Chic (1952)
Lita Ford - Runaways (1958)
Jarvis Cocker - Pulp (1963)
Trisha Yearwood (1964)
Alan Jay "A. Jay" Popoff - Lit (1973)
Ryan Dusick - Maroon 5 (1977)
They Are Missed:
Billy Ward (Billy Ward and the Dominoes) was born in 1921. (died February 16, 2002)
Born today in 1931, Brook Benton. He died on April 9, 1998.
Born on this day in 1934, Brian Epstein, Beatles manager and manager of other Liverpool acts. Died of an accidental overdose of brandy and barbiturates on August 27, 1967.
Born today in 1935, Nick Massi of The Four Seasons. Massi died on December 24, 2000.
Born on this day in 1943, Cass Elliott, singer, Mamas and the Papas. Died from a heart attack on July 29, 1974 while staying at Harry Nilsson's London flat.
In 1973, country rock singer, songwriter 26-year-old Gram Parsons, formerly of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, died under mysterious conditions in Joshua Tree, California. His death was attributed to heart failure but later was officially announced as a drug overdose. His coffin was stolen by two of his associates, manager Phil Kaufman and Michael Martin, a former roadie for The Byrds, and was taken to Cap Rock in the California desert, where it was set on fire, in accordance to Parson's wishes. The two were later arrested by police.
American country music star Red Foley died in 1998 (age 58). Foley sold over 25 million records, hosted the first popular country music series on network television, Ozark Jubilee.
Edward Cobb died of leukaemia in 1999 (age 61). Singer songwriter & producer, member of The Four Preps and also wrote the infectious "Tainted Love," a hit for Soft Cell in 1981.
Australian country music singer-songwriter David Gordon "Slim Dusty" Kirkpatrick died in 2003 (age 76). He sold more than five million albums and singles in Australia. During his time with EMI, he released 105 albums.
Skeeter Davis, a country singer who went to #1 in 1963 with "The End of the World," died in 2004 (age 72). Davis also performed on the Grand Ole Opry show for over 40 years
Drummer Earl Palmer died in 2008. Worked with The Beach Boys, Little Richard (‘Tutti Frutti’), Frank Sinatra, Ike And Tina Turner (‘River Deep, Mountain High’), The Monkees, Fats Domino (‘I'm Walkin’), Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, The Righteous Brothers (‘You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin’), and Randy Newman, Tom Waits, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Buckley, Little Feat and Elvis Costello.
History:
16 year-old UK singer Cliff Richard, still known by his real name, Harry Webb, joined the Dick Teague Skiffle Group in 1957.
Former chicken plucker Chubby Checker went to #1 in 1960 with "The Twist."
In 1960, Hank Ballard and The Midnighters had the honour of being the first group to have three songs in the US Top 100 at the same time. "Finger Poppin’ Time," "Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go" and "The Twist" all made the Top 30.
The Lovin’ Spoonful got their first #1 single in 1966 with “Summer In The City.”
In 1968, recording starts on the Beatles song "Piggies."
In 1969, Child (featuring Bruce Springsteen) played the first of two nights at the Free University, Richmond, Virginia.
Diana Ross started a three week run at #1 in 1970 with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."
"Loaded," the Velvet Underground's fourth album, was released in 1970. Contains classic songs including "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll."
Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush" album entered the charts in 1970.
"Get Yer Ya Ya's Out" was released by the Rolling Stones in 1970.
In 1974, Max Weinberg made his debut as the drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
In 1976, readers of The New York Times opened their papers and discovered a full-page ad placed by promoter Sid Bernstein asking the Beatles to reunite. Bernstein had organized the Beatles shows at Shea Stadium in the mid-'60s. But his intentions are honorable. He asks the band to do it as a "symbol of hope."
The No Nukes concert was held at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1979. Performers included Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Poco, Tom Petty, Carly Simon, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen.
Also in 1979 - The New York Post claims The Beatles are considering a performance for a charity event. Paul McCartney was quoted as saying the group would “have to rehearse for six months” before they could play live. Since one of John and George’s big complaints about Paul back in The Beatle days was his desire to constantly rehearse, this idea dies.
Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a concert in New York's Central Park in 1981. Over 400,000 fans attended the show. The performance was recorded for a record and video release.
The Rolling Stones album 'Tattoo You' started a nine-week run at #1 on the US chart in 1981, the band's ninth US #1.
"Press To Play" was released by Paul McCartney in 1986.
A reunited Pink Floyd, minus Roger Waters, released "A Momentary Lapse of Reason," in 1987, their first studio album since 1984's "The Final Cut."
In 2005, U2's Bono made a surprise appearance during Pearl Jam's Toronto concert. They do a version of Neil Young's "Keep On Rocking In The Free World."
In 2006, Willie Nelson was charged with drugs possession after being pulled over in Louisiana for a routine check. Police allegedly find 0.7g of marijuana and 91 grams of magic mushrooms on the country stoner's bus. Mushrooms Willie?
In 2008, ex-Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker is seriously injured when his plane crashes during take-off following a free concert in West Columbia, SC (University of South Carolina). A blown tire is the suspected cause. Two members of Barker’s personal staff, the pilot and co-pilot die in the accident. Barker and another passenger survive by sliding down the craft's wing.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Classic Album Cover Art - Black Sabbath Born Again
Black Sabbath- "Born Again" - Black Sabbath's eleventh studio album and was released in 1983. It was panned by critics at the time of its release, but reached #4 in the UK charts as well as the top 40 in the U.S. and has gained a strong cult following among a number of fans.
The album cover, which featured the image of an infant with horns and vampire fangs, with a purple background, was designed by Steve Joule. He also handwrote the lyrics that appear on the inner bag. The deliberately lurid design was submitted by Joule in a vain attempt to be rejected from this design commission, as he was also retained on a lucrative contract by Ozzy Osbourne's organization for his sleeve designs. To Joule's horror and surprise, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler approved the image for the album. Gillan and Ward were not present when the decision was made, though they later noted that they hated the finished cover. Gillan reportedly hated the cover so much, that he threw a box of 50 records out a window. Joule reports that he was drunk and high on speed when he drew the finalized designs for the album.
The cover is hated by many fans, but also has a cult following (much as the album itself), most notably with Max Cavalera and Glen Benton both stating that it is their favorite album over. Chris Barnes of Six Feet Under also said he likes the artwork, stating; "It's really the birth of the Antichrist in a Pop Art way which is scary of sorts on a few different levels for me."
Notes:
The album also featured the vocals of Ian Gillan, former lead singer for Deep Purple. Gillan joined the band in 1983 to replace departed vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward returned to the band as a replacement for Vinny Appice, who had left with Dio to form the band Dio, and quit the band right before the 1983 tour.
In the US and Canada, the album has never officially been released on Compact Disc by Warner Bros. Records. It is only available as an import.
Rock/Pop Tidbits
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.
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.
The song "Happy Birthday" brings in about $2 million a year in licensing revenue to Warner Communications, who hold the copyright to the song.
The harmonica that John Lennon used to record The Beatles "Love Me Do" was one that he shoplifted from a store in Arnhem, Holland.
Even though Barry Manilow wrote many of his chart makers, he did not write three of his most popular hits. "Mandy" was written by Scott English and Richard Kerr, "Looks Like We Made It,” was penned by Will Jennings and Richard Kerr, and "I Write The Songs" was composed by Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys.
Iggy Pop is one strange character. His concerts included exhibitionism, jumping into the crowds, and smearing himself with peanut butter, why he even performed a gig while zippered inside a military duffel bag. Even his personal hygiene was questionable as he would keep an empty glass next to his bed at night so if he had to pee in the middle of the night, he didn’t have to walk all the way to the bathroom. His most humiliating concert occurred in 1997 when he jumped off the stage into the arms of his adoring fans. Apparently, they were not so adoring, and they failed to catch the airborne rock star. He slammed to the ground, dislocating his shoulder and had to cancel the rest of his tour.
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.
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.
The song "Happy Birthday" brings in about $2 million a year in licensing revenue to Warner Communications, who hold the copyright to the song.
The harmonica that John Lennon used to record The Beatles "Love Me Do" was one that he shoplifted from a store in Arnhem, Holland.
Even though Barry Manilow wrote many of his chart makers, he did not write three of his most popular hits. "Mandy" was written by Scott English and Richard Kerr, "Looks Like We Made It,” was penned by Will Jennings and Richard Kerr, and "I Write The Songs" was composed by Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys.
Iggy Pop is one strange character. His concerts included exhibitionism, jumping into the crowds, and smearing himself with peanut butter, why he even performed a gig while zippered inside a military duffel bag. Even his personal hygiene was questionable as he would keep an empty glass next to his bed at night so if he had to pee in the middle of the night, he didn’t have to walk all the way to the bathroom. His most humiliating concert occurred in 1997 when he jumped off the stage into the arms of his adoring fans. Apparently, they were not so adoring, and they failed to catch the airborne rock star. He slammed to the ground, dislocating his shoulder and had to cancel the rest of his tour.
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