The vinyl record collecting blog - with news about new vinyl record releases, vinyl record sales, new music releases, album cover art and weekly features
IAMSOUND Records one of the biggest independent distributors of Vinyl records will be releasing a series of limited edition split 7-inches representing L.A. artists(Local Natives, Nosaj Thing, Fool’s Gold, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic 0’s and many more) called the LA Collection.
Santa Cruz CA’s tech-death metallers Decrepit Birth have revealed the artwork for their upcoming "Polarity" album, which is to be released on July 27th in North America on Nuclear Blast Records. The artwork was completed by artist Dan Seagrave and can be viewed through Decibel Magazine.
Guitarist Matt Sotelo explained the meaning behind the cover: "Dan's art fits the overall theme of the album perfectly. We had approached Dan with some ideas at a show of ours he attended. It was really cool to finally meet Dan in person and get the chance to explain to him some of our song themes as well as ideas for the new album cover. We could tell that he was excited to help us on this one! The cover depicts images of ancient energies and balance, which is something that is personal for us, and perfectly reflects our abstract lyrical and musical style. Dan's art is so unmistakable!"
Marshall Crenshaw's album releases have been somewhat sporadic in the past, but the Berkley-bred rocker plans to record a series of singles that will come out "one every four months for the next two years." Each will carry one original song on the A side and a cover on the flip, and they'll be pressed on vinyl as well as available in the same manner online.
"It's not exactly formalized yet, but that's where I'm heading," said Crenshaw, 56, who resides with his wife and two children in upstate New York and is best known for his '80s hits "Someday Someway" and "Cynical Girl" and for playing John Lennon in an off-Broadway production of "Beatlemania."
"I'm thinking that whoever is left out there who still buys records, I should be trying to connect with them and relate with them, 'cause I still love records myself.
Biography
Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods shot to prominence in 1974 with "Billy, Don't Be a Hero." Sales that topped three million copies brought the group a gold record. The single spent two weeks in the top spot on the charts. The number one single was the band's greatest success, but it didn't mark the first time that the group charted. Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods made a showing on the charts with "Someone Special" in 1972 and "Deeper and Deeper" the following year. The band was ten years old when "Billy, Don't Be a Hero" made such a splash, and it had already performed as the opening act for such artists as Herman's Hermits, the Box Tops, the Osmond Brothers, the Rascals, the Grass Roots, and Paul Revere & the Raiders. The group also performed on American Bandstand. After "Billy, Don't Be a Hero," the band took "Who Do You Think You Are" into the Top 20. "The Heartbreak Kid" followed, reaching the Top 40. The group charted again with "House on Telegraph Hill" and "Our Last Song Together."
Donaldson, whose real name is Robert Walter Donaldson, sang and played keyboard and the trumpet. The group also included lead vocalist James Michael Gibbons on bass and trumpet; lead vocalist Richard Leon Joswick on percussion; Gary James Coveyou on vocals, woodwinds, and reeds; David Alan Krock on vocals, trumpet, and bass; Richard Brunetti on vocals, percussion, and drums; and Earl Baker Scott on vocals and guitar. Danny Loveland, a co-vocalist on the Heywoods' number one single, dropped out in 1975 to pursue a solo career and record "Black Is Black." Originally a drummer, Loveland began singing because the group kept losing its lead singers. When he gave up singing, the Kansas native launched a disco that he named Backstage. He went on to establish a restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand. ~ Linda Seida, All Music Guide
Howard Lees - Heart (1951)
Rolf Brendel - Nena (1957)
Robbie Merrill - Godsmack (1963)
Paul deLisle - Smash Mouth (1963)
UK singer David Gray (1968)
Deneice Pearson - 5 Star (1968)
Rivers Cuomo - Weezer (1970)
They Are Missed:
Clyde McPhatter, original lead vocalist with The Drifters, died of a heart attack in New York in 1972. Joined Billy Ward & the Dominoes in 1950, formed The Drifters in 1953, had several solo hits including 1962 "Lover Please," was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Born on this day in 1934, Uriel Jones, session drummer for Motown Records' in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers, during the 1960s and early 1970s. Jones played on many Motown classics including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," by Marvin Gaye, "Cloud Nine" by the Temptations, "I Second That Emotion" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and "For Once In My Life" by Stevie Wonder. Died on 24th March 2009.
History:
Frank Zappa graduated from Antelope Valley High in Lancaster, CA in 1958.
Ricky Nelson records "It's Up To You" in 1962.
Louis Armstrong started a six week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1964 with 'Hello Dolly!'
The Beatles performed another two shows at Centennial Hall, Adelaide, South Australia in 1964. For the four shows that The Beatles performed in Adelaide there were 12,000 tickets, for which 50,000 requests had been placed. The two shows on this day were drummer’s Jimmy Nicol's last as a "temporary Beatle". Ringo Starr (who had been ill), re-joined The Beatles in Melbourne the next day.
The Rolling Stones appeared on ABC-TV's "Hollywood Palace" in 1964 and are the butt of several jokes by guest host Dean Martin.
The Bee Gees appeared live on the UK TV show 'As You Like It' in 1967. The group were promoting their debut single "New York Mining Disaster 1941."
The Rolling Stones held a photo call in Hyde Park in 1969 to introduce new guitarist Mick Taylor.
The Beatles started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1970 with 'The Long And Winding Road', the group's 20th US #1. The album 'Let It Be' started a four-week run at #1 the US album chart on the same day.
The Allman Brothers Band, Traffic, the Mothers Of Invention and Ike & Tina Turner perform at the Cosmic Carnival at Atlanta Stadium in 1970.
Grand Funk Railroad, supported by Steel Mill, (featuring Bruce Springsteen) appeared at the Ocean Ice Palace in Bricktown, New Jersey, in 1970 (tickets $5.00).
John Lennon made his last ever TV appearance in 1975 when he appeared on 'Salute To Sir Lew Grade', performing "Slippin And Slidin" and "Imagine."
The Deborah Harry/Meat Loaf film, "Roadie", opened in 1980.
The Jacksons' "State of Shock," was released in 1984. Mick Jagger did guest vocals.
Atlantic Starr went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1987 with "Always."
In 1988, the biggest charity Rock concert since Live Aid three years earlier took place at London's Wembley Stadium, to denounce South African apartheid. Among the performers were Sting, Stevie Wonder, Bryan Adams, George Michael, Whitney Houston and Dire Straits. Half the money raised went towards anti-apartheid activities in Britain, the rest was donated to children's charities in southern Africa.
Billy Ray Cyrus started a 17-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1992 with 'Some Gave All'.
In 1992, future U.S. President Bill Clinton criticized Sister Souljah for making remarks "filled with hatred" towards whites.
Law enforcement officials in Texas called for a ban on Ice-T's "Cop Killer" album in 1992.
Alanis Morissette released 'Jagged Little Pill' in 1995. The album went on to sell over 30 million copies world-wide making Morissette the first female Canadian to score a US #1 album.
In 2000, 37-year-old Susan E Santodonato collapsed and died of a heart attack outside New York radio station Star 105.7. after a Britney Spears impersonator left the building. A crowd had gathered after a DJ claimed Britney Spears was in the studio.
In 2000, a roadie who worked for The Spice Girls, Oasis, Elton John and Whitney Houston was arrested and charged with smuggling millions of pounds worth of Ecstasy into the UK.
Metallica’s “St. Anger” debuts at #1 in 2003. The album’s release date was moved up to thwart bootleggers.
The Arctic Monkeys made their live debut at The Grapes pub in Sheffield, England in 2003.
In 2005, Michael Jackson was cleared of all charges of child abuse by a jury of eight women and four men at the end of a 16-week hearing in Santa Maria, California. Jackson was found not guilty of all 10 charges including abusing a 13-year-old boy, conspiracy to kidnap and supplying alcohol to a minor to assist with a felony.
A two-disc Billy Joel album, "12 Gardens Live," recorded during a record-breaking 12-night run of sold-out concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden, was issued in 2006.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts issue "Sinner," in 2006, their first new studio album in nearly 12 years. On the album, Jett gets political for the first time. She says, "I've wanted to write about political issues and the state of our country, but how do you do that without coming off being preachy? I think a lot of that fear stopped me from even trying.”
Reissues of the first two Boston albums, ‘76's self-titled effort and ‘78's Don't Look Back, hit stores in 2006. Remastered by Tom Scholz, Boston's lead guitarist and studio wizard, the package features his liner notes. "Boston turned the disco-crazed music industry on its head," claims Scholz.
Also in 2006, Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and Mike Love, Beach Boys founders and survivors, appear together publically for the first time in 10 years to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic “Pet Sounds” album.
In 2008, A Chicago jury acquitted R. Kelly of all 14 charges of child pornography against him. The US singer was found not guilty of making an explicit sex video that prosecutors had said showed him having sex with a girl as young as 13. Both Kelly and the alleged victim, now 23, denied they were the people shown on the tape, which the jury saw. The defence argued that the man in the tape did not have a large mole on his back as does Mr Kelly, and that the tape could have been doctored.
ALBUM REVIEW: John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat (reissue) Hooker 'n Heat
Liberty/pure pleasure PPAN LST-35002 2 180g LPs
Produced by: Skip Taylor and Robert Hite, Jr. Engineered by: Dino Lappas Mixed by: Martin Birch and Robert Zimbler Mastered by: Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios
Review by: Michael Fremer 2010-06-01
The first two sides of this double record set spotlight Hooker, his incendiary, coiled-snake stinging guitar, his foot stomping, mutable time-keeping and his chant-like, mournful singing all recorded intimately. Canned Heat co-founder Al Wilson contributes harmonica and piano on some of the tunes that are otherwise all Hooker.
On most songs the engineer puts Hooker in one channel, his guitar in the other and his foot in the center and you won’t know which to fixate upon and that includes the foot. When Wilson joins in, he’s center stage too, the harmonica bathed in reverb and therefore inhabiting a wet space somewhere other than from where Hooker plays.
Having Hooker playing and singing live and putting his guitar in effect ten feet from his voice produces an unrealistic but entertaining and useful perspective. You can zone out the voice and listen to Hooker’s adrenaline-charged guitar, appreciating the complexity he wrings from seemingly simple and familiar riffs, most of which he invented and everyone else copied.
A fierce, agitated intensity and an almost religious fervor you just don’t seem to hear anymore jump from Hooker as he chugs his way through these basic tunes. Van Morrison resonates with a similar jumpy edge. No wonder he grew up a big fan. Hooker’s song “You Talk Too Much” doesn’t go much beyond the four words except at the end where he closes it out with “Shut up.”
A few more collaborations with Wilson begin side three and then finally Canned Heat comes in for the final five tunes, ending with signature “Boogie Chillen NO. 2.”
Hooker improvises a song describing the state of the world 1970. About the young people, change, race relations, the war in Vietnam and the need for the old generation to pass away in order for there to be an end to the conflicts unsettling the world. It didn’t exactly turn out that way but the sentiment was sweet.
The hotel room cover captures the intimacy of the sonics. The recording sounds as if it was recorded in a small room like that but the inside shows you the studio recording session.
The between song patter with the recording booth serves to document the recording process: Hooker was hired for a performance that would be recorded. He was on the clock or so it sounded. Wilson and the band would be added to some tunes, but in no way was this a cooperative, collaborative effort. It was Canned Heat going for a thrill ride.
It’s pure music making of the simplest yet most complex kind, simply and purely recorded. I have to admit I was either too stupid or too frozen to appreciate this when this was first issued in 1970. I’d heard all of this kind of thing before, I thought, as a kid and so dismissed it looking for new thrills. But clearly I wasn’t listening. Al Wilson died shortly after this was recorded. Hooker lived long enough to see his career resurrected yet again as he hit old age. He kept boogie-ing until the end, attracting yet another generation of kids to his particularly visceral place in the sun. Highly recommended.
Crispian St. Peters, the singer who took the song "Pied Piper" to the top ten in 1966, has passed away at the age of 71. While no cause of death was announced, it is known that he had been a long-time sufferer of Emphysema and had been on permanent oxygen for some time.
St. Peters was born in Kent, England as Robin Peter Smith and originally played in a number of local bands including the Two Tones, the Country Gentlemen and Beat Formula Three. He broke away in 1965 when manager Dave Nicholson saw promise and changed directions to a folk-rock sound. Crispian signed with Decca Records and, after a few unsuccessful releases, he came upon the Ian & Sylvia song You Were On My Mind. Already a big hit for the We Five in the U.S., he and Nicholson recorded a slightly slower version. The song took off in the U.K., peaking at number 2 in early 1966.
With the hit came a great deal of focus by the press and St. Peters started to make outlandish statements to get publicity, including a statement that the Beatles were "past it" and that he was a better singer than Elvis Presley and more exciting than Tom Jones.
At first, the statements kept him in the public eye and he followed up his initial success with the single The Pied Piper which went to number 5 in the U.K and number 4 in the U.S. Unfortunately, his outlandish comments in the press and a lack of musical identity sank his chances of another hit on either side of the Atlantic.
In 1968, he tried to move to country music with no success and has since been a fixture on the British oldies circuit along with occasionally reentering the recording studio with his band Old Crow. Over the years, he suffered three nervous breakdowns, a stroke, a divorce and the emphysema that may have taken his life.
Joseph DiNicola - Joey and the Starlighters (1940) (Jimi Hendrix was a member of the band during 1964).
John Lawton - Uriah Heep (1946)
Glenn Leonard - Temptations (1947)
Alan Skipper - Pretty Things (1948)
Bonnie Pointer - Pointer Sisters (1951)
Connie Van Zandt - .38 Special (1952)
Frank Beard (ironically, the one without the beard) - ZZ Top (1949)
Robert Birch - Stereo MC's (1961)
Dan Lavery - Tonic (1969)
They Are Missed:
The late James "Pookie" Hudson, lead singer of the Spaniels ("Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight") was born in 1934.
History:
The Ink Spots recorded "Maybe" in 1940.
In 1949, Hank Williams made his debut at the 'Grand Ole Opry' in Nashville and received an unprecedented total of six encores.
Elvis Presley's "Teddy Bear/Loving You" single was released in 1957.
In 1962, the Beatles recorded a BBC radio program, "Here We Go", at the Playhouse Theatre in Manchester, in front of a studio audience composed largely of loyal Cavern fans. This was the last recording on which Pete Best played drums.
In 1964, Chicago police broke up a Rolling Stones "press conference" in the middle of Michigan Avenue.
Manfred Mann recorded "Do Wah Diddy" in 1964.
The Rolling Stones released the album "Got Live If You Want It" in 1965.
The British government announced in 1965 that the Beatles will receive the MBE (Members of the British Empire) Award. Some conservative MBE holders grumble that the it shouldn’t go to a bunch of Rock ‘n’ Rollers and turn in their awards. The Beatles get their MBEs just the same. After all, they about single-handedly saved the British economy. Later, John Lennon returns his award to protest the British government’s support of the war in Vietnam.
Janis Joplin debuted on stage at the Avalon ballroom in San Francisco in 1966.
The Rolling Stones started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1966 with "Paint It Black," the group's third US #1 single (also a #1 in the UK)..
Also in 1966, European radio stations mistakenly report that The Who's lead singer Roger Daltrey is dead. Actually, it was guitarist Pete Townshend who had been injured in a car accident a few days earlier.
Working late at the Abbey Road studios in London on The White Album in 1968, John Lennon worked on ‘Revolution 9’ in studio 3, while Paul McCartney recorded ‘Blackbird’ in studio 2.
A fire in a London record studio interrupts the Rolling Stones' recording of their "Beggar's Banquet" album there, 1968
David Bowie's single, "Space Oddity," was released in 1969 to coincide with the first lunar landing.
Today in 1977, the song "I'm Your Boogie Man" by K. C. & the Sunshine Band topped the charts and stayed there for a week.
The Rolling Stones released "Some Girls" in 1978.
In 1988, Nelson Mandellas 70th birthday tribute took place at Wembley Stadium, London, featuring Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Dire Straits, Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, George Michael, Eric Clapton, UB40, The Eurythmics and Simple Minds. The event was broadcast live on BBC 2 to 40 different countries with an estimated audience of 1 billion.
A Metallica concert at a small club in San Francisco was broadcast live via the Internet in 1996.
Aaliyah went to #1 on the US singles chart in 2000 with "Try Again." It became the first "airplay-only" song to reach #1 on the US singles chart (no points from a commercial single release).
This weeks Top 3 US album chart in 2000; Eminem, 'The Marshall Mathers LP' at #1. Kid Rock, 'The History Of Rock' at #2 and Britney Spears, 'Oops!...I Did It Again' at #3.
The live Bee Gees album "One Night Only" was released on CD in 2002.
In 2001, Sir Paul McCartney married Heather Mills at St Salvator Church, Ireland. Guests included Ringo Starr, David Gilmour, Jools Holland and Chrissie Hynde. Heather walked down the aisle clutching a bouquet of 11 'McCartney' roses.
Courtney Love surrendered to US police in 2004 after allegedly assaulting a woman at the home of her former manager and ex-boyfriend. Ms Love was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. She was later released on bail. The charges related to an incident on 25 April 2004, when Ms Love allegedly assaulted a woman with a bottle and a torch at the LA home of Jim Barber.
In 2005, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin founding member and guitarist, was awarded an OBE in the Queen of England's Birthday Honours list and Queen guitarist and founding member Brian May was awarded a CBE.
In 2008, the American Federation of Musicians filed a federal lawsuit against the producers of American Idol, claiming musicians were underpaid because the show’s live music was re-recorded for re-runs. The union filed the suit seeking unspecified damages in the US District Court in Los Angeles, alleging that American Idol Productions Inc. and its subsidiary Tick Tock Productions Inc. violated a collective bargaining agreement.
Disturbed's "Indestructible" debuts at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2008. Selling 252,000 copies in its first week the album marks the third straight time the group has topped the survey.
Written by Katie Schweiker, Jeremy Mikula and Leah Hendrickson
Dave's Records photo by Katie Schweiker
Audio Slideshow:Chicago On The Record– A visit to three Chicago Record Stores
In a world of iPods, Zunes, .mp3s, .wavs, .flacs, .aifs, .rms, .snds and other digital audio formats, 33 1/3 revolutions per minute still counts to some.
Despite Apple’s announcement that the 10 billionth song was downloaded from iTunes in February, many Chicagoans still listen to vinyl Long Play (LP) records from both new and old artists.
“.mp3s were really cool, and they still are,” said Dave Hofer, a new products buyer at Reckless Records’ Wicker Park location. “You could fit so many of them into a little thing, you know. You don’t have to carry a book of CDs in your car anymore, for example. But there’s just something about vinyl that draws people in.”
Reckless is a music store with three Chicago locations that sells new and used vinyl – LPs, 45s, and 78s – and used DVDs and CDs. In spite of the era of readily available digital media and an economic downturn, they still do a pretty good business, Hofer said.
“We have people who come in and only look for used DVDs and CDs,” Hofer said. “However, if we didn’t have vinyl, we’d go out of business. People come in with their old records because they grow out of stuff and are amazed that people are interested in [their old records]. I have people who come up and ask when we put out new stuff and I always say, ‘All day, every day, dude.’”
“No CD’s. Never had ‘em. Never will.” This sign hangs on the door to Dave’s Records in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. For owner Dave Crain, there is no other alternative to the sound of vinyl records. Dave’s, “will always be a store where vinyl is king,” Crain said.
Dave's Records photo by Katie Schweiker
Dave’s Records is one of the few strictly vinyl shops in Chicago with 40,000 titles to choose from. When you walk in you are greeted with the sweet, musty aroma of vinyl. The floor tiles beckon you further into the store with their checkered pattern. The walls are lined from floor to ceiling with vinyl. Each record in its spot is watched over by Crain as he sits at a raised counter.
These include new albums by new artists, used albums, imports, reissues and even albums that are out of print and difficult to find. Hand Crain a record and he will throw it on the store’s turntable for a spin to help shopper’s make an educated decision. Dave’s makes sure that if you can’t find what you are looking for in their store, they will send you to another local record store.
Crain said Dave’s is for “people who love records. They are part of the ever evolving and ever revolving world of record shoppers.”
Dusty Groove America is a hub for certain niche music lovers: jazz, soul and funk are what the store specializes in. Customers appreciate the specific target audience compared to other music providers.
Dusty Groove America photo by Leah Hendrickson
“Best Buy is trying to cater to a broad audience,” said Phil Garrison of Chicago while he thumbed through a stack of records. “It’s going to be hard to find obscure items. That’s the main reason why I come to places like this.”
According to Nielsen SoundScan more than 2 million vinyl albums were sold in 2009. That is an increase of 35 percent from 2008.
While record sales are on the rise, CD sales continue to fall. Even though CDs cost nearly half as much as their vinyl counterpart, their sales have dropped 20 percent this year, according to Nielsen. However, vinyl record sales only account for about 1 percent of all album sales.
vinyl at Reckless photo by Jeremy Mikula
Statistics show that digital music formats aren’t going away, either.
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the digital music industry grew internationally by about 25 percent in 2008, making $3.7 billion. Digital platforms now account for nearly 20 percent of all music sales, a five percent growth from 2007, IFPI said.
One reason for these figures is the ease and portability of things like the iPod, whose numerous models can store anywhere from 500 to 40,000 songs.
“iPods were a crazy new inventions when they came out, but I think the novelty of them is starting to wear off,” Hofer said. “.mp3s and digital music, even CDs, are functional but that’s about it. They’re like decorative buttons on a sport coat. Whereas something like an LP comes down to being able to hold it and having a thing, like buying a book that you really like instead of just reading it on the Kindle. If I were to sum it up in one word, I’d say ‘physicality’ plays a big part in it.”
But while the idea of having physical media is important to some, comparing things like audio quality and physicality is like comparing apples and oranges.
Reckless Records Wicker Park photo by Jeremy Mikula
“Are [records] better? I don’t know,” said Stephen Sowley as he shopped in Reckless’ Wicker Park location. “For me they’re better, but for others .mp3s are better. ‘Better’ is a relevant term, you know? You can’t take a record player with you when you go jogging.”
A special thank you to the authors (Katie Schweiker, Jeremy Mikula, Leah Hendrickson) for the exclusive rights to reprint their material.
Written by Tampa Rock Music Examiner Heather Clark
It has been said by many that trends come as quickly as they go. That what was once considered a popular gotta have it item eventually becomes labeled as "uncool" and goes out of style never to be seen again. Or so we thought. Because all it takes is for a few decades or so to pass and then this trend that had supposedly gone out of style ages ago suddenly re-emerges again. Just as popular if not more popular than ever before. This couldn't be more true when it comes to vinyl records.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America, vinyl began making a national comeback in 2007 when the American music industry saw a 46.2 percent revenue increase for vinyl sales. During this same period CD sales dropped by 20.5 percent. Though vinyl sales account for less than 1 percent of total album sales, Rollingstone.com reports that the numbers of records sold in 2008 jumped to 1.88 million from 988,000 in 2007.
So why now after once being considered as dead as the eight-track tape are vinyls making such a startling comeback? Collectors say it's because vinyl records put the experience back into music. It makes an industry that has almost been completely drained of its artists with originality and passion for their music seem genuine once more.
One of the most recognized difference between CD's and vinyl records is the quality of sound. CD's are thinner and flatter, it is simply a compressed format that spins quickly while a laser reads it. But with a vinyl it is larger, spins slower, and there is an actual needle playing over the groove. Enthusiasts argue that listening to a record is hearing the music the way it is supposed to sound.
It also seems that record stores are becoming more prominent once again and easier to find in almost any city. Right here in our own backyard lies Bananas Record Warehouse, the worlds largest record store that has been open since 1977. Collectively Bananas has over 14,000 sq. feet of space shared between two warehouses that are across the street from one another. Their two story warehouse is where nearly three million vinyl LP's are stored and sold to the public. Across the street in their smaller single story warehouse they cell CD's, movies, vinyl singles, and hundreds of vinyl LP's for as little as $1 a piece.
So how is it that in our present day and modern age something as simple as a vinyl record, not so long ago considered an extinct medium of commercial music, could become so popular once more? Maybe it's because although music has gone digital all we really want deep down is something that feels tangible, human. Or maybe this whole vinyl thing is just a trend that will have its day and then once again be gone "forever". Or maybe, just maybe, it's because in these pressing societal times people are nostalgic for the good ole' days and are once again using the music on the vinyls as an escape. If only for a little while. I personally hope the later of these maybes is true.
A special thanks to Heather Clark at http://rss.examiner.com for the exclusive rights to reprint this story.
Doors' Guitarist ROBBY KRIEGER to Release New Solo Album
Robby Krieger returns with a new instrumental solo album, 'Singularity', on Oglio Records, a Fontana/Universal distributed label. On 'Singularity', Robby continues to explore his unique flamenco infused jazz-rock sound as heard on his previous album for Oglio Records, 'Cinematix'. 'Singularity' was produced by Robby Krieger and Arthur Barrow, features an original Krieger painting as the cover art and will also be available on vinyl.
During his time as The Doors guitarist, Robby wrote some of the band’s best known songs including “Light My Fire”, “Love Me Two Times”, “Love Her Madly” and “Touch Me”. He was also voted in at #91 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time and in 2009, Robby partnered with the Gibson Guitar Corporation to release his very own limited edition signature guitar, the ‘Inspired By Krieger SG’.
Robby Krieger rejoins his fellow The Doors member, Ray Manzarek, who also released his own solo record, “Love Her Madly” on Oglio Records, in their group Manzarek-Krieger for a new tour beginning May 27th.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS Release First New Album in Close To A Decade
Atlantic recording group Stone Temple Pilots has announced details of their upcoming North American headline tour. The hugely anticipated dates will begin Tuesday, August 10th at Denver, Colorado’s world-famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre and then continue through early September. Joining Stone Temple Pilots on all dates will be special guests Cage the Elephant.
'Stone Temple Pilots' – the Grammy Award-winning band’s first all-new collection in close to a decade – is currently the #1 rock album in the country
Stone Temple Pilots – who will spend the early part of their summer on the other side of the Atlantic, hitting Europe for a series of long awaited headline shows and festival performances – heralded the release of the acclaimed 'Stone Temple Pilots' with a rare club appearance at New York City’s Gramercy Theatre, followed by headline performances at a number of early summer radio festivals.
Among the album’s many highlights is the raucous first single, “Between The Lines.” The track has proven a rock radio sensation, recently spending four weeks as the #1 track at Mainstream Rock radio outlets nationwide, as well as three weeks atop the Modern Rock airplay charts. In addition, the “Between The Lines” companion video can be seen regularly on MTV2 and Fuse’s No. 1 Countdown. The clip – as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes footage – is streaming now at www.stonetemplepilots.com. Furthermore, a new single, ”Take a Load Off” is set to impact at multi-format rock radio outlets everywhere later this month. A companion video is currently in production.
Iron and Wine, Dan Deacon Contribute to Suicide Squeeze Singles Series
Singles series go hand in hand and with independent music and artists and is a proud indie tradition. The Seattle record label Suicide Squeeze is no stranger to this tradition, having released groups of 7"s since the mid-90s. In 1996, Suicide Squeeze began releasing 7-inch records as lifesblood, singles, mostly from Pacific NW bands appeared, documenting some of the most influential music of that time: Modest Mouse, Elliott Smith, 764-Hero, and Pedro the Lion: each played an important role. The label broadened its reach over the years (as well as its series of singles), continually releasing music by a diverse, yet select group of musicians, including The Melvins, Of Montreal, HEALTH, Black Mountain, School of Seven Bells, and many more...
Now add Iron & Wine, Memoryhouse and JEFF The Brotherhood to that list of names... Along with The Coathangers, and their EP of remixes (by Dan Deacon and Judi Chicago), each artist's 7-inch will be released in a limited addition of 500 black vinyl discs and 250 color. The Coathangers and JEFF the Brotherhood will release the first entries in the series on July 20. The Coathangers' single features remixes from Dan Deacon and Judi Chicago.
It's the end of the line for Dr. Demento, at least it is for his radio listeners. After forty years and with a dwindling supply of stations purchasing the show, the good Doctor and Talonian Productions, who distributes the program, have decided to stop offering it to radio effective with the show for the weekend of June 5.
The following is the official announcement that was posted on the Doctor's website last Sunday:
June 6, 2010 A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT...
This weekend, the Dr. Demento Show will have its final broadcast on KIYU, KLOO, WLVQ (QFM96), WRKH (The Rocket) and KOZT (The Coast).
This was a very painful decision for the Doctor...he really hates to let it go after almost 40 years...but he has come to agree with his manager and his family that it's necessary. The broadcast has been losing money for some time.
THE GOOD NEWS -- Dr. Demento intends to continue producing new shows every week for www.drdemento.com for the foreseeable future. A new one will be available Saturday morning, June 12, and more new shows will be posted every Saturday thereafter.
Also...if you live in or around Amarillo, TX, you're in luck...by special agreement and due to contractual considerations, a version of the internet show will be heard weekly on KACV-FM there, at least through the summer.
The Doctor wishes to express his grateful appreciation to everyone who's been listening in Alaska, Oregon, Ohio, Alabama and California, and hopes all of you will give the www.drdemento.com broadcast a try.
Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax To Play 'Historic' Gig Live in select movie theatres...
Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax are set to play a “historic” gig via satellite. The concert, on June 22, will be broadcast live from into select movie theatres from the Sonisphere festival in Bulgaria.
It is the first time all four metal bands have performed together on the same bill.
Cinemas in London, Manchester and many other major UK cities and towns are due to broadcast the gig in HD.
Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson discusses post-9/11 travel, new music and the death of album art prior to Atlantic City gig at Caesars June 12.
By Jeff Schwachter
| Ian Anderson
Speaking with Jethro Tull’s frontman Ian Anderson, it’s certain that his longtime band isn’t “Living in the Past.” Since Anderson founded the folk-blues-rock-classical and global-minded band in 1967 Britain, with a string of successful albums and tours following its 1968 debut This Was, Jethro Tull — as well as Anderson and his solo projects — has continued to tour and even from time to time release outstanding material, including the 1988 Grammy winning Crest of a Knave and 2003’s heralded Christmas Album (2003). You can’t listen to a classic-rock radio station for very long without hearing at least one Tull song. And on Saturday night (June 12) at Caesars in Atlantic City you’ll be able to hear such radio staples as “Aqualung,” “Locomotive Breath” and “Skating Away” — plus many more. Anderson spoke by phone recently with AC Weekly.
When I was growing up in the ’80s, I used to go to used record stores and pick up all the Jethro Tull albums. One of the things that I always loved about your albums, aside from the music, was the amazing album art. Do you think it kind of stinks that today most music doesn’t have any visual component with it? I mean, today most music is just a vapor; it’s just downloaded.
Well, that’s right. It’s different. … Vinyl gave us something to work with. Clearly the space was there and you’d utilize it and you got involved and excited about doing it. It was a way of bringing together visual arts with the musical ones — [a sort of] natural thing to do. But these days, well, one mp3 file looks much like another.
Can you name any other bands that spent as much time thinking about their album art as Jethro Tull?
Well, I think many did, and there were those album-artwork artists. I forget the names, the guy who did … oh, Roger Dean, he did a lot album [covers], but is probably best known for his album artwork for the albums of Yes. They used Roger Dean’s work and Roger Dean did a kind of slightly sci-fi, slightly hippie thing that lent itself well to posters and reproductions and he was the “Yes” man. And then there were other guys like Storm Thorgerson who worked on albums by Pink Floyd and later became a video director and directed one of our videos at one point. So, yeah, there were these guys who were known as the wiz kids coming up with innovative album artwork, but in the case of the Jethro Tull stuff, it was a little bit more in house. It tended to be. I suppose most of them were my work, but notable exceptions were the Stand Up album, the Aqualung album and the Benefit album. Those were the three that our manager Terry Ellis kind of put together in conjunction with different artists. But then when we got to Thick As a Brick and onwards it tended to be [me]. … You know the work is one of the benefits of doing artwork; the irony is, of course, you’re working in an age where many people are no longer really buying physical product; they [aren’t seeing it]. People that are listening to Jethro Tull music for the first time now are almost certainly going to be downloading it rather than buying physical product, which is harder and harder to find and there are fewer and fewer record stores.
Yeah, around the world.
Yes, I mean all the great record chains have pretty much gone. In fact, most countries have probably only one operation left. Over here it’s HMV and in Germany for example it’s Saturn and in the U.S.A., Tower Records and Virgin Records – all these places, they’ve all disappeared. I guess, you know, you find a few things on the checkout of your supermarket, [but] that’s pretty much it. ........
DEAR JERRY:A few years ago, you wrote about hit makers of the 1940s, or earlier, who at that time were still living.
My question is similar, but specifically about the Pop & Rock stars of the '50s. Of that decade's top artists, how many are still standing, and what are their ages? —Marianne J. Duffy, Evansville, Ind.
DEAR MARIANNE: They may not all be standing, but each and every one in this group clearly has a pulse.
Compiled per your request is a list that does not likely exist elsewhere, of the still-living stars whose careers either began or flourished in the '50s. There may be others. Some of these folks are also among the top acts of the '60s, and a couple of them gained fame in the '50s as a lead singer of a group, then established themselves as a solo performer.
All are listed according to their age on June 1, 2010, and those the same age are in day of birth order. For example, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Mathis are both 74, but Lewis is one day older than Mathis.
From Tony Martin, soon to be a centurion, to youngster Brenda Lee, who just qualified for Medicare, here they are:
Tony Martin (97)
Jimmy McCracklin (88)
Johnny Otis (88)
Kitty Kallen (88)
Kay Starr (87)
Doris Day (86)
Roger Williams (85)
B.B. King (84)
Stan Freberg (83)
Tony Bennett (83)
Chuck Berry (83)
Ed Ames (82)
Patti Page (82)
Andy Williams (82)
Fats Domino (82)
Vic Damone (81)
Eddie Fisher (81)
Bobby Bland (80)
Joni James (79)
Little Richard (77)
Lloyd Price (77)
Jimmie Rodgers (76)
Pat Boone (76)
Steve Lawrence (74)
Jerry Lee Lewis (74)
Johnny Mathis (74)
Jack Scott (74)
Frankie Valli (73)
Etta James (72)
Duane Eddy (72)
Ben E. King (71)
Connie Francis (71)
Neil Sedaka (71)
Johnny Tillotson (71)
Dion DiMucci (70)
Frankie Avalon (70)
Freddy Cannon (70)
Jerry Butler (70)
Smokey Robinson (70)
Cliff Richard (69)
Paul Anka (68)
Bobby Rydell (68)
Bobby Vee (67)
Brenda Lee (65)
DEAR JERRY:Having read the complaints voiced by your readers about the lack of good sense by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you just might be willing to listen to my gripes. This time it's about another similar outfit, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, which supposedly honors worthy writers from all styles of music.
My number one grievance with them is their inexplicable overlooking of Conway Twitty.
For starters, Conway wrote hundreds of hits for himself and others, including 19 of his own No. 1 hits! That anyone wrote that many chart-toppers is amazing!
Consider also the many who are already in the SHOF who, though talented, have resumes that are but a drop in the bucket compared to Conway's.
Is he the Connie Francis of songwriters? Mmmm, they both recorded for MGM.
Who else would you add to the list of deserving but denied composers by the Songwriters Hall of Fame? —Ernest Camfield, Louisville, Ky.
DEAR ERNEST: I can add a few names to the list, but none are as conspicuous by their absence as Conway Twitty. Forget for the moment his mind-boggling success in all other respects, the man is an industry giant based only on his writing. Absurd? Yes, but I'm sure it has nothing to do with MGM.
Three more glaring omissions: How about the incomparable Hank Thompson, and those two great Georgia-born talents: Ray Stevens and Joe South?
All three are regarded as spectacular writers and they more than qualify for SHOF induction.
IZ ZAT SO? The beginning of the singer-songwriter era is generally thought to be the early '60s, and understandably so.
However, the first Rock Era singer to reach No. 1 with his own composition came along much earlier: Buddy Knox with “Party Doll,” in March 1957.
Six months later, Paul Anka followed suit with his homage to “Diana,” and Buddy Holly with “That'll Be the Day.”
As evidenced by two Buddys and a Paul, the singer-songwriter concept is indeed a bit older than is widely regarded.
Seven years before “Party Doll,” the C&W and R&B fields had their own singer-songwriting stars. Among those are Hank Williams and Fats Domino, both renowned for writing their own tunes.
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368
Back On Black, which specializes in vinyl editions of classic metal albums and is dedicated to providing top-quality releases for record collectors and metal fans worldwide, has announced that 2010 will see the release of the original classic RAINBOW albums on vinyl. All records will be 180-gram heavyweight vinyl and packaged in deluxe gatefold sleeves. The first 1,000 copies of each title will come in limited-edition colored vinyl.
Due out on July 12 are the following titles:
* Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)
* Rising (1976)
* On Stage (1977)
* Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978)
* Down To Earth (1979)
* Difficult to Cure (1981)
* Straight Between the Eyes (1982)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)
Alan Parsons Releasing First New Song in Six Years
Alan Parsons has signed with Authentik Artists which will release a new single, "All Our Yesterdays," worldwide on June 15 via most digital download sites.
All Our Yesterdays is Parsons first new music since the album A Valid Path in 2004. The song was written and recorded as part of a new educational series that he is doing entitled The Art and Science of Sound Recording. Those purchasing the digital single will also receive the theme song from the series, Alpha Centauri.
In a rarity, Parsons is taking the lead vocal on the song with additional instrumentation by Simon Philips (Toto, the Who), Rami Jaffe (Wallflowers, Foo Fighters) and Nathan East (Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson)
Frankee (Nicole Francine Aiello), US R&B singer (1983)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1891, Cole Porter, singer, composer, one of America's greatest songwriters. Wrote countless classic songs, "Night And Day," "I Get A Kick Out Of You," "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye." Died Oct 15, 1964.
Born today in 1929, R&B singer Johnny Ace, Billboards 'most played artist of 1955'. He died playing Russian roulette backstage at a gig on December 25,1954.
Born on this day in 1934, Jackie Wilson, US soul singer. Suffered a heart attack on stage at a New Jersey Club in 1975 and was in a coma until he died on January 21st 1984. Scored 24 US Top 40 hits during late 50's & 60's.
Fred Waring - Musician (The Pennsylvanians), bandleader, radio-television personality (June 9, 1900 – July 29, 1984)
Born today in 1947, Mitch Mitchell, drums, Jimi Hendrix Experience. Mitchell had been in the ITV's 'Ready Steady Go!' house band. Mitchell was found dead in his US hotel room on Nov 12, 2008 (age 61).
Born today in 1915, legendary guitarist Les Paul, inventor of the Gibson Les Paul guitar who also had a 1953 UK No.7 single with ‘Vaya Con Dios’ and the US No.7 single ‘Hummingbird’ with Mary Ford featuring his multi-layered recording techniques. He also pioneered “close miking” and echo delay recording. He broke his right arm in a car accident and had it set at an angle so he could still play guitar. Paul died in hospital in White Plains, New York at the age of 94 suffering from severe pneumonia on 12th Aug 2009.
History:
"Jelly-Roll Blues" was recorded by Jelly Roll Morton and his band in 1924.
In 1951, Ike Turner & The Rhythm Kings have the #1 R&B song "Rocket 88." Many consider this track to be the first Rock n’ Roll record.
In 1958, Jerry Lee Lewis (with the help of Sun Records owner Sam Phillips) takes out a full-page ad in Billboard magazine to explain his second divorce and third marriage (to his 14 year old cousin Myra). In the end, the ad doesn’t do much good and Jerry Lee remains ostracized for the next few years.
Today in 1958, the song "The Purple People Eater" by Sheb Wooley topped the charts and stayed there for 6 weeks.
Johnny Mathis went to #1 on the US album chart in 1958 with his 'Greatest Hits' album.
The Beatles, on the last night of their tour with Roy Orbison, performed at King George's Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire in 1962. It was during this tour that The Beatles' fans started throwing jelly babies at them while they were on stage, after an off-the-cuff remark on television that George Harrison enjoyed eating them.
Andy Williams was the mystery guest on TV's "What's My Line" in 1963.
During an evening session in 1964, Bob Dylan recorded "Mr. Tambourine Man" at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City.
In 1967, the Monkees kicked off a North American summer tour at the Hollywood Bowl in California.
In 1969, Brian Jones announced he was leaving The Rolling Stones because he didn't agree with the band's musical direction. Guitarist Mick Taylor, who has played with John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, signs on as Brian Jones’ replacement.
In 1972, Elvis Presley made entertainment history by performing 4 sold-out shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden. George Harrison, John Lennon David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Art Garfunkel were among music stars that attended the shows. The shows were recorded and became the album 'Elvis as recorded at Madison Square Garden'.
Bruce Springsteen signed with Columbia Records in 1972 and started to assemble the E Street Band from various Asbury Park ex-band mates.
The Bee Gees went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1979 with "Love You inside Out," the group's 9th US #1 hit.
Cyndi Lauper started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1984 with "Time After Time."
In 1989, after suggesting just three days earlier that she would help the environment by “firebombing McDonald’s restaurants,” Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) signed a document vowing to never repeat the statement again. McDonald’s had threatened legal action.
Grunge label, Sub-Pop, holds the first Lame Fest at Seattle’s Moore Theater in 1989. The headliners are Tad and Mudhoney. An opening act is a little known band called Nirvana.
In 1990, M.C. Hammer's debut album started a record breaking 21 week stay at the top of the US album charts, making it the longest uninterrupted stay at the top since the album charts started.
Wilson Phillips went to #1 on the US charts in 1990 with "Hold On." 25 years earlier to the day Wendy and Carnies father Beach Boy Brian had been at #1 with "Help Me Rhonda."
The Tina Turner biographical film, "What's Love Got To Do With It" opened in 1993.
Also in 1993 - The U.S. Postal Service debuted its Legends of American Music, Rock and Roll-Rhythm and Blues stamp collection. The set featured Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Clyde McPhatter, Otis Redding, Ritchie Valens, Dinah Washington, and Elvis Presley.
After an argument in 1994, TLC singer Left Eye set fire to her boyfriend’s (Andre Rison of the Atlanta Falcons) Atlanta mansion, worth $2 million, burning it to the ground. She was charged with arson and fined $10,000 with five years probation.
Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall were involved in a brawl at The Metropolitan Hotel, London in 1998.
Also in 1998, the Ronettes appeared in the Supreme Court of New York for their lawsuit against producer Phil Spector. The Ronettes, whose hits included "Be My Baby" and "Walking In The Rain," claimed that Spector had breached the group's 34-year-old contract by paying the members no royalties since 1963. Although The Ronettes went on to win the case, the New York State Court of Appeals overturned the decision in October, 2002, saying that the contract the Ronettes signed with Spector in 1963 was still binding.
In 2002, it was announced that Rolling Stone Mick Jagger was to be given a knighthood for his services to music.
John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival and solo) entered the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2005. Other inductees include Isaac Hayes, Steve Cropper, Bill Withers and David Porter.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Highway Companions North American Tour gets underway in Charlotte, NC in 2006. The trek celebrates the band's 30th anniversary. Stevie Nicks is a supporting act on the first eight shows and also performs with Petty and the Heartbreakers.
In 2007, George Michael became the first music artist to perform at the new Wembley Stadium in London when he played the first of two shows at the venue during his ‘25 Live Tour.'
The Rock Band Unplugged video game is in stores in 2009. It features songs by 3 Doors Down, Audioslave and Alice In Chains, the Who, Boston, Police, Billy Idol, Bon Jovi, Judas Priest, Jethro Tull, and Rush.
The Acacia Strain have revealed the title, cover art and track listing which will be released July 20th in North American and August 2nd in Europe. The album is titled "Wormwood," and features cover art by acclaimed artist, Justin Kamerer (http://www.angryblue.com/), who has done previous work for Bleeding Through, Guns N Roses, Slayer and many more.
"We worked just as hard if not harder on this album as we did on (2008's)"Continent.' We took an entire block of time off of touring and our lives in general to focus 100% on the creation of 'Wormwood.' Where we normally write a record with a theme already attached to it; this time around we wrote a record and the theme developed as we went. we wanted to do something that was still Acacia Strain, but broke away from the 'mold' that has been struck by all the bands these days that we seem to get grouped in with. all the songs have their own dynamic, instead of writing an album filled with like sounding songs. This is the heaviest record WE have ever written and these are the most personal lyrics I have ever written. Justin Kamerer; who did the artwork for the album, was really great to work with and really brought the songs to life with his imagery. I am really excited for this release, and we are all very proud of what we did with this record. i hope you enjoy."
On June 15 Reprise Records will release MOJO, the first new studio album from TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS in 8 years. Already the album is garnering enthusiastic reviews with Rolling Stone senior writer David Fricke calling it “one of the best ever” by Petty and the Heartbreakers.
On June 29, a special vinyl edition of MOJO will be released. The vinyl edition of MOJOis an 180 Gram 2-LP Set pressed at Pallas, Germany and mastered at Bernie Grundman Studios from the uncompressed 24-bit 48 kHz files.
On June 29, (two weeks after the standard release), in a first by a contemporary music artist, the album will be released as a stand-alone audio only Blu-ray disc which can be played in stereo or 5.1 surround sound. The Blu-ray disc contains 256 times more resolution than a CD, providing greater detail and reproducing the music’s full dynamic range, from the softest to the loudest sounds. In a 14-page cover story on the album the leading audiophile magazine Sound and Vision raved about the Blu-ray while calling the album “stunning.” The Blu-ray version will be available online exclusively from Amazon as well as at all independent retail stores.
OK, now the REAL news:
iTunes will also feature a special LP edition of MOJO. A preorder of the ITunes LP, now available, gets a buyer the first single “I Should Have Known It” immediately upon purchase. In addition to the standard 15-track album, the iTunes LP edition comes with exclusive music, videos and many other special features:
- “Little Girl Blues” – bonus audio track (exclusive)
- “Good Enough” – video (exclusive)
- “I Should Have Known It” – video
- MOJO road trip photos by Sam Jones
- MOJO album package art with Lyrics
- Scans of 4 hand written lyrics sheets from Tom’s own notebook.
What in the devil is an "iTunes special LP edition"??? IT"S STILL A DOWNLOAD PEOPLE - IT IS NOT A VINYL RECORD THEREFORE IT SHOULD NOT BE LABELED "LP" This could start a whole new trend as the digital freaks are stealing the LP, which stands for "Long Playing" album (we mean vinyl!) Don't call an apple an orange........
The words LP and download do not belong in the same sentence......
MAIDEN ANNOUNCE RELEASE DATE, ARTWORK AND TRACKLISTING FOR NEW ALBUM “THE FINAL FRONTIER” TOUR STARTS THIS WEEK
The release date for IRON MAIDEN’S new studio album THE FINAL FRONTIER is now confirmed for Monday 16th August. The new album pictured here features artwork illustrated by Melvyn Grant and, to mark the occasion, the band have made special arrangements for one new album track 'EL DORADO' to be made available Worldwide as a FREE digital download MP3 with immediate effect.
Singer Bruce Dickinson explains ‘El Dorado is a preview of the forthcoming studio album. As we will be including it in the set of our Final Frontier World Tour (which opens in Dallas On 9th June - full dates below) we thought it would be great to thank all our fans and get them into The Final Frontier mood by giving them this song up front of the tour and album release’
The band reunited with long-time Maiden producer Kevin “Caveman” Shirley in early 2010 at Compass Point Studios, Nassau to record the album and then moved to LA to finish the recording and do the mixing. Compass Point Studio is very familiar to the band, it was where they recorded the Piece Of Mind (’83), Powerslave (’84) and Somewhere In Time (’86) albums.
Bruce comments “The studio had the same vibe and it was EXACTLY as it had been in 1983, NOTHING had changed! Even down to the broken shutter in the corner...same carpet....everything... It was really quite spooky. But we felt very relaxed in such a familiar and well-trodden environment and I think this shows in the playing and the atmosphere of the album”
Thirty years on from their eponymous debut album in April 1980, The Final Frontier will be Maiden’s 15th studio album, making a remarkable average of a new album every two years for 30 years and totalling over 80 million album sales during this period.
The full tracklisting for the album (total running time 76:35) is:
THE FINAL FRONTIER
1. Satellite 15....The Final Frontier 8:40
2. El Dorado 6:49
3. Mother Of Mercy 5:20
4. Coming Home 5:52
5. The Alchemist 4:29
6. Isle Of Avalon 9:06
7. Starblind 7:48
8. The Talisman 9:03
9. The Man Who Would Be King 8:28
10. When The Wild Wind Blows 10:59
The Final Frontier World Tour begins in Dallas on June 9th with 25 shows in major cities across the USA and Canada, playing to an expected 350,000 fans or more. Following this the tour will ship over to Europe starting in Dublin on July 30 and playing a few selected major festivals and stadiums , finishing in Valencia, Spain, on Aug 21 and including a concert in Transylvania.
Attack Attack! - s/t
Call To Preserve - Life of Defiance
Ceremony - Rohnert Park
Circle Of Dead Children - Psalm of the Grand Destroyer
Clinging To The Trees Of A Forest Fire - Songs of Ill Hope and Desperation
Fatal Embrace - The Empires Of Humanity
Fleshgod Apocalypse - Mafia
Heaven Shall Burn - Invictus
Istapp - Blekinge
Keep Of Kalessin - Reptilian
Kingdom Of Sorrow - Behind The Blackest Tears
Leng Tch'e - Hypomanic
Masakari - The Prophet Feeds
Mychildren Mybride - Lost Boy
Nachtmystium - Addicts: Black Meddle Part 2
Nevermore The Obsidian Conspiracy
Pain - Cynic Paradise
Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come (Deluxe Version)
Silverstein - Decade: Live At The El Mocambo
The Funeral Pyre - Vultures At Dawn
The Ghost Inside - Returners
The Haunted - Roadkill: On the Road With the Haunted (CD/DVD)
This Is Hell - Weight of the World
Trash Talk - Eyes & Nines
Watain - Lawless Darkness
Whitechapel - A New Era of Corruption
Wormrot - Abuse
From the vaults of jazz history, Miles Davis’ “Kind Of Blue” is slated to be reissued on vinyl in coming weeks. Remastered on colored, 180-gram vinyl, the two-disc set, latest version features two new tracks never before available on vinyl.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Jun 08, 2010 – SoundStageDirect is proud to announce the reissue of arguably the greatest jazz record ever recorded: Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue.” Available from Music on Vinyl, this two-record, 180-gram pressing vinyl LP is presented on limited-edition blue vinyl. However, there’s one more notable trick up its proverbial sleeve: two additional tracks never before available on vinyl. Featuring an alternate take of “Flamenco Sketches” and a version of “On Dolphin Street,” originally recorded prior to the “Kind of Blue” sessions, these two bonus songs are unearthed treasures for any true jazz aficionados.
Originally released on August 17, 1959, “Kind of Blue” has collected innumerable accolades since. Featuring a veritable who’s who of jazz legends – John Coltrane on tenor saxophone; Cannonball Adderley on alto saxophone; Paul Chambers on bass; Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly on piano; and Jimmy Cobb on drums – the record’s soundscapes broke new musical ground. Based on a set of modal sketches, where each player was given a particular scale that defined their improvisation and style, the album allowed not only Davis to shine, but his sidemen as well.
In the years following the legendary jazz LP’s release, its reputation as a seminal moment in music history has been firmly cemented. It is the number-one selling jazz album of all time. Artists from Duane Allman to Pink Floyd, from Chick Corea to Q-Tip have cited “Kind of Blue” as an influence on their respective music. Rolling Stone selected the record at number 12 on their “500 Greatest Albums” list. In 2002, the Library of Congress selected the album as one of 50 to be added to the National Registry of Recordings.
With this exciting reissue, you can now own a piece of the American musical legacy. Remastered and pressed on high-quality vinyl, the jazz LP sounds as fresh today as it did 51 years ago. With Davis’ inimitable trumpet leading the way, hear the music the way it was meant to be heard: on vinyl.
James Watts is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. He is passionate about Vinyl Albums music and has devoted much of his professional life to helping young artists gain the exposure they need. When not writing or attending shows, Watts can often be found cheering on his beloved Phillies or cooking up one of his signature culinary creations.
