Collecting Vinyl Records- your source for the latest vinyl record information

Mr. Music ~ Jerry Osborne

2009-07-15T13:52:00.001-05:00

I am continuing our new feature: Ask "Mr. Music." Now in its 23rd year of syndication (1986-2008), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will be a regular post every Wednesday from now on. Be sure to stop by Jerry's site (www.jerryosborne.com) for more Mr. Music archives, record price guides, anything Elvis, buy & sell collectibles, record appraisals and much more. I thank Jerry for allowing the reprints.

FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 6, 2009

DEAR JERRY: As a University of California Davis student during the Summer of Love (1967), I heard a lot of San Francisco-based singers and groups.

Sometimes, after being inundated with Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, and the Doors, I would switch over to a Sacramento C&W station (KRAK) for some variety. I may have been the only student hip to current hits by both Jim Reeves and Jim Morrison.

KRAK played a song then by Sonny James in which he mentions their station, along with something about Sacramento's history, such as the gold rush and the Mother Lode.

Would it be correct to assume this recording existed only as a tape recording? I doubt they would make a record that couldn't be played on any other station.

Might you know the title, and if this tune is on any of Sonny's albums?
—Tony Palmieri, Milwaukee

DEAR TONY: You're in luck. I also spent the summer of '67 in both San Francisco and Stockton, well inside KRAK's 50,000 watt coverage area.

Like you, I heard this song at that time and it immediately piqued my curiosity.

Fortunately, I knew one of the dee jays (KRAKer Jacks) and he gave me the inside scoop, then sent me a copy. Titled “Salute to KRAK,” written by Sonny James and Carol Smith, half of it honors Sacramento's past and present, and half salutes KRAK radio, northern California's “Country Giant.”

With Sonny James being a Capitol megastar, having 23 No. 1 hits including 16 consecutive, Capitol would be the one to press the records. Also, record companies are always anxious to please broadcasters.

Under their Capitol Custom imprint (WB 2535/2536), they made a few thousand copies and sent them to KRAK for use as giveaways.

You could even say they went directly from Capitol to capitol, bypassing the capital. (I've always wanted to use all three of those words in one sentence.)

This provided them with a quality recording, one that not only extols the station and city but holds its own with other mid-'60s hits.

KRAK played it often at the time, but not to a point of being too self-serving. Most of the records went to listeners via various promotions and contests.

I am not aware of any Sonny James LP or CD containing the atypical “Salute to KRAK.”

This KRAK track is scarce but not especially pricey, usually in the $15 to $25 range.

DEAR JERRY: Neither of us watched much late-night TV, but my husband says he once saw Johnny Carson singing.

Whether on his own talk show or elsewhere, he does not recall.

I know he chatted for a living, but I don't recall ever seeing him sing. Could he? Can you either confirm or refute hubby's claim?
—Marianne Dunlap, San Jose, Calif.

DEAR MARIANNE: Hubby is right. Maybe you retired early that night.

Johnny made his fame and fortune talking, frequently introducing stars whose primary craft was singing. Yet, on rare occasions, he did join some very famous singers with a song.

Carson more than held his own vocally, as we know from his in-tune performances with Dean Martin; Frank Sinatra; Sammy Davis Jr.; and non-rat Pearl Bailey, just to name a few.

Not only did he sing on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” he also sang a bit on stage with stars whose concerts he emceed, but always at their invitation.

IZ ZAT SO? Though “Salute to KRAK” is still affordable, there are two other Capitol Custom records with prices in the $750 to $1,000 range:

1. “Spirit of America” backed with “Boogie Woodie” by the Beach Boys (Capitol Custom 50367/50368). The paper sleeve for this item explains its purpose: “I Was There KFWB Day! Wallichs Music City South Bay Store Opening Nov. 16, 1963.”

Merely for showing up at the event, many took home a tremendous souvenir.

2. “Music City KFWBeatles - The Beatles Talking” backed with “You Can't Do That” (Capitol Custom RB-2637/2638). This June 1964 issue also promoted Wallichs Music City record stores and KFWB radio.

The close relationship between Capitol and Wallichs Music City was because Clyde Wallichs, owner of the music stores, was the brother of Capitol Records co-founder, Glenn Wallichs.

KFWB landed a geographic connection, with their 6419 Hollywood Boulevard studio just a two-minute walk to either the Capitol Tower or Wallichs Music City.

Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission

Michael Jackson Thriller on Vinyl LP Record

2009-07-15T13:36:00.003-05:00

Michael Jackson's album Thriller was his sixth studio album. It has sold over 100 million copies. It was released on November 30, 1982 on the Epic Records label, a division of Columbia records. There were 7 top ten singles and it won 8 grammy awards. It was 1 of 3 albums to stay on the top 10 for over a year.

It featured guests like Paul McCartney on their duet The Girl Is Mine, Eddie Van Halen doing a guitar solo on Beat It, Vincent Price doing a voice over on Thriller and his sisters Janet & Latoya singing backup on PYT (pretty young thing)

The original vinyl jacket had a gatefold cover with a picture of Michael laying down on the front and inside with a baby Tiger. The inner vinyl sleeve was white with a drawing of Michael & Paul struggling with a girl like she is a wishbone on one side. The other side had a drawing of a couple watching TV while monsters like Frankenstein and others were all around them.

In 2001, the album was re-released titled Thriller: Special Edition and in 2008, a deluxe 25th anniversary version was released with extra tracks.

1.I Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
2.Baby Be Mine
3.The Girl Is Mine with Paul McCartney
4.Thriller
5.Beat It (single version) with Eddie Van Halen on guitar
6.Billie Jean (single version
7.Human Nature
8.P.Y.T. (pretty young thing)
9.The Lady In My Life
10.Vincent price exerpt
11.The Girl is Mine 2008 with willi.i.am
12.P.Y.T. 2008
13.Wanna Be Startin' Something 2008
14.Beat It 2008 with Fergie
15.Billie Jean 2008 with Kanye West
16.For All Time (unreleased track from the original Thriller sessions
17.Got the Hots (released only in Japan

After Michael Jackson's death Thriller set additional records. Songs from Thriller also helped Jackson to become the first act to sell over 1 million song downloads in a week.

Buy Thriller Here

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Vinyl's uptick is evident in sales of old and new records

By Brett Johnson

Almost a decade into the 21st century, Scott Freeman plunked down his money at the Record Outlet register in Thousand Oaks and walked out clutching two pieces of prized, ancient booty.

It was as if the Simi Valley teen had stepped into a time warp. There in his hands were Harry Chapin’s 1974 album “Verities & Balderdash” and a Pink Floyd “Echoes” compilation album, both on vinyl. There wasn’t a cell phone, MP3 player or computer anywhere in sight.

“It’s better than digital stuff,” said the 18-year-old Freeman, who is studying film at Moorpark College. “It’s not as compressed. It’s better quality. Sure, you are sacrificing portability and convenience, but on vinyl, there’s also more of a connection to the artist. ... It’s something we never grew up with; it’s something new for us.”

Vinyl, that retro darling from a few years ago, is still riding the surge, remaining popular with everyone from young people to high-end audiophiles willing to pay $300 to $800 for a pristine-sounding record. Vinyl shipments more than doubled from about $23 million in 2007 to almost $57 million last year, its highest level since 1990, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

Market players have noticed. Internet retail giant Amazon.com has had a vinyl-only music section since fall 2007. Now, when huge acts such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen or the Dave Matthews Band release new material, it also comes out on vinyl.

Read the rest of the article here:

Vinyl Is Groovy Again

More Music News

2009-07-15T13:13:00.008-05:00

New Jim O'Rourke Album, Visitor, Releases August 31 on Drag City

A disco ball melting into a kitchen chair seems appropriate enough cover art for the eclectic Jim O’Rourke’s new album, set to release on August 31. He is also a guitarist, mixer, experimentalist and producer, but this Drag City release will spotlight his songwriting. It is his first release on the label since 2001, when he released I’m Happy, And I’m Singing, And a 1,2,3,4. The new album is entitled Visitor, and is more of the instrumental vein according to the label. It consists of a single track.

O’Rourke was a bassist and guitarist for Sonic Youth, and he also helped with Wilco’s legendary Yankee Foxtrot Hotel. He has worked with Thurston Moore, Joanna Newsom, Smog, Beth Orton, Merzbow and Fennesz. He recorded Visitor from Tokyo, where he lives.

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Vinyl Collective Update

THE FLAMING TSUNAMIS “Zombies Vs Robots” LP

THE FLAMING TSUNAMIS “Zombies Vs Robots” LP green/grey vinyl

THE FLAMING TSUNAMIS “Zombies Vs Robots” LP collector’s edition green/grey vinyl

Asbestos just sent us a box of records including some Two Cow/Jr Jugg under the influence 7″s which were accidentally shipped to him. In that box are records from The Flaming Tsunamis who I here were Connecticut’s ska-core kings. This is a vinyl re-issue of “Zombies vs Robots” and you can either get the green/grey vinyl (pictured) which is out of an edition of 300 copies or you can purchase the collector’s edition which has 1 record on green, 1 record on grey and there are 2 different silk-screeened covers (one of a zombie, one of a robot). Flood tells me that we are the only retailers selling these sets and we have 7 sets coming. Check em out. We should have vinyl by mid week next week.

Buy awesomw vinyl at Vinyl Collective.com

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Great Marketing Plan, I Say Boycott EMI

EMI Spurns Independent Record Stores

The music giant EMI is attempting to solve its financial difficulties by, um, selling its product to fewer places. Independent record stores have received calls from EMI, whose website lists Darius Rucker as a "Breakthrough Artist," telling them that if they want to stock EMI merchandise they will have to turn to third parties. This added expense will keep EMI albums off more shelves at indie outlets, which tend to cater to fans fetishistic enough to actually want to purchase a physical object that contains music.

This counterintuitive move may make sense to those more familiar with the distribution costs of global companies, but it doubles down on the industry's already failing strategy of dictating buying habits and taste to consumers who are willing and able to find their own way.

Yeah, this will work......

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Kyp Malone Prepares Solo Album

If you listened to TV on the Radio's latest, "Dear Science," it certainly seemed like guitarist Kyp Malone's voice was in the forefront of that album's tracks a lot more than he was for "Return to Cookie Mountain." It looks like Malone's not done singing lead because in the fall he'll be releasing the self-titled debut album for his solo project, "Rain Machine." So far, he's basically just working with awesome album art, but any album whose cover bears women with flaming lion vaginas is usually worth at least a quick listen.

Rain Machine is out on Anti- Sept. 22. Here's the album art.

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iTunes goes retro with digital 45s

As a throwback to the old days of the two-song 45 rpm vinyl record, the iTunes Store launched a new “D45” section yesterday, featuring discounted prices on packs of two digital song downloads.

Just like old 45s, the iTunes D45 selection includes a popular single accompanied by a B-side song. Prices on the D45s range from $1.49 to $1.99.

“iTunes is bringing this concept to a new age with D45s – two great tracks at an equally great price,” the iTunes Store reads.

Music company EMI announced Tuesday that the release of D45s marks the 60th anniversary of the 45 single record.

The digital bundles will be sold exclusively by iTunes through July 27. After that, they will be available for purchase from “all major digital service providers.”

“More than 35 digital singles will launch the campaign,” the EMI press release states, “including original 45 single A-sides and B-sides and top hits by Coldplay, David Bowie, R.E.M., Poison, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dean Martin, Duran Duran, Nat King Cole, Blondie, and Billy Idol, among others.”

The D45 section represents another opportunity for record labels to to restructure pricing on music sold on the iTunes Store. Last year, through negotiations, the record companies leveraged flexibility on pricing.

Then, earlier this year, Apple removed restrictive digital rights management fingerprints from all of the songs it sells, allowing consumers greater flexibility as well.

" Just like the old 45's" One thing, IT"S NOT A 45RPM RECORD- DON'T MARKET IT AS BEING ONE, Here are some 45 RPM records.......Duh !

Beatles reunion halted by Yoko Ono

2009-07-15T09:33:00.004-05:00

This is off the newswires, although I doubt that it was all Yoko's fault. Another 'new' book, what's it been 40 years? Like her or not, she gets a bad rap.....

YOKO ONO was the reason Paul McCartney and John Lennon never reunited to make music again.

The two Beatles had planned to reform the band in 1974 until Yoko once again came on the scene, according to a new book.

Writer Peter Ames Carlin said McCartney really missed working with his legendary songwriting partner so he flew to New York to see him.

In his book, Paul McCartney: A Life, Carlin says that he made a surprise midnight visit to the Burbank studio where a coke-fueled Lennon was recording.

John reportedly said: "Someone give me an E. Or a snort."

The book claims that along with Stevie Wonder on electric piano, Lennon and McCartney jammed until the small hours that night in the Spring of 1974.

The session went so well that Lennon invited McCartney and wife Linda to join him and then-girlfriend May Pang at his rented home in Malibu.

Pang told Carlin she heard Lennon talk about getting "the guys back together" for a concert.

But the reunion dream died as soon as Lennon confided to McCartney that he had recently met his estranged wife Yoko and that she wanted to see him.

The book claims that that conversation led to Lennon getting back with Yoko - and the concert that fans around the world would have dreamed of never happening.

Music News & Notes

2009-07-15T09:23:00.006-05:00

Usher releases new single "Certified"

Usher has been hard at work with his brand new album and has released the single to prove it. Hooking up with producers The Neptunes, Usher released "Certified", his first single off of his album Monster. The release date for Monster is set for later this year.

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Daughtry, "Leave This Town" (19 Recordings/RCA)

Lead-off single "No Surprise" was co-written with Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger and got a major profile boost in early May when "American Idol" brought them on to play it live. The single made its chart debut at No. 15, Daughtry's highest debut ever on the Billboard Hot 100. The band's first album is the fastest-selling rock debut in Soundscan history, but Daughtry promises more "grit" on this one, once again produced by Howard Benson.

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Hypocrisy reveals details about new album

Melodic death metal band Hypocrisy is nearly finished recording and mixing their new album titled A Taste of Extreme Divinity, according to record label Nuclear Blast. It is set to be released on October 23 in Europe.

Here is what mainman Peter had to say:

"Hey, it's about time for an update now. We have a title for the new album now: A Taste Of Extreme Divinity! I'm at the end of the recording 'n mixing, a few songs left to sing on. The rest are done mixing wise. It's just been too busy with touring and recording bands, and I didn't wanna burn myself out totally. We're happy of the result so far, it's got everything a Hypo album should have in our own point of view. We will release it October 23rd and start touring in the USA November 5th, supporting ENSIFERUM, then in January 2010 we do a headline tour in Europe, after that we'll try to hit rest of the world, stay tuned for more updates in a few weeks!"

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MJ Sales Slowing Overseas

While sales of Michael Jackson product seems to be ebbing a bit overseas, Billboard is reporting that he had his best sales week yet last week. Preliminary figures show he moved 1.1 million albums, up 37% from the previous week. For the third week in a row, Number Ones will be the biggest selling album in the country with 349,000 copies. Thriller sold 264,000 while Essential was at 149,000. Plus, for the first time, Jackson has four albums over the hundred thousand mark ad Off the Wall moves 107,000, more than doubling its previous week's total.

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Shudder to Think to Release Live Album

Fans of yelpy-voiced, painstakingly structured indie-prog, you are having a banner year! And once you get done picking apart Bitte Orca for the billionth time, we've got something new for you: A live album from the recently reunited DC art-punk greats Shudder to Think!

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Sufjan Stevens Comes Out of Hiding With Run Rabbit Run

Long-waiting Sufjan Stevens fans frustrated by the artists’ lack of new material and live performances are getting some payoff for their patience, as Stevens announces both a remix album entitled Run Rabbit Run and an appearance at All Tomorrow’s Parties New York, America’s version of the perennial British music festival.

Run Rabbit Run is due out October 6 on Asthmatic Kitty Records.

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Trent Reznor Explains the State of NIN

"I'd never want to be Gene Simmons, an old man who puts on makeup to entertain kids"

Earlier this year, Trent Reznor revealed that after his current tour with Nine Inch Nails, "it's time to make NIN disappear for a while." And he announced his forthcoming small-club "Wave Goodbye" tour, Reznor made sure to point out that "this is it." But what does it all mean? Are Nine Inch Nails over now or what?

In an email interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Reznor makes things a little less vague. Nine Inch Nails will no longer be a road-dog touring entity. But that doesn't mean we've heard that last of him.

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SAOSIN New LP

Former AP cover stars Saosin have their hotly anticipated sophomore album, In Search Of Solid Ground, dropping Sept. 8 on Virgin. Saosin are currently on the Hurley stage of this summer's Warped Tour.

This Date In Music History-July 15

2009-07-15T09:08:00.002-05:00

Birthdays:

Ray Toro - My Chemical Romance (1977)

John Dolmayan - System of a Down (1973)

Phillip Fisher – Fishbone (1967)

Joe Satriani (1956)

Marc Bell – Ramones (1956)

David Pack - Ambrosia (1953)

Alicia Bridges (1953)

Jeff Carlisli -38 Special (1952)

Trevor Horne – Buggles (1949)

Artimus Pyle - Lynyrd Skynyrd (1948)

Roky Erickson - 13th Floor Elevators (1947)

Linda Ronstadt (1946)

Peter Lewis - Moby Grape (1945)

Millie Jackson (1944)

They Are Missed:

Johnny Thunders - The New York Dolls (June 15, 1952 – April 23, 1991) Died of a drug overdose.

Born on this day in 1956, Ian Curtis - Joy Division. Curtis hanged himself in the kitchen of his house in Macclesfield, England at the age of 23. Curtis had the Iggy Pop album “The Idiot,” playing on his stereo and left a note that said, “At this very moment, I wish I were dead. I Just can't cope anymore.” Idiot.

Troy Dixon from Heavy D and The Boyz died in an accidental fall in 1990.

Bill Justis ("Raunchy") died in 1982.

Sad Cafe singer Paul Young died of a heart attack at his Manchester home in 2000 (age 53). Also member of Mike and the Mechanics.

History:

In 1952, 8 year-old Gladys Knight won $2000 on Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour a US television show after performing the song “Too Young.”

"Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" enters the Top Forty in 1957, remaining there for 20 weeks. The song got a boost when Jerry Lee Lewis performed it on The Steve Allen Show on July 28. It peaked at #3 and topped the country and R&B charts.

In 1958, John Lennon's mother Julia was killed by a car driven by an off-duty drunken police officer named Eric Clague (Clague was later acquitted of the offense). John was 17 at the time.

Filming began in 1963 for the movie "Viva Las Vegas" with Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret.

This weeks US Top three singles in 1965, #3 The Byrds, “Mr Tambourine Man,” #2 The Four Tops, “I Can't Help Myself” and at #1 The Rolling Stones with “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.”

Percy Sledge's first and biggest hit, "When A Man Loves A Woman" earned him his first and only gold record in 1966.

Creedence Clearwater Revival released their self-titled debut album in 1968.

Elton John started a five week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1972 with “Honky Chateau,” his first US chart topper.

Elton John re-signed with MCA in 1974. Elton would receive $8 million for delivering his next five albums to the record label.

The Rolling Stones started a two-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1978 with “Some Girls,” the group's seventh US #1 album.

In 1986, Columbia Records dumped Johnny Cash after 28 years. Cash hitched up with Polygram and later American for an artistically rewarding period in his lengthy career.

In 1989, Pink Floyd performed in Venice on a floating stage. But the 200,000 people who gathered to see them ended up causing damage to the city's bridges and make marble crumble from centuries-old buildings. Residents complained about the noise, littering and drug use. What did they expect?

Neil Young, with Pearl Jam as his backing band, released “Mirror Ball” in 1995.

In 2007, over 10,000 people applied for a job with P Diddy after the rapper posted an advertisement on Youtube looking to find a new personal assistant. He warned applicants that the job would be far from easy and would involve everything from getting him ready for the red carpet to aiding in billion dollar deals to helping him jump out of planes in movies. And I missed it…..

New Music Releases ~ July 14

2009-07-14T10:34:00.002-05:00

A.A. Bondy- American Hearts (vinyl reissue)

A-Ha - Foot of the Mountain

Air Supply - Free Love

Alexander Turnquist- As the Twilight Crane Dreams in Color

Ani DiFranco- Red Letter Year (remastered vinyl)

Baby Teeth:-Hustle Beach

Beastie Boys- Ill Communication (remastered with bonus disc) (vinyl)

Black Meteoric Star- Dreamcatcher/Dawn (vinyl)

Blues Control - Local Flavor

Bob Marley - Legacy (3-CD)

Brilliant Colors - 12″

Care Bears on Fire-Get Over It

Cheap Trick-Every Trick In The Book (dvd)

Clutch- Strange Cousins from the West

Cunninlynguists- Strange Journey, Vol. 1

Dandy Warhols- The Dandy Warhols Are Sound

David Bowie- VH1 Storytellers (CD & DVD)

Debbie Harry - Koo Koo / Def Dumb & Blonde

Discovery-LP

Duane Eddy - Guitar Man (Remastered & Two Extra Tracks)

Ducktails/Julian Lynch - split 7″

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros- Up from Below

Emitt Rhodes - The Emitt Rhodes Recordings 1969-1973

Eskimo Joe-Inshalla

Family - BBC Radio, Volume 3: 1970

Fink- Sort of Revolution (vinyl)

Florence & the Machine:- Lungs

Frank Sinatra - Collection

Freda Payne - Band of Gold/Contact/Best Of/Reaching Out (2-CD)

Gary War - Horribles Parade

Green Day- 21 Guns

Greg Brown- Dream City - Essential Recordings Vol 2, 1997-2006

Hercules and Love Affair - Sidetracked

Jack Rose and the Black Twigs- Jack Rose and the Black Twigs

James Blackshaw- The Glass Bead Game (vinyl)

Joseph Arthur:-Temporary People (vinyl)

Judas Priest - A Touch Of Evil - Live

Kenny Rogers - Daytime Friends/Love or Something Like It

Kenny Rogers - Gambler/Kenny

Kenny Rogers - Love Lifted Me/Kenny Rogers

Lisa Lisa - Life N Love

Little Richard - Lucille

Maxïmo Park- Questing Not Coasting

Mew- No More Stories EP

Miles Davis- Walkin' (vinyl reissue)

Nadja & Black Boned Angel-Nadja & Black Boned Angel

Neil Young - After the Gold Rush (Remastered)

Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Remastered)

Neil Young - Harvest (Remastered)

Neil Young - Neil Young (Remastered)

New Roman Times: On The Sleeve

Nicholas Hooper- Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Nina Simone- Live at Berkeley/Gifted & Black (reissue)

Olivia Broadfield- Eyes Wide Open

Patrick Watson- Wooden Arms (vinyl)

Pearl Jam- The Lowdown

Peter Broderick:-Music for Falling from Trees

Raiders - Indian Reservation/Collage

Robin Trower - What Lies Beneath

Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang (Remastered)

Rolling Stones - Bridges to Babylon (Remastered)

Rolling Stones - Dirty Work (Remastered)

Rolling Stones - Steel Wheels (Remastered)

Rolling Stones - Voodoo Lounge (Remastered)

Sad Cafe - Facades/Sad Cafe

Santana - Supernatural (Legacy Edition)

Serengeti & Polyphonic- Terradactyl (vinyl)

Sha Na Na - 40th Anniversary Collection

Sick Puppies- Tri-Polar

Son Volt-American Central Dust (vinyl)

Summer Cats - Songs for Tuesdays

The Builders and the Butchers- Salvation Is a Deep Dark Well (vinyl)

The Dead Weather- Horehound (vinyl)

The Fall- This Nation's Saving Grace (vinyl)

The Mayfair Set - Young One

The Most Serene Republic-Expanding Universe (vinyl)

The Octopus Project - Golden Beds EP

The Polyamourous Affair- Bolshevik Disco

The Rolling Stones- A Bigger Bang (remastered)

The Rolling Stones- Bridges to Babylon (remastered)

The Rolling Stones-Dirty Work (remastered)

The Rolling Stones-Steel Wheels (remastered)

The Rolling Stones- Voodoo Lounge (remastered)

The Silent Years- Let Go

Ty Segall - Lemons

Vanilla Fudge - Live 2004

Various Artists- 500 Days of Summer (soundtrack)

Various Artists:-Alfa Matrix Re:Covered - A Tribute to Depeche Mode

Various Artists- Virginia Rocks! The History of Rockabilly in the Commonwealth (remastered)

Various Artists- Wicked Garden: A Millennium Tribute To Stone Temple Pilots

Zola Jesus - The Spoils

Music News & Notes

2009-07-14T10:28:00.006-05:00

Album art for CAPTAIN CLEGG AND THE NIGHT CREATURES

Rob Zombie checked in on MySpace this morning with the final cover art for ROB ZOMBIE PRESENTS: CAPTAIN CLEGG AND THE NIGHT CREATURES (Music from HALLOWEEN II). As you may recall, the Capt. (played by Jesse Dayton) has become a regular fixture here at Fango, recently reporting on his video shoot and providing his own installment of FANGORIA MUSICK's LISTS OF DOOM series.

The cover art by David Hartman can be viewed below and you can get your copy of the album on the same day that HALLOWEEN II arrives in theatres - August 28th.

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Brand New Video for Alice in Chains' "A Looking View"

The mp3 single was released for free download at the band's site last week as well as on iTunes and is the first new music to be released from the band in 14 years. It will be on their forthcoming album BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE, scheduled for a Sept 29 release through Virgin.

A Looking In View - Music Video

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New Modest Mouse Single Due Next Week

Modest Mouse is going in with this singles series thing. In the past few months, the band has cranked out two 7" slabs: "Satellite Skin" and "Autumn Beds". Next Tuesday, July 21, they'll return with another one.

The "Perpetual Motion Machine" b/w "History Sticks to Your Feet" single will be on red vinyl, with an embossed sleeve. And it's limited to 4000 copies, so act fast.

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Basement Jaxx

Their new album "Scars" features guest appearances by Yoko Ono, Santigold and rap crew Yo Majesty is due out in October, according to a Billboard report. Here's the cover, I like it already.....

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Night Horse Announce Dates In Support Of 7" Single Series

Night Horse have announced a string of tour dates in support of the release of three split seven inch singles being released this summer. The band has also been confirmed for the main stage at The Sunset Junction Festival in Los Angeles on August 23rd. Night Horse is also premeiring their brand new single "Choose Your Side."

Night Horse / Dirty Sweet split 7" (released July 7th)

•Side A: Night Horse - Good Bye Gone (available for download at Brooklyn Vegan)
•Side B: Dirty Sweet - Marionette
Night Horse / High Saints Split 7" (release date August 4th)

•Side A: Night Horse - Choose Your Side
•Side B: The High Saints - Black Days
Night Horse / Sea Of Air Split 7" (release date September 15th)

•Side A: Night Horse - Come Down Halo
•Side B: Sea Of Air - Holy Roller

Vinyl Record Video

2009-07-14T10:18:00.001-05:00

Interesting thoughts about vinyl although I disagree that it's only the younger audience buying vinyl....

The Beatles ~ Box Of Vision

2009-07-14T10:07:00.005-05:00

Here's an interesting and resourceful way to organize yoru Beatles CD collection. What I like is that they 'blow up' the artwork and lets fans that are stuck with the small CD covers for artwork, get a taste of what the album cover art was supposed be like. Here are the specifics form the site:

Built to store THE BEATLES newly REMASTERED CD's and their DIGIPAK BOXES

THE BEATLES Box Of Vision is a unique new product. The elegant linen-covered box, with silver embossed BEATLES logos, and 'faux' BEATLES LP spines, contains three never before available books:

1) An LP sized book containing all of THE BEATLES UK and US album artwork, collected together for the very first time.

2) The brand new Catalography guide to THE BEATLES catalog of albums.

3) The patented BoxOfVision storage book for organizing and displaying your collection of BEATLES CDs -- including the digipak boxes for the upcoming Remastered CD's. CD's and digipaks not included -- insert your own collection, originals and/or remasters).

They are also hawking a new book on Beatles album cover art, I'd love one!

For the first time ever -- all of THE BEATLES LP artwork in a single hard cover coffee table book.

•Close to 200 pages of newly restored, pristine LP art prints.

•Front covers, back covers and gatefold artwork for all of the original UK studio albums, from PLEASE PLEASE ME to LET IT BE. All of the unique US studio albums from MEET THE BEATLES to HEY JUDE.

•The complete LP size booklets from Magical Mystery Tour, as well as the rarely seen LP size booklets from LET IT BE... NAKED, and LOVE.

•And some additional surprises.

For more information, stop by the site:

http://store.boxofvision.com/

http://store.boxofvision.com/images/sites/45/tour//

Vinyl Collective News

2009-07-14T10:04:00.000-05:00

This from Virgil over at www.vinylcollective.com:

Got a few pre-orders to share with you. For Starters, we have a new album by Jay Reatard. Last year, his singles collection pretty much pissed off the vinyl collecting world. The records were under-produced in an effort to draw up some hype and in that regard, it seemed to work. Jay writes dirty/garagey rock anthems and it is nice to see an artist like that get some attention. He has a new album coming up and it is sure to promise more rock, more fun.

Discovery is the recording project of Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend) and Wes Miles (Ra Ra Riot). Guest vocals from Ezra Koening (Vampire Weekend) and Angel Deradoorian (Dirty Projectors). Elements of European electronic dance music skittering in double time over steady R&B.

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE “Summertime Clothes” LP follows in the wake of their most critically acclaimed and commercially successful album to date, “Merriweather Post Pavilion”. It highlights the warm weather standout jam “Summertime Clothes”, and is accompanied by remixes from Dam-Funk (Stones Throw), Zomby (Hyperdub), and L.D. (Hyperdub).

Restocks:

THRIFT STORE COWBOYS/ONE WOLF “Nothing/Everything’s On Fire” split 7?
GRINDERMAN ìS/Tî LP
TOM WAITS “Mule Variations” LP
BAD RELIGION “How Could HellÖ” LP

New to Vinyl Collective:

THE DINGEES “The Crucial Conspiracy” LP transparent red vinyl
THE DINGEES “The Crucial Conspiracy” LP black vinyl
FLORIDA=DEATH “Depression Era Music” LP black vinyl
IPSISSIMUS “The Three Secrets of Fatima” LP black vinyl

Michael Jackson Fans Hold Tribute At London's O2 Arena

2009-07-13T17:33:00.002-05:00

The gloved-one's fans have held a tribute at the O2 Arena, on the day the star was due to make his comeback at the London venue. Hundreds of fans made the journey to the east of the city after the unofficial event was advertised on social networking websites. Word is, MJ will not be there....

Many chose to add messages to the venue’s tribute wall, while other shared their Jackson memories with each other. Some fans who have tickets to the now canceled shows still made the journey to the UK to remember the star.

Jackson was scheduled to play 50 shows at the O2 Arena, starting tonight (July 13) and running into March 2010.

Get a life people......

Vinyl Record Architect

2009-07-13T15:39:00.002-05:00

I made a new contact today, a new vinyl record blog and Paul has some very interesting features and posts. Here's one from a recent trip to Holland, I have not seen this cover before, I though I'd share his post:

Nederbeat - for collectors only: Modern Records 110 891 L

I've already written about how much I like collections - especially when they're as good as 'for collectors only...' Released in 1967, this Modern Records compendium of Dutch garage, proto-punk, and early psychedelia includes the music of several classic Dutch bands such as De Maskers and Golden Earring - like you haven't heard them before. The song titles are covers and originals including one Dylan cover ('Masters of War' by De Maskers) and Gene Vincent's 'Baby Blue.'

I found this on the floor of a little record store in Leiden, Holland. The records on the floor - and there were thousands - were Two Euros each. So, I got this little treasure for less than four bucks! Not in the best shape, granted, but eminently playable. The front cover has but a single small tear, the back inscribed by a former owner with the word 'Blues' in large red ballpoint - ironic or accidental? - and in smaller blue ballpoint letters 'Revolutie.' Helpfully, this same former owner has labeled the photos so I know which band is which. Making the record less valuable to a serious collector perhaps, but full of charm for me!

One of my favorite cuts is the second one on the second side, 'That's Your Problem,' by the Outsiders. Unlike some of their contemporaries like Tee Set - also on this record - and Shocking Blue, The Outsiders never hit it even somewhat big in the States and their music is known best by garage band and 'Nederbeat' fans. Nederbeat, Holland's uniquely raw and direct British Invasion-inspired interpretation of Rock 'n' Roll, is definately worth a listen. The Outsiders are known to be one of the best Nederbeat bands and Kurt Cobainis said to have been a fan who unsuccessfully tried to meet Wally Tax, the Outsiders' lead singer.

You can find them on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIVAFcVpnf8

Another highlight is Golden Earring's 'Daddy buy me a girl.' The video - Golden Earring's first - features the band playing the song while riding elephants - there is even a go-go girl on elephant, the English dancer, Felicity. Really, what's not to like! You can find them on YouTube, too:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ThommyCortina.

See members.ziggo.nl/casper.roos/story60.html for the whole story.

The song was also included in Nuggets II. Reviewer George Starostin gave the song an A+ and called it 'pop perfection.' He continued:

'These Dutch lads (later simply 'Golden Earring') werechart darlings in Europe for quite a long time, and if this song is a goodindication, they're well worth investigating. The liner notes justly indicatethe non-trivial lyrical subject (rich boy suffers because all the girlsonly love him for his dough), but as good as the lyrics are, it's the melodythat deserves the most accolades - a terrific exercise in Brit-pop, drivenby the obligatory harpsichord, of course, but with chord changes and vocalmodulation all its own, and an insanely catchy verse melody as wellas middle-eight. Plus, Krassenburg's lead vocals just ring withclassic Sixties' "radio freshness", and at the same time conveyjust the right tinge of sadness and moodiness. I can't help but admireevery second of this thing.'

Well, finally, there is the matter of the album cover. Hard to overlook. At one time, depicting body-painted female nudes on record albums seemed to have been the rage. Now, it just seems more than vaguely wrong. But this was released in another era and free love and nudity were part of the revolution, political and sexual.

And, after all, it was 'for collectors only...'

Content from Vinyl Record Architect Blog

Reprinted By Permission

Classic Rock Videos

2009-07-13T10:57:00.001-05:00

The Cars - Moving In Stereo (Live In Houston 1984)

Most Valuable Records

2009-07-13T10:51:00.002-05:00

The following list is an attempt to list some of the most valuable recordings. Data is sourced from Record Collector magazine, eBay, Popsike, Good Rockin' Tonight and other sources.

1. John Lennon & Yoko Ono – Double Fantasy (Geffen US Album, 1980) Autographed by Lennon five hours before Mark David Chapman murdered him. $525,000 asking price, unsold.

2. The Quarrymen – "That'll Be the Day"/"In Spite Of All The Danger" (UK 78 RPM, Acetate in plain sleeve, 1958) Only one copy made. Copy always owned by Paul McCartney and never offered for sale. Record Collector magazine lists guide price at $180,000.

3. The Beatles – Yesterday and Today (Capitol, US Album in ‘butcher’ sleeve, 1966) $40,000 for mint "first state" stereo copies. [2] Other pressings/states are also available, in both mono and stereo with prices ranging from $150–$10,000

4. Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (CBS, US album, stereo 1963 featuring 4 tracks deleted from subsequent releases) $35,000

5. Long Cleve Reed & Little Harvey Hull – "Original Stack O’Lee Blues" (Black Patti, US 78 RPM in plain sleeve, 1927) $30,000 offered to Joe Bussard.

6. Frank Wilson – "Do I Love You?" (SOUL#35019, US 7” 45 RPM in plain sleeve, 1966) $30,000

7. Velvet Underground & Nico – The Velvet Underground & Nico (US Album Acetate, in plain sleeve, 1966 with alternate versions of tracks from official release) Estimate $40,000+ Sold on eBay, December 9, 2006 for $155,401. However bids were fake and record was relisted. Final selling price was $25,200.

8. Elvis Presley - "Stay Away, Joe" (US, RCA Victor UNRM-9408, 1967) Single- sided promotional album of which only one well-publicized copy is known to exist, and it came directly from Presley's personal collection.

9. The Five Sharps - "Stormy Weather" (US, Jubilee 5104, 78 RPM, 1953) $25,000 offered to David Hall of Good Rockin' Tonight

10. The Hornets - "I Can't Believe" (US, States 127, 78 RPM, 1953) $25,000

11. Sex Pistols – "God Save the Queen" (UK A&M 7” 45 RPM with mailer, 1977) $22,000

12. Bach, Cello Suites, Andre Levy, French Lumen 3.447-449, signed by Levy on all three records, $20,000.

13. Blind Joe Reynolds – "99 Blues" (Paramount, 78 RPM 192?) $20,000

14. The Quarrymen – "That’ll Be The Day"/"In Spite Of All The Danger" (UK 10” 78 RPM and 7” 45 RPM, in reproduction Parlophone sleeve, 1981 reissue, 25 copies of each) $18,000

15. The Beatles – The Beatles (Parlophone UK album, 1968, numbered below 000010, black inner with poster and four colour prints) $18,000 [2] A copy numberd 000005 sold on e-bay for 19,200 British pounds sterling (over US$27,000.

16. Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (As #4 but mono version) $16,500

17. Billy Ward & His Dominoes (Federal, 295-94, US 10” album, 1954) $12,000

18. Charlie Patton – "Screamin’ and Hollerin’" (US 78 RPM) $11,550

19. Judy Garland - Two unreleased acetates from March 1935, $22,500 bid for the pair, failed to meet reserve.

20. Elvis Presley - "That's All Right" (Sun#209 Records, US 7", 45 RPM, 1954)

21. Mozart á Paris (Conducted Fernand Oudabrous) – (Pathe France, 7 Album box set, 1956) $11,300 (eBay, April 3, 2007)

22. John’s Children – "Midsummer Night Scene" (Track, UK 7” 45RPM, 1967) $11,000

23. Willie Brown - "Future Blues" (US, 78 RPM, 1930) $10,200

24. The Beatles - The Beatles (Decca, 1968 Contract export pressing) $9,800

25. Basco Vs The Electroliners – ""The Beat Is Over" (Sm:)e US 10” red vinyl 45RPM, 1996) $9,400

Music News & Notes

2009-07-13T10:48:00.000-05:00

Nas preps 10th solo album

Nas is clearly not looking to take a break anytime soon. The Queensbridge rapper who is currently readying the release of his collaborative album with reggae artist/producer Damian "Jr Gong" Marley has given hint to releasing a 10th solo album following the release of Distant Relatives.

Distant Relatives is due for release in August of this year and Nas is already prepared to hit the studio booth to record new tracks for a solo project before Distant Relatives is even released.

Nas' 10th album will be a follow up to his 2008 controversial release Untitled.

=======================

Michael Jackson #1 in UK Since Death

Michael Jackson is number one in the UK album chart for the third week in a row.

The late star's greatest hits album 'The Essential' has been at the top spot for two weeks, while previously 'Number Ones' topped the chart for a week.

The King of Pop has now sold an impressive 1.5 million albums and singles in Britain since his death on June 25.

African music is making another comeback in the U.S. and Europe

2009-07-13T10:42:00.001-05:00

By CARY DARLING / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Every decade or so, it happens. African music, usually exiled by the pop mainstream into the land of world-music exotica, threatens to make a broader incursion into American consciousness.

The '60s: South Africans Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba scored breakthroughs while the New York group the Tokens went to No. 1 with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," their take on a Zulu song written in 1939.

The '70s: Cameroon's Manu Dibango comes up with a global hit in 1972, the sweaty, sax-drenched instrumental "Soul Makossa," considered by some to be the first disco track.

The '80s: Explicitly African influences could be found on albums by Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel and the Talking Heads. "Afro-beat" became music-industry shorthand for a variety of acts. They ranged from the fiery soul-jazz-funk of Fela Kuti and the breezy, lyrical melodicism of King Sunny Adé, both from Nigeria, to the Afro-folk rock of Juluka and hushed harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, both South African.

The '90s: A wave of musicians, from Senegal (Baaba Maal, Youssou N'Dour), Mali (Salif Keita, Ali Farka Touré) and Cape Verde (Césaria Évora), became regular visitors to the U.S. and Europe.

But it's at the tail end of the current decade that a new, more blues- and rock-oriented African sound is arousing American interest. Mali's Festival in the Desert, a gathering of often nomadic, guitar-toting musicians, has attracted such high-profile visitors as Robert Plant and Jimmy Buffett.

Read the rest here:
http://www.dallasnews.com

This Date In Music History-July 13

2009-07-13T10:33:00.001-05:00

Birthdays:

Roger McGuinn – Byrds (1942)

Stephen Jo Bladd - J Geils Band (1942)

R&B vocalist Gerald Levert (1966)

Cheech Marin of Cheech & Chong turns 63.

They Are Missed:

In 2004, New York Doll`s bassist Arthur Kane passed away after checking himself in to a Los Angeles emergency room, complaining of fatigue. He was quickly diagnosed with leukemia, and died within two hours. He was 55. The influential American band formed in 1972 and made just two albums, the 1973 “New York Dolls” and 1974 “Too Much Too Soon.” "Kane`s bass playing and presence were the heart and soul of the New York Dolls and the secret ingredient of our sound,” said Dolls frontman David Johansen.

Philippe Wynne, a former lead singer of the Spinners, died of a heart attack in 1984 while on stage in Oakland, CA.

History:

In 1959, "I've Only Got Eyes for You," the Flamingos' biggest hit (#3 R&B, #11 pop), entered the charts. It is among the most sublime performances of the doo-wop era.

Today in 1959, the song "Lonely Boy" by Paul Anka topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.

The Shirelles' "Dedicated To The One I Love" was released in 1959.

The Animals went to #1 on the UK singles chart in 1964 with “The House Of The Rising Sun.” Recorded in one take, this was the first UK #1 to have a playing time of more than four minutes.

Steppenwolf released the epic cut “Born To Be Wild” in 1968.

In 1969, over 100 US radio stations banned the Beatles new single “The Balled Of John and Yoko” due to the line ‘Christ, you know it ain't easy,’ calling it offensive.

In 1968, Black Sabbath played their first gig at a small backstreet Blues club in Birmingham, England.

Queen released their self-titled debut album in 1973.

George McCrae started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1974 with “Rock Your Baby,” his only US #1 (also #1 in the UK). Regarded by some as the first Disco #1.

Eric Clapton released his hit version of "I Shot the Sheriff" in 1974.

In 1978, the BBC announced a ban on The Sex Pistols' latest single “No One Is Innocent,” which featured vocals by Ronnie Biggs, the British criminal notorious for his part in the Great Train Robbery of 1963. At the time of the recording, Biggs was living in Brazil, and was still wanted by the British authorities, but immune from extradition.

In 1985, the Live-Aid concerts took place in Philadelphia, PA, and London, England.

Duran Duran’s “View To A Kill,” from the James Bond movie of the same name, began a two-week stay at #1 on the U.S. singles chart in 1985.

Tears For Fears went to #1 on the US album chart in 1985 with “Songs From The Big Chair.”

In 1987, representatives of fifty of America's largest record retailers were guests at Michael Jackson's home in Encino, California to preview his new album, “Bad.” The LP would go on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide.

In 1994, Elton John and Billy Joel teamed up for a joint tour for the first time. The union of two piano-playing rock and roll superstars virtually guarantees sellouts.

In 1996, over 2,000 guitar players, including Chet Atkins and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, set a new world record for the largest jam session ever when they played “Heartbreak Hotel” for 75 minutes at Nashville's Riverfront Park. The previous record was set in Vancouver, Canada on May 7th, 1994, when Randy Bachman led 1,322 amateur guitarists in a performance that lasted 68 minutes.

Classic Rock Videos

2009-07-12T10:02:00.001-05:00

The Cars - Dangerous Type

Cuff The Duke

2009-07-12T09:52:00.003-05:00

Every now and then I find a band from Canada (they have musicians there too!) that I enjoy, thought I'd share this one....Cuff The Duke

BIOGRAPHY
Having spent several years carving their teeth on the road with the likes of The Sadies, Sloan, Hayden, The Weakerthans, Calexico and Nick Cave, Toronto's Cuff the Duke are poised to make the jump from indie-scene-darlings to bona-fide Canadian music icons. Their new album, Way Down Here was co-produced by Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor at his beautiful barn studio in rural Ontario and features the band's most mature, captivating and impressive collection of songs to date.

Cuff the Duke started out in Oshawa before making the move to Toronto in 2002. Their debut album, Life Stories for Minimum Wage was released on Three Gut Records, at the time one of the most exciting indie-labels in Canada. Their second and third albums, Cuff the Duke and Sidelines and the City respectively, were both released on Hardwood Records alongside label mates Basia Bulat and Hayden.

Last year the band won accolades backing Hayden on his Canadian and North American tours.

Having played in venues ranging from Canada’s small clubs to many of the country's largest arenas and concert auditoriums, Cuff the Duke have earned their road stripes -- and now with the release of Way Down Here, they are sure to earn a place in the hearts of music lovers everywhere. Watch for it in stores and online in Canada in September, and in the USA in January via The Ernest Jenning Record Co.

WAYNE PETTI
Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Organ, Piano and Lead Vocals

PAUL LOWMAN
Electric and Stand Up Bass, Piano, Organ and Vocals

DALE MURRAY
Electric, Acoustic and Baritone Guitar, Pedal Steel and Vocals

COREY WOOD
Drums, Percussion and Vocals

Life Stories for Minimum Wage
CD - 2002

Cuff the Duke
CD - 2005 - Hardwood

Sidelines In the City
CD/VINYL - 2007 - Hardwood

WAY DOWN HERE
CD/VINYL
CDN - Noble Recording Co./Universal (Sept. 8, 2009)
USA - Ernest Jenning Record Co. (January 2010)

Recorded in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the winter of 2009, Way Down Here was produced by Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor and Cuff The Duke.
In stores and online Sept. 8th in Canada and January 2010 in the USA.

Cuff The Duke 'The Ballad of Poor John Henry'

Music News & Notes

2009-07-12T09:37:00.004-05:00

SECRETS OF THE MOON: 'Privilegivm' Artwork Unveiled

German progressive black metallers SECRETS OF THE MOON will release their new album, "Privilegivm", on September 11 in Germany and September 14 in the rest of Europe via Prophecy Productions. According to the band. The CD's cover art was designed by "France's best media artist" Metastazis.

"Privilegivm" was was produced by Markus Stock and was mastered by Peter in De Betou at Stockholm, Sweden's Tailor Maid Production.

The group also recorded two more tracks, including the cover of a song from "a well-known band."

SECRETS OF THE MOON last year announced the addition of guitarist K.S.A. to the group's ranks. According to the band, "His skills and his exigent nature just feel right for the band and he already contributed some extremely good ideas to what will become the new album."

=======================

Sonata Arctica Unveil Cover Art And Tracklisting For New Album

SONATA ARCTICA, hailing from Finland, have unveiled the new artwork, track listing as well as the album title of their forthcoming album.

“THE DAYS OF GRAYS” will see a worldwide release (excluding Asia) through Nuclear Blast Records on September 21st, 2009

=======================

AWAKEN DEMONS Signs With TRUSTKILL RECORDS

Cesena, Italy's AWAKEN DEMONS has inked a deal with Trustkill Records. The band's new album, "The Mirror", will be released on CD and vinyl on August 25. According to a press release, the CD contains "10 songs of pure aggression" and includes guest appearances by Vincent Bennet (THE ACACIA STRAIN) and Karl Buechner (EARTH CRISIS). Both the European version of the CD and the vinyl release will feature exclusive and rare bonus tracks.

Look for the band to invade the U.S. in 2009 with a full tour kicking off in September as well as a full European tour in November and December.

AWAKEN DEMONS released its debut album, "From Heaven To Hell", in 2007 through Seventh Dagger and subsequently invaded the U.S. with their friends xAFBx and RHINOCEROS.

=======================

Sir Paul- The Political Beatle?

So he says, 40 years later, hmmm. Sir Paul has said that it is he who turned the Beatles on to politics, introducing John, Paul and Ringo to the evils of the Vietnam war.

Whereas John Lennon was widely considered the "political one," penning songs like "Revolution" and "Give Peace a Chance" Sir McCartney is now presenting an alternative history. In a forthcoming interview with Prospect Magazine, Sir Paul claims to have been the catalyst for the group's anti-war position.

"Just when we were getting to be well known, someone said to me: 'Bertrand Russell is living not far from here in Chelsea, why don't you go and see him?'" McCartney said. Russell, then in his 90s, was a prominent philosopher and activist. "So I just took a taxi down there and knocked on the door."

"He was fabulous. He told me about the Vietnam war – most of us didn't know about it, it wasn't yet in the papers – and also that it was a very bad war. I remember going back to the studio either that evening or the next day and telling the guys, particularly John, about this meeting and saying what a bad war this was.

"I politicized the Beatles," McCartney insists.

And now he has passed the "megaphone" to a new generation of political artists, he said. People like Bono. Yeah, Ok Sir Paul, we believe you. Yeah, and I am the freaking walrus (how odd for the truth to come out now because John lennon IS the political Beatle- always was- always will be!)

=======================

Should Be A Good Flick

The history of the electric guitar as seen from the point of view of three significant musicians: Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, U2's The Edge and the White Stripes' Jack White:

Eye of the beholderIs it a treasure?: Rarity, condition, market determine value of collectibles

2009-07-12T09:35:00.000-05:00

DEBBIE CAFAZZO; The News Tribune

Valuable collectibles are made, not born.

“Anything that says ‘limited edition’ or ‘collectible’ on it probably isn’t,” says Mary Sudar of Mary Sudar Appraisals and Estate Sales in Tacoma. “History and popular culture make a collectible. A manufacturer doesn’t.”

During her 25 years of appraising and selling other people’s possessions, Sudar has seen plenty of items that clients assumed were worth big money, but turned out to have very little value.

When Sudar enters a client’s home and is asked to assess the value of items, she rarely looks in the china cabinet.

“We always head to the attic or the basement, or the cabinet under the sink,” she says. That’s usually where the forgotten treasure is buried.

There’s no formula to determine the value of an old piece of costume jewelry, a poster, a statuette or a toy from a bygone era. It’s a combination of factors, including an object’s condition, how rare it is and what other people are willing to pay.

“Knockoffs have hurt the value of genuine old stuff,” says Peggy Colclasure, owner of Antiques Olympia. While reproductions can be enjoyed for what they are, they don’t often hold their value into the future.

And there’s a difference between fads and true collectibles.

Read the rest here: Collectibles

Circus Magazine....A Blast From The Past

2009-07-11T19:37:00.011-05:00

Got a call today from Shawn Foxx, DJ at 105.7 out of Waterloo, Iowa. We had a great conversation about music, vinyl records (he is an avid collector of music) and the general state of the music industry, among other things. He did bring back an old, faded memory for me that has been stored away for many years ~ Circus Magazine. For those who can remember, it was the authorative music magazine of its time and I vividly recall cutting out many of the pictures to make posters from them. You to can learn more about the magazine and what it stood for, check it out:

Running Away With the Circus
An Oral History of Circus Magazine

By Steven Ward

Rolling Stone is not the only rock magazine still publishing today that was founded in the late '60s; believe it or not, Circus magazine has appeared on newsstands, unabated, since 1968. And like Jann Wenner at Rolling Stone, Circus Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Gerald Rothberg is still at the helm. Rothberg actually started Circus in 1966, under the title, Hullabaloo. In the almost 40 years since, Circus has been many different kinds of music publication. It started out as a general interest rock magazine, running stories on classic rockers such as the Doors, Genesis, and Grand Funk Railroad. Later, Rothberg realized that his target audience--teen boys--loved to read about their favorite rock stars over and over, month after month. So when a band like Kiss hit, they were one of Circus's biggest cover stars. Circus covered all kinds of rock and pop music but always featured a large number of heavy metal and hard rock bands in its pages......

.......Unlike Rolling Stone, there are no books, websites, or articles that exist on the history of Circus magazine. Thus rockcritics.com presents this ongoing oral history of the magazine. Here, former Circus writers and editors--and even a few who continue to write for the magazine today--talk about Circus, their time there, and the man behind the magazine, Gerald Rothberg.

Read More Here

Check out Shawn's facebook group Shawns facebook group http://www.facebook.com

Classic Rock Videos

2009-07-11T12:10:00.001-05:00

The Cars Live - Bye Bye Love

Vinyl LPs selling at a record-setting pace

2009-07-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

Vinyl LPs haven't lost their groove. In fact, albums still are selling at a record-setting pace

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Jul. 10--Everywhere you turn, traditional media are dying.

Yet against all odds, a cumbersome, fussy and pricey method of consuming recorded music isn't just surviving -- it's thriving.

Vinyl LPs, as has been breathlessly touted for months, are surprisingly resurgent in the midst of this analog twilight and the ascent of portable, digital technology.

Looking at the most complete sales data available (for 2008), the sales of vinyl LPs jumped an eye-popping 89 percent, from 990,000 units sold to 1.88 million units sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan's year-end report.

The top-selling LP of 2008? Radiohead's In Rainbows, which moved a little over 25,000 copies. Nothing to sneeze at, but by comparison, the top-selling nonvinyl album of the year, Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III, moved nearly 3 million copies.

LPs were just a fraction of the year's total music sales (less than 1 percent overall), but they nevertheless offer a flicker of hope -- or a brief delay of the inevitable -- for an industry that has seen nothing but bad news for years. Indeed, according to Nielsen SoundScan, vinyl LP sales are on course to top out at a record-setting 2.8 million units sold in 2009, a 50 percent increase from 2008's total.

"People are truly embracing the warmth of the sound," says Chris Penn, manager of Dallas' Good Records. "It's becoming a 'Saturday night, I'm going to listen to records [thing].' It's kind of an event -- that's what I'm excited about. [The format] has a little more longevity with that kind of listening." Vinyl may be enjoying a resurgence, but most record stores point out that the format never completely died. Customers simply were more taken with the cutting-edge formats like CD and MP3.

Read the rest here:
vinyl