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P U N M A S T E R' S M U S I C W I R E b y D a v i d G r o s s
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December 13, 2010
*** All the news that's fit to be tied ***
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I've been through more cold turkeys than there are freezers."
- Keith Richards (from his new autobiography, "Life")
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Levon Helm hospitalized, but OK
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20101212/ENT04/101211019/Levon-Helm-hospitalized--but-OK
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Doors' Jim Morrison pardoned for indecent exposure
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20101210/D9K0MRT03.html
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Morrison pardon papers paint picture of wild night
By BRENDAN FARRINGTON, Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – It's a strange sheaf of documents for Florida's governor to have. The thick notebook describes how Jim Morrison discussed sex with a lamb he held on stage, ordered fans to "love your neighbor 'til it hurts" and later, at trial, defended his boozy singing to a prosecutor.
But did the lead singer of The Doors show his genitals to the crowd at the 1969 concert in Miami, a charge on which he was famously convicted? Gov. Charlie Crist wants to posthumously pardon him of indecent exposure and profanity convictions, and the governor's last chance is coming up at a Clemency Board meeting next Thursday. Crist leaves office in January.
To prepare for the meeting, Crist asked his staff to find whatever information they could about the Miami concert, and the governor received a three-ring binder with dozens of pages. The documents paint a vivid picture of a wild night.
At one point, Morrison told the Miami crowd, "I'm talkin' about love your neighbor 'til it hurts! I'm talkin' about grab your friend! I'm talkin' about some love, I'm talkin' about some love, I'm talking about some love, I'm talkin' about love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love! Grab your (expletive) friend and love him! Come on! Yeah!"
The quote was transcribed from a recording of the show by the editor of a fan magazine and included in the binder, a copy of which was provided to The Associated Press. Other materials detail some of Morrison's trial testimony, a letter from Morrison's father to the Florida Parole Commission and other information about the long-dead rocker. It also includes information on other arrests of the singer in Tallahassee when Morrison was a Florida State University student; New Haven, Conn.; Las Vegas and Phoenix.
The research, much of it culled from websites such as http://www.rockmine.com., projects the image of a man who had problems with alcohol and had a penchant for mischief. But Crist believes it also casts doubt on the 1970 conviction. After reviewing it, he said he was reminded of something Bob Butterworth, his predecessor as the state's attorney general, once told him.
"It is very important to prosecute the guilty, but it is more important to exonerate the innocent, and I can't help to have that over and over in my mind with Jim Morrison," Crist said. "The more I think about it the more I think an injustice was being done."
The governor's office stressed that the binder is an informal report and that the Parole Commission is conducting its own investigation, the results of which will be presented to Crist and the rest of the Clemency Board.
One of Crist's documents is a reconstruction of the March 1, 1969, concert at the Dinner Key Auditorium prepared by Rainer Moddemann, editor of "The Doors Quarterly Magazine." He prepared it from a recording of the event, along with photos and witness accounts. Morrison often slurred through songs, or stopped in the middle of them to rant against authority.
During the show, Morrison put his hand in his pants and fiddled with his belt, but The Doors' road manager pulled Morrison by the belt and held him before he could unbuckle it, according to Moddemann's article. Morrison responded by saying, "No, c'mon, wait a minute! Wait a minute! I'm not gonna go on! I'm not gonna take this (expletive)! I'm coppin' out."
Later in the concert, Morrison was brought a live lamb. He talked about having sex with it, but ultimately decided: "She's too young!"
Morrison was acquitted of a lewd and lascivious behavior and drunkenness charge. He was sentenced to six months in jail and a $500 fine for the profanity and indecent exposure convictions. But he never did the time: With his case on appeal, he was found dead in a Paris bathtub in 1971 at age 27.
In a partial transcript from Morrison's trial, he told a prosecutor the custom-made leather pants he wore that night didn't have pockets. "Since the pants don't have pockets, sometimes I put my hand in, you know, with the thumb hanging out in lieu of pockets."
He also revealed he was wearing boxer shorts that night.
"It was kind of unusual, really, because I don't usually wear undergarments," Morrison testified. "I got out of the habit about four years ago."
At times Morrison answered prosecutor's questions sarcastically, such as when he was asked how much his band mates were drinking: "Well, I don't count how many beers they drink, you know."
The prosecutor asked Morrison about his singing being "off that night." Morrison said, "I am sure that you are aware that that is just a matter of opinion."
"Was it or was it not off timing?" the prosecutor asked.
"What is timing?" Morrison responded.
"Answer the question," the prosecutor ordered.
"Well, some people think I sing off key, but I don't. And some people might think I sing off time. I might not," the singer said.
Another item is a letter Morrison's father, Navy Admiral George Morrison, wrote at the request of the parole commission before Morrison's sentencing hearing.
"As in all his academic work through grade school, high school, and college, he was an excellent student. While he had always been an intellectual rebel, he had always obeyed and respected authority," he wrote.
A Florida State University transcript released to The Associated Press on Friday shows Morrison was mostly an A and B student during his four trimesters from 1961 to 1963. Some of his best grades were for courses called Philosophy of Protest, Collective Behavior, Essentials of Acting and The Nature of Theater. He received Cs in a few science course, and his worst grade, a "DC," was in intermediate Spanish.
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Aretha Franklin stricken with cancer
Susan Whitall, DETROIT NEWS STAFF WRITER
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CBGB Movie Coming
With all the music bio films that are being made, you start to wonder if there is room for one more, but the latest from Randall Miller and Jody Savin is a bit different.
It's the biography of CBGB, the legendary New York club that gave the first major exposure to artists like Talking Heads, the Ramones, Patti Smith andBlondie.
Miller and Savin, who are also currently working on a biopic of Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, have said that the movie will "center on the real-life story of Hilly Kristal’s CBGB club and its impact on the underground music scene."
The pair talked with Sight on Sound:
“This is a film about an era of music, about a place that I hung out at in New York in the early ’80s and about an unsung champion of new music,” Savin said.
Miller added: “(Jody) knows everything I do as a filmmaker, but she adds a love for New York and an ear for this time and place.
Miller and Savin are co-writing the untitled film with Savin making her directorial debut. They are both producing through their Unclaimed Freight Productions.
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On a sad note......
Nettie Goldberg, keyboardist/songwriter Barry Goldberg's mom passed away December 2nd in Chicago at the age of......108!
She was a barrelhouse piano player until the end and Barry is certain that was one of the reasons for her long life.
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JORMA TURNS 70
http://jormakaukonen.com/cracksinthefinish/
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Jazz great James Moody dies of pancreatic cancer, age 85
SAN DIEGO - Jazz saxophonist James Moody, a master of improvisation who was best known for his "Moody's Mood for Love," has died in San Diego after a 10-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 85. His hit song was eventually elected into the Grammy Awards' Hall of Fame. He said, he was just "trying to find the right notes."
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EXCLUSIVE REVIEW:
THE ROCK AND ROLL COWBOY WHO STAYED TRUE TO THE CODE – SHY, SICKLY BUT CHARISMATIC JOHN CIPOLLINA
Friday, December 10, 2010
Joel Selvin
http://www.joelselvin.com/cipollina121010.html
http://www.johncipollina.com/guitarslinger.html
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Engelbert Humperdinck Influenced Elvis Presley’s Look
By Paul Cashmere
Elvis Presley impersonators might just really be imitating Engelbert Humperdinck instead. Engelbert had the jump suit and sideburns first.
“I had them in 1965 and Elvis put his on in 1972,” Engelbert tells undercover.fm. “The true story is this … he had a lady sketching him to find an outfit for him to go on his world tour. That’s where the white jump suit came in. She designed this white jumpsuit with the high collar and the long black side-burns. She presented it to him and he went (in Elvis voice) “Hell, that’s not me, that’s Engelbert Humperdinck”. So therefore you know who had it first”.
Elvis and Engelbert were great friends. “I loved the man,” he said. “The first time I met him he had come to meet me. He came to see my show first before I went to see him. Believe me, it took me a good 10 minutes to quieten the audience down once I introduced him. He stood up and he had a cape on and he opened the cape as he stood in the booth in Las Vegas with the cape open like Batman. The audience went absolutely berserk and I said “shhhh, this is my show”. No, I couldn’t quieten then down. So I brought out some of my big gun songs to try and quieten then down which I did in the end. He came backstage and he said “thank you very much, what a great show”. This is how humble he was. He said “thank you for introducing me”. Elvis! I said “Elvis, I can’t thank you enough for being at my show”. He was such a nice guy, a very nice guy.
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Thanks to Hal Muskat
Ten Slowed Down Pop Songs Will Either Put You to Bed or Give You Nightmares
http://www.urlesque.com/2010/12/01/ten-slowed-down-pop-songs/
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Thanks to RB
BILL GRAHAM'S FILLMORE EAST SHOWS
This page list details of the various Bill Graham promoted shows held at the
Fillmore East in New York City, 1968-1971.
http://www.chickenonaunicycle.com/Fill%20East%20Shows.htm
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Thanks to Dave Basner for these news stories.....
FIND OUT THE 2011 ROCK HALL INDUCTEES
On Wednesday, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will announce the 2011 inductees and you can be among the first to find out who made the cut. At 10:30 AM Eastern, the inductees will be posted at RockHall.com. Among the nominees are Bon Jovi and Alice Cooper. The induction ceremony takes place on March 14th in New York City.
SPRINGSTEEN PLAYS AN INTIMATE SHOW
Bruce Springsteen fans should really consider moving to Asbury Park, New Jersey. Last Tuesday, The Boss played a set at a local venue there, the Carousel House, where he and the E Street Band performed tracks from The Promise, his recent album of unreleased Darkness on the Edge of Town era material, in front of a crowd of just a few dozen lucky fans. Most of the songs had never been played live before. According to Rolling Stone, the show was filmed for a web broadcast, the details of which will be announced this week. Check out the whole set list at RollingStone.com.
• Jackson Browne sideman David Lindley joined the band playing violin, much like he did during the original Darkness sessions.
IOMMI WORKING ON SECOND CHARITY TRACK
In 1990, Tony Iommi and Ian Gillan recorded an album to raise money for victims of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia. That money went to build a music school but, in the past two decades, the school has deteriorated. This year, the pair recorded a new track to again raise money for the school and now, Tony is working on a second charity song. According to Blabblermouth.net, the Black Sabbath rocker is laying guitar on the track and says he’s really “excited” about it. No word yet on when the tune will be out but you can stay up to date at Iommi.com.
SEAWORLD REFUTE TOMMY LEE’S CLAIMS
Last week, Tommy Lee fired off an angry letter to Florida’s SeaWorld, criticizing their use of a cow’s vagina to “masturbate” a killer whale as a means to get the animal’s sperm. A rep for SeaWorld spoke to TMZ about the Motley Crue drummer’s claims and explained the facts Tommy has come from PETA and are wrong. The spokesperson said, “PETA is as careless with facts as they are extreme in their views.” The rep added that the way they collect semen for artificial insemination “doesn’t differ in any meaningful way from the techniques employed in managing livestock.” Essentially, they don’t use a cow’s vagina. Read more at TMZ.com.
NIKKI SIXX’S FAVORITE CONCERT
Tomorrow, Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx turns 52 years old. In his five decades, the rocker has seen many a concert, but which one ranks as his favorite? He filled us in.
(Cut #1) “Seeing Deep Purple at the Seattle Coliseum and have them just, when they came on stage after Electric Light Orchestra opened for them and they turned up the volume on me. I’d never felt anything like it, knocked me on my ass. I was like, ‘Wow.’ This was… I mean, that band was loud.”
You’ll be able to learn more about Nikki this April when he puts out his latest book, This is Gonna Hurt. It’s described as part photo book, part journal and you can see a trailer for it now by searching YouTube for “This Is Gonna Hurt.”
TED NUGENT HONORED
Ted Nugent was honored last week. The Motor City Madman was presented the prestigious Smokey Bear Award by the Texas Forest Service for his impact in wildlife prevention. According to KWTX.com, the Nuge has spent time creating public service announcements on fire prevention and hunting safety.
THE BEST SOLO ALBUMS
Plenty of rock band members have gone solo, but not all of them are successful. Some, however, are just as amazing on their own and Gibson.com has compiled a list of them. The site ranked the top ten solo albums and topping the list is Ozzy Osbourne for his post-Black Sabbath solo debut, Blizzard of Ozz. Following Ozzy are Robert Plant’’s Mighty Rearranger, John Lennon’s Imagine, Jimmy Page’s Outrider and Pete Townshend’s Empty Glass. Also making the cut: George Harrison, David Lee Roth, Donald Fagen, David Gilmour and Slash. For more, head to Gibson.com.
KEITH RICHARDS KILLED A FLOWER
In October, Keith Richards spoke at the New York Public Library but before he took the stage, the Rolling Stones guitarist waited in the office of a library executive. During his wait, Keith smoked and now, the exec says her orchid is dead because of the rocker’s cigarette. According to the New York Post, Richard’s used the saucer to the flower’s pot as an ashtray and opened the window letting cool air in, both of which destroyed the orchid. However, Keith was kind enough to secretly sign his makeshift ashtray.
LENNON’S FINAL INTERVIEW RELEASED
John Lennon’s final interview has been released, marking the first time the entire chat has been published. It took place in 1980 for a Rolling Stone cover story and in it, a happy and hopeful John talks about his music, his life and fatherhood. He also says he isn’t “interested in being a dead (expletive) hero.” Lennon goes on to predict that Bruce Springsteen is the future of rock. After John’s death, only snippets from the interview were printed and the reporter who spoke to the singer never went back to their three hour chat until a few months ago, when he found the tape as he was cleaning a closet. Read more at RollingStone.com.
BUY A RARE BEATLES ARTIFACT
Want to buy a unique musical artifact? Well a letter to Lee Eastman, Paul McCartney’s father-in-law and lawyer, notifying him that he’ll no longer represent the Beatles, is now for sale. The document from 1969 is signed by John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison and is priced at 175-thousand dollars. Check it out at MomentsInTime.com.
U2 HONOR JOHN LENNON DOWN UNDER
U2 marked the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s death at a concert in Brisbane, Australia this week. Singer Bono sang a few bars of “Stand by Me” during the set saying, “I remember watching John Lennon sing that song for his son Julian. Today seems like a perfect day to do that for John Lennon and his family.” Later in the show, before singing “Pride (In the Name of Love),” the U2 frontman said, “This next song is about an idea that great John Lennon whispered in our ears as four teenagers on the North Side of Dublin.” Bono finished up the night simply saying, “Goodnight Brisbane, Goodnight John Lennon.”
NO SABBATH REUNION TOUR UNTIL AT LEAST 2012
Lately, there have been many rumors that the original Black Sabbath lineup might reunite for a tour, but if it does happen, bassist Geezer Butler says it won’t be until 2012 at the earliest. The rocker told Noisecreep.com that he “has no idea what’s happening” with a possible reunion tour but since singer Ozzy Osbourne will be on a solo trek for the next year, it won’t happen anytime soon. Geezer said the guys will see how Ozzy feels when his tour is over. Read more at Noisecreep.com.
THE BEST SINGERS EVER
MusicRadar.com asked readers to rate the best singers ever and the results are in. Topping the list is Axl Rose, followed by Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, Ronnie James Dio and John Lennon. See all 30 vocalists on the list at MusicRadar.com.
BEATLES, JACKSON 5 SONGS IN GRAMMY HALL OF FAME
The Recording Academy has announced the 2011 inductees for the GRAMMY Hall of Fame. Among this year’s 30 honorees are The Beatles’ song “Penny Lane,” the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There” and “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson. Recordings of historical significance that are more than 25 years old are eligible for the Hall of Fame. Ray Charles, Prince, Otis Redding, Duke Ellington, Jimmy Cliff, Al Green and Fats Domino all also had tracks enter the Hall this year. Learn more at GRAMMY.com.
GREGG ALLMAN LIKES TOURING SOLO
Allman Brothers Band founding member Gregg Allman recently turned 63, but his age isn’t slowing the rocker down. Later this month, Gregg kicks off a 13-city East Coast tour with his own band. Although he enjoys playing with the Allman Brothers Band, he told us what it is like to play solo.
(Cut #3) “It’s a little more structured, you know. We play songs off my six solo records and then we play some songs that I wrote for the Allman Brothers – they’re totally rearranged. You know, that’s the thing about having you’re band, I mean it’s just the doors are wide open, you can play anything you want to.”
As for playing with the Allman Brothers Band, you can catch them all together again when they head out on tour beginning in March. Meanwhile, Gregg’s new solo album, Low Country Blues, is due out January 18th. For more information and all the singer’s dates, head to GreggAllman.com.
Pre-order it now: http://www.amazon.com/Low-Country-Blues-Gregg-Allman/dp/B004AHNIGM/punmastercom
McCARTNEY TO PLAY IN U-K FOR CHRISTMAS
Paul McCartney is coming home for the holidays. The Beatle revealed he’ll play a show in London on the 18th and one in Liverpool on the 20th to celebrate Christmas. Paul stated, “I always love playing to a home audience and for me it’s the perfect way to end the year.” Learn more at PaulMcCartney.com.
BILLY JOEL’S GREATEST HITS ALL AT ONCE
Some of Billy Joel’s greatest hits appear on disc one of The Essential Billy Joel, but if you’ve heard them all before, someone has created a unique way to hear them again. A new video on YouTube has all 18 songs playing at once. If you don’t know what the word cacophony means, the sound of the video is a good example of it. To check it out, search YouTube for “Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits Played at Once.”
• DIRECT LINK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcvVPuJVKcs
ELTON, PLANT ON ROLLING STONE’S BEST ALBUMS OF 2010 LIST
Rolling Stone has compiled their top albums of 2010. Kanye West’s explosive My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy tops the list, followed by The Black Keys’ GRAMMY nominated album Brothers. Elton John and Leon Russell come in at number three with The Union, followed by The Suburbs by Arcade Fire at four and Jamey Johnson’s The Guitar Song in the five spot. Vampire Weekend’s 2010 record Contra, Drake’s Thank Me Later, Robert Plant’s Joy, Recovery by Eminem and This is Happening by LCD Soundsystem round out the top ten.
MUSICIANS HONOR McCARTNEY
Paul McCartney received the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington D.C. this weekend, where plenty of big named musicians paid tribute to the singer. James Taylor, Dave Grohl and Steven Tyler all performed Beatles songs for Paul, President Obama and all the other attendees. After the show, Tyler told the Associated Press, “I’ve done a lot of things and been a lot of places, but I’ve never been prouder than I am standing right here at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Abbey Road.” Oprah Winfrey and Merle Haggard were among the other honorees. The Kennedy Center Honors air on December 28th on CBS.
JON ANDERSON’S STATUS WITH YES
Yes spent the better part of the year touring, but it was with new singer Benoit David and not original frontman Jon Anderson. David sat in for Jon as the singer recovered from a respiratory issue but has since replaced him. So how does Jon feel about the group touring under the Yes name but without him?
(Cut #1) “It was a disappointing thing. There’s no reason why those guys couldn’t go out as themselves but they have majority control over the name so you just let it go and say, ‘That’s life.’ You just gotta get on with your next experience, you know.”
So will Jon ever be part of Yes again? He filled us in.
(Cut #2) “Well, no. I asked last year when I was ready to go back and they just weren’t interested. So I just go, ‘Ok, I’ll just get on with things that are going to give me a lot more excitement.”
Anderson is definitely doing exciting things. Along with working on new solo music, he’s also putting out an album with fellow former Yes member Rick Wakeman. For now, Jon is on a solo tour, something he prefers much more than trekking with an entire band.
(Cut #3) “I found that it’s a lot more fun to tour on a simpler level rather than a group level. You know, you tour with a group for 30 years, 35 years as I did and it’s exhausting. It’s not a happy experience all the time. Sometimes it is but generally, it’s not a really happy experience. It was in the early days but the last time we went touring, it was just so hard work and that was when I got really sick. So being able to drive around America in a car with a couple of guitars and my wife, it’s like being on holiday all the time.”
His album with Rick Wakeman, The Living Tree, is out on January 11th.
CHICAGO WORKING ON NEW ALBUM
Chicago are back in the studio, working on a new album with producer Phil Ramone, who was at the helm of the band’s 1978 record Hot Streets. According to Music-News.com, the guys spent three weeks in Nashville recording new music and will finish up early next year, then release the set sometime in 2011. So what number album is this? Founding member Robert Lamm said, “I have no idea. We are in the 30s I think.”
JEFF BECK TALKS ABOUT HIS GRAMMY NOMINATED ALBUM
Jeff Beck has been nominated for a whopping six GRAMMYs. The legendary guitarist’s latest album, Emotion & Commotion, is up for Best Rock Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, while songs from the effort are up for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, Best Rock Instrumental Performance and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Jeff spoke to us about how he decided to do the record, which features an orchestra on various tracks.
(Cut #1) “Harvey Goldsmith, my new manager, decided that it would be a good idea to think about a non-band album and he loved the idea of the orchestra so that was a good excuse to have a London based album where we decided to filter those songs through. A lot of that stuff ended up in the waste basket. In fact, only 12 songs ended up in the bin.”
So does that mean there is more music from this album still to come out? Maybe, but only after a lot of tweaking, as Beck explained.
(Cut #2) “Well, Harvey wants to drag them out but I said, ‘No. Get the whole album out and we’ll talk about readjusting them,’ because they’re clearly not suitable. They didn’t flow quite like they should’ve done.”
Tune in to see if Jeff goes home with any trophies when the GRAMMYs air on CBS on February 13th.
• A track Beck was part of on Herbie Hancock’s The Imagine Project is up for the GRAMMYs for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
LIVERPOOL CONSIDERING HONORING PETE BEST
Liverpool, England is well known as the hometown of the likes of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, but there is another Beatle that hails from the town and this week, Liverpool City Council is considering honoring him. It’s original drummer Pete Best and the town wants to name a street after him for his “special contribution” to the city’s musical heritage. The council will make a decision in the coming weeks.
LENNON’S NOTE IN MEMORABILIA BOOK
A previously unseen letter John Lennon wrote in 1965 to his then-wife Cynthia appears in the book of memorabilia the singer’s son, Julian, has putting out. Beatles Memorabilia, The John Lennon Collection boasts the letter, in which John talks about how much he misses Julian. The book is out now.
BUY ICONIC COVER ART PRINTS AND ORIGINALS
If you like rock music, you’ve no doubt seen an album cover created by Pacific Eye & Ear. During the early ‘70s, the cover art agency designed the front of records like Aerosmith’s Toys in the Attic, Black Sabbath’s Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies and many others. Now, for the first time in 30 years, the company is selling some original works from their album cover art collection. Prints will also be available and you can get yours now at RockPopGallery.com.
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News from Jerry Lawson
http://www.dmcityview.com/2010/12/02/arts/onthetube.html
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JIM MCCARTY'S “SITTING ON THE TOP OF TIME”
Jim McCarty's SITTING ON THE TOP OF TIME features instruments and a chamber pop influence courtesy of flautist Ron Korb and pianist Donald Quan, guitarist Ray Hickey and bassist George Koller, plus guest guitarists Steve Hackett and Jean-Michel Kajdan (who, in addition to his exhaustive credits, was the Yardbirds guitarist for the 2008 European tour), and pianist Lou Pomanti.
(Of course a debate could be made for Jim as one of the bearers of this progressive pop style of music (in addition to co-creating the Yardbirds). This drummer/singer/songwriter also co-founded Renaissance, Illusion and Stairway--all important orchestral rock and pop bands.)
Jim started the album at home, but had limitations in his studio, so he connected with Jason Relf (younger son of the late Keith Relf, who-of course- founded Renaissance with Jim). Jason is a studio wiz and teacher, and came to Jim's home in France to install a “state-of-the art” digital system. “The great thing with the system was that there was no limit to the number of ideas I could record, so I could put every one of them down, without judgment.”
With some songs together, in June 2006, Jim went to Toronto, Canada and recorded in Quan's studio, Q Music. “There seemed to be a good group of session players available, very much like in London in the 60's and thanks to Ron, I soon had a good team together: Ron, Donald, Ray, and George.
“It was a magical day for me, when all of a sudden my ideas from France came to life in a new way, each of the musicians adding their particular influence.” Each time Jim toured the States with the Yardbirds, he would go to Toronto to make more tracks on SITTING ON THE TOP OF TIME.
Online sources: Song Facts' Carl Wiser interviews Jim on his insights of making music through the years and his spirituality. http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/jim_mccarty_of_the_yardbirds/
Track by track analysis on MUSIC STREET JOURNAL, http://www.musicstreetjournal.com/index_cdreviews_display.cfm?id=102799
Music video created by fan of Jim's song, “Sitting On The Top of Time.” I like this interpretation as we see Jim sitting at his drumkit. Time. Drum. Enjoy the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiC7q2K7EFA
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David!
John Mayer as Peter Green?
What's next, a movie about God with Carrot Top as Jesus?
Bruce Campbell
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“I SLEPT WITH JOEY RAMONE – A PUNK ROCK FAMILY MEMOIR” RELEASED IN PAPERBACK;
NEW ADDED EPILOGUE CONTAINS DETAILED UPDATED EVENTS!
When Mickey Leigh – musician and brother of punk rock star Joey Ramone – wrote “I Slept With Joey Ramone – A Punk Rock Family Memoir,” he thought he’d told it all: what it was like to grow up as Joey’s younger brother, how the formation of the Ramones band came to be, the behind the scenes highs and lows of the music business in the tumultuous and exciting punk rock era. But that is not the end of the story! The release of the paperback edition features a previously unpublished epilogue, written by Leigh, which bares the shocking drama that ensued following his brother’s death in 2001.
Even though Joey did not live to see it, passing away just weeks before turning 50, Leigh and his mother Charlotte Lesher were determined to keep their promise to celebrate his birthday in a way Joey himself would have done. Literally within days, an all-star all-out rock and roll super concert and party was conceived and carried out…but not without its own drama. You will read about why the other band members (Johnny, Marky and CJ Ramone) decided not to perform at the event and the death threats which resulted from the craziness. Leigh has unveiled the reasons behind the delay in releasing the posthumous Joey Ramone debut solo album, and the continued harrowing negotiations to acquire the tapes for the forthcoming second CD, which Joey’s mother never got to hear. The deaths of two other founding members of the Ramones – Johnny from cancer and Dee Dee from a drug overdose – also shook the rock world and caused tsunami-like repercussions within Ramones Productions Inc., the company that handles all Ramones-related activities. When Joey’s and Mickey’s mother Charlotte died suddenly, it left Mickey as Joey’s heir and Linda Cummings as Johnny’s heir as joint heads of RPI – not an easy transition which is ongoing even today. All this and more is revealed in detail in the new Epilogue included only in the just-released paperback version.
Acclaim for “I SLEPT WITH JOEY RAMONE” has been high and wide. The New York Post called it “compelling” and the LA Times called it “an authoritative history.” Rolling Stone Magazine gave the book a 4-star review, and declared it “A powerful story of Punk Rock inspiration” and Publisher’s Weekly proclaimed it “revelatory reading” and a “compelling portrait.” And Booklist hailed it as “an essential addition to the Ramones files” while Library Journal raves that Leigh “wrote this enlightening book with love and respect…fans will cherish this touching portrait.” Even fellow rock stars were lavish in their praise: U2’s Bono admitted “I wouldn’t exist as a singer without Joey Ramone. Blame him” and radio personality and Bruce Springsteen’s long time guitarist, friend and sidekick Steven Van Zandt acclaimed “Mickey’s cool new book is not only important, it’s very, very moving.”
I SLEPT WITH JOEY RAMONE: A Punk Rock Family Memoir
By Mickey Leigh with Legs McNeil
Touchstone, an imprint of Simon & Shuster
Published November 9, 2010
$15.99/Paperback
ISBN: 978-4391-5975-0
For more information on I SLEPT WITH JOEY RAMONE, please visit
www.isleptwithjoeyramone.com
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Thanks to Cary Baker.....
HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN’S ‘WHAT MAKES BOB HOLLER,’ DUE OUT FEBRUARY 1 ON PROPER AMERICAN, PAYS HOMAGE TO WESTERN SWING KING BOB WILLS
Recorded live and overdub-free, new release captures genre’s fiery energy and jazzy improvisations.
Band to appear at SXSW and on NPR’s Mountain Stage.
AUSTIN, Texas — Bob Wills has always been a core inspiration for the Hot Club of Cowtown’s sound, but it has taken the Texas-based trio a dozen years to fully honor the King of Western swing. A fortuitous tour in England last spring led the band to London’s Specific Sound studio, where they spent two days recording a 14-song marathon of only Bob Wills tunes. The result, What Makes Bob Holler, is a lively tribute to the American music icon, respecting Wills’ legendary music while putting Hot Club’s own signature on these songs. “We have been meaning to make this album for a long time,” says Elana James, who co-founded Hot Club with Whit Smith (they’re joined by bassist Jake Erwin).
Launched in 1994, the Hot Club of Cowtown has grown to be the most globe-trotting, hardest-swinging Western swing trio on the planet, continuing to develop a unique sound inspired by the band’s namesakes: the hot jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli of the Hot Club of France, and Bob Willis & the Texas Playboys.
And with the imminent release of What Makes Bob Holler on Proper American on February 1, the Austin-based band looks to a busy 2011. They start the year opening seven U.K. arena dates with Roxy Music, followed by a taping of NPR’s Mountain Stage in Charleston, W.V. in late January and an appearance at South by Southwest (SXSW) in March — before touring coast to coast in support of the album.
Bob Wills’ music — in this case the recordings of radio shows from 1946-47 called the Tiffany Transcriptions that are the fundamental inspiration for HCCT’s repertoire and style —offers a terrific platform for some ace musicianship in the form of Smith’s guitar, James’ fiddle and Erwin’s nimble bass. By spotlighting Wills’ early, pre-World War II catalogue, the disc happily matches obscure B-sides with some of Wills’ most popular work. Tunes like “Big Balls in Cowtown” and “Stay All Night” are numbers that “people always love when we play them live,” says James, “so it was a no-brainer to gather them into a record.” Other songs, like “Osage Stomp” and “The Devil Ain’t Lazy,” might not be as well known, but they are the type of tunes that originally attracted Smith and James to Wills’ music. “We’re playing what knocked us out about Western swing in the first place — the early fiery energy and jazzy improvisations,” says James.
By 1998 Smith and James had relocated to Austin, Texas, and released their debut, Swingin’ Stampede, on HighTone Records. Seven more albums over the next decade generated much critical acclaim and a devoted following. The New York Times’ Neil Strauss proclaimed the Hot Club “conscious always that above all else, the music is for dancing and an old-fashioned good time.” Craig Havighurst, in Nashville’s Tennessean, calls them “one of the most original groups on the Americana circuit, deserving of attention both live and on record” while the Sunday Times of London lauded HCCT as “the world’s most engaging Western Swing band — their shows are all about energy and joie de vivre . . . the devil-may-care style that combined the rigor of Jazz with the down-home sentiment of country and earthiness of the blues — it is as a live act that they have made their greatest impact.”
What Makes Bob Holler arrives on the heels of 2009’s Wishful Thinking, an Americana radio Top 100 album on which HCCT blended their love of hot jazz and Western swing with original songs, a Tom Waits cover and forays into more eclectic territory. The Austin Chronicle’s Jim Caliguiri called it “the Cowtowners at their peak” and David Eldridge, in the Washington Times, describes the disc as “one of the year’s most unexpected listening pleasures.”
What Makes Bob Holler is something of an 180-degree swing from Wishful Thinking’s more eccentric set list. It is the first time HCCT has focused on only one style for an entire album and they are proud enough of the results to express interest in doing more. “There are so many great songs that we didn’t get to,” says James. “We’re going to have to make a box set, eventually, but we’re just going to make it piecemeal,” adds Smith with a laugh.
While the new disc focuses on Bob Wills music, HCCT’s live show will remain a engaging mix of what the band does best — whatever moves them at the moment. James reveals that the band often plays without a set list. “We have faith in the system that is the band. This energy that we plug into and it takes us away.” Smith describes their shows as “like a rock ’n’ roll show” and “people pick up on the energy and the sincerity.”
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>>> INSERT JOKE HERE <<<
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*** PUNMASTER'S TRIVIA CORNER ***
The trivia question from the last MusicWire was:
Not an artist in the traditional sense of the term--he couldn't play or sing at all--he has nonetheless been belatedly recognized as an important, even inimitable, figure of early rock & roll of his native country. His life ended tragically. Name him to win.
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ANSWER: BRITISH PRODUCER JOE MEEK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxdTq67MRdE
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the winners are... (in order of appearance)
Art Fein
Tim Bernett
Matthew Bolin
Pete Sargeant
Todd Everett
Peter Huggins
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Not an artist in the traditional sense of the term--he couldn't play or sing at all--he has nonetheless been belatedly recognized as an important, even inimitable, figure of early rock & roll of his native country. His life ended tragically. Name him to win.
PHIL SPECTOR! Of course, that's my answer to almost any question. He could play, and sing a little. And his life isn't over. But it's the season to be jolly, and he made it so much better with his Christmas Gift to Us. (Joe Meek, I suppose.)
Art Fein
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I'll say Joe Meek, pioneeringUK record producer extraordinaire. Telstar!
He died in a murder-suicide.
Tim Bernett
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Since you're talking about early rock, a non-performer, a non-U.S. home country (I gather) AND a tragic death all wrapped up into a single person, I think you must be talking about JOE MEEK.
-Matthew Bolin
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Hi David...from a frozen England
Great blockbuster newsletter this week, so much interesting material
The answer you seek may be ( our) Joe Meek, a gifted and adventurous record producer ( 'Telstar' by the Tornadoes etc) but troubled beyond belief and not a man who'd be on the planet for long...
BTW...Any chance of taking Justin Beaver back please ? he's over here being the most annoying twerp since Justin Timberhead
Finally, with that cast on the Mayall biopic, how about Axl Rose as John McVie ?? no dumber than the REST of the casting !
Pete Sargeant
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I suppose you're referring to Joe Meek.
Wisdom of the aged: http://toddeverett.wordpress.com/
Todd Everett
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Joe Meek. Britain's first independent producer, famous for "Telstar" and his many excesses. A couple of books, "the amazing Joe Meek" and "Joe Meek's recording techniques" as well as a BBC documentary can be found on ebay. A new biographical film, also called "Telstar" was produced a couple years back; I saw it at AFM but it failed to find a USA distributor. I think it may have come out on DVD, it is well worth searching out- the music is great and the story is accurately told from what I have read.
Peter Huggins
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*** TODAY'S EASY BAKE TRIVIA QUESTION ***
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Thanks to Art Fein.....Guest quizmaster!
In what American-known * songs do these words appear?
• color-box
• dawdle
• L-7
• pompatus (pulpitudes)
• queue
BONUS ENTRY:
• philspectored
* lesser-known UK songs will have tons of odd words. And sods.
I need at least 3 correct song entries to win!
INCLUDE YOUR NAME WITH YOUR ANSWER OR YOU MAY SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS!
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Only one answer in particular will be accepted...
If you want to be listed as a winner....INCLUDE YOUR NAME!
Give it your best shot...you may not get a yes/no response until the next Wire is published.
Thanks!!
The answer will appear in the next MusicWire...
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THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY - DECEMBER 13
2000, it was announced that after 74 years the UK rock weekly Melody Maker was to close down. The Christmas edition would be the last one then it would merge with the NME creating a more sizeable broad-based magazine.
1985: Phil Collins made a guest appearance on Miami Vice as a drug dealing con-artist Phil the Shill.
1976: Three days after its release, Wings over America the first & only live album by Wings was certified Gold by the RIAA.
1975: Chicago reached number one on the Billboard 200 album chart with Chicago IX: Chicago’s Greatest Hits which spent five weeks on top.
1974: George Harrison met with President Gerald Ford at the White House after Ford’s son Jack invited Harrison while Harrison was in town for a concert.
1969, Diana Ross took the Latino Casino in Philadelphia to court for $27,500 after her two pet dogs died after eating cyanide tablets left by an exterminator in her dressing room.
1969, Bob Dylan was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, on sale for 35 Cents
1966, Jimi Hendrix made his TV debut on ITV's 'Ready Steady Go!' (Marc Bolan was also on the show). The Jimi Hendrix Experience also recorded 'Foxy Lady' on this day on London.
1961, The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club, Liverpool playing two shows at lunchtime and then again at night. Decca Records' Mike Smith attended the night performance with a view to offering The Beatles a recording contract.
1940, Born on this day, Tony Gomez, The Foundations, (1967 UK No.1 single 'Baby Now That I've Found You'. 1969 US No.3 single 'Build Me Up A Buttercup'.)
1945, Born on this day, Robert Martinez, ? & The Mysterians, (1966 US No. 1 & UK No.37 single '96 Tears'). '96 Tears' was a UK No.17 hit for The Stranglers in 1990.
1948, Born on this day, Andy Peebles, UK radio DJ. The last person to interview John Lennon.
1948, Born on this day, Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter, guitar, Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, (1973 US No.11 single 'Reeling In The Years').
1948, Born on this day, Ted Nugent, guitarist, The Amboy Dukes, (1968 single, 'Journey To The Centre Of The Mind'). Solo, (1977 single 'Cat Scratch Fever'). Damn Yankees, (1990 album 'Damn Yankies').
1949, Born on this day, Tom Verlaine, guitar, vocals, Television, (1977 single and album 'Marquee Moon').
1950, Born on this day, Davy O'List, guitar, The Nice, (1968 UK No.21 single 'America'), Roxy Music, (1972 UK No.4 single 'Virginia Plain' plus 15 other UK Top 40 singles).
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VIDEO CLIPS OF THE WEEK
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Paul McCartney sings "Scrambled Eggs" (the original "Yesterday") (12/9/10)
Jimmy and Paul McCartney sing "Scrambled Eggs," the original version of "Yesterday" with never-before-heard lyrics.
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Thanks to Mike Hart....
ARETHA FRANKLIN - DR. FEELGOOD - 1968
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-hHyQ_mBdU
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Kyu Sakamoto - Sukiyaki
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqeRvHAd-Fs
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You Can Quote Me On That...
I've been through more cold turkeys than there are freezers."
- Keith Richards (from his new autobiography, "Life")
"Mick needs to know what he's going to do tomorrow. Me, I'm just happy to wake up and see who's hanging around. Mick's rock, I'm roll." -Keith Richards
"I don't know anything about music, In my line you don't have to." - Elvis Presley
"I opened the door for a lot of people, and they just ran through and left me holding the knob." - Bo Diddley
"The only Maybelline I knew was the name of a cow." - Chuck Berry
"A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. Unfortunately, they don't have a J.O.B." - Fats Domino
"It's not the size of the ship; it's the size of the waves." - Little Richard
"Hippies? Why, I'm the original." - Jerry Lee Lewis
"The older I get, the harder to get around....gravity's got me down." - Barry Goldberg
“I'm one of those regular weird people.” - Janis Joplin
"There are more love songs than anything else. If songs could make you do something we'd all love one another." - Frank Zappa
"I've always felt that blues, rock 'n' roll and country are just about a beat apart." - Waylon Jennings
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace." - Jimi Hendrix
"Rock is so much fun. That's what it's all about -- filling up the chest cavities and empty kneecaps and elbows." - Jimi Hendrix
"I taught them everything they know, but not everything I know." - James Brown
"David Gross (Punmaster's MusicWire) is the Arianna Huffington of music news!" - Barry "The Fish" Melton
"The older you get, the better you were!" - Leslie West
"It's much too late to do anything about rock & roll now ..." - Jerry Garcia
"Albert King wasn't my brother in blood, but he sure was my brother in Blues" - B.B. King
"More bass." - Jerry Wexler
"I'm as country as a dozen eggs." - Elvin Bishop
"I liked the first sixties better...." - Al Kooper
"I still have all my vinyl. You can’t roll a joint on an iPod.” - Shelby Lynne
"I think I just killed somebody." - Phil Spector
"The problem with history is, the folks who were there ain't talking. And the ones who weren't there, you can't shut 'em up." - Tom Waits
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." - Hunter S. Thompson
"I want my more money & I want my more fame" - Chubby Checker
"When you don't know where you're going, you have to stick together just in case someone gets there." - Ken Kesey
"I smash guitars because I like them." - Pete Townshend
"It's a good thing I had a bag of marijuana instead of a bag of spinach. I'd be dead by now." - Willie Nelson
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk in order to provide articles for people who can't read." - Frank Zappa
"You can learn something, both good or bad, watching any guitar player. You learn what to do or what not to do. Over the years I've learned things from Carlos, Mike Bloomfield, Clapton, George, Garcia, Knopfler and let's not forget Robbie Robertson." - Bob Dylan, 2002
"There 'is' a difference between rock and rock and roll; beware of inferior imitations (avoid contact with any musician who doesn't know how to play Chuck Berry music)." - Cub Koda
"This heah is Rufus Thomas....I'm young and loose and full of juice. I got the goose, so what's the use." - Rufus Thomas
"Mike Love, not war." - Scott Mathews
"I have outlived my dick" - Willie Nelson (2008)
"Anybody with a trade can work as long as they want. A welder, a carpenter, an electrician. They don't necessarily need to retire...Every man should learn a trade. It's different than a job. My music wasn't made to take me from one place to another so I can retire early." -Bob Dylan
To see a slew of quotes check out http://www.punmaster.com
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