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Post by razorbacker on Jul 2, 2024 17:26:28 GMT
X is a rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977.
The original members are vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist-bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer D. J. Bonebrake. The band is still active, all the original members are still there.
During their long career there have been only 2 other members of the band. Dave Alvin & Tony Gilkyson.
This song comes from See How We Are. It was their 6th studio album & was released in 1987. It was their 1st album without founding guitarist Billy Zoom, who was replaced by ex-Blasters guitarist Dave Alvin for the album's recording sessions and some live shows. Billy Zoom eventually returned.
This was also the only album with Dave Alvin, who wrote this song. It was the only song on the album not to be written by Exene Cervenka and John Doe. The song appeared on the TV show The Sopranos, where it was played in the end credits to the 2006 episode "Live Free or Die".
4th Of July by X |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 3, 2024 10:41:53 GMT
Woody Herman & his Orchestra won 3 Grammy Awards, all of them were for Best Jazz Performance, Large Group. They won in 1964 for Woody Herman 64, in 1973 for Giant Steps, & in 1974 for Thundering Herd.
He was also presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987.
This song was released as a single in 1942 & hit #1 for him. The music was written by Harold Arlen, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, for a 1941 film begun with the working title Hot Nocturne, but finally released as Blues in the Night.
It was one of nine songs nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Observers expected that either "Blues in the Night" or "Chattanooga Choo Choo" would win, so that when "The Last Time I Saw Paris" actually won, neither its composer, Jerome Kern, nor lyricist, Oscar Hammerstein II, was present at the ceremony. Kern was so upset at winning with a song that had not been specifically written for a motion picture and that had been published and recorded before the film came out that he petitioned the Motion Picture Academy to change the rules. Since then, a nominated song has to have been written specifically for the motion picture in which it is performed.
Woody handles the vocals on this one.
Blues In The Night by Woody Herman |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 3, 2024 17:26:06 GMT
Jimmy Elledge was a country singer/musician from Nashville. He died on June 10, 2012, at age 69, after complications following a stroke.
He sent a demo tape to Chet Atkins when he was 18 years old, which resulted in a recording contract with RCA Victor & resulted in this single.
This was his 2nd recording for the label. The song was written by Willie Nelson, the single was produced by Chet Atkins. The song hit #22 on the Hot 100 in November, 1961, did not land on the Country Charts & he never had another hit.
Funny How Time Slips Away by Jimmy Elledge |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 4, 2024 11:00:04 GMT
Pistol Annies are a country music group composed of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley. The group is on again, off again, but have been back on since 2017.
I’m sure everyone knows Miranda Lambert by now. Multiple Female Vocalist Of The Year award winner. Ex wife of Blake Shelton & named by the Chicago Tribune as the "greatest country music artist of all time" in 2019.
Ashley Monroe has released 5 solo albums 3 of which have charted on both the top 200 & country charts.
Angaleena Presley, the brunette of the group, has released 2 solo albums, & has written a lot of songs recorded by other artists.
The group has been nominated for multiple awards from multiple organizations, but have never broken through.
This song was a part of their 3rd studio album. It was called Interstate Gospel & was released in 2018. The album landed at 15 on the Top 200 & it topped the Country albums chart.
All 3 girls contributed to the writing.
Best Years Of My Life by The Pistol Annies |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 4, 2024 17:32:18 GMT
Wynonie Harris was a blues shouter from Omaha, Nebraska. He died of esophageal cancer on June 14, 1969, he was 53.
He is best remembered as a singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often ribald lyrics. He had fifteen Top 10 hits between 1946 and 1952. He is attributed by many music scholars to be one of the founding fathers of rock and roll.
In 1994 he was inducted into the W. C. Handy Blues Hall of Fame by the Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1998 he was inducted into the Nebraska Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Lincoln & in 2005 he was inducted into the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame.
A lot of folks have recorded this song over the years, it was originally released in 1947 by its writer, Roy Brown.
This version was released as a single in 1948 & hit #1 on what was then called The Race Charts. This version is mentioned at least as a precursor to rock and roll & some consider it to be the 1st Rock & Roll record ever.
Good Rockin Tonight by Wynonie Harris |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 5, 2024 11:14:17 GMT
Deep Purple is an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are still going.
Deep Purple, together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, have been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies".
The original lineup was: Richie Blackmore on guitar, he had 2 different stints in the band but has been gone since 1993. He went on to form Rainbow & is currently in a band called Blackmore’s Night along with his girlfriend Candice Night. Jon Lord on keyboards, he passed in 2012. Nick Simper on bass, he was replaced in 1969 by Roger Glover who is still with the band. Ian Paice on drums, he is still with the band. Rod Evans on vocals. He was replaced in 1969 by Ian Gillan who is currently back with the band.
They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2016.
During their career they have released 23 studio albums with a 24th scheduled for release on July 19. This song comes from In Rock. It was their 4th album & came out in 1970. The album landed at #143, it hit the top 10 in almost every other country where it charted. It has been certified Gold.
The was It was the first studio album recorded by the Mark II line-up of Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice. The recording sessions began shortly after Gillan and Glover joined the band in June 1969.
Black Night by Deep Purple |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 5, 2024 17:36:43 GMT
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band was a big band- and swing-influenced disco band that was formed in the Bronx in 1974.
Their music blended disco beats with rhythms from genres including calypso, rhumba, cha-cha-chá, and compas. They were frequent performers at Studio 54.
The members of the band included: Stony Browder Jr. – music, piano, vocals, August Darnell – lyrics, bass, vocals, Cory Daye – vocals, Mickey Sevilla – drums, & Andy Hernandez – percussion.
The Browders, who were both multiracial, wrote songs embracing multiculturalism. August Darnell and Andy Hernandez went on to form Kid Creole and the Coconuts and Elbow Bones and the Racketeers. Cory Daye pursued a successful solo career. In 1979, she released the album Cory and Me. Stony Browder Jr. died in 2001.
They released 3 albums between 1976 and 1979. A smaller lineup known as Dr. Buzzard's Savannah Band (omitting the word "original") released a fourth album in 1984.This song comes from their self titled debut album from 1976. The album landed at #22 on the top 200 & #31 on the R&B albums chart. It has been certified Gold.
Hard Times by Dr. Buzzards Original Savannah Band |
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Post by Critical on Jul 6, 2024 6:39:48 GMT
I can't get this song out of my head. I keep listening to it, thinking that will "cure" the ear worm, but it hasn't worked yet. Really love the collab with Post Malone.
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 8, 2024 10:58:44 GMT
Fats Domino was a singer-songwriter and pianist from New Orleans. He died on October 24, 2017 at the age of 89, from natural causes. His real name was Antoine Dominique Domino Jr.
He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 1986. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987. In September 2007, he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Fats was in the audience at Elvis Presley's first concert at the Las Vegas Hilton on July 31, 1969. At a press conference after the show, when a journalist referred to Presley as "The King", Presley gestured toward Domino, "No," Presley said, "that's the real king of rock and roll."
This song was released as a single in 1957 & hit #5 on the Pop chart & #1 on the R&B charts. It was his follow up to Blueberry Hill. The song was written by Dave Bartholomew & was first recorded in 1953 by Smiley Lewis and issued as a single, in January 1954.
Fats version was featured in the 1956 film The Girl Can't Help It starring Jaye Mansfield & Julie London.
Blue Monday by Fats Domino |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 8, 2024 17:15:43 GMT
Them was a Northern Irish rock band formed in Belfast, in April 1964, they continued into 1972, even though Van Morrison departed in 1966 for his solo career.
The band is best known for their 1964 rock standard "Gloria" and launching Van Morrison's musical career. The original five-member band consisted of Morrison, Alan Henderson, Ronnie Milling, Billy Harrison, and Eric Wrixon.
The band's recording of "Gloria" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. But the song linked to here was actually their highest charting single.
After the success of "Here Comes the Night", the band scored a chart hit again later in 1965 with "Mystic Eyes", which reached No.33. The band began a US tour in May 1966. From 30 May to 18 June, they had a residency at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles. For the final week The Doors opened for Them and on the last night the two bands and two Morrisons jammed a twenty-minute version of "Gloria" and a twenty-five-minute version of "In the Midnight Hour". Next, Them headlined at The Fillmore in San Francisco and then to Hawaii, where disputes erupted among band members and management over money. The band broke apart, Morrison and Henderson returned to Belfast while Ray Elliott and David Harvey decided to stay in America.
This song was released as a single in 1965 & hit #24 here in the states. It was the 1st of just 2 Top 40 hits for the band. Gloria had peaked at #71 in 1965.
The song was written by written by Bert Berns & originally released in 1964 by Lulu, but it went nowhere. Bert Berns is also remembered as the writer of such hits as Twist & Shout, Under The Boardwalk, Baby I’m Yours, Hang On Sloopy, Solitary Man, Cherry Cherry, Cry Baby & Piece Of My Heart among others. But just think what we missed out on. He died of Rheumatic Fever in 1967 at the age of 38.
Here Comes The Night by Them |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 9, 2024 11:12:22 GMT
Leroy Carr was a blues singer, songwriter and pianist from Indianapolis. He died of nephritis in 1935, his date of birth is under dispute, so he was either 30 or 31 at the time of death.
After dropping out of high school, he traveled with a circus, and in the early 1920s served in the U.S. Army. He returned to Indianapolis and worked in a meat-packing plant. He was convicted of bootlegging and served a year at the Indiana State Penitentiary.
His music has been recorded by artists including Robert Johnson, Ray Charles, Big Bill Broonzy, Moon Mullican, Champion Jack Dupree, Lonnie Donegan, Long John Baldry, Memphis Slim, Barrelhouse Chuck and Eric Clapton (who did a version of this song that we will hear at some point in the future).
Leroy was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1982
One source says he recorded this song in 1928, another source says 1932.
Blues Before Sunrise by Leroy Carr |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 9, 2024 17:29:57 GMT
Waylon Jennings was a singer, songwriter, musician, and actor from Littlefield, Texas. He died on February 13, 2002 from complications of diabetes, aged 64.
In 1958, Buddy Holly arranged Waylons' first recording session, a cover of Jole Blon, and hired him to play bass. Jennings gave up his seat on the ill-fated flight in 1959 that crashed and killed Holly, J. P. "the Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens.
He is considered one of the pioneers of the outlaw movement in country music. During the 1970s he drove outlaw country. With Willie Nelson, Tompall Glaser, and Jessi Colter he recorded country music's first platinum album, Wanted! The Outlaws. Later, he joined the country supergroup the Highwaymen with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash, which released three albums between 1985 and 1995.
In 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
During his career he released 45 studio albums & 5 Live albums. This song was included on Dreaming My Dreams. It was his 22nd studio album & was released in 1975. The album got to #49 on the Top 200 & #1 on the Country albums chart. It has been certified Gold. It included the #1 single Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way & Dreaming My Dreams With You which hit #10.
High Time by Waylon Jennings |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 10, 2024 11:06:04 GMT
A lot of folks have recorded this song, today we get a version from Frank Sinatra. The song was included on his album Sings For Only The Lonely. The album was released in 1958. Nelson Riddle arranged the music & conducted the orchestra. This was Franks' 15th studio album.
In an interview in 1970, Frank said this was the favorite album he ever did. At the time of the recording, his divorce from Ava Gardner had been finalized, and Nelson Riddle had recently suffered the deaths of his mother and daughter. Of these events, Riddle remarked: "If I can attach events like that to music...perhaps Only the Lonely was the result."
This was released at a time when stereo was just becoming a thing. The album was Frank's third full-length album to be recorded in both mono and stereo versions, after Where Are You? and Come Fly with Me.
Frank released this album & Come Fly With Me in 1958 & both were nominated for a Grammy in the Album Of The Year Category. But he lost out to The Music From Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini.
The album's front cover was painted by Nicholas Volpe, who won a Grammy Award for the painting.
Blues In The Night by Frank Sinatra |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 10, 2024 17:18:45 GMT
Black Coffee was the 1st album by Peggy Lee. It was released in the 10-inch format in 1953 by Decca. But at the request of the record label, she recorded four more songs for a reissue of the album in the 12-inch LP format in 1956.
By 1953 she had been recording professionally since joining the Benny Goodman Orchestra in 1941, but had only released songs on 78s or 45s. This was her first opportunity to record a full album.
This song was included on the original 1953 10” version of the album. Neither the 10 nor the 12-inch release charted. Joni Mitchell declared it one of her favorite albums.
The song was composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the 1939 musical Too Many Girls. Introduced by Richard Kollmar and Marcy Westcott in the stage musical.
The 1st recorded version was by Artie Shaw in 1939.
I Didn’t Know What Time It Was by Peggy Lee |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 11, 2024 11:18:31 GMT
Paradise Theater is the 10th studio album from Styx. It was released on January 16, 1981.
It was their most commercially successful album, peaking at #1 for 3 weeks on the Billboard 200 in April and May 1981. It was the band's 4th consecutive album to be certified triple-platinum & the 4th of 5 consecutive top 10 albums for them.
As a concept album, it is a fictional account of Chicago's Paradise Theater from its opening in 1928 to its closing in 1956 (and subsequent demolition), used as a metaphor for America's changing times from the late 1970s into the 1980s.
The song linked to here was the lead single & it hit #3, they followed up with Too Much Time On My Hands #9, Nothing Ever Goes As Planned #54 & ended the era with Rockin The Paradise which hit #8 on the Top Rock Tracks chart.
Best Of Times by Styx |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 11, 2024 17:49:16 GMT
Charlie Parker has been given & won many awards, many of them were presented posthumously, here are some of them. He passed away in 1955 at the young age of 34.
He won a Grammy in 1974 for Best Performance by a Soloist for his First Recordings album.
4 of his records have been installed into the Grammy Hal Of Fame:
Billie’s Bounce recorded in 1945, installed in 2002. Jazz At Massey Hall recorded in 1953 installed in 1995. Ornithology recorded in 1946 installed in 1989. Charley Parker With Strings recorded in 1950 & installed in 1988.
He was inducted into the Big Band & Jazz Hall of Fame in 1979. Given A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1984 & installed into the Jazz Hall Of Fame in 2002.
He included this song on his 1950 album called One Night In Birdland. It was a Live album recorded at Birdland on May 15–16, 1950.
The song itself was written in 1941 by Gene de Paul, and lyrics by Patricia Johnston and Don Raye. It made its debut in the 1942 Abbott and Costello comedy Ride 'Em Cowboy, being sung by Dick Foran. There are numerous recordings by many different artists.
I’ll Remember April by Charlie Parker |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 12, 2024 11:13:07 GMT
Melissa Manchester seems to be one of those artists that often has their music included on movie soundtracks. She can be heard in The Promise, Ice Castles, A Little Sex, Out Of Africa, The Great Mouse Detective & many others.
He studio albums are now at 18 with a 19th due later in the year. She has had multiple Hot 100 hit singles beginning with Midnight Blue in 1975, unfortunately despite continual new releases she hasn’t charted on the Hot 100 since 1985 & she has been missing from the Adult Contemporary Chart since 1989.
She has, however, kept busy. In 2007 she returned to theater, starring in the Chicago production of HATS! The Musical & in 2023, she played Mrs. Brice in the US national tour of the Broadway musical Funny Girl.
This song was a part of her 4th studio album. It was called Better Days & Happy Endings & came out in 1976. The album charted at #24.
Better Days by Melissa Manchester |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 12, 2024 17:34:38 GMT
Crown Of Creation was the 4th studio album from Jefferson Airplane. It was released in 1968 & hit #6, the album has been certified Gold. It was their final top 10 album until they became Jefferson Starship & hit #1 with Red Octopus in 1975.
The song "Crown of Creation" provided the album's title, which was taken with permission from John Wyndham's sci-fi novel The Chrysalids and refers to man as the "crown" or highest level of creation. The album cover artwork featured the band members' images duplicated in slightly different positions. In the background, there is a mushroom cloud from an atomic explosion courtesy of the USAF, which references the post-apocalyptic themes of the closing track "The House at Pooneil Corners".
When the band went on tour in Europe and America to promote the album that fall, many of the album's songs were initially included in the set list, including "Lather", "In Time", "Triad" and "If You Feel" but were dropped within weeks, never to be heard from again.
At this point in time the band included: Marty Balin – Vocals, he passed in 2018 at the age of 76. Grace Slick – Vocals, she is still with us & will turn 86 in October. Jorma Kaukonen - Lead Guitar, he is also still alive & will be 84 next December. Paul Kantner - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals, passed away in 2016 at the age of 74. Jack Casady - Bass Guitar, turned 80 last April. Spencer Dryden – Drums departed this existence in 2005, he was 66.
Everyone in the band except bass player Jack Cassady wrote or co – wrote at least one song. Marty Balin & Paul Kantner wrote this one.
In Time by Jefferson Airplane |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 13, 2024 11:12:15 GMT
In 2000 Eric Clapton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the third time, this time as a solo artist. He was earlier inducted as a member of the bands Cream and the Yardbirds.
There's One in Every Crowd was his 3rd solo album, it was released in 1975, & hit #21 on the charts. It never achieved even Gold status.
After the success of the single "I Shot the Sheriff", & the 461 Ocean Boulevard album, he and his band went to Jamaica to record There's One in Every Crowd. The songs "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", "Little Rachel" and "Don't Blame Me" are recorded in a reggae style, though the rest of the record is considered blues and rock. He wanted the album title to be "World’s Greatest Guitar Player (There's One in Every Crowd)". His record label didn't like the first part and chose to release the album under the shortened title.
The album got rather poor reviews across the board.
The members of the band playing on the record are Eric Clapton – lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, dobro, arrangements, Dick Sims – Hammond organ, acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Albhy Galuten – synthesizers, George Terry – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, group vocals, Carl Radle – electric guitar, bass guitar, Jamie Oldaker – drums, percussion, Yvonne Elliman – lead vocals, group vocals, & Marcy Levy – group vocals.
Better Make It Through Today by Eric Clapton |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 13, 2024 17:20:59 GMT
This was the title song to the 12th album Poco it was released in 1977. The album charted at #57, but never sold enough to be certified.
This was the band's last studio album before bass player Timothy B. Schmdit and drummer George Grantham left the group. They would be replaced on the next album by Charlie Harrison & Steve Chapman respectively.
Those departures left Rusty Young & Paul Cotton as the remaining members. Rusty passed away in 2021, he was 75. Paul died 3 months later he was 78.
Strangely enough, their next album would be their biggest up to that date, lucky #13. It included the hit single Crazy Love which propelled it to Gold Record status. Timothy B. Schmidt wasn’t affected though, he was off to join the Eagles.
Paul wrote this song, it includes Donald Fagen from Steely Dan on synthesizer.
Indian Summer by Poco |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 14, 2024 10:58:36 GMT
Against The Wind was the 11th studio album from Bob Seger. It was released in February of 1980, went to #1 where it stayed for 5 weeks & has been certified at 5 X Platinum. It is his only #1 album so far. Bob turned 79 in May, so I guess it isn’t out f the question that he may release new music again at some point.
The album won the Grammy in 1981 for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
The singles released were Fire Lake #6, Against The Wind #5, You’ll Accompany Me #14 & The Horizontal Bop #42.
Despite this being the only #1 album of his career, selling over 5 million units, & winning that Grammy, Rock critic Dave Marsh, writing for Rolling Stone, strongly criticized the album as a betrayal of Seger's longtime fans: "I'd like to say that this is not only the worst record Bob Seger has ever made, but an absolutely cowardly one as well" saying that Seger had crafted "failureproof songs that are utterly listenable and quite meaningless."
The members of The Silver Bullet Band are: Drew Abbott – guitar, Chris Campbell – bass, Alto Reed – saxophone, & David Teegarden – drums, percussion. Studio musician Paul Harris also adds piano to this song.
Much of the album was recorded at Muscle Shoals in Alabama & featured the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, or The Swampers, as they became known.
Betty Lou’s Getting Out Tonight by Bob Seger |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 14, 2024 17:30:19 GMT
Otis Redding was a singer and songwriter from Dawson, Georgia. He died in a plane crash on December 10,1967, he had just turned 26.
Besides Otis, the other victims of the crash were four members of the Bar-Kays—guitarist Jimmy King, tenor saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell, and drummer Carl Cunningham; their valet, Matthew Kelly; and their pilot.
Barry & Robin Gibb wrote the song To Love Somebody for Otis. He loved it, and he was going to "cut it", as Barry put it, on his return from his final concert, he didn't make it. They dedicated the song to his memory.
This song was included on The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads, it was his 2nd studio album & was released in 1965. The recording session took place at the Stax studios in Memphis & includes Booker T. & The MG’s as his backing band along with the supposed 1st recorded appearance of Isaac Hayes.
The album charted at #147 & included the singles Chained & Bound #70 on the R&B chart, Come To Me #69 on the R&B chart, Mr. Pitiful #10 on the R&B Chart & #41 on the Hot 100 & That’s How Strong My Love Is #18 on R&B & #74 on the Hot 100.
This song was originally written & released as a single by Chuck Wills reaching #3 on the R&B chart back in 1956. It has been covered by tons of folks including Derek & The Dominoes, Conway Twitty & Freddy Fender.
It’s Too Late by Otis Redding |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 15, 2024 10:59:50 GMT
Scorpions are a German hard rock band formed in Hanover in 1965 & continuing today.
The lineup from 1978 to 1992 was the most successful incarnation of the group, and included Klaus Meine (vocals), Rudolf Schenker (rhythm guitar), Matthias Jabs (lead guitar), Francis Buchholz (bass), and Herman Rarebell (drums). That is the lineup involved with this album.
The band's only continuous member has been Schenker, although Meine has appeared on all of Scorpions' studio albums.
This song comes from Love At First Sting. It was released in 1984 & charted at #6, it was the 2nd of 3 top 10 albums in a row. It was the 9th of what so far has been 19 studio albums. The album has been certified 3 X Platinum, it was their most successful release here in the states.
The album contains "Rock You Like a Hurricane", #25 & their 1st top 40 hit, "Still Loving You", #64, and the song linked to here was the final single released but it did not chart on the Hot 100. It did land at #14 on the Mainstream Rock Chart & as the video shows, it was a pretty popular song.
Big City Nights by Scorpions |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 15, 2024 17:38:50 GMT
Ian Hunter is an English singer, songwriter and musician from Oswestry, Shropshire, England. He turned 85 in June. His full name is Ian Hunter Patterson.
Due to the onset of WW2, the family moved to Hamilton, South Lanarkshire to live with the family of his Scottish father. Ian was brought up there until the age of six and has stated that he considers himself a Scot, but also identifies as English.
He began his career as the lead vocalist of Mott the Hoople, & was there from inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974 before departing for a solo career.
As a solo artist, he released his 22nd album in April of this year. The song linked to here comes from his 4th solo album “You’re Never Alone With A Schizophrenic”. It hit #35 here in the states making it his most successful album to date. It was released in 1979.
The album title was spotted on a toilet wall by co-producer Mick Ronson, who planned to use it for one of his solo albums. Mick was the lead guitar player for David Bowie, but he was also the producer of this album & plays lead guitar. Many members of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band were the backing musicians.
Just Another Night by Ian Hunter |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 16, 2024 11:05:27 GMT
Skylarking is the 9th studio album by the English rock band XTC, it was released 27 October 1986. The album charted at #70 on the top 200.
It was produced by Todd Rundgren & became one of their best-known albums and is generally regarded as their finest work.
Most of its recording was at Todd's Utopia Sound Studio in Woodstock, New York who played a large role in the album's sound design and drum programming. However, there were tensions especially between Rundgren and bandleader Andy Partridge, and numerous disagreements arose over drum patterns, song selections, and other details.
Despite all that, the band members seem to have eventually come around.
Bass player Chris Moulding said of the album: "Perhaps it lacked the polish of some of the other recordings we had made, but it was the character that was sewn into the record which was its strength. Chris also wrote the song linked to here.
Guitar player Dave Gregory called the finished product "probably my favorite XTC album", expressing appreciation of how Rundgren handled the songs.
Main song writer Andy Partridge wrote "Musician and producer Todd Rundgren squeezed the XTC clay into its most complete/connected/cyclical record ever. Not an easy album to make for various ego reasons but time has humbled me into admitting that Todd conjured up some of the most magical production and arranging conceivable. A summer's day cooked into one cake."
Big Day by XTC |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 16, 2024 19:44:02 GMT
Tom Verlaine, was a singer, guitarist, and songwriter from Denville, New Jersey. He died on January 28, 2023, at the age of 73. According to his former Television band mate, Richard Lloyd, he had "been sick for quite a while", with prostate cancer, which had metastasized. His real name was Thomas Joseph Miller.
He got his start as the frontman of the band Television.
He was also a member of the Million Dollar Bashers, a supergroup also featuring Sonic Youth musicians Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley, Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, Bob Dylan bassist Tony Garnier, guitarist Smokey Hormel, and keyboardist John Medeski. They appear on the original soundtrack to I'm Not There, a biographical film reflecting on the life of Bob Dylan.
During his career he released 3 albums with Television & 10 solo albums, This song comes from his self - titled debut album released in 1979.
Sometimes the artists don’t have final control over their music: The album was originally mixed by Tom, but it was rejected by Elektra Records. Bob Clearmountain remixed the album, and it was this version that was released by Elektra in 1979.
Last Night by Tom Verlaine |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 17, 2024 11:15:28 GMT
During his lifetime Woody Herman won 3 Grammy Awards & a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He had Top 10 hit singles beginning in 1937 & continuing on through 1948. He was able to release albums as early as 1940 & as late as 1987.
The Woody Herman orchestra was "Voted best swing band in 1945 Down Beat poll; Silver Award by critics in 1946 and 1947 Esquire polls; won Metronome poll, band division, 1946 and 1953.
But all of that didn’t relieve him of external problems.
He continued to perform into the 1980s, after the death of his wife and with his health in decline, chiefly to pay back taxes that were owed because of his business manager's bookkeeping in the 1960s. At one point he owed the IRS millions of dollars and was in danger of eviction from his home.
This song comes from an album called Songs For Hip Lovers, it was released in 1957. The band at this time was Woody on vocals & clarinet, Joe Mondragon bass, Jo Jones drums, Billy Bauer guitar, Jimmy Rowles piano, Bill Harris trombone, Ben Webster tenor sax, & Charlie Shavers trumpet.
The song itself was composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was introduced by The Foursome ( Del Porter, Ray Johnson, J. Marshall and Dwight Snyder) in the 1930 musical Girl Crazy. The original cast of the musical included Ginger Rogers & Ethel Merman.
The 1st recording seems to have been released in 1931 as an “A” side by The Bluejeans with a “B” side called Sam & Delilah by Duke Ellington.
Bidin My Time by Woody Herman |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 17, 2024 17:23:58 GMT
Dr. John, was a singer/songwriter from New Orleans, he died of a heart attack on June 6, 2019, he was 77. His real name was Malcolm John Rebennack Jr.
During his lifetime he won 6 Grammy Awards & was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2011. In May 2013, he received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Tulane University.
His posthumous album Things Happen That Way was nominated for a Grammy for Best Americana Album in November 2022, he lost out to Brandi Carlisle & her album In These Silent Days.
This song was a part of Dr. John's Gumbo. It was his 5th studio album & was released in 1972. It charted at #112.
The album cover was shot in front of the huge mural adorning the wall of The Farmer John Company (also seen in the movie Carrie), located at Soto Street and Vernon in Vernon, California.
The album is a collection of covers of New Orleans classics, This song was written by New Orleans artist Earl King. He first recorded the song as "Darling Honey Angel Child" in 1960.
Let The Good Times Roll by Dr. John |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 18, 2024 11:13:49 GMT
Yo La Tengo (Spanish for "I've got it") is a indie rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. They are still together & currently touring overseas.
Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan (guitars, piano, vocals), Georgia Hubley (drums, piano, vocals), and James McNew (bass, vocals). Ira Kaplan & Georgia Hubley have been there since the beginning, they have also been & are still married. James McNew has been the bass player since 1992, he is the 14th bass player to be a member of the band.
On February 10, 2023, the band released their 17th studio album. This song was included on the album Painful. It was released in 1993 & was their 6th studio album. Once again, I see music referred as “shoegaze style”. Something I had no idea even existed, or frankly what it even means.
The album got incredibly positive reviews across the board. In recent years, it has become regarded as a significant step for the band in their discography. In a biography of the band, AllMusic's Mark Deming dubbed it "their first masterpiece", seeing it push them "in a multitude of new directions, significantly expanding [their] palette of sounds and textures."
Big Day Coming by Yo La Tengo |
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Post by razorbacker on Jul 18, 2024 18:57:14 GMT
Jo Stafford recorded this song & released it as a single back in 1944. It was her 4th chart hit, her 4th consecutive top 15 hit & the 2nd time she had hit the top 10 when she landed at #6.
She was loved by critics and the public for the purity of her voice, and was considered one of the most versatile vocalists of her era. Her style encompassed a number of genres, including big band, ballads, jazz, folk and comedy. Music critic Terry Teachout described her as "rhythmically fluid without ever sounding self-consciously 'jazzy' ", while Rosemary Clooney said of her, "The voice says it all: beautiful, pure, straightforward, no artifice, matchless intonation, instantly recognizable. Those things describe the woman, too.”
The song includes music by Jerome Kern, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was included in the soundtrack to the 1944 film musical Cover Girl starring Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1944 but lost out to “Swinging on a Star”, from Going My Way.
In the film it is sung by Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Martha Mears) to Gene Kelly, and later briefly reprised by Jinx Falkenburg. Charting versions were recorded almost simultaneously in 1944 by Dick Haymes and Helen Forrest, Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford, and Perry Como. Dick Haymes beat Jo to the charts by just a couple of weeks & charted at #2.
Long Ago & Far Away by Jo Stafford |
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