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A mind-blowing selection of rare music coming on Saturday
By Mark C. Brown Apr 19, 2012 10:44AM
We told you it was coming, and now it's almost here. Record Store Day is now in its fifth year, and its simple genius has been effective: For one day, sell music unavailable elsewhere only through independent record stores, bringing back the tradition that many music fans grew up with. Many retailers find this to be their best day of the year, and many fans are exposed to music and a shopping experience they'd never had before. Win-wins don't get any better than that.
This year's selection is nearly overwhelming, with music from artists as diverse as Arcade Fire, Buddy Guy, Coldplay, Social Distortion, 311, Esperanza Spalding and dozens more. You can see the full listing here, but we've picked 10 must-have releases. Remember, most of these are limited; if you want them, use the handy record store finder and make sure you get down there at opening time. Here are our picks as the best RSD releases of 2012.
1. The Knack, “Live in Los Angeles 1978”: Just look at that. Just look. Ten-inch splattered-colored vinyl, two live cuts from The Troubadour you’ve never heard before (including, of course, “My Sharona”) and two rehearsal takes of more songs you’ve also never heard before. It sounds as gorgeous as it looks, and every available copy has already been reserved by record stores. If you can’t score this, you’ve got some comfort – a CD of the entire live show is on tap for wider distribution in May. But the two rehearsal songs - "Romeo Eyes" and "Art War" - are available only here.
2. The Flaming Lips, “The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends”: The question has to be asked: Is Wayne Coyne making new music these days because of the music or because he likes to make videos filled with naked women? Be careful, that link is very NSFW. Regardless, one of the most anticipated releases is the “Heady Fwends” two-LP set, featuring collaborations with Chris Martin, Ke$ha, Bon Iver, Nick Cave, Erykah Badu, Yoko Ono and New Fumes.
3. Buck Owens Coloring Book: No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. Omnivore Records (the same people who did the Knack release) found a cache of Buck’s coloring books from 1970, and somehow found a pressing plant still able to make flexi-discs in 2012 (look it up, kids – these things used to come free inside magazines and on cereal boxes). It has four songs from a long out-of-print Owens live album (including "Act Naturally"), which will also get a proper, longer release later this year. That's the flexi-disc you see on Buck's chest, along with a digital-download card so you can take the songs anywhere. An amazing, authentic blast from the past.
4. The Clash, “London Calling 2012”: Yeah, the new remix on the A side of this 7-inch single will be cool to hear, but purists will immediately go to the B side, which features a straight-up instrumental version of the Clash classic.
5. Ryan Adams, “Heartbreak a Stranger”/”Black Sheets of Rain”: Ryan Adams doing live versions of Bob Mould classics, taken from a tribute show in Los Angeles last November. Does anything more need to be said?
6. Mynah Birds, “It’s My Time”/”Go on and Cry”: Yes, a 7-inch vinyl single from the early Canadian R&B band that featured Neil Young and Rick James. Neil took Bruce Palmer away and formed Buffalo Springfield; Rick James became Rick James.
7. David Bowie, “Starman”: You get the original version of this Bowie classic, along with a “Top of the Pops” performance of the same song, both on a picture disc in a limited, numbered release. Team that up with Jimmy Fallon’s “Tebowie” Tim Tebow/David Bowie tribute (another exclusive 7-inch release) and it’s a double-Bowie score.
8. Foster the People, “Broken Jaw”/”Ruby”: A couple of outtakes that didn’t make the “Torches” album, it has been available only as a bonus iTunes download. Now you analog fanatics can get a vinyl 7-inch pressing.
9. Miles Davis, “Forever Miles”: A solid LP pressing of a classic album that features an unreleased song, “Directions,” recorded at the Fillmore East in 1970. Davis’ vast archives deserve far more releases than a single track at a time.
10. Bruce Springsteen, “Rocky Ground”: The song from his new album, “Wrecking Ball,” is already available on the vinyl release of that album. What hardcore fans are truly going to want is the B side – a live version of “The Promise” taken from a private performance around the time Springsteen released the vintage song with his remastered "Darkness on the Edge of Town" box set.Carrie Brownstein stars in an American Express commercial
By percy thrillington 14 hours ago
Excuse 17. Sleater-Kinney. Wild Flag. Portlandia. American Express.
Offered, obviously, without comment (or any apparent objection), here is a commercial for the noted credit card company starring one of punk rock's best and brightest talents of the last 20 years, Carrie Brownstein.
Young singer starts anew with a strong debut
By Mark C. Brown Tue 8:43 AM
You’ve not heard of Anna Bergendahl because you’re not in Sweden. There she’s as well known as the biggest superstars here, having starred on two “Idol”-type music shows and covering songs by her heroes such as Bonnie Raitt.
Here’s a sample in “I Hate New York” (and don’t get in a knot, New Yorkers, it’s not a diss to your city – it’s about feeling generally lost and alone so much that even the things you love don’t appeal to you at the moment).
How did she end up surrounded with such a crack crew? She discovered that the singers that most touched her heart had all worked with producer Klein – and he took an interest.
He lived and died consumed with the Doors music and history
By Mark C. Brown Mon 6:36 PM
Most fans argue that Jim Morrison was The Doors, but I'd argue that Ray Manzarek was just as much -- if not more so. And he got a lot of grief for what really amounted to simply keeping the music alive and being proud of his legacy in doing so.Manzarek loved to talk about The Doors -- and why shouldn't he? He co-founded the group with Morrison, his keyboard work is the signature sound of their biggest hits -- "Riders on the Storm," "Break On Through," "Hello, I Love You," "Love Her Madly" and of course "Light My Fire."
But his detractors -- including fellow bandmate John Densmore -- felt he at times crossed the line from proud to exploitative, especially when he went out with Robby Krieger touring as The Doors or The Doors of the 21st Century.
Funny -- no one had a problem when The Doors released two Morrison-less albums after his death or endlessly repackaged the catalog with live albums, remasters, 5.1 mixes, outtakes, alternate mixes, studio dialog etc. But fights ensued when Manzarek was in favor of licensing Doors music for a commercial. Yeah, that was a crime once upon a time. But that was a long, long time ago.
Granted, Densmore has had his say, with a 2002 essay in The Nation where he takes Manzarek to task for greed (apparently a recurring theme in his new book as well).
And no one but the band members and people around them are privy to the details. But back in the '90s I ended up spending an inordinate amount of time talking with Manzarek as some Doors reissues and other projects were on the table. He gave me his home phone number and we chatted a fair amount about his history. Rather than brag about himself, he constantly invoked what a genius he felt Morrison was -- a poet, a performer, and a tragic loss to the world on all levels.
As much as Densmore feels he's protecting Morrison's heritage by turning down commercial offers, Manzarek felt the opposite -- that getting the music to as many ears as possible was the best tribute, especially young ears (it was an Apple computer commercial offer that sparked the 2002 rift between the two).
So Manzarek talked about The Doors. And talked and talked and talked. Anyone who has ever interviewed him or just been in his general vicinity knew that he loved to talk about what The Doors had done and what their music had meant to fans.
Myself, I can see both sides of the argument. That doesn't make Manzarek the evil opportunist fans make him out to be.
During those chats back in the day I knew a middle-school student who was doing an essay on the historical impact of music in the '60s. So I asked Manzarek -- hey, would you do an interview with an 8th-grader for an essay that will be read to her history class? The thought of his words going to 25 teenagers in a classroom somewhere thrilled him. He immediately said yes and had me pass on his phone number.
The essay got an A. Manzarek got to find a new audience to hear his thoughts. And I'll bet more than a couple of kids in that class are Doors fans to this day.
Rest in peace, Ray. You did your best.
Chester Bennington joins Stone Temple Pilots - for the moment
By Mark C. Brown Mon 4:49 PM
Sometimes it works. Van Halen got bigger (and lamer) than ever when Sammy Hagar replaced David Lee Roth. But most of the time trying to replace your lead singer is the kiss of death for a band. Alice in Chains was disbanded for years before finally getting a fill-in for Layne Staley. Sublime and The Doors both famously feuded with the families of the late Brad Nowell and Jim Morrison over the rights to continue using the band names after those singers died.
And now the story with Stone Temple Pilots gets weirder and weirder. They fired lead singer/constant news story Scott Weiland in March without even telling him; he found out through the media, and at first denied the reports until he found out that, yes, he had been sacked.
STP turned up at KROQ's annual Weenie Roast concert this past weekend with a new frontman in tow -- Linkin Park's Chester Bennington. The band has apparently taken a page from David Bowie and Daft Punk, keeping everything a secret until they sprung it on the crowd. They've even recorded a new song, "Out of Time," that they're making available as a free download or you can stream it below.
It looks to be a temporary thing as Linkin Park takes much of the year off; the band has only one show planned for L.A. on Aug. 3, noting that it will be their sole performance of 2013. And Bennington does a pretty fair version of Weiland. Check the performance below before it gets yanked from YouTube again.
Singer airlifted to hospital to treat head injury
By percy thrillington Fri 3:07 PM
That seems to be the only logical conclusion to draw from the news that 49-year-old pop singer George Michael was airlifted to a hospital after a Range Rover in which he was riding (though possibly not driving—his representative's statement was purposefully vague on this point) crashed on the M-1 motorway near St. Albans, Hertfordshire, about 20 miles north of London.
Yesterday, pop singer George Michael was airlifted to a hospital after he was involved in a car crash. According to the BBC, the 49-year-old singer suffered a head injury, though his spokesperson insists he's doing "fine" and only suffered "superficial cuts."
Details on the crash remain unclear, but Michael's rep, Connie Filippello, stated that he was a passenger in a Range Rover that crashed on the M1 motorway near St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. "No third party was involved. We have no further comment at this time," she said. No arrests have been made following the crash, though police are still investigating what happened.
This marks another in a long line of driving-related incidents for the former Wham! singer. In 2010, he was sentenced to eight weeks in jail after driving his Range Rover into a Snappy Snaps photo store while stoned, which also resulted in a five-year driving ban. The year before that, he was detained on suspicion of driving under the influence after he crashed into the back of a truck. In 2006, police found Michaelslumped over the wheel of his parked Mercedes, and he pled guilty to driving under the influence of drugs the following year.
Legendary songwriter will receive Gershwin Prize
By percy thrillington Fri 2:59 PM
Though the Obama administration continues to struggle with crisis after crisis, one thing they seem to do pretty well is honoring worthy musicians. Stevie Wonder, Sir Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach and Hal David have all performed at the White House concert series since the President took office in 2008. And now, according to a stor in today's Hollywood Reporter, Carole King will be honored with the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at a White House concert next Wednesday, May 22. According to the announcement, she will perform in the East Room, alongside James Taylor, Gloria Estefan, Billy Joel, and others, after being praised both for her astonishing accomplishments as a songwriter and recording artist, and for her long-time commitment to Democratic activism by President Obama.The event will be streamed live beginning at 3pm Pacific at www.whitehouse.gov/live. She is the first female artist to be given the Gershwin Prize.
The night before, King will be honored at an invitation-only ceremony and concert at the Library of Congress’ Coolidge Auditorium featuring performances by King, her daughter Louise Goffin, Patti Austin, Colbie Caillat, Michael Feinstein, Siedah Garrett, Shelby Lynne, Gian Marco and Arturo Sandoval.
Mini-commercial for "Magnetic" goes up to give the fans a taste
By Mark C. Brown Fri 12:17 PM
Rock anthems? Check. Wistful ballads? Present and accounted for. Must be the new Goo Goo Dolls album.
The Goo Goo Dolls return June 11 with their latest work, "Magnetic." And in this time of trying to figure out how to get heard, they've actually gone and put together nearly four minutes of excerpts from the new songs to give fans a taste without giving the whole store away ala David Bowie or Daft Punk.
Of course, it's not like Johnny Rzeznik and crew have kept everything under wraps. The single "Rebel Beat" is out there since January, with the official video going up last month.
They're doing a few dates but the touring schedule really heats up in late June, when they begin a trek across the country and back with Matchbox Twenty (after Rzeznik takes a bit of time off to get married).
After a layoff, she's back strong and sure
By Mark C. Brown Thu 4:46 PM
Despite a music career that was taking off in the late '90s, California singer/songwriter Susan James decided to put her music on hold to raise her daughter. Little did she know that her hiatus would see the collapse of the music industry, the rise of the Internet and legal/illegal downloading and general panic as the old system totally disintegrated.So when she returned with "Highway, Ghosts, Hearts and Home" last year and her latest, "Driving Toward the Sun," she knew everything was different. And she was ready for it. For the latest album she teamed up with her neighbor and friend, Ryan Ulyate, a producer/engineer who has Tom Petty, George Harrison, the Traveling Wilburys, Electric Light Orchestra and other credits under his belt. They recorded in his high-tech home studio but the approach was strictly old-school: Eight tight, fully realized songs that told an adult tale of heartache and redemption, from the stirring title cut to sad, resigned songs such as "U-Haul in the Driveway." Critical acclaim quickly followed, with No Depression quickly naming it one of the best albums of the year so far.
"I wanted an album that sounded like me and my sound and my past without sounding dated. It's honest in sound and it could be from any era," James said.
And rather than worry about technology marching on, James embraced it. She did old-school radio promotion with NPR and legendary California station KPIG, as well as Spotify, Emusic, iTunes, Amazon and plain old touring and getting the word out. James and Ulyate took a few minutes to talk about the collaboration and where she goes from here.
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