Short Takes - Michael Jackson, Prince, Iggy Pop

DON'T tick of Michael Jackson. Prince recently turned down a Jackson offer to do a world tour together. Jackson was overheard complaining about the snub at the Sultan of Brunei's son's birthday party (which Jackson played) and saying that he'd use his $10 million appearance fee to purchase Prince's music catalog.

It wouldn't be without precedence. While there have been all sorts of reports on Jackson selling off his portion of the Beatles catalog, it appears he's doing just the opposite. Jackson has purchased Famous Music LLC from Viacom and has added music from Eminem, Shakira, Beck and Bjork. Don't forget that Eminem did a parody of Michael in his Without Me video. Payback?

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Speaking of Prince, if you are a Verizon Wireless user with the new V Cast song ID feature, you can download the purple ones new single, Guitar, for free. It's just another case of an artist trying to create buzz around a new product by hooking into the latest technology. Guitar is from the forthcoming album Planet Earth.

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Iggy Pop and the Stooges will be playing a charity gig in Leeds, U.K. on August 31 in support of The Children's Society.

Pop got involved with the society after his Lust for Life was used by the group as the theme for a garden they entered in the Chelsea Flower Show. Part of the garden featured a burst of water synchronized with the song.

Iggy said, "I'm getting a big kick out of making music for The Children's Society. All kids deserve a good childhood. It's great to know my music reaches out to so many and inspires."

Also on the bill are Idlewild, The Horrors and Sunshine Underground.

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The defense in the Phil Spector trial is attempting to get a journal written by victim Lana Clarkson admitted into evidence. The computerized writings are said to show that the actress was depressed, had an interest in guns and had struggled with alcohol and drugs.

Some of those writings included in a "Story of My Life" talked about a struggling actress who didn't make it in Hollywood and killed herself with a gun. E-mail was also found on the computer to a friend talking about money problems, wanting to get her affairs in order and "chuck it."

The writings were never submitted to the coroner as evidence and the judge questioned whether it would have changed the conclusion of the investigation from homicide to suicide. Prosecutors countered that they did not feel that the writings were verifiable and could have been done for a creative writing class. While the judge will be reading the transcript of the writings over the weekend, he did state that he is inclined to allow them into evidence.

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Diana Ross was questioned by police in the U.K. after allegedly pushing a three-year-old who was trying to get an autograph into a door.

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Concord to Release Digital Exclusive Albums from Stax

Stax Records, who are celebrating their fiftieth anniversary this year, have announced the release of a number of digital-only offerings through their agreement with Concord. iTunes will have the exclusive rights to the tracks for the first 90-days in release, at which time they will go to other sites.

First, is a series of ten releases known as Short Stax. These will be EPs by a variety of artists with three tracks, two established hits and a deep-cut from the Stax library. The initial releases will be:

• Booker T & the MGs - Time is Tight, Soul Limbo, Green Onions (live)
  
• Dramatics - In the Rain, Whatcha See is Whatcha Get, I Pray She'll Never Go Away
  
• Emotions - Show Me How, My Honey & Me, Ain't No Sunshine
  
• Eddie Floyd - I've Never Found a Girl (to Love Me Like You Do), Bring It On Home to Me, Rainy Night in Georgia
  
• Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft, Never Can Say Goodbye, Run Fay Run
  
• Albert King - I'll Play the Blues for You, Part 1, That's What the Blues is All About, Answer to the Laundromat Blues
  
• Soul Children
• Staple Singers - Respect Yourself, Oh La De Da, The Weight
  
• Johnnie Taylor - Who's Making Love, Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone, Love Bones
  
• Carla Thomas - I Like What You Do (to Me), Where Do I Go?, Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes) (Live at Wattstax)
  
• Rufus Thomas - Do the Funky Chicken, (Do the) Push and Pull, Part 1, Walking the Dog (Live @ PJ's)
  

The EPs sell for $2.49. A second wave of EPs are set for July.

Five full albums never before available on CD will also be released:

• You’ve Got To Have Eddie - Eddie Floyd
• Gritty, Groovin’ & Getting’ It - David Porter
• At the Drive-In - Freddie Robinson
• Lou Bond - Lou Bond
• A Message From the Ghetto - The Sons of Truth

The LPs sell for $9.99. Again, a second group of unreleased albums will hit iTunes on July 24.

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MTV Unplugged Comes Back with Bon Jovi & the Police

On November 26, 1989, MTV premiered a new show that took artists from all genres and put them in front of an audience performing with only acoustic instruments. That show presented Squeeze, Syd Straw and Elliot Easton of the Cars and was known as MTV Unplugged.

Over the next eighteen years, 110 shows would be produced with artists from Tony Bennett to Korn. Unfortunately, in the last few years (and no doubt because there is less M in the MTV), the show has trickled down to only one or two appearances per year.

That will change this summer as the Unplugged franchise will be resurrected and shared among all of the Viacom-owned music channels. It all starts on June 22 on MTV with Bon Jovi, supporting their new country tinged album Lost Highway. Over the next two evenings, the show will be broadcast on VH1 and CMT in reedited form so that the music suits each station's audience.

While dates have not been announced for future tapings, it is thought that the Police would hold their show in Miami sometime in mid-July. Also taping shows will be Kenny Chesney, Mary J. Blige and John Mayer.

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Jackson Memorabilia Auction - Day 2

The second and last day of the Jackson Memorabilia Auction run by Guernsey's is now over. While a majority of the lots sold, most were in the low hundreds. Unlike yesterday that saw a number of items sell in the five figures, no lot in today's proceedings exceeded $9,500.

The highlights from Day 2:

• Michael Jackson's Motown Identity Card - $9,500
• Janet Jackson's Drawing of LaToya - $6,500
• Michael Jackson's Notebook with notes and lyrics - $5,500
• Jackson Family Encino, CA Estate Blueprints - $8,5oo
• Michael Jackson's Black Fedora - $4,250
• Pair of Michael Jackson's Suede Jackets - $8,000
• Michael Jackson's White Fedora - $4,750
• Michael Jackson's Bellmaster Jacket - $9,500
• Michael Jackson's Black Suede Bolero Jacket - $5,500

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Vintage Clip - Dick Dale - Misirlou (1962)

On this day in 1958, Dick Dale performed at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, California, playing one of the first concerts with the new music that would eventually be called Surf Music.

This clip from a 1962 TV show has Dale performing what is now his most famous piece, Misirlou. The guitarist learned the tune from his Armenian Uncle.

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Short Takes - Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf

Sony BMG Films has announced that they are casting the parts of Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Howlin' Wolf for the film Cadillac Records. The movie will be directed by Darnell Martin (Their Eyes Were Watching God) and is expected to start shooting in Chicago later this year.

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The Phil Spector defense team went after the forensic evidence today, getting the medical examiner to admit there was some mishandling of evidence, including the loss of one of the victim's teeth. Dr. Louis Pena also admitted that the body had been moved in a way that compromised the blood splatter evidence.

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A London court heard Wednesday that George Michael had a number of drugs in his system when he was arrested blocking an intersection slumped over the wheel of his car. Among the drugs was a therapeutic quantity of an anti-depressant and GHB (aka, the date-rape drug).

Michael had previously plead guilty to the charge and is scheduled for sentencing on June 8, the day before he plays a show at Wembley Stadium.

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Porter Wagoner will be honored by the International Fan Club Organization with their Tex Ritter Award. The award recognizes Wagoner's contributions to music and the fans. The presentation will be on June 4 at the IFCO's Fun Fest Concert in Nashville.

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Prince has announced another upcoming gig. This one will be on July 7 in the Minneapolis Macy's.

The eighth floor of the store will be turned into a concert hall for 1,400 people who will pay $250 each to see the private concert and also get a ticket to that night's Target Centre concert, a bottle of the new fragrance (3121, which is the reason for the whole show) and a special T-Shirt.

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In another sign of the coming apocalypse, HearMusic is hawking Paul McCartney's new album tonight (Wednesday) on the Home Shopping Network. McCartney appeared in recorded segments talking about his inspirations for the songs.

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Liv Tyler's rep has told the NY Post “Liv never said anything about her father leaving Aerosmith.” Now it's up to you on whether you think it was a typical NY Post hatchet job or damage control.

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Marc Bolan to Be Celebrated in London Concert

Marc Bolan's life and music will be celebrated at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on September 15.

Producer Tony Visconti is putting the show together with confirmed performers Marc Almond, Rolan Bolan, Ray Dorset, Andy Ellison, Paul King, Linda Lewis, Shakin’ Stevens and Ruby Turner. More are expected to confirm in the future.

The Marc Bolan/T. Rex tribute group T.Rextasy will be the house band for the night along with a number of surprise musicians. Each of the acts will perform their own version of a Bolan or T.Rex song.

Marc Bolan's legacy has lived long beyond his death. In the U.S., T.Rex and Bolan had a cult following with Bang a Gong (Get it On) being their only major hit, reaching number ten in early-1972. In other parts of the world, especially the U.K., Bolan scored numerous hit songs and albums and is credited as a major influence by a number of artists.

The concert is being held on the eve of the 30th Anniversary of Bolan's death. Proceeds will be split between the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy and the PRS Members Fund.

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Stones Going the Best Buy Route (Again) With New DVD Set

The Rolling Stones will be working with retail giant Best Buy once again in the exclusive release of a four-DVD set of their Bigger Bang tour.

A couple of years ago, the Stones released another four-DVD exclusively through Best Buy for the first year of the release chronicalling their last tour which visited a number of different size venues.

This time, the set will include two complete tour shows along with two documentaries. The set will be released June 12 with a retail price of $29.99 and is available as of today for pre-sale at the Best Buy site.

The press release said, "'The Biggest Bang' DVD set lets fans join us as we traveled around the world. They will go behind the scenes at the Super Bowl, see us play an intimate club show in Toronto and for 2 million people on the beach in Rio, as well as gigs in Shanghai, Buenos Aires and Japan. It features classics but also rarities--songs we've never released before on DVD."

The track listing for the set:

Disc 1 - Zilker Park, Austin, TX

• You Got Me Rocking
• Let's Spend the Night Together
• She's So Cold
• Oh No, Not You Again
• Sway
• Bob Wills is Still the King
• Streets of Love
• Ain't Too Proud to Beg
• Tumbling Dice
• Learning the Game
• Little T&A
• Under My Thumb
• Get Off My Cloud
• Honky Tonk Woman
• Sympathy for the Devil
• Jumpin' Jack Flash
• (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
• Brown Sugar
• Austin Mini-Documentary
• I Can't Be Satisfied from Milan, Italy

Disc 2 - Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Jumpin' Jack Flash
• It's Only Rock 'n Roll
• You Got Me Rocking
• Wild Horses
• Rain Fall Down
• Midnight Rambler
• Night Time is the Right Time
• Happy
• Miss You
• Rough Justice
• Get Off My Cloud
• Honky Tonk Women
• Start Me Up
• Brown Sugar
• You Can't Always Get What You Want
• (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
• Rio de Janeiro Mini-Documentary

Disc 3 - Rest of the World

• Let's Spend the Night Together
• Rain Fall Down
• Rough Justice
• Bitch
• Midnight Rambler
• Gimme Shelter
• This Place is Empty
• It's Only Rock 'n Roll
• Worried About You
• Happy
• Miss You
• Paint It Black
• (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
• Shine a Light (Duet with Bonnie Raitt)
• Wild Horses (Duet with Eddie Vedder)
• Let It Bleed (Duet with Dave Matthews)
• Wild Horses (Duet with Cui Jian)

Disc 4 - Bonus Material

• Get Up, Stand Up
• Mr. Pitiful
• If It Ain't Got That Swing featuring Charlie Watts
• Hurricane featuring Keith Richards
• Outlets of Emotion featuring Ron Wood
• Busking featuring Mick Jagger
  

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Jackson Family Auction - Day 1 Results

The first day of the Jackson Auction is complete.

Highlights from the first day:

• MTV Video Music Award for USA For Africa - $16,000
• We Are the World Record Awards (1985) - $17,000
• Off the Wall Gold Record - $11,000
• Thriller Award Presented to Janet Jackson - $15,000
• Gold Record Award for I Want You Back - $11,000
• NAACP Award to the Jacksons for Best Vocal Group (1984) - $11,000
• Michael Jackson drawn and signed portrait of Charlie Chaplin - $14,000
• Michael Jackson's Black Crested Jacked from the 80's - $17,000
• Michael Jackson's Bill Whitten Suit from 80's - $19,000
  

It should be noted that a majority of the lots sold went in the $100 to $300 range. This may or may not have been a surprise to the auction house, Guernsey's, who had estimates on all of them of $100 - $1,000,000.

Sessions tomorrow are at 3 and 10 PM EDT.

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Vintage Clip - Roxy Music - Love is the Drug

On this day 35 years ago, Roxy Music played their first major show at the Great Western Express Festival in Lincolnshire, U.K.

Here's a live clip of their classic Love is the Drug with a great performance by Bryan Ferry and a really bad performance by a backup singer.

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Short Takes - Rolling Stones, Joe Jackson, Phil Spector

The Rolling Stones have split from their manager, Prince Rupert Loewenstein, although he will be retained for advising on some aspects of their career. Lowenstein has been involved with the group for more than forty years. No replacement has been named.

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Joe Jackson told a London audience that he and his band will be going into a Berlin studio next month to start recording a new album for 2008 release.

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Dr. Louis Pena, the coroner who examined Lana Clarkson's body, took the stand today in the Phil Spector trial, stating that it is his opinion that her death was a homicide.

The coroner pointed to a bruise on the actress' tongue that were consistent with a blunt force trauma of something striking her, such as a gun. He also testified that there were bruises on Clarkson's right arm and waist and that she died with her purse over her shoulder which is not normal for someone who is killing themself.

Pena also said that there was no evidence of Clarkson planning a suicide such as putting affairs in order and said she had no history of depression or suicide.

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Liv Tyler has said that her father, Steven Tyler, will soon be announcing that he is leaving Aerosmith. She says that he can't take how the rest of the band is treating him. Of course, this was reported in the New York Daily News, so who knows.

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John Lennon's piano on which he wrote Imagine has been touring the country with stops at places where violent acts have occurred. The next stop was on May 26 at Virginia Tech, the site of the recent killing of 32 students.

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Rolling Stones' 25 Greatest Songs Off Bad Albums

Rolling Stone magazine has released it's weekly list delving into some facet of past music. This week it's 25 great songs from bad albums. Interestingly, Elton John is the only artist to have two records on the list from two different albums. In addition, the vast majority are from artists who started their career in 1985 or before which would lead us to believe that most bad albums since that time are just plain all bad.

1. Under Pressure - Queen (Hot Space)
2. This Is England - Clash (Cut The Crap)
3. Eminence Front - Who (It’s Hard)
4. Brownsville Girl - Bob Dylan (Knocked Out Loaded)
5. Hallo Spaceboy - David Bowie (Outside)
6. Kill Your Sons - Lou Reed (Sally Can’t Dance)
7. 2000 Light Years from Home - Rolling Stones (Their Satanic Majesties Request)
8. Goin’ Home - Neil Young (Are You Passionate)
9. Song For Guy - Elton John (A Single Man)
10. Don’t Look Back - Boston (Don’t Look Back)
11. Jammin’ Me - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Let Me Up I’ve Had Enough)
12. Shipbuilding - Elvis Costello (Punch the Clock)
13. Go Let It Out - Oasis (Standing on the Shoulder of Giants)
14. Big Love - Fleetwood Mac (Tango In the Night)
15. Tonight - Elton John (Blue Moves)
16. Celluloid Heroes - Kinks (Everybody’s in Show-Biz)
17. Country Death Song - Violent Femmes (Hallowed Ground)
18. Busy Doin’ Nothin’ - Beach Boys (Friends)
19. Supernova - Liz Phair (Whip-Smart)
20. The Most Beautiful Girl in the World - Prince (The Gold Experience)
21. Human Touch - Bruce Springsteen (Human Touch)
22. Learning To Fly - Pink Floyd (Momentary Lapse of Reason)
23. I Don’t Want Your Love - Duran Duran (Big Thing)
24. Wild Wild Life - Talking Heads (True Stories)
25. My Love - Wings (Red Rose Speedway)

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Bo Diddley on Mend

A Reuters report today has said that Bo Diddley is resting comfortably back in his home town even though he is still struggling to communicate. The rock legend suffered a stroke while performing on May 13.

Accourding to the report, Diddly has begun humming to himself and listening to country and western music which is a particular favorite. His manager Margo Lewis told Reuters, "When he gets up in the morning he'll hum while he's brushing his teeth. And when he goes to breakfast he'll start humming along (to) a song. It'll just come to his head. He's not saying the words but he's humming the tunes. He's a performer."

At this point, it is unknown how much of his ability to speak and recognize speech he will be able to recover. Lewis said, "His problem is only in getting out the words sometimes, and in understanding. I think it happens more when he's tired or excited."

It's expected that Diddley will stay at the Gainesville, Florida facility for another two weeks before returning to his 60-acre estate for rehabilitation.

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New Releases for Tuesday, May 29, 2007

CDs

• Marc Almond (of Soft Cell) - Stardom Road (Sequel)
  
• Herb Alpert - Rise (Shout! Factory)
• John Anderson - John Anderson 2 (American Beat)
• David Axelrod - Warner/Reprise Recordings:Electric Prunes & Sessions (WEA/Rhino Import)
  
• Jeff Beck - Official Bootleg '06 (Sony Import)
  
• Black Oak Arkansas - Live Mutha! (American Beat)
• Blood Sweat & Tears - Definitive Collection (Sony/BMG Import)
• T-Bone Burnett - Proof Through the Night & the Complete the Trap Do (Rhino Handmade)
  
• Cher - Backstage/Golden Hits (Beat Goes On)
  
• Clancy Brothers with Tommy Makem
  • Best of (Collectables)
  • Irish Folk Songs & Airs (Collectables)
  • Irish Revolutionary Songs (Collectables)
    
• Friends of Distinction - Grazin'/Highly Distinct (Rev-Ola)
  
• Crystal Gayle - We Must Believe/When I Dream
• Tim Hardin - Through the Years 1964 - 1966 (Rare & Unreleased Studio Recordings) (Lilith)
  
• Corey Hart - First Offense/Boy in the Box (Collectables)
• Isley Brothers - Live It Up/Heat Is On (Beat Goes On)
• Gary Moore - Close As You Get (Eagle)
• Aldo Nova - Under the Gun...A Portrait Of (Acadia)
• Ray Price - Essential Ray Price (Sony)
• Judee Sill - Live in London: The BBC Recordings 1972-1973 (Water)
  
• Spinners - Love Trippin' (American Beat)
• Richard Thompson - Sweet Warrior (Shout! Factory)
• Kitty Wells - Country Music Legends (Castle)
  

DVDs

• Beatles - Down Under and On the Road (TBC)
• Beatles - The Making of Help! (MPC Inc.)
• Temptations - Live in London (Hudson Street)
  

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Vintage Clip - Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells

On this date in 1973, Mike Oldfield released Tubular Bells, which would eventually be known as the theme from The Exorcist. The original album was a concept piece that spanned both sides of the record. Even though it was extremely esoteric for the average record buyer, the single version peaked at number seven in the U.S. and the album topped out at number three.

This version is from the 1981 Montreux Jazz Festival and includes the first 8:30 of the piece.

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Police "Open" Tour With Fan Club Show

The Police, in effect, opened their tour on Sunday night with a fan club show for 4,000 at Vancouver's GM Place.

Andy Summers told the Vancouver Sun that they are playing a lot of old favorites but warned concert goers that they might not sound the same.

"We've got all these famous songs, but we look at them like new pieces of material. To a point, we've reworked them, but obviously all the famous riffs are there. You can't play Every Breath You Take without me playing that guitar, obviously."

"We constantly fiddle with them, but because they're alive, they're living, they're not dead. We spent the last two months re-arranging and fiddling around until we felt it was good. (There is) some intensity in the songs that may transcend the original recorded versions."

The opening group for this part of the tour is Fiction Plane, fronted by Sting's son, Joe Sumner, on lead vocals and bass.

The Police played a 21-song, 125-minute concert. The set list:

• Message in a Bottle
• Synchronicity II
• Don't Stand So Close to Me
• Voices Inside My Head"/"When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around
• Spirits in the Material World
• Driven to Tears
• Walking on the Moon
• Truth Hits Everybody
• Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
• Wrapped Around Your Finger
• The Bed's Too Big Without You
• Murder by Numbers
• De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
• Invisible Sun
• Walking in Your Footsteps
• Can't Stand Losing You
• Roxanne
• King of Pain
• So Lonely
• Every Breath You Take
• Next to You

The group played again tonight in Vancouver along with Wednesday night before moving on to Edmonton on Saturday.

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Vintage Clip - Ike & Tina Turner - River Deep, Mountain High

On this date in 1966, Ike and Tina Turner released one of the great Phil Spector produced records, River Deep, Mountain High. In the U.K., it went to number three. The U.S. met it with indifference, with the single peaking at number 88.

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Short Takes - B.B. King, Lars Ulrich

B.B. King received an honorary doctor of music degree on Sunday from Brown University. In accepting the degree, King told the students he was going to do something he'd never done before, launching into an a cappella version of Guess Who.

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Lars Ulrich of Metallica became a father again on Monday with his partner, actress Connie Nielsen. Bryce Thadeus Ulrich-Nielsen joins Nielsen's son, Sebastian and Ulrich's children, Myles and Layne.

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Notable Links:

The story of Henry Padovani, who walked away from being the fourth member of the Police into obscurity, from the London Daily Mail.

David Marks, an original member of the Beach Boys, who left the band after two years when he was only 16, from the Danbury New Times Live.

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Rhino Homemade to Profile Atlantic Records

Rhino Homemade, the limited edition arm of Rhino Records, is set to salute Atlantic Records on its 60th anniversary with three multi-disk retrospectives.

The first set will be available June 12 and will cover the Blues music recorded by Atlantic. The 4-CD set will be housed in a 12" by 12" box with a book of extensive liner notes and rare photographs. Only 3,000 individually numbered sets will be produced. The price will be $79.98.

The label's press release said:

Produced by Billy Vera, Atlantic Blues features 80 tracks culled from the label's first two decades highlighting the wide variety of blues that found a home at Atlantic. It features everything from the gutbucket down-home blues of Blind Willie McTell to the jumping blues of Joe Morris, from the piano blues of Jimmy Yancey and Floyd Dixon to the guitar blues of T-Bone Walker and Otis Rush, from male shouters Joe Turner and Jimmy Witherspoon to female blues performers such as LaVern Baker and Esther Phillips.

The set opens with Atlantic's first hit, "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" by Stick McGhee and His Buddies followed by a procession of influential artists and songs including Professor Longhair's Carnival classic "Mardi Gras In New Orleans"; Joe Morris Blues Cavalcade performing Atlantic's first #1 single, "Anytime, Any Place, Anywhere"; seven songs from "Big" Joe Turner including the smash "Chains Of Love"; three cuts from Aretha Franklin, "Going Down Slow," "Today I Sing The Blues" and "River's Invitation"; plus four feelin'-lowdown tracks from Ray Charles, "Worried Life Blues," "Losing Hand," "Feeling Sad" and a masterful performance of Percy Mayfield's "Two Years Of Torture." Other well-known artists that appear on are Leadbelly, T-Bone Walker, Guitar Slim, Jimmy Witherspoon, LaVern Baker, Freddy King and Otis Rush.

The complete track list for Atlantic Blues (1949-1970):

• Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee - Stick McGhee
• Drank Up All The Wine Last Night - Stick McGhee
• The Razor Ball - Barrelhouse Sammy
• Last Dime Blues - Barrelhouse Sammy
• Mardi Gras In New Orleans - Roy "Baldhead" Boyd
• Hey Now Baby - Professor Longhair
• She Walks Right In - Professor Longhair
• Tee-Nah-Nah - Harry Van Walls
• Let's Do It - Stick McGhee
• House Warmin' Boogie - Stick McGhee
• Dallas Bepop Blues - Lawyer Houston
• In The Army Since 1941 - Soldier Boy Houston
• Goodnight Irene - Leadbelly
• Vicksburg Blues '51 - Little Brother Montgomery
• Talkin' Blues - Little Brother Montgomery
• Yancey Special - Jimmy Yancey
• Santa Fe Blues - Jimmy & Mama Yancey
• Monkey Woman Blues - Jimmy & Mama Yancey
• Worried Life Blues - Ray Charles
• All Night Lover Blues - Jimmy "Baby Face" Lewis
• Jump, Everybody, Jump - Joe Morris Blues Cavalcade
• Anytime, Any Place, Anywhere" - Joe Morris Blues Cavalcade
• I'm So Good To You (Pretty Baby) - Jimmy "Baby Face" Lewis
• Rock Me Daddy - Joe Morris Blues Cavalcade
• Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! - Joe Morris Blues Cavalcade
• Chains Of Love - Joe Turner
• Bump Miss Susie - Joe Turner
• Let's Get Together And Make Some Love - Jimmy Lewis
• Every Time - Lil Green
• I've Got That Feeling - Lil Green
• Sweet Sixteen - Joe Turner
• Alarm Clock Boogie - Odelle Turner
• Messin' Up - Chuck Norris
• Losing Hand - Ray Charles
• Feeling Sad - Ray Charles
• TV Mama - Joe Turner
• Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop - Joe Turner
• Last Call For Whiskey - Choker Campbell
• Tipitina - Professor Longhair
• Who's Been Fooling You - Professor Longhair
• Big Foot May - Hal Paige
• In The Evening - Joe Turner
• Roll Baby Roll - Floyd Dixon
• Wait Baby - Little Johnny Jones
• Hoy Hoy - Little Johnny Jones
• Chicago Blues - Little Johnny Jones
• Hey Bartender - Floyd Dixon
• When I Get Lucky - Floyd Dixon
• Floyd's Blues - Floyd Dixon
• Papa Ain't Salty - T-Bone Walker
• Play On Little Girl - T-Bone Walker
• T-Bone Blues Special - T-Bone Walker
• Roll 'Em Pete - Joe Turner
• Piney Brown Blues - Joe Turner
• Down Through The Years - Guitar Slim
• It's Too Late - Chuck Willis
• Ain't Nobody's Business - Jimmy Witherspoon
• How Long Blues - Jimmy Witherspoon
• T-Bone Blues - T-Bone Walker
• Call It Stormy Monday - T-Bone Walker
• After The Lights Go Down Low - Al Hibbler
• Empty Bed Blues - LaVern Baker
• Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out - LaVern Baker
• Preaching The Blues - LaVern Baker
• Nasty Boogie - Champion Jack Dupree
• Junker's Blues - Champion Jack Dupree
• Along About Midnight - Guitar Slim
• My Time Is Expensive - Guitar Slim
• Trouble In Mind - Jimmy Ricks
• Romance In The Dark - Jimmy Ricks
• Two Years Of Torture - Ray Charles
• I'm Gettin' 'Long Alright - Esther Phillips
• Confessin' The Blues - Esther Phillips
• Cherry Red - Esther Phillips
• Going Down Slow - Aretha Franklin
• Today I Sing The Blues - Aretha Franklin
• River's Invitation - Aretha Franklin
• Play It Cool - Freddie King
• I Don't Know - Freddie King

Atlantic Soul (1959-1975) will be released in August and Atlantic Vocal Groups (1951-1963) will be out in the Fall.

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Bio-Pic of Joy Division Singer Wins Three Awards at Cannes

Control, the biopic of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, walked away with three awards at the Cannes Film Festival.

Although shown outside the main competition, the move won the big award in the Director's Fortnight section of the festival, receiving the CICAE Art & Essai award for Best Film. It also won the Regards Jeunes award for best first or second directed feature film and the Europa Cinemas Label for Best European Film.

Directed by photographer Anton Corbijn, the film depicts Curtis' life through his suicide in 1980 at the height of the group's popularity. Sam Riley plays Curtis while Samantha Morton plays his wife Deborah. All of the Joy Division music in the film was recreated by the actors playing their own instruments.

The Europa Cinemas jury said, "This is a very impressive and assured debut from a renowned photographer, but he never allows the look of the film, beautiful though it is, to detract from the powerful story and character development.

"The performances are all excellent, not just the leading characters. We feel that this is a film that will strike a real chord with audiences around Europe, and not just with music lovers."

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Vintage Clip - Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen

It was thirty years ago today that the Sex Pistols released God Save the Queen.

The group had a rocky start, being signed and released by both EMI and A&M before they released their first record. Finally, Virgin signed them and released their first single, God Save the Queen. The record sold 100,000 copies in the first week in the U.K., reaching number two, even though the BBC banned the song and it received little airplay.

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Short Takes - Bo Diddley, Sister Sledge, Grass Roots

Bo Diddley has left Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska where he had been treated for the last eleven days for a stroke. He is now in Shands Medical Center at the University of Florida in his hometown of Gainesville, Florida where he will continue treatment and therapy.

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Florence Kathy Sledge, the mother and business manager for her daughter's group, Sister Sledge (We Are Family), passed away on May 17 at the age of 79.

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Chris Merrell, guitarist for the Grass Roots for the last eleven years, will be playing his last show with them this weekend. Merrell has been diagnosed with both prostate and bone cancer.

Rob Grill, lead singer and the only original member still with the group, has organized a Sunday night benefit concert for Merrell who is leaving the group because touring is now physically taxing.

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A Clockwork Orange starring.......Mick Jagger? It almost happened according the the final lead, Malcolm McDowell at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

When talk of making the film first surfaced, the Rolling Stones owned the rights to the Anthony Burgess book and Mick wanted the role. Fortunately for McDowell, Stanley Kubrick was able to obtain the rights and history was made.

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Notable Links:

Leonard Cohen from Toronto's Globe & Mail.

Bowzer's (Sha-Na-Na) fight against musical impostors from Newsweek.

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Vintage Clip - Rolling Stones & Howlin' Wolf

On this date in 1965, the Rolling Stones performed on Shindig with their idol Howlin' Wolf.

This clip contains almost ten minutes of that Shindig show, including two songs performed by the Stones. The Howlin' Wolf song, How Many More Years, is at the end and is, unfortunately, cut off before the end of the song.

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Chart Watch - May 25, 2007

Our weekly recap of classic artists on the current music charts.

Top 100 Albums

34. Live in Concert 2006 - Barbra Streisand - Down from 7 (2 weeks)
    
35. Snakes & Arrows - Rush - Down from 20 (3 weeks)
67. It Just Comes Natural - George Strait - Up from 106 (33 weeks)
    
84. Rocket Man: Number Ones - Elton John - Down from 55 (8 weeks)
99. Love - Beatles - Down from 90 (26 weeks)

Top 50 Singles

• None

Top 50 R&B Albums

19. Deeper Still - Rick James - Premier (1 week)
    
22. In My Songs - Gerald Levert - Down from 13 (14 weeks)
23. We're About the Business - Chuck Brown - Down from 20 (4 weeks)
    

Top 25 Country Albums

13. It Just Comes Natural - George Strait - Up from 25 (33 weeks)
    

Top 25 Pop Catalog Albums

8. Cross Road - Bon Jovi - Down from 2 (223 weeks)
11. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd - Up from 18 (1,555 weeks)
12. Greatest Hits - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band - No Change (652 weeks)
13. Back in Black - AC/DC - Up from 17 (779 weeks)
16. Greatest Hits - Queen - Up from 20 (683 weeks)
18. Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi - Down from 11 (227 weeks)
19. Legend - Bob Marley & the Wailers - Down from 30 (895 weeks)
20. Very Best of: Sounds of Summer - Beach Boys - Up from 28 (200 weeks)
21. Metallica - Metallica - Up from 37 (795 weeks)
24. Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits - Creedence Clearwater Revival - Up from 32 (539 weeks)
25. The Definitive Collection - Stevie Wonder - Up from 31 (169 weeks)

Top 50 European Albums

10. 12 - Herbert Grönemeyer - Up from 12 (11 weeks)
19. Hymn For My Soul - Joe Cocker - Up from 19 (7 weeks)
31. Stay - Simply Red - Up from 49 (10 weeks)
45. Rocket Man: Number Ones - Elton John - Down from 28 (8 weeks)

Top 50 European Singles

• None

Top Concerts

1. Elton John - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace - Las Vegas, NV - $3.185 million

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