How Well Do You Know Your Irish Music?

The Irish Times entertainment magazine, The Ticket, called on four of their music writers to choose the top forty Irish albums. Brian Boyd , Jim Carroll , Kevin Courtney and Tony Clayton-Lea put together their ranked lists and the results were compiled (40 points for number one, 39 for two, etc.) and a master list assembled.

Here are the results, with ties (of which there were many) noted:

1. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine
2. Achtung Baby - U2
3. I Am the Greatest - A House
4. Ghostown - The Radiators (tie)
5. Astral Weeks - Van Morrison
6. The Clock Comes Down the Stairs - Microdisney
7. Horsedrawn Wishes - Rollerskate Skinny
8. Rum, Sodomy & the Lash - Pogues
9. The Undertones - The Undertones
10. Heartworm - Whipping Boy
11. 1977 - Ash
12. Raytown Revisited - The Blades
13. Live & Dangerous - Thin Lizzy
14. The Joshua Tree - U2
15. Troublegum - Therapy?
16. Planxty - Planxty
17. Let's Get Killed - David Holmes
18. Speak Slowly - The Stars of Heaven
19. Inflammable Material - Stiff Little Fingers
20. House of a Different Color - Revenants
21. Sacred Heart Hotel - The Stars of Heaven
22. Boy - U2
23. Last Man in Europe - The Blades
24. Isn't Anything - My Bloody Valentine
25. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got - Sinead O'Connor
26. Moondance - Van Morrison
27. Eyes Open - Snow Patrol
28. Promenade - The Divine Comedy
29. Live in Europe - Rory Gallagher (Tie)
30. It's Too Late to Stop Now - Van Morrison
31. Music in Mouth - Bell X1
32. Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can't We? - The Cranberries (Tie)
33. For the Birds - The Frames
34. Stuck Together With God's Glue - Something Happens (Tie)
35. Live in Seattle - Martin Hayes & Denis Cahill
36. Hawaii - The High Llamas (Tie)
37. Hypnotised - The Undertones (Tie)
38. O - Damien Rice
39. If I Should Fall From Grace With God - The Pogues
40. Crooked Mile - Microdisney
    

To see the full article with commentary on each album, go to the Irish Times' website.

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Short Takes - Boy George, John Waite, Paul Stanley, more

Boy George has plead not guilty to a charge of imprisoning a 28-year-old Norwegian man last year. The trial is scheduled to start in November.

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England's Classic Rock is reporting that John Waite is forming a new group with Audley Freed (Black Crowes), Ian McLagan (Faces), Simon Kirke (Free, Bad Company) and Tim Hogan.

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The soundtrack to the TV series Heroes will be released March 18 and includes tracks from Bob Dylan (Man in the Long Black Coat), David Bowie (Heroes), Iggy Pop (He's Frank with Brighton Port Authority) and Prince collaborators Wendy & Lisa (four cuts).

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There is a new rumor floating around Las Vegas that Paul Stanley is about to take the lead roll in Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular, based on the musical Phantom of the Opera. Stanley played the roll in Toronto during two separate runs in 1999.

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Roseanne Cash will do her first performance since undergoing brain surgery last September on Saturday night in Tampa Bay, Florida.

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Herschel "Speedy" Haworth, Jr., who played guitar on the TV show Ozark Jubilee along with working with the Porter Wagoner Trio, passed away Tuesday at the age of 85. He had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease.

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Country Music Museum Saluting the Williams Family

The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum has announced March 28 as the opening day for their new exhibit, Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy. The exhibition runs through December 31, 2009.

The over 5,000-square-foot exhibition will take the visitor through the life of Hank Williams and his descendants. Museum Director Kyle Young says, “The Williams family story may seem familiar; however, this exhibit will take the visitor inside the family to revisit the life and impact of Hank Williams, examine the struggles and musical successes of his only son, Randall Hank Williams, and study the direct descendants, who are now striving within a new generation of artists, all measuring themselves by the example of Hank Williams.”

The exhibit received the full cooperation of Hanks children, Hank Williams, Jr., Lycrecia Williams Hoover and Jett Williams along with Hank's children Hillary, Holly and Shelton (now Hank Williams III).

Per Young, “Independently of each other, they each agreed to sit for lengthy oral history interviews that have allowed us to tell a new story in their voices. Now, 55 years after Hank Williams’ death, Lycrecia Hoover joins her brother, his children and Jett Williams to help them collectively address their legacy for the first time. They have opened their hearts and their archives to facilitate a fascinating story told from their perspectives and with their personal heirlooms.

“These are ordinary lives made extraordinary by an alignment of talent and bedrock values, and by the quests for personal and professional identity that continue to move each generation through the earthly joy and sorrow of the times they live in. We fully expect that Family Tradition will be recognized as a story that will preserve country music history and bring it home to thousands of visitors in search of community, family entertainment, intellectual diversity and cultural competence.”

Included in the exhibit are over 200 items along with many audiovisual samples, with talk and music from all the family members playing throughout the rooms.

Throughout the exhibits twenty-one month run, there will be numerous concerts and programs, starting with an opening day talk and performance by Hank Williams, Jr. Jett Williams takes the stage on April 12.

Opening later this year will be the exhibit Kitty Wells, Queen of Country Music. It runs August 2008 through June 2009.

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Carly Simon Moves to Hear Music For New Album

Carly Simon is following in the footsteps of Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell and ex-husband James Taylor in signing with Starbucks' Hear Music label. Her new album, This Kind of Love, will be released on April 29.

The album is her first of original material since 2000's The Bedroom Tapes with two albums of standards released in the intervening years. She is teaming with Jimmy Webb and Frank Filipetti who also worked with Simon on her Film Noir album (1997).

Simon said that the album has a Brazilian feel. "You don't have to be singing bossa nova or samba to get the essence" of Brazilian music. There are songs that fit no one rhythm or generic type or song progression."

The track list for This Kind of Love:

• This Kind of Love
• Hold Out Your Heart
• People Say A Lot
• Island
• How Could You Ever Forget
• Hola Soleil
• In My Dreams
• When We're Together
• So Many People
• They Just Want You To Be There
• Last Samba
• Sangre Dolce
• Too Soon to Say Goodbye

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Mike Smith, Singer for the Dave Clark Five, Dies

Mike Smith, lead singer for the Dave Clark Five, passed away this morning at the age of 64. The cause of death was attributed to pneumonia as a complication from a spinal chord injury he received in 2003 that left him paralyzed below the ribs.

Smith first met Dave Clark while playing on the soccer team for the St. George's Boy's Club. A number of years later, at age 17, Clark asked him to join his band to replace a departed lead singer and Smith took on the roles of lead, pianist, organist and, later in the band's career, guitarist. From 1964 to 1967, the group amassed seventeen top forty hits in the U.S., including eight which reached the top ten.

After the breakup of the group in 1970, Smith went on to work as a producer and songwriter and became very successful in the realm of commercial jingles.

In the late-90's, Smith went back to performing, although Dave Clark refused to let him mention the band's name in any advertising and was keeping the recordings under lock-and-key instead of capitalizing on the reissue market. Still, Smith's tours were successful until 2003 when his son died in a diving accident and, just weeks later, he was paralyzed in a fall in his home.

As a songwriter, Smith wrote Bits & Pieces, Can't You See That She's Mine, Glad All Over and Having a Wild Weekend among others.

Smith had planned to travel to New York for the March 10 induction of the Dave Clark Five into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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Keith Richards Says Jagger is a Bit of a Maniac

Keith Richards has come out and said that Rolling Stones' bandmate Mick Jagger is a "power freak," "vain," and a "maniac" but that's not all bad as his drive is what has made the band such a long-term success.

Talking to British magazine Uncut, Richards said, "Mick's a maniac. He can't get up in the morning without knowing immediately who he's going to call.

"Meanwhile, I just go 'Thank God I'm awake' and wait for three or four hours before I do anything.

“He is a power freak and there's nothing we can do about it. I don't want to do anything about it. Let him bugger about. It doesn't make any difference to what we do."

As far as stage presence, Richards added, "He's a bit vain, let's put it like that. We want a vain bloke up there, don't we? Meanwhile, the band can go to work. Vanity will not carry a band. But a band can carry vanity."

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John Lennon - The Ice Cream

Ben & Jerry's has announced a new flavor called Imagine Whirled Peace, which appears to have the blessing of John Lennon's people (or Yoko) as a facsimile signature and Lennon's self-portrait are on the carton. We especially like the fudge peace signs.

From the Ben & Jerry website:

"When Ben & Jerry's wanted to talk about peace, we couldn't think of a better person to exemplify the message than John Lennon. Through his art and lyrics he imagined a world without war and asked us all to 'Give Peace a Chance'. We hope this whirly mixture of toffee cookies and fudge peace signs enlightens your bellies and souls and makes you ask what you can do to promote peace in your lives."

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Idol Gets Beatles Catalog

On Wednesday morning, Ryan Seacrest announced on his radio show that the producers of American Idol have finally received permission from Sony/ATV Music Publishing to use the songs of John Lennon & Paul McCartney, Paul McCartney's solo compositions, Lennon & McCartney with Ringo Starr and songs penned by all four Beatles. Not included in the deal are songs written exclusively by George Harrison.

Up until now, the only Beatle whose music had been used on the top rated show was John Lennon, and that was usually confined to multiple performances of Imagine. This new agreement opens the floodgates on hundreds of songs although it is unclear if there are any that have been deemed off-limits.

Producer Simon Lythgoe told Seacrest, "It's something we've waited for for seven seasons now. Sony has agreed to release the Lennon and McCartney songbook to us."

We will leave it up to you, dear reader, to decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

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Short Takes - R.E.M., Grandmaster Flash, Reba McEntire, more

BBC2 will broadcast R.E.M.'s March 24 Royal Albert Hall concert live. Also playing the benefit concert are Robyn Hitchcock, Foals and Duke Spirit. BBC2 can be streamed over the internet.

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Paul McCartney will learn how much of his fortune will go to Heather Mills on March 17 when Justice Hugh Bennett will make his decision in the case.

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Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Grandmaster Flash has launched the new version of his website at www.grandmasterflash.com. His biography, My Life My Beats, will hit bookstores on June 10. It is written by David Ritz who also penned bios of Marvin Gaye and Ray Charles.

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Reba McEntire will return for her tenth stint hosting the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 18. She has eleven ACM awards on 41 nominations.

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Gene Simmons has written on his official site that the sex tape that was released last week had been used in the past to try to blackmail him.

"You should know for the record, the garbage was recorded without my knowledge and is a page from my past. It happened and there's nothing I can do to repair that. The black-and-white footage may have been decades old.

"The entity behind the garbage has repeatedly tried to make money off of this and we have always refused. This is not the first time the entity has tried to blackmail and extort us. We have always refused and we will continue to refuse."

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The Beastie Boys are back in the studio working on their next album. They are working at Adam Yauch's Oscilloscope Studios in lower Manhattan.

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Ace Frehley has named his upcoming album Pain in the Neck. It should be out sometime this spring.

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Mattel is reportedly preparing a new Barbie's line release for June of Elvis & Priscilla Presley.

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Deep Purple 4-DVD Live Box Coming to the U.K.

The Deep Purple website The Highway Star is reporting that a 4-DVD box set of live and documentary material is being prepared by Edel and being released by Eagle Vision in the U.K. on May 19. At this time, there is no mention of this product coming to any other part of the world but, since Eagle Vision does release in the U.S., I would expect an announcement to be forthcoming.

According to the press release, "This stunning set features three full Deep Purple concerts, highlights of a fourth, interviews with the band members and a new documentary telling the full Deep Purple story from their beginnings up to the present day with an emphasis on the Steve Morse era; presented in a hard-back bookstyle picture sleeve complete with a 32-page specially commissioned book written by Joel McIver (Classic Rock magazine) and is illustrated with photographs from the era covered by the concerts)."

The set has full concerts from 1995 (Bombay, India), 1999 (Australia) and England (2002) along with selected cuts from a 1995 Seoul, South Korea show. Documentaries include the 1999 A Band Down Under, a 2002 interview with Ian Gillian & Roger Glover and a new "definitive documentary of Deep Purple in the Steve Morse era."

Track list:

• DVD 1
• Bombay Calling, India 1995
• Fireball
  
• Maybe I’m A Leo
  
• Black Night
  
• The Battle Rages On
  
• Woman From Tokyo
  
• Perpendicular Waltz
  
• When A Blind Man Cries
  
• Perfect Strangers
  
• Pictures Of Home
  
• Child In Time
  
• Anya
  
• Space Truckin’
  
• Guitar Solo
  
• Lazy
  
• Speed King
  
• Highway Star
  
• Smoke On The Water
• Seoul, South Korea 1995
• Black Night
  
• Woman From Tokyo
  
• When A Blind Man Cries
  
• Perfect Strangers
  
• Child In Time
  
• Speed King
  
• Highway Star
  
• Smoke On The Water
• Disc 2
• Total Abandon, Australia 1999
• Ted The Mechanic
  
• Strange Kind Of Woman
  
• Bloodsucker
  
• Pictures Of Home
  
• Almost Human
  
• Woman From Tokyo
  
• Watching The Sky
  
• Fireball
  
• Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming
  
• Guitar Solo
  
• Smoke On The Water
  
• Lazy
  
• Perfect Strangers
  
• Speed King
  
• Black Night
  
• Highway Star
• Disc 3
• Live at the NEC, England 2002
• Fireball
  
• Woman From Tokyo
  
• Mary Long
  
• Ted The Mechanic
  
• Lazy
  
• The Well Dressed Guitar
  
• When A Blind Man Cries
  
• Space Truckin’
  
• Keyboard Solo
  
• Perfect Strangers
  
• Speed King
  
• Guitar Solo
  
• Smoke On The Water
  
• Hush
  
• Black Night
  
• Highway Star

We will keep an eye out for any announcement of a release outside of the U.K. If you are thinking of buying an import of the set, be forewarned that the U.K. release is in the PAL format and is not compatible with U.S. video players.

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Buddy Miles (1947-2008)

Legendary drummer Buddy Miles passed away on Tuesday at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 60.

Miles started playing the drums at nine and joined his father's band, the BeBops, three years later. Later in his teens, he backed artists like the Ink Spots and the Delfonics.

In 1966, he joined Wilson Pickett's revue where he was noticed by Mike Bloomfield. Bloomfield talked Miles into working on his new project, The Electric Flag, and the new group recorded the soundtrack to the movie The Trip and debuted their live act at the Monterrey Pop Festival in 1967. Their first album under their own name, A Long Time Comin', was seen as a bit of a hodge-podge mix of blues and soul-rock along with being an early precursor of jazz-rock. Even so, the public was interested and it peaked at number thirty-one on the album charts.

Pressures within the band had members leaving the next year and Miles headed up what was left to record their second album, The Electric Flag. That 1969 release was nowhere near as successful and the group eventually disbanded.

Miles next tried his own group, The Buddy Miles Express, who recorded the 1968 album Expressway to Your Skull with the help of Jimi Hendrix in the production chair. The pair collaborated again on Miles follow-up, Electric Church, along with Hendrix' own Electric Ladyland, which went to number one on the album chart.

In the latter part of 1969, Hendrix broke up the Experience and formed Band of Gypsies with Miles on Drums and Billy Cox on bass. Miles only stayed with the group into early 1970, but stayed long enough to record the Hendrix classic Band of Gypsies album.

1971's Them Changes proved to be Miles greatest success as a solo artist, staying on the charts for over a year and peaking at number 35 on the pop album, fourteen on the black album and eight on the jazz album charts. Throughout the 70's, Miles partnered with artists like John McLaughlin (1970's Devotion), Carlos Santana (1972's Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live!) along with a few other solo projects. Personal problems, though, took him away from the business for much of the late-70's and early-80's.

In 1986, Miles returned to the business in a most unusual way, becoming the lead singer for the animated California Raisins, an advertising campaign that spun off into a series of albums. Later in the decade, he became lead vocalist of Santana followed by work with Bootsy Collins, a new version of the Express and a number of other projects.

A statement on the Buddy Miles website reads:

"It is with tremendous sadness that we must share with all Buddy's fans around the world that Buddy passed away peacefully and quietly at his home last night (Tuesday, February 26, 2008) in Austin, Texas surrounded by his family. Buddy will be greatly missed as a wonderful person and as a truly gifted musician who gave so much to so many through the years.

The family ask for your prayers and that you respect their privacy. A tribute show will be announced within a short period of time and all are welcome to come and share in the magic that was Buddy Miles.

Fans, friends and family will all join in a celebration of the life and music of this talented and big hearted musician, so we hope everyone can be a part of this fond farewell.

God Bless each of you, Buddy truly appreciated EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU."

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Carole King's Tapestry: Legacy Edition Coming April 15

Epic/Ode/Legacy will issue Carole King's Tapestry: Legacy Edition on April 15 in a two-CD set.

The release will not only bring a newly remastered version of the classic album, but a second CD of the album, in the same running order, but taken from live shows from 1973 (Boston, Columbia, Maryland and New York's Central Park), and 1976 (San Francisco Opera House). In all cases, the live version is just King singing and playing piano.

This album concept has been a long-time ambition of the original producer, Lou Adler and marks King's fiftieth anniversary in the music business. She recorded her first single, The Right Girl, in 1958 shortly after graduating high school, meeting writing partner and future husband Gerry Goffin, and signing to Al Nevins and Don Kirshner's Aldon Music. Up until the release of Tapestry, King was mainly known as a songwriter of some of the most beloved songs of the era and only managed one top forty hit as a singer (1962's It Might As Well Rain Until September).

King commented on the lasting impact of Tapestry, "I feel honored that Tapestry has made a difference in small ways and large ways in people's lives around the world. It's been a major part of my life, too. As a songwriter, I'm so happy that the songs have held up for all of these years. As a performer, I'm still enjoying playing them live, most recently on my Living Room Tour."

The track list (for those who don't remember) with Disc 1 being the original album and Disc 2 being the live versions:

• I Feel The Earth Move
• So Far Away
• It's Too Late
• Home Again
• Beautiful
• Way Over Yonder
• You've Got A Friend
• Where You Lead
• Will You Love Me Tomorrow?
• Smackwater Jack
• Tapestry
• (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman

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Short Takes - Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Joy Division, more

The North Korean government has invited Eric Clapton to play, the first time a western rock star has been given the opportunity.

An unnamed official of the government said, "Eric Clapton is a well-known musician and guitarist, famous throughout the world. It will be a good opportunity for Western music to be understood better by Koreans."

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Each year, different artists and luminaries make the introductions for each new member being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This year's group is:

• Justin Timberlake (Madonna)
• Lou Reed (Leonard Cohen)
• Billy Joel (John Mellencamp)
• Ben Harper (Little Walter)
• Tom Hanks (Dave Clark Five)
• Jerry Butler (Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff)
• John Fogerty (Ventures)

The ceremony is March 10 in New York.

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Awhile back, there was a report that Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch was no longer in danger from the singer's debts. Evidently, that wasn't true as the property will be foreclosed and sold on March 19 unless Jackson pays an estimated $24.5 million.

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Entertainment Weekly has reported that the name for the new Madonna album will be Hard Candy.

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Ali Campbell played his last show as lead singer of UB40 last Saturday night at the Lugogo Cricket Oval in Uganda.

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A new documentary on Joy Division will be released in the U.K. on May 2. The film is directed by Grant Gee who also did the Radiohead documentary Meeting People is Easy. Previously unseen live footage, photos, and audio is being used along with interviews with the surviving band members and the late Tony Wilson, the head of Factory Records.

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Sonic Past Music is reporting that they are working on the masters for an album made by Jackdaw in 1990 and 1991 but never released. The members of the group were John McFee and Keith Knudsen of the Doobie Brothers and Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater Revival. No date has been set for release.

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Stephen King and John Mellencamp are collaborating on a Broadway musical called Ghost Brothers of Darkland County. The show is scheduled to open in April 2009 at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre.

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Apple is now the second biggest music retailer in the United States, right behind Wal-Mart.

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Eddie Money Going Country

Eddie Money has recorded a new album of some of his early hits but adjusted them for the country market.

The Other Side of Money will be released by Big 7 Records, a small Northern California label founded by Dennis Sanfillipo who won the state's lottery over a decade ago. He has been friends with Money for some time and was instrumental in getting him to try a new genre.

Included on the album will be remakes of Two Tickets to Paradise, Hard Life and the first single, Give Me Some Water. The latter was recorded in Nashville with the help of Vince Gill and co-produced by John Ford Coley.

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Clapton/Winwood Set-Lists (Updated)

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood opened their three-night stand at Madison Square Garden on Monday to a sold out audience. The pair, along with Chris Stanton on keyboard, Willie Weeks on bass and Ian Thomas on drums, performed a two-hour plus, twenty-one song set.

The set list:

• Had To Cry Today
• Low Down
• Forever Man
• Them Changes
• Sleeping In The Ground
• Presence Of The Lord
• Glad /
  
• Well Alright
• Double Trouble
• Pearly Queen
• Tell The Truth
• No Face
• After Midnight
• Split Decision
• Ramblin On My Mind (Clapton solo acoustic)
• Georgia On My Mind (Winwood solo Hammond organ)
• Little Wing
• Voodoo Chile
• Can't Find My Way Home
• Dear Mr Fantasy

Encore

• Crossroads

Update: Tuesday night show

The Tuesday night show used the same set-list except Can't Find My Way Home was followed by Cocaine with the encore being Dear Mr. Fantasy.

Update: Thursday night show

The Thursday night show used the Tuesday set list (Cocaine end/Dear Mr. Fantasy encore); however, Clapton's solo acoustic song was Kind Hearted Woman Blues.

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Rolling Stones' Shine a Light Soundtrack(s) Coming April 1

The Rolling Stones will release the soundtrack from Martin Scorsese's concert film, Shine a Light, on April 1 via Interscope.

The set will come as either a 16-track single CD or a 22-track two-CD set, along with the new USB stick format.

The film was shot on October 29 and November 1 of last year at the Beacon Theatre in New York. The premier was held last month with the opening scheduled for April 4 in New York and a couple of weeks later in London. Most showing will be on IMAX screens.

Single-CD version of Shine a Light:

• Jumping Jack Flash
• She Was Hot
• All Down the Line
• Loving Cup
• As Tears Go By
• Some Girls
• Just My Imagination
• Faraway Eyes
• Champagne & Reefer
• You Got the Silver
• Connection
• Sympathy for the Devil
• Live With Me
• Start Me Up
• Brown Sugar

Double-CD version of Shine a Light:

• Disc 1
  
• Jumping Jack Flash
• Shattered
  
• She Was Hot
• All Down the Line
• Loving Cup
• As Tears Go By
• Some Girls
• Just My Imagination
• Faraway Eyes
• Champagne & Reefer
• Tumbling Dice
  
• You Got the Silver
• Connection
• Disc 2
  
• Sympathy for the Devil
• Live With Me
• Start Me Up
• Brown Sugar
• (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
• Paint It Black (not in film)
  
• Little T&A (not in film)
• I'm Free (not in film)
• Shine a Light (not in film)

Single-CD: Double-CD:

USB Stick:

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Short Takes - Monkees, Madonna, Sting, more

Former Monkee Peter Tork is now an advice columnist at the site The Daily Panic.

Panic editor Therra Cathryn Gwyn said, "It just seemed a natural addition for Peter, as far as I could see. Peter is incredibly patient. I have watched him sit and listen to people's problems, at times people he barely knew, for far longer than most of us would and in the end give them good, solid advice. Luckily for us, he's both book-smart and savvy in life experience."

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Expect the new Madonna album, due April 29, to be "a very different sound for her," according to co-producer Nate "Danja" Hills. Danja explains, "She wanted up-tempo, dance, club music, and for everything to have a hip-hop underlining."

Danja is producing along with Timbaland and Pharrell Williams. The first single is Four Minutes to Save the World, co-written by Justin Timberlake.

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According to the Times of London, Sir George Martin has apologized to Pete Best for making the decision to replace Best's drumming with Ringo Starr's on Love Me Do. According to Martin, "I felt guilty. Maybe I was the catalyst that had changed his life."

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Sting is starting to get excited about the end of his tour with the Police. According to the singer, he hasn't been able to do any writing on the road.

"I don't write on the road. Never do it. I need some peace and quiet, which is why I got that place in Italy.

"I'll go there and wait for inspiration or I'll go for long walks and think what have I learned in the past couple of years and what I can put into songs that people will find interesting.

"I don't want to make a noise for the sake of making a noise. I want to actually say something for myself and for the people who listen to me."

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People who purchase a copy of Carlene Carter's new CD, Stronger, will receive a code that will allow them to download a bonus song called When the Long Road Ends. Stronger is set for a March 4 release from Yep Roc.

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Well, it looks like Paul Mawhinney did NOT sell his huge record collection last week on eBay. The winning bidder had reportedly already put down a deposit, but a new report today says that the winning bidder knew nothing about the bid and had evidently had his account stolen.

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Rolling Stones' Best Female Fronted Bands

This week's Rolling Stone readers/critics list compiles the Best Female Fronted Bands.

The results are a little sketchy, depending on how you define band. Were the Ronettes, the Crystals and the Shangri-Las not bands (or were they just groups)? Were the Runaways somehow not as good as Le Tigre and L7? This list is definitely one that could be debated at length.

Here is the list with the classic era artists in bold:

1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Karen O)
   
2. Blondie (Debbie Harry)
   
3. Garbage (Shirley Manson)
   
4. Hole (Courtney Love)
   
5. Heart (Ann & Nancy Wilson)
   
6. Sleater-Kinney (Carrie Brownstein, Janet Weiss and Corin Tucker)
7. No Doubt (Gwen Stefani)
   
8. Rilo Kiley (Jenny Lewis)
   
9. Pretenders (Chrissie Hynde)
   
10. Jefferson Airplane (Grace Slick)
    
11. Breeders (Kim Deal)
    
12. Siouxsie & the Banshees (Siouxsie Sioux)
13. Portishead (Beth Gibbons)
    
14. Be Your Own Pet (Jamina Pearl)
    
15. Sugarcubes (Bjork)
    
16. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
    
17. Big Brother & the Holding Company (Janis Joplin)
    
18. X-Ray Spex (Poly Styrene)
    
19. Le Tigre (Kathleen Hannah, JD Samson and Johanna Fateman)
20. Go-Go's (Belinda Carlisle)
    
21. Metric (Emily Haines)
    
22. Paramour (Hayley Williams)
    
23. L7 (Donita Sparks)
    
24. Gossip (Beth Ditto)
    
25. Babes in Toyland (Kat Bjelland)
    

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Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul Gets Deluxe Treatment

Rhino Records has announced an April 22 release date for the new 2-CD reissue of Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul.

The original album was recorded in 1966 in 24 hours with the Stax house band, which included Isaac Hayes and Booker T. & the MG's. The majority of the album is covers of other's soul hits, along with three originals. The most notable tracks are I've Been Loving You Too Long and Respect.

The album is being issued with the mono version on one disc and the stereo on the other, with the balance of each disc being filled out with B-sides, alternate mixes and live performances.

The track list:

Disc 1

• Ole Man Trouble
• Respect
• Change Gonna Come
• Down in the Valley
• I've Been Loving You Too Long
• Shake
• My Girl
• Wonderful World
• Rock Me Baby
• Satisfaction
• You Don't Miss Your Water
• I've Been Loving You Too Long (Mono Mix of Stereo Album Version)
• I'm Depending on You (Previously unreleased)
• Respect (Mono Mix of Stereo Album Version)
• Ole Man Trouble (Mono Mix of Stereo Album Version)
• Any Ole Way (Previously unreleased)
• Shake (Live 1967, Stereo Mix of Single Version)
• Ole Man Trouble (Live at the Whisky a Go Go)
• Respect (Live at the Whisky a Go Go)
• I've Been Loving You Too Long (Live at the Whisky a Go Go)
• Satisfaction (Live at the Whisky a Go Go)
• I'm Depending on You (Live at the Whisky a Go Go)
• Any Ole Way (Live at the Whisky a Go Go)

Disc 2

• Ole Man Trouble
• Respect
• Change Gonna Come
• Down in the Valley
• I've Been Loving You Too Long
• Shake
• My Girl
• Wonderful World
• Rock Me Baby
• Satisfaction
• You Don't Miss Your Water
• Respect (1967 Version)
• I've Been Loving You Too Long (Live in Europe)
• My Girl (Live in Europe)
• Shake (Live in Europe)
• Satisfaction (Live in Europe)
• Respect (Live in Europe)

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Oscar After-Parties

Half the fun of the Oscar's is the after-parties and this year's appear to have had some very exciting moments.

Prince's party was attended by winners Javier Bardem and Tilda Swinton along with other luminaries. Prince performed on what was reportedly a tiny stage and covered a number of his hits along with a cover version of Le Freak.

As Prince wound down, he invited special guest Stevie Wonder to the stage where they improvised a new song and played a number of Stevie hits, plus a cover of Thank You For Lettin Me B Mice Elf Agin.

The final hour included more Prince with help from other artists like John Legend.

Meanwhile, Elton John had his sixteenth annual post-Oscars shindig for his AIDS foundation. Over 750 attended, including best actress winner Marion Cotillard, and the proceedings reportedly raised $5.1 million.

For the first time in several years, Elton played a full eleven-song set with a band and covered a number of his best known such as Tiny Dancer and Rocket Man.

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New Releases - February 26, 2008

Click on any of the albums for details on the release. Note that there are two pages of new releases this week.

Purchases made from our site via Amazon help to pay the costs associated with Vintage Vinyl News.

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Rush Releasing Snakes & Arrows Live on April 8

Rush will release their new live albums, Snakes & Arrows Live, on April 8 via Anthem/Atlantic. It's the sixth live album of their thirty-four year career.

The album was recorded last October in Rotterdam, Netherlands during the tour in support of their Snakes & Arrows and includes nine of the album's cuts along with eighteen other songs from throughout their career.

The track list for the two-CD set:

• Limelight
• Digital Man
• Entre Nous
• Mission
• Freewill
• The Main Monkey Business
• The Larger Bowl
• Secret Touch
• Circumstances
• Between the Wheels
• Dreamline
• Far Cry
• Workin' Them Angels
• Armor and Sword
• Spindrift
• The Way the Wind Blows
• Subdivisions
• Natural Science
• Witch Hunt
• Malignant Narcissism / De Slagwerker
• Hope
• Distant Early Warning
• The Spirit of Radio
• Tom Sawyer
• One Little Victory
• A Passage to Bangkok
• YYZ

Workin' Them Angels will be released to radio in advance of the album on March 10.

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Donna Summer Recording First Album in Seventeen Years

Disco diva Donna Summer has signed with Sony BMG's Burgundy Records and is in the process of recording a new album.

Crayons, which is the working title for the album, is set for May 20. Her last release of all new material was 1991's Mistaken Identity.

In the heyday of her career, Summer racked up fourteen top ten hits, including four number ones, with her success peaking in June and July 1979 when she had two records in the top five for six straight weeks (Hot Stuff and Bad Girls). She also topped the album chart three times. Summer has five Grammys, including awards for Female R&B Vocal (Last Dance, 1978), Female Rock Vocal (Hot Stuff, 1979), Gospel (He's a Rebel, 1983 and Forgive Me, 1984) and Dance (Carry On, 1997).

On the new album, Summer is collaborating with a wide range of artists, including Danielle Brisebois (yes, the same person who played Little Stephanie on All in the Family. As a music artist she co-wrote Natasha Beddingfield's hit from last year, Unwritten), Greg Kurstin (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nelly Furtado, Lily Allen), JR Rotem (50 Cent. Lil' Kim), Lester Mendez (Coverdale/Page) and Evan Bogart (2Pac).

The first single from the album, Stamp Your Feat, goes to radio next month.

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Bette Midler Interview From USA Today

Here's a short interview and performance from Bette Midler, including a tour of her dressing house (because it's more than just a room).

Courtesy of USA Today.

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Jack Bruce - Live at the BBC

Live performances by former Cream member Jack Bruce will be highlighted on Spirit - Live at the BBC, releasing March 31 in the U.K. via Polydor.

The 3-CD set includes 52 tracks recorded between 1971 and 1978, during which he worked with Leslie West and Corky Laing in West, Bruce & Laing, recorded with Frank Zappa and formed the Jack Bruce Band with Mick Taylor.

The track list:

CD One

• BBC Radio One "In Concert" - Recorded at the BBC Paris Theatre on 18th September 1971
• You Burned the Tables on Me
• Smiles & Grins
• Folk Song
• A Letter of Thanks
• We're Going Wrong
• Have You Ever Loved a Woman?
• Powerhouse Sod
• You Sure Look Good to Me
• BBC Radio Three "Jazz in Britain" session - with John Surman and Jon Hiseman - Recorded 10th August 1971 and broadcast on 31st August 1971 and 23rd February 1972
• Jack's Gone
• Clearway
• Powerhouse Sod

CD Two

• BBC TV "Old Grey Whistle Test" concert - Recorded at the BBC TV Centre on 6th June 1975
• Can You Follow?
• Morning Story
• Keep It Down
• Peaces of Mind
• One
• Spirit
• Without a Word (previously unreleased)
• Smiles and Grins
• BBC Radio Three "Jazz in Britain" session with John Surman and Jon Hiseman - Recorded 26th June 1978 and broadcast on 4th September 1978
• Fifteen Minutes Past Three
• Ten to Four

CD Three

• BBC Radio One "In Concert" - Recorded at the BBC Paris Theatre on 14th April 1977
• Madhouse
• Without a Word
• Time
• Baby Jane
• Born Under a Bad Sign
• Lost Inside a Song
• Something to Live For
• How's Tricks
• Spirit
• Out Into the Fields
• You Burned the Tables on Me
• BBC Radio Three "Jazz in Britain" session - with John Surman and Jon Hiseman - Recorded 26th June 1978 and broadcast on 4th September 1978
• Twenty Past Four

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Short Takes - Steve Winwood, Beatles, Peter Paul and Mary, more

Steve Winwood has signed a new deal with Columbia Records and will release his new studio album, Nine Lives, on April 29.

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A mono UK pressing of the Beatles' White Album, numbered 0000007, will be auctioned on March 4 by Cameo Auctioneers in Midgham, England. The album is considered even more collectibles because of its low number. Estimates put the selling price at $5,900 to $9,800.

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Peter, Paul & Mary have had to cancel their upcoming concerts due to Mary Travers having two back surgeries. Per their website, "While her doctors anticipate a full recovery, the healing process is taking longer than hoped. On her doctor's advice, regrettably, the Trio will have to cancel their upcoming concerts."

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Paul McCartney has reportedly entered the studio to record his follow-up to Memory Almost Full. A spokesperson said, “Paul started recording last week, but he has been writing for a while. It should be ready by the summer."

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Hip-O Records has scheduled Dusty Springfield Live at the BBC for a March 25 release and Sam & Dave's The Original Soul Men (1967 to 1980) for April 15.

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Robin Moore, author of The Green Berets and The French Connection and co-writer of the song The Ballad of the Green Beret with Ssgt. Barry Sadler, passed away last Thursday at the age of 82.

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Chart Watch - February 22, 2008

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

• As we mentioned earlier in the week, Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters rocketed from 159 to 5 on the album chart after winning the Album of the Year Grammy, doubling it's previous total sales.
  
• Michael Jackson's Thriller 25 premiers at number one on the Pop Catalog chart and number three on the British album chart. If it had been eligible for the main U.S. album chart, it would have come in at number two.
• Michael also has four tracks on the British singles chart from the new album, two new versions with will.i.am and Akon and two previous hits (Billie Jean and Thriller).
  
• Janet Jackson finally has a hit from one of her albums, something that has been alluding her the last couple of years. Feedback breaks into the Dance Club Play chart top ten at number six. She also moves her new single Luv onto the R&B Singles chart at number 45.
  
• R.E.M. returns to the British singles chart with the first track from their new album. Supernatural Superserious premiers at number 54.
  

Previous week position noted in parenthesis.

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Comprehensive

Top 100 Albums

• #5 (159) - River: The Joni Letters - Herbie Hancock
• #16 (26) - Long Road Out of Eden - Eagles
• #23 (41) - Raising Sand - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
• #65 (66) - Duets - Reba McEntire
• #66 (61) - Mothership - Led Zeppelin
• #79 (102) - Magic - Bruce Springsteen
• #93 (90) - 22 More Hits - George Strait

Top 50 Singles

• #36 (28) - Into the Night - Santana Featuring Chad Kroeger

Top 25 Pop Catalog Albums

• #1 (New) - Thriller 25 - Michael Jackson
  
• #2 (1) - Greatest Hits - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• #5 (4) - Legend - Bob Marley & the Wailers
• #7 (5) - Greatest Hits - Journey
• #8 (10) - Greatest Hits - Queen
• #9 (18) - Number Ones - Michael Jackson
• #10 (20) - 1 - Beatles
• #11 (9) - Cross Road - Bon Jovi
• #14 (16) - Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• #19 (21) - The Very Best Of - Eagles
• #20 (12) - Greatest Hits - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
• #21 (15) - Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
• #24 (19) - Vault: Greatest Hits - Def Leppard

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R&B

Top 50 R&B Albums

• #40 (46) - Funk This - Chaka Khan
• #50 (53) - The Ultimate - Luther Vandross

Top 50 R&B Singles

• #39 (50) - One for All Time - Chaka Khan
• #45 (62) - Luv - Janet (Jackson)
  
• #46 (42) - Angel - Chaka Khan
  

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Country

Top 25 Country Albums

• #2 (4) - Long Road Out of Eden - Eagles
• #4 (7) - Raising Sand - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
• #10 (10) - Duets - Reba McEntire
• #15 (13) - 22 More Hits - George Strait
• #20 (17) - Duets: Friends & Legends - Anne Murray

Top 25 Country Singles

• #4 (6) - Shiftwork - Kenny Chesney Duet with George Strait
• #15 (19) - I Saw God Today - George Strait
  
• #23 (21) - Workin' for a Livin' - Garth Brooks & Huey Lewis
  

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Rock

Top 10 Rock Albums

• #5 (7) - Long Road Out of Eden - Eagles
• #8 (11) - Raising Sand - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Top 10 Hard Rock Albums

• #8 (8) - Mothership - Led Zeppelin

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Adult Contemporary

Top 20 Adult Contemporary Tracks

• #10 (10) - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher - Michael McDonald
• #11 (11) - How Long - Eagles

Top 20 Adult Top 40 Tracks

• #5 (2) - Into the Night - Santana Featuring Chad Kroeger

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Dance

Top 25 Dance Club Play

• #6 (11) - Feedback - Janet Jackson
• #16 (21) - Get the Party Started - Shirley Bassey
• #19 (23) - Charmed Life - Mick Jagger
  
• #24 (19) - Baby - Angie Stone featuring Betty Wright

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Jazz

Top 15 Jazz Albums

• #6 (5) - Sings The Ultimate American Songbook, Vol. 1 - Tony Bennett
• #10 (7) - Tony Bennett - Tony Bennett

Top 15 Contemporary Jazz Albums

• #1 (2) - River: The Joni Letters - Herbie Hancock
• #5 (6) - Love Songs - Al Jarreau

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Americana

Americana Music Association Top 40 Airplay

• #2 (1) - Dirt Farmer - Levon Helm
  
• #3 (3) - Raising Sand - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
  
• #5 (5) - Moment of Forever - Willie Nelson
  
• #21 (28) - Down in New Orleans - Blind Boys of Alabama
• #23 (18) - Revival - John Fogerty
  
• #30 (23) - Live from the Ruhr Triennale - Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodruguez
  
• #31 (24) - Long Road Out of Eden - Eagles
• #32 (33) - Troubadour- Robert Hazard

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British

Top 100 British Albums

• #3 (New) - Thriller 25 - Michael Jackson
  
• #12 (7) - Raising Sand - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
• #15 (10) - His Wondrous Story-The Complete Collection - Billy Fury
• #26 (27) - Love Collection - Dionne Warwick
  
• #29 (55) - Ultimate Collections - Whitney Houston
• #46 (44) - Love Songs - Phil Collins
  
• #48 (46) - Long Road Out of Eden - Eagles
• #49 (47) - A Love Song Collection - Kenny Rogers
  
• #55 (54) - Mothership - Led Zeppelin
• #64 (78) - The Ultimate - Luther Vandross
• #72 (72) - Greatest Hits Volume I & II - Queen
  
• #92 (92) - Love, Elvis - Elvis Presley
• #93 (88) - Essential - Neil Diamond
  
• #97 (120) - Hits - Phil Collins

Top 100 British Singles

• #41 (32) - The Girl is Mine - Michael Jackson featuring will.I.am
• #54 (New) - Supernatural Superserious - R.E.M.
• #78 (New) - Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
• #81 (New) - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008 - Michael Jackson with Akon
  
• #82 (78) - I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith
• #94 (New) - Thriller - Michael Jackson
  

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