Never Travel Far…Without A Little Big Star – R.I.P. Alex Chilton 1950-2010

March 17, 2010 by · 1 Comment
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Alex Chilton NYC 1977

Alex Chilton NYC 1977

[Photo via godlis.com]

Paying tribute today to the sad passing of one the most influential musicians of a generation, the one and only Alex Chilton succumbed to a heart attack today in his home of New Orleans at the much too young age of 59. From his teen years in the Boxtops to co-founding the seminal band Big Star in Memphis in the early ’70s to his later solo work, he’s influenced everyone from REM to The Replacements to Wilco and is still influencing young bands today. His legendary status was bolstered by the recent resurgence in popularity of Big Star, who were even scheduled to play at the renowned SXSW music festival in Austin, TX this coming Saturday. He was equally adept at writing a glorious jangly pop gem like Thirteen or September Gurls as he was at mining the tortured underside of his psyche in songs like Holocaust, quite possibly the darkest saddest song ever written.

I only had the privilege of seeing him play live one time back in the late ’80’s but did get lucky enough to sit and chat with him at the bar for quite a while and it still remains one of my favorite musical memories. An immense void was left in the music world today.

R.I.P. Alex Chilton 1950-2010

The Box Tops – The Letter
Buy The Best Of The Box Tops

Big Star – Try Again (early version)
Buy Keep An Eye On The Sky

Big Star – Thirteen
Bu y #1 Record

Big Star – September Gurls
Buy Radio City

Big Star – Holocaust
Buy Third/Sister Lovers

Alex Chilton – Bangkok
Buy Lost Decade

Big Star – Downs
Buy Third/Sister Lovers

Big Star – Motel Blues (Live)
Buy Big Star Live

[Big Star] [Alex Chilton]

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From The Mailbag : MJ Redux

June 27, 2009 by · 1 Comment
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I try not to post on the same topic multiple times in a row, but after this weekend these won’t really be relevant anymore, so it’s now or never.  A couple tunes for you that just arrived in the inbox, a gypsy lounge version of Billie Jean from Quebec’s The Lost Fingers and a special tribute to the King Of Pop by the master of the remix Don Diablo.

The Lost Fingers – Billie Jean
Buy Lost In The 80’s

Don Diablo – Song For MJ (Remember The Time)

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5 On A Friday : MJ 1958-2009

June 26, 2009 by · 1 Comment
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RIP Michael Jackson 1958-2009
Although his eccentricities of the last few years were getting most of the spotlight time, Michael Jackson‘s musical influence over the past 40 years or so is undeniable, from his early days with his brothers in The Jackson 5 as an integral part of the Motown Sound to his impact on the dance music of the 80’s with his Off The Wall album and subsequent mega smash Thriller to his part in the MTV video revolution.  Who else could crown themselves The King Of Pop and actually having it stick.  The man leaves behind a pretty impressive musical legacy.

1: Graham Parker And The Rumour – I Want You Back(live)
Buy Squeezing Out Sparks + Live Sparks
2: The Jackson 5 – ABC
Buy Hitsville USA
3:Chris Cornell – Billie Jean
Buy Carry On
4: Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough
Buy Off The Wall
5: The Replacements(w Barrence Whitfield on Vocals) – I’ll Be There
Live 06.18.86 at The Channel Boston MA

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For Jackson : A Tribute To Chris Tucker This Friday 10.17.08 at The North Star

October 14, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
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Hey Philly and beyond, come on out to the North Star this Friday night for the Chris Tucker tribute, I’ll be helping my friends at Girl About Town with the silent auction stop by and say hi.

Here’s more info via Girl About Town:
On Friday October 17th, six area bands will gather at the North Star Bar in Philadelphia to honor Christopher Tucker. Chris was our friend who passed away this summer, and he was a talented musician and overall great guy who touched a lot of people in Philadelphia and beyond. The night will serve as a benefit for his young son Jackson.
A $10 minimum donation will be requested at the door, advance tickets are now available via North Star Bar and Ticketweb.

The evening’s lineup will include:
– Fleetwood Mike (acoustic version’s of Fleetwood Mac tunes as performed by Audible members Mike and Kris)
– Joey Sweeney and Friends (Chris’ editor at Philebrity.com where Chris was a contributor)
– The Blood Feathers
– The Sky Drops (featuring Rob Montejo from Smashing Orange, and Monika Bullette from Nero, two of Chris’ closest friends in the Delaware music scene)
– The Sunshine Recorder (featuring members of The Cobbs)
– The Asteroid #4 (stalwarts of the Psychedelphia scene of which Chris was such a fan).

Musicians will perform their own tunes and some of the performers will feature covers of Chris’ work.A special video will also be screened for the first time. Just a week before his passing, Chris recorded his last song and created a video for it as well with local artist Nico. The video was to be completed as a concept in two parts, however only the first part was completed, that first part will be screened and will allow fans of Chris to hear new music from Chris one more time.

Girl About Town is also organizing a silent auction benefit to run the night of the event. If you have anything to donate, please contact us, it’s not too late. Thank you and see you there!

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5 On A Friday : The Legendary Norman Whitfield

September 19, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
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[PHOTO CREDIT]

Paying tribute today to one of the many musical losses of 2008, Norman Whitfield, who passed away earlier this week. Norman’s musical influence on sounds of the 60’s and 70’s is undeniable. The songs he penned with his writing partner Barrett Strong, and the production work he did helped define the sound of Motown and Soul music as we know it today. Here’s just a small sampling of his work today.

1: The Temptations – Cloud Nine
Buy Hitsville U.S.A., The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971
2: Gladys Knight And The Pips – I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Buy Hitsville U.S.A., The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971
3: The Undisputed Truth – Smiling Faces Sometimes
Buy Hitsville U.S.A., The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971
4: Edwin Starr – War
Buy Hitsville U.S.A., The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971
5: The Temptations – Just My Imagination
Buy Hitsville U.S.A., The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971

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RIP Robert Hazard

August 7, 2008 by · 1 Comment
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Robert Hazard 011, originally uploaded by WXPN FM 88.5 – xpn.org.

A moment of tribute today for legendary Philadelphia musician Robert Hazard who died unexpectedly August 5, 2008 at age 59 after surgery for pancreatic cancer at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. While Robert is probably best known for his song Girls Just Wanna Have Fun covered by Cyndi Lauper and more recently by Miley Cyrus, early songs like Escalator Of Life and Change Reaction established him as one of Philadelphia’s finest. A great loss indeed.

Robert Hazard – Troubador
Buy Troubador

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New Music : GOIN’ HOME: A Tribute to Fats Domino

August 25, 2007 by · 3 Comments
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Via Vanguard Records:
MUSIC ROYALTY COMES TOGETHER TO PAY TRIBUTE TO FATS DOMINO ON NEW CD
GOIN’ HOME: A Tribute to Fats Domino

LANDMARK RECORDING TO BENEFIT TIPITINA’S FOUNDATION MISSION OF SAVING THE MUSICAL CULTURE OF NEW ORLEANS

Icons from the world of rock, blues, reggae, pop and country music have joined together to salute the genius of legendary piano man FATS DOMINO for the upcoming double CD set, Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino.

Goin’ Home is set for a September 25th release on Vanguard Records. This stellar tribute to one of the cornerstones of rock n’ roll music will help raise desperately needed funds specifically earmarked for instruments to be donated to New Orleans’ public school children.

Monies raised from the sales of Goin’ Home will also go toward the rebuilding of Fats Domino’s home and to create a community center in the Crescent City’s still ravaged Lower 9th Ward. Proceeds of Goin’ Home will fund additional community related
programs.

The Tipitina’s Foundation, a 501 ©(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to preserving the cultural legacy of New Orleans through music education for the youth and providing programs that support working musicians of New Orleans and the Gulf Region, conceived and executive produced Goin’ Home.

The roster of music royalty contributing their interpretations of classic Fats Domino songs include: Sir Elton John (Blueberry Hill), Sir Paul McCartney (I Want To Walk You Home), Tom Petty (I’m Walkin’), Robert Plant (It Keeps Rainin’), Willie Nelson (I Hear You Knockin’), B.B. King (Goin’ Home) and Neil Young (Walkin’ To New Orleans).

Goin’ Home will also feature the late John Lennon’s version of Fats’ most popular song, “Ain’t That A Shame.”

In addition, some of modern music’s most prolific artists have contributed their time and talent including Lenny Kravitz, Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Ben Harper with The Skatalites, Toots and The Maytals, Taj Mahal, Herbie Hancock and Bonnie Raitt. Up and coming stars such as Marc Broussard with Sam Bush, Corrine Bailey Rae and Joss Stone with blues master Buddy Guy have recorded their renditions for this unique compilation.

The participation of some of New Orleans’ greatest musicians has been paramount in the process of recording of Goin’ Home. Dr. John, Art Neville, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Galactic,Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Theresa Andersson, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Rebirth Brass Band and NOLA funk masters George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste, Leo Nocentelli and Henry Butler.

Goin’ Home is the brainchild of Tipitina’s Foundation executive director Bill Taylor. “The idea came to me last September when I was trying to come up with a way to thank Fats for donating the proceeds of his last recording, Alive and Kickin’ to our Foundation. I also wanted to create a project that could shine the spotlight on our city’s unique music culture”.

Kevin Welk, President and General Manager of The Welk Music Group stated, “We feel privileged to be involved in such a worthy project. Not only is this a great cause, it continues to raise awareness to a great city that needs all of our support.”

Taylor adds, “Fats Domino is the cornerstone of New Orleans music, which in turn became the bedrock for R&B, Soul, Country, Reggae and Rock and Roll. Getting him back to his Lower 9th Ward house will send a clear message to his friends, neighbors and fans that we in New Orleans are coming back and Fats is leading the way.”

Some great new music for a worthy cause and a tribute to true legend. Here’s a tasty sample to tide you over until September 25th rolls around.

MP3: Randy Newman – Blue Monday
MP3: Marc Broussard(feat Sam Bush) – Rising Sun
Buy GOIN’ HOME: A Tribute to Fats Domino

[VANGUARD RECORDS]

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A Tribute to Joni Mitchell

December 22, 2006 by · Leave a Comment
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photo by Jack Robinson


via billboard.com

Bjork, Prince Lead Joni Mitchell Tribute Disc
Joni Mitchell

December 21, 2006, 3:30 PM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Bjork, Prince, James Taylor and Elvis Costello are among the artists
who have recorded covers for “A Tribute to Joni Mitchell,” due in the
spring via Nonesuch. The 11-track set also boasts contributions from
Sarah McLachlan, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris and Sufjan Stevens.

In related news, Billboard.com has learned that Mitchell has been
recording original material at a Los Angeles studio in recent weeks.
It is unknown in what form she plans to release the music; she
angrily announced she was quitting the music business in 2002 after
her last album, “Travelogue.”

“A Tribute to Joni Mitchell” comes concurrently with 429
Records’ “Endless Highway: A Tribute to the Band,” due Jan. 30. That
projects boasts covers from Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket,
Jack Johnson and Widespread Panic, among others.

Here is the track list for “A Tribute to Joni Mitchell”:

“Free Man in Paris,” Sufjan Stevens
“Boho Dance,” Bjork
“Dreamland,” Caetano Veloso
“Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow,” Brad Mehldau
“For the Roses,” Cassandra Wilson
“A Case of U,” Prince
“Blue,” Sarah McLachlan
“Ladies of the Canyon,” Annie Lennox
“Magdalena Laundries,” Emmylou Harris
“Edith and the Kingpin,” Elvis Costello
“Help Me,” k.d. lang
“River,” James Taylor

Looks like some strange artist and song choices for sure. Here’s one of my favorite Joni Mitchell songs, A Case Of You. A version by Prince(not the tribute version) , a rare Tori Amos B-Side version, and the original Joni version.

MP3: Prince A Case Of U
MP3: Tori Amos – A Case Of You
MP3: Joni Mitchell – A Case Of You

So, while I was surfing the web in search of a Joni Mitchell picture for this post I happened across these lovely songs by a girl named Morgan Ryan. I thought I’d share them here with you all. Enjoy. Stop by her myspace page to hear some more.

MP3: Morgan Ryan – Hallelu
MP3: Morgan Ryan – Phone Lines

myspace : www.myspace.com/missmorganryan

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