1960s Psychedelic Hippie Culture and Music

Jimmy Reed Biography, the Blues Big Boss

2009-12-03T21:20:00.000+10:30

By Peter J. Black

Jimmy Reed was born Mathis James Reed on September 6, 1925 at Dunleith, Mississippi. His own distinctive musical style earned him the reputation as American blues musician and songwriter. His appeal to mainstream audiences made him popular in the field of electric blues, giving a contrast to his contemporaries who worked around the more acoustic-band sound. His trademark includes the lazy, slack-jawed singing, piercing harmonica and hypnotic guitar patterns.

Jimmy started to learn harmonica and guitar from his close friend Eddie Taylor who was later responsible for bringing his career to its peak of success. His early days with these instruments were spent in his hometown before moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1943. He had little time to learn more about his chosen style of music because the war years intervened in what might have developed into a unique talent.

His was a talent that could have had a far greater influence on, not only American music, but the music of the entire world if it was given the time to develop during his formative years. However, the war intervened.

He was drafted into the US Navy during World War II but after being discharged in 1945 he returned to Mississippi. There he married Mary "Mama" Reed and shortly thereafter they moved to Gary, Indiana. It is worth noting that Mama Reed was a backing singer in many of Jimmy's songs although she was not credited. These songs include, among others, "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Big Boss Man", and "Bright Lights, Big City".

His entry into the world of blues music started when he decided to quit his job in a steel foundry and become a full-time musician. He was 28 when he signed with Vee-Jay Records in 1953. His big hit "You Don't Have to Go" (1955) gave him his first taste of the R&B charts. Between 1955 and 1961, Reed notched up a remarkable 18 top twenty R&B hits, all under Vee-Jay Records. His collaboration with Eddie Taylor helped him to churn out one hit song after another.

Except for B.B. King, no other artist in the 50s and 60s was able to effectively reach both black and white audiences like Reed. He was able to make classic hits that were simple and accessible. Artists of later generations, such as the UK 1960s band The Rolling Stones, openly admit that their sound was influenced by Reed. Actually, according to them, Reed's songs were part of their set lists. These include tracks such as "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby", "The Sun is Shining", "Bright Light, Big City", and "Shame, Shame, Shame".

Reed's songs have been covered by other artists over and over again. Ron "Pigpen" McKernan with the Grateful Dead regularly sang "Big Boss Man" during the 60s and early 70s, and also appears on their album titled "Skull and Roses". Jerry Garcia revived the same song a few times in the 80s. Other artists who were influenced by Reed's "Big Boss Man" were Bob Weir in the mid-70s and Phil Lesh with Phil and Friends. The Grateful Dead took interest in doing "Baby What You Want Me To Do" with Brent Mydland on vocals.

The iconic Elvis Presley made a 1967 hit with "Big Boss Man" and performing his version of "Baby What You Want Me To Do" for his 1968 Comeback TV Special. Wishbone Ash's 1972 live album "Live Dates" also included a cover of the same track.

Reed's recording and performing career continued until the 70s. He was able to maintain his reputation until his rampant alcoholism could no longer be contained. Little by little this ruined his career. There were even times when his wife had to help him with the lyrics of his song during one of his performances because he forgot some words. To make things worse, in 1957 he was diagnosed with epilepsy after doctors had previously believed his condition to be a case of delirium tremens brought on by his drinking.

A string of hits was not able to sustain his popularity as personal problems continued to pin him down. Compared with other popular artists of his time, Reed had a greater number of hits than most of them, but his career continued to swoop down when Vee-Jay Records closed their doors. There was an attempt to revive his career under another company, but he was never able to make another hit after his successful years with Vee-Jay.

Jimmy Reed died aged only 51 on August 29, 1976 at Oakland, California after suffering an epileptic seizure. His remains were buried at the Lincoln Cemetery in Worth, Illinois.

Reed was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. He was a great talent that unfortunately went wrong for reasons that we shall likely never know.

Watch this excellent acoustic guitar blues lesson.

This Jimmy Reed biography was originally published at http://encyclopediaofblues.com/?p=182

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John Lee Hooker Biography - Hooked on Blues

2009-12-03T21:17:00.000+10:30

By Peter J. Black

John Lee Hooker was born on August 22, 1917 in Coahoma County near Clarksdale, Mississippi. His parents were William Hooker, a sharecropper and preacher, and Minnie Ramsey. He is considered one of the most prominent African-American blues singer-songwriters and guitarists of his age, and is best known for his trademark style of "talking blues".

This is the unique style that brought him to prominence as he rose to popularity with his brand of music incorporating the boogie-woogie style of piano playing. Two of his well-known songs are "Boogie Chillen" (1948) and "Boom Boom" (1962), two pieces of music separated by a generation, yet unmistakably John Lee Hooker.

In his childhood, considering the profession or calling of his father, Hooker was unremarkably exposed to predominantly religious songs, largely also as a result of him being home-schooled. The youngest of eleven children, all of them knew only spiritual songs during their childhood.

However, when his mother separated from her husband William, she married a blues singer, one William Moore who introduced John Lee to a new style of music and a new instrument: the 'geetar'. He was greatly influenced by his stepfather's droning one-chord blues, but when his real father, William Hooker, died in 1923 he ran away from home, away from his mother and stepfather forever.

The 30s were chains of events in Hooker's life in Memphis where he took a number of different jobs. He performed at house parties, worked at the New Daisy Theater on Beale Street, in factories and eventually at the Ford Motor Company in Detroit in 1948. It was here that his skills as guitarist gave him the opportunity to make his mark in several Detroit clubs.

John Lee Hooker's first hit single "Boogie Chillen", which he made himself, was released in 1948 and his recording career has begun. That was produced by the Bihari Brothers, owners of the Modern Label. However, the songwriting royalties went to the Biharis because they generally purchased or claimed co-authorship of songs that were recorded on their labels.

In spite of a lack of formal education, a major talent that he developed was that of a lyricist. He had this ability to come up with some great songs from nothing. In order to augment his meager income from recording out of his contract, he would continue writing new songs and visit several studios at night to record them.

In order to make sure that he could not be sued for breach of contract, he would make up names such as "John Lee Booker" during his stint with Chess Records and Chance Records from 1951 to 1952, "Johnny Lee" for De Luxe Records from 1953 to 1954. Other names that he used were "Johnny Hooker", John Cooker", "Texas Slim", "Delta John", "Birmingham and his Magic Guitar", "Johnny Williams", and "The Boogie Man".

Bernie Besman became his partner in recording his early songs. Hooker had a unique style of not playing on a standard beat which at that time only Besman could "understand". It was difficult to use backing musicians for such a style of music, so Besman had to take on three jobs when recording - playing the guitar, singing, and stomping along with the music on a wooden pallet. Later, Eddie Taylor was able to handle these musical idiosyncrasies with skill and ease.

When John Lee Hooker appeared in the movie 'The Blues Brothers" in 1980, his skills at improvisation enabled his entire performance to be filmed and sound-recorded live at the scene. The "Jake Blues" character of John Belushi was actually Hooker's trademarks - sunglasses and soul patch.

Hooker's collaboration with Carlos Santana in "The Healer" won them a Grammy Award in 1989. Aside from Santana, he also worked with Van Morrison recording among others, "Never Get Out of These Blues Alive", "The Healing Game", and "I Cover the Waterfront". The live album "A Night in San Francisco" included some of his appearances on stage with Van Morrison. Peter Townshend's "The Iron Man: A Musical", released in the same year, featured him as the title character.

All in all, he was able to record over 100 albums. In 1997 his nightclub called "John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Boom" was opened in the San Francisco's Fillmore District. At that time, he was staying in the San Francisco Bay Area where he spent the last years of his life. He died on June 21, 2001 at the age of 83.

Hooker was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, has a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980. His Grammy Awards include Best Traditional Blues Recording in 1990 and 1998, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 1998 and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. All well deserved by Johnny Lee Hooker who was one of the blues greats.

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This John Lee Hooker biography was originally published at http://encyclopediaofblues.com/?p=187

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Muddy Waters Biography - Clear As the Blues

2009-12-03T21:15:00.000+10:30

By Peter J. Black

Muddy Waters. McKinley Morganfield in real life was born in Issaquena County, Mississippi. He is known as an American blues musician and considered "the Father of Chicago blues", and was actual father of Big Bill Morganfield and Larry "Mud Morganfield" Williams. The Rolling Stone magazine ranks him at no.17 of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

It was discovered that Muddy claimed he was born in 1915 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi but there were documents found later that revealed his real date of birth to be on April 4, 1913. Due to the early death of his mother, his grandmother took care of him and perhaps that's where the confusion arose. Nobody will ever know.

His nickname "Muddy" was coined due to his fondness in playing in the mud. He himself later changed it to "Muddy Water" and finally "Muddy Waters". The first musical instrument he played was the harmonica. However, he fell in love with the guitar when aged 17 after being inspired by two blues artists in the south: Son House and Robert Johnson. It was House who greatly influenced his style of thick, heavy voice, his dark tone color, and his firm, almost solid personality, but it was Johnson who contributed to his embellishments, imaginative slide techniques and more agile rhythms.

Muddy married Mabel Berry on November 20, 1932, but Mabel left him when Muddy had his firstborn with another woman, a sixteen-year-old named Leola Spain. When he moved to Chicago in 1943, he left another girl named Sallie Ann. He sure was popular with the girls - for a while!

Muddy Waters started his music career proper in the 1940s, and he joined the Silas Green tent show in 1941, singing and playing the harmonica. After his partnership with Silas Green, he met Allan Lomax and John Work who had the job of recording various country blues musicians for the Library of Congress. Muddy was very happy with his first recording experience which gave him more self-confidence in his performances. The following year, Lomax came back to him for another recording. The two works were released together under the Testament label.

He then tried his luck by becoming a full-time professional musician. In 1943 one of Chicago's leading blues men Big Bill Broonzy gave him a much needed break by allowing him to perform in his shows, usually in the opening number that nobody really wanted to take on.

His voice could be hardly heard amidst the noisy crowd, but thanks to his uncle Joe Grant who gave him his first electric guitar, he was able to use that to rise above the noise. Because of that he got noticed by audiences who were just waiting for the main acts to appear.

In the remaining half of the 40s he was given work by a number of different companies, such as working for Mayo Williams at Columbia and later that same year for Aristocrat run by Leonard and Phil Chess. He worked with Sunnyland Slim and did "Gypsy Woman" and "Little Anna Mae" in 1947. The year 1948 was his lucky year because his two songs "I Can't Be Satisfied" and "I Feel Like Going Home" became big hits. This was followed by a smash hit under Aristocrat which has changed its name to Chess Records - his signature song "Rollin' Stone".

Muddy's success became unstoppable, and in the early 1950s he reigned over the Chicago blues scene along with his former harmonica player Little Water Jacobs and Howlin' Wolf. Their relationship became more of a friendly competition even if later they went on their own. Muddy made the Chicago blues go electric and his work was fuel for many blues bands that came after him.

The year 1954 was the peak of Muddy's career. Having such great influence on other artists of his time, he inspired them to be successful in their own solo careers. Little Water Jacobs was able to score his hit in "Juke" when he left Muddy's band in 1952. Another band member, Rogers, also quit in 1955 to work with his own band, and Otis Spann enjoyed his solo career starting in the mid-50s.

In 1958, Muddy moved to England which at that time had only very limited exposure to blues. With his loud, amplified electric guitar and thunderous beat, he shocked audiences. Indeed Waters's sound generation was turned on in 1960. His superb performance at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960 produced his first live album entitled "At Newport 1960".

The next few years in England consisted of performances with old and new acquaintances. However, Muddy never varied from his own style that was very simple blues yet extremely difficult to duplicate and follow correctly.

When his long-time wife Geneva died of cancer in 1973, he was so devastated that he started smoking which his doctor advised him to quit. He did so, but due to his declining health Muddy's last public performance was in 1982 when he sat in with Eric Clapton's band in Florida.

During his relatively short-lived success Muddy Waters created such a tremendous influence, not only on the blues music, but also on R&B, rock 'n' roll, folk, jazz, and country. His 1950 song "Rollin Stone" inspired The Rolling Stones to name their band after it.

Muddy Waters died in his sleep on April 30, 1983 at his home in Westmont, Illinois. He was inducted into The Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1980, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992.

They were fitting tributes to a man who changed the blues in Chicago, and who influenced the music and lives of people the world over, from the 1940s to the UK band The Rolling Stones in the 1960s. Muddy Waters deserves every accolade he received, in life and in death.

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This Muddy Waters biography was originally published at http://encyclopediaofblues.com/?p=184

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BB King Biography - Long Live!

2009-12-03T21:09:00.000+10:30

By Peter J. Black

Born as Riley B. King on September 16, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi, B. B. King as he is popularly known was possibly the most respected, successful, and most recognized blues guitarist and singer-songwriter of his era.

He is also known for his captivating expression and Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him 3rd in its list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". This is some accolade, when you consider the great guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Peter Green and Jordan Rivers.

His early exposure to the guitar was made possible by his parents Alfred King and Nora Ella King who made him join a local gospel group when he was twelve years old. This probably helped him develop what Edward M. Komara described as "a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending and shimmering vibrato that would influence virtually every electric blues guitarist that followed".

King worked as a tractor driver while seeking out Bukka White, his cousin and inspiration. He stayed with White for the next ten months, but was forced to return to Mississippi because of hardship. After two years and with more preparation he went back to Memphis, this time with the opportunity to work as a singer and disc jockey at the local R&B station, WDIA. It was during this period that he got the nickname "B.B." which was a shortened form of "Beale Street Blues Boy".

B.B. King had his first vocal recordings in 1949 under the Los Angeles based RPM Records. Even before this contract, in the same year he released the single "Miss Martha King" with Bullet Records, although this did not do very well in the charts.

With Millard Lee on the lead, King formed the B.B. King Review, his own band with the original members Calvin Owens and Kenneth Sands (trumpet), Lawrence Burdin (alto saxophone), George Coleman (tenor saxophone), Floyd Newman (baritone saxophone), Millard Lee (piano), George Joyner (bass) and Earl Forest and Ted Curry (drums). King was assisted by Onzie Horne in the musical arrangements. The band's popularity grew so fast that it had 342 concerts booked in 1956, a record-breaking number that assured their success.

King also founded Blues Boys Kingdom, his own record label, in the same year. Millard Lee and Levi Seabury made their names as artists under this label, although King had to give up the record company due to the pressures of his own very busy schedule as a performing and recording artist.

King's name in R&B emerged in the 1950s when he scored an impressive list of hits including "You Know I Love You", "Woke Up This Morning", "Please Love Me", "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer", "Whole Lotta Love", "You Upset Me Baby", "Everyday I Have The Blues", "Sneakin' Around", "Ten Long Years", "Bad Luck", "Sweet Little Angel", "On My Word of Honor", and "Please Accept My Love".

His version of "The Thrill Is Gone" won him a Grammy Award, and charted well in both pop and R&B. The song was also listed at no.183 in the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" by The Rolling Stones Magazine. Early in 1980 he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

In the 1980s, King focused more on television appearances and performances and less on recording. With shows and appearances of more than 300 nights a year, he was able to maintain his presence in the industry. With the release of his single "When Love Comes To Town" in 1988, King was able to reach a new generation of fans. He played as lead singer of the Louisiana Gator Boys in the 1998 The Blues Brothers 2000 along with Eric Clapton to record "Riding With The King".

Because of age and health reasons, BB King has cut his touring schedules since 2004, and when his UK and European Farewell Tour commenced in 2004 he was no less than 80 years old. Nevertheless, he played in every single gig and set during that tour. It says a lot for the man and his attitude towards his fans that he could make such an effort for them at such an advanced age.

His recent activities involved various commitments such as attending a commemoration of his first radio broadcast at the Thee Deuces Building in Greenwood, Mississippi in June 2006. In the later part of the same month at Indianola, Mississippi, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the inauguration of a new museum that was dedicated to him.

BIB King record a concert CD and DVD in October 2006. This was entitled "B.B. King Live" and was done at his B.B. King Blues Clubs in Nashville and Memphis. He was also able to help Eric Clapton raise funds for the Crossroads Centre for addictive disorders on July 28, 2007 during Clapton's second Crossroads Guitar Festival. He was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in June 2008.

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This BB King biography was originally published at http://encyclopediaofblues.com/?p=40

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The Fifth Beatle - George Martin

2009-12-03T21:01:00.000+10:30

By James Magary

Many Beatles fans have long debated as to who deserves the title of "fifth Beatle". The Beatles had many people around them during their storied career, so there has always been a natural curiosity as to who was closest to the group, and what impact they had on their work.

For many people, studying the history of the Fab Four is just as interesting and fun as their music itself, so the argument about which person outside the group had the most influence on them is a recurring theme among Beatlemaniacs, journalists, biographers, and fans. I will make the argument that there is only one correct answer to this question... the fifth Beatle is, without a doubt, Sir George Martin.

Generally there are a few candidates widely discussed as being the fifth Beatle. Here they are with their basic qualifications, and main strike against:

Stuart Sutcliffe: John Lennon's art school friend and short-term member of the Beatles. Strike against: He was released from the group because he didn't play the bass properly, and Paul McCartney did not want him in the group.
Pete Best: The original drummer for the group, who was replaced by Ringo Starr prior to the group's fame. Strike against: He was kicked out of the band!
Yoko Ono: John Lennon's wife, who influenced John a great deal, spent time in the recording studio while the Beatles made some of their late-career albums, appeared on two Beatles recordings ("The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" and "Revolution 9"), and whose name appeared in the title of the hit "The Ballad of John and Yoko". Strike against: She was only invited to the sessions because John wanted her to be, and the other Beatles did not want her in the studio, let alone in the band.
Brian Epstein: The Beatles early manager, who plucked them from obscurity and managed them to their first record contract and worldwide success. Strike against: Not a musician at all, and did not participate in any recording sessions.
Mal Evans: The Beatles road manager and longtime friend and assistant. He can be heard striking an anvil on the Abbey Road song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". Evans may have inadvertently inspired the concept for "Sgt Pepper" when he asked Paul McCartney to explain to him what the "S and P" letters were on their meal tray while on an airline flight (the letters stood for salt and pepper, which got Paul thinking about a name for the fictional group). Strike against: More of an employee than a Beatles collaborator.

This brings us to George Martin, who is the natural choice as the fifth Beatle. Martin was the producer of every single Beatles record from their first professional recording session through to Abbey Road. While the Beatles occasionally had a guest musician or two playing on some of their records, Martin was the only person who was intimately involved in every single track.

Applying his training in the field of classical music, Martin brought an educated sophistication to the Beatles music that they might not have had without him. He had never produced a rock and roll group until he met the Beatles, and they had never produced anything, but the unlikely combination ended up producing wonders of creative artistry that have yet to be surpassed.

Martin did not do any drugs, and insisted on a tight recording schedule and a professional atmosphere in the studio. He also wrote the score for many orchestral tracks that became integral parts of Beatle recordings, such as the string quartet backing on "Eleanor Rigby" or the elaborate symphonic crescendo in "A Day in the Life". His professionalism, creative input, and classical experience was a huge factor in the Beatles overall sound and influence. He helped them transcend the limits of being a rock and roll band, and made them into something else entirely.

Since most fans appreciate the Beatles music above all else, it seems strange to award the fifth Beatle title to anyone other than George Martin, whose influence to their musical legacy is heard on every note of every record. It is a testament to his importance that the Beatles never wanted to work with any other producer, which is rare for many bands, so his talents brought a consistency to their records which adds weight to their overall body of work.

Martin's work and legacy can be newly appreciated on the latest remastered releases of the Beatles albums, including the new Beatles USB Apple, which is a USB drive containing 24 bit (better than CD quality) versions of all of their classic albums.

To read more about the remastered recordings and the Beatles USB Apple click here: http://www.squidoo.com/buy-beatles-usb.

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The Beatles and Their Lasting Influence

2009-12-03T20:58:00.000+10:30

By James Magary

The Beatles broke up in 1969, but they have managed to retain their title as the most significant band ever to make a record. They are widely considered the best band in history, and their impact on recorded music, popular culture, and society in general is beyond calculation. Most interestingly, the Beatles continue to win new fans every day, and their music continues to appeal to people of all generations.

When the Beatles first "invaded" America in 1964, they represented one element of a generational divide. Rock and roll was still a relatively new form of music, and while the kids loved it, many parents could not understand the fascination with the four shaggy lads from Liverpool. However, as their careers grew beyond the image of their famous moptops, and as their music evolved beyond boy/girl love songs, people of all generations came to love them.

Even when they were teen idols, many older folks still responded to their music in a visceral way, because most of their songs were intensely melodic and sophisticated compositions, and their records often included classical elements, mixed in with rock and roll elements. In this way, the Beatles served as the bridge between the first half of the 20th century, which included the dawn of recorded music, and the 2nd half, which saw the advent of rock and roll and the global significance of a style of music that spoke to generations of people around the world.

Most fans agree the Beatles had a certain natural talent, which helped make them successful. However an accurate historical view should also take into account the accident of timing that brought the Beatles to the world in the 1960's, a decade that was ready-made for the type of revolution the Beatles created. The 1960's was a decade of many technological advancements, which included massive advancements in the quality and functionality of studio recording equipment, guitar amplifiers, and other items related to musical production.

The 1960's also saw an expansion of mass media, and the globalization of media, which gave the Beatles the opportunity to be the first truly global band. Finally, the 1960's was a time of massive social upheaval and cultural revolution, as the baby-boom generation came of age and sought to make its own identify. The Beatles took advantage of these three main elements and used it all in their music, which was technologically advanced, socially relevant, and designed for worldwide appeal.

This year the Beatles finally put out their catalog of classic albums on remastered CDs, including a complete box set in Stereo and Mono. They are also set to release, in December, a long-awaited set of their music in high-quality 24 bit FLAC formatted sound, which is an audiophile quality that surpasses that of CDs, which are still limited to 16 bit audio quality.

This collection is being distributed in a limited-release package called the Beatles USB Apple, which means that there are no discs... the set is actually on a USB device that plugs right into your computer. This USB device, as well as the box sets, give fans the opportunity to increase their appreciation for the greatest band in the world and the greatest collection of songs ever recorded. It is only fitting that another technological advance is being applied to the Beatles music, further enabling millions of people to experience their music and lasting influence.

To learn more, or to see a review of the Beatles USB Apple click here: http://www.squidoo.com/buy-beatles-usb

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Beatles Remastered - Magical Mystery Tour

2009-11-26T11:12:00.000+10:30

By John R Powell

Magical Mystery Tour is an album that was not originally an album. Originally it was just an EP (extended play) which is half an album. In America it was extended to an LP (long play) by adding the singles that the Beatles had released that year onto the end of the EP. In the UK it stayed an EP.

In 1987, when the Beatles albums were released onto CD, it was released internationally as the LP instead of the EP because the LP was more popular. The LP has now become an official part of the Beatles catalogue rather than the original EP.

"Magical Mystery Tour" has a lot of great songs on it. McCartney has "The Fool on the Hill" which is a great ballad and it is McCartney at his best. McCartney also has "Your Mother Should Know", "Penny Lane", and "Hello Goodbye". George Harrison has "Blue Jay Way" which is a great psychedelic piece. The bulk of the creative and artistic achievements belong to Lennon though.

In the history of rock "I Am the Walrus" stands out as being unique. The lyrics are strong enough to stand alone as poetry without the music. All of the Beatles were themselves fans of Bob Dylan. His influence can be heard in "I Am the Walrus". Lennon also has "Strawberry Fields Forever" which is on many lists as the top rock song of all time. The Beach Boys Pets Sounds influenced the Beatles Sgt. Pepper, and "Strawberry Fields Forever" was the first song that the Beatles did for Sgt Pepper although it was released as a single and not on the album. When Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys heard "Strawberry Fields Forever", he believed that he couldn't top it.

If the 60's had an anthem it was "All You Need is Love". This was performed in front of a live audience. The only difference between this audience and usual audiences is this audience was the entire world. The program was called "Our World" and was shown internationally around the world. So this was played to the entire world. Not many bands can say they've done that in the 60's.

Basically, "Magical Mystery Tour" is an extension of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". This is because a lot of the songs were recorded during the Sgt Pepper recording sessions. "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" were both recorded during these sessions, but when they were used as a double-A sided single, it was the Beatles policy not to use singles in their album.

George Martin has explained that this is one of the Beatles biggest mistakes, and one of his biggest regrets. So even though "Magical Mystery Tour" doesn't hold up to "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", it is a great album with a lot of great material that has lasted more than forty years. The remastered version sounds as if it were made this year.

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Beatles Remastered - Let it Be

2009-11-26T11:10:00.000+10:30

By John R Powell

"Let It Be" was originally supposed to be an album that was a "back to roots" idea. The Beatles were supposed to compose songs that would be without overdubs or anything besides guitars, pianos and drums. They were also supposed to be filmed the entire time while composing, practicing and performing the songs on this album. This idea was originated because they wanted to perform the songs live in front of an audience once the songs were completed. Their previous albums were full of complicated arrangements and overdubs that were too advanced to perform in front of an audience.

There were a lot of problems and struggles within the band during "Let It Be". The band had started to grow apart and Lennon was also struggling with a brief heroin addiction. Paul McCartney was starting to try to be the "leader" of the group, which the rest of the group saw as trying to be controlling and bossy. This was because two years before this album their manager, Brian Epstein, died of an accidental drug overdose so they had nobody to manage them.

"Let It Be" is an album that is not up to par with the rest of the Beatles repertoire. The album has a lot of good music on it, like Paul McCartney's "Two of US" or his "Let it Be". He also has the rocker, "Get Back", and a piano ballad, "The Long and Winding Road" which ended up having orchestral overdubs thanks to Phil Spector. Phil Spector did this behind McCartney's back.

John Lennon didn't have as many songs on this album because he was creatively not interested in the band at this point, and also was dealing with his heroin addiction. Yet he still had a few good songs, like "Dig a Pony", and "Across the Universe". "Across the Universe" was a song that was done a few years before and put on this album by Phil Spector because Lennon didn't have enough material done for the album.

Lennon also did a song called "Don't Let Me Down", which was the B-side to the single "Get Back". Even though "Don't Let Me Down" was done during the "Let It Be" sessions, Phil Spector for some reason didn't allow it to be on the album. George Harrison even had a few good songs on the album. His "For You Blue" is a great acoustic guitar piece. He also had the ballad "I Me Mine" which later was worked on by Phil Spector by adding overdubs like he did on "The Long and Winding Road".

"Let It Be" was basically shelved after they finished what they had and they decided to get it together for one more project, which ended up becoming "Abbey Road". They decided to get back to the "way they used to do it" for "Abbey Road", which ended up making it one of their greatest achievements, and their "swan song". Even though "Let It Be" was released a year after "Abbey Road" it is not the last record they made.

The remastered version of this album sounds better in every way than the original. If you're a Beatle fan all you'd have to do is listen to one of the tracks from one of your old albums, then listen to the same track from the remastered version ... your ears will beg you for this ear candy.

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The Psychology of Drumming - An Interview With Peter Erskine

2009-11-26T11:07:00.000+10:30

By Chris Peacock

What were your main goals as a kid learning your craft?

I wanted to do what the musicians were doing on the LP albums I was hearing. I wanted to be just like them and to be able to do what they could do. Television at that time was showing a lot of music, and this was inspiring as well. I wanted to be Art Blakey, and Shelly Manne, and Don Lamond and Sonny Payne. I wanted to be Sol Gubin, Saul Goodman and Elvin Jones!

Every summer was spent going to a Stan Kenton jazz camp, known in those days as the National Stage Band Camps. This is where I first met such jazz luminaries as Louis Hayes, Joe Zawinul, Oliver Nelson, Ron Carter, Alan Dawson, Jimmy Garrison, Donald Byrd, et al. (other students attending the camps at that time included Gary Burton, Keith Jarrett, Randy Brecker, Don Grolnick and David Sanborn). Of course, the members of the Kenton band were there, as well as Stan's staff of composers and arrangers. These were all very generous people with their time, talent and wisdom.

One piece of advice that made the biggest impression: "Listen to every kind of music." (Johnny Richards). I eventually started studying classical (orchestral) percussion, and for a while, this is what I wanted to do: play in an orchestra. My main goals, then, were to practice for my lessons and make my teachers happy, and to experience as much music as was possible. My parents were completely supportive of this, and I was allowed to play music in the house at any and all hours and volumes.

How did you approach your own development?

I just played ... and I listened to a lot of music. In that sense, I was always practicing. I also studied piano and trumpet in addition to drums and mallet percussion.

Do you still set goals for yourself today?

Any goals I set nowadays are usually along the lines of trying to be a better person. I have always strived to play music with the best of intentions and the utmost of sincerity; I don't know any other way to do it (but I do know how to do it better nowadays than when I was younger). I guess if I were to think about specific musical goals, then those would be along the lines of trying to find those moments of musical truth every time I play. I enjoy the craft, as well as the art, of playing. I'm also trying to learn to be a better composer, especially in terms of orchestration and counterpoint.

Have you picked up any tools over the years that have really helped you perform better?

Yes ... the art of surrender. I'm also really enjoying the instrument more and more now. There's so much to discover. It's quite fun.

About The Author

Chris Peacock began playing drums at the age of 12. He received a scholarship to Berklee College Of Music and studied at LA Music Academy under the guidance of Ralph Humphrey and Joe Porcaro. He has performed in the UK, US and Japan. His book, The Psychology Of Drumming features interviews with 20 drumming legends including Jojo Mayer, Steve Smith and Kenny Aronoff. You can download a free copy of the eBook by clicking here.

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The Beatles USB Apple - The End of a Long and Winding Road For Audiophiles

2009-11-26T11:02:00.000+10:30

By James Magary

At long last, the Beatles will finally release properly remastered versions of their classic albums. For audiophiles, however, a limited release product called the Beatles USB Apple actually goes a step further, providing better than CD quality versions of all of the music, as well as high-quality mp3 files. But why are the remastered versions better than the old versions, and why would someone buy the Beatles USB Apple instead of the remastered Beatles CDs?

First let's discuss mastering, as many people do not know what it is, let alone what "remastering" is. When an artist makes a record in the studio, they mix it down to a "final" product. If the product is to be mass produced, however, their record company must make a "master", which is the single copy from which thousands, or millions, of copies will be duplicated.

When records were released on vinyl, the master was actually made as a reverse-image copy of the recording, which was then used as a "stamper" to press the grooves into the vinyl material so that the record would play correctly. Due to the limitations of the medium, the vinyl master would have to be tweaked vs the final studio recording in an attempt to maximize the quality on the vinyl.

Don't let anyone tell you that vinyl records sound better ... they may offer a certain nostalgic appeal, but they cannot possibly sound superior to a properly mastered digital audio product. In the vinyl mastering process, the sound is changed dramatically compared to the recording the artist created in the studio. If a recording has a lot of bass, for example, an exact transfer of the sound might make the actual grooves in a vinyl record too wide, causing the record to skip, so the record company would usually limit the amount of bass to prevent this from happening.

In the case of the Beatles and other classic artists, this vinyl mastering amounted to a crime against audio, so it is with great relief and anticipation that many fans are eagerly waiting to buy the remastered versions of the Beatles albums. The new CD versions and the Beatles USB Apple both contain remastered versions of the songs, meaning they have been specially remastered to modern digital formats, providing the maximum dynamic range and detail that today's technology allows.

If you are a true audiophile and a Beatles fan, then you probably are considering to buy the Beatles USB Apple, even in place of the remastered CDs. This USB Apple contains the remastered versions of the music, but notably, has them in 24 bit FLAC format. FLAC is a lossless format which is better than CD quality, so there is simply more data on the file than what you have in a CD, and that will bring out even more detail and emotional resonance from the music.

And, as a handy option for those mp3 listeners, the Beatles USB Apple includes 320 kbps mp3 versions of everything. These are higher quality than you can get from most mp3 download sites, and are also DRM-free, which means they are not restricted in terms of file access and duplication.

The Beatles USB Apple is out on December 8th, and there are only 30,000 copies made so it will probably be a massive collectors item.

To learn more, or to buy the Beatles USB Apple click here: http://www.squidoo.com/buy-beatles-usb.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Beatles-USB-Apple---The-End-of-a-Long-and-Winding-Road-For-Audiophiles&id=3310507

The Beatles Remastered Albums - Box Set Vs USB Apple

2009-11-26T11:00:00.000+10:30

By James Magary

2009 has been a very active year for the Beatles, despite the fact they have been broken up for over 30 years. Following the release of Beatles Rock Band and the remastered Box Set collections, soon 30,000 fans will be fighting for the chance to buy the Beatles USB Apple which comes out on December 8th.

This is a limited edition "box set" in the form of a green aluminum apple, which has a removable USB drive containing all the same music as in the stereo box set. Either the box set or the USB will give you a comprehensive Beatles collection, but the much smaller USB package actually has much more in it.

The music on the Beatles USB Apple is the same as the stereo box set in terms of the albums and songs that are included. It has the stereo mixes of all the major studio releases from the Beatles career, including the classic albums you would expect. Revolver, Rubber Soul, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (White Album), Abbey Road, and Let it Be are all included here, as well as the early albums. All the hits and B-sides that were not included on a regular Beatles album, like "Hey Jude" and "Revolution", are also part of this set.

The key advantage of the USB version is that it contains all of this music in two formats, neither of which is used on the CD releases or the box set CDs. The first is high-quality FLAC 44.1 Khz 24 bit format sound files, which are a step up from 16 bit CD quality, so audiophiles who think that CDs are too "cold" sounding can finally get their Beatles fix in a format that caters to them.

Second, if you buy the Beatles USB Apple instead of the box set you will get mp3 versions of the tunes, in a high-quality 320kbps format, and they are DRM-free, unlike most iTunes mp3s. DRM stands for Digital Rights Management which places access restrictions on the content, so it's better not to have it. This is a significant release, as it represents the first time that the Beatles have decided to release any of their music in mp3 format.

To this day you still cannot buy the Beatles tunes on iTunes or other download sites that sell mp3s, but you can get them all on the Beatles USB Apple, and transfer them to your iPod from there. The final temptation of the Beatles USB Apple is that as of now, there are only going to be 30,000 of them for sale, so they will probably be hot collectors items.

If you don't use CDs anymore, or you are an audiophile, and you are looking to get the whole Beatles collection at once, the Beatles USB Apple is a great option, especially since it has the USB functionality plus higher quality music files vs the CD formats. All the visual materials, including album artwork, expanded liner notes, and a 13-minute documentary film are also on the Beatles USB Apple, so there is really nothing missing vs the box sets, except for those pesky CDs.

To learn more, or to buy the Beatles USB Apple click here: http://www.squidoo.com/buy-beatles-usb

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James Taylor - The Troubadour Reunion‏

2009-11-24T09:49:00.000+10:30

by Brent Warnken

Wouldn't it be great to reunite with old friends and get paid for it? That's just what James Taylor and Carole King thought as they put together the 'Troubadour Reunion' tour, an event originally sparked from the 50th anniversary celebration of West Hollywood's landmark two years ago.

Now the two veteran performers, along with a few friends, will kick off a new "Troubadour" event this March in Australia, courting New Zealand, Japan and the U.S., as well. Get James Taylor tickets today online to see the acts together.

"This tour ... has been waiting to happen for a long time but the years seem to have vanished. When we reunited for the Troubadour 50th Anniversary celebration in 2007, it was, and still is, all about the music and the celebration of performing together," Taylor said in a press statement.

Now the two have reignited that original passion, an emotion close to their fans, for a blast back into the past. The two first performed together at the Troubadour Club in 1970; the event not only marks a legendary performance for the Troubadour but also for King, who performed solo for the first time that evening.

Just two years ago they reunited with their original 1970 band and loved the reunion format so much they decided to take their performances to the road. "When James and I first played together in the early seventies, we connected immediately, both musically and personally, with an effortless, comfortable familiarity," King said to Monsters and Critics online. "After we reunited in 2007 with Danny Kortchmar, Lee Sklar and Russ Kunkel, the original band from our early Troubadour shows, none of us wanted the fun to stop."

Now the infamous duo of smooth '70s rock will not only appear together, but so will their band - as Kortchmar, Kunkel and Sklar all join Tyler and King for the reunion trek. Only seven dates have been announced with promises for more, as the rock group plans to visit Australia's Brisbane, Hunter, Sydney and Melbourne; New Zealand's Auckland; Japan's Tokyo and Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl in the U.S.

That celebrated '70s Troubadour performance had Taylor performing his self-titled Apple Records album that included the hits "Carolina in My Mind" and "Something in the Way She Moves." Though King had been a prominent songwriter - penning tunes for Aretha Franklin, the Monkees and more, it was the first performance that she was stepping out on her own. Taylor and King have since become multi-platinum selling acts, each earning their fare share of awards as well as inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Taylor just finished up with his Covers Tour, a nationwide tour that promoted his new albums Covers and Other Covers, his first Top 10 album. The sets have James covering some of his favorite classic acts like Leonard Cohen, George Jones and the Temptations. All the tunes on Covers were prominent parts of Taylor's concerts throughout his career. "Crowd pleasers, rabble rousers," as Taylor calls them. "It just seemed like a really obvious album we wanted to make."

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VIDEOS: Iconic Australian 1960s Band - The Loved Ones

2009-11-23T15:39:00.001+10:30

by Robert Muller

Hi all, here's a couple of classic tracks from one of Australia's most iconic rock bands of the 1960s - The Loved Ones with the wonderful Gerry Humphries up front of vocals. The Loved Ones were an R&B band that formed in 1965 with its members coming out of the thriving trad-jazz scene in early 60s Melbourne. This is their first single 'The Loved One' from 1965.

The Loved One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nURrBtB5O58

And here's one from 1966 - Everlovin' Man:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOUzKJFFnnw

If you've never heard The Loved Ones before, leave a comment and let me know what you think of their music!

Enjoy!

These Candles Are For Lennon

2009-11-21T16:45:00.000+10:30

By Krystal Bennion

John Lennon would have turned 69 years old this week. That is, if he was not shot dead by a demented fan. In commemoration of his birthday, Julian Lennon, John's son, together with Liverpool Lord Mayor Mike Storey, organized a candle lighting campaign. This drive not only symbolizes the ex-Beatle's birthday but more on the promotion of humanitarian issues.

It can be remembered that Lennon's career started in 1960s while he was performing in clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg. For three years, the then five-member group Beatles slowly carved its name in the music scene. The five became four because the original bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe, died from a cerebral hemorrhage. It was in 1962 when the quartet of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison was formed. In the later part of that year, the impeccable group achieved their first hit in the UK with their song "Love Me Do'. And as they say, the rest is history.

The all-English band became a worldwide phenomenon writing really wonderful songs, making great music, and selling one chart-topping record after another. Aside from their music, the Beatles became fashion icons, trend setters and even had a significant social influence. Up to this day, the Beatles are still regarded as one of the most successful and critically acclaimed bands of all time.

But all great things must come to an end. After record-breaking albums and series of concerts across the globe, Beatlemania ended. Controversy has much to do with it and the now infamous line of Lennon saying that "the Beatles are more popular than Jesus" has come to a stop. By 1970, the former quartet officially disbanded as they all released solo albums.

Ten years after, front-man and music-genius John Lennon was shot and killed in New York City.

And, almost five decades since the Beatles took the world by storm, their music and influence lives on. And to mark another tribute on behalf of John Lennon is the candle lighting campaign. With his great music as his legacy, humanitarian and peace promotion should be easy. Light a candle and say a little prayer for him and for peace in this planet.

Candle lighting can symbolize many things. This week, offer your organic candles, soy candles and even virtual candles in honor of John Lennon's birthday. Keep the fire burning and not just imagine a peaceful world. Rather, take part in making it happen. It should not be that difficult.

Krystal Bennion loves writing and writes about anything.

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The Sixties - The Greatest Music Decade

2009-11-20T20:08:00.000+10:30

By Ray Weber

Rock and roll was big in the fifties but it was really defined in the 60s when some of the greatest rock bands in history emerged. These artists continue to influence the direction and style of music today. They were frequently intoxicated and many died young as a result, but during the 60s, we found more music legends than possibly any other decade.

The sixties bands included every genre of music from hard rock to soul, bubblegum rock to beach music, Motown to rockabilly. This was the generation that included such diverse popular music groups as The Four Seasons and The Rolling Stones; the good boys and the bad boys.

The era of Woodstock and man landing on the moon was a decade of blaring electric guitars, wa-wa effects, drum solos and strange lyrics. Those who were only toddlers or babies during this decade likely don't understand the wa-wa effect or the fuzz effect. Guitars screamed, capitalized on feedback and made use of the two aforementioned effects. Yes, wa-wa and the fuzz effect were at the guitarist's discretion and made the hard rock sound of the 60s unique.

A decade and music of contrasts

The music of the 60s found its adherents based on age group. Young teens were into the bubblegum rock bands who sang repetitive, sometimes silly lyrics. Songs like 'Yummy, Yummy, Yummy' and 'Simon Says' appealed to young teens and tweens. The older teens and young twenty-somethings listened to serious rock music. Groups and musicians like Jimmie Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), The Guess Who, The Animals, The Beatles and Steppenwolf.

Many solo musicians became legends during the 60s. Singers like Ray Charles, Dion, Roy Orbison, Percy Sledge, James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding had top-ten hits and became music legends. These musicians were the inspiration for a new generation of rock and rollers.

The Motown Sound

What would the 60s be without Motown? The soul, rhythm and blues and gospel sounds of the Motown sound were distinct from other 60s music, but also produced some of the greatest hits of all time. The Temptations, Diana Ross and the Surpremes, Aretha Franklin, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Smokie Robinson and the Miracles, The Four Tops and the Jackson Five all made their mark on the decade.

In 1966 alone, the percentage of hits on the national charts from just the Berry Gordy-managed artists was an astonishing seventy-five percent. This was one of the few decades, along with the latter half of the seventies, that supported two different sounds, both hitting the tops of the charts concurrently.

The number of bands, twosomes, soloists and studio acts that made great music during the 60s are too numerous to mention. The 'blue-eyed soul' of the Righteous Brothers stood in stark contrast to the folksy music of Simon and Garfunkel. Chubby Checker sang the Twist during this generation while The Rolling Stones sang Jumpin Jack Flash. The difference in music styles during this single ten-year span found fans of every music style. It became hard to define 'pop' music when so many styles were popular.

Few decades will ever equal the sixties for legendary artists, diverse music and interesting personalities. The music from this one decade will live on as the true classics of popular music.

The Retro Baby was founded in 2004 and quickly gained an enthusiastic following. The TheRetroBaby.com website soon followed. We have built TheRetroBaby on the philosophy of customer satisfaction and original, unique products.

From our humble beginnings, and the expansion of our warehouse and shipping operation in south Florida, The RetroBaby developed our original offering of hip, trendy clothing for babies and toddlers. Our clothes hearken back to the days of Jimmy Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles and the Stones; clothes that you won't find on the baby next door. You can pay tribute to the greats of rock and roll and popular culture with our unique clothes.

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The Ash Grove - Mick Jagger Gets the Blues

2009-11-20T20:05:00.000+10:30

By Chris L Morton

In his Ash Grove recording, guitarist Dave Alvin laments the loss of a favorite Los Angeles club, a venue that should be on the National Register of Historic Places. It would have to be in an urn, however, the club burned not once, but three times.

Ed Pearl (an uncle of Spirit's Randy California) founded the 250-seat Ash Grove in 1958. "I started with the perfect show," says Pearl. "Brownie McGhee, Guy Carawan ... McGhee was the Southern folk-bluesman who, at the time, hadn't quite yet formed his famous alliance with harmonica partner Sonny Terry; Carawan is best known for adapting We Shall Overcome with Pete Seeger."

Going forward, stage acts would include Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, June Carter, Arlo Guthrie, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, Jerry Garcia, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Dixon, Son House, Mose Allison, Hoyt Axton, Eric Burdon, the Byrds, Canned Heat, Commander Cody, Albert Collins, Larry Coryell, James Cotton, Jose Feliciano, Firesign Theater, Robben Ford, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Ahmad Jamal, Dr. John, Albert King, Charles Mingus, Pharoah Sanders, Spirit, Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt, "Big Mama" Thornton, the Chambers Brothers, Flying Burrito Brothers, Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal. Many other acts also appeared at the Ash Grove over the years.

Everybody hung out at the Ash Grove. It was there that Jim (Roger) McGuinn met David Crosby before forming the Byrds, and a chance encounter of Linda Ronstadt's led to the formation of the Stone Ponys.

"I always had two or three cheap recorders going ...," [Pearl] explains. "I'd just turn them on because I wanted to listen ... Ry, Taj, and the rest of us liked to listen to the old guys." Some 3,000 hours of recorded live performances at the Ash Grove have survived. Many of these recordings may be streamed live or purchased from Wolfgang's Vault.

Currently in production, Ash Grove Burning is a documentary by Sundance award-winning filmmaker Aiyana Elliott. Hers is perhaps not a recognized name in music circles until one learns she is the daughter of Grammy-Award winner, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, a regular Ash Grove performer. Being very patient while it loads, you may view the movie trailer online at Ash Grove Film.

Chris Morton (floydslips@gmail.com) lives in Northern California and is an FCC-licensed, classic rock wannabe-DJ and quasi-sociohistorian. At http://floydslips.blogspot.com, therein Chris rambles ad nauseum about many genres of music, the musicians, strange connections, the venues, and the gear with which to legally and aurally transcend wherever you happen to be.

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Paul McCartney and Wings Lullabyes

2009-11-20T20:01:00.001+10:30

By Robert DeLuca

When you think of Paul McCartney, you think love songs or The Beatles and now you can think Lullabyes. Yes, Sir Paul (as the Brits like to call him) can now put your little ones to sleep with lullabyes. After 10 years of being the bass player of the biggest band in history The Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney is now going on his 39th year as a very successful solo artist.

I know, I know ... you're saying "Hey man, Wings was a band". But c'mon ... does anyone NOT consider them Paul McCartney's back up band? Although, I have to admit that the "Wings" era, I thought, was the best music of Paul McCartney's solo career ("Venus and Mars", "Red Rose Speedway" and of course, the fantastic "Band On The Run" to name a few).

McCartney Gets His Wings

In 1971 he formed the band Wings. Paul says the idea of naming the band Wings came to him while he was praying during the birth of his second child Stella. Apparently there were complications and while praying for the survival of his wife (Linda) and their new born, Paul had visions of wings.

Wings only had 3 permanent members. Paul, wife Linda McCartney and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine. The rest of the lineup changed a few times. Did you know that "Wings" were the only "permanent" group that any of the Beatles were involved with after their breakup? "Hey, what about John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band?" Well, apparently the difference is that Wings had other songwriters credited other than Sir Paul.

The 9 or 10 years Paul spent with Wings spawned 12 top 10 singles. Also a very successful tour and "live" album in 1976 with "Wings Over America". Wings officially ended in 1980. Their recording sessions were canceled when John Lennon was assassinated. When Paul decided to go back to work he recorded "Tug of War" (as a dedication to Lennon) and was credited officially as a "solo" record. So, if you are a fan of Paul McCartney's "Wings" era and you have little ones. You can now share "Lush Lullaby Renditions of Paul McCartney and Wings.

Lush Lullabyes of Paul McCartney and Wings (Baby Music for Junior ... with or without the farm)

Roma Music's "Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star" series have done a great job in selecting 10 Hit songs by Paul McCartney that span the the "Wings" era. They have, once again, arranged and recorded them into very dreamy lullabyes.

In reviewing "Lush Lullaby Renditions of Paul McCartney and Wings", I found myself really enjoying the simplicity of each baby lullaby. McCartney's melodies are so memorable and these lullabyes stay true to each one. It's not easy to take a song like "Jet" which is an upbeat rock n roll song and turn it into a dreamy lullaby for your baby to fall asleep to. But that is exactly what they have done at Twinkle Rock. Oh, and for those with an empty nest, these lullabyes have that "Day at the Spa" like feel. Which is great for practicing meditation and yoga to.

Paul McCartney and Wings Lullabyes Song List (Twinkle Rock decides to "Wing" it)

The song selection process must have been difficult in narrowing it down to just 10 lullabyes. And I feel Twinkle Rock.com has done a great job of it.

Band On The Run
Dance Tonight
Maybe I'm Amazed
Silly Love Songs
My Love
Jet
Uncle Albert-Admiral Halsey
Listen To What The Man Said
Ebony And Ivory
Say Say Say

These lullabyes are Mp3 downloads. So Mommy can upload them to her Ipod and take them anywhere. They list for $8.99 or by track for $.99.

My personal favorite lullabyes on this record are Band On The Run, My Love, and Jet. The arrangements are very soothing and each lullaby flows into the next. I can't really say much about the last couple of tracks, because, every time I listen to this record, I fall asleep like a baby.

You can check them all out at Twinkle Rock.com along with other great artists like Jack Johnson, Michael Jackson, The Foo Fighters and many more.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Paul-Mccartney-and-Wings-Lullabyes&id=3237862

Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Two Sides of the Same Coin?

2009-11-14T17:24:00.000+10:30

By Martin Fister

Martin Luther King and Malcolm X are two tremendous figures in the civil rights movement. Based on some of their famous sayings, such as Martin's "Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that," and Malcolm's "Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery," you might believe the two men to be on complete extremes. However, both men actually had very similar policies in the end, as I'd like to show you.

So, Martin Luther King's an easy one. As the quote says, he believed in peaceful resistance a la Gandhi. He promoted peaceful protests like sit-ins and boycotts and all that hoopla. How can Malcolm X, a man known for promoting violence and separationist ideologies, be considered similar? To get a grasp of Malcolm X's ties, it's important to look at both ends of Malcolm X's political activism.

First, while a member of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm promoted a sense of racial pride in being black. While he promoted nationalism and retaliation against whites (Malcolm once said "Power never takes a back step - only in the face of more power"), he also instilled a sense of strength in the black race. Along these lines, Malcolm said "A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself."

Thus, while Martin Luther King was working to bring the whites into a place where they could accept blacks and to see them on the same level, Malcolm X was working to bring blacks to a place where they could accept themselves as being on the same level. Martin Luther King told the blacks to stand strong and love thy neighbor, no matter how that neighbor treated them. Malcolm X told the blacks to stand strong and love thyself, no matter how that neighbor treated them. While different, the ideas work hand in hand with one another and greatly benefit one another.

Second, after leaving the Nation of Islam, Malcolm formed his own organization, the Organization of Afro-American Unity. This group moved further from violence and served as a political attempt at unifying the black cause in America and building ties to the African community. Under this wing, Malcolm sought to unite with the civil rights movement and to elevate the cause of blacks in America to an international level. Using the organization as a jumping point, Malcolm sought to bring the blacks case to the United Nations and to file a human rights violation case against the United States. Unfortunately, Malcolm X was murdered shortly thereafter in February of 1965 so this part of his legacy often doesn't receive much attention.

To keep it simple, the two men were both strong members of the civil rights movement and despite all the differences between the men, I believe it's an easy task to respect everything they both did. To take some kind of message from all this though, I think it's good to use the teachings of Malcolm X to grasp this idea.

Before you can love someone else, you must first learn to love yourself.

Martin Fister is an active product blogger, writing for web sites including Linksys Wireless Routers and Trolley Suitcase. In his spare time, Martin also pursues his interests in the music industry as a journalist.

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ALBUM REVIEW: The Rolling Stones, Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)

2009-11-14T14:45:00.000+10:30

By Nathan Stallings

One of the more challenging releases in music history, the Rolling Stones' Their Satanic Majesties Request is also one of the more divisive releases. While divisive is an appropriate description of the album's reception within the mainstream music media of the time, it also describes the reception within the Stones' fan base.

The mainstream decried it as a ripoff of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (the cover doesn't help). The Stones fan base, already slightly perplexed by the baroque pop leanings of the Between The Buttons, was pushed over the edge with the album's blatant psychedelic inclinations, while the title of album was sure to turn people away (now it would be considered a boost). In short, the album was doomed from the start.

Fortunately, time does do the album some service as a large number of the tracks, such as the sing-along folk of the lead off track, "Sing This All Together," and the psychedelic sunshine pop of first single, "She's A Rainbow," demonstrate. Bassist Bill Wyman has his only turn as a songwriter for the band with the second single from the album, the baroque pop song "In Another Land," which sounds like it could be from the soundtrack of some medieval fantasy while "Citadel," "The Lantern" and "2000 Man" sound like the rock songs from the same soundtrack.

The cover of the album also lends credence to the whole medieval fantasy concept. The real gem on the album is the dark and moody "2000 Light Years From Home," a nightmare of a track that underscores the dark side of the 60s psychedelic movement.

The album is somewhat weighted down by filler tracks, such as the eight minute-plus "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)," while "Gomper," although somewhat plodding and tedious, does serve as a good lead up to "2000 Light Years From Home." The closer "On With The Show" sounds like a leftover from Between The Buttons but is by no means a letdown as its nonsensical atmosphere (and its underpinning ode to the rock 'n' roll decadence that would consume the band by the early 1970s) is a great way to close out this album.

Unique in its own right, Their Satanic Majesties Request provides an important link between the Stones' early work and their subsequent return to straightforward rock 'n' roll with their subsequent release, Beggar's Banquet. In summary, this album has the trappings of a cult classic.

My name is Nathan Stallings and my interests are both popular music and music history. Some of my favorite artists are The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, The Smiths, David Bowie, The Kinks, Depeche Mode, Bob Dylan, Morrissey, Chuck Berry, Bob Marley, R.E.M., Aerosmith, Pearl Jam, Muddy Waters, The Cars, Miles Davis, Smashing Pumpkins, Merle Haggard and The Cure too name a few. You can visit my Rolling Stones website at: http://www.rollingstonesuniverse.com

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The Beatles in MP3, Finally - The Beatles USB

2009-11-14T14:43:00.000+10:30

By Jackson Weinheimer

Holding Out

The Beatles have been one of the few holdouts who have not made their music available in the mp3 format (in fact I don't know of any other band that is not available for mp3 downloads). With the release of The Beatles USB that changes, kind of.

The Beatles USB

Their music will still not be available for download, but it will be available in high quality 320kbps DRM free mp3s in an Apple themed USB stick. This USB stick is essentially a digital version of the critically acclaimed Beatles in Stereo Box Set (which includes digitally remastered versions of all of their stereo albums).

320kbps DRM Free MP3s

These are the best kind of mp3s because they are of the highest quality (much higher quality than those bought on iTunes) and they are DRM free which removes a lot of the headaches (most iTunes downloads have DRM embedded and it can make them annoying to deal with).

24bit FLAC

The Beatles entire remastered stereo catalog is also included in 24bit FLAC on this USB stick. These files are actually of superior sound quality to CDs which are only 16bit. These will be a huge draw to audiphiles who want to hear the greatest band of all time's music in it's best available quality.

Apple

A lot of people probably assume I mean the Apple computer company (that runs iTunes and makes iPods and Mac computers) when I say this USB stick has an Apple theme, but I actually mean the Apple company that The Beatles created in 1968 which was originally meant to be involved in various things but really became a record label (they signed James Taylor and Badfinger) that now only really exists for The Beatles music. It's symbol is a green apple, not the apple with a bite taken out of it that is the computer company's logo.

Buy The Beatles MP3s.

The Beatles USB includes The Beatles in FLAC which are audiophile quality (better than CD).

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The Beatles in FLAC - Audiophile Quality Beatles Stereo Catalog in the Beatles USB Memory Stick

2009-11-14T14:40:00.000+10:30

By Jackson Weinheimer

The Beatles USB memory stick is the digital version of The Beatles in Stereo Box Set which was released on 9/9/9. It includes all of the same remastered stereo mixes and all of the same visual content (including the mini documentaries, the photographs, the original LP artwork, and the extended liner notes).

The difference is that this version of the stereo box set can easily fit in your hand and includes the songs in mp3 format and 24bit FLAC format. The mp3s can be easily added to and played on any mp3 player (such as a Zune or an iPod) but it's the 24bit FLAC versions that are the topic of this article.

For this remastering project, the original analog tapes were captured in 24bit sound quality and then remastered in 24bit, it wasn't until they were put on CD that they compressed to 16bit. Now with these FLAC files the high quality 24bit sound can be heard by Beatles fans.

It should be noted that these are 44.1kHz FLAC files, not the 96kHz files that audiophiles would prefer, but still the point remains: These are now the best sounding versions of The Beatles albums available and that will make this USB stick a "must buy" for serious Beatles fans and audiophiles all over the world.

Some may wish to hold out in case the 96/24 versions are available at some point in the future (on Blu-Ray discs most likely). But of course there is no guarantee that 96/24 versions will ever be released. At least anytime soon. With this memory stick apparently being a limited edition with only 30,000 copies being made, there may not be an opportunity to purchase it again once it has sold out.

CLICK HERE to learn more about The Beatles USB.

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The Beatles USB - Beatles Entire Discography in the Palm of Your Hand

2009-11-14T14:37:00.000+10:30

By Jackson Weinheimer

The Long Wait is Over

For years now there have been rumors that The Beatles music was finally going to be available in digital format (MP3 specifically) so that their music could be easily added to iPods, Zunes, and other mp3 players.

With the release of The Beatles USB on December 8, 2009 it is possible to buy The Beatles entire remastered stereo catalog (all 13 studio albums plus the Past Masters non-album tracks compilation) in the form of this USB memory stick you can easily hold in your hand (and you're welcome for getting "I Want to Hold Your Hand" stuck in your head!).

Digital Version of The Beatles Stereo Box Set

This USB stick is the digital version of Beatles in Stereo Box Set. It contains the same remastered stereo mixes (which sound absolutely outstanding, by the way.) It contains the same 13 mini-documentaries (one for each studio album). It contains the same extended liner notes, exclusive photos, and original vinyl LP artwork.

High Quality 320kbps MP3 Files

The mp3 files included in this memory stick of are the highest quality possible (320kbps). This makes them of higher quality than the vast majority of mp3s available for sale on ITunes and other digital retailers. Most people can't tell the difference between 320kbps mp3s and CDs.

Audiophile Quality 24bit FLAC Files

What will excite serious Beatles fans about this USB stick is that it also includes 24bit FLAC files which will be the highest quality version of these remasters available (CDs are actually only 16bit). Although these are only 44.1kHz FLAC, not 96kHz. (96kHz/24bit is what's usually included on high definiton releases, The Beatles catalog has not yet been released in that format). Still, these 24bit FLAC files have a higher sound quality than CD.

Apple Theme

This USB stick has an Apple theme. Some may assume by that I mean Apple computers, but The Beatles actually started their own company named Apple in 1968 and that's what the (green, not red) apple design of the USB is referencing.

Limited Edition

Only 30,000 copies of this USB stick are being made.

Buy The Beatles USB.

CLICK HERE for more information.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Marvin Gaye - The Real Thing - In Performance 1964-1981 DVD

2009-11-14T14:34:00.000+10:30

By Payo W Perry

For far too long there has been a rarity associated with footage of Marvin Gaye on DVD. Of the recent releases however "Real Thing: In Performance 1964-1981" is on of the best and features some really great Marvin Gaye performances for all fans to sit back and enjoy. It's a 16 track compilation and very well put together especially with its re-mastered sound quality and comprehensive colour booklet.

The DVD begins at the very beginning of Marvin's career from Motown and follows his development as a singer, performer and artist right throughout the decades. From the 1960's we get "Hitch Hike", "Can I Get a Witness" and "Ain't That Peculiar" and it's so interesting to see his performances in front of totally white audiences and go-go girl teenagers. By the end you're left in little doubt of how incredibly expressive and pure the voice of Marvin Gaye was.

The DVD does not rely on the TV sound recordings but rather uses the digitally re-mastered audio from the original sound recordings. This makes the sound quality gorgeous especially when played through a quality hi-fi system. The live performances start kicking in at around track 8 with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" from 1969 and together with "Lets Get It On" they provide highlight points for the entire DVD.

Intertwined throughout the film are interviews with Marvin on various TV shows and this helps to bring the music out and help put the periods of his career into context. I would highly recommend this DVD as essential viewing for anyone who likes Marvin Gaye. You'll watch it time and again I'm sure.

The author is a respected online reviewer. You can check out his most recent expert review on mens electric shavers here. The site also has lots of great deals for remington electric shavers

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BOOK REVIEW: The New "Best of James Taylor For Guitar" Tab Book

2009-11-14T14:30:00.002+10:30

By Payo W Perry

For anyone wanting to learn how to play some of the most famous songs by James Taylor this book is worth looking at. It's written in guitar TAB so you'll get highly accurate notations for all the chords along with the complete lyric sets for every track. The tracks include Country Road, Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight, Fire and Rain, Shower the People, Steamroller, Sweet Baby James, You've Got a Friend and Your Smiling Face among others.

The greatest difficulty when learning how to play tracks by James Taylor are the intricate fingerstyle applications used throughout the chords. Unless you have a well developed ear for guitar then trying to learn these directly off the record would probably only result in a lot of frustration. This book can save you a lot of time and heartache!

I would also recommend that you invest in dedicated fingerstyle lessons as your technique will need to be developed and secure to stand a reasonable chance of being able to play these songs. If your fingerstyle playing is not developed or you learned in an incorrect manner you'll really struggle to get the most out of all this book has to offer.

As with most TAB books it's very useful to have the real recordings available to play next to you while you're your learning. This will help you a lot in terms of being able to hear the rhythm and timing aspects of each track. Often TAB as a medium for notating guitar does not do a good job in this respect.

Finally make sure you learn small sections at a time, use a pencil to mark off where you are and progress slowly each day. The slower you practice the better the end result will be.

The author has a popular online product review site. Be sure to check out his latest expert report for marcy fitness equipment where you'll also find lots of information and bargain deals on marcy home gyms.

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The Beatles USB Includes 24bit FLAC and 320kbps Mp3 Versions of the Beatles Remastered Stereo Catalog

2009-11-14T14:28:00.000+10:30

By Jackson Weinheimer

Digital Version of The Beatles in Stereo Box Set

The Beatles USB includes all of the same elements that the very popular Beatles in Stereo Box Set contains, the only difference (and it's a big one) is that the USB contains digital versions of the 16 remastered stereo CDs, 1 DVD (which contains 13 mini-documentaries), extended liner notes (for each album), previously unpublished photographs, and original vinyl artwork that comes with the box set.

High Quality 320kpbs MP3s

The mp3 files in this USB memory stick are of the highest quality possible (for mp3s) and in fact, most people cannot tell 320kpbs mp3s from CD quality. For comparison's sake, the mp3s sold on iTunes are only 128kpbs, and those sold on AmazonMP3 are usually 192kbps or 256kbps.

Audiophile Quality 24bit FLAC

These 44kHz/24bit FLAC files are of superior audio quality in comparison to CDs (which are 44kHz/16bit.) All of The Beatles music on this memory stick is available as both mp3s and FLAC, it's up to the listener to decide which version they want to listen to.

DRM Free

If you've bought music on iTunes you may be familiar with "DRM" which stands for Digital Rights Management and it can be, quite frankly, a pain in the butt. The files on this USB are DRM free.

Limited Edition: 30,000

This is a limited edition of only 30,000 so there's a good chance that they will sell out rather quickly just as the first pressings of the (stereo and mono) box sets did.

The Beatles USB is the 3rd "flavor" of Remastered Beatles to be released.

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