One Way Out: An Oral History of the Allman Brothers Band

Alan Paul, an award-winning journalist, will publish One Way Out: An Oral History of the Allman Brothers Band.  One Way Out is comprised of interviews that Alan Paul conducted with the band between 1989-2009 and features an in-depth look at the departure of founding guitarist, Dickey Betts, in 2000.


The oral history also includes several exclusive interviews with band members such as: Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks, Warren Hayes, Jaimoe, Derek Trucks, Allen Woody, Oteil Burbridge, Chuck Leavell, and Jimmy Herring in addition to Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Dr. John, and Buddy Guy.


-Will Fisher, The Showbiz Kids

Guitar legend Doc Watson passes away

 

Guitar legend Doc Watson dies at N.C. hospital, representative says

By Michael Martinez, CNN

updated 8:07 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012

Guitarist and singer Doc Watson performs at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

(CNN) -- Doc Watson, the bluegrass music legend from Appalachia who was renowned for his flatpicking and fingerstyle technique on the acoustic guitar, died Tuesday at a hospital in North Carolina, according to Mary Katherine Aldin of Folklore Productions, which represented the singer. He was 89.

Watson, a Grammy winning musician who was blinded after birth, had been struggling to recover from May 24 colon surgery and then a followup procedure two days later. The Winston-Salem Journal had reported that Watson's family was called to his bedside Sunday at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center after he took a turn for the worse.

The website of Folklore Productions, which is run by the singer's representative, Mitch Greenhill, had been providing updates on his difficult recovery.

Watson, who jumped onto the music scene in the early 1960s, is considered influential among folk musicians for his brand of bluegrass, blues, country and gospel music. He won seven Grammy awards and, in 2004, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

"Watson's immense talent and spirit will be deeply missed, and our sincerest sympathies go out to his family, friends and all who were inspired by his music," said a statement from Neil Portnow, president/CEO of The Recording Academy, which awards the Grammys.

Watson, whose mother sang around the house and whose father was a banjo player and vocalist who led the singing at their Baptist church, was a fingerstyle player who used a thumbpick for bass and a fingerpick for the treble strings -- a "two-finger" style that was self-taught.

As a flatpicker, he used a traditional tear-shaped medium gauge nylon flatpick and was known for his speed, tone and precision -- with a little extra arm motion.

Born Arthel Lane Watson in Stoney Fork Township, near Deep Gap, North Carolina, on March 3, 1923, Watson was blinded from an eye infection as a baby. He toured with his son Merle before Merle's death after a farming accident in 1985, and continually played at an annual festival called MerleFest in his son's honor.

Watson got his nickname during a live radio broadcast.

"The announcer remarked that his given name Arthel was odd and he needed an easy nickname," according to a biography on the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame website.

"A fan in the crowd shouted 'Call him Doc.' The name stuck ever since."

Watson credited his own father for helping him get his start in music.

"One day he brought (a banjo) to me and put it in my hand and said, 'Son, I want you to learn how to play this thing real well," Watson told National Public Radio's Terry Gross in 1988. "It might help you get through the world."

Watson was steeped in music as a child, from the time his mother held him in her arms at the Mount Paton Church and he listened to the harmony and shape-note singing of such songs as "The Lone Pilgrim" and "There is a Fountain," according to a 1998 article in Flatpicking Guitar Magazine by Dan Miller.

In 1947, Watson married Rosa Lee Carlton, the daughter of an old-time fiddler, and they had two children, Eddy Merle (named after Eddy Arnold and Merle Travis), born in 1949, and daughter Nancy Ellen, born in 1951.

When his son died in 1985 at the age of 36 in the tractor accident, Watson was devastated and vowed to quit playing music -- an experience that would turn his life upside down.

His son, a music partner, was "the best friend I ever had in this world," Watson said, according to Miller's magazine article.

According to Miller, Watson told Acoustic Musician magazine in 1997: "The night before the funeral I had decided to quit, just give up playing. Well that night I had this dream.

"Now, usually I do have some light perception, but in this dream it was so dark I could hardly stand it. It was like I was in quicksand up to my waist and I felt I wasn't gonna make it out alive.

"Then suddenly this big old strong hand reached back and grabbed me by the hand and I heard this voice saying, 'Come on Dad, you can make it. Keep going.' Then I woke up. I think the good Lord was telling me it was all right to continue with my music. It's been a struggle, but I still have the love for the music," Watson told Acoustic Musician.

That same year, 1997, Watson received the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton.

He also received an honorary degree from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where an endowment for Appalachian Studies is in his name, and he also received an honorary doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

CNN's Ed Payne and David Ariosto contributed to this report.

Kyle Hollingsworth's Summer of Brews

Article from Jambands.com

String Cheese Incident keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth has announced a series of exclusive craft beer events dubbed the Summer of Brews.

The first event will take place on July 14 at Shattuck Down Low in Berkeley, CA. Prior to The String Cheese Incident concert at The Greek Theatre that evening, the Brew Fest will feature more than 10 breweries and 20 craft beers in addition to an exclusive performance from Kyle Hollingsworth with members of Hot Buttered Rum.

The Summer of Brews will also hit the festival circuit this summer as Hollingsworth brings his interactive Brewru Experience to the Electric Forest Festival in Rothbury, MI, and Horning’s Hideout in North Plains, OR.

Finally, during The String Cheese Incident’s summer tour, Hollingsworth will host Hop On Tour concert events. At select shows, fans that find a Hop On Tour Golden Ticket in posters purchased from Conscious Alliance will have the opportunity to meet Hollingsworth backstage for exclusive beer tasting with select breweries.

Tickets go on sale Friday, May 25. For more details on The Summer of Brews and for ticketing information visit Kyle Hollingsworth’s official website.

Jim James to release solo album

My Morning Jacket's Jim James recently shared some new details about his forthcoming solo album in a recent interview with Rolling Stone Magazine.

James mentioned that the album will feature some of his childhood friends and that he plans to recruit some other old friends and bandmates for an upcoming solo tour.

“One of my childhood friends, who was in the first band I was ever in, plays drums on most of the record,” he says in the article. “Now I’m trying to put the band together to go on tour with after it comes out. I’m getting back together with friends I haven’t played with in a long time, from home. It’s very exciting.”

On the turntable this Sunday: Eat A Peach

Eat a Peach is a 1972 double album by the American Southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band; it was the last to include founding member and lead slide-guitar player Duane Allman, who was killed in a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971 while the album was being recorded.

This album came close on the heels of their breakthrough At Fillmore East (1971) set and featured live tracks that did not make it onto that album, including boogie classic "One Way Out" and two entire album sides devoted to "Mountain Jam", a 33-minute improvisation based around Donovan's song "There Is a Mountain."

The remainder of the album was recorded in-studio and served to cement the band's reputation as innovative Southern rockers. Several tracks featured a new emphasis on more-lyrical acoustic work, notably on "Melissa" and the guitar classic "Little Martha." The lilting "Blue Sky" became an album-oriented rock radio staple, while "Ain't Wastin' Time No More" served as both a quiet generational anthem and a personal statement of purpose by the band in the face of Duane's death.

The widespread story regarding the origin of the album's title, that the truck involved in Duane's fatal motorcycle accident was a peach truck, is not correct; the truck involved was a flatbed lumber truck. Rather the album name came from something Duane said in an interview shortly before he was killed. When asked what he was doing to help the revolution, Duane replied, "There ain't no revolution, it's evolution, but every time I'm in Georgia I eat a peach for peace." The album's name was originally slated to be The Kind We Grow in Dixie and the artwork for the album showed a peach. Band members were dissatisfied with the name and the image suggested Duane's quote instead.

The album art was selected by Rolling Stone magazine in 1991 as one of the 100 greatest album covers of all time.  The album cover, including an elaborate gatefold mural featuring a fantasy landscape of mushroom and fairies, was by J. F. Holmes and D. Powell of Wonder Graphics.

Track listing:

"Ain't Wastin' Time No More" (Gregg Allman) – 3:40 (c)

"Les Brers in A Minor" (Dickey Betts) – 9:03 (c)

"Melissa" (Gregg Allman/Steve Alaimo) – 3:54 (c)

"Mountain Jam" (Donovan Leitch/Duane Allman/Gregg Allman/Dickey Betts/Jai Johanny Johansen/Berry Oakley/Butch Trucks) – 33:38 (a)

"One Way Out" (Marshall Sehorn/Elmore James) – 4:58 (b)

"Trouble No More" (Muddy Waters) – 3:43 (a)

"Stand Back" (Gregg Allman/Berry Oakley) – 3:24 (c)

"Blue Sky" (Dickey Betts) – 5:09 (c)

"Little Martha" (Duane Allman) – 2:07 (c)

(a)Recorded live at the Fillmore East, New York City, New York, March 12 & 13, 1971.

(b)Recorded live at the Fillmore East, New York City, New York, June 27, 1971.

(c)Recorded at Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida, September through December 1971.

On the original LP, side one consisted of the first three tracks — studio numbers recorded after Duane's death. Side two starts the live material with Duane and consisted of the first 19:37 of "Mountain Jam". Side three consisted of two live tracks and three more studio numbers recorded with Duane. Side four consisted of the final 15:06 of "Mountain Jam" including some initial overlap with the end of side two.

Robert Pattinson to Play Levon Helm in a new film about The Band?

Twilight star Robert Pattinson will possibly be cast as Levon Helm in a new movie about The Band, according to a recent article in Indiewire.

The article references a recent interview where Pattinson says, ““I’m going to do a movie about The Band, the one that played with Bob Dylan. It’s a beautiful script about the nature of songwriting.”

Helm would have turned 72 today. The members of The Levon Helm Band will honor his legacy with a special ramble at his Woodstock, NY-area barn.

The Cult and Beach House Reviews from Paste Magazine

By Jeff Leven, Paste Magazine

The Cult revisit their primal selves.

In their commercial heyday The Cult were that improbable band that bridged the gap between The Cure and Guns N’ Roses (who eventually nicked their drummer), floating in a psychedelic suspension spiritually derived from The Doors (who Cult singer Ian Astbury eventually fronted…sort of) and otherwise inhabited by only occasional others like Jane’s Addiction. When Metallica hired Bob Rock to produce The Black Album, it was allegedly to chase the tones and polish he achieved with The Cult on Sonic Temple. The lazy man’s storyline on Choice of Weapon is Rock’s return and the fact that facially Choice of Weapon, like Sonic Temple, fuses the arena-ready rock of Electric with the mercurial tones of Love, resulting in… a Cult record that sounds like a Cult record.

What’s most compelling about this record, though, is that it has a more turbulent soul than a 2012 record from a band that has been around for this long really ought to, probably due at least in part to time spent in the desert with the album’s other producer Chris Goss (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss). From the drug-pop of “Honey From a Knife” to the vision-dreams of “Elemental Light,” Astbury remains an oddball, shamanistic cat, while Billy Duffy buttresses his singer’s weirder flights of fancy with workmanlike guitar dazzle. Even what sounds like a dead-on reworking of earlier hits like “The Wolf” comes off as unapologetically natural. As always the music imagines that Cult space where the arena, the peyote sweat lodge, the abandoned cathedral and the Berlin leather club all become one, and you get the sense that here and only here are they truly in their element. Offering catchy music with a twisted core, The Cult continue to thrive by sticking to their basic muse, and they are showing pretty much no signs of rust.

By Michell Eloy, Paste Magazine

Coming off their much-lauded Teen Dream, indie-pop duo Beach House return from two years of touring with their highly anticipated fourth full-length album, Bloom. It’s another solid output from the Baltimore duo, one that’s distinctively Beach House, and it serves as a further development of the sound listeners have to come to expect over the last six years.

Bloom picks up where Teen Dream left off, forgoing the more ambient sounds of the band’s first and second albums for more structured, hook-based songs. And much like its predecessor, Bloom’s sound is superficially light and whimsical, almost delicate—not unlike an actual blooming flower. Alex Scally masterfully crafts entrancing, methodical guitar arrangements that pair perfectly with Victoria Legrand’s gauzy voice to form a dreamy, almost ethereal-sounding pop album that’s as sweeping as it is audibly beautiful.

Only upon further listens does the album reveal itself to be full of painful imagery of unrequited love and letting go of something to which you still feel attached. The opening track, “Myth,” evokes a dream-like state with its simple, repetitive keystrokes and synth overlay. That image stands in contrast to Legrand’s lyrics as she croons above, “what comes after this momentary bliss/ the consequence of what you do to me” before forcefully imploring in the chorus, “help me to name it.”

The rest of the album proceeds like a lover who’s coping with the remains of a crumbled relationship. On “Lazuli,” Legrand trills, “make us suffer/like no other,” then laments, “nothing like lapis lazuli,” a reference to the rare, semi-precious stone. It’s as if Legrand takes on the role of someone convincing herself that love is nothing rare and is easily replaceable before the song crescendos in dramatic fashion to cries of “like no other, you can’t be replaced.” In “New Year,” Legrand sings, “can you call it/see it coming/just enough to tell the story about a portrait of a young girl/ waiting for a new year,” later in the song adding, almost like an aside, “you were getting wiser/it’s better this way.” It’s a painful image of someone coming to terms with loss that, upon reflection, seems all but inevitable.

That’s always been Beach House’s formula: juxtaposing themes of heartbreak, loss and longing with hypnotic rhythms that build upon each other and careen hazily to a sparkling chorus. But the band does it with more force this time around. Bloom sounds bigger than Beach House’s previous albums. Though the elements remain the same—steady percussion; repetitive, almost hypnotic guitar; reverberated piano; sparkling synthesizers—they’re layered and arranged in a way that amplifies the band’s distinct sound. It’s a more refined and produced sound than that from earlier albums, but one that’s not unwelcome.

In the end, Bloom isn’t a huge progression for Beach House, but rather a lateral step for the group. It’s an album that’s sure to satisfy long-time fans while undoubtedly garnering the band even more media buzz.

Joe Bonamassa 'Driving Towards the Daylight'

It’s hard to believe that Joe Bonamassa is not more of a household name.  At age 35, his 13^th album, Driving Towards the Daylight, comes less than a year after the excellent Dust Bowl and is quite possibly his strongest work yet.   This past week, several new albums have been released that I have been waiting for, but Driving Towards the Daylight has been played on repeat since I picked up a copy on Tuesday.

Producer Kevin Shirley first teamed up with Joe Bonamassa back in 2006 for You and Me and the partnership is one that has proven to be very successful.

The album contains the trademark blues, rock & roll, and roots you would expect from one of the greatest guitar players in the world, however, the songwriting on the four original Bonamassa-penned tracks are the true highlight of Driving Towards the Daylight.

Kevin Shirley has done a fantastic job putting together a top notch group of session players on this record, including Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford and son Harrison Whitford on guitar, Anton Fig on drums, Michael Rhodes on bass, and Arlan Shierbaum on the keys-all of which elevate Bonamassa to new heights.  Not to mention a guest appearance from Aussie, Jimmy Barnes, on one of his own classics, “Too Much Ain’t Enough” which serves as the album closer.

If Bonamassa was to ever have a breakthrough “hit” single, the odds are in his favor on the title track, which is available for a free download on iTunes.  Bonamassa shreds on his interpretation of Robert Johnson’s “Stones In My Passway” and makes a 75-year-old blues song sound new again.  Another exceptional cover comes by way of Howlin Wolf’s “Who’s Been Talkin,”in which Joe Bonamassa delivers some major Zeppelin riffs, channeling “Whole Lotta Love.”

Just like Eric Clapton in many ways, Joe Bonamassa’s secret weapon is actually his vocals, which have matured wonderfully on this record, in particularly on “Heavenly Soul.” 

Bonamassa delivers a massive guitar solo on Tom Waits’ “New Coat of Paint” and this one is worth the price of admission alone…

All in all, this record is Joe Bonamassa’s most solid effort to date and one of his bluesiest albums in years…hopefully #13 is his lucky number and the album that will finally earn him the recognition (and Grammy) he most certainly deserves.

-Will Fisher, The Showbiz Kids

Showbiz Kids Rating: 9.5 out of possible 10 

Jack White rocks the Hangout Festival

By James Montgomery (@positivnegativ)

GULF SHORES, Alabama — Judging by his cadaverous complexion, Jack White probably doesn't make it out to the beach all that often. Which is probably why his Friday night set at the Hangout Festival felt less like a headlining gig and more like one long (long) victory lap: He was determined to enjoy the experience.

Jack White Puts On High-Octane Show At Hangout Fest

Sure, White took the stage long after the sun had set over the stretch of white-sand beach the Hangout calls home (it's definitely the only fest where going barefoot is not only a viable option, but practically encouraged), but spurred on by the cheers of a raucous crowd and cooled by the gentle breeze of the Gulf, he tore through a wild 90-minute set. It was one that dove deep into his back catalog — featuring not only White's new Blunderbuss tunes, but also songs from the White Stripes, the Dead Weather, the Raconteurs and the Danger Mouse-helmed Rome project too — and saw him break out roughly 100 fret-assaulting guitar solos, two backing bands ... and exactly one fedora.


He spoke barely a word (and nary a metaphor) during his time onstage, preferring instead to let the music do the talking. Or, more precisely, the yelling. Because from the moment he kicked things off with a high-octane version of the Stripes' "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," to the second the final echoes of "Seven Nation Army" were escaping out into the night air, White was plenty loud. And equally loose. "I Cut Like a Buffalo," "Love Interruption" and (especially) "Ball and Biscuit" each unspooled over several minutes, with White stomping and pulling solos from his guitar, goofy smile on his face, while both of his crack backing bands followed close behind. It was clear that, on Friday night, White wanted to jam.


Which is why, in just about every conceivable way, this wasn't the kind of show you'd expect from the normally uptight White. Of course, he was still dressed like a country mortician and, sure, he made his backing bands dress in near-matching unis (black for his male band, the Buzzards; white for the female counterpart, the Peacocks), and the lighting scheme onstage never strayed from "ethereal blue," but he seemed to draw genuine joy from letting his songs breathe: He turned "Hotel Yorba" into a hoedown, lent extra punch to new tracks like "Sixteen Saltines" and "Hypocritical Kiss" and led the audience in an extended chant during "Army," which has almost inexplicably become his signature song on both sides of the Atlantic.
Maybe it had something to do with the Gulf Stream, the postcard-perfect setting of the Hangout Fest (they have palm trees on the beach!) and the day of terrific music he was closing out — Friday also featured standout sets from Wilco, Alabama Shakes and Yelawolf, to name just a few — or maybe White just wanted to cut loose. But last night, his solos rang loud and proud, his voice was voluminous and creaky in all the right ways, and both of his bands proved worthy traveling partners on the lengthy musical excursions on which he led them.


In short, White certainly seems to be enjoying life as a solo artist. Especially when he's playing the songs he made with others. Now, if he could only work on that tan ... you get the feeling he'd become a regular down here at the Hangout.

David Lee Roth explains why Van Halen postponed tour dates

David Lee Roth posted a video this weekend explaining the abruptly postponed dates on Van Halen's tour. 

Van Halen postponed a number of dates on their current tour last week with no explanation.  All dates following their June 26th show in New Orleans, LA have been removed from the tour schedule on the Van Halen website.  Still no information has been provided regarding rescheduled dates or refunds.

"The band is getting along famously," Roth says in the video, "better than we have in quite some time."
The true cause for the disruption, he explains, is simply exhaustion. "As usual, we bit off way more than we could chew when it came to scheduling. The band is winning, but our schedule has been sidelined for unnecessary roughness," he says. "We're gonna take a break and we're gonna come all the way back around, because this tour is gonna take about two years."

The band’s confirmed tour dates are listed below:

Van Halen 2012 Tour Dates

05/17 Winnipeg, MB—MTS Centre

05/19 St. Paul, MN—Xcel Energy Center

05/22 Kansas City, MO—Sprint Center

05/24 Denver, CO—Pepsi Center

05/27 Las Vegas, NV—MGM Grand Garden Arena

06/01 Los Angeles, CA—Staples Center

06/03 Oakland, CA—Oracle Arena

06/05 San Jose, CA—HP Pavilion

06/09 Los Angeles, CA—Staples Center

06/12 Anaheim, CA—Honda Center

06/14 San Diego, CA—Viejas Arena

06/16 Phoenix, AZ—US Airways Center

06/20 Dallas, TX—American Airways Center

06/22 San Antonio, TX—AT&T Center

06/24 Houston, TX—Toyota Center

06/26 New Orleans, LA—New Orleans Arena



The postponed dates:

07/7  Uncasville, Ct., Mohegan Sun Arena
07/9  Hampton, Va., Hampton Coliseum
07/11  Philadelphia, Pa., Wells Fargo Center
07/13  East Rutherford, N.J., Izod Center
07/15  Baltimore, Md., 1st Mariner Arena
07/17  Rochester N.Y., Blue Cross Arena
07/19  Detroit, Mich., Joe Louis Arena
07/21  London, Ontario, John Labatt Centre
07/24  Toledo, Ohio, Huntington Center
07/26  Grand Rapids, Mich., Van Andel Arena
07/28  Cleveland, Ohio, Quicken Loans Arena
07/31  Fort Wayne, Ind., Allen County Memorial Coliseum
08/2  Columbus, Ohio, Schottenstein Center
08/4  Knoxville, Tenn., Thompson-Boiling Arena
08/6  Memphis, Tenn., FedEx Forum
08/8  Birmingham, Ala., BJCC Arena
08/10  Greenville, S.C., BI-LO Center
08/12  Cincinnati, Ohio, US Bank Arena
08/21  Spokane, Wash., Spokane Arena
08/23  Portland, Ore., Rose Garden
08/25  Sacramento, Calif.,Power Balance Pavilion
08/28  Fresno, Calif., Save Mart Center
08/30  Reno, Nev., Reno Events Center
09/4  Salt Lake City, Utah — EnergySolutions Arena
09/8  Albuquerque, N.M., Tingley Coliseum
09/11  El Paso, Texas, Don Haskins Center
09/13  Austin, Texas, Frank Erwin Center
09/15  Oklahoma City, Okla., Chesapeake Energy Arena
09/17  Wichita, Kan. – Intrust Bank Arena
09/21  Moline, Ill., Iwireless Center
09/25  Milwaukee, Wis., Bradley Center

Robin Gibb, Co-founder of Bee Gees, dead at 62

By David Browne, Rolling Stone

Robin Gibb, one-third of the Bee Gees, died Sunday after a long battle with cancer, his spokesperson has confirmed via a statement. Gibb was 62 years old.

"The family of Robin Gibb, of the Bee Gees, announce with great sadness that Robin passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery," reads the statement. "The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time."

Two years ago, Gibb battled colon and liver cancer, but despite making what he called a "spectacular recovery," a secondary tumor recently developed, complicated by a case of pneumonia in April. The singer was hospitalized last month and fell into a coma at one point, although he was later said to have regained consciousness and communicated with family members. 

Gibb was born in the Isle of Man in 1949, along with twin brother Maurice. (Maurice died in 2003 of complications from a twisted intestine; eerily, Robin had surgery for the same medical issue in 2010.) Along with their older brother Barry, the brothers began harmonizing as a trio in Australia, where the family moved in 1958. Although the Bee Gees had some success in Australia – they hosted a weekly variety show there – they didn't truly arrive until they returned to England and signed with manager Robert Stigwood. Robin's quivering, vulnerable voice was featured prominently on several of the group's earliest and most Beatles-eque hits, including "New York Mining Disaster 1941," "I Started a Joke," "Massachusetts," and "I've Gotta Get a Message to You."

Although he looked and sounded like the meekest Bee Gee, Robin grew into the family rebel. By 1969, he and Barry were feuding over whose song should be singles, and Robin, then 20, was declared a "ward of the state" by their father when his drinking and partying seemed to take over his life. "It happened so fast that we lost communication between us," Gibb later recalled. "It was just madness, really."

But it was also Robin who, in 1971, made the first call to Barry to reunite with his brothers. Robin's solo career had stalled, and Barry and Maurice's attempts to continue the Bee Gees as a duo had floundered as well. "If we hadn't been related, we would probably have never gotten back together," Robin said at the time. Robin's voice was heard, beautifully, on the chorus of their minor 1972 hit "Run to Me." 

The Bee Gees' massive second wind arrived with their proto disco hit, "Jive Talkin'," in 1975; two years later, their contributions to Saturday Night Fever made them bigger stars than ever. Most of the hits from that era featured Barry's falsetto voice, but the brothers' vocal blend remained an indelible part of their sound.

The group entered another fallow period during the early Eighties, although during this time, Robin produced a semi-hit album by Jimmy Ruffin, brother of the Temptations' David Ruffin. The last Bee Gees album, This Is Where I Came In, was released in 2001. Two years later, Maurice died, and with his passing the Bee Gees ended. (Their other, younger brother Andy died in 1988.)

Robin and Barry reunited periodically – in 2010, they made an appearance on American Idol and inducted ABBA into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – and talked about a duo tour, but nothing materialized. Robin, though, kept his hand in music. With his son Robin-John, he wrote an ambitious piece, The Titanic Requiem, a mix of orchestral and vocal pieces telling the story of the doomed liner on the 100^th anniversary of its sinking. "It's a serious subject and it's not a rock opera," Gibb said before its debut. "There are no backbeats. This could have been written 300 years ago."

Featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the work had its world premiere in London on April 10th. But in a sign that Gibb's health had taken a turn for the worse, he wasn't able to attend. 

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/robin-gibb-bee-gees-co-founder-dead-at-62-20120520#ixzz1vUgxm3By

On the turntable this Sunday...Go To Heaven

Go to Heaven is the 11th studio album by the Grateful Dead. It was released on April 28, 1980.


The album was released for the first time on CD in 1987 by Arista Records before being re-released in 2000 by BMG International. It was then remastered, expanded, and released as part of the Beyond Description (1973-1989) box set in October 2004. The remastered version was later released separately on CD on April 11, 2006 by Rhino Records.


It was the band's first album with newcomer keyboard player Brent Mydland replacing both Donna Jean Godchaux's backup vocals and Keith Godchaux's piano playing.

Side one

1. "Alabama Getaway" (Garcia, Hunter) – 3:36
2. "Far From Me" (Mydland) – 3:40
3. "Althea" (Garcia, Hunter) – 6:51
4. "Feel Like a Stranger" (Barlow, Weir) – 5:07

Side two

5. "Lost Sailor" (Barlow, Weir)– 5:54
6. "Saint of Circumstance" (Barlow, Weir) – 5:40
7. "Antwerp's Placebo (The Plumber)" (Hart, Kreutzmann) – 0:38
8. "Easy to Love You" (Barlow, Mydland) – 3:40
9. "Don't Ease Me In" (Traditional) – 3:13 

Dave Matthews Band Documentary

The Dave Matthews Band kicked off their summer tour last night in Texas. In conjunction with their tour, DMB is sharing a five part documentary directed by Sam Erickson, who chroincled the creation of Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King in his film Road to Big Whiskey.

Donna Summer Dead at 63 (Rolling Stone)

By Rolling Stone



Disco legend Donna Summer died this morning in Florida at the age of 63, family sources have told the Associated Press. The singer had been battling cancer for some time.
"Early this morning, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith," reads a statement from the singer's family. "While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can't express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time."


Summer was a five-time Grammy winner best known for smash hits including "I Feel Love," "Love to Love You Baby" and "She Works Hard for the Money." Her collaborations with producer Giorgio Moroder in the the Seventies broke ground for dance music and have been hugely influential on electronic music in the decades since.


Born and raised in Boston, Summer grew up singing in church before joining a short-lived psychedelic rock band. After winning a role in a touring production of Hair, she moved to Germany, where she would meet Moroder. Their collaboration on the suggestive "Love to Love You Baby," which Summer sang with Marilyn Monroe's breathy singing style in mind, became a huge dancefloor hit after Casablanca Records' Neil Bogart requested a long version of the song – 17 minutes.


Summer went on to major success during the disco era, scoring Number One pop singles with "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls" and an unlikely version of Jimmy Webb's "MacArthur Park." In 2004 Summer was elected to the Dance Music Hall of Fame, and in 2009 she performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in honor of President Obama.


Asked upon the release of her 2008 album Crayons whether she felt vindicated by her longevity, Summer replied, "I don't think they made fun of my music as much as they made fun of some of the music that maybe came as a result of that whole genre. But I do think in the course of time it is nice to reestablish something and to say, 'Okay, this stood the test of time. . . ' I have nothing to prove to anyone. I just get out there and do my best, and those who love it, great. And those who don't, they'll move on to something else."


Additional reporting by Steve Baltin

Wilco's Nels Cline Plays Duane Allman's Guitar

Wilco’s Nels Cline brought out Duane Allman’s famed ’57 gold-top Les Paul guitar during “Impossible Germany” at the St. Augustine Amphitheater in St Augustine, FL on Wednesday night.   The legendary guitar was loaned to him courtesy of Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

Cline also performed several songs on the guitar last fall during a handful of Wilco’s shows on their Southeast run, one of them being the at the Ryman in Nashville, TN.

Nels Cline also made a special guest appearance  with the Allman Brothers in March of this year during their annual run at New York’s Beacon Theatre.

The Avett Brothers' Legendary Giveback

The Avett Brothers have partnered with Cheerwine to present The Legendary Giveback, an evening that will raise awareness and money for several nonprofit organizations. 

The single-evening event will take place during one night this fall, in Southeastern town to be named later. 

A portion of the proceeds raised by the concert will benefit a many local and national charities, specifically addressing the needs of families. Operation Homefront, a national charity that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and Wounded Warriors, will be one of the primary recipients, and the other partner organizations will be announced this summer.

Cheerwine and the Avett Brothers have a long history together, which includes Scott Avett lending his voice to a series of Cheerwine radio advertisements.

moe. Add New Tour Dates

moe. have added two shows to their already busy summer touring schedule. The band will now perform at Denver’s Ogden Theatre on July 20th and 21st.

Tickets will go on sale on today at 12pm EST through moe.ticketing.

These dates fall between the band’s East Coast tour and an August 1st show with The Allman Brothers Band at Atlanta, GA’s Chastain Park Amphitheater.

RIP Donald "Duck" Dunn May 13, 2012

This name may not ring any bells right away but think about a grinding organ and bass groove to one of the most popular instrumental songs ever written.  That would be "Green Onions" by Booker T. and the MGs. Think about the guy standing with the pipe, big hair and a bass guitar in the The Blues Brothers movie.  Listen to Sam & Dave's "Hold on,I'm Comin." Maybe you've heard of Stax Records in Memphis. Donald "Duck" Dunn was a part of all these things and his formidable bass lines were influential everywhere. A few days ago on May 13th Duck Dunn passed away.

Below was a message sent out by Donald's best friend, fellow Booker T. and the MGs musician co-founder Steve Cropper.

Mike Smith The Showbiz Kids



Vinyl Photo of the day

First question...is there vinyl in this photo?? I seem to have been distracted. I don't know that I've seen many pictures of Audrey Hepburn like this. Take a moment and read about her. She was more than just a pretty face and actress and contributed much time and efforts to UNICEF.
She is actually on vinyl herself as part of the historical UN Archives recordings from the 1950s.




Mike Smith,The Showbiz Kids

On the turntable this Mother's Day...Shuttered Room

Shuttered Room is the debut studio album by British new wave band The Fixx, released in 1982.

Shuttered Room has been released in a number of different configurations. Though the front cover artwork remains consistent across the releases, the tracks, track order, and even the credits can vary from release to release.

The UK version differs from the US (and later CD) release in a number of respects, including the fact that all the songs are credited to Curnin/West-Oram/Woods/Greenall/Barrett, with lyrics attributed to Cy Curnin only, and that the engineer is listed as Stephen W Tayler rather than Taylor.

Side 1

"Some People" – 3:01

"Stand or Fall" – 4:00

"Cameras in Paris" – 3:52

"Shuttered Room" – 2:47

"The Fool" – 5:21

Side 2

"Lost Planes" – 3:23

"I Live" – 4:53

"Sinking Island" – 3:16

"Time In A Glass" - 3:32

"Red Skies" – 4:20

On the US LP version, "Sinking Island" and " Time In A Glass" are dropped; "I Found You" and "The Strain" are added; and the track order is resequenced. All songs are credited as being written by Charlie Barrett, Cy Curnin, Rupert Greenall, and Jamie West-Oram, except where noted.

Side 1

"I Found You" – 3:38

"Some People" – 3:00

"Stand or Fall" – 4:00

"The Strain" (Barrett, Curnin, Greenall, West-Oram, Adam Woods) – 3:33

"Red Skies" – 4:19

Side 2

"Lost Planes" – 3:20

"Cameras in Paris" – 3:57

"I Live" (Barrett, Curnin, Greenall, West-Oram, Woods) – 4:52

"Shuttered Room" (Barrett, Curnin, Greenall, West-Oram, Woods) – 2:46

"The Fool" – 5:20

The CD version adds two tracks, (including "Sinking Island", reinstated from the British LP):

"Sinking Island" [*] (Barrett, Curnin, Greenall, West-Oram, Woods) – 4:33

"Stand or Fall" (Extended Mix) [*] (Barrett, Curnin, Greenall, West-Oram, Woods) – 4:48

Grateful Dead drummer to write autobiography

2015 marks the 50^th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. Founding member and drummer Bill Kreutzmann will celebrate the occasion with an autobiography set for release that year.

An associated Press story indicates that the book “will include reflections on his “deep bond” with the late Jerry Garcia and memories of Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and the Allman Brothers.”

As already reported by Relix, David Browne will write a biography of the group for Da Capo in conjunction with the Dead’s 50^th anniversary.

Trey Anastasio throws first pitch at San Diego Padres game

On Tuesday night, Trey Anastasio was in San Diego, CA  to throw out the first pitch prior to the San Diego Padres game. 


Neil Everett responded with several Phish references during ESPN’s coverage of the game later in the evening during SportsCenter.