On the turntable this Sunday...Déjà Vu

Déjà Vu is the first album by the rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and the second by the trio configuration of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. It was released in March of 1970 by Atlantic Records, catalogue SD-7200. It topped the pop album chart for one week and generated three Top 40 singles: "Teach Your Children," "Our House," and "Woodstock." In 2003, the album was ranked number 148 on Rolling Stonemagazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Four singles were released from the album with all but the last (Carry On) charting on the Hot 100.

Déjà Vu was greatly anticipated after the popularity of the first CSN album and the addition of Young to the group. Stills estimates that the album took around 800 hours of studio time to record; this figure may be exaggerated, even though the individual tracks display meticulous attention to detail.  

The songs, except for "Woodstock", were recorded as individual sessions by each member, with each contributing whatever was needed that could be agreed upon. Young does not appear on all of the tracks, and drummer Dallas Taylor and bassist Greg Reeves are credited on the cover with their names in slightly smaller typeface. Jerry Garcia plays pedal steel on "Teach Your Children" and John Sebastian plays mouth-harp on the title track.

The popularity of the album contributed to the success of the four albums released by each of the members in the wake of Déjà Vu: Neil Young's After the Gold Rush, Stephen Stills' self-titled solo debut, David Crosby's If I Could Only Remember My Name, and Graham Nash'sSongs for Beginners.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 148 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.  The same year, the TV network VH1 named Déjà Vu the 61st greatest album of all time. The album ranked at #14 for the Top 100 Albums of 1970 and #217 overall by Rate Your Music.

The album was reissued for compact disc after being remastered from the original tapes at Ocean View Digital by Joe Gastwirt on September 6, 1994. In 1997, guitarist Fareed Haque covered the entire album in jazz form for the Blue Note Cover Series.

Side one

1. "Carry On" (Stephen Stills) – 4:26
2. "Teach Your Children" (Nash) – 2:53
3. "Almost Cut My Hair" (Crosby) – 4:31
4. "Helpless" (Young) – 3:33
5. "Woodstock" (Joni Mitchell) – 3:54

Side two

1. "Déjà Vu" (Crosby) – 4:12
2. "Our House" (Nash) – 2:59
3. "4 + 20" (Stills) – 2:04
4. "Country Girl: A. Whiskey Boot Hill/B. Down, Down, Down/C. Country Girl (I Think You're Pretty)" (Young) – 5:11
5. "Everybody I Love You" (Stills, Young) – 2:21

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

• David Crosby : rhythm guitar, vocals
• Stephen Stills : guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Graham Nash: rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Neil Young: guitar, keyboards, harmonica, vocals

Additional personnel

• Dallas Taylor: drums, percussion
• Greg Reeves: bass (3-6, 9-10)
• Jerry Garcia: pedal steel guitar (2)
• John Sebastian: harmonica (6)

Black Friday Records: Phish, Wilco, The Dead, Bob Dylan and More

A number of artists will release or re-lease special recordings as part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday campaign. Like Record Store Day itself, these special releases will include exclusive vinyl, re-issues, bonus material and other collector-friendly recordings. Of particular note, Phish will restock independent record stores with the white vinyl edition of its 1986 independent album “The White Tape.” Meanwhile, Dr. Dog will release a special two-song 7” that includes the new songs “Control Yourself” and “Warrior Man.” Black Friday is November 25, 2011.

Wilco, Black Keys, Bob Dylan and several other noted artists will also release exclusive recordings.

Here are some additional highlights:

Grateful Dead – LIVE EUROPE ‘72 VOL. 2

4 LP vinyl release of the CD, with one additional track

Bob Dylan – CAN YOU PLEASE CRAWL OUT YOURWINDOW?

Box set of four 7” singles, limited, numbered, includes Dylan sticker.

Doors – LA WOMAN SINGLES BOX SET

Doors 7” box set includes “The Changling,” “Riders on the Storm,” “Love Her Madly” and fourth single of studio banter, artwork will include the original image of the naked woman nailed to the telephone pole

John Lennon – IMAGINE 40TH ANNIVERSARY BOXSET

2010 Remastered LP. Includes 6 track white vinyl 12” and a poster

Rolling Stones – NO SPARE PARTS

An individually numbered single with unreleased track from the Some Girls sessions (“No Spare Parts”), with the remastered “Before They Make Me Run”, nowhere else on vinyl and both from the upcoming Some Girls expanded editions.

Warren Haynes – RIVERS GONNA RISE

7” 45 of a live recording of tracks from a radio station concert.

Wilco – SPEAK INTO THE ROSE

4 track 10” vinyl, with two previously unreleased tracks

Roger Waters' Stadium Tour to Kick Off May 1st

By Benjy Eisen

Rolling Stone Magazine

Roger Waters is set to bring his historic, modern-day production of The Wall back to North America in 2012, this time landing the massive spectacle in several suitably large stadiums. With a new, 36-show North American tour scheduled to kick off on May 1st, The Wall will come to: AT&T Park in San Francisco (May 11th), BC Place in Vancouver (May 26th), Wrigley Field in Chicago (June 8th), Rogers Center in Toronto (June 23rd) and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia (July 14th). Between those weekend stadium dates, Waters will play arenas across the U.S. and Canada, including many markets that were skipped the last time around.

Waters, a founding member of Pink Floyd, composed the vast majority of The Wall and recorded it with the band in 1979. It remains one of the most successful and highly regarded double-albums in history. Pink Floyd performed the rock opera 29 times in its entirety in 1980. Waters performed a special one-off version in Berlin in 1990, to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In 2010 and 2011, Waters performed The Wall more than 120 times around the world, in a solo theatrical production that featured state-of-the-art wizardry and the upcoming stadium shows look to be even more ambitious.

"We're going to be projecting over 140 yards," Waters told Rolling Stone in September. "So now it's going to be 1,500 pixels wide. We've done light tests at Fenway Park and Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium just to see what the ambient light is like. And it's fine. It works."

Waters has hinted that this may be the last time he undertakes a production of this magnitude, possibly downsizing to theaters and preferring to forego any greatest hit-style revues – if he even tours again – in the future. The current North American itinerary kicks off in Houston on May 1st and wraps in Philadelphia on July 14th. The vast majority of the dates go on sale November 14th, but check local listings for specifics.

Waters' touring band for this outing will include notables GE Smith (guitar and bass), Snowy White (guitar), Dave Kilminster (guitar), Joe Carin (keyboards), Harry Waters (organ), Graham Broad (drums), Robbie Wyckoff (vocals), and Jon Joyce, Pat Lennon, Mark Lennon and Kipp Lennon on backing vocals.

In a press video for the tour, Waters states that when he wrote the Wall in 1979, the plot was "deeply rooted in this specific story of me and the loss of my father and how that affected my life and how I grew up and how I went through certain changes and things." But with this new resurrection of the production, he says, "I wanted to broaden it to the point that anyone who shares that sense of loss, or that sense of outrage at the losses that occur, can identify with my personal story – but also understand that it was my loss that enabled me to empathize with others."

November is National Learn Guitar Month

Ok, it's not. If anything, it's closer to April. But, I first picked up guitar with the serious intention of learning it exactly one year ago this month so, for me, it's a time to look back at my progress one year later.

The guitar is not the first instrument I've picked up. I played trumpet for a while, and played the drums for many years. So, I understand a little about music.

The guitar is something different, though. I actually started with the bass. I really wanted to play those Stax/Motown bass lines. Ultimately, I just didn't feel it and switched to guitar.

It's been a blast learning guitar. And as anyone who has every picked it up can tell you: At one year in, you're barely scratching the surface.

So, why pick up guitar now? I'd say, why not? It's never too late to learn something you want to learn.

I thought I'd take the month of November to highlight a few of the guitarists who I've greatly admired over the years, and who ultimately inspired me to try it for myself. Though the guitar is usually just six strings, some wood, and a bit of electronics, the same guitar sounds different in the hands of whoever is playing it. These musicians have created their own voices on the instrument. When you hear the first few notes, you know who it is.

First up, is the guy who still blows me away in terms of his song writing abilities. He just knows how to craft incredibly intricate yet beautiful compositions. Jimmy Page is simply one of the greats. And that Gibson doubleneck is now iconic.

Do you play? Let me know your experience, or some of your favorite guitarists in the comments section.

"The Times They Are a-Changin' "



ear X-tacy in Louisville, KY

If you've read any of our blogs you know there's a love affair with vinyl and classic rock & pop music.  You've also had to endure my tour guide reports of my stops at local vinyl retail stores while I'm travelling.  My love for vinyl stores sticking around is not just that I selfishly like to thumb through records but that its one of those tangible,interactive,non electronic experiences that have to elbow for our attention amongst all the modern technological devices that occupy our day.  For instance, Starbucks made buying coffee an "experience" by creating a place to come and hangout and buy expensive coffee that would make our grandparents shake their heads.  So as Starbucks stores has created an "experience" so has the record store.  There is nothing magical about finding a sought after record on itunes or any downloadable site.  Its quick and convenient,but that's not always what life is about.

Here are some articles of good news and bad news.  Unfortunately we're losing an independent record store,ear X-tacy, in Louisville, KY .  Criminal Records in Atlanta is fighting to stay alive,but across the US there seems to be several record stores opening and thriving. 

Here are a few things to read:

statement from Jim James from My Morning Jacket about ear X-tacy closing

Here is an entry Indie Stores Closing-And Opening from Matador Records Matablog.

Below are excellent Knoxville stores that sell vinyl.  In fact Wild Honey Records just opened in September.  Here are their websites.
Wild Honey Records, Disc Exchange, Raven Records

Mike Smith, The Showbiz Kids

Widespread Panic Halloween Recap (Jambands.com)

Widespread Panic wrapped up its fall tour Monday night with a Halloween celebration at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom. The group referenced the city through its costumes, stage design and musical selections. The stage itself resembled the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, which took place in Chicago (and among other things, later provided the setting for Erik Larson’s book The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America ). As for the band members’ costumes, Panic chose in part to reference Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series, as JoJo Herman was dressed like Steve Bartman, who interfered with the ball that Moises Alou attempted to catch in left field, which arguably contributed to the Cubs’ ongoing championship drought (Herring wore an Alou Cubs jersey). As for the other costumes, John Bell was Craig Ferguson’s robot skeleton sidekick Geoff Peterson, Sunny Ortiz was Shrek, Dave Schools wore a Chicago Blackhawks jersey and a goalie mask and Todd Nance appeared as a Zoltar fortune teller machine (featured in the film Big ).

On the musical side, the group once again maintained its Halloween tradition of delivering new and rare cover tunes. The band offered a nod to late friend Vic Chesnutt with “Degenerate” while also debuting music from Howlin Wolf (“Tail Dragger”), Black Sabbath (“Iron Man”), John Lennon (“I’m Losing You”) and Chicago’s own Wilco (“Outta Mind (Outta Sight)”). Panic also busted out some prior covers, delivering the first version of “Wishbone” since 12/15/89, revisiting “Godzilla” for the first time since 10/31/97 and eventually closing out the night with Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” (a Halloween staple of Jerry Garcia) last played on 10/29/08. “Werewolves” also saw the crew take the stage, preceded by a speech of thanks from Dave Schools as Panic looks ahead to New Year’s Eve and then limited 2012 performances, followed by a hiatus.

Here is the setlist as it appears in our box scores section

Widespread Panic
Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL

Set I: Pigeons > Radio Child > Wishbone*, True To My Nature, Time Zones > Love Tractor, Degenerate^ > Blight > Tail Dragger# > Climb To Safety

Set II: Godzilla** > Iron Man^^ > Godzilla, Imitation Leather Shoes > Jack, Surprise Valley > Drums > Surprise Valley > Blue Indian, I’m Losing You% > Chilly Water > Bust It Big > Chilly Water

Enc: Outta Mind (Outta Sight)@, Postcard, Porch Song, Werewolves of London^^^

Notes:

*Last time played 12/15/89
^Debut (Vic Chesnutt) #Debut (Howlin Wolf) **Last time played 10/31/97
^^Debut (Black Sabbath)
%Debut (John Lennon)
@Debut (Wilco)
^^^Last time played 10/29/08, with crew on stage

Source: Everydaycompanion.com

New Music Tuesdays: U2's Achtung Baby 20th Anniversary

It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since U2 released Achtung Baby, the album that redefined the band and changed the face of music as we know it.

20 years later, U2 have released an anniversary edition of Achtung Baby in 5 separate formats. The five release formats will include a standard reissue and the standard reissue with bonus B-sides... Then you hit serious fan territory, with 3 different box sets featuring both Achtung Baby and Zooropa... plus B-Sides, remixes, DVD concert footage and rare archive footage.

At the time of the release, Achtung Baby was U2's 7th studio release, and its fair to say a step in a completely different direction for the band. When you consider what was happening in Seattle in 1991, what U2 recorded in Germany was visionary. As Bono himself states, Achtung Baby is "the sound of four men chopping down The Joshua Tree".