Friday, 17 May 2013

Wizzard - Introducing Eddy and the Falcons, Warner Bros. K 56029

Introducing Eddy and the Falcons is the second album by Wizzard. It peaked at No. 19 in the UK album chart – a much better placing than its predecessor, Wizzard Brew.
As with the previous Wizzard album, all songs were composed by Roy Wood. The album had a concept similar to The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, in that the intro 'featured' the appearance on stage of fictional band Eddy & The Falcons. All tracks were written and recorded as tributes to 1950s and early 1960s rock’n’roll greats, "Eddy’s Rock" being a guitar and saxophone instrumental played in the style of Duane Eddy, while "Everyday I Wonder" was similar in sound and approach to Del Shannon’s "Runaway", and "Come Back Karen" did the same for Neil Sedaka’s "Oh! Carol". A particularly clear tribute was to Elvis in "I Dun Lotsa Cryin’ Over You".

File:Introducing Eddy & The Falcons.jpg 
Front cover                                                                            Back cover

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River, Liberty LBS 83273

Green River is the third studio album by American rock and roll band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released in August 1969 after their second release Bayou Country which was released in January of the same year (see 1969 in music). In 2003, the album was ranked number 95 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It features two of the band's best-known songs, "Bad Moon Rising" and the title track. The album was remastered and reissued on 180 Gram Vinyl by Analogue Productions in 2006.

 
    Front cover                                                                       Back cover

Sunday, 12 May 2013

Keith - 98.6/Ain't Gonna Lie, Mercury 20103 MCL

Keith (born James Barry Keefer, May 17, 1949, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American vocalist. He legally changed his name to Bazza Keefer in 1988, in memory of his mother. Keefer earned his first recording contract with Columbia Records. When Jerry Ross moved across to Mercury Records he took Keefer with him, and the singer soon appeared in the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with his solo single, "Ain't Gonna Lie".

 
Cover - front and back with visible flaps

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery, Manticore K 53501

Brain Salad Surgery is the fourth studio album by progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1973 and the first under their Manticore Records imprint. It fuses rock and classical themes. Greg Lake wrote the lyrics for the album with the assistance (on two tracks, "Karn Evil 9: 3rd Impression" and "Benny the Bouncer") of former King Crimson bandmate (and, beginning with this album, frequent ELP collaborator) Peter Sinfield. This was the first Emerson, Lake & Palmer album to have no songwriting contributions from Carl Palmer. The cover art is by H. R. Giger. According to the 1996 re-release notes, the title came from a lyric in Dr. John's 1973 hit, "Right Place, Wrong Time" from his In the Right Place album (released 26 January 1973): "Just need a little brain salad surgery/Got to cure this insecurity." It replaced the working title Whip Some Skull on Yer; both titles are slang expressions for fellatio.

File:ELP - Brain Salad Surgery.jpg  
Outer sleeve/cover front and back

Joni Mitchell - Blue, Reprise K 44128 (UK issue)

Blue (1971) is the fourth album of Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Exploring the various facets of relationships from infatuation on "A Case of You" to insecurity on "This Flight Tonight", the songs feature simple accompaniments on piano, guitar, and Appalachian dulcimer. Blue was a critical and commercial success, reaching #15 on the Billboard 200 and #3 in the UK Albums Chart. The single "Carey" reached #93 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Despite the success of her first three albums and songs like "Woodstock", the 1970s saw Mitchell make a decision to break from performing. After a tough breakup with her longtime boyfriend Graham Nash she set off on a vacation around Europe, during which she wrote many of the songs that appear on Blue.

  

Friday, 10 May 2013

The Baker Gurvitz Army - The Baker Gurvitz Army, Vertigo 9103 201


Former The Gun and Three Man Army members, Paul and Adrian Gurvitz joined forces with ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker in 1974. Things had not been going too well for Ginger Baker since the demise of his own band Ginger Baker's Air Force. The Gurvitz Brothers, too, were looking for a new way ahead after the early success of their band The Gun.
Their self-titled debut album featured a blend of hard rock laced with Ginger Baker's drumming. The lengthy "Mad Jack" was that album's outstanding track, and the album hit the US Billboard 200 chart, and peaked at #22 in the UK Albums Chart. The band recorded two more studio albums, Elysian Encounter and Hearts On Fire. However, the death of their manager led to the band breaking up in 1976.

 
Front cover                                                             Back cover

Siouxsie And The Banshees - Join hands, Polydor POLD 5024

Join Hands is the second studio album by English post-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released on 7 September 1979, through record label Polydor. The opening track "Poppy Day" is based on John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields. The poem was written in 1915 after the lost of a friend during a battle in World War I. The poppy reproduced on the sleeve is a symbol of Remembrance Day.
The final track is a studio recording of "The Lord's Prayer", the song that they are famous for playing in their debut live performance at the 100 Club Punk Festival in September 1976. Join Hands was released on 7 September 1979. It reached No. 13 in the UK Albums Chart.
Guitarist John McKay and drummer Kenny Morris left the band shortly after the album's release.

  
Front cover                                                                             Rear cover


Thursday, 2 May 2013

Ned Miller - From A Jack To A King/Parade Of Broken Hearts, London 45-HL 9658


From a Jack to a King is a country music song. Originally a crossover hit for artist Ned Miller, who also wrote "Dark Moon," "A Falling Star," and many other country songs. The original version was recorded by Ned Miller. First released in 1957, Ned's version was unsuccessful, until he persuaded his label to re-release it five years later. Upon re-release, the song became a crossover hit, charting in the Top 10 on the Billboard U.S. country (#2), pop (#6), and adult contemporary (#3) charts. In addition, Miller's version reached #1 on the Irish Singles Chart, while peaking at #2 on the UK Singles Chart. Furthermore, it was the sixth most-played single of 1963 in the United Kingdom. Ned's chart success was limited after the song, however, and by the 1970s he stopped recording entirely.
The song was also recorded in 1962 by Jim Reeves on the occasion of his tour to South Africa in August and charted there that year.


 
Original company sleeve

Eddie Cochran - Weekend/Cherished Memories, London 45-HLG 9362

"Weekend" is a song by Eddie Cochran. The song was written by Bill and Doree Post and recorded in April 1959. The song was released posthumously as a single in the UK on London HLG 9362 in June 1961, with "Cherished Memories" as the B side, and rose to number 15 on the charts. In the US it was released on Liberty Records 55389 (with the song "Lonely" as a B side) in December 1961 and did not chart. This was the last single with original material by Eddie Cochran released in the US.
It was covered in 1968 by The Move and appears on their eponymous album.

   
Original company sleeve                                            Demo release with yellow label

Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Bob Dylan albums 1974-1983 Price Guide (Goldmine)


NUMBER, TITLE (A Side/B Side), YEAR, NM PRICE

DYLAN, BOB | 45s

Asylum
11033, On a Night Like This/You Angel You, 1974, $6.00
11035, Something There Is About You/Going, Going, Gone, 1974, $6.00
11043, Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)/Stage Fright, 1974, $6.00
—With The Band
45212, All Along the Watchtower/It Ain’t Me Babe, 1974, $12.00