From “Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen” to “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” Neil Sedaka drew on a seemingly endless well of onomatopoeic hooks to enliven his early rock-and-roll records, leaving no Tra-la-la or do-be-doo untouched. The Juilliard-trained musician and native of Brooklyn, New York was one of the relatively rare few rockers of his generation equally adept at both performing and songwriting. As active members of Don Kirshner’s Aldon Music stable (alongside Carole King and Gerry Goffin as
Archives for April 16, 2012
Take Off the Mask: Greg Phillinganes' "Pulse" Expanded by Big Break Records
Never a label to count out in the R&B reissue game, one of Big Break Records' latest reissues is guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of liner note hounds everywhere: Pulse, the second solo album from keyboard legend Greg Phillinganes. While the 28-year-old Phillinganes may not have been a household name when Pulse was released at the end of 1984, anyone with a serious ear for pop and R&B had likely already heard his work: from 1976 to 1981, he served as a keyboardist for Stevie
Beat Crazy: Legendary Ska Group to Receive Catalogue Overhaul in Two Countries!
In what is quite possibly the first such occurrence since The Second Disc opened up shop in 2010, one popular ska band from England is getting two very different sets of catalogue reissues in their native land as well as the United States. The Beat - known as The English Beat in North America - were among the top bands of the late-'70s/early-'80s ska revival in England. With an eclectic lineup (Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger sharing lead vocals, Andy Cox on guitar, bassist David Steele,
Reissue Theory: Guns N' Roses, "Appetite for Destruction: 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition"
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we focus on notable albums and the reissues they could someday see. Now that they're safely ensconced in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it's time to imagine a deluxe edition of Guns N' Roses' landmark debut album - and we think we made up a pretty good list. It's safe to say the door has finally, unquestionably closed on the classic Guns N' Roses lineup as of this weekend, when the legendary California hard-rockers were inducted into the
Get Up, Stand Up: "Marley" Soundtrack Chronicles Reggae Legend in Song
With the impending release of Marley, a new documentary chronicling the life and work of Jamaica's favorite son, Universal is releasing a new compilation of tunes featured in the movie, featuring a few rare and unreleased goodies. Robert Nestor Marley remains one of the definitive forces in the reggae genre. From his early works as a member of The Wailers alongside fellow legends Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, to his reinvention of the group as a backing band for his increasingly beautiful,
King of Cool: Career-Spanning Dean Martin Box Set "Collected Cool" Coming in June, Uncut Dino DVDs Arriving in May
How lucky can one guy be? Although Dean Martin's exhaustive catalogue has been definitively anthologized on four massive box sets released by Germany's Bear Family label between 1997 and 2001, unheard material from the King of Cool continues to be discovered. Reporting in February 2011 about the then-recent Cool Then, Cool Now 2-CD/book box set, this writer opined: "A true career retrospective box with material from each label and era would be essential for those Martin fans looking for more