Author Archive / Randy Fairman

Leader of the Pack: Real Gone’s Black Friday RSD Lineup Includes Dusty Springfield, The Shangri-Las, Roy Buchanan, and More

The Black Friday edition of Record Store Day is happening this Friday, November 26, and Real Gone Music has five titles premiering for the event. These LPs are a happily eclectic lot:  the most comprehensive vinyl overview of 1960s girl group The Shangri-Las, a vinyl version of Dusty Springfield’s complete Atlantic singles collection (which Real Gone released on CD earlier this year and includes comprehensive liner notes by our very own Joe Marchese), the vinyl debut of an initially unreleased Polydor album by blues guitarist Roy Buchanan, the first vinyl reissue of…

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Take The Red Pill: Real Gone Reissues “The Matrix” and “Vanilla Sky” Soundtracks on Vinyl In December

Adding to its eclectic slate, Real Gone Music has announced a pair of soundtrack vinyl reissues hitting stores in December: The Matrix: Music from the Motion Picture due on December 3 and Music from Vanilla Sky, due on December 10. To tie in with The Matrix: Resurrections, the somewhat unexpected fourth movie in the sci-fi franchise due in theaters on December 22, Real Gone is re-releasing a vinyl edition of the soundtrack to the original Matrix film on December 3.  Real Gone first brought the album to the format in 2017 (and…

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Let It Grow: Real Gone’s November and December Releases Include the Grateful Dead and The Brief Encounter

Real Gone Music has a full slate for the rest of the year, including a host of Christmas titles arriving tomorrow, and here are two more entries: a rare record from the group The Brief Encounter also due tomorrow, November 5, and a reissue bringing the Grateful Dead’s Road Trips Vol. 2, No. 1 to stores for the first time on December 17. First up is a hard-to-find LP receiving its first US reissue.  The Brief Encounter are a soul/funk band hailing from North Wilkesboro, North Carolina whose members included lead vocalist…

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Dramatic Horror: Real Gone Brings Two Cult Classic Film Scores To Vinyl For Halloween

Halloween is just a little over two weeks away and Real Gone is getting into the spirit with a pair of releases out now directly from the label and next Friday, October 22, from Amazon:  first-time vinyl reissues of the soundtracks to 1969’s Mad Doctor of Blood Island and 1971’s Dracula vs. Frankenstein.  Real Gone has teamed for the release of these two titles with Sam Sherman, former head of publicity for Hemisphere Pictures and founder of Independent International Pictures Corp., the two companies which distributed the films. Mad Doctor of Blood…

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You Give Me Fever: Real Gone’s October 1 Slate Includes Two Black Jazz Titles, Little Willie John, and Artillery

Real Gone Music is once again serving up an eclectic array of music for their releases tomorrow, October 1.  The four titles coming out include two 1973 albums from Walter Bishop Jr. and Rudolph Johnson as part of the label’s ongoing Black Jazz reissue series, a new compilation from 1950s R&B pioneer Little Willie John, and an album from Danish thrash metal group Artillery. First up is a pair of titles in Real Gone’s Black Jazz series.  1973’s Keeper of My Soul was Walter Bishop Jr.’s second album for the label after…

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Endless, Nameless: Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ Goes Deluxe (Again) with Bonus Live Concerts

Exactly thirty years ago tomorrow, September 24, 1991, Nirvana’s Nevermind hit store shelves.  To celebrate this new anniversary, Geffen/UMe has announced new reissues of the album in a variety of formats including two editions of a super deluxe box set: an 8-LP version with a bonus 7-inch single, and a 5-CD version with a Blu-ray.  All editions and formats are due out on November 12. It is the rare album that can be said to have changed the landscape of popular music, but that is no exaggeration when it comes to Nevermind. …

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Take Another Home Again: Cherry Pop Collects Sheena Easton’s EMI Singles On a New Collection Out Today

Today, Cherry Red imprint Cherry Pop begins its exploration of Sheena Easton’s time at EMI with the release of The Definitive Singles 1980-1987, a 3-CD, 51-track collection bringing together her A-sides for the label including both 7-inch and 12-inch singles. Easton was born in North Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1959.  She attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow where one of her tutors encouraged her to audition for the BBC program The Big Time which chronicled subjects’ attempts to break into their respective industries.  The show chronicled the recording…

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Santa Came Down the Chimney: Real Gone Announces Christmas Titles Including a Trio of Vinyl Soundtracks and One CD Debut

Even though it’s only the middle of September and it is not even fall yet, announcements are beginning to be made about the upcoming Christmas season.  Real Gone Music is continuing its yearly holiday tradition with a batch of holiday albums, including a CD debut and three vinyl represses, due in October and November. The lone CD reissue in the slate, due November 5, is Merry Christmas, Baby, one of the earliest compilations of Christmas music singles from 1956.  Subtitled Intimate Christmas Music for Young Lovers, the R&B album was originally released…

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Can’t Hold Back: Real Gone Reissues Out Tomorrow Include Richard Thompson, Cee Lo Green, Junkyard, and Ill Niño

Due out tomorrow, September 3,  is a quartet of new vinyl reissues from our friends at Real Gone Music.  The albums are from four different decades and encompass a wide variety of genres with two of the albums making their vinyl debuts. First up, from 1989, is the self-titled debut album from Junkyard.  This Los Angeles-based band was founded in 1987, but had a different lineup by the time they gathered to record this first album for Geffen.  The group by then consisted of lead singer David Roach, guitarist Chris Gates, bassist…

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The Ultimate Frontier: Real Gone’s Black Jazz Series Continues With Sophomore Albums From The Awakening and Henry Franklin

Real Gone Music is continuing its series of reissues of the Black Jazz label, founded by Gene Russell and Dick Schory in 1969.  The company released twenty albums between 1971 and 1975 and two of them will see new reissues on Real Gone, tomorrow, July 30: 1973’s Mirage by The Awakening and Henry Franklin’s  The Skipper At Home from 1974. The Awakening was the lone group on Black Jazz.  They only recorded two albums together and both were for the label.  The band consisted of Richard “Ari “Brown (saxophone), Ken Chaney (keyboard,…

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Long Distance Call: “The Montreux Years” Series Continues in September with Marianne Faithfull and Muddy Waters Volumes

Last week, the 55th Montreux Jazz Festival wrapped up in Switzerland.  Started in 1967 by Claude Nobs, Geo Voumard and Rene Langel, the yearly festival was at first true to its name and focused exclusively on jazz performers.  However, over the years, it has grown to encompass nearly all types of music and has seen a wide range of performers including Etta James, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Lauren Hill, Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, James Brown, Kendrick Lamar, Leonard Cohen, Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, and many more.  It has also proven…

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And All That Jazz: Real Gone Returns to Press on Three Soundtracks, Bukowski LP

We are continuing our coverage of Real Gone’s July slate of releases with info on some titles coming out at the end of this month on July 30.  These four titles are all represses, now coming out in new color variants. First up is the soundtrack to 2002’s Chicago.  The musical originally opened on Broadway on June 3, 1975 and is based upon the 1926 play of the same name written by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins.  It revolves around Roxie Hart, on trial for murdering her lover in Prohibition-era Chicago.  The piece…

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In The Meantime: Real Gone’s July Slate Includes Reissues of “The Endless Summer” Soundtrack and Spacehog’s Debut

Our friends at Real Gone Music have another packed month in July.  We’ve already told you about the Toomorrow soundtrack out on Second Disc Records and Real Gone and the reissue of Eugene McDaniels’ Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse.  Now we’ve got the details for two more vinyl reissues, both due on July 9: the soundtrack to the film The Endless Summer by The Sandals and Spacehog’s 1995 debut album Resident Alien. The road to the soundtrack album of the 1966 film The Endless Summer is a most interesting one.  The group…

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Better Get It Together: Real Gone Preps 50th Anniversary Edition of Eugene McDaniels’ “Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse”

We’ve already told you about the vinyl edition of the Olivia Newton-John-led Toomorrow soundtrack coming in July from Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records, but Real Gone has even more on their slate for next month.  First up is 50th anniversary vinyl reissue of an album that is still as timely as when it was written: Eugene McDaniels’ Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse. Born in Kansas in 1935, Eugene “Gene” McDaniels was performing at jazz clubs in California when he came to the attention of Sy Waronker of Liberty Records around…

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Moon Child: Real Gone Continues Black Jazz Reissues with More from Doug Carn Featuring Jean Carn

Real Gone is continuing its exploration of the Black Jazz Records label with two reissues from Doug Carn.  The multi-instrumentalist/composer was the label’s most prolific artist, recording four albums from 1971-1974.  The two most recently addressed by Real Gone are 1973’s Revelation, which was released last Friday (May 21), and 1971’s Infant Eyes, due on June 11.  He was joined on both albums by his then-wife Jean Carn (later Carne) who provided vocals. Doug Carn, born in Florida in 1948, studied oboe and composition at college, but he soon became skilled on…

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Another Chance: Morello Collects Four Tammy Wynette Albums From The Early 1980s on New 2-CD Set

Since 2015, Cherry Red imprint Morello Records has been exploring the Epic catalog of country legend Tammy Wynette, releasing nine collections spanning 19 albums for the label.  They have just released a new entry in the series, a 2-CD set featuring the albums Only Lonely Sometimes, Soft Touch, Good Love & Heartbreak and Even the Strong Get Lonely which saw Wynette enter the 1980s. The latter half of the 1970s were a turbulent time personally for Tammy Wynette.  She divorced George Jones in 1975, married and divorced real-estate developer Michael Tomlin in…

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Music For The People: Real Gone’s Record Store Day Slate Features Vinyl Debuts for an Eclectic Array of 1990s and 2000s Titles

We continue our look at the releases for the upcoming Record Store Day events on June 12 and July 17.  This time we’re focusing on our friends at Real Gone Music.  The RGM label will offer an eclectic array of releases, focused on music from the 1990s and 2000s, over both RSD Drops.  Visit RecordStoreDay.com for a list of participating retailers and more information on these two Drops. First up are the releases for June 12: Devo’s Gerald V. Casale AKA Jihad Jerry and The Evildoers, Mine Is Not a Holy War…

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And The Clock Goes Round: Unreleased 1968 Elton John Album to Debut on Record Store Day

Amongst all of the many Record Store Day announcements, one of the most exciting has to be Island/Mercury’s announcement of an unreleased Elton John album finally seeing the light of day: 1968’s Regimental Sgt.  Zippo, due on the June 12, 2021 RSD Drop. One of the best box sets of last year was Elton John’s Jewel Box.  Among its 8 CDs were three discs of rarities spanning 1965-1971.  Perhaps the most intriguing tracks included were those intended for an unreleased album entitled Regimental Sgt. Zippo.  Recorded at Dick James Studios in London…

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A Cowboy’s Dream: Real Gone Music Issues Volume Two of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys’ “Tiffany Transcriptions”

Bob Wills, The King of Western Swing, is back.  Almost seven years ago, Real Gone Music issued Riding Your Way: The Lost Transcriptions for Tiffany Music 1946-1947.  “Real Gone has given the royal treatment to the King of Western Swing,” we wrote in assessing the landmark set.  Now, the label is returning to Wills’ discography for a second volume.  Way Out West: The Lost Transcriptions for Tiffany Music 1946-1947 Volume Two is due on April 30, the same date as Real Gone and Second Disc Records’ release of Michael Nesmith’s Different Drum:…

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Get Down: Real Gone Continues Black Jazz Series with Henry Franklin and Gene Russell, Goes Brazilian with Sivuca

Real Gone Music has announced a trio of new releases for February 26 including two more additions to its growing Black Jazz library and one from an unsung hero of Brazilian music. Bassist Henry Franklin has an enviable musical resume, from playing with Hugh Masekela at Monterey Pop and on the chart-topping “Grazing in the Grass” to recording and performing with such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, The Three Sounds, Woody Shaw, O.C. Smith, and Al Jarreau.  Franklin made his debut as a leader with 1972’s The Skipper, next up in Real Gone’s…

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Make Someone Happy: Upcoming Real Gone Reissues Include More Black Jazz and Limited Soundtrack Vinyl Including “Sleepless In Seattle”

As the holiday season is over and the new year has just begun, let’s look at some of the titles Real Gone Music has coming out in January and February. The label is continuing its Black Jazz reissue series with a trio of releases over next two months.  The first, available tomorrow, January 8, is Cleveland Eaton‘s 1975 album Plenty Good Eaton.  The double bassist, who passed away in July, played with numerous artists over the years and was a sideman on recordings by Bunky Green, Ramsey Lewis, The Soulful Strings, and…

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Christmas in July: Real Gone Highlights Special Sale with New CD Reissue of “Seasons Greetings” by The Fantastic Strings of Felix Slatkin

As a heat wave grips a large portion of the U.S. and the news seems to be lacking in upbeat stories, Real Gone is looking to Christmas to brighten some spirits.  The label has started a “Christmas in July” sale, and its centerpiece is a new-to-CD reissue of 1961’s Seasons Greetings by The Fantastic Strings of Felix Slatkin. Slatkin, born right before Christmas on December 22, 1915, studied the violin at an early age and joined the St. Louis Symphony at 17.  He eventually moved to Los Angeles and became the concertmaster…

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No Choice But To Hear You: Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” Celebrates 25th Anniversary With Digital Offerings, Including New Deluxe Edition of Album

June 13 marked the 25th anniversary of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. In celebration, Morissette and Rhino Records are unveiling several digital offerings, the centerpiece of which is a new deluxe edition, pairing the original album with a concert from March of this year, available today. Alanis Morissette’s first two albums did not indicate the direction her music would take for her biggest smash record. Released on MCA in her native Canada, 1991’s Alanis and 1992’s Now is the Time had critics comparing her to Debbie Gibson or Tiffany. While Alanis was…

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Avengers Assembled: Mondo To Release Avengers’ “Infinity War” and “Endgame” Soundtracks in Exclusive Vinyl Box Set

This past weekend marked the one-year anniversary of the opening of Avengers: Endgame in movie theaters. To coincide with this, Mondo, in conjunction with Marvel Music/Hollywood Records, has just announced vinyl versions of the soundtracks to both Endgame and 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War in a 6-LP deluxe set or as two individual 3-LP releases. All of these releases are available to pre-order tomorrow at Mondo’s webstore and will ship in June. Infinity War and Endgame marked the climax to many of the stories in Marvel Cinematic Universe series of films which began…

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Like A Song: Craft Recordings Compiles “The Best of Ronnie Milsap” on CD

Craft Recordings has just announced a new collection celebrating country superstar Ronnie Milsap. Due out on May 29, The Best of Ronnie Milsap gathers up 12 of the artist’s biggest hits from his first tenure at RCA. Craft’s parent company, Concord Music, acquired the rights to 16 of Milsap’s RCA albums from between 1977-2006 last year, and this is the first physical product to come from the acquisition (an expanded digital version of this compilation featuring 25 songs was released last June by Craft and is available now). Born in 1943 in…

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