"Phyllis sat right in my class. I can still see the pigtails." In a 2016 interview with The Second Disc, Thom Bell shared his earliest memories of the late Phyllis Hyman (1949-1995). The songwriter-arranger-conductor-producer would cross paths numerous times over the years with his childhood friend: first via Phyllis' hit recordings of his "Betcha By Golly Wow" and "Loving You - Losing You," and later, his own productions and songs for her. "She was a lonely individual," observed Thom,
Invitation to Jamaica: Landmark Anthology "The Trojan Story" Sees 50th Anniversary Reissue
Since 1968, Trojan Records has been synonymous with the reggae, rocksteady, dub, and ska genres. The U.K. label founded by Lee Gopthal and Island Records' Chris Blackwell was instrumental in spreading those Jamaican sounds throughout the world and popularizing such key artists as Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker, Lee "Scratch" Perry, and The Maytals. By 1971, Trojan - with its focus on 45 RPM singles - had amassed enough hit records to release a label anthology. On June 18, that seminal release,
Milk and Alcohol (New Recipe): Rhino Reissues Dr. Feelgood's "Singles" On Vinyl
Dr. Feelgood made their album debut early in 1975 with Down by the Jetty on the United Artists label. International audiences - not to mention artists including Paul Weller, Richard Hell, Blondie, and Ramones - took notice of the U.K. pub-rockers and lead guitarist Wilko Johnson. The band remained on UA through 1980's A Case of the Shakes when the label was merged with the revived Liberty Records. Now, the 1989 compendium Singles (The U.A. Years +), originally issued on the parent EMI label,
Lookin' Back: Capitol, UMe Reissue, Remaster Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's "Live Bullet"
Bob Seger catapulted to national stardom in October 1976 with the multi-platinum LP Night Moves, after a string of regional hits in the Detroit area and throughout the Midwest. Just before that commercial breakthrough, Seger and his Silver Bullet Band were captured in their live prime at Detroit's Cobo Hall for the 2-LP set Live Bullet. Now, the album is returning to its original vinyl format to mark its 45th anniversary. The new reissue, remastered by Robert Vosgien, will arrive on June 11
Rhythm of the New-Born Day: Cherry Red Revisits, Expands Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat"
Surely one of the most unlikely hits of 1976-77 was Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat." An atmospheric tale of romance in a faraway place with Casablanca name-checks of Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre, the song propelled the British singer-songwriter to the top of the pops: No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and even higher, No. 4, in Cash Box) and No. 8 AC as well as No. 31 in the U.K., his only chart appearance there. Following its expanded reissue late last year of Stewart's 24 Carrots, Cherry
Be My Number Two: Todd Rundgren, Joe Jackson Tour Comes to CD, DVD
Joe Jackson and new 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Todd Rundgren's paths first crossed professionally on April 24, 2004 at the small Joe's Pub, tucked inside the Public Theater in New York City. That evening, Rundgren celebrated 15 years of his musical Up Against It by recreating the show in concert at its original home of the Public to benefit the theatre. Jackson sang the role of Father Brodie, and he and Rundgren hit it off so well that they decided to continue their
Rough Justice: Rolling Stones Revisit "A Bigger Bang" Rio Concert for CD, LP, DVD, BD
The Rolling Stones' first studio album of the new millennium, 2005's A Bigger Bang, made its mark around the world. It charted in the top five in almost two dozen countries and earned Platinum or Gold certifications in the U.S., U.K., and other international territories. Messrs. Jagger, Richards, Watts, and Wood supported the album with A Bigger Bang, the tour, between 2005-2007 - and it became the highest-grossing concert tour of all time (until U2 usurped its crown). On February 8, 2006,
Review: Fleetwood Mac, "Live" [Deluxe Edition]
When Fleetwood Mac's Live reached store shelves in time for Christmas 1980, the deluxe 2-LP set was following another mammoth affair: Tusk, released just fourteen months earlier. While Tusk was a success by any measure - it reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and yielded two U.S. top ten singles - it fell off the album chart within nine months as opposed to its predecessor, Rumours, which spent a record-breaking nine consecutive weeks at No. 1 in 1977-1978 on its way to becoming one of the
All or Nothing at All: Frank Sinatra's "Reprise Rarities Vol. 3" Features Movie Songs, Pop, Disco, and More
Last Friday, Frank Sinatra Enterprises and UMe released Reprise Rarities Vol. 3, the third of five planned digital-only collections of material previously available only in a physical format. Its 15 new-to-streaming tracks were recorded between 1960-1977. Much of the set finds the venerable artist coming to terms with the changing sound of popular music...and, of course, doing it his way. (Read about Vol. 1 here and Vol. 2 here.) The collection opens with the Reprise remake of "The Last
Precious, Precious: Omnivore Unearths Rarities from Steve Goodman, Alex Chilton
Memphis' Beale Street is one of the most famous musical thoroughfares in America, known for the sounds of rhythm and blues, jazz, soul, and rock-and-roll that pulsate through its shops, restaurants, and bars. On the first weekend every May, The Beale Street Music Festival is staged, celebrating the city's diverse musical legacy. While COVID-19 sadly has kept the Festival once again from taking place, it's already set for 2022. And Omnivore Recordings has looked back on a special performance
Yeah! Def Leppard Plans Third Volume of Career Box Sets for June
After a 2+-year wait since the last volume, Def Leppard will continue its chronological box set series with the June 11 release of Volume Three from Virgin/UMe. This set, available on six CDs or nine 180-gram vinyl LPs, collects all three of the band's studio albums from the first decade of the 2000s (2002's X, 2006's Yeah!, 2008's Songs from the Sparkle Lounge) plus three newly curated collections of rarities. X, Def Leppard's first album of the millennium, was the band's eighth studio LP
The Groovy Life I Lead: Frank Zappa's Final U.S. Concert Released on "Zappa '88" In June
Following recent releases including the soundtrack to director Alex Winter's documentary Zappa (already out on CD/digital and coming to vinyl this Friday) and Halloween 81, Zappa Records has announced a new archival title - and it's a landmark, if bittersweet, addition to the library. Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show will arrive in CD, LP, and digital formats on June 18, preserving the March 25, 1988 show at Uniondale, New York's Nassau Coliseum that turned out to be the musician and bandleader's
From Hollywood to Veracruz: Van Dyke Parks Teams with Verónica Valerio For New EP
Over the course of a career spanning more than half a century, Van Dyke Parks has collaborated with Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, Ry Cooder, Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, and Silverchair; penned the legendary SMiLE with Brian Wilson; re-teamed with Wilson for the subsequent concept albums Orange Crate Art (recently reissued by Omnivore Recordings) and That Lucky Old Sun; played the accordion on The Beach Boys' chart-topping "Kokomo;" and even arranged Baloo the Bear's famous ode to "The Bare
The Spell: Jon Anderson's "Animation" Returns from Cherry Red, Esoteric
The early 1980s marked a time of constant change for Jon Anderson. He departed the band he co-founded in March after sessions with Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, Dusty Springfield) failed to click and tensions rose with his bandmates Chris Squire, Steve Howe, and Alan White. (Rick Wakeman left Yes at the same time.) He was finding more creative freedom when he joined the electronic music pioneer Vangelis as "Jon and Vangelis." Their debut Short Stories, released in January 1980, was a top five
Tell Him: Cherry Red, 7Ts Collect The "Complete Singles" of Glam Band Hello
With its pounding piano, loud guitars, and bubblegum-sticky melody, Hello's 1972 debut single "You Move Me" epitomized the glam side of pop. Written and produced by Russ Ballard (Argent, America), the Bell label 45 inaugurated a roughly seven-year run for the Tottenham band. All of Hello's A- and B-sides for Bell, Arista, and Polydor have recently been collected by Cherry Red's 7Ts imprint on The Complete Singles Collection. This set is a companion to 7Ts' 2016 box set Hello: The
Yes I'm Ready: Laura Nyro's First Seven Studio Albums Collected on New Madfish Box Set
We've long championed the extraordinary legacy of Laura Nyro here at The Second Disc, including with our own releases with Real Gone Music of A Little Magic, A Little Kindness: The Complete Mono Albums Collection and the first mono vinyl reissue of the singer-songwriter's debut More Than a New Discovery. Now, the U.K.'s Madfish label is returning her 1967-1978 catalogue for Verve and Columbia to vinyl in a new box set. The 8-LP box set American Dreamer is due on July 30. The slipcased
Trouble No More: Allman Brothers Band Reissues Deluxe Edition of "Bear's Sonic Journals: Fillmore East, February 1970"
Following the recent release of Down in Texas '71, the Allman Brothers Band Recording Company has turned its attention to another archival release - in this case, a reissue of a past title. On June 18, the label will team with The Owsley Stanley Foundation for a wide release of the 3-CD Deluxe Edition of Bear's Sonic Journals: Fillmore East , February 1970. This run of concerts from Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Jai Johanny Johanson a.k.a. Jaimoe, and Butch Trucks
I Guess I'll Be: Sly Stone's "Baby Pictures" Collected on Sly and The Viscaynes' "Yellow Moon"
Sylvester Stewart, a.k.a. Sly Stone, thrillingly fused R&B with funk, rock, pop, and jazz as leader of the psychedelic outfit Sly and The Family Stone. But the visionary artist didn't emerge from nowhere with his most famous band; he'd paid his dues in the early part of the 1960s at the Bay Area's Autumn Records label as a producer and artist. Many of these recordings have been chronicled on collections from Ace (Precious Stone: In the Studio with Sly Stone 1963-1965, Listen to the Voices:
In Memoriam: Jim Steinman (1947-2021)
Turn around, bright eyes... Baby, we can talk all night, but that ain't getting us nowhere... You took the words right out of my mouth...Oh, it must have been while you were kissing me! I would do anything for love...but I won't do that. Rock and roll dreams came through time and time again for Jim Steinman (1947-2021). This singular artist - a composer, lyricist, librettist, producer, musician, singer, and storyteller - merged rock with a powerful theatricality. His songs for
Is This A Dream: André Previn's HMV and Teldec Albums Collected on Massive Box Set "The Warner Edition"
André Previn (1929-2019) was a true renaissance man, making his mark in the worlds of jazz, classical, film, and stage. A composer, pianist, and conductor, the German-born Previn won four Academy Awards as well as ten competitive Grammys; he led orchestras including the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic, and the Oslo Philharmonic. He scored classic Hollywood films, co-wrote the
What a Little Moonlight Can Do: BMG Launches Montreux Jazz Live Series with Nina Simone, Etta James
Since 1967, the annual Montreux Jazz Festival has brought fans to Switzerland to enjoy world-class music from top-tier artists. Over the years, the festival's purview has expanded beyond pure jazz; Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Elton John have all played there as well as Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Herb Alpert. Numerous concert albums have been recorded at Montreux, among them sets from Alice Cooper, Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter, Ella Fitzgerald, and Chick Corea. Now, BMG is adding to that
Blondes Have More Fun: Rod Stewart's Early American Years Chronicled in Vinyl Box
Some guys have all the luck: Rod Stewart is about to see his first four Warner Bros. Records albums collected on a new vinyl box set. Stewart moved to the Burbank label with 1975's Atlantic Crossing, inaugurating his most commercially successful period. Atlantic Crossing, A Night on the Town (1976), Foot Loose and Fancy Free (1977), and Blondes Have More Fun (1978) took the Faces co-founder to new heights of superstardom, with each album earning platinum (or multi-platinum) certifications on
Happiness Is: Craft Readies Baseball-Themed Reissue of "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" and RSD Tie-In Single
The 1964 Fantasy Records release of The Vince Guaraldi Trio's A Boy Named Charlie Brown has been regularly reissued around the world in what seems like every format imaginable: LP, CD, SACD, cassette, FLAC, and so on. The latest iteration of this classic album for kids of all ages hits stores July 16 from Craft Recordings, followed by a Record Store Day tie-in single the following day for RSD's second Drop. This version, unlike the 50th anniversary reissue which restored the original 1964
Symptom of the Universe: Black Sabbath Announce 'Sabotage' Box Set
It's been a big year for fans of Black Sabbath. In the first few months of 2021, Rhino has already released a box set of the band's 1972 album Vol. 4, followed by 2CD expanded editions of the first two Dio-era albums. Now, the label has announced another super deluxe box set - this time of 1975's Sabotage. Due on June 11, it will be available in both 4CD and 4LP/7" editions. While the album's title was inspired by the legal battle raging between Sabbath and its former manager, the album
God Knows I'm Good: Live Rarities, Singles Collected on Bowie's 'The Width of a Circle'
David Bowie's third album The Man Who Sold the World opened with the blistering "The Width of a Circle," an eight-minute blast of rock adrenaline culminating in the narrator's illicit encounter with a supernatural being in the burning pits of Hell. Bowie had quickly come a long way from the music hall theatricality of his first eponymous LP and the psychedelic folk-rock of his second. The 1970 LP welcomed guitarist Mick Ronson and drummer Woody Woodmansey, the first appearance on a Bowie album
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