Concord Music Group continues its Stax Remasters series by dipping into the label's early days with a bona fide R&B classic. The title track of Booker T. & The MGs' 1962 Green Onions is still instantly recognizable today from appearances in television (American Dad) and film (X-Men: First Class), and was in May 2012 inducted into the Library of Congress' prestigious National Recording Registry. On July 24, the original Green Onions album will be reissued and expanded with two bonus
Cleveland (Still) Rocks: Ian Hunter "Complete Singles Collection 1975-83" Released By 7Ts
What do Great White, The Presidents of the United States of America and Barry Manilow have in common? Why, Ian Hunter, of course. The former Mott the Hoople frontman provided those three with enduring songs, respectively, “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” “Cleveland Rocks” and “Ships.” The career of the singer and songwriter is being celebrated by Cherry Red’s 7Ts label with the release of Ian Hunter’s Singles Collection 1975-83. This 2-CD set compiles all 29 sides released by Hunter as a solo
Don't Cry For Julie Covington: Baroque-Pop "Beautiful Changes" Remastered and Reissued
Before Elaine Paige, before Patti LuPone, there was Julie Covington. The singer/actress was the first to sing the role of Evita in the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical, introducing “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina” on the 1976 concept album and scoring a No. 1 single in the U.K. the following year with the song. Musical theatre aficionados might also know Covington from her roles in Godspell and Guys and Dolls or even another concept album, War of the Worlds. But Covington also recorded some
Release Round-Up: Week of June 26
The Beat, I Just Can't Stop It / Wha'ppen? / Special Beat Service: Deluxe Editions (Edsel) The Beat's discography is expanded in the U.K. by Edsel in fashionable 2 CD/1 DVD editions. (Don't forget: a similar five-disc box is coming out from Shout! Factory in the U.S. next month.) The Miracles, Renaissance / Do It Baby (Hip-o Select/Motown) The first two post-Smokey LPs by The Miracles on one CD. The Electric Prunes, The Complete Reprise Singles / The New Christy Minstrels, A Retrospective
Of Weasels, Hot Rats and Lumpy Gravy: Some Zappa Reissue Questions Answered
Ever since news broke of Universal's upcoming series of Frank Zappa reissues, there have been as many questions as answers regarding this hotly-anticipated catalogue campaign. Although the first thirteen titles, chronologically representing 1966's Freak Out! through 1971's Just Another Band From L.A., don't arrive until July 31, a trickle of information has already been released by Gail Zappa, Frank's widow and the representative of the Zappa Family Trust. Gail Zappa has taken to answering
Linkage: Catalogue Encounters from Around the Internet
While The Second Disc tries to be your No. 1 source for cool news and views on stuff around the catalogue music scene, it can't hurt to give it up for others that are doing great things in the same field. Here's a little catch-up on some nice things in that area: The Quietus has a lengthy interview with Everything But the Girl's Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt on their career and the great new reissues that are out now. The pair have some nice things to say about Edsel - things that are hard to
Dinah Shore, Songs of James Taylor Feature on Upcoming Masterworks Broadway Reissues
After a brief sabbatical, Masterworks Broadway has taken another dive into its vaults, with its first round of disc-on-demand/digital reissues since February. The label was hardly idle, however, delivering releases from Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett, and Liza Minnelli as deluxe CDs in the ensuing months, and preparing the new Broadway Cast Recording of Evita. This summer, however, Masterworks will turn its attention to two classic recordings from the 1950s and one with a more contemporary
Bend Them, Shape Them: Amen Corner "Complete Deram Recordings" Out From RPM
Turn on an American oldies radio station today and it shouldn’t be too long before you hear The American Breed’s “Bend Me, Shape Me,” a Top 5 hit in 1968. Across the pond, however, the song unequivocally belongs to Amen Corner. The Welsh outfit didn’t last long, but in a jam-packed two year period, Amen Corner produced six hits and three albums on two labels: Deram and Immediate. The Deram years have just been collected in full on RPM’s new Round Amen Corner: The Complete Deram Recordings. The
Baby, It's Burt: Cherry Red's Él Label Collects Early Bacharach On "Long Ago Last Summer"
Although Burt Bacharach had been composing songs at least since 1952, when he kicked off a long career with the instrumental “Once in a Blue Moon” for Nat “King” Cole, the Burt Bacharach “sound” didn’t truly crystallize until the early 1960s. Prior to his reshaping of the sound of adult R&B, Bacharach teamed with a variety of lyricists to craft songs in virtually every genre imaginable: rock-and-roll, rockabilly, country, pop balladry, jazz, even the novelty song. Naturally, the earliest
Review: Omnivore's Legends of Music and Comedy, Buck Owens and Ernie Kovacs
In the pantheon of American comedy legends, you’d likely find Ernie Kovacs, the gifted, gone-too-soon (1919-1962) personality who carved out a niche in the early days of American television. Joining Ernie in that esteemed company might well also be Buck Owens (1929-2006), the influential guitarist and songwriter who made a second career out of joking, a-pickin’ and a-grinnin’ on the cornpone television variety show Hee Haw. However different these two gentlemen are, however, Omnivore
Review: The Beatles, "Yellow Submarine" on Blu-Ray and DVD
Picture yourself in a boat on a river…with tangerine trees and marmalade skies… Now, picture the evocative imagery of The Beatles’ most mind-bending lyrics transferred to a silver screen world where imagination and wonder run rampant. The result might be something like the 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine. Out of print for some time on DVD, Yellow Submarine has just returned to DVD and Blu-Ray (5099962146098) in a painstakingly restored new edition from Apple Corps and
Short Takes: McCartney Readies "Rockshow," Rundgren's Live "Healing", Jay and the Americans' "Magic Moment" Revisited
As we kick off another week, we're catching up with a few news items that almost slipped between the cracks! Earlier this year, RockBeat and S'More Entertainment released Todd: Live, preserving on both CD and DVD editions a live performance by Todd Rundgren of his 1974 classic album Todd. But Todd only told half of the story! Joined by Utopia's Kasim Sulton (bass), The Cars' Greg Hawkes (keyboards), The Tubes' Prairie Prince (drums), Guitar Player Magazine's editor Jesse Gress (guitar),
Release Round-Up: Week of June 19
A quick heads-up to our fans: we've finally joined modern times and become an Amazon Associate. So if you click on any of our links and add to your collection, you'll be supporting The Second Disc in our quest to become the best catalogue music site around! The Ventures, The Ventures On Stage / Wild Things! / Super Psychedelics / Hawaii Five-O (Sundazed) Four classic Ventures albums, remastered on CD and LP. Bob Mould, Bob Mould / The Last Dog + Pony Show / LiveDog98 (Edsel) After the revelatory
Yes! They Might Be Giants to Reissue "No!"
In the late '80s and early '90s, They Might Be Giants earned a sterling reputation as one of the quirkiest bands around, creating hook-filled pop garnished with out-there lyrics and intricate, often unexpected arrangements. But as time goes on, how does one extend their musical legacy beyond the loyal fan base? John Linnell and John Flansburgh figured out a most intriguing way of doing so ten years ago this month: they released No!, an album of original songs written with children in mind. (The
Before We Forget: Slipknot to Release First Hits Compilation
In the past decade, Slipknot were one of the most iconic and unforgettable faces of alternative metal in America. Next month, they will celebrate their tenure with the release of their first greatest hits compilation. Though Antennas to Hell doesn't contain any new tracks - the band has allegedly put together only tentative recordings since the death of founding bassist Paul Gray in 2010 - it will showcase 19 of the band's "fan favorites, live classics and well-known radio hits," including
Review: Deluxe Editions from Everything But The Girl
The band’s name is Everything But The Girl, but the reissue campaign might as well be titled Everything But the Kitchen Sink. Over the course of four 2-CD sets, the Edsel label has crafted a comprehensive, definitive retrospective of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt’s early years as merchants of cool, sophisticated and literate pop. EBTG’s first four albums, originally released on the Blanco Y Negro label, have each been granted the deluxe treatment with an additional disc of non-LP singles, B-sides,
Contest: Would You "Like" to Win a "Graceland" Box Set?
Hey, we've said it a million times, but let's say it again: The Second Disc has some of the best readers out there. The idea that so many of you like catalogue music as much as Joe and I do, and the idea that so many of you come back to read our news and musings, day in and day out...well, it just makes me feel good. And we've done a solid job (we hope!) of reaching out to every fan old and new across the Internet, be it Facebook or Twitter or even in the comments section of the site. As I type
Getting Real Gone in July with Sanford and Townsend, Clover, 20/20, Jackie Gleason and More
Real Gone Music may not be going “to the moon, Alice,” but the eclectic reissue gurus are going just about everywhere else with their batch of offerings set for July 31. Yes, Jackie Gleason features in a line-up also including poet Charles Bukowski, Sanford and Townsend (Smoke from a Distant Fire), a member of Bread, and a couple of underrated rock-and-roll bands. After the recent, potent reissue of the self-titled debut from Durocs, Real Gone jumps back into the power pop game with 20/20.
His Songs: Elton John "Classic Album Collection," Mash-Up Set Coming in July
Do you remember when rock was young? Many do remember the early days of the former Reginald Dwight, whose first major splash on the American charts was 1970's Elton John. Although that album was John's second, his 1969 debut Empty Sky wouldn't see U.S. release until 1975, at which point John was one of the biggest superstars on the planet. More than forty years after the release of Elton John, the now-Sir Elton's star still shines brightly, with 2010's The Union having earned him a Grammy
A Star Beyond Time: Talking "Trek" with Mike Matessino, Part 2
Captain's log, Stardate 2012.614. When last we left the crew of the starship Second Disc, they were interviewing renowned soundtrack producer Mike Matessino, whose work on La-La Land's triple-disc expansion of Jerry Goldsmith's score to Star Trek: The Motion Picture may be the most vivacious and definitive single soundtrack presentation in a career brimming with many projects. Our interview with Matessino was lengthy, and the two-hour interview was bound to take up more than one post. Why the
Before He Met "Mrs. Jones": Billy Paul's "Ebony Woman" Reissued By BBR
It’s inevitable that Billy Paul will be best remembered for that thing he had going on with a certain Mrs. Jones. But that ode to a steamy extramarital affair hardly told the whole story of Billy Paul. “A lot of people don’t even know I’m a jazz singer. That’s what I want to be known for,” Paul tells Andy Kellman in the liner notes to Big Break Records’ must-have reissue of the singer’s second album, Ebony Woman. Though produced by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, Ebony Woman wasn’t issued on
Review: The Supremes, "The Supremes at the Copa"
The building on New York’s East 60th Street might between 5th and Madison Avenues might not have looked like much from the outside. But within the walls of 10 E. 60th, it was a different story altogether, as that address housed the fabled Copacabana. Lyricist Fred Ebb asserted of New York City itself, “If you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere,” but he could have been writing of The Copacabana. And Berry Gordy wanted to make it there. More accurately, the Motown Records chief wanted
Burn, Baby, Burn: The Trammps Go "Definitive" From Music Club Deluxe
At the crossroads of silky Philadelphia soul and pulse-pounding disco, you’d likely find The Trammps. Hailing from the City of Brotherly Love, The Trammps earned their immortality when the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack included their hit “Disco Inferno.” But that classic track is only one small part of the vocal group’s story, which is now being retold by Demon Music Group’s Music Club Deluxe label on the 2-CD, 34-track The Definitive Collection. Boasting recordings from Atlantic, Buddah
Review: The Association, "The Complete Warner Bros. and Valiant Singles Collection"
“Everyone knows” the answer to the musical question of Who’s trippin’ down the streets of the city / Smilin’ at everybody she sees? But here’s another one: what’s the record label reaching out to capture a moment, bendin’ down to give us a rainbow? Everyone (at least everyone reading The Second Disc!) knows it’s Now Sounds. The Cherry Red-affiliated label has recently released the latest in its ongoing series of deluxe reissues of The Association’s catalogue, and it’s the most impressive
Return to Pepperland: We Have A "Yellow Submarine" Blu-Ray Winner!
We have a winner! Congratulations to Robbie Mercy of Clanton, Alabama! Robbie is the recipient of a brand-new, restored Blu-Ray release of The Beatles’ 1968 animated classic Yellow Submarine, courtesy of our friends at EMI and Apple! Robbie was one of many entrants who correctly answered this question: One of the screenwriters of Yellow Submarine received an Academy Award nomination as writer of the highest-grossing film in the United States of 1970. Name the writer and the smash hit
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