On the evenings of February 21 and 22, 1998, a host of musicians took the stage of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium to pay tribute to one of their own. Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, Jackson Browne, Jimmy Buffett, Bonnie Raitt, and Crosby, Stills and Nash were just a few of the artists who paid their respects in song to the late Nicolette Larson. The luminous singer with the honeyed voice had unexpectedly died just a couple of months earlier at the far too young age of 45. In the decades since her…
It’s Gonna Take a Lotta Love: The Second Disc, Lemon Collect Nicolette Larson’s Warner Bros. Albums on “Look In My Direction”
On the evenings of February 21 and 22, 1998, a host of musicians took the stage of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium to pay tribute to one of their own. Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, Jackson Browne, Jimmy Buffett, Bonnie Raitt, and Crosby, Stills and Nash were just a few of the artists who paid their respects in song to the late Nicolette Larson. The luminous singer with the honeyed voice had unexpectedly died just a couple of months earlier at the far too young age of 45. In the decades since her…
Edsel Box Set Round-Up: “SAM: The Sound of New York City,” “Sean Rowley Presents Guilty Pleasures: 20th Anniversary”
When brothers Hy and Sam Weiss passed in 2007 and 2008, respectively, the Romanian-born immigrants to Brooklyn were eulogized as the last of the golden age record men. The Weiss brothers formed their first record label in 1949; in 1953, they launched Old Town Records which Hy would take on as his own in 1956. Many of Old Town’s classic hits are still favorites today, such as The Capris’ “There’s a Moon Out Tonight,” Billy Bland’s “Let the Little Girl Dance,” and “Remember Then” by The Earls. Upon leaving Old Town, Sam…
Groovy Party at Jimmy’s Magic Pad: Andrew Gold Extends “Greetings from Planet Love”
Greetings from Planet Love! So was titled the one and only album from The Fraternal Order of “The All.” Who was The All? It turns out The All was rock-and-roll’s favorite one-man band, the late Andrew Gold (1951-2011). In 1997, the singer-songwriter behind “Lonely Boy” and “Thank You for Being a Friend” – also a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and arranger who supported such friends as Linda Ronstadt and Art Garfunkel over the years – released this pseudonymous celebration of the psychedelic side of the 1960s. Gold, who could indeed do it “All,” tipped…
Release Round-Up: Week of September 17
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Bob Dylan, Springtime in New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 (1980-1985) (Columbia/Legacy) 5CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada The latest volume of Bob Dylan’s long-running archival series, Springtime in New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 (1980-1985) covers the period in which Dylan recorded the albums Shot of Love (the final LP in his so-called “Christian trilogy”), Infidels, and Empire Burlesque. While in a creatively fertile period as a songwriter and performer, Dylan was dealing – like everyone else – with the seismic changes that…
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Spooky, Scary: Andrew Gold’s “Halloween Howls” Returns on Friday
When late singer-songwriter Andrew Gold set out to record his Halloween Howls: Fun and Scary Music album, he knew he was filling a void. The composer-lyricist of “Thank You for Being a Friend” and “Lonely Boy” wrote in the 1996 CD’s original liner notes, “Each holiday has a mood and usually has music to go with it. However, it’s been very hard to find any tapes or CDs of Halloween music. In fact, there’s mostly just scary sound effects available and very few songs. So, I fixed that.” Over the years, Halloween…
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Review: Andrew Gold, “Lonely Boy: The Asylum Years Anthology”
The Asylum Records discography of pop polymath Andrew Gold has been well-addressed in the CD era – first via international CD reissues, then individual expanded editions on the U.S. Collectors’ Choice label, and an all-encompassing set in 2013 from the U.K.’s Edsel label. But one thing had eluded Gold: a bona fide box set. Cherry Red and Esoteric Recordings have delivered with Lonely Boy: The Asylum Years Anthology, a 6-CD/1-DVD compendium celebrating the late artist (1951-2011) with remastered versions of all four Asylum albums, a disc of outtakes, another of live performances,…
The Second Disc Guide to Record Store Day Drop 1 TOMORROW!
With the nation still fighting COVID-19, Record Store Day here in the U.S. looks a little – make that a lot – different this year. The usual offerings have been split among three dates with Drop 1 taking place tomorrow, August 29, at your local independent record retailer. Drop 2 is September 26, and Drop 3 is October 24. Every retailer is handling the Drop a bit differently thanks to the necessary accommodations for social distancing, smaller crowds, and better safety precautions. So please check in with your favorite store to find…
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Release Round-Up: Week of July 24
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul, Men Without Women [CD/DVD] (Wicked Cool/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Little Steven Van Zandt’s 1982 debut with The Disciples of Soul, Men Without Women, remains a high watermark in the Jersey shore bar band sound with its fusion of classic rock and soul sounds. Van Zandt was joined by members of The E Street Band, The Asbury Jukes, and The Miami Horns as well as pals like The Rascals’ Dino Danelli and Felix Cavaliere, and Gary U.S. Bonds. This CD…
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Dancing Again: What To Expect for Record Store Day’s RSD Drops Day 1, August 29
As the COVID 19 outbreak continues to impact our lives, it’s heartening to know that some things are returning to some semblance of “normal,” or as close as we can get to it during this unpredictable impasse. As we previously reported, Record Store Day has been split into three standalone “RSD Drop” days, occurring on August 29, September 26, and October 24. That’s not the only thing changing this time around. It’s been reported by Georgia-based shop Comeback Vinyl that the organization is open to “the possibility of selling the releases online…
Endless Flight: New Andrew Gold Box Set From Esoteric Offers Albums, Unreleased Live Material
He was born on a summer day, 1951 – and through the ’70s, Andrew Gold issued a handful of killer pop singles around the world while serving as an in-demand session musician. This summer, U.K. label Esoteric Recordings will collect his complete discography for Asylum Records along with some choice studio and live bonus material – a portion of which is being released for the first time! Lonely Boy: The Asylum Years Anthology illustrates how Gold – the son of film composer Ernest and Hollywood singer Marni Nixon – stepped into the…
Release Round-Up: Week of April 24
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! America, Heritage II: Demos/Alternate Takes 1971-1976 (Omnivore) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) “Today’s the Day” when America continues its archival series of demos and alternates via Omnivore Recordings. Heritage II, out today on CD, features 13 previously unissued tracks from 1971-1976 including the epic “Jameroony,” the track mix with background vocals only of the hit “Tin Man,” Gerry Beckley’s never-before-heard “Mandy,” and more, with many George Martin production. Beckley has provided new liner notes. A vinyl edition will be out on Record Store…
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Omnivore’s RSD Slate Includes Live New Riders, America Demos and Alternates, and Andrew Gold Rarities
Omnivore Recordings has announced their Record Store Day titles, available at your favorite record shops on April 18! Rarities from Andrew Gold, demos by America, and a live set from New Riders of the Purple Sage will be available on shelves! Here’s more from Omnivore… Omnivore Recordings has announced its titles for Record Store Day 2020, to be held April 18 at brick-and-mortar record retailers throughout the U.S. and around the world. Released for the occasion will be three titles of previously unheard music: Andrew Gold: Something New: Unreleased Gold on gold vinyl; America: Heritage II: Demos/Alternate takes 1971-1976; and New Riders of…
Art for Art’s Sake: Eric Stewart Collection, 10cc, Godley & Creme Box Sets Forthcoming
With apologies to Lady Gaga, it may be British band 10cc that’s most worthy of the term “art pop.” The multifaceted group yielded 11 Top 10 hits in their native England, including the No. 1s “Rubber Bullets,” “I’m Not In Love” and “Dreadlock Holiday”; the group even crossed over into the U.S. charts with “I’m Not In Love” and “The Things We Do for Love,” both Top 5 hits. By an amazing coincidence, not one, not two, but three 10cc-related catalogue collections are hitting stores starting next month in the U.K.! Here’s…
Lotta Love: Varese Collects “The Very Best of Nicolette Larson” – AND YOU CAN WIN!
Today, Varese Vintage releases Lotta Love: The Very Best of Nicolette Larson, celebrating the life and career of the silken-voiced pop singer who died at the tragically young age of 45 in 1997. This 16-track anthology, culled from her years with Warner Bros. Records and featuring duets with Emmylou Harris, Steve Goodman and Michael McDonald, is a welcome reminder of Larson’s versatile gifts in the genres of pop, country and folk – and we would like to give you a chance to WIN ONE OF TEN COPIES of this new collection. Details…
Review: Andrew Gold, “The Late Show – Live 1978”
Isn’t it about time for an Andrew Gold renaissance? Then again, the late artist’s music is still very much a part of today. Just tune in to TV Land, Hallmark, or Logo TV and you’ll hear Cynthia Fee’s rendition of Gold’s “Thank You for Being a Friend” introducing the exploits of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia on every episode of The Golden Girls. And when “yacht rock” playlists started popping up, reviving breezy, laid-back 1970s soft rock sounds (many of which emanated out of California), Gold’s bright, crisp, pure-pop tunes were rarely…
Release Round-Up: Week of May 12
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! We kick off with a quartet of releases drawing on never-before-released live material! Leonard Cohen, Can’t Forget: A Souvenir of The Grand Tour (Columbia/Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) Leonard Cohen offers ten selections – including two songs never previously recorded and a pair of covers – from his recent world tour. Andrew Gold, The Late Show – Live 1978 (Omnivore) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) You’ll say “thank you for being a friend” to Omnivore Recordings for this first-ever release of Andrew Gold’s 1978 concert at West…
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Lonely Boy No More: Edsel Honors Andrew Gold with Complete Albums Set
If you’ve been looking for a simple way to acquaint yourself with the soft rock stylings of the late Andrew Gold, Edsel may have just the set for you: a triple-disc, bonus-laden compilation of Gold’s four albums for Asylum Records. The singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist enjoyed his greatest successes as one of the pre-eminent smooth pop tunesmiths of the late ’70s. “Lonely Boy” was a Top 10 hit in 1977, while follow-ups “Thank You for Being a Friend” and “Never Let Her Slip Away” enjoyed respective chart successes in the U.S. and the U.K. (the…
