Brian Robson Rankin of Newcastle-upon-Tyne moved to London while still a teenager, armed with a guitar and a dream. He adopted the name Hank Marvin, melding his childhood nickname of “Hank” with the first name of American country singer Marvin Rainwater, and put on a pair of glasses inspired by Buddy Holly’s. His school friend Bruce Welch joined him, and before long, the pair had met Cliff Richard’s manager. In 1959, Richard’s band then known as The Drifters became The Shadows, and Richard, Marvin, Welch, and Brian Bennett (who replaced drummer Tony…
Wild Mountain Honey: Ace’s “76 in the Shade” Features Steve Miller Band, Jefferson Starship, Smokey Robinson, Gilbert O’Sullivan, More
Producer-compiler Bob Stanley’s last couple of compilations for Ace have placed him squarely within the 1970s. Earlier this year, Saint Etienne Present Songs for the Fountain Coffee Room (compiled by Stanley, Sarah Cracknell, and Pete Wiggs) conjured “the soundtrack for a bar in mid-’70s Los Angeles,” or a St. Etienne-style spin on “yacht rock” with Stephen Bishop, Ned Doheny, Boz Scaggs, and Seals and Crofts among those featured. Stanley has followed Fountain Coffee Room up with a trip to a more specific time and place. Over 20 songs both familiar and unknown, 76…
Surprise Surprise: Cilla Black’s “Especially for You” Comes to CD with “Classics and Collectibles”
Tomorrow, November 1, Cherry Red’s Strike Force Entertainment imprint will release the next title in its series of definitive reissues from Cilla Black’s considerable catalogue. The 2-CD set Especially for You Revisited/Classics and Collectibles brings together a newly remixed version of Cilla’s 1980 album Especially for You with a second disc of rare and previously unreleased tracks. Especially for You marked a turning point in Black’s career as it was her first recording project after leaving her longtime home of EMI Records. The K-Tel release could have been subtitled Great Songs of…
It’s For You: Cilla Black Gets Orchestral Treatment from Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Following in the footsteps of Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and The Beach Boys, Cilla Black is the next artist to receive the grand orchestral treatment. On November 16, Warner Music U.K. will release Cilla with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring fourteen classic songs by the late superstar with all-new orchestral backings. Producers James Morgan and Juliette Pochin have selected favorite songs including three top ten hits penned by John Lennon and Paul McCartney (“Step Inside Love,” featuring McCartney on guitar; “Love of the Loved;” and “It’s for You”); the top five…
Surround Yourself with Cilla: Cherry Red, SFE Launch Ambitious Cilla Black Reissue Campaign
Surprise, surprise…it’s Cilla here! Cherry Red’s Strike Force Entertainment imprint has great news for fans of the late Cilla Black. On July 27, SFE launches a new reissue campaign dedicated to Cilla’s discography with a pair of deluxe, generously expanded 2-CD releases. These releases coincide with what would have been Cilla’s 75th birthday year. The first set pairs 1969’s George Martin-produced Surround Yourself with Cilla with 1976’s It Makes Me Feel Good, produced by David Mackay (Cliff Richard, Blue Mink, The New Seekers). The second set jumps ahead in time to offer…
Music of the Night: Andrew Lloyd Webber Celebrates His 70th Birthday with a New Box Set
Since September 25, 1979, there hasn’t been a day when an Andrew Lloyd Webber melody hasn’t been heard on Broadway. That was the opening night of Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Evita. Before it ended its run in June 1983, Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats had opened, launching a record-breaking run through September 2000. But on January 26, 1988, the show opened which would eclipse them all: Phantom of the Opera. It today celebrates 30 years (marked with a special gala earlier this week) and is comfortably the longest-running show in Broadway history,…
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It’s a Fine Life: Shirley Bassey, Steve Marriott, Cliff Richard, Original Casts Salute Lionel Bart On New Box Set
With Oliver!, Lionel Bart created one of the most enduring musicals of all time. Yet there was more to Bart than just the one show – though it was the only international hit he would ever write. In between palling around with The Rolling Stones and Andrew Loog Oldham at the height of Swingin’ London, Bart dominated the pop charts and the musical theatre stage. Now, Cherry Red’s el label has celebrated this quintessential British songwriter on a new 5-CD box set. Consider Yourself! The Highs of Lionel Bart explores both the…
