The Gap Band - The Second Disc

The Weekend Stream: February 18, 2023

February 18, 2023 by The Second Disc | 1 Comment

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. Today, Joe and Mike are sharing the latest from the Stream: new posthumous singles from Burt Bacharach and Olivia Newton-John, a new song from Ben Folds, a demo from Sting and more – plus a way you can voice your support for members of the LGBTQ+ community who need it. Burt Bacharach & Elvis Costello, “You Can Have…

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The Weekend Stream

Formats:

Digital Download, Digital Streaming

Genres:

Country, Disco/Dance, Everything Else, Folk, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

2Pac, Ben Folds, Burt Bacharach, Dolly Parton, Elvis Costello, Olivia Newton-John, Sting, The Gap Band

Soul Masters: BBR Reissues Edwin Starr, Gap Band, Yarbrough and Peoples, Boys Town Gang

October 24, 2014 by Joe Marchese | No Comments

For its latest batch of reissues, Big Break Records travels back in time to the days when The Sound of Young America ruled the airwaves with two vintage titles from the late, great Edwin Starr, and returns to the catalogues of two more label favorites – The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples! Ultimately, Edwin Starr (1942-2003) will forever be best-known for his incendiary 1970 recording of Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong’s “War,” a scorching protest song that tapped into the growing unrest of the American public in the Vietnam era. Starr’s…

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News

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Genres:

Disco/Dance, R&B/Soul

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Edwin Starr, The Boys Town Gang, The Gap Band, Yarbrough and Peoples

Release Round-Up: Week of September 30

September 30, 2014 by Joe Marchese | No Comments

ABBA, Live at Wembley Arena (Polar/Universal) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. ) As part of ABBA’s 40th anniversary celebration, the band unveils this 2-CD, hardcover book-style set preserving its 1979 concerts at Wembley Arena. The 25-track set features the first-ever release on record of Agnetha’s “I’m Still Alive” along with perennials like “Dancing Queen,” “Waterloo,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and “Fernando.” Live at Wembley is also available on vinyl. Oasis, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (Big Brother) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. 3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Box…

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News

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Genres:

Cast Recordings, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

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ABBA, Paul Parrish, Prince, Ray Charles, Robin Gibb, Ronnie Dyson, Ry Cooder, Stories, The Gap Band, The Grateful Dead

BBR Goes For The Total Experience with Gap Band, Billy Paul Reissues

May 29, 2013 by Joe Marchese | No Comments

Today we’re taking a look at two recent reissues from Big Break Records. Both Billy Paul’s Lately and Gap Band VII were originally released by Total Experience Records, and both were the production work of Jonah Ellis. Big Break has expanded and remastered both albums. Billy Paul, Lately (Total Experience, 1985 – reissued Big Break CDBBR 0224, 2013) Could anyone among us have an inkling or a clue, what magic feats of wizardry and voodoo you can do? And who would ever guess what powers you possess? Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff…

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News, Reviews

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Genres:

Funk, R&B/Soul

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Billy Paul, The Gap Band

Big Break Watch: Shalamar, Isley Brothers Lead Recent Reissue Slate

April 29, 2013 by Mike Duquette | 1 Comment

A host of ’80s R&B titles are out in the U.K. this week from Cherry Red’s Big Break offshoot. They include a double-disc expansion of one of Shalamar’s best-loved albums, plus expanded editions of a few LPs by the likes of The Isley Brothers, The Gap Band and Billy Paul. While 1982 was the year of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, U.K. R&B enthusiasts also count another album as influential to the genre that year: Shalamar’s Friends. After a string of hits around the world for the trio comprised of Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel and Howard…

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News

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Shalamar, The Gap Band, The Isley Brothers

Release Round-Up: Week of August 2

August 2, 2011 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

arcade fire scenes from the suburbs ltd edt

Arcade Fire, Scenes from the Suburbs (Merge) Last year’s Grammy winner for Album of the Year is newly expanded with two unreleased tracks and a bonus DVD documentary. (Official site) Various Artists, Mightier Than the Sword: The Ronnie James Dio Story (Sanctuary U.K.) This new double-disc set, in honor of the late, beloved metal singer, is the first to compile just about every band Dio ever sang for – Elf, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven and Hell. (Official site) Archers of Loaf, Icky Mettle: Deluxe Edition (Merge) The North Carolina ’90s college-rock stalwart’s…

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News, Release Round-Up

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Rainbow, The Gap Band

Big Break’s Full Summer Slate Includes Isleys, Pointers, Prince Partners

July 13, 2011 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

The fine folks at Big Break Records have got another large batch of new titles for release in the U.K. on July 25, and we figured now was a good time to share not only the track lists and details with you, but look ahead at some of the huge titles they’re prepping for next month. There are a few really great, underrated titles from some big-name acts in next week’s batch, including expansions of The Isley Brothers’ Between the Sheets (1983) and I Can See Clearly Now (1972) by Johnny Nash. But…

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News

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Genres:

R&B/Soul

Tags:

Johnny Nash, Keith Barrow, Prince, The Gap Band, The Isley Brothers, The Joneses, The Pointer Sisters

Let’s Hear It for the Big Break May Slate

April 11, 2011 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

Not long after the Cherry Red labels update their calendars for April, their ever-busy Big Break Records imprint preps a set of R&B reissues for May. And there are quite a few hits contained therein. No less than six new expansions are on the label’s schedule in the next month, most of them from the Sony catalogue. The biggest hits by far would be Back Stabbers, the sophomore release by The O’Jays and the album that spun off the immortal chart-topping hit “Love Train,” and Deniece Williams’ Let’s Hear It for the…

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News

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Linda Lewis, Linx, The Gap Band, The O'Jays