All photos taken by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or Twitter
Comedian Punkie Johnson Teams Up With Kevin Hart’s HARTBEAT and SiriusXM for Weekly Relationship Advice Series “Love Thang”
Get ready to dive headfirst into the world of love, relationships, and all things steamy on Love Thang with Punkie Johnson, the comedian and current SNL cast member’s electrifying new show from SiriusXM and Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Radio. Join SNL cast member Punky Johnson and her hilarious best friend and co-host, Dicey, as they give their highly unqualified advice on matters of the heart.
Drawing on her own experiences — from her 14-year relationship, 7 years of marriage, and unfriendly divorce — Punkie will take calls from listeners and give her honest opinions on their romance drama and situationship. As the self-proclaimed “Stephen A. Smith of Love Radio,” Punkie’s not afraid to check you and tell you what nobody else will. She doesn’t promise to solve anyone’s problems, but she will lend her most heartfelt (not to be confused with nice) advice. Punkie’s not afraid to get into the details and really dig into your sh*t – after all, she’s all about the drama.
Beginning June 19, Love Thang with Punkie Johnson will premiere exclusively for SiriusXM subscribers on Laugh Out Loud Radio (channel 96) on Monday nights at 7pm ET, and then will be released as a podcast available everywhere on Tuesday mornings.
Laugh Out Loud Radio is available to SiriusXM subscribers nationwide in their cars (channel 96) and on the SXM App: https://siriusxm.us/LOLlovethang
Tate McRae Announces The ‘Are We Flying’ Tour
Today, singer-songwriter Tate McRae announced her ARE WE FLYING TOUR with charlieonnafriday joining as support across all dates. Produced by Live Nation, the 2023 fall tour kicks off the 20-city run on Tuesday, September 5 in Chicago at Riviera Theatre, with stops across North America in Detroit, Toronto, New York, Los Angeles and more before wrapping up on Friday, October 13 in Seattle at Paramount Theatre.
TICKETS: Tickets for the ARE WE FLYING TOUR will be using advance registration to ensure more tickets get into the hands of fans directly by helping to filter out bots and scalpers from the ticket purchase process. Fans can register now through Sunday, June 18 at 10 PM PT HERE for both the general presale as well as presales. Once registration closes, fans will be randomly selected to receive a code that grants them access to the presales starting Wednesday, June 21.
GENERAL ONSALE: A limited number of tickets will be available during a general onsale starting Saturday, June 24 at 10 AM local time at Ticketmaster.com while supplies last.
VIP: The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but may include premium tickets, selfie photo opportunities with Tate McRae, pre-show soundcheck party + Q&A with Tate McRae, early entry and more. For more information, visit vipnation.com.
Calgary native singer/songwriter/dancer Tate McRae has become the artist to watch with over 3.5 billion career streams, over 700 million video views, a #1 Top 40 hit and multiple #1 dance hits. She was listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 List for 2021 as the youngest musician on the list as well as Apple’s Up Next Artist for 2021, Amazon’s Artist to Watch in 2021, Pandora’s Artists To Watch 2021 list and included on Billboard’s 21 Under 21 and People Magazine’s One’s To Watch list. She was also named one of YouTube’s Artist on the Rise, and MTV’s Push Artist for July 2020. Most recently she was nominated for a People’s Choice Awards for The New Artist of 2021 and three 2022 iHeart Radio Music Awards.
Tate’s #1 multiplatinum-selling single, “you broke me first” has over 1.5 billion streams worldwide. Tate has collaborated with Khalid on their track “working,” DJ Regard & Troye Sivan’s on their #1 Dance hit “You,” blackbear’s “u love u” and Jeremy Zucker on her single “that way.” She capped off 2022 by collaborating with DJ Tiesto on the dance anthem “10:35”. She’s released two EP’s ALL THE THINGS I NEVER SAID and TOO YOUNG TO BE SAD EP and spent 2022 touring festivals including Lollapalooza, Firefly Music Festival, Governor’s Ball, Austin City Limits, iHeart Radio’s Jingle Ball tour and more.
ARE WE FLYING TOUR Dates:
Tue Sep 05 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
Wed Sep 06 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis
Fri Sep 08 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
Sun Sep 10 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
Tue Sep 12 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Thu Sep 14 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
Sat Sep 16 – Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues
Mon Sep 18 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
Wed Sep 20 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17
Sat Sep 23 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
Mon Sep 25 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
Wed Sep 27 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
Fri Sep 29 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
Sat Sep 30 – Austin, TX – ACL Live – Moody Theater
Mon Oct 02 – Denver, CO – Summit
Wed Oct 04 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
Sat Oct 07 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
Mon Oct 09 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
Wed Oct 11 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
Fri Oct 13 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
About Tate McRae
Grammy-Winning Producer Uses Cat Purrs To Create The Pur-fect Playlist
We’ve long known about the therapeutic power of music, but did you know a cat’s purr can also have therapeutic effects on humans?
Coming out of the pandemic, mental health and work-life balance were top concerns for Canadians. According to the most recent statistics, Canadians continue to report higher levels of anxiety and depression than before the pandemic.
During tough times, Canadians rely on their cats for solace – whether through comforting companionship or meme-able moments. In fact, cat purrs have been proven to help with everything from stress to lowering blood pressure.
Building on this insight, Fancy Feast Canada and Grammy-winning producer Paul Jefferies a.k.a nineteen85 — who won a Grammy Award with Drake for Hotline Bling and is one-half of the Canadian R&B duo dvsn — came together to create the Power of the Purr playlist.
Inspired by the therapeutic bond between humans and cats, Power of the Purr is a combination of soothing, uplifting tracks with an added bonus: cat purrs. Mixed by Nineteen85, each song on the playlist samples real purrs recorded from Canadian cats.
The ten soothing tracks of Power of the Purr are just the right vibration to not only tap into these findings, but also to create the ideal soundtrack for cat and cat parent bonding, human connection, and, even, moments of relaxation.
Go ahead and spread the word about this purr-fectly random playlist that you didn’t know you needed but will be sure to love.
More power to the purr!!
Depeche Mode To Release ‘Sounds Of The Universe | The 12″ Singles’ August 4, 2023
Sony Music Entertainment will continue the Depeche Mode 12″ vinyl singles project with the release of Sounds Of The Universe | The 12″ Singles on 4 August 2023.
Sounds Of The Universe | The 12″ Singles, a deluxe collector’s edition box set, contains seven 12″ vinyl discs presenting singles–including Wrong, Peace, the double A-side Fragile Tension/Hole To Feed–alongside B-sides, remixes, dub versions and other recordings contemporaneous to Depeche Mode’s 12th studio album, Sounds Of The Universe, originally released by Mute Records in April 2009.
Sounds Of The Universe | The 12″ Singles offers a full range of ear-grabbing mixes–radio, club, dub and more–of Depeche Mode originals with three discs (Discs Two, Four and Seven) newly compiled for this collection, bringing together B-sides and mixes first released across CD and maxi-singles contemporaneous to the album’s release.
When it came time to record the Sounds Of The Universe album, DM’s classic core (Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andrew Fletcher) returned to the studio to make their second album with producer Ben Hillier, whose intuitive contributions to their previous studio album, 2005’s Playing The Angel, had created new sonic possibilities for the band. Sounds Of The Universe expanded Depeche Mode’s vision and repertoire while continuing their tradition of issuing monumental 12″ singles to supplement and compliment their album releases.
From their earliest days as a band, Depeche Mode have championed 12″ vinyl, embracing the format’s singular power and potential for innovation. The 12″ single allowed the band to explore new sonic possibilities while the tactile real-world beauty of physical packaging gave Depeche Mode room to develop their consistently sophisticated and commanding design aesthetic. Depeche Mode have used their singles discography as a means of offering fans the opportunity to enjoy left field remixes, rare B-sides, standout concert performances and other exclusive delights.
Sony Music Entertainment released the first two box sets in the Depeche Mode 12″ singles series–Speak & Spell | The Singles and A Broken Frame | The Singles–in August 2018 with the second batch–Construction Time Again | The 12″ Singles and Some Great Reward | The 12″ Singles–arriving in December 2018. SME released Depeche Mode’s Black Celebration | The 12″ Singles and Music For The Masses | The 12″ Singles on 31 May 2019. 2020 saw the release of Violator | The 12″ Singles in July and Songs Of Faith And Devotion | The 12″ Singles in October. The ninth collection in the series, Ultra | The 12″ Singles was released on 27 September 2021 with the tenth volume, Exciter | The 12″ Singles, arriving on 10 June 2022. The 11th volume in the series, Playing The Angel | The 12″ Singles, was released in November 2022.
Each box set in the series contains the singles from an individual Depeche Mode album pressed on audiophile-quality 12″ vinyl. The artwork for the exterior of each of the box sets draws on iconography inspired by the original releases, while the vinyl sleeves themselves feature the original single artwork.
Sounds Of The Universe | The 12″ Singles is the chronological 12th volume in SME’s Depeche Mode 12″ Singles Series with plans to release Delta Machine and Spirit box sets in similar deluxe audio-grade collector’s editions over the next 12 months.
Pre-order here: depechemodeboxsets.com
Depeche Mode is currently on the second leg (Europe/UK stadium dates which began May 16 in Amsterdam) of their Memento Mori World Tour in support of the group’s 15th studio album (Memento Mori, released March 2023). Depeche Mode will return to North America for the tour’s third leg, which kicks off September 21 with the first of three shows at Mexico City’s Foro Sol stadium and concludes with four shows in Los Angeles (December 10 and 12 at the Kia Forum and December 15 and 17 at the Crypto.com Arena).
Depeche Mode – Sounds Of The Universe | The 12″ Singles
Disc One – Wrong (12BONG 40)
A1 Wrong (Album Version)
A2 Wrong (Thin White Duke Remix)
B1 Wrong (Trentemøller Club Remix)
B2 Wrong (Caspa Remix)
Disc Two – Wrong (L12BONG 40)
A1 Wrong (Magda’s Scallop Funk Mix)
A2 Wrong (D.I.M. vs Boys Noize Remix)
B1 Wrong (Trentemøller Club Remix Dub)
B2 Oh Well (Black Light Odyssey Remix)
Disc Three – Peace (12BONG 41)
A1 Peace (Single Version)
A2 Peace (SixToes Remix)
A3 Come Back (Jonsi Remix)
B1 Peace (Ben Klock Remix)
B2 Peace (The Japanese Popstars Remix)
Disc Four – Peace (L12BONG41)
A1 Peace (Sid LeRock Remix)
A2 Peace (Justus Köhncke Extended Disco Club Vocal Remix)
B1 Peace (The Exploding Plastic Inevitable JK Disco Dub)
B2 Peace (Pan/Tone Remix)
Discs Five & Six – Fragile Tension/Hole To Feed (12BONG42)
A1 Fragile Tension (Stephan Bodzin Remix)
A2 Fragile Tension (Kris Menace’s Love On LaserDisc Remix)
B1 Hole To Feed (Popof Vocal Mix)
B2 Hole To Feed (Paul Woolford’s Easyfun Ethereal Disco Mix)
C1 Perfect (Roger Sanchez Club Mix)
C2 Perfect (Ralphi Rosario Dub)
D1 Peace (Hervé’s ‘Warehouse Frequencies’ Remix)
D2 Peace (Sander Van Doorn Remix)
Disc Seven – Fragile Tension/Hole To Feed (L12BONG42)
A1 Fragile Tension (Radio Mix)
A2 Hole To Feed (Radio Mix)
A3 Come Back (SixToes Remix)
A4 Fragile Tension (Laidback Luke Remix)
B1 Fragile Tension (Peter Bjorn And John Remix)
B2 Hole To Feed (Joebot Remix)
B3 Perfect (Ralphi & Craig Club Mix)
B4 Fragile Tension (Solo Loves Panorama Remix)
Coachella 2024 Is A Go
Coachella 2024 is set to return to the Empire Polo Club in Indio on April 12-14 & April 19-21.
Register now for your first chance at passes for both weekends. The advance sale begins Friday, June 16 at 11am PT. Choose the payment plan at checkout to pay for your order over time. Be sure to set up Coachella AXS Fan account ahead of time to be ready for the advance sale.
Bundle festival passes with local resort accommodations and Any Line Shuttle transportation. Prices vary. Official Hotel Packages are on sale now for both Coachella weekends and sold exclusively through Valley Music Travel.
The ticketing platform is via AXS. Create an AXS Coachella FanAccount now or update your current AXS information here.
The festival is all ages; children age 5 & under are free. Festival Passes are valid for the entire weekend (and only the weekend) you purchased. Both festival weekends will feature the *same line up, art, food and activities. Four (4) pass limit per weekend.
Exceeding the limit of Four (4) passes of any type, in any way (including multiple orders) is subject to order cancellation at anytime, without notice. Two (2) Camping sites limit per order.
One (1) Companion Camping Parking Pass limit per order. Minimum browser requirements required to place an order online.
One (1) Companion Camping Parking Pass limit per order. Minimum browser requirements required to place an order online.
Make sure you have the most updated browser version. Onsite campers must have a Festival Pass. Onsite camping is 18+ unless accompanied by parent. *subject to change
NO RV/Motorhome camping or parking. Wristband registration is required via the Coachella mobile app. Wristbands are non-transferable once applied. Wristbands are void if tampered with or removed. All sales are FINAL. No cancellations, transfers or exchanges.
Do not buy passes from a 3rd party/scalper. We won’t service, authenticate or support passes purchased from a third party or scalper. We do not assist in any 3rd party transactions.
Check back in 2024 for updated 2024 website and festival rules.
Payment Plan Info:
Buy now for $99 down. Put $99 down at checkout in June 2023 then divide the remaining balance over 6 equal payments due the 15th of every month through December 2023. 7 payments total. This option is only available until June 30, 2023. 7 payments total.
Advance Sale Payment Plan Info
Payment Plans are available for all orders over $100 while supplies last. Only $5 fee per installment for payment plan. No added interest. You may pay in full if you do not want to use the payment plan. You must select the payment plan during the checkout process. If you miss this, you’ll be charged in full. There will be no account adjustments. Exact payment amounts may vary by a few cents due to rounding, but the total due will not exceed order total.
Automated payments may take up to 72 hours to process. No refunds, cancellations or exchanges.
For more details, visit www.coachella.com.
Neil Young Announces West Coast Tour In REALLY Small Venues (Well, For Him)
Neil Young has announced a number of west coast shows in smaller than usual venues. The tour kicks off on July 1 in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale starting June 14 at 10am local time at Ticketmaster.com and all usual outlets.
In an effort to help minimize scalping and keep ticket prices at face value for fans, the artist is collaborating with the venues ticketed by Ticketmaster to make sure tickets can only be resold at their original price. Fans that want to sell their tickets at these venues can use Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange. More information is available here.
NEIL YOUNG COASTAL TOUR
Saturday, July 1 – Los Angeles, CA – John Anson Ford
Sunday, July 2 – Los Angeles, CA – John Anson Ford
Tuesday, July 4 – Los Angeles, CA – John Anson Ford
Wednesday, July 5 – Los Angeles, CA – John Anson Ford
Friday, July 7 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
Saturday July 8 – Paso Robles, CA – Vina Robles Amphitheatre
Tuesday, July 11 – San Diego, CA – The Shell
Thursday July 13 – Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theatre
Saturday, July 15 – Berkeley, CA – The Greek
Monday, July 17 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Tuesday July 18 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
Thursday July 20 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
Sunday July 23 – Napa, CA – Oxbow RiverStage
Elvis Presley’s ‘Aloha From Hawaii’ Gets Expanded Treatment In August For 50th Anniversary
RCA Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release the definitive 50th anniversary edition of Elvis Presley’s monumental Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite record-setting global concert telecast/double live album on August 11.
The 50th anniversary edition of Elvis Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite — newly remixed and remastered for the occasion — will be available in a 3CD + Blu-ray combined package as well as in 2LP and digital configurations and may be pre-ordered HERE.
For a first taste of the RCA/Legacy 50th anniversary edition of Aloha from Hawaii, check out Elvis’ live interpretation of James Taylor’s “Steamroller Blues” on DSPs now.
Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis will present “Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii 50th Anniversary Concert” on August 16, 2023 as part of Elvis Week 2023. In addition, earlier that day, Sony will present a free Aloha from Hawaii Q&A and Listening Event at the Guest House Theater at 1:00 pm. Tickets for the concert and free listening event are available at ElvisWeek.com.
The 50th anniversary edition of Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite is produced by Ernst Jørgensen and newly mixed by Grammy® Award-winning recording engineer Matt-Ross Spang. The set includes the original concert, rehearsal show and after-show recordings and rehearsals including “Blue Hawaii,” “Hawaiian Wedding Song,” “No More” and “Early Morning Rain.” The deluxe set includes a 28-page booklet featuring in-depth liner notes penned by lifelong Elvis fan/respected music critic Randy Lewis, rare photos and memorabilia from the event, and the first-ever visual release of Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite on Blu-ray.
The 50th anniversary edition of Elvis Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite presents, for the first time in one authorized package, the entirety of the original January 14, 1973 performance, the previous night’s dress rehearsal with a live audience (recorded in case of technical mishaps during the satellite transmission), several bonus tracks inserted into the US broadcast of the event and a Blu-ray transfer of the concert film.
Archival producer Ernst Mikael Jørgensen and Memphis-based recording engineer Matt Ross-Spang have fully remixed the album from the original 16-track live recordings—first captured on tape by mobile engineer Wally Heider and newly digitized for this release with audiophile 24-bit, 192 KHz transfers.
The Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite program was produced and directed by television veteran Marty Pasetta, who’d done specials for Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Glen Campbell and had experience in Hawaii with Don Ho. Pasetta employed split screen techniques and quick cuts to mirror the energy Elvis & Co. put out on stage. The telecast also regularly offered extreme close-ups bringing viewers into contact with Elvis with an intimacy that even those in the audience didn’t have.
Elvis Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite – 50th Anniversary Edition (3 discs + Blu-ray)
Disc 1: Recorded live at the Honolulu International Center Arena January 14, 1973, 12:30 AM.
1. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra (Theme From 2001: A Space Odyssey)
2. See See Rider
3. Burning Love
4. Something
5. You Gave Me A Mountain
6. Steamroller Blues
7. My Way
8. Love Me
9. Johnny B. Goode
10. It’s Over
11. Blue Suede Shoes
12. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
13. I Can’t Stop Loving You
14. Hound Dog
15. What Now My Love
16. Fever
17. Welcome To My World
18. Suspicious Minds
19. Introductions by Elvis
20. I’ll Remember You
21. Medley: Long Tall Sally / Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
22. An American Trilogy
23. A Big Hunk O’ Love
24. Can’t Help Falling In Love
25. Closing Vamp
3. Burning Love
4. Something
5. You Gave Me A Mountain
6. Steamroller Blues
7. My Way
8. Love Me
9. Johnny B. Goode
10. It’s Over
11. Blue Suede Shoes
12. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
13. I Can’t Stop Loving You
14. Hound Dog
15. What Now My Love
16. Fever
17. Welcome To My World
18. Suspicious Minds
19. Introductions by Elvis
20. I’ll Remember You
21. Medley: Long Tall Sally / Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
22. An American Trilogy
23. A Big Hunk O’ Love
24. Can’t Help Falling In Love
25. Closing Vamp
Disc 2: Recorded live at the Honolulu International Center Arena, January 12, 1973, 9:00 PM.
1. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra (Theme From 2001: A Space Odyssey)
2. See See Rider
3. Burning Love
4. Something
5. You Gave Me A Mountain
6. Steamroller Blues
7. My Way
8. Love Me
9. It’s Over
10. Blue Suede Shoes
11. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
12. Hound Dog
13. What Now My Love
14. Fever
15. Welcome To My World
16. Suspicious Minds
17. Introductions by Elvis
18. I’ll Remember You
19. An American Trilogy
20. A Big Hunk O’ Love
21. Can’t Help Falling In Love
2. See See Rider
3. Burning Love
4. Something
5. You Gave Me A Mountain
6. Steamroller Blues
7. My Way
8. Love Me
9. It’s Over
10. Blue Suede Shoes
11. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
12. Hound Dog
13. What Now My Love
14. Fever
15. Welcome To My World
16. Suspicious Minds
17. Introductions by Elvis
18. I’ll Remember You
19. An American Trilogy
20. A Big Hunk O’ Love
21. Can’t Help Falling In Love
22. Closing Vamp
Disc 3: Recorded without an audience at the Honolulu International Center Arena, January 14, 1973, 3:00 AM, as special bonus songs for the U.S. version of ALOHA FROM HAWAII.
1. Blue Hawaii -rehearsal, takes 1-2
2. Ku-U-I-Po – rehearsal
3. Ku-U-I-Po – take 1
4. Ku-U-I-Po – take 2 (incomplete)
5. Ku-U-I-Po – take 3 (incomplete)
6. Ku-U-I-Po – take 4
7. No More – take 1
8. No More – take 2
9. No More – take 3
10. No More – take 4
11. Hawaiian Wedding Song – take 1
12. Hawaiian Wedding Song – rehearsal
13. Hawaiian Wedding Song – take 2
14. Hawaiian Wedding Song – take 3
15. Early Morning Rain – take 1
16. Early Morning Rain – take 2
2. Ku-U-I-Po – rehearsal
3. Ku-U-I-Po – take 1
4. Ku-U-I-Po – take 2 (incomplete)
5. Ku-U-I-Po – take 3 (incomplete)
6. Ku-U-I-Po – take 4
7. No More – take 1
8. No More – take 2
9. No More – take 3
10. No More – take 4
11. Hawaiian Wedding Song – take 1
12. Hawaiian Wedding Song – rehearsal
13. Hawaiian Wedding Song – take 2
14. Hawaiian Wedding Song – take 3
15. Early Morning Rain – take 1
16. Early Morning Rain – take 2
MUSICIANS:
Guitar: James Burton
Guitar: John Wilkinson
Guitar & Vocals: Charlie Hodge
Bass: Jerry Scheff
Drums: Ronnie Tutt
Piano: Glen D. Hardin
Vocals: J.D. Sumner & The Stamps
Vocals: The Sweet Inspirations
Vocals: Kathy Westmoreland
The Joe Guercio Orchestra
Guitar: John Wilkinson
Guitar & Vocals: Charlie Hodge
Bass: Jerry Scheff
Drums: Ronnie Tutt
Piano: Glen D. Hardin
Vocals: J.D. Sumner & The Stamps
Vocals: The Sweet Inspirations
Vocals: Kathy Westmoreland
The Joe Guercio Orchestra
Steely Dan’s ‘Pretzel Logic’ Returns To Vinyl In July, 2023
Steely Dan’s third album, Pretzel Logic, will return to vinyl for the first time in over 35 years on July 28 via Geffen/UMe.
Originally released in 1974, the best-selling album marked the band’s first to break Billboard’s Top 10, on the strength of their most successful hit, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” plus such favorites as “Any Major Dude Will Tell You,” “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo,” and “Barrytown.”
Pretzel Logic marks the latest release in Geffen/UMe’s extensive reissue program of Steely Dan’s ABC and MCA Records catalog, which returns the band’s first seven records to vinyl – most of which haven’t been available since their original release.
Overseen by founding member Donald Fagen, the series launched in November 2022 with the group’s legendary debut, Can’t Buy A Thrill, followed most recently by 1973’s Countdown To Ecstasy in May 2023.
The album was remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog tapes and pressed on 180-gram black vinyl at 33 1/3 RPM. Additionally, Pretzel Logic will be released as a limited edition premium 45 RPM version on Ultra High-Quality Vinyl (UHQR) from Analogue Productions, the audiophile in-house reissue label of Acoustic Sounds. Analogue Productions is also releasing this series of titles on Super Audio CD (SACD).
Additional titles will roll out over the next year, including 1975’s Katy Lied (featuring “Black Friday,” “Bad Sneakers” and “Doctor Wu,” as well as the addition of Michael McDonald on vocals); 1976’s The Royal Scam (“Kid Charlemagne,” “The Fez”); 1977’s platinum-selling Aja (with the hits “Deacon Blues,” Peg” and “Josie”); as well as Steely Dan’s final album for MCA, and last for 20 years, 1980’s Gaucho (featuring “Hey Nineteen” and “Time Out Of Mind,” with Mark Knopfler on guitar).
All albums are being mastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog tapes except for Aja, which will be mastered from an analog, non-EQ’d, tape copy, and Gaucho, which will be sourced from a 1980 analog tape copy originally EQ’d by Bob Ludwig. (There’s no evidence the original tapes containing the flat mixes of Aja and Gaucho were delivered to the record label and it’s presumed the tapes no longer exist.) Lacquers for UMe’s standard 33 1/3 RPM 180-gram version will be cut by Alex Abrash at his renowned AA Mastering studio from high-resolution digital files of Grundman’s new masters and pressed at Precision. They will be housed in reproductions of the original artwork.
The 45 RPM UHQR versions will be pressed at Analogue Productions’ Quality Record Pressings on 200-gram Clarity Vinyl, packaged in a deluxe box, and will include a booklet detailing the entire process of making a UHQR along with a certificate of inspection. Each UHQR is pressed, using hand-selected vinyl, with attention paid to every single detail of every single record. All of the innovations introduced by QRP that have been generating such incredible critical acclaim are applied to each UHQR. The 200-gram records feature the same flat profile that helped to make the original UHQR so desirable.
Commercially, Pretzel Logic marked Steely Dan’s first Top 10 album on the Billboard 200. Single “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” meanwhile, became the biggest hit of their career, landing at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Steely Dan vinyl reissue program follows 2021’s release of Steely Dan’s Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live! and a live version of Donald Fagen’s acclaimed solo album, The Nightfly Live, which were both released via UMe on 180-gram vinyl, CD, and digital.
The first live Steely Dan album in more than 25 years, Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live! was recorded across tour dates at New York City’s Beacon Theatre, The Met Philadelphia, and more, and showcases selections from Steely Dan’s catalog. Fagen’s The Nightfly Live was performed live by The Steely Dan Band.
Pretzel Logic Track List (33 RPM Vinyl)
Side A
1. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
2. Night by Night
3. Any Major Dude Will Tell You
4. Barrytown
5. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
Side B
1. Parker’s Band
2. Through with Buzz
3. Pretzel Logic
4. With a Gun
5. Charlie Freak
6. Monkey in Your Soul
Photo Gallery: Summer Salt with The Rare Occasions and Addison Grace at Toronto’s Axis Club
All photos by Sophie Bouquillon. You can contact her through Instagram or Twitter
