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Cole Harbour, NS’s Folk-Country Rocker JEFF GAY Turns His Gaze to Relationships in New Album, Stargazer

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Canadian Americana folk-country rocker Jeff Gay is looking way up in his new album, Stargazer, including single “XOXO” — featuring multi-award winning singer/songwriter Christina Martin — each available now.

Many of tracks on Stargazer wade into the darker depths of romantic relationships, and “XOXO” is no exception. “Honestly? I was thinking about women I’ve known through the years who’ve told me stories about their partners threatening suicide as a way to try and hang onto them,” Gay shares, immediately delving deep into the inspiration behind the song. “As much as I despise this idea, and that kind of man, I really wanted to try and get into the head of a person who would do this.

“I imagined a sort of self-absorbed individual while songwriting, or someone with a real depression or mental illness, but it’s truly open to interpretation of what type of individual’s perspective is shared; like, maybe it could be you? Or maybe he’s just looking for that impossible person to put the stars in his crown?

“I think one line says it all: ‘I love, and I grieve, and I always feel bad,’ as if his trouble should be his lover’s problem.”

Jeff Gay got his first foray into singing as a young soprano, even singing with Symphony Nova Scotia on one occasion. The Cole Harbour-based singer/songwriter soon moved to rock, taking part in BARK alongside Matt Mays in 1994, and some many years later, country-rock outfit, The Legendary Golden River Show Band. Through his years, he’s released critically acclaimed albums, including 2008’s Jeff Gay and Special Blends’ Kindly Requests, and Cuban Rum via Hungry Records in 2017.

2020’s Stargazer sees the Nova Scotian folk-country rocker taking to all instruments as well as lead vocals himself, while ushering in backing harmonies from the likes of Christina Martin, Laura Merrimen, Norma MacDonald, Ronok Sarkar, and more. His band features Curtis MacPhee, Maxwell Cranford, Brett Waye, and Drew Debay, and the album was produced by Jeff MacDonald.

“At this point, I feel like every album is just a response to the last one,” Gay considers, name checking Cuban Rum. “I was super pleased with my previous effort, and I even remember saying in an article that, with it, I felt like I’d found my ‘album template’ — short, 40 to 45 minutes in length, with nine or ten songs.

“Meanwhile, though, songs are accumulating,” he laughs. “And also, because every album is a response to the last one, I wanted to go less understated. Ya, know… Make a big statement!”

For Gay, that was part of the mission to create a body of work inspired by Prince’s Sign O the Times and Marvin Gaye’s post-divorce tome, Here, My Dear. “That is the album Gaye had to record as a condition of his divorce with Barry Gordy’s daughter, Anna,” Gay considers. “Here, My Dear runs the gamut of emotions, but the concept is all the feelings that come up in a divorce situation. He even sings at one point, ‘why do I have to pay attorney fees?,’ like he’s working through something in the recording studio.

“It’s raw and got to the heart of the subject matter in a very convincing way to me.

“When I was in my early 20s, I tried to write a concept album about a relationship,” he continues. “The idea was abandoned, but I guess I always had it in the back of my head. With the creation of Stargazer, I told a friend I wanted it to replace Paris, France as the romantic capital of the universe. (I told you I was thinking about making a big statement!)

“This is a very personal album to me; it’s like Here, My Dear without the divorce.”

Toronto R&B Soul Artist TY RICHARD Releases New Single, “Heart Worth Taking”

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Toronto soul-R&B artist Ty Richard questions his compass in his new single, “Heart Worth Taking (feat. Kaya)” — available now.

The song is preview into the Toronto-area artist’s forthcoming 2021 LP, In Time & Grace, and follows previous tour and studio collaborations with Brooklyn dream-pop outfit Cigarettes After Sex and Australian soul duo Breathe.

“This song compares the fading loves of the world with the eternal love of God,” Richard shares. “It discusses the struggle that one faces when choosing between the two.

“I feel like King Solomon in his quest for satisfaction,” he continues. “He had unparalleled wealth, power, women, property, horses, food, and pleasure, and yet after attaining all of it, concluded it all to be worthless when living apart from God. I too was searching for satisfaction in the world through lifestyle, music, and status; each time I attained love through these things, I’d watch that same love and contentment fade quicker than it came.”

He says he had bought the ‘lie of the world’ that one could find fulfillment in excessive materialism, a rising social stature, and the relentless pursuit of personal pleasure. “I was wrong,” he considers. “Human beings were made for something far greater than anything this world has to offer, so I’ve come to the same conclusion as the King: There’s not a single thing on this Earth that can satisfy my soul like knowing the endless love freely given by Jesus Christ.”

Should Musicians Performing to the Elderly Undergo Screening Checks?

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Music is a universal language that appeals to both the young and old. Without words, the sound of music impacts us emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, and physically. Some even have the power to bring about nostalgic feelings.

In the past few decades, the benefits of music for the elderly has been widely researched. Over half of the people in long-term care facilities suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementia. However, music has been found to:

  • Increase social interactions
  • Enhance coordination
  • Improve overall health
  • Boost memory, among many others.

As a result, musicians are often invited to perform in long-term care facilities as a way to help keep the minds of the elderly fit. However, old people are vulnerable and so, it is crucial that the people they interact with are well-behaved and wouldn’t take advantage of them. Therefore, musicians should undergo screening checks before performing to the elderly.

Ensuring Safety

In aged care facilities, it is important to ensure safety at all times because of the vulnerability of the elderly. Therefore, musicians working should carry out police checks before being allowed to perform. This criminal history check helps to get information about the criminal past of the artist. For those that have been charged with multiple acts of violence, it may be unwise to allow them to perform to the elderly given their violent tendencies.

Moreover, for those that are sex offenders, they shouldn’t be allowed near the elderly. It’s even the law that people with violent charges and sex offenders should NOT be allowed to interact with vulnerable groups like the elderly and children.

The elderly should not have access to drugs. Dishonorable musicians can bring drugs into the facility, which is unsafe for the elderly. Therefore, musicians with a drug-related offense may be unsuitable, especially if the charges are recent.

Not only the elderly are at risk by bringing in past offenders. Facility workers are also at risk. To ensure the safety of everyone, a national police check can help provide insight to determine if an artist is suitable to perform to the elderly.

These days criminal history checks in Australia can be completed online. Persons based in Sydney NSW, can do one themselves using the australian national character check australia. The process including uploading identification documents is all online.

Preventing Fraud

As stated early, with age comes mental deterioration. As a result, the aged are more susceptible to fraud. Musicians that are in a financially stressed situation may decide to take advantage of them through financial abuse or manipulation. Since the elderly are quick to trust and unable to defend themselves, people that may take advantage of their old age must be nowhere near them.

A credit history check can help give information about the spending habits and the current financial situation of a prospective artist. Based on that, a prudent decision can be made as to whether they’re suitable to perform or not.

 

 

Conclusion

Although music is important to the elderly, the musicians they interact with must not take advantage of their vulnerabilities. And so, background checks are a useful tool to determine if an artist should be allowed to perform to the aged.

Online Bingo – The Most Lucrative Strategies Summarized For You

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Thanks to its strong resemblance to the game of bingo, the online bingo entered immediately into the good graces of the players, who practice it consistently at any time of the year and not only during the Christmas holiday period. On the other hand, there are specialized platforms in this area that offer many alternatives to enjoy enthusiasts who interact both from PC and mobile devices when they are on the move.

Compared to the game modes practicable inside the land-based bingo halls, when playing on the best casino sites, users have the opportunity to practice, taking advantage of the demo version, which is completely free and does not require the opening of any personal gaming account.

Suppose you want to access the “Real Money” game mode. In that case, however, you must register on the selected portal and create a game account to which an account corresponds. In compliance with the regulations, the game with real money bingo is only accessible to those who have reached the majority’s age.

Bingo: the development of the game

The rules that are the basis of European bingo sites are the same as those used in terrestrial rooms. The development of this game is very simple, and for this reason, it is appreciated by many users. While playing bingo online, you must be mindful that no special techniques or methods will improve winning odds.

The latter can only be increased by purchasing a large number of cards before taking part in the draws of the numbers in the room. The game aims to complete your card containing the dealer numbers before the other players’ combinations come out.

The online bingo at the moment is characterized by the presence of different versions that vary depending on the number of balls used to extract numbers: the player can choose between the variant with 30, 75 or 90 balls.

To play, the player can freely choose the number of cards he wishes to purchase. Depending on the prize pool offered or the number of participants in the room, each folder’s cost is variable. The starting point is € 0.01. The maximum amount of folders to buy differs by the operator.

Users who take part in the online bingo games do not need to pay attention to the numbers drawn during the game and go and mark the corresponding box inside the folder: this operation is performed automatically by the system available in the portal of online casino.

And when the player makes a winning combination, he is immediately notified with an automatic Alert system that will flash and emit unmistakable sound effects. This service is usually offered within the best bingo platforms.

Some nice tips for playing online bingo

Many amateur players wonder how to win at online bingo games. There are many texts on the net in which we talk about the possible techniques with which a player can significantly increase the probability that the numbers contained within his cards will be extracted.

Several mathematical studies have also been conducted in probability calculation, and many scholars have concluded that, given the very high number of combinations that can come out, it is really difficult to find a system that can significantly increase the chances of winning of the player.

Rather than talking about winning methods, it is correct to say that gimmicks can help improve performance, at least in the medium to long term, when playing bingo.

First of all, it is important to choose the context in which to decide to play using your own money. Our advice is to rely on the platforms holding a license issued by the authority, synonymous with safety and maximum reliability.

These online bingo rooms are required to redistribute a very good part of the resources spent on the cards’ purchase. The payouts for bettors who play bingo are very high and are constantly checked by the EU Monopoly, even after the concession.

But before playing for real money, it is advisable to enter the game mechanics by taking advantage of the demo version. Thus, the player (especially if he is a beginner) has the opportunity to learn more about the game, make the rules that are the basis of its development his own and then decide whether to try his luck or not play bingo online for real money.

Usually, these platforms’ initiatives provide for the crediting of a 100% bonus, up to a maximum of € 100 – € 500. The promotions are also available to users who bet from their mobile devices. Each platform also has a section reserved for online bingo in a mobile version or an App for Android and iOS devices.

 

The prizes to be won on the licensed bingo platforms

When playing bingo online, the victory falls on the player who bingo, completing all the numbers available in his card faster than the others. But in the European legal platforms, other very interesting prize categories are also up for grabs that make this game even more attractive in bettors’ eyes.

For example, the player, who completes his card within the first 40 numbers drawn from the urn, receives a prize with the highest value by doing Super Bingo. The platform offers another prize for those who play “Bingo Gold” within 43 numbers drawn. If, on the other hand, he completes the card within 46 numbers drawn, he plays “Silver Bingo”.

Finally, a corresponding amount is awarded to those who play “Bronze Bingo” after completing their card within the 55th number drawn. Each room gives away prizes obtained of different values, depending on the policy adopted and which varies from operator to operator. For this reason, it is advisable to carefully read the rules observed by each room before taking part in the game.

Guide to Win Bingo

We may surprise you, but even a game like bingo can give you more financial satisfaction if you interpret it in the right way. There are some strategies that can give you something more than the Blindfolded Goddess.

Bingo is a great classic of virtual entertainment, and it is very easy to play. Modeled in the image and likeness of classic bingo, the one with the auctioneer, real balls, cards, pencils, highlighters and so on, online bingo is an ageless pastime.

Much loved by those who have already completed several springs, bingo is rediscovering itself, particularly in vogue even by the youngest, who appreciate its speed of play and lightheartedness.

Here are the tricks for winning at bingo

Don’t worry: it doesn’t take a degree in math to practice the tricks of winning online bingo. More than strategies, these are small great precautions and advice that, if put into practice, can increase your chances of winning by giving you more substantial prizes.

# 1 – Learn to choose the right room

Not all online bingo rooms are created equal. Some are more crowded, which is why they guarantee higher prizes, but on the other hand, the chances of winning are reduced. Others have games with cards that cost very little: you have more fun, but even here, the payout is less.

Choose the right room for your needs well, because the important thing is that the virtual bingo experience makes you have fun and feel good.

# 2 – Aim for progressive jackpots

Whether it’s crowded halls or not, expensive cards or not, there’s nothing better than hitting a progressive jackpot in a bingo game. Look for these kinds of games because they are by far the best.

Regardless of the card’s cost, online bingo with progressive jackpot offers an extra prize pool that can be unlocked when certain conditions are met, such as playing bingo within a certain number of balls.

# 3 – Don’t go over your initial budget

The game is a game, and it must remain so: if it begins to become a concern, it is no longer a game. Think of a sort of “wallet” to dedicate to online bingo, a sum with which you feel comfortable and that you can use without worries.

Think as if you were dedicating money to your hobbies: on the other hand, going out for a pizza and drinking a beer costs money, as does spending an evening playing online bingo.

# 4 – Don’t play too many cards at once

Although bingo sites are equipped with an automatic system that marks the numbers (which you can turn on or off at your convenience, as a rule), try not to play with too many cards at once.

The reason is simple: it’s not fun. It becomes impossible to follow the calls of the numbers when playing with too many cards. Furthermore, playing with many cards increases the chances of winning, but also the expense.

Elton John Announces A Personally Curated In-Depth Exploration Of His Extensive Catalogue

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Elton John today announces the forthcoming release of Elton: Jewel Box. Set for release on November 13th, Elton: Jewel Box is an unrivalled collection containing 148 songs spanning 1965 to 2019 on 8CD, 4LP, 3LP, 2LP, digital download and streaming formats.

The ultimate exploration into Elton’s extensive back catalogue, Elton: Jewel Box covers deep cuts, rarities from the earliest stages of his and Bernie Taupin’s musical journey, B-side spanning 30 years, and songs discussed in his best-selling, critically acclaimed 2019 memoir Me. The 8 CD boxset of buried treasures comes in a beautiful hardcover book with the discs housed in the back, all wrapped in an outer slipcase. Each section comes accompanied by extensive notes, including a track-by-track commentary by Elton for Deep Cuts. Three different LP collections are also available to pre-order now – a 4LP gatefold black vinyl set of Deep Cuts (curated by Elton himself), a 3LP gatefold black vinyl set of Rarities and B-side highlights, and a 2LP gatefold black vinyl set And This Is Me…. All audio was mastered at Abbey Road Studios by GRAMMY-winning mastering engineer Sean Magee. With an unprecedented number of previously unheard and unreleased tracks painstakingly excavated from deep within the UMG archives, this is the ultimate treasure trove for Elton John fans.

As a first taster of some of the many gems gathered within Elton: Jewel Box, “Sing Me No Sad Songs” is today unveiled for the very first time. Previously unreleased, the track was written and recorded as a band demo in 1969. “Sing Me No Sad Songs” is a fascinating first taste of what was to come from Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and one that mentions not one, but two, future smashes in its lyrics – “Sad Songs (Say So Much)” from 1984’s Breaking Hearts album and Elton’s first UK chart-topping single “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” from 1976.

Speaking of the release, Elton says, “To delve back through every period of my career in such detail for Jewel Box” has been an absolute pleasure. Hearing these long lost tracks again, I find it hard to comprehend just how prolific Bernie and I were during the early days. The songs just poured out of us, and the band were just unbelievable in the studio. I always want to push forward with everything I do and look to the future, but having time during lockdown to take stock and pull these moments from my memory from each era has been a joy. As a devout record collector myself, this project has really excited me, and I couldn’t be happier with the level of craft involved in such a carefully curated, lovingly constructed boxset. I’m sure my fans will enjoy it as much as I have.”

Elton: Jewel Box compromises of the below formats:

Disc Guide

Discs 1 & 2: Deep Cuts – A selection of personal favorites, curated by Elton. The box set book includes a track-by-track commentary by Elton.

Discs 3, 4, and 5: Rarities 1965 -1971 – Elton’s much sought-after 1960s and early 1970s demos and music that cemented the foundations of the iconic Elton John / Bernie Taupin writing partnership. The compelling, previously unreleased, missing piece in his illustrious career. Daryl Easlea narrates this fascinating story with contributions from those who were there at the time. These discs encompass 65 songs, all but a few of which have been stored in the vaults for more than 50 years. Most of these demos were recorded during sessions before Elton was signed to a recording contract or released his first album. Also included are the first song ever written by Elton and his debut appearance on a record (both “Come Back Baby” – 1965), Elton and Bernie’s first composition (“Scarecrow” – 1967), and newly-unearthed piano/vocal demos of some of Elton’s most acclaimed songs from his early albums. The packaging appropriately contains rare archival artwork and select original lyric sheets.

Discs 6 & 7: B-Sides 1976-2005 – Non-LP tracks and flipsides, never before compiled together. 36 gems that are now given another chance to sparkle – 17 previously only available on vinyl, resulting in all of Elton’s studio B-sides now being offered digitally for the first time in his career.

Disc 8: And This Is Me . . . – To coincide with the release of the updated paperback edition of Me, the final collection celebrates the songs mentioned by name by Elton in his acclaimed autobiography, closing Jewel Box with the 2020 Academy Award-winning duet with Taron Egerton, “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again.”

Elton: Jewel Box is yet another marker in an incredible few years for the world’s favourite singer-songwriter. Since the release of the ultimate greatest hits album Diamonds in 2017, Elton has undertaken a breathtaking 3 years of activity that are unmatched in their ambition, reach and impact across generations of music fans. Elton announced his record-breaking Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour at New York’s Gotham Hall in January 2018, with a typically forward-looking virtual reality spectacular. Encompassing 5 continents and over 300 dates, this 3-year-long tour started in September 2018 and marks his retirement from touring after more than 50 years on the road. August 2018 saw Elton named as the most successful male solo artist in Billboard Hot 100 chart history. In 2019, the Farewell Tour was named Billboard’s Top Rock Tour and Pollstar’s Major Tour Of The Year. 2019 also saw the release of Elton’s critically acclaimed global bestselling autobiography, Me. The 2019 epic fantasy musical motion picture of Elton’s life, Rocketman, has been a commercial and critical hit, taking over $200m at the box office. It has won an Oscar, 2 Golden Globe Awards, and a Critics’ Choice Award, and garnered BAFTA nominations. Its soundtrack was also nominated for a GRAMMY Award. 2019 also saw Elton awarded the Légion d’ honneur, France’s highest award, for his lifetime contribution to the arts and the fight against HIV/AIDS. He was also honoured with both a Royal Mail stamp collection and Royal Mint coin collection. Diamonds, the ultimate greatest hits package of Elton and Bernie, has spent a staggering 148 consecutive weeks in the UK album charts, including 29 weeks in the Top 20 in 2020 alone, selling over a million copies worldwide in the process and recently reaching double-platinum status in the UK.

An unparalleled career that has forever changed the cultural landscape, Elton John’s collaborations with Bernie Taupin and others continue to shape the cultural landscape, break records, top charts, and win new fans across the generations. We’ve had the book, the film, the farewell tour, the fashion collections, and the greatest hits. And now, with Elton: Jewel Box, fans finally have the treasure trove of previously unheard and unreleased tracks they have been waiting for from the world’s favourite singer-songwriter.

Available Formats:
8CD Boxset (hardcover book in slipcase)
4LP Bespoke Gatefold Black Vinyl Set Jewel Box – Deep Cuts
3LP Gatefold Black Vinyl Set Jewel Box – Rarities and B-Sides
2LP Gatefold Black Vinyl Set Jewel Box – “And This Is Me…”
Digital Download
Streaming

8CD BOX SET TRACKLIST:

CD1: DEEP CUTS
Monkey Suit – Elton John and Leon Russell
Where To Now St Peter?
Mellow
The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-34)
Chameleon
Gone To Shiloh – Elton John and Leon Russell
We All Fall In Love Sometimes
Too Low For Zero
The Power with Little Richard
All That I’m Allowed
The Bridge
The New Fever Waltz
Stone’s Throw From Hurtin’
The North
Hoop Of Fire
Boogie Pilgrim

CD2: DEEP CUTS
Ticking
Crystal
All Quiet On The Western Front
Tell Me When The Whistle Blows
Freaks In Love
Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody) – Elton John and Leon Russell
The Emperor’s New Clothes
House
(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket
Understanding Women
Shoot Down The Moon
Have Mercy On The Criminal
Blues For Baby And Me
My Quicksand
Street Kids

CD3: RARITIES – PART ONE 1965 – 1968
Come Back Baby Bluesology
Mr. Frantic Bluesology
Scarecrow (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
A Dandelion Dies In The Wind (Piano Demo)
Velvet Fountain (Piano Demo)
A Little Love Goes A Long Way (Piano Demo)
If You Could See Me Now (Piano Demo)
Mr. Lightning Strikerman (Piano Demo)
Countryside Love Affair (Piano Demo)
I Could Never Fall In Love With Anybody Else (Piano Demo)
I Get A Little Bit Lonely (Piano Demo)
The Witch’s House (Piano Demo)
Get Out Of This Town (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
Year Of The Teddy Bear (Piano Demo)
Where It’s At (Piano/Percussion Demo)
Who’s Gonna Love You (Piano/Percussion Demo)
Nina (Band Version)
Angel Tree (Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo)
Here’s To The Next Time (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
Thank You For All Your Loving (Band Version)
Watching The Planes Go By (Band Version)
When The First Tear Shows (Arranged Band Version)
Tartan Coloured Lady (Arranged Band Version)

CD4: RARITIES – PART TWO 1968
Hourglass (Band Version)
71-75 New Oxford Street (Band Demo)
Turn To Me (Arranged Band Version)
Reminds Me Of You (Piano Demo)
I Can’t Go On Living Without You (Arranged Band Version)
And The Clock Goes Round (Piano Demo)
When I Was Tealby Abbey (Piano Demo)
I’ll Stop Living When You Stop Loving Me (Piano Demo)
Trying To Hold On To A Love That’s Dying (Piano Demo)
Sitting Doing Nothing (Band Version)
Regimental Sgt. Zippo (Band Version)
Cry Willow Cry (Band Demo)
There Is Still A Little Love (Band Demo)
If I Asked You (Band Demo)
Skyline Pigeon (Piano Demo)
Two Of A Kind (Arranged Band Version)
The Girl On Angel Pavement (Arranged Band Version)
Smokestack Children (Arranged Band Version)
Baby I Miss You (Band Demo)
All Across The Havens (Piano/Guitar Demo)
Bonnie’s Gone Away (Piano/Guitar Demo)
Just An Ordinary Man (Piano Demo)
There’s Still Time For Me (Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo)

CD5: RARITIES – PART THREE 1968 – 1971
The Tide Will Turn For Rebecca (Piano Demo)
Dick Barton Theme (Devil’s Gallop) – Bread And Beer Band
Breakdown Blues – Bread And Beer Band
Taking The Sun From My Eyes (Arranged Band Version)
It’s Me That You Need (Band Demo)
Sing Me No Sad Songs (Band Demo)
The Flowers Will Never Die (Piano Demo)
In The Morning (Band Demo)
Open Your Eyes To The Sun (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
One Time, Sometime or Never (Band Demo)
Slow Fade To Blue (Piano/Guitar Demo)
Rolling Western Union (Piano Demo)
My Father’s Gun (Piano Demo)
Amoreena (Piano Demo)
Burn Down The Mission (Piano Demo)
Razor Face (Piano Demo)
Madman Across The Water (Piano Demo)
Holiday Inn (Piano Demo)
All The Nasties (Piano Demo)

CD6: B SIDES – PART ONE 1976-1984
Snow Queen – Elton John and Kiki Dee
Conquer The Sun
Cartier
White Man Danger
Tactics
Steal Away Child
Love So Cold
Les Aveux – Elton John and France Gall
Donner Pour Donner – Elton John and France Gall
J’veux D’la Tendresse
Fools In Fashion
Can’t Get Over Getting Over Losing You
Tortured
Hey Papa Legba
Take Me Down To The Ocean
Where Have All The Good Times Gone? (Alternate Mix)
The Retreat
Choc Ice Goes Mental
A Simple Man

CD7: B-SIDES – PART TWO 1984-2005
Lonely Boy
Highlander
Billy And The Kids
Lord Of The Flies
Rope Around A Fool
Medicine Man
I Know Why I’m In Love
Big Man In A Little Suit
God Never Came Here
The North Star
Did Anybody Sleep With Joan Of Arc
So Sad The Renegade
A Little Peace
Keep It A Mystery
How’s Tomorrow
Peter’s Song
Things Only Get Better With Love

CD8: AND THIS IS ME . . .
Empty Sky
Lady Samantha
Border Song
My Father’s Gun
All The Nasties
I Think I’m Going To Kill Myself
Philadelphia Freedom
Song For Guy
Sartorial Eloquence
Elton’s Song
Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year)
I Fall Apart
Amazes Me
The Last Song
American Triangle
(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again – Elton John and Taron Egerton

4LP BESPOKE GATEFOLD BLACK VINYL SET – DEEP CUTS TRACKLIST:

LP 1
Side A:
Monkey Suit – Elton John and Leon Russell
Where To Now St. Peter?
Mellow
The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-34)

Side B:
Chameleon
Gone to Shiloh – Elton John and Leon Russell
We All Fall In Love Sometimes
Too Low For Zero

LP2
Side A:
The Power – with Little Richard
All That I’m Allowed
The Bridge
The New Fever Waltz

Side B:
Stone’s Throw From Hurtin’
The North
Hoop Of Fire
Boogie Pilgrim

LP 3
Side A:
Ticking
Crystal
All Quiet On The Western Front
Side B:
Tell Me When The Whistle Blows
Freaks In Love
Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody) – Elton John and Leon Russell
The Emperor’s New Clothes

LP 4
Side A:
House
(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket
Understanding Women
Shoot Down The Moon
Side B:
Have Mercy On The Criminal
Blues For Baby And Me
My Quicksand
Street Kids

3LP GATEFOLD BLACK VINYL SET – RARITIES AND B-SIDES TRACKLIST:

LP 1
Side A:
Come Back Baby (Bluesology)
Scarecrow (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
A Dandelion Dies In The Wind (Piano Demo)
Velvet Fountain (Piano Demo)
Get Out Of This Town (Piano/Tambourine Demo)
Countryside Love Affair (Piano Demo)
The Witch’s House (Piano Demo)
Year Of The Teddy Bear (Piano Demo)

Side B:
A Little Love Goes A Long, Long Way (Piano Demo)
Mr. Lightning Strikerman Piano Demo)
I Couldn’t Fall In Love With Anybody Else (Piano Demo)
I Get A Little Bit Lonely (Piano Demo)
Nina (Band Version)
Angel Tree (Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo)
Here’s To The Next Time (Piano/Tambourine Demo)

LP2
Side A:
Watching The Planes Go By (Band Demo)
When The First Tear Shows (Arranged Band Version)
Tartan Coloured Lady (Arranged Band Version)
When I Was Tealby Abbey (Piano Demo)
Turn To Me (Arranged Band Version)
And The Clock Goes Round (Piano Demo)
I Can’t Go On Living Without You (Arranged Band Version)

Side B:
Regimental Sgt. Zippo (Band Version)
Cry Willow Cry (Band Demo)
Skyline Pigeon (Piano Demo)
Two Of A Kind (Arranged Band Version)
The Girl On Angel Pavement (Arranged Band Version)
Smokestack Children (Arranged Band Version)
There’s Still Time For Me (Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo)

LP 3
Side A:
The Tide Will Turn For Rebecca (Piano Demo)
Taking The Sun From My Eyes (Arranged Band Version)
Sing Me No Sad Songs (Band Demo)
Rolling Western Union (Piano Demo)
Amoreena (Piano Demo)
Madman Across The Water (Piano Demo)

Side B:
Snow Queen – Elton John and Kiki Dee
The Retreat
Billy And The Kids
Medicine Man
Peter’s Song

2LP GATEFOLD BLACK VINYL SET – “AND THIS IS ME…” TRACKLIST:

LP1
Side A:
Empty Sky
Lady Samantha
Border Song
My Father’s Gun

Side B:
All The Nasties
I Think I’m Going To Kill Myself
Philadelphia Freedom
Song For Guy

LP2
Side A:
Sartorial Eloquence
Elton’s Song
Cold As Christmas
I Fall Apart

Side B:
Amazes Me
The Last Song
American Triangle
(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again – Elton John and Taron Egerton

Pentatonix Release Cover Of Tears For Fears’ ‘Mad World’

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Three-time Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum-selling artist Pentatonix release their arrangement of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World.” Coinciding with the release, Pentatonix also dropped a hauntingly stark music video for the track this morning.

Last month, Pentatonix released “Happy Now,” their first original single since 2015’s self-titled originals album. “Happy Now” has garnered over 1.7M streams to date and was produced by Johan Carlsson (Ariana Grande, One Direction), Sean Myer (Selena Gomez, Meghan Trainor) and Ojivolta (Selena Gomez, Christina Aguilera) and co-produced by Pentatonix and Ben Bram.

Elvis Costello’s October Surprise — 50 Songs for 50 Days

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“If you’re tired of the lies of politicians and of preachers
You can place your trust in me, help me be your brother’s keeper
If you pay too many taxes, think salvation should be cheaper
Just say “Blood and Hot Sauce”

From Elvis Costello:

These lines come from a campaign song that I wrote for a musical adaptation of the Budd Schulberg story, “A Face In The Crowd”, which would have been coming to the stage quite soon, had it not been for the present contagion.

“Face” is the tale of Lonesome Rhodes, a lying, cheating, pill-popping double-talking no-good, who is discovered in jail by Marcia Jeffries, a radio producer who sees potential in his silver tongue and common touch.

The story sees him rise through the broadcasting world until Lonesome gets such good ratings that he believes that he holds sway over “The Ordinary Man,” who he secretly despises.

But that story is for another day.

In the meantime, I have created this installation of “50 Songs For 50 Days”, presenting lyrics written over the last 50 years – most of them my own – and heard on recordings made between 1977 and 2020, including several that will be issued here for the first time.

These songs were written in response to events over these many years but it strikes me that you may find something useful in them at this present moment; a joke, a motto or even a couple of dance steps to keep the blood pumping and the hot sauce at hand.

I hope these songs will amuse, console or even infuriate, because passive indifference is hardly the way forward.

From September 15, we will bring you a different song every day for the next 50 days via the miracle of your favourite streaming service and the wonder of the internet. Please stay tuned.

I hope you get what you wish for or what you really deserve and that we can all find a way to forgive those who trespass against us.

One day I will see you again in the stalls or in the stars. Love from your friend in the future. Elvis Costello

Ben Harper Reveals October 23 Release Date For Solo Lap Steel Guitar Album Winter Is For Lovers

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Ben Harper has released “London,” a new preview of his forthcoming album Winter is For Lovers (ANTI- Records). Along with the single, Harper has confirmed the album’s release date for October 23rd. The album is Harper’s first-ever entirely instrumental project, and in many ways his entire musical life has culminated in this moment: a 15-song solo recording of original compositions imagined as a symphony on his lap steel guitar.

The first pressing of a limited edition vinyl has already sold out, but fans can still pre-order both digital and additional physical versions of Winter Is For Lovers here.

Watch Harper perform a live version of “London” that was just filmed at The Folk Music Store, the influential California instrument shop his grandparents opened in the 1950s.

“The track ‘London’ for me is influenced by the great British guitar players, such as Richard Thompson, Nick Drake, John Martyn, Jimmy Page. It’s got that driving British push and pulse, a jingling jangling rumble that I tried to get that sound on that track and to me it felt like London specifically,” Harper says of the track.

Meditative and affecting, the music featured on Winter Is For Lovers is deeply ingrained in Harper’s DNA and leads directly back to The Folk Music Store, which has hosted luminaries of all stripes, including Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, the Rev. Gary Davis, Doc Watson and John Fahey. While Harper worked in the shop throughout his childhood, he met iconic players like Leonard Cohen, Taj Mahal, David Lindley and Jackson Browne.

Winter Is For Lovers is filled with the music Harper heard growing up, listening to the blues, Hawaiian and classical guitar masters in his mother’s record collection. He gravitated early on to the distinct wail of the slide guitar, learning finger picking from the great Taj Mahal and later studying with Chris Darrow of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – a lap steel virtuoso who had a major influence on Harper’s lifelong embrace of the instrument.

Harper has pushed musical boundaries since his 1994 debut and his lap steel guitar has played a tremendous role in his distinct sound throughout his career. But he’s never made an album that so purely distills his reverence for the instrument, and his mastery of it.

Winter Is For Lovers tracklist:
1. Istanbul
2. Manhattan
3. Joshua Tree
4. Inland Empire
5. Harlem
6. Lebanon
7. London
8. Toronto
9. Verona
10. Brittany
11. Montreal
12. Bizanet
13. Toronto (Reprise)
14. Islip
15. Paris

Photo Gallery: Brett Kissel at Toronto’s OLG Play Stage

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All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her at minismemories@hotmail.com

Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel
Brett Kissel

Rocker God Lenny Kaye Introduces the Story of the “Great Secret Record Company” in New Book

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Lenny Kaye, guitarist, composer, writer, and member of the Patti Smith group, has always been inspired by Detroit’s Fortune Records, a family-owned forerunner of Motown that laid the groundwork for the celebrated musical legacy of the Motor City. Lenny has written the introduction to the fascinating story of this eccentric independent imprint that is finally being told in the new book, Mind Over Matter: The Myths and Mysteries of Detroit’s Fortune Records, wherein authors Billy Miller and Michael Hurtt leave no stone unturned in chasing down the wild tales behind some of the coolest music that you may have never heard.

A virtual alternate history of early rock ’n’ roll, country, R&B and soul, Lenny Kaye wrote the foreword for this incredible book, and I wanted to share a little summary of what you will find in Mind Over Matter, in addition to the 576 pages of previously unrevealed history, unseen photographs and original, from-the-street interviews with those who cast Fortune into legend.

Although their label was a “mom and pop outfit” that ran on “faith’ in a run-down neighborhood in Detroit, according to Lenny Kaye, Jack and Devora Brown created a business that continues to inspire to this day. Their tiny record store with a small studio tucked behind the back shelving was the home to a diverse roster of blues, rockabilly, gospel, Gypsy, polka, bluegrass, jazz and doo-wop musicians that came to Fortune to hear themselves on record and unwittingly created a multicultural musical time capsule of a great American city in the arc of its rise and fall.

Lenny writes of the recording process at Fortune: “It was about as live as you could get, the drums and guitars scattering off cinder block walls; the singers in tight, no headphones, close enough to hear each other.” Word quickly spread about the Browns’ “open door policy” and school kids, both black and white, would come to hang out and record at Fortune. The sense of family created by Jack and Devora attracted names like Andre Williams, Nathaniel Mayer, and Nolan Strong, whose 1962 hit song “Mind Over Matter” reached number one in Detroit before Fortune ran out of “promotional muscle.”

Fortune slowly dissolved in the wake of the British Invasion, the rise of Motown and the social unrest of 1967. After a 1973 car accident crippled Jack physically and scattered Devora mentally, the Brown children took over but according to Lenny, “their faith couldn’t sustain them.” What’s left is a mesmerizing discography intertwined with the compelling account of a family business that began and survived against all odds and what has been called “the greatest history of failure in all of post-war pop music.” The story of this close-knit, one-of-a-kind cinder block setup and its astounding array of artists is now being told for the first time under the title of one of Fortune’s biggest hits — and the phrase that could very well have served as the Browns’ motto — “Mind Over Matter.”