This is the first part of Hot Sugar’s Cold World, a new documentary on visionary producer Nick Koenig, aka Hot Sugar. Nick ventures out into the city and records the sounds around him, posing the question, “why do we need instruments anymore?”
On his adventure, Hot Sugar surreptitiously samples a $90,000 grand piano while posing as an interested buyer, records legendary filmmaker and musician Jim Jarmusch, and raps with Kool A.D. (formerly of Das Racist).
https://youtu.be/orBQp6aSF9I
Metal always was a slightly open-ended musical sub-category, but the genre is sorely lacking a breakthrough band fronted by a woman – until now. Meet Priya Panda, lead singer of Toronto’s Diemonds, signed to Underground Operations (the label that first brought you Lights, Protest The Hero and more) for their Never Wanna Die album. Priya is causing quite a stir, becoming just the 2nd female-fronted band in 24 years to be nominated in the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal category at this year’s JUNO Awards, happening in Calgary from April 1-3rd.
Diemonds teamed up Cancer Bats for this heavy “metadly”, in celebration of both bands’ heavy metal album of the year Juno nominations. Here’s their take on The JUNO Awards’ Single Of The Year nominees: “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd, “What Do You Mean?” by Justin Bieber, “Hotline Bling” by Drake, “Here” by Alessia Cara and “Clothes Off” by Ria Mae.
Rock hero Dave Grohl has penned a letter to the town council of Cornwall, England, asking the council members to allow teen metal band Black Leaves of Envy practice despite the fact that their playing is audible to those outside their practice space — a garage. “I believe it is crucial that children have a place to explore their creativity and establish a sense of self through song,” wrote Grohl, who shared the open letter along with tips on how bands can better soundproof their practice spaces.
Learn how you can help the Cornwall campaign & to sound proof yr practice space: https://t.co/y2rJaVhr8R @BLOENVY pic.twitter.com/q1ysHphCap
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) March 23, 2016
In the wake of the death of A Tribe Called Quest member Phife Dawg, musicians and fans from around the world have been paying tribute. So have the media themselves – Reporter Mark Arum, at Atlanta station WSB-TV, paid tribute to Phife Dawg by incorporating A Tribe Called Quest rhymes into Wednesday’s traffic reports.
In 1969, american singer John Walker of the Waker Brothers fame, toured in England, and was accompanied by four young British musicians, these were on keyboards Brian Chatton, who played with The Warriors – whose singer was Jon Anderson -, on guitar and bass guitar Gordon “Flash” Smith, on bass and guitar Ronnie Caryl and on drums, an 18-year-old by the name of Phil Collins.
The group released the album, Ark 2, in 1969. The LP was released on the Fontana Records in the UK to some critical but no commercial success. Then Collins and Caryl both auditioned for Genesis the following year, although Caryl was not successful, he played at a concert with them at Aylesbury, just before they met Steve Hackett. He later played with Collins as rhythm guitarist on his solo tours. Collins and Caryl are still very good friends to this day, too.
https://youtu.be/jzBYib_Pko8
The Beach Boys’ iconic 1966 album, Pet Sounds, is universally hailed as one of popular music’s most important recordings of all time. May 16 marks the acclaimed album’s 50th anniversary, and to commemorate the milestone, The Beach Boys and Capitol/UMe will release special expanded editions of the recorded masterpiece, as well as a range of exclusive Pet Sounds merchandise. Available now for preorder, Pet Sounds (50th Anniversary Edition) will be released worldwide on June 10 in several configurations, including a 4CD/Blu-ray Audio collectors edition presented in a hardbound book, featuring the remastered original album in stereo and mono, plus hi res stereo, mono, instrumental, and 5.1 surround mixes, session outtakes, alternate mixes, and previously unreleased live recordings; a 2CD and digital deluxe edition pairing the remastered album in stereo and mono with highlights from the collectors edition’s additional tracks; and remastered, 180-gram LP editions of the album in mono and stereo with faithfully replicated original artwork.
The Beach Boys’ 11th studio album, Pet Sounds has reigned atop countless critic and fan polls, and has maintained its timeless rank as one of popular music’s most-cited influences. More than 100 domestic and international publications and journalists have lauded Pet Sounds as one of the greatest albums ever recorded, and it entered the GRAMMY® Hall of Fame in 1998. Platinum-certified, Pet Sounds tops MOJO magazine’s “Greatest Albums of All Time” at No. 1, while Rolling Stone ranked Pet Sounds at No. 2 in the magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of one of popular music’s most iconic singles of all time, The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.” The Beach Boys and Capitol/UMe will celebrate “Good Vibrations” with a global commemorative release this fall.
CD 1
Pet Sounds (Mono)
1. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
2. You Still Believe In Me
3. That’s Not Me
4. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
5. I’m Waiting For The Day
6. Let’s Go Away For Awhile
7. Sloop John B
8. God Only Knows
9. I Know There’s An Answer
10. Here Today
11. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
12. Pet Sounds
13. Caroline No
Pet Sounds (Stereo)
14. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
15. You Still Believe In Me
16. That’s Not Me
17. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
18. I’m Waiting For The Day
19. Let’s Go Away For Awhile
20. Sloop John B
21. God Only Knows
22. I Know There’s An Answer
23. Here Today
24. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
25. Pet Sounds
26. Caroline No
Additional Material
27. Caroline No (Promotional Spot #2)
28. Don’t Talk. . . (Unused Background Vocals)
29. Hang On To Your Ego (Alternate Mix)
30. Caroline No (Promotional Spot #1)
CD 2
The Pet Sounds Sessions
1. Sloop John B (Highlights from Tracking Date)
2. Sloop John B (Stereo Backing Track)
3. Trombone Dixie (Highlights from Tracking Date)
4. Trombone Dixie (Stereo Backing Track)
5. Pet Sounds (Highlights from Tracking Date)
6. Pet Sounds (Stereo Track Without Guitar Overdub)
7. Let’s Go Away For Awhile (Highlights from Tracking Date)
8. Let’s Go Away For Awhile (Stereo Track Without String Overdub)
9. Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Highlights from Tracking Date)
10. Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Stereo Backing Track)
11. Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Stereo Track with Background Vocals)
12. You Still Believe In Me (Intro – Session)
13. You Still Believe In Me (Intro – Master Take)
14. You Still Believe In Me (Highlights from Tracking Date)
15. You Still Believe In Me (Stereo Backing Track)
16. Caroline No (Highlights from Tracking Date)
17. Caroline No (Stereo Backing Track)
18. Hang On To Your Ego (Highlights from Tracking Date)
19. Hang On To Your Ego (Stereo Backing Track)
20. I Know There’s An Answer (Vocal Session) [previously unreleased]
21. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) (Brian’s Instrumental Demo)
22. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) (Stereo Backing Track)
23. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) (String Overdub)
24. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times (Highlights from Tracking Date)
25. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times (Stereo Backing Track)
26. That’s Not Me (Highlights from Tracking Date)
27. That’s Not Me (Stereo Backing Track)
CD 3
The Pet Sounds Sessions (continued)
1. Good Vibrations (Highlights from First Tracking Date)
2. Good Vibrations (Stereo Backing Track)
3. I’m Waiting For The Day (Highlights from Tracking Date)
4. I’m Waiting For The Day (Stereo Backing Track)
5. God Only Knows (Highlights from Tracking Date)
6. God Only Knows (Stereo Backing Track)
7. Here Today (Highlights from Tracking Date)
8. Here Today (Stereo Backing Track)
Alternate Versions
9. Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Mono Alternate Mix 1)
10. You Still Believe In Me (Mono Alternate Mix)
11. I’m Waiting For The Day (Mono Alternate Mix, Mike sings lead)
12. Sloop John B (Mono Alternate Mix, Carl sings first verse)
13. God Only Knows (Mono Alternate Mix, with sax solo)
14. I Know There’s An Answer (Alternate Mix) [previously unreleased]
15. Here Today (Mono Alternate Mix, Brian sings lead)
16. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times (Mono Alternate Mix)
17. Banana & Louie
18. Caroline No (Original Speed, Stereo Mix)
19. Dog Barking Session
20. God Only Knows (With A Cappella Tag)
21. Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Mono Alternate Mix 2)
22. Sloop John B (Mono Alternate Mix, Brian sings lead throughout)
23. God Only Knows (Mono Alternate Mix, Brian sings lead)
24. Caroline No (Original Speed, Mono Mix)
CD 4
Live Recordings [all previously unreleased]
1. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
2. Sloop John B
3. God Only Knows – Michigan State University, October 22, 1966
4. Good Vibrations
5. God Only Knows
6. Wouldn’t It Be Nice – Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall, Washington DC, November 19, 1967
7. God Only Knows- Carnegie Hall, New York, November 23, 1972 (2nd Show)
8. God Only Knows – Jamaican World Music Festival, Montego Bay, Jamaica, November, 26, 1982
9. Sloop John B – Universal Studios, Universal City, California, May, 23, 1989
10. Caroline No
11. You Still Believe In Me – Paramount Theater, New York City, November 26, 1993
Stack-O-Vocals
12. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
13. You Still Believe In Me
14. That’s Not Me
15. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
16. I’m Waiting For The Day
17. Sloop John B
18. God Only Knows
19. I Know There’s An Answer
20. Here Today
21. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
22. Caroline No
Bonus Track
23. Good Vibrations (Master Track with Partial Vocal) (previously unreleased)
Blu-ray Pure Audio Disc
Pet Sounds:
5.1 Surround Sound: 96kHz/24-bit
Mono; Stereo; Stereo Instrumental (new to hi res): 192kHz/24-bit
1. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
2. You Still Believe In Me
3. That’s Not Me
4. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
5. I’m Waiting For The Day
6. Let’s Go Away For Awhile
7. Sloop John B
8. God Only Knows
9. I Know There’s An Answer
10. Here Today
11. I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
12. Pet Sounds
13. Caroline No
Additional Material in 5.1 Surround and Stereo
14. Unreleased Backgrounds (Unused Intro for “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)”)
15. Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Session Highlights)
16. Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Alternative Mix without Lead Vocal)
17. God Only Knows (Session Highlights)
18. God Only Knows (Master Track Mix with A Cappella Tag)
19. Summer Means New Love
“I’ve dragged it out for six years. I didn’t wanna do it. I took a piece of the advance six years ago and then I was like ‘bad girl’, and Harpers is not mad at me but it’s time to turn it in so it’s gotta be done by Christmas this year. We’ll have three chapters turned in in about three weeks, childhood chapters but it’s about getting it all right.
So she (the interviewer) asked me the other day, ‘why did you break up Hole?’ And I can’t remember, I really can’t (laughs). So I had Eric from Hole to talk to her because he’ll remember. We were doing really good and we were getting Grammy nominated, doing studio stadiums, and why did I break it? I don’t know why! It really wasn’t drugs? (Dylan Jones: so you’re going to find out why you broke up Hole?) yeah, I’ll find out.
(The book) will be my entire life but with a cutoff… like I’m very sensitive about my love life and my personal life, so I don’t want much of that in it. I mean, the salacious stuff I don’t want in there because I’ve definitely had phases, I’m done with that, so I don’t really want that stuff in there. I have a certain anger that’s reserved for particular lawyers and accountants which I don’t think anyone cares, no one is going to care about that!
I don’t want to a do a poor little rich girl. People cannot relate to certain things and I want to make a really cool book, but that is also transparent and honest. People can relate to ambition, people can relate to stalking Andy Warhol and Lee Daniels, people can relate to certain things but then there are other things that people just can’t relate to. So, we will see. I’m writing it all down, you got me at a really tender moment, I just saw the outline literally yesterday… and my daughter is very private so her life after a certain age is off-limits and stuff like that.”
The Beatles “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” appeared on the 1969 album Abbey Road. This song is an unusual Beatles composition for a variety of reasons, namely its length (nearly eight minutes), few lyrics (the title makes up most of the lyrics, aside from two more phrases; only 14 different words are sung), a three-minute descent through repeated guitar chords (a similar arpeggiated figure appears in another Lennon contribution to the album, “Because”), and abrupt ending. It is the first song recorded for the Abbey Road album but one of the last songs that the Beatles mixed as a group, on August 20, 1969. It was recorded at EMI, Trident and Olympic Studios in London and produced by George Martin. This special mix highlights the somewhat buried organ work of oft-appearing Beatles sideman Billy Preston. –
“The song. That’s all I’ve ever chased. Since childhood I’ve believed, inanely, that the next single I hear will be the answer to everything. It never is, but the quest in itself is enough. And there’s never been a better time to be insatiable. It’s fashionable to rubbish the current music scene as plastic and superficial, all about branding, as if the music business was not ever thus. Garbage feeds the beast, and always did. It’s the exceptions that matter, and there are plenty around.” – Nik Cohn, The Telegraph
Well, congratulations to the anonymous bidder of the rare and historically important Beatles record sold at auction today for $110,000. The 78 RPM 10″ acetate includes “Hello Little Girl,” arguably the first song John Lennon ever recorded and the flip side of “Til There Was You” went for the price of a few cars. Take a listen below. The Beatles manager Brian Epstein handwrote the label on this particular record that now belongs to an unnamed buyer. I’m going to guess Jack White or Paul McCartney. Just a hunch.
From Omega Auctions:
This unique 10″ 78RPM acetate record featuring ‘Hello Little Girl’ on one side and ‘Til There Was You’ on the other was cut in the Personal Recording Department of the HMV record store on Oxford St, London. Brian Epstein had the disc cut from the Decca audition tapes before presenting it to George Martin (EMI) on 13th February 1962 in his desperate attempt to get them a recording contract. This meeting, despite Martin’s initial reticence, was to eventually lead to the breakthrough they were looking for. The disc was later given to The Fourmost to record their own version of Hello Little Girl (recorded 3 July 1963) and then to Les Maguire of Gerry & The Pacemakers (recorded Hello Little Girl 17th July 1963). This is the first time it has come to the marketplace, having been tucked away in Maguire’s loft until now. Epstein’s handwriting on the labels reads as follows: side 1 Hullo Little Girl, John Lennon & The Beatles, Lennon,McCartney’ and side 2 ‘Til’ There Was You Paul McCartney & The Beatles’. It has been played through once when digitally recorded at BBC studios and it played through well with crackle but no skips or jumps.
https://youtu.be/uRDu7V7QCDQ
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Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.
Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com
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