Klaus Voormann’s work on The Beatles’ Revolver earned him a Grammy for Best Album Cover, but it hardly made him rich. Voormann said the Beatles’ record company paid him only about 50 pounds, roughly $140 U.S., in 1966. “I would have done it for nothing – and I didn’t feel I was in a position to make it hard for them, by saying, ‘You have to pay me this or that much,’” he said. “They said 50 pounds is the absolute limit for a record sleeve. That’s what I got.”
Rick Astley on the ‘Weird’ Phenomenon of Rickrolling
Rick Astley is acutely aware of the Rickrolling Internet phenomenon that kept him and “Never Gonna Give You Up,” rolling along in the forefront of the web and music for over a decade.
“It was weird because I didn’t really understand it,” Astley says. “A friend — an English friend who’s a producer and lives in L.A. — Rickrolled me a few times. I said, ‘What the hell are you doing, man?’ and he said, ‘Do you not know what this is?’ So he took me through it, and I thought, ‘OK, that just seems a bit nuts,’ y’know? It’s been a bit weird, but my daughter said to me, ‘Look, just remember it’s got nothing to do with you,’ and she’s right. It’s a totally different work and it’s just doing its own thing. What I’ve always tried to take from it is it just happened and it could’ve been anybody’s song; They just needed a cheesy video from the ’80s, where some guy’s wearing a raincoat. That’s how I looked at it. And it’s been good to me, so…” – Rick Astley
But…
David Bowi
The Get Down Part II Trailer Is Here!
Netflix has released the official trailer for The Get Down Part II and Stephen Adly Guirgis, the highly awaited next part of the original series by director Baz Luhrmann. A mythic saga of dreams, desire, soul and sound, The Get Down chronicles the epic musical evolution from disco to hip hop that defined 1970s New York City – as told by the relationships, struggles, triumphs, and artistry of the South Bronx teens who saw it through. Part II begins streaming on April 7th.
https://youtu.be/Rw8nldFzpiQ
Artist Creates Miniature Papercraft Models Of Early Analog Synthesizers And Recording Equipment
Produced between 2006 and 2009, the Analogue Miniatures series was Adelaide, Australia artist Dan McPharlin’s attempt to pay tribute to early synthesizers and analogue recording equipment. Rather than replicating existing machines, the focus was on creating a revisionist history where analogue technology continued to flourish uninterrupted.
Each piece was hand-made from framing matt-boards, paper, plastic sheeting, string and rubber bands.
via Strictly Paper, Colossal
Two Special David Bowie Releases for Record Store Day Anniversary
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Record Store Day on April 22nd, Parlophone will be releasing two limited edition David Bowie albums, CRACKED ACTOR (Live In Los Angeles 1974) and a facsimile of the ultra-rare Hunky Dory era promo album BOWPROMO.
The former is the first official release of this Philly Dogs Tour show from September 1974, some of which was featured in Alan Yentob’s BBC documentary, Cracked Actor. The full concert is documented on this triple vinyl five-sided album. The sixth side features an etching of the Diamond Dogs era Bowie logo.
All of the multi-track tapes were finally reunited in one place in November of last year and mixed officially for the first time by long time Bowie collaborator Tony Visconti. The packaging features newly commissioned artwork with rare and unseen photographs from the 1974 Universal Amphitheatre show by Terry O’Neill and Jamie Andrews in a gatefold sleeve.
The album differs greatly from Bowie’s David Live album (also from 1974), as it features a new band line up including soul legend Luther Vandross on vocals. It also has a different set list including two tracks that had just been recorded for the album The Gouster, which was finally released for the first time last year as part of the critically acclaimed ‘Who Can I Be Now?’ box set.
DAVID BOWIE – CRACKED ACTOR (LIVE LOS ANGELES ’74) (3 LP SET)
Side 1:
Introduction
1984
Rebel Rebel
Moonage Daydream
Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing
Side 2:
Changes
Suffragette City
Aladdin Sane
All The Young Dudes
Cracked Actor
Side 3:
Rock ‘n’ Roll With Me
Knock On Wood
It’s Gonna Be Me
Space Oddity
Side 4:
Diamond Dogs
Big Brother
Time
Side 5:
The Jean Genie
Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide
John, I’m Only Dancing (Again)
Side 6:
David Bowie logo etching
Recorded live at Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles on 5th September 1974. Produced by David Bowie. Mixed by Tony Visconti at Human Studios, NYC in October/November 2016.
Musicians:
David Bowie – vocals, guitar, harmonica
Earl Slick – guitar
Carlos Alomar – guitar
Mike Garson – piano, Mellotron
David Sanborn – alto sax, flute
Pablo Rosario – conga
Doug Raunch – bass
Greg Errico – drums
Backing vocals – Warren Peace, Anthony Hinton, Luther Vandross, Ava Cherry, Diane Sumler and Robin Clark.
BOWPROMO was originally pressed in very small quantities in 1971 and it features alternate mixes of some of the songs that would eventually be released on the Hunky Dory album.
The A-side contained seven Bowie tracks, relatively new material at the time, five of which would appear on Bowie’s next album, Hunky Dory. On the B-side were five tracks recorded by another artist on the GEM roster, Dana Gillespie.
This RSD, one-sided release faithfully replicates the original promo featuring Bowie’s seven tracks plus five exclusive Bowie prints and new sleeve notes regarding the original promo, all housed in a special presentation box.
BOWPROMO SINGLE SIDED BOXSET LP
1. Oh! You Pretty Things (3.18)
2. Eight Line Poem (2.59)
3. Kooks (3.01)
4. It Ain’t Easy (3.04)
5. Queen Bitch (3.21)
6. Quicksand (5.09)
7. Bombers / Andy Warhol Intro (3.39)
Produced by Ken Scott (assisted by The Actor), mixed by Ken Scott at Trident Studios, London.
Musicians:
David Bowie – vocals, guitar, piano, phased piano
Mick Ronson – guitar, vocal
Trevor Bolder – bass
Woody Woodmansey – drums
Rick Wakeman – piano on Kooks and Quicksand
Atlanta News Anchors Slip An Impressive Number Of Biggie Lyrics Into A Broadcast
Atlanta’s WSB-TV’s Fred Blankenship and Mark Arum are at it again. Watch how they drop a slick tribute to The Notorious B.I.G.