Classic Hits

An expanded version Zombies frontman Colin Blunstone‘s 1971 debut solo album, One Year, was released last month in honor.

The 50th anniversary reissue, which is available on CD, as a two-LP vinyl set, digitally and via streaming, features a newly mastered version of the original 10-track album, plus a 14-song collection of bonus recordings dubbed That Same Year.

Blunstone recorded One Year after The Zombies’ breakup, with his former band mates Rod Argent and Chris White co-producing the album and contributing three songs they co-wrote to the project.

“[I]t was a little bit like a Zombies reunion, really,” Colin tells ABC Audio, while noting that the members of Rod’s then-new band Argent were brought in to play on some of the initial tracks. As the sessions proceeded, a young classical British composer named Chris Gunning was tapped to create string arrangements for most of the songs.

While One Year had little success in the U.S., the album yielded a top-20 U.K. hit with Blunstone’s cover of the Denny Laine-penned “Say You Don’t Mind,” which Colin says was “a great song.”

The 14 bonus tracks have an interesting back story. Blunstone says White’s sons, while looking through their father’s archives recently, discovered some reel-to-reel tapes with demos Colin had written and recorded around the time of the One Year sessions but had completely forgotten about.

Studio versions of three of the demos appear on One Year, while Colin recorded another for his second solo album, 1972’s Ennismore, but most of tunes had never been released in any form.

“Hopefully, it will be illuminating to people to just see what I was doing in the way of songwriting at that time,” Blunstone says of the demos.

Here’s the One Year track list:

“She Loves The Way They Love Her”
“Misty Roses”
“Smokey Day”
“Caroline Goodbye”
“Though You Are Far Away”
“Mary Won’t You Warm My Bed”
“Her Song”
“I Can’t Live Without You”
“Let Me Come Closer to You”
“Say You Don’t Mind”

And here’s the That Same Year track list:

“Are You Ready”
“I’ve Always Had You”
“Sing Your Own Song”
“Caroline Goodbye”
“I’d Like to Get to Know You Better”
“Though You Are Far Away”
“Too Much Too Soon Last Night”
“I Wonder If You Know What You’ve Begun”
“I Won’t Let You Down”
“You Gave Me a Reason”
“I’m Coming Home”
“I Really Do Love You”
“Let Me Come Closer”
“You Really Were a Surprise”

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A never-before-heard full-length NFT “Always Love You” demo recording by 17-year-old Whitney Houston will be auctioned on December 13 with a starting bid of $117,000.

The winner of this “OneOf” item will have access to the recording in their OneOf Vault with a digital video utilizing archived photos of Houston created by 17-year-old artist Diana Sinclair.

“I’m excited to see Whitney’s legacy and her wonderful music expand into bold new technology of this era,” Whitney Houston Estate Executor Pat Houston says in a statement. “It was a joy partnering with 17-year-old Diana Sinclair and watching the artistry of Whitney’s music influence a new generation.”

Proceeds from the sales of the Houston NFT collection will go to the Whitney E. Houston Foundation, a non-profit which continues the work of the late six-time Grammy winner to empower, support, and inspire young people.

Interested bidders can apply on the OneOf website.

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A new edition of Cat Stevens‘ soundtrack to the 1971 cult classic Harold and Maude, in conjunction with the film’s 50th anniversary, will be released on February 11, 2022, on CD, digitally and as a 180-gram vinyl LP.

Harold and Maude tells the story of a suicide-obsessed teenager who learns to embrace life while falling in love with an eccentric, free-spirited 79-year-old woman. The darkly comedic film was directed by Hal Ashby, and starred Bud Cort as Harold and Ruth Gordon as Maude.

The movie’s soundtrack featured seven previously released songs by Stevens that first appeared on his then-recent studio albums Mona Bone Jakon and Tea for the Tillerman, and two new tunes Cat wrote specifically for the flick — “Don’t Be Shy” and “If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out.”

A soundtrack album was not released in conjunction with the film because Stevens, who is now known as Yusuf Islam, says he was worried at the time that it would be perceived as a greatest hits collection, and he felt that it was too early in his career to issue one.

The original version of the Harold and Maude soundtrack album was released in limited quantities in 2007 on Cameron Crowe‘s independent label, Vinyl Films, but that soon went out of print.

The new version features the nine Stevens songs that appeared in the film, coupled for the first time with dialogue segments from the movie.

The audio for the soundtrack has been remastered at London’s famed Abbey Road Studios. The album will boast enhanced packaging that includes liner notes, song lyrics, movie dialogue transcriptions and photos from the film.

You can pre-order the Harold and Maude soundtrack now.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

Side 1
“Don’t Be Shy”
“Dialogue 1 (I Go to Funerals)”
“On the Road to Find Out”
“I Wish, I Wish”
“Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No.1 in B”
“Dialogue 2 (How Many Suicides)”
“Marching Band”/”Dialogue 3 (Harold Meets Maude)”
“Miles from Nowhere”
“Tea for the Tillerman”

Side 2
“I Think I See the Light”
“Dialogue 4 (Sunflower)”
“Where Do the Children Play?”
“If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” (Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort vocal)
“Strauss’ Blue Danube”
“Dialogue 5 (Somersaults)”
“If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out”
“Dialogue 6 (Harold Loves Maude)”
“Trouble”
“If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” (ending)

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Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, ex-Allman Brothers Band guitarist Derek Trucks and Trucks’ wife and Tedeschi Trucks Band mate Susan Tedeschi are among the latest musicians to join the lineup for Peace Through Music: A Global Event for the Environment, a virtual concert event scheduled to premiere December 15 at 9 p.m. ET at the Playing for Change YouTube channel.

The streaming event, produced by the Playing for Change organization and the United Nations Population Fund, will focus on raising funds and awareness for environmental issues.

More than 200 artists from over 35 countries will take part in the presentation, along with world leaders and influencers. Documentaries also will be shown displaying the beauty of the planet and looking at its vulnerability to pollution and other environmental hazards.

Previously announced performers include Slash, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, The Grateful Dead‘s Mickey Hart, No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal, Taj Mahal, Rosanne Cash, Jack Johnson, Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins, Ben Harper, Sara Bareilles, The Lumineers and Keb’ Mo’. Additionally, The Band‘s Robbie Robertson will be making a “special appearance” during the stream.

Peace Through Music previously raised $1 million for social justice charities with its 2020 stream, which featured artists including Ringo Starr, Gary Clark Jr., and Carlos and Cindy Blackman Santana.

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Sure, you’ve heard Rob Thomas‘ “Small Town Christmas” by now, but if you want to find out more about his latest album Something About Christmas Time, tune into Instagram Live tomorrow when he plans to spotlight another track on the album.

Rob will be joined by gospel music great Bebe Winans on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET to discuss “That Spirit of Christmas,” the song they recorded together for Rob’s album.  The holiday tune, originally recorded by Ray Charles in 1985, is famously featured during the attic scene in the 1989 film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

As for how Bebe ended up on Rob’s album in the first place, Rob told ABC Audio that the gospel star has been one of his best friends for more than 20 years — Bebe even sang at his 1999 wedding to his wife Marisol.

 

 

 

 

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Instruments signed by Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and the late Tom Petty are among the interesting items that have been added to a recently announced memorabilia auction benefiting the MusiCares charity scheduled to take place January 30, one day before the 64th annual Grammy Awards ceremony.

The former Beatles icon has donated a signed Hofner violin bass guitar to the auction, which is estimated to fetch from $4,000 to $6,000.

The Rolling Stones legend has contributed an autographed ebony Gibson ES-335 electric guitar to the auction, while an NFT featuring a digital video of Richards signing the instruments also is included. The lot is estimated to bring in between $6,000 and $8,000.

A Gibson ES-355 Bigsby electric/acoustic guitar that Petty signed at the 2017 gala honoring him as MusiCares Person of the Year also is up for bid, along with a copy of the Ultra Deluxe version of Tom’s Wildflowers & All the Rest box set. The lot also is expected to sell for between $6,000 and $8,000.

Also added to the auction is U2 singer Bono‘s handwritten lyrics to his band’s new tune “Your Song Saved My Life,” which will be featured in the upcoming animated film Sing 2 that features Bono voicing one of the characters. The document is expected to sell for between $4,000 and $6,000.

In addition, a signed proof print of an oil painting of Jimi Hendrix by legendary singer/songwriter and 2022 MusiCares Person of the Year Joni Mitchell will be up for bid, valued at $2,000 to $4,000.

MusiCares provides medical, financial and personal assistance to in-need members of the music community. The sale, which is being hosted by Julien’s Auctions, will take place online and in Beverly Hills, California.

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Today, December 7, marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Wild Life, Paul McCartney‘s first album with his backing band Wings,  To mark the milestone, the record will be reissued on February 4, 2022, as a limited-edition, half-speed-mastered vinyl LP.

Wild Life was Sir Paul’s third post-Beatles album, following his 1970 solo debut, McCartney, and RAM, which was released in May 1971 and was co-credited to him and his wife, Linda.

Wild Life was recorded in just eight days at Abbey Road Studios in London, and more than half its songs were captured in just one take. No singles were released from the album, which peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200 and went on to sell over 500,000 copies in the U.S.

Joining McCartney in the original Wings lineup were Linda on keyboards and backing vocals; former Moody Blues frontman Denny Laine on guitar, bass, keyboards and backing vocals; and Denny Seiwell on drums and percussion. Seiwell also had played on RAM.

Wild Life kicks off with the quirky, upbeat rocker “Mumbo,” while other noteworthy tracks include a reggae-flavored cover of Mickey & Sylvia‘s 1956 hit “Love Is Strange,” and the melancholy ballad “Dear Friend,” which is believed to be McCartney’s attempt to reconcile with John Lennon after the conflicts the former Beatles band mates had been having around that time.

The Wild Life vinyl reissue can be pre-ordered now at McCartney’s online store.

Here’s the album’s full track list:

Side One
“Mumbo”
“Bip Bop”
“Love Is Strange”
“Wild Life”

Side Two
“Some People Never Know”
“I Am Your Singer”
“Bip Bop (Link)”
“Tomorrow”
“Dear Friend”
“Mumbo (Link)”

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Doors drummer John Densmore recently published a paperback version of his 2020 book The Seekers: Meetings with Remarkable Musicians (and Other Artists), and to promote the new release, Densmore will take part in a Zoom Q&A event tonight at 7 p.m. ET that will be streamed live via Dice.fm.

During the event, which is presented by Rough Trade NYC, the 77-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will chat with Jonathan Cohen, author of the 2011 New York Times best-seller Pearl Jam 20, an authorized biography of the Seattle grunge legends. Densmore also will answer questions submitted by audience members.

Tickets for the Q&A can be purchased at Dice.fm for $29.88, and the price includes a copy of The Seekers along with a bookplate signed by Densmore.

The Seekers features John’s reflections and stories about various creative people he has encountered over the years, including music legends like his late Doors band mates Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek, Janis Joplin, Van Morrison, Bob Marley, Lou Reed, Patti Smith and others. The book also includes John’s musings about his own creative journey.

In other news, Densmore discusses his book in detail in a new episode of Emmy-winning TV host Barry Kibrick‘s Between the Lines podcast, which you can check out at BuzzSprout.com.

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Santana released its latest studio album, the star-studded Blessings and Miracles, in October, and now the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band led by guitar legend Carlos Santana has announced dates for a spring 2022 North American tour in support of the record.

The Blessings and Miracles Tour gets underway on March 25 in Kennewick, Washington, and currently is mapped out through an April 16 concert in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

The shows will feature Santana performing hits and other memorable tunes from throughout the group’s 50-plus-year career, as well as selections from Blessings and Miracles.

Tickets for some shows go on sale to the general public this Friday, December 10, at 10 a.m. local time, while pre-sale tickets to select concerts will be available starting on Tuesday, December 7, at 10 a.m. local time. Visit Santana.com for more information.

News of the new 2022 tour dates comes just a few days after Carlos canceled his planned December concerts in Las Vegas because he had to undergo what was described as an “unscheduled heart procedure.” “I’m gonna be taking time out for a little bit to make sure that I replenish and I rest….so that when I play for you, I will play the way I’m used to and give you 150%,” Carlos said in a video statement. “I wouldn’t show up unless I can do that.”

As previously reported, Blessings and Miracles features collaborations with Steve Winwood, Matchbox Twenty‘s Rob Thomas, Diane Warren, G-Eazy, Living Colour‘s Corey Glover, Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett and late jazz great Chick Corea.

Besides the Blessings and Miracles tour, Santana’s 2022 schedule also includes Las Vegas residency performances in January, February and May, and a North American co-headlining tour with Earth, Wind & Fire running from June to August.

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Sting and Burt Bacharach are among the artists who perform at a pair of concerts celebrating legendary music executive Jerry Moss on February 11 and 12 at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles.

The shows, dubbed Live at The Music Center: Concerts Celebrating Jerry Moss, Co-Founder of A&M Records, will feature performances by various music artists from the label’s roster.

Besides the former Police frontman and Bacharach, the events will include musical tributes from Moss’ A&M co-founder Herb Alpert, as well as from Sérgio Mendes, acclaimed soul/gospel singer Merry Clayton and others. In addition, actor Tim Curry and other celebs will be on hand to pay homage to Moss.

The concerts will showcase some of the most famous songs produced by A&M Records artists, and also will feature stories and video presentations celebrating “the spirit and legacy of” the label under Moss’ and Alpert’s guidance.

Tickets for the concerts can be purchased now at MusicCenter.org/Moss. Money raised by the events will go toward The Music Center’s initiatives to provide free and affordable arts experiences to people in the Los Angeles area.

“I met Mr. M in 1978 on my first trip to Los Angeles and was proud to induct him and Mr. A[lpert] into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. He is one of the finest gentlemen I have ever met,” says Sting. “He was sensitive to our needs, respected the creative process and understood the freedom artists must have to let the art speak for itself.”

Adds Alpert, “My success as a recording artist is greatly due to my dear friend and A&M partner Jerry Moss.”

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