Rolling Reissues 2012

I see that Til Tuesday's Voives Carry has recently been reissued/remastered. It's ther worst album, but this still makes me kinda happy.

Enlightening Beam of Axonda is great

is that getting reissued anytime soon? Think I came across it mentioned in the same places as These Trails, not sure if that's any guide to it though.
But if it was, might it not be something they'd be interested in doing.
Looks like Akarma did it in 2004 but it's getting high prices on Amazon etc market places.

They = Drag City who reissued These Trails and the above mentioned Bobby Brown produced lp.

Enlightening Beam of Axonda is, IMO, MUCH MUCH better than his two other LPs. Though some people disagree with me violently on that.

Somebody please describe it, enlighten meee

On September 17th, Strut release the second album in the FAC. DANCE series, bringing together sought after 12" versions and rarities from Manchester's revered Factory Records imprint. Despite a reputation for austere post-punk, the label's first decade produced a slew of landmark dance records, primarily brought to the label by Rob Gretton, who valued tunes and beats over Situationist theory and laboratory experiments in popular art. Conversely, founder Tony Wilson disparaged pure dance music as lacking intellectual rigour. As a result, this second collection of early Factory dance sides occupies a compelling middle ground.

Revisiting the peerless studio work of Martin Hannett, Be Music (the collective pseudonym of New Order members Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris and Peter Hook) and ACR drummer Donald Johnson, among others, FAC. DANCE 02 fleshes out Factory's varied early forays into dance territory, widening the spectrum yet further from Volume One. The early version of A Certain Ratio's angular funk classic "The Fox" from the band's debut album To Each... rubs shoulders with Cheba Fadela's Algerian rai blast, "N'Sel Fik"; Kalima's uplifting dancefloor jazz also features, along with a sprawling electro dub of 52nd Street's UK boogie classic "Can't Afford"; we spotlight Dutch electronic band Minny Pops with the motorik "Blue Roses" alongside the heavy dub and reggae stylings of The Wake, X-O-Dus and ACR alter ego Sir Horatio; the Manchester / New York axis is also revisited once again with two potent post-punk funk blasts from E.S.G., the first US band to appear on Factory.

FAC. DANCE 02 is released in conjunction with Factory Records Ltd. The CD and LP packages feature detailed track notes by Factory biographer James Nice, together with rare photos. The digital version of the album features five tracks not featured on the physical formats.

CD 1

1. A CERTAIN RATIO - THE FOX 3.47
2. ESG - MOODY 2.46
3. MINNY POPS - BLUE ROSES 2.33
4. THICK PIGEON - BABCOCK + WILCOX 3.44
5. BITING TONGUES - MEAT MASK SEPARATIST 4.57
6. SIR HORATIO - SOMMADUB 7.18
7. X-O-DUS - SOCIETY 4.20
8. THE DURUTTI COLUMN - SELF PORTRAIT 4.40
9. SECTION 25 - KNEW NOISE 4.43
10. SHARK VEGAS - YOU HURT ME 6.59
11. FADELA - N'SEL FIK 7.06
12. KALIMA - LAND OF DREAMS 6.47

CD 2

1. 52nd STREET - CAN'T AFFORD (Unorganised mix) 10.02
2. NYAM NYAM - FATE 8.06
3. A CERTAIN RATIO - LUCINDA 3.53
4. ESG - YOU'RE NO GOOD 3.09
5. SWAMP CHILDREN - SOFTLY SAYING GOODBYE 4.09
6. QUANDO QUANGO - GO EXCITING (12" mix) 5.57
7. SURPRIZE - IN MOVIMENTO 5.33
8. ANNA DOMINO - TAKE THAT 4.13
9. THE WAKE - HOST 7.57
10. ROYAL FAMILY AND THE POOR - VANEIGEM MIX 6.22
11. SECTION 25 - SAKURA 3.58
12. AD INFINITUM - TELSTAR 3.13

From Maggie Vail:

Introducing Bikini Kill Records

Hello all,

I have some very exciting news to share with you this morning from Bikini Kill:

"As our 25th anniversary approaches, Bikini Kill has decided to start our own record label called Bikini Kill Records. The Bikini Kill back catalog is currently available digitally as of July 17, 2012 via bikinikill.com, eMusic & iTunes. The Frumpies and Casual Dots are also up for sale now. We are working towards reissuing the physical Bikini Kill records one at a time. There are brand new Bikini Kill T Shirts available from bikinikill.com at this time with more merch to come in the near future.

Bikini Kill's Self-Titled EP will come out in the fall of 2012 to commemorate the 20 year anniversary of its original release. We also plan to re-release our original demo tape, which contains songs that were previously unavailable and/or hard to find on vinyl & CD. We are currently going through our archive, which include photographs, practice tapes, live recordings, unreleased songs, films, video, writing, interviews, zines and flyers that we intend to feature on future releases and document on our website. Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive news about our progress."

from the archive BK is starting at bikinikill.com (they welcome contributions like this)
http://bikinikillarchive.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/me-performing.jpg?w=450&h=637

and this

http://bikinikillarchive.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/kathleen-in-yellow-shirt-2.jpg

Anybody heard this? I'm not usually into fusion, but maybe--?
Previously unavailable on CD, Hermann Szobel’s “Szobel” was originally released by Arista Records in 1976. Over the years the album has established a worldwide cult following and the mysterious Mr. Szobel has become a bit of an enigma. Szobel was a 17-year virtuoso pianist who arrived from Austria with aspirations to become a star in the world of jazz. He also happened to be the nephew of rock impresario Bill Graham. Originally intended for release on Arista’s Freedom jazz imprint, the decision was made by Clive Davis to release the debut album on Arista proper in order to give it a chance at a broader appeal. An extraordinary band was assembled to record Szobel’s highly complex music: Michael Visceglia on bass, Bob Goldman on drums, Dave Samuels on percussion including marimba and vibraphone, and Vadim Vyadro on tenor sax, clarinet, and flute.Szobel was highly influenced by Martial Solal and Frank Zappa. His compositions are rooted in jazz, rock and Western classical composition. They are extremely complex and the recording sessions were quite laborious. While he gives space to all of the musicians, his phenomenal technique as a pianist is clearly displayed. In the September 6, 1976 issue of Downbeat the review said that Szobel had "a conception and technique far in advance of most musicians twice his age." Upon its release the album did not sell well and Szobel’s behavior became more and more eccentric. In the middle of recording a second (still unreleased) album, rumor has it that he suffered a mental breakdown. He disappeared from the music world forever. Since then rumors have swirled and a mythology has been created. Unconfirmed reports have Mr. Szobel currently living in Austria. “Szobel” has now been mastered for CD release by audiophile engineer Bob Katz. Extensive liner notes by bassist Michael Visceglia unlock some of the mysteries of Hermann Szobel.
Hermann Szobel
Szobel
The Lasers Edge
17 July 2012

ha, i have this -- i asked my brother in law to play me his most obscure record and he brought it out. it's cool! kinda zappa fusion 70s jazz.

What the heck, I'll check it out. Never heard much piano-centric fusion. thanks for the tip.

my brother in law says that he bought it because someone told him it was actually zappa under a psuedonym. which doesn't seem to be true, but kind of funny.

Maybe Frank wanted to try his hand at the pianner?

http://184.173.71.130//20299/PromoImage.jpg

so, Willie Lowery, leader of Plant And See and Lumbee, the latter named for his North Carolina Indian tribe. Couple of whole tracks as sep streams, which I haven't checked yet, but really appealing excerpts in this featurette, with bobbing bass lines (Plant And See's bass player was Latin), reminds me of Jerry Ragavoy songs from the same era, with some of what might've attracted Joplin to "Piece of my Heart", for inst. It's all groovy! http://www.npr.org/2012/07/21/157117448/a-tribal-anthems-author-and-a-cult-rock-hero

I got the Plant and See reissue. It kind of reminded me of Smith and bands like that. But better, especially on the more rocking tunes.

Also, Don Cherry's Organic Music Society reissue is out dudes.

"Relativity Suite" kind of reminds me of both Arthur Russell and Alemu Aga.

Where did you find Plant And See?

you can order Plant and See from Light In The Attic

Thanks--they've got a contest for free copies of the Searching For Sugar Man soundtrack, wonder how that is? Think I've read about Cold Fact.

I got a promo download link for that Szobel thing but haven't listened to it. Tried the Don Cherry album, didn't like it much at all. My favorite thing of his is Eternal Rhythm.

Oh yeah. Eternal Rhythm is currently on YouTube

NUMERO TO RELEASE ALFONSO LOVO'S UNHEARD 70'S NICARAGUAN SPACE PSYCH MASTERPIECE LA GIGANTONA ON OCTOBER 23

VIEW THE VIDEO TRAILER HERE:http://bit.ly/SSq7V4

The son of a prominent Nicaraguan politician, Alfonso Noel Lovo was a choice target for the Sandinista rebels who hijacked his homeward flight from Miami in December of 1971, ultimately putting several rounds through the talented musician's torso and hand. After several years, and as many surgeries, he would break new ground on this psychedelic swirl of Latin jazz and pan-American funk with his musical partner, percussionist Jose "Chepito" Areas of Santana fame. Never commercially available, La Gigantona has lived its forty years lost in the grooves of a single acetate. Imagine a Nicaraguan take on Herbie Hancock's Afro-jazz masterpiece Mwandishi with some of the most penetrating, left-field guitar you've never heard.
Background
Born in 1951 in León, Nicaragua, Lovo's talents were discovered at the age of five, when he played "O Holy Night" note for note on his brand new accordion. He matured on the bellowed instrument at Catholic school functions, and picked up guitar at age eight after watching the family gardener serenade a gaggle of females with Elvis songs. Some years later, a basketball game would pit his high school against that of Jose "Chepito" Areas, a drummer of growing repute in the Nicaraguan music scene. The nuns decided an impromptu concert would be great half-time entertainment, pairing Chepito and Lovo for the first time. Recognizing music as a passion, not a profession, Lovo left for Atlanta, Georgia to attend college in the late '60s. Chepito had already fled to San Francisco, where he'd used his charisma, perspective, and timbale skills to transform a young Carlos Santana from blues guy to Latin rock icon. In 1973, while studying at Louisiana State University, Lovo traveled to nearby Loyola University to catch a Santana concert, and reintroduce himself to the group's celebrated percussionist. The two would foster a famous friendship, together routing Santana and company through Nicaragua to play a concert benefiting victims of the devastating earthquake of the previous year. After graduating from college in 1975, Lovo headed back
to Nicaragua to work for his family's businesses, which at the time included tractor dealerships, livestock, and real estate. One of the main things on his agenda would be to record an album with Nicaragua's most accomplished players. He intended to make Chepito a part of that.
The Creation of La Gigantona
Named after a yearly procession honoring the Nicaraguan folk legend La Gigantona, Lovo's record of the same name is anything but traditional. Experimental sessions were rendered over a month at Audio Ocho, a state of the art facility in downtown Managua. At the hand of engineer Roman Cerpas, La Gigantona was subjected to near-constant manipulation. Waves of tape loop crash over the album in quantities that would make Lee Perry blush. Most of the final tracks were the results of the relaxed jam sessions made possible by infinite studio time with skilled performers. Musicians were enlisted from across the country, originating in psychedelic rock bands, jazz combos, and even
the national orchestra, providing a rich and diverse cross section of Nicaragua's mid-'70s music scene. Subjected to mounting political unrest, Managua proved an inhospitable place to oversee a private pressing of your psychedelic jazz masterpiece, and La Gigantona's original intended release suffered accordingly.
Fortunately, in 2010, Lovo's unique project washed upon the shores of the Numero Group, who immediately recognized the recording's beauty and historical significance. Moving backwards from their modern-day meeting, Numero searched tirelessly for collaborators and bystanders, photos and ephemera relating to the furious fit of creativity Lovo committed to magnetic tape on the brink of a national coup. With extensive liner notes and never-before-seen photos, La Gigantona escapes the clutches of civil unrest, seeing the proper debut it deserves.
Available on LP & CD October 23, 2012

I used to work at that building at the far right of the Szobel picture with the gold dome on it.

Where was that?

Tompkins Square Releases First Book/CD Project, 'He Is My Story : The Sanctified Soul of Arizona Dranes' August 28th, 2012
Book by Michael Corcoran. 78 transfers by Christopher King. Design by Susan Archie.

A singer sits at the piano and loses all inhibitions while in complete control of the instrument: Little Richard, Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis. Although church singer Arizona Dranes doesn't come close to the stature of those icons, she set the mold for rockin' singer/ pianists in 1926 with six "test records" that have stood the test of time.

Until now, very little has been correctly reported about Dranes other than the facts that she was blind, from Texas, had a piercing Pentecostal voice and was the first recording artist to play piano in the secular styles of the day, while singing words of deep praise.

Michael Corcoran, former music critic and columnist for the Austin American-Statesman, has spent years unearthing revelatory details on the life of the mysterious woman behind the music. The book includes a CD containing all 16 of Arizona Dranes' recorded tracks, expertly remastered from the original OKeh label 78 RPM records by Grammy-winning producer Christopher King.

The book will also be available digitally (without the music) as an eBook on August 28th.

TSQ 2677. UPC : 894807002677. ISBN 978-0-615-61615-5. Available August 28th, 2012 via INgrooves/Fontana (US), Cargo (Europe) and FUSE (Australia).

Legendary Queen of Metal, DORO PESCH, will release Under My Skin - A Fine Selection Of Doro Classics in North America via AFM Records next month. Set for release on August 14, 2012, the mammoth career-spanning retrospective — which already enteredthe German charts at #53 upon its first week of release overseas — includes more than 30 tracks spread across two CDs. Compiled in close collaboration between AFM and DORO herself, the gorgeous package offers an abundance of DORO staples as well as rare B-side singles and hand-written liner notes. Under My Skin… is also available in a limited wooden fanbox edition (1000 copies; import only) which includes a two-CD digipak, flag, patch, bracelet, a postcard and a certificate of authenticity.

In related news, DORO was recently added to the third annual 70000 Tons Of Metal lineup. The original heavy metal cruise takes place in January 2013 and features 40 metal bands and 2,000 fans from all over the world seafaring the Caribbean on a luxury cruise ship for a 5-day/4-night ocean adventure. Sporting the biggest open air stage to sail the open seas, the world’s biggest floating heavy metal festival will include: Ensiferum, Lacuna Coil, Nile, In Flames, Immolation and more! For more info, go to THIS LOCATION.

DORO was recently featured in Decibel Magazine’s August 2012 special “Women In Metal” issue. In an interview conducted by J. Bennett, DORO discusses her new Raise Your Fist record, reminisces about quitting her job in 1986 to tour with Judas Priest, what her one-year stint in a hospital years ago taught her, and the nexus of attitude and being dignified.

listening to that arizona dranes thing right now -- pretty nice! great voice.

If anyone's into UK psych-folk (heavier on the psych, really), the Axe "Live & Studio" album is being reissued under it's original title ("Axe Music") with a new band name for some reason, Crystalline. LP+CD in one package, really beautiful female vocals over cool psych jams.

That La Gigantona thing sounds pretty interesting.

Massive Zappa reissue campaign starting in next few days.
Blurb I read mentioned remastering but not exactly what. So, since this is coming from the Zappa estate is it going to be the Zappa tampered ones?

Just found out that the Zappa Threesome box sets have rising prices online. Still need the 2 early 70s Bitchesbrew influenced sets.

Zappa estate has already reissued some unfuckedwith stuff (Greasy Love Songs was all the original recordings remastered, instead of the bastardized Rueben tracks from the 80s) so hopefully that continues.

Edsel are supposed to be reissuing the 1st 5 Steve Miller band lps at the end of August. Heard they have linernotes based on interviews by Joel Selvin.
I think its about time since the last cds I'm aware of for Sailor at least date back to '90. Would love a decent sounding copy of that

The Dicks reissues are out now on Alternative Tentacles and they sound pretty good to me (lack of master tapes for 'Kill from the Heart' notwithstanding).

Oh fuck yeah, finally. Although I notice they haven't included the Live At Raul's Club LP - which is odd cos didn't T&G reissue the Big Boys side of that on the Skinny Elvis CD? I have the 2x7" sort of reissue of that but it's missing a lot of tracks (it has 3 songs each from the LP plus 1 unreleased track from each band).

From RockBeat Records, via Conqueroo. Always meant to check the Moving Sidewalks:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2012
See note beneath contact information.

FOUR-DISC SURF ERA NUGGETS BOX
ON ROCKBEAT RECORDS
COLLECTS HITS AND OBSCURITIES
OF THE SURF MUSIC ERA

RockBeat also readying Moving Sidewalks, Dickie Goodman
and music from the hit TV series Dallas, all for September 25 release

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Surf Age Nuggets, a four-disc box set chronicling the history of surf music, will headline an ambitious quartet of reissues coming on September 25, 2012 on RockBeat Records, a unit of S’more Entertainment. Other reissues arriving on that date include an self-titled two-CD set by Texas garage band the Moving Sidewalks on CD and vinyl LP, Dickie Goodman’s Long Live the King, and Dallas: The Music Story.

Surf Age Nuggets traces the ethos and attitude of surf music from 1959 through its demise in 1966. From long boards and short hair to short boards and long hair, the collection celebrates the lesser-known purveyors of the sound. Included in Surf Era Nuggets are such bands as Dick Dale & the Del-Tones, Bobby Fuller, the Velvetones, the Shan-Tones, the Valiants, the Ramrods, the Surf Teens, the Royal Coachmen and dozens of others.

All 100 tracks are instrumentals and many are indeed obscure. There were a number of indie labels willing to cash in on the surfing movement and there was no shortage of bands ready to take the money and play. This compilation accurately reflects the first time that music, sport and teenage lifestyle came together and confirms the attitude that surfing has always been a “rebel sport.”

Surf music was perfect for everyone with its twangy mixture of basic, pure-yet-raw ’50s rock & roll, minus the teen-idol baggage. Suddenly, surfing and surf music were front and center, featured in comic books, advertising, movies and television series such as Batman, Mr. Ed and The Flintstones. The sound became pervasive and songs like Link Wray’s “Jack the Ripper” and “Rumble” perfectly capture the essence of surf music. To this day, his music is the centerpiece for television (“The Sopranos”) and films such as Pulp Fiction, Independence Day and Desperado.

RockBeat A&R VP James Austin compiled and annotated Surf Age Nuggets. The set contains four discs and a large book in a hard-bound box.

The Moving Sidewalks: The Moving Sidewalks

Texas has been a flashpoint for some of America’s most exciting artists for well over a century. During the 1960s, Houston, Texas was on fire. Dubbed Space City, as the United States government built the huge NASA space center just outside the city limits, Houston had an electric vibrancy no other metropolis in America could match. With bands like the Sir Douglas Quintet (formed by hipsters Doug Sahm and Augie Meyers), the Outcasts, the Sparkles, Zachary Thax, Mouse & the Traps and of course the 13th Floor Elevators, Houston also became a hotbed of great rock.

Billy Gibbons, known for four decades as the thundering guitarist and frontman in ZZ Top, had been influenced by the blues at a very young age, and acquired an affinity for those primal sounds from all that swirled around him in Houston. By junior high, Gibbons had a working combo called the Coachmen and was performing all over the city. As he became more experienced, he started experimenting with his sound. In time, personnel shifted and the band was re-named the Moving Sidewalks.

RockBeat’s two-CD/two-LP release The Moving Sidewalks contains the psychedelic blues-rock band’s original album Flash in its entirety plus a second album featuring alternate tracks and previously unreleased songs. The group’s music stands up to this day, and in many ways sounds as new now as when it was recorded. And while moving sidewalks may not have been the wave of the future, the Moving Sidewalks surely were.

The Moving Sidewalks release features a deluxe 56-page book. The two discs are packaged in mini LP sleeves within the box.

Dickie Goodman: Long Live the King

Dickie Goodman is the Grammy-winning King of Novelty, noted by Billboard and Guinness World Records for recording the most charted novelty/comedy hits (17) of all time. He has even more listed under various pseudonyms such as John & Ernest and Spencer & Spencer.

Some of Goodman’s most famous records are “The Flying Saucer (Part 1)” (#3 on Billboard), “Mr. Jaws” (#4 on Billboard), “The Flying Saucer” (#3 on Billboard and Grammy winner), “Mr. President,” “Batman & His Grandmother” and “Hey ET.” These songs appear among 27 included in RockBeat Records’ compilation Long Live the King.

Goodman’s records have been called many things: parody, satire, samples, cut-ins or mash-ups. He took bits and pieces of popular songs and used the tiny sound bites to fill in as answers to questions he posed in his records. But what kind of questions did he ask? That depended upon what the most popular current event of the day was and also who the most notable public figures were at the time. He might pretend to be a news reporter conducting an interview of a presidential candidate or the star of a current hit movie.

Goodman’s records were always timely when first released, and their universal appeal has turned them into audio time capsules, summarizing the most talked about events, and music, of an era. Also included on this collection is a new Dickie & Jon Goodman track, the timely “Election 2012.”

Dallas: The Music Story

Dallas: The Music Story is a collection of songs based and inspired by the characters, relationships and events from the original Lorimar television series.

Originally released in 1985 on vinyl, this re-mastered CD contains the eponymous opening and closing theme and features three of the actors from the show: Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), veteran musical star Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow) and Jenilee Harrison (Jenna Ewing), displaying their varying degrees of vocal prowess. The rest of the CD features performances by such notable country artists such as Crystal Gale, Karen Brooks and Johnny Lee, who was immortalized in the legendary Waltons song “My Husband Beats Me.”

The LP has been unavailable for more than a decade and will be available for the first time on CD.

Cerebrum's Eagle Death is out today on Shadoks (forcedexposure should have it). Uncut version of the single edit is bold and sad, as befits its title, and kind of a scrambling boogie, complicated but def groove appeal--so prog boogie, could imagine this long-gone Spanish combo opening for the original line-up of Traffic, and Amboy Dukes too, winning over impatient foggy audiences. As w Traffic, vocalist can be a bit mystically tedious, but unlike Traffic, he's not the first among equals, to put it politely (or contending to be re, Winwood and Mason)--more about the overall effect, esp w vividly recorded drums and bass (some of this sounds lifted directly from vinyl, but only adds to crispness, fuzz, and bits sliding into and out of degrees of stereo and maybe mono dimensions too--analog *times* digital, hell yeah). Aside from the 1970 singles, five tracks are live 1969 demos, from the Studio of Spanish National Radio. Covers are deft: "One Kind Favor", "Amphetamine Annie", "Murder In My Heart For The Judge" (Moby Grape as an inspiration for early live Los Lobos?), "You Don't Love Me." So good to hear familiar stuff stretched and snapped into customized shape, with the original virtues re-vitalized, that's what I love about international rock, funk etc from 60s-70s especially. Mind you, I'm not an expert in any of it, but disappointed often enough to notice differences in quality.
http://images.hhv.de/catalog/detail_big/00266/266338.jpg

Damn, thought that statement including the Moving Sidewalks set was talking about a release fir The Conqueroo. Do wish somebody would collect whatever there is around of their surviving material and compile it. Been missing my From The Vulcan Gas Co set since i lost the vinyl.
Might have thought the reissuing of 13th Floor Elevators material a couple of years back might trigger some interest in getting their work back out.

bold and sad, as befits its title Eagle Death!

what the heck

http://images.hhv.de/catalog/detail_big/00266/266338_1.jpg

also on CD

So looking forward to that Cerebrum album (gonna have to be on CD because Shadoks vinyl pricing is bullshit). Been listening to those first four tracks for years now, it'll be nice to actually OWN it.

Oh hey guys SYPH's fourth album is being reissued on vinyl by Made In Germany, I think it was recorded around the same time as "On The Way to the Peak of Normal" and it's got a very weird, mysterious CAN vibe.

They're also doing Agitation Free's "Malesch" on LP.

All if this is around in one legit/boot form or another, but might be good to have it w possibly better sound, sequence etc
KEYSTONE COMPANIONS/
THE COMPLETE 1973 FANTASY RECORDINGS
SPOTLIGHTS THE LEGENDARY MERL SAUNDERS/JERRY GARCIA
COLLABORATION INCLUDING
SEVEN PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKS

Deluxe four-CD box set, due September 25th, contains vintage photos, extensive liner notes and memorabilia

Double vinyl LP reissue of the very first Saunders/Garcia album
Live at Keystone due to be released concurrently

BERKELEY, Calif. — Keystone Companions/The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings, recorded live on July 10 and 11, 1973 at the Keystone club in Berkeley, California, beautifully captures the magical musical friendship of keyboardist Merl Saunders and guitarist Jerry Garcia. The Fantasy Records lavish four-disc set, scheduled for September 25, 2012 release on the heels of the 70th anniversary of Garcia’s birth, includes seven previously unreleased tracks, a special booklet featuring vintage photos; liner notes by Grateful Dead expert David Gans; and a poster, coaster, button, and “scratchbook” (replicating the design of the original album’s promotional matchbooks).

The sterling band featured Saunders on keyboards; Garcia, guitar and vocals; John Kahn, bass; and Bill Vitt, drums. Virtuoso David Grisman added mandolin to Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street.” The mix of songs ranged from Saunders originals to covers of songs by Jimmy Cliff, Junior Parker, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Rodgers & Hart, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Don Nix and Dan Penn and Dylan.

San Francisco-born keyboardist Merl Saunders had been writing and performing in New York before returning to the West Coast. Producer Nick Gravenites offered him studio work that included playing with guitarist Jerry Garcia, already at the helm of one of the world’s most popular rock bands, the Grateful Dead. “Garcia reminded me of [jazz guitarist] Eric Gale,” Saunders recollected, “Anything he played was very musical. He knew how to do a rhythm on any kind of tune — gospel, blues, jazz. I was amazed.”

Saunders also helped Garcia expand his harmonic knowledge and even showed him some Art Tatum runs. “He taught me music,” Garcia said of his friend.

By December 1970, a weekly jam session featuring Saunders, Garcia, Kahn, and Vitt had become a weekly gig at San Francisco’s Matrix. Of course Garcia was already a major figure in the musical counterculture as lead guitarist for the Dead, so he kept this new band low-key — so much that it never really had a name (although it was referred to as The Group at times.) As Garcia said, “I couldn’t take the pressure of being a double celebrity. It’s a drag just being it once.” (That didn’t stop the itinerant Garcia from having a third band as well, Old and In the Way, with David Grisman, Peter Rowan, and Vassar Clements.)

Live at Keystone, originally released as a double LP, was recorded by Grateful Dead associates Betty Cantor and Rex Jackson; all four artists are credited as producers. Additional material was released as Live at Keystone, Volumes 1 & 2 in 1988. Keystone Companions/The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings assembles the original recordings and presents them, remastered, in the order in which the songs were performed at those two shows. The repertoire spans blues, rockabilly, jazz, funk, Broadway, Motown, two Bob Dylan songs, and Jimmy Cliff’s immortal “The Harder They Come.” Some songs appear twice, providing the opportunity to hear how the band kept it loose and fresh.

As Gans notes, “This music is as exciting and satisfying 40 years later as it was on the day it was made.”

On the collection’s September 25 street date, Fantasy Records will also reissue, on multi-color double vinyl LP, the first Saunders/Garcia album Live at Keystone.

The first of five(!) Boris Midney reissue packages due from Harmless at end of August:
http://www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk/Product.aspx?ProductID=6152

dead.net's got a sampler stream, and a clip of Weir talking about this leg of the tour

And now for something a little different. This year's box set - Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 - offers six complete shows from the epic spring '90 tour, one concert from each city the band played, personally selected by Dead vaultmeister and archival release producer David Lemieux. The sizzling six are: 3/16/90 Capital Centre (Landover , MD), 3/19/90 Hartford Civic Center, 3/22/90 Copps Coliseum (Hamilton, Ontario), 3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena (Albany, NY), 3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum (Uniondale, NY) and 4/2/90 The Omni (Atlanta, GA).

In his "Producer's Note" in the beautiful book that is part of the box, Lemieux, who attended the first 10 shows on the tour, states, "To my ears this was the last tour that was consistently great, where every show is excellent, not a dud in the bunch." And Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally's comprehensive and informative insider's essay in the box is titled "The Last Great Dead Tour." These guys know what they're talking about!

Besides the discs themselves, Grateful Dead: Spring 1990 has much to offer, including: a gorgeous 60-page hardcover book containing copious color photos by Jim Anderson and Michael Laurentus, unique artwork by Brooklyn-based fine artist Wes Lang, fascinating business letters and communications related to the tour, a detailed historical essay by Dennis McNally, a Producer's Note by David Lemieux and individual show descriptions by Blair Jackson; a reproduction of the Dead's 1990 tour program (printed and sold later in '90, for the fall and Europe '90 tours); tickets and backstage passes of all six shows; a band publicity photo from 1990 by Ken Friedman; Dennis McNally's tour laminate; and reproductions of the colored 8x10 sheets GDTS sent out with hotel, food and other information for each city on the tour.

With recordings made by longtime Grateful Dead recordist and producer John Cutler, mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD, you just know it's gonna sound great - and it does!

That's the straight-to-your-in-box skinny, you can get ALL the details of this Dead.net exclusive here.

This box is limited to just 9,000 numbered copies - please note, this is the only time these shows will ever be officially available on CD . There will not be an All Music Edition and single shows will not be available physically. Due to ship out August 31st, we anticipate that this extraordinary set will sell-out, so order your copy today!

(If you're looking for more of a bite-sized taste of '90, Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It, a 2-CD set featuring a handful of favorites, will be in stores on September 18th. You can also pre-order it here.)

TALKIN' ABOUT SPRING 1990

We welcome you to listen to a mighty fine selection from 3/16/90, Capital Center, Landover, MD here.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE - WES LANG
Wes Lang
We've been enamored with fine artist Wes Lang's hand-drawn work ever since we came across his contemporary interpretations of the Dead's classic iconography and we hope you will be too.

Get to know Wes in an exclusive interview with Blair Jackson.

SHOP THE SPRING 1990 BOUTIQUE
In conjunction with our limited-edition Spring 1990 box, we proudly present the Grateful Dead X Wes Lang collection. In the official Spring 1990 boutique, you'll find limited-edition hoodies, t-shirts, stickers and more. These items are one-run only, so get them while you can! Explore the store here*.

Spring 1990
Take home this stellar Wes Lang Indian Skull 16x20 poster (only 500 made!) with your box and save $20. Learn more here.
*All Spring 1990 purchases will be processed through the Spring 1990 boutique at Dead.net/spring1990store. If you wish to purchase a non-Spring 1990 product, you may do so separately at Dead.net/store.

What's Inside

60 page Hardcover Smyth-Sewn book featuring essays by Dennis McNally, David Lemieux, and Blair Jackson and photos by Jim Anderson & Michael Laurentus
25th Anniversary Tour Program
Official Band Letters
6 Ticket Stubs
6 Cloth Sticker Backstage Passes
1 Tour Laminate
Official 1990 Band publicity shot
6 complete shows on 18 discs
3/16/90 Capital Center, Landover, MD
3/19/90 Civic Center, Hartford, CT
3/22/90 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON, Canada
3/26/90 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY
3/30/90 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
4/2/90 The Omni, Atlanta, GA

Recorded by long-time Grateful Dead audio engineer John Cutler
Mastered by Jeffrey Norman in HDCD
Original art by Wes Lang
Individually Numbered, Limited Edition of 9,000
Fun Facts
-80 unique songs are included the box

-50 songs were only played once during these six shows

-24 songs were only played twice during these six shows

-This box features the last live performances of "Death Don't Have No Mercy," "Built To Last," and "Believe It Or Not"

When David suggested I do the liner notes for this box, my first reaction was of uncertainty. For me, as I would guess for all who traveled with the band, the '90s were not an entirely happy memory - first Brent, then Jerry's decline, and finally the tour from hell and what followed. Not so good. Then I listened to this box...and my jaw dropped. This is the Dead playing as well as they ever did, with energy, sophistication, and even joy. Whew!
Dennis McNally
The band stormed into the '90s like they were on a mission to prove that after 25 years together, they still had the fire burning in them, that they were "built to last." Night after night in the spring of '90 their high-energy assault left their sold-out crowds happy and exhausted-what a feeling!
- Dennis McNally
Working on these Spring 90s shows has been a complete pleasure..the band is playing great and John Cutler has captured it all, with powerful and revealing mixes.this is big stuff .
- Jeffrey Norman
In the glorious arc of the Dead's 30-year career, the Spring 1990 tour was one of the all-time highest peaks, fully equal to the golden ages of Fillmore '70 or Europe '72. All the pieces just came together - impassioned vocals, the Brent/Jerry mind-meld, the MIDI expansion of the band's sonic vocabulary, and a bunch of new tunes and choice revivals - with the X factor in full mind-bending effect. It was a great time to be a Deadhead.
- Steve Silberman
"Without hesitation, when anyone asks me are what the best tours in Grateful Dead history, I mention Spring '90 amongst Europe '72, Fall '73, and Spring '77. The music was consistently great every night of the tour, and the tour included some of the best shows in Grateful Dead history. A truly epic three week span in the Grateful Dead's career.
- David Lemieux

Paul Ngozi, The Ghetto QDK Media, via forcedexposure)7/31--from 1976, "zamrock," Zambian trad elements and language x heavy 70s rock. Kind of a proto-metal Marley fan? Well, title track incl observations of booze abuse in ghetto life's implosion, "Help Me" scared of a man at the door: "He looks like a hippie..He looks like a bushman..." Neighbors eventually to the rescue, and what they do to the stranger is left to the music's implications, but here's where the album's demo tendencies are a bit frustrating (no actual demos here, apparently). "Who Will Know" (when God comes) might be another suspect figure, judging by tension, good, Suicide: "No matter what your Mama does--thou shall not commit it!" Fuzz tones and thin though sometimes fluid picking coat and brush big bass, crisp minimal drums, riff cycles, not too familiar and good little tempo shifts on "Ulesi Tileke", my fave so far of the more Zambian tracks (still rocking). The top end gets a richer, fuller sound on "Can't You Hear Me"; "Jesus Christ" is the fastest and heaviest, could imagine early Sabs doing this. Rec also to fans of the James Gang and some of Wino's more recent, stripped down stuff. But they prob were better live, or could have been. I'd def start with xpost Cerebrum for a more fully realized album, actual demos and all.

http://images.hhv.de/catalog/detail_big/00266/266339_1.jpg

Press sheet advises "You will love this if you liked The Witch and Amanaz" Apparently Chrissy Zabby Tembo & Ngozi Family is "famous among collectors."

Ngozi's "Bamayo" on The Ghetto LP is worth the price of admission alone (and yes, I mean the nonsensical $35-40 that everyone's charging). The Chrissy Zebby Tembo LP is very fine; the Ngozi Family 45,000 Volts LP is even larger.