July 15th and not a child in the house washed….tick tock, tick tock….so much time, so little to do….come with me and we’ll be… in a world of pure unknownness.
Sick of me talking about the move yet…? ( give it another few weeks, you’ll know what sick feels like!)
Not a whole pile happening in the releases world again so yer stuck listening to my problems …as i’m sure ye have none of yer own like..
We plan to close in the current location in Douglas Court on Sunday the 7th or Monday the 8th of August and will be open on Thursday the 11th of August in Douglas Village Shopping Centre….The next chapter to commence….I will be quite sad leaving the shop in DC to be honest ( As i was in Carrigaline….That was a baby to me back then in 2001….I was only a baby myself …Just 27)….. Mainly because that unit was always a record shop (more or less from the very start) and i did enjoy my time there….But onwards and upwards hopefully….Feedback from joe public is positive…3 out of 4 people i would say are positive ( ye folks are not considered in the joe public category in case i cause offence….its the now 93 buyer, walking past, don’t really know them too well joe public, i was on about….so hopefully that will be the case….i’m kinda banking on ye guys finding us over there….no pressure like!)
HMV as ye probably heard are pulling out of Ireland as all remaining shops, the 4 or 5, are to be closed by the end of the year….i think all except one in Dublin will be gone well before year end….If some not gone already.
It’s kind of amazing really ….Such a powerful brand in this game of ours….No longer…It’s a pity as well…..Is there even 25 record shops in Ireland now…I’d say thats tops…One shop for every 200,000 people…. Where will it stop?….Who knows….. In 2007 there were over 100 record shops in Ireland.. In 2007 recorded music sales in Ireland amounted to 72 million… That figure in 2012 was 33 million …..The cull was well and truly under way…. I must try and get recent figures because for us after the years of hell above, we saw a bounce and have shown increases albeit slight enough last year….That’s why the HMV thing was a bit surprising , I thought they had weathered the storm also… But who knows the inner workings and the bills etc etc…..Anyway tis a shame.
Anyway, enough of all that says ye, what’s coming out Ray for christs sake…
Releases for next Friday the 22nd of July are a bit sparse again i’m afraid for ye folks but the Summer NOW compilation is out for us via Universal….94 for those of ye keeping count…
BEAR’S DEN new album is out next friday also on CD and LP.
Universal do have some nice ALLMAN BROTHERS Vinyl reissues including ‘At Filmore East , ‘Eat The Peach’, and the self titled album….. 8 LPs in total getting repressed.
Lastly, Universal have a NINA SIMONE vinyl box set ….7 LPs from her Decca time.
Essential are reissuing ORBITAL’s “Wonky” next week.
Sony for next week have a live OPETH LP from Shepherds Bush, London, called “LAMENTATIONS”.
Sony also reissue “Shades of God” by PARADISE LOST and they have a Dermot O Leary ‘Saturday Sessions’ CD.
I’m going off down the lane o sidetracks (Cork haunt) now again so please excuse me…. A few of ye from up the country including Tipp Lad will get a chuckle or a tear (of joy) from this… Cork hurling…
I’m going to put my spoke in (apologies music lovers).. There are about 20 things need to be remedied in Cork GAA for the young hurlers of the county to flourish again… I am going to mention one critical one in my opinion… I went to a Christian Brothers National school in the early eighties.. 80-85.. Going to hurling training was PART of school, even though it was AFTER school… You just had to go, or you took your chances and tried to avoid a few slaps otherwise… 9/10/11 year old kids are in school 5 days a week, 40 weeks of the year?.. That’s a lot of hurling being done when it’s PART of school / after school type thing.. Lay teachers in today’s world simply cannot give that time.. Everyone is busy… Collect the kids from the childminder, call here, pay that, do this…. Busy, busy, busy and i’d say a lot of kids today don’t want to do it maybe… So it’s an uphill battle.. You start national school in Kilkenny and you are given a hurley day one… It’s a different mindset.. It’s rural… It’s parist.. It’s more important to them.. Begs the question I suppose, how important is it?… Joe Canning of Galway recently said that he is trying to concentrate more on his new business because after all hurling is only a hobby… Still nice to bring Liam home every now and then though….
I do this newsletter mainly on a Thursday night (turned into blog on Wednesday) but cut it about 12:30AM, and Bobby or myself add the links, pictures, etc on a Friday and send it out… So here I am cribbing about hurling and as I finish this I see on Twitter what has happened in Nice… Isn’t it a disgusting world that we live in at times… Utterly disgusted.. Words fail me.. Disgusting filth..
Warner finally for the 22nd of July have a few EARTH WIND AND FIRE LP reissues, as well asCARCASS ‘Choice Cuts’, which is a best of 2LP gatefold.. Also out through Warner is a SUEDE best of on CD, and lastly the NEON DEMON O.S.T by Cliff Martinez (ex Chili Pepper) on 2LP Red and Blue Swirly Vinyl with code… His soundtrack for Drive is brilliant, so this could also be a great one.
Back to normal this week or attempting to get back there anyway.
Loads going on with the impending move to Douglas Village happening now in early August….under the duvet never looked better Monday morning last….i did look hard there but alas up and at it…..i’m sure ye have had that feeling
The place was in safe hands with Bobby and the lads keeping the ship afloat…nice newsletters from the Bob man also.
Excited about the move….loads to be organised so it’s a bit nerve wracking and daunting and a bit scary but excited all the same….we hope to put our own stamp on the place and make it a nice shop….that’s the plan anyway…twil be great in one sense to get the move under way….it’s dragged since Jan 29th this year.
So, moving on to releases for the the 15th of July, the biggest arguable is the new MICHAEL KIWANUKU album, his second, called “ Love and Hate” on CD and double gatefold LP on Polydor records.
This one could be a surprise packet of the year….maybe one of the albums of the year in my opinion by the time the year ends…….worth checking out….. again in my opinion…people have been interested in this album from months back….here’s a taster to save you a few key taps….we are a world of key tappers now really aren’t we….key tapping and red tape….automated cars that tumble into traffic…
Steven Tyler ( Aerosmith ) has a solo offering coming out next friday the 15th also….his maiden solo journey…Universal also have have a couple of FRANK ZAPPA CDs reissued “ zappa for president” and “ the crux of the biscuit” ….both of these reissues have previously unreleased material.
UNIVERSAL also have the next batch of PETER GABRIEL vinyl reissues, these include the fairly obviously excellent “ SO” as well as triple LPs “ UP” and “US” …. All of these are limited and numbered with codes also.
On codes…..codes should be a given….end of story….Mr. record company man, make codes a given….i have seen cost prices of some good selling catalogue vinyl like THE STONE ROSESdebut album increase 20% since the turn of the year….greedy guts creeping in….least you can do is throw in a code….sometimes code not mentioned on the cover and the code is in there, other times it is not there…..CODES SHOULD BE A GIVEN.
Universal also some LP reissues from THE HUMAN LEAGUE and SONIC YOUTH as well as some DVDs from MARVIN GAYE, OZZY OSBOURNE, JONI MITCHELL and a new album from supergroup DEAD DAISIES “ make some noise” on red vinyl.
Proper for the 15th of July have a new album from GOOD CHARLOTTES, a 2CD/2DVD ofTREXs born to boogie and a new album from DAVID CORLEY….went to see David, last year now id say, in the mighty Coughlan’s and got chatting with him at the bar….asked him would he like a drink…..a whiskey please….no bother….a guinness and a whisky so please mr bartender….two minutes later David and i say good luck after a nice chat as he leaves with a Guinness and a whiskey!! Sound lad David twas just an honest mistake…( if even five of ye even get that quip it would be a result….best ignore me i think… i got too much sun in Shanagarry)
Sony have new CDs out next week from PITBULL and 9ELECTRIC as well as Vinyl releases from JUDAS PRIEST “battle cry” and ASAP FERG “ ALWAYS STRIVE AND PROSPER” gets its LP release also.
Struggling a small bit to find my mojo this week so apologies if i was brief ( ye could be delighted!)
Just one more quick note… We have now started started selling CD on the website. Same scenario as LPs, 1 or 2 copies 5EUR shipping, free on 3+ bought.. Only a small few up now, but hoping to have most of the shop up in around 6-8 weeks so keep and eye..
So,
Sin e for this week….
David Corley has a song called just an honest mistake in case ye think i’m completely sun stroked…
We’ll start with probably the biggest release, which is the seventh studio record from Kilmarnock’s finest BIFFY CLYRO, entitled ‘Ellipsis’, out through Warner.. Now, many of ye probably know that I am a slight bit Biffy mad.. Well, totally Biffy mad.. So it’s a fitting week for me to be doing the newsletter!
This LP marks the start of a new era for the band, with the first three records showcasing the weird, math style metal that the band started with, and the second three records becoming the ‘epic’ rock records, filled with orchestras and mariachi bands.. While they have stripped back to the ‘bare essentials’, from what I have heard of the new record, it is a combination of both styles. It contains the heavy, riffy, weirdness of the first three albums, while mixing in the huge catchyness of the later three. Check out the single ‘Animal Style’ below, if you like guitar riffs, it should be one for you! (And at the end of the video they smash their gear, must have took Ray’s advice in the debate from a few weeks back!). One of the best rock songs of the last few years in my opinion. But different strokes for different folks as they say!
We will be getting the extremely limited clear Indie only vinyl of ‘Ellipsis’, with only 1000 being sent out worldwide.. On top of this, the kind folk at Warner have also included the ‘Wolves of Winter’ 7’’ single for every clear vinyl bought as a FREEBIE.. This 7’’ once again is extremely limited, and has only seen the light of day through a special deluxe box set which was exclusive to the band’s website, so it is a nice one! (Although, I think in the UK only HMV have got an exclusive of it, but it’s £8 without shipping.. Ohh the great beasts in the sky.. Sorry Ray, I had to!)..
Because this is so limited (we hopefully will get around 20), we will be taking names, with it being first come first served! So if you’re interested pop us a mail and we’ll stick your name down!
Also out from Warner next week for July 8th is the GONE IS GONE self titled debut LP.. Gone is Gone is a supergroup consisting of Troy Sanders, the singer and bass player from Mastodon, Troy Van Leeuwen, one of the guitarists for Queens of the Stone Age, Tony Hajjar, the drummer for At the Drive-In, and Mike Zarin, so looking forward to this one! Between this and Biffy it’s gonna be a head banging day in the shop next Friday! Also out from Warner for July 8th is three more BOWIE CD reissues, Earthling, Hours and Outside, which were previously done through Sony but have been difficult to get more recently..
The next of the PRINCE reissues is also out through Warner next week, with ‘Around The World In A Day’, which was Prince’s 7th studio album from 1985. Finally for Warner for July 8th is a deluxe reissue of K.D LANG’s third album from 1989, entitled ‘Absolute Torch and Twang’, which comes on LP with a lyric insert and a bonus 7” single which contains “Our Day Will Come” (K.D. Lang with Take 6) and “Three Cigarettes In An Ashtray” (K.D. Lang Live from BBC). The album hasn’t been out on vinyl for 25 years.
Not too much happening for Universal for July 8th. Their biggest release is the new album by ABC, ‘Lexicon of Love II’, which makes its vinyl debut after the CD was released a few weeks back, to great reviews. It only took 34 years since the release of the first ‘Lexicon of Love’ which stormed the 80s, and features 10 new tracks penned by Martin Fry! All you need is love!
Uni also have a couple of EMINEM reissues out on vinyl, including ‘The Slim Shady LP’, ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’, ‘The Eminem Show’, ‘Relapse’, ‘Recovery’, ‘Curtain Call’, and ‘Encore’. Most of these were near to impossible to get before this, and may never have been printed before, besides from the boxset which they released about 18 months ago. Uni also have the new LAWSON CD, entitled ‘Perspective’.
Sony for July 8th have some new series of artist’s greatest hits on vinyl, entitled ‘The Essential’. Some of ye might be aware of the series because they’ve had them on CD for the last few years, but this is the first time they will be printed on vinyl. I remember one of my first ever CDs that I bought with my pocket money was Bob Dylan’s ‘The Essential’ a good few years ago now.. For about a year I never turned off CD 1 because I thought it was the best thing ever.. I have since listened to CD 2, it is equally as good!
So in this series, next Friday we will have ELVIS PRESLEY ‘The Essential’, BOB DYLAN‘The Essential’, and JOHNNY CASH ‘The Essential’, all on vinyl!
A good few nice bits out next week from PIAS. First up is ‘Take Up Her Monto’, the highly anticipated follow up to last year’s Mercury Prize nominated ‘Hairless Toys’ from Ireland’s own ROISÍN MURPHY. I really enjoyed the last record, great electronic feel to it, with a great beat, which normally wouldn’t be my thing. Also caught some of her set at Glastonbury last weekend and looked like one of the highlights, a great performer. So looking forward to this one!
More electronic goodness from PIAS for next Friday includes THE AVALANCHES second studio LP, entitled ‘Wildflower’. The album has been in production since 2005, and is the group’s first album in almost 16 years.. Is Axl Rose a member?.. In all fairness, there is 21 tracks on this album, and features plenty of collaborations, including tracks with WARREN ELLIS, and FATHER JOHN MISTY. And the lead single is called ‘Frankie Sinatra’. It wins my vote over Democracy.. Sorry Axl! It is available as a DLP.
DEAD CAN DANCE, which is a duo consisting of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard have a couple of vinyl represses from PIAS next Friday, July 8th. These include their debut self titled album, their second album ‘Spleen and Ideal’, and their sixth album ‘Into The Labyrinth’. ALEX SOMMES (Sigur Ros) has ‘Music From The Film Captain Fantastic’ also out through PIAS, this one on coloured vinyl and is housed in a handmade bespoke gatefold sleeve with rounded edges complete with digital download card.
PIAS also have a 12’’ reissue of MODEST MOUSE / 764 HERO’s ‘Whenever You See Fit’, on limited, coloured vinyl. Probably Seattle’s best outing at the time, a classic.. And finally through PIAS is the new APHEX TWIN EP, entitled ‘Cheetah’, which uses digital sound generation techniques combined with wave sequencing technology to bring you sounds with movement and depth rarely found on records today. (Thanks PIAS notes!).
And finally, Essential for the 8th of July have some JOHN PRINE CD reissues, including ‘Aimless Love’, ‘Lost Dogs / Mixed Blessings’, ‘Live on Tour’, ‘In Person, On Stage’, and ‘’The Singing Mailman Delivers’..
So, as ye know, the Bossman is back to the shop early next week. I hope ye all have enjoyed your short break from rants as much as he has enjoyed his holidays..
Hope you have enjoyed the last two newsletters! I’ll have to do another one sometime soon, when I come up with something to rant about, but until then…
Short and sweet from me this week but Bobby will add in his own younger better looking slant on it for a bit this week, and fully next week.. (And hopefully add in his performance video from his music course final exam also)..
Firstly, thanks to everyone for the kind wishes about the move…. I will keep ye abreast of our comings and goings when I get back from the sunny south east coastline…
Warner for the 1st of July have BLINK 182’s new record ‘California’, on CD/LP and limited indie only silver vinyl with code… The punk popes’ 7th album since 1992 I think… The band now have Matt Skiba (of Alkaline Trio) as singer after replacing Tom DeLonge from the group..Quick Bobby input : Tom came out during the week announcing his reason for leaving the group was to hunt UFO’s… Interesting to say the least.. Taking the newsletters ‘big beast in the sky’ recurrence to a whole new level! Who said rock n’ roll is dead?
Warner also have the new BAT FOR LASHES record again on a limited indie only pink vinyl for 5,000 copies worldwide (a double LP in fact) and CD and standard double LP.. ‘The Bride’ is a concept album by Bat For Lashes which follows the story of a woman whose fíancee has been killed in a crash on the way to the church for their wedding… (Must have nicked that idea from Morrissey somewhere along the way).
Warner also have a 3CD ERIC CLAPTON + GUESTS ‘Crossroads Revisited’, as well as some METRONOMY reissues on LP and a limited MUDDY WATERS Live LP, entitled ‘Hoochie Coochie Man – Live At The Rising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club’ on DLP.. This was meant to be released for RSD but it did not get out of the pressing plant in time…. But here it is now…
Now I pass the reigns to Bobby for his mini State of The Nation address this week, as well as the rest of the new releases for July 1st… Thanks all, see ye when i’m back please god..
Hey everyone! Due to the huge success of my brilliant vinyl video last week, we have decided it is time for me to take charge for a week or two, and try entertain ye with some fresh rambling! In the words of Planty, Ramble On!
First up for release for the 1st of July from Universal is the come back single ‘All For One’ by the mighty Stone Roses! Unfortunately it is a 1 track, 1 sided 7’’ with no B-Side, as is gonna cost 12EUR.. Bit sharp for a 1 track 7’’.. Who knows, maybe Mani is saving up for some UFO hunting kits..
Universal also have a new CD from sensational violinist NICOLA BENEDETTI, entitled ‘Shostakovich Violin Concerto No.1, Glazunov Violin Concerto’, as well as 6 CLASSIC albums reissued on LP, mastered at half speed for ultimate sound quality, including theROLLING STONES ‘Exile on Main Street’, CREAM’S ‘Disraeli Gears’, JOHN MARTYN’s‘Solid Air’, SIMPLE MINDS’ ‘New Gold Dream’, and finally THE POLICE ‘Ghost In The Machine’. All were cut by legendary engineer Miles Showell, of Abbey Road Studios.
Also out from Universal for July 1st is the new LP from grammy winning SNARKY PUPPY, entitled ‘Culcha Vulcha’, their first in two years.. If you haven’t heard these guys, well worth checking out! Hard to pin point a genre to them, ranging in everything from rock, R&B, funk, soul, jazz, bossa nova, and most importantly played by a band who you can tell absolutely love what they do! Had the pleasure myself of getting to see their keys and hammond organ player Cory Henry in Cyprus Avenue in May, and was completely blown away! He played alone with a drummer, on a day that happened to be Stevie Wonder’s birthday.. A special night! Have never seen a musician on that caliber before!
Sony for the 1st of July have a new album from MAXWELL, another R&B, Soulful type grammy winner. The album entitled ‘blackSUMMER’S Night’ is out on LP and CD. Prog Metal band FATES WARNING have a new album out through Sony as well for next Friday, called ‘Theories of Flight’, their twelfth record.. The video for the lead single ‘White Flag’ is an interesting one.. A close up, guitar playthrough video, with the band’s three guitarists just shot in one go playing the song.. The guitar nerd in me loves it, but can’t see MTV jumping on the bandwagon.. Surely the band saved a bit of money this way. Fair play. Maybe they’re saving for UFO hunting gear too..
Also out from Sony is another (yes, another!) couple of E.L.O reissues, of ‘Face the Music’ and ‘Time’, both on LP.. And finally from Sony is Swedish hard rock / metal group Pain Of Salvation, with ‘Remedy Lane : Revisited’, the remixed and relived take on the album will be on 2CD Digipack, and 2LP, which includes a new sonic take on the original LP, and a live album from a 2014 show.
Next up is PIAS, with not much happening for the 1st of July after their mammoth release of Radiohead last week.. Biggest release for them is the new SARA WATKINS LP, entitled ‘Young in all The Wrong Ways’. Watkins is most known for her role as fiddle player in the bluegrass group Nickel Creek, but has now ventured solo with the new LP being her third solo record.. ‘Young in all The Wrong Ways’ could be a nice title for this new, fresh newsletter?..
Proper for July 1st have a new CRADLE OF FILTH reissue, with 2011’s mini album ‘Evermore Darkly’ making its first appearance on the vinyl format.
And finally on the new release front for this week is the reissue of American alternative rock group NADA SURF’s fourth record from 2005, entitled ‘The Weight Is A Gift’.. This one is done by City Slang, through Republic of Music.
As Ray asked earlier, I better include the video from my final year performance with UCC Music.. The gig took place in the middle of May this year in Cyprus Avenue, with the theme of my performance being a dedication to Fender guitars, as the company celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. With that I attempted to showcase a chronological performance through the decades of guitarists who have used the Fender in a unique way to obtain their own unique sound, becoming icons of the Stratocaster. Starting with the ‘pure’ clean blues tone of Hank Marvin and the Shadows, moving right through to the thick, heavy distortion of Biffy Clyro’s metal influence, it is a collection of songs from the icons who have inspired me to play guitar myself! So if you have a spare half an hour some evening, here it is!
Hopefully I haven’t missed anything! (Sorry Ray if I have!)
If you have any enquiries over the next week, feel free to throw us an email even though Ray is away, and we will do our best to help! And if we can’t, all messages will be passed on to Ray once he is back!
Or for those who prefer the video, ye know where to go! Bobby’s back this week! May have to get him a bit more!
Roll up, roll up then for the biggest release Friday of the year so far on the 17th of June (have a great day Dave from Cork by the way!)… Four or five big releases… Two mammoth releases… The mightyRADIOHEAD are back with their ninth album ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’ (some would have mentioned their omission from the greatest band of the 90’s category.. Huge merit in that argument.. Others mentionedNIRVANA.. Same goes there.. More on that debate later)
THIS IS THE BIGGEST RELEASE OF THE YEAR outside BOWIE‘Blackstar’ album, which grew legs because, well you know why.. I have kept myself from listening to it.. Not even 10 seconds.. So really looking forward to it..
We have some very exciting news about this physical Radiohead release for next Friday June 17th.. Very special promotion happening, with us being one of only three shops in Ireland participating.. Only news we can say for now :
”A UNIQUE RADIOHEAD EVENT TAKING PLACE ON FRIDAY JUNE 17 AT RECORD STORES GLOBALLY. FEATURES AN EXCLUSIVE DAY LONG AUDIO STREAM FROM THE BAND, COMPETITIONS, INSTRUCTIONAL ARTWORKS AND MORE.”
Check out your favourite little corporation here on the very unique Radiohead map :
PIAS also have the new SWANS record, ‘The Glowing Man’ on 2CD/DVD or 3LPS.. A fine release in it’s own right..
The second mammoth release on the 17th of June is the new RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS album, entitled ‘The Getaway’ on CD and Double LP Gatefold + printed insert through Warner. I like the new single.. A lot actually.. I know a lot of Chili hardcore fans are unsure about it.. Another one to listen on Friday!
Also Warner are reissuing the BOWIE ‘Live in Santa Monica 1972’ on LP.. (It’s a breakout from the 5 Years vinyl boxset), as well as the live ‘Ziggy – Motion Picture Soundtrack’.
NEKO CASE, LAURA VEIRS and K.D. LANG release an album on Anti Records, Indie exclusive white vinyl on this one..
Some reissues out from Warner on the 17th also include J.J CALE final studio album from 2009 ‘Roll On’, AMADOU + MARIAM’s ‘Welcome to Mali’ on 2LP or CD…. First time on vinyl in this territory……buzz word… (Multi channel consumption is still my favourite buzz word at the moment though!!).. And finally, aWALTER TROUT ‘Alive in Amsterdam’ release on Provogue on 2CD or 3LP with codes.
If anyone who reads this has bought off the website I would appreciate it if you had thirty seconds to put a quick review here.
https://musiczone.ie/reviews/
If you have not bought off the webstore and want a little game of roll-play…. I don’t mind (really) if you want to pretend that you have bought off the webstore and leave a few lines there also… If you have 30 seconds.. No panic either like!!
Universal have the new JAKE BUGG record out on the 17th of June also… I like this kid.. Always did… Time for him to take a real step forward I hope.. So another one to listen to!! Bit spoilt for choice next week… Need a few days off to recover from all the listening, I must do… Tough auld station sometimes…
MUMFORD AND SONS have a new EP out with BAABA MAAL which is excellent!
It’s on 10’’ vinyl EP, CD or cassette.. Yep.. Cassette.. Mix tapes are back as pressies I was told by a 15 year old.. Mix tapes are back… The plunge into cassettes lies in the corporation’s future with some replica Irish European championship medals.. Only slagging… COYBIG
Universal are reissuing GRACE JONES’ ‘Warm Leatherette’, 27 track collection.. Original album, plus mixes and B-Sides…
Uni have the MARVIN GAYE 71-81 7CD boxset out as well as the latest STAR WARS / JOHN WILLIAMS‘Force Awakens’ hologram vinyl.. Lastly Universal have a couple of LIL WAYNE vinyl reissues..
Sony for the 17th have the LAURA MVULA record ‘The Dreaming Room’ on CD and LP.
Essential for the 17th have the 10th Anniversary of THE ANSWER’S album ‘Rise’..
Cargo for the 17th of June have PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING ‘The Race For Space’ remixes on Test Card Recordings… The two boys choose their remix partners and it is supposed to be stunning… If you missed these boys till now, well worth a listen.. Doing something a bit different.. Fresh.. Sounds great in my opinion.. Check out here
Cargo also have SONIC YOUTH’s ‘Spine Head’ reissue which has been previously unreleased from 1996.
Republic of Music have some JOHN CARPENTER’s 12’’ picture disc singles of ‘Halloween / Escape from New York’ and a reissue on vinyl of the 1975 CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH album ‘Wind on the Water’..
The mighty STONE ROSES have dropped the second single of new material at 12 o’ clock last night.. Haven’t heard it myself yet… Have been getting texts all morning saying ‘not as bad aye?!’.. It was the first thing Bobby working in the shop mentioned today.. ‘Ray have you heard the new single? 7 minutes long, funky and more classic Roses sounding’.. I have to say All For One is growing more and more on me.. But looking forward to hearing this now!
That’s it!!
I wasn’t bullsh*tting when I said it is a Freaky Friday, Fab Friday, Financially Fecking Me Up Friday, Fearless Friday… Whatever floats your boat Friday.. Walk down the aisle Friday… For some Daithi anyway!
Right moving on for a few minutes… Some interesting responses during the week from a few of ye, RE : The Great Debate… Where have all the great bands gone?… I know some of you are maybe cold to this pig and pug show but let’s drive on for a small bit more on it… I have 3 various responses here, all male aged 27, 28 and 18 respectively..
(First Response)
Secondly, that questions of rock music has been asked recently on metal Ireland but in terms of black and death and to boil it down, people under 25 who are into Machine Head and that ilk are not going to be interested in the likes of Bathory. I reckon this is a view of patrons of more alternative scenes, music has evolved past our individual tastes and due to the fact trends change so quick now, you’re not going to get these super band’s of eras anymore. The closest to them these days is Biffy or Kasabian but there no Zepellin or Sabbath, not even an Oasis.
(Second Response : @MusicBlabber on Twitter)
I’ve been intrigued by your rantings on the state of modern music from yourself and your
customers over the past few weeks Ray, basically because it’s something I have often discussed
(and ranted about) myself, especially when you look at the amount of reissues of 60’s, 70’s and 80’s music that has been going on over the past few years. I am from a generation that was conscious of the change between the physical and virtual, a generation that understands that both formats are as essential as the other. As a teenager I grew up in a rock filled environment where nu metal was taking off and could be argued was the last real version of rock and roll. If you look at how rock music evolved from the middle of the last century, there has been little or no evolution in rock since 2007/2008. The whole landscape of music has changed drastically in the past six years. There’s so much more sounds, equipment and technology influencing bands now that the sound has changed hugely. Pop music has never been more influenced by the hip hop beat blueprint and even a lot of electronic music now interchanges with trap style sounds.
Ten years ago when I was not long out of school, you could name out most music genres in a minute or two. Now you need a degree to break down the amount genres there are. Look at rock, there’s art, folk, alt, post, soft, hard, indie and no doubt I’m forgetting a couple there. At this point you might be wondering where is he going with all this but Ray like I pointed out in the heading, you’ve hit the nail on the head, “they love their tunes as much as we did.” The only difference now is choice. There is so much choice, the general fan bases are spread wider. I often hear people say there are no bands like Queen, The Stones, Zeppelin or The Beatles nowadays. If you mean making music, there is but there just not in the “Beatles Mania” side of things. There are artists today bigger than them just in a different genre. I’l get annihilated now for saying this with the old school rockers but acts like Beyonce, Kanye West and Rihanna are as big or bigger than the heavy hitters mentioned earlier. Now I don’t want to admit it but you can’t argue with the facts. Ask any average person in their twenties to name ten songs from Beyonce and Queen, I bet you Beyonce will reign superior. Unfortunately, we have our brutal radio service to thank for the majority of that but that’s a discussion for another day.
With regard to artists taking political stands there are plenty doing it though again it’s a different genre. Look up Kendrick Lamar on youtube and you’ll see the amount of his music has been involved in civil rights. The guy has been pretty much the soundtrack to the black lives matter campaign in America. I think the problem is most modern “rock stars” got too image conscious. It all became the look of being a rock star instead of just going out and rocking out to songs with depth. Instead now poser pretty boys like The 1975 are considered the rock stars but unfortunately they just amount to the tired old rock and roll cliché. I’ve worked in a lot of schools and to say that young people don’t feel music anymore couldn’t be further from the truth. If anything there more experimental with music than ever before, the old dinosaurs just need to realise that their beloved rock and roll got pawned off to the posers (The 1975) and the popstars (Coldplay). I better leave it there but to go back to your original point, there are kids in garages making unreal music, there just not the same garages.
Third Response
Hi Ray, one of the highlights of my week, every week, is reading these newsletters. I’m in Leaving Cert year and I don’t have a lot more to look forward too haha (thankfully it’s almost over) I thought your friend made some very strong points in regard to music for the youth. As an 18 year old I can tell you I most certainly still do care about music!! But maybe a bit more than some of my friends…a lot of my friends don’t understand why I collect records..they tell me why don’t I just use spotify? or why don’t I just torrent it? I also am waiting for that next ‘mind blower.’ There hasn’t been a band in my generation that has got everyone talking like the Beatles did, unfortunately. I grew up listening to the Arctic Monkeys and Gorillaz, which still are 2 of my favourite bands. ‘Demon Days’ by Gorillaz was the catalyst for my love of music and it had such a profound and lasting impact on me but I don’t think it had that sort of impact on everyone my age which is unfortunate and I’m still waiting for that band to blow me out of the water. I think he made a very good point about young people going to concerts, a lot of us aren’t interested in doing that and would rather go on a night out in town, its a pity. I’ve often asked friends to go to gigs and concerts etc and majority of the time they’ve no interest. It’s frustrating. Only a few weeks ago my uncle bought me a ticket to go see the Frank and Walters with him in the Opera House.. I had never listened to them beforehand and all I knew about them was that they were from cork but I thought I’d go to escape the study for a few hours. It turned out to be a great gig!! They truly put on a great show and so did Ruby Horse, supporting them and I’ve been a fan ever since. I also went to see Sufjan Stevens with my dad last August in the Helix in Dublin and I was the youngest person there. I don’t think there was anyone under 30 there which was a real pity. anyway I’ll leave it with that and I’ll be in buying more record when my exams are over!
So, three fresh interesting opinions there… I won’t pour my opinions down your throats on this after tonight, but please feel free to offer us your opinion… I am going back to the fav industry buzz term at the moment.. ‘Multi Channel Consumption’.. Some people will choose beef from a menu, others fish, others chicken, others vegetarian… We probably are the vegetarians of the music industry.. Maybe even the fruitarians!!
It has changed dramatically and probably will again… Shifting sounds and sands the whole time, musicians, record companies, retailers… I do still believe if you are really good enough… You will avoid the dilution and sanitization… The next supergroup is out there.. I do believe that.. I still argue none has been born yet this century, but I feel they will appear…
Words and melody.. Words and melody.. It’s what gets us, whether you like death metal or Coldplay.. Words and melody.. I started in music retailing 20 some years ago and then the only way you could get music was tape it from the radio, or buy it in a shop.. It’s a different world now.. But they’re out there… Maybe the supergroups are like buses…..theres one…oh theres another one
Or for those who prefer the video, this week’s video is now up! (Which actually covers the last two weeks, the sun has made us lazy!)
Releases with us for next Friday the 10th include PAUL MCCARTNEY self titled compilation album of his solo work, Wings stuff and Fireman stuff on a deluxe 67 track 4 CD box set or a 4 LP set also.
U2 – ‘Innocence and Experience Live in Paris; on DVD, BLU RAY, Deluxe 2 disc DVD and a limited ( pricey) super deluxe box which has the DVDs , BLU RAY , USB lightbulb, 64 page hardback via book, individually numbered dog tags, stencil set, postcard set, sticker sheet, pin badges and download codes for more stuff is also next Friday via Universal.
BAND OF HORSE’s fifth album “ Why Are You Ok” is also out on CD and LP via Virgin/EMI.
Universal also have the 50th anniversary of considered one of the greatest albums of all time, ‘Pet Sounds’ by THE BEACH BOYS ( note of interest…..if you have not seen Love and Mercy, the Brian Wilson movie….try watch…its excellent….well i thought it was anyway….probably a bit of hollywood license…but really good insight into the man i thought anyway..) this one on double CD, mono and stereo LP versions of the album and a 4 CD/Blu ray pack.
STEVE EARLE and SHAUN COLVIN are releasing a album together and there are some Sinatra reissues on Vinyl are out next Friday including “ Strangers In The Night” “ The World We Know” and “Songs For Swinging Lovers”.
Lastly from Universal for next week are some more quality LP reissues including THE POLICE, DRAKE, WEEZER,DIRE STRAITS and NATURAL BORN KILLERS OST.
Sony for next week have the complete VAN MORRISON “ It’s Too Late To Stop Now “ performances on 3 CD/DVD…VOLUMES II, III, IV of these live performances from his mythic 1973 tour with the Caledonia Soul Orchestra….11 piece band with string section….Van at the very top of his game arguably….the original album is getting re issued also on CD and LP….it was the first or very nearly the first live album to have no overdubs….moondance got the chop because of one single bum note!
TOM ODELL has his follow up to his million selling debut album out next week also, there is an ELO studio album CD set, ELO ‘Very Best Of’ on DLP, STONE ROSES ‘Very Best Of’ on DLP also…nice track listing….why wouldn’t there be says you….the new one is growing on me a bit to be honest….has a hook that gets in your head…..PREFAB SPROUT give us a reissue of the poptastic “ Steve Mcqueen “ on LP and the HENDRIX EXPERIENCE give us “Smash Hits “ on LP also….all the above out via Sony
PIAS for the 10th of June have GARBAGE’s new album, their 6th entitled ‘Strange Little Birds’. Also through PIAS is the new Temper Trap album ‘Thick as Thieves’..
Samaris second album is out via One Little Indian called ‘Black Lights’, and lastly PIAS have a double ‘Best Of’ by John Holt..
Bowie Reality Tour 3LP Set is also now in with us, lovely set to be fair..
Warner for the 10th have MOTORHEAD’s – ‘Clean Your Clock’ on CD/DVD, CD/Blu Ray, + 2LP with codes.. Recorded in Munich just 3 or 4 weeks before Lemmy left…
Warner have a CARS 6LP coloured vinyl boxset.. All different colours.. Also a JOHN COLTRANE
‘Mono Years’ 6CD + 6LP plus 7’’… New documentary also coming later in the year called ‘Chasin’ Trane’, supposed to be good..
Rick Astley new CD ‘50’ is also out next week, written and played by himself (fully).. That surprised me… Fair play, looks like he’s never gonna give us up… Eh hemm.. Sorry..
I had a few reactions to last week’s newsletter when i suppose i asked the questions where’s the great stuff….where’s the top shelf stuff….kids , what are ye doing…..those questions….here’s one reaction from a good friend of mine and the shops.
“Morning Ray, Really enjoyed reading this weeks newsletter from the corporation and you raised some interesting points. I’d like to add my two cents worth so get ready for a ramble. In the letter you write of the industry still pushing the “old reliables” like the Stones, Beatles, Floyd etc. I understand the point that you are making but I don’t think that this ploy is necessarily a bad thing. I don’t believe you can dismiss the bands or their music just because it is old. If that were the case then logic would dictate that classical music has no place or relevance in todays world. We should object to the marketing strategy not to the bands or their music.
With regards to new bands and new music and that mythical band slaving away in the garage? I firmly believe that that band is out there but does anybody particularly care. Take our own John Blek for example. I make no apologies for stating yet again that his two albums with the Rats contain some of the finest music I have heard in a long long time. Great songs, great music and great lyrics. All the qualities we look for in this great garage band. Well here they are on our doorstep. But as previously stated, does anyone care. I would argue very few. If John was called Dizzie John Misty and came from Tombstone in America I bet you’d have people beating a path to Music Zone Towers to buy his album! But No, he’s from Cork, and he is one of many talented local musicians and that will always be their problem in one word…local.
As for Springsteen in Dublin, I cant knock it, up to a point. The guy still delivers and believes in the power and glory in music. Cant fault him. Back in the early 80’s when you had the likes of Queen, Elton John, Rod Stewart and our very own Foster and Allen and Joe Dolan playing dates in South Africa, Bruce took a political stand and said Fuck That,” I aint gonna play Sun City.” He helped form Artists against Apartheid and helped to overthrow an evil regime. Would Rihana or One Direction or any of todays acts do the same, or take a political stand on anything? I doubt it. Don’t rock the boat. And on the subject of Bruce in Croker, I guarantee you that at least half the crowds at the gigs are the same people who were Garth Brooks crazy a few years ago!!!! Coming back to the local scene again I always tend to put John Spillane and Bruce in the same bracket. Now I know that Bruce is streets ahead of John, I understand that. But they both chronicle what goes on in their hometown. John singing about his Dunnes Stores girl is as relevant and vital to Cork as Bruce singing about his Jersey Girl is to New Jersey. The geography is different is all. But both equally relevant. I don’t think that young people today feel or believe that music matters anymore. Does anyone take any notice of the charts.
I know when we were young the charts were everything. Music and football (and girls) was all we talked about in school. Where was your team in the league and where was your band in the charts? It was almost life and death. Not now. Not anymore. You see now people don’t have the time to put in to listening to new music (hence Beatles and Stones being re-issued) so they just download what they know and in some ways that’s no ones fault. Just ’cause something is popular doesn’t make it good. It often means people have no choice. Its just the way it is now. Many many years ago Bowie said that if he were a young kid today he wouldn’t be into music, he would be interested in the internet. That’s where the future was. Music doesn’t shock anymore. No revolution there. No danger. All that is now to be found online. In 1970 Gill Scott Heron said ” The revolution will not be televised.” He was right. The revolution, when and if it happens will be downloaded. The last time we spoke of Bruce, I said I was a dinosaur.
But Ray anyone, no matter what their age who walks into Music Zone and buys a physical copy of music, cd or lp is a dinosaur, just by buying something you can hold in your hand. All of us a dying breed. Its a different game now Ray, as you well know music is tailored to demographics. Record companies now look at different age groups, eg people in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and manufacture bands or music to suit that particular age group (One D, Ollie Murs, Il Divo). Music is made easily digestible for people. Nothing too out there or shocking. Bring back The Pistols please!! Most of these people do not go to gigs or clubs anymore. Sat at home in front of the t.v. waiting for the next big band/act from X Factor. People want music they can listen to over cocktails, and see Springsteen or Garth Brooks every two or three years to get that roc’n’roll experience. That’s rock and roll now, All wrapped up in a bow. So nothing too challenging. Just perfect sounding music produced to within an inch of its life. Check Beyonces new album, count the number of producers. There are 75 writers credited on the album, 17 on one track alone. I rest my case.
Jesus Ray I’v gone on enough and trust me I could go on even more about how punk and hip hop were the last two global movements in music in that they influenced fashion, writing, film and culture in general but that was 40 and 30 years ago. Nothing since. Oasis/Arctic Monkeys are /were really only average bands. Good because there was no one else. The biggest mistake rock and roll made was having a self destruct button. Once you went over 25 you were by the very nature of youth rebellion over the hill. But look at all the great Blues legends in their 70”s. Wouldn’t it have been great if the Stones had written and sung about aging in terms of rock and roll!!! And on that note Ray I’ll say “Its only rock and roll but I like it.”
There’s a lot to take in there and most of it has it’s merits.. Gan aon doubt… But I have to believe.. The next mind blower is out there.. Not that I have to believe… I do believe.. Not that some of our local stuff is not as good if not better that the stuff on mainstream radio.. I think you will agree that I have banged that drum for a long time.. But to get a break is so difficult even when you show quality.. Consistently it is so difficult to get noticed… So when you get your shot on The Late Late Show young and upcoming Cork bands, throw your guitar into the crowd at the end with venom, eat a dove, start to show your crown jewels to the 40 something plus audience.. Do something out of the ordinary.. Get seen… If the music is good enough then you shall be noticed after your stunt has been forgotten.. I do disagree with the point about young people today not feeling or believing that music matters anymore. I just think there has not been a whole lot for kids to relate to… To be honest… On a massive scale anyway.. Pockets of Strypes fans, Jake Bugg fans, Mumford fans.. All going about their business in a really worthwhile way… Strypes newest album, a fine record in my opinion from what are essentially only four kids… Hit the English charts at number 9 or something like that, but plummeted to 46 in week two.. These boys are one of the few great hopes out there.. But I saw little support really nationally here for them around the time of the album…
Maybe I am missing it…. What’s changed so dramatically this century that we, or more importantly young people, mainly have had no supergroup.. No Beatles, Zeppelin, U2, Oasis… There’s one from every decade prior to the millennium, and plenty more I could have mentioned…
I would love to know ye’r thoughts on this… Especially if you are under 25.. But everyone’s thoughts if you want to drop us a line… Is it the fragmentation of the way we consume music now? Is there too much choice, so support for bands gets diluted?… We are all lost in a fog?!!!
Is the cream at the top of the pile or if not, why can’t it rise there?
Some fierce interesting points made by my good pal TC but part of me does not want to believe them… For personal and business reasons! I would love to hear anybody else’s feedback, or hell maybe it just don’t matter..
Hope all is good this week….getting on with it….bumps and bruises….peaks and troughs….the less said about the iomanaiocht the better i’d say….not a good day at the office…as bad as 96 down the pairc…
May was a quiet old month this year, hangover after RSD, not a lot of big releases, sold a few Dylan over the last week alright but in general fairly quiet….its not bad, easy to listen to, subtle, understated instruments and vocally not forced…be better if they were his own tunes.
Really liking the GRATEFUL DEAD tribute album curated by the National boys….great people on it, great versions of some of the tunes….59 tracks across 5 CDs for reasonable enough money i feel.
But June has an awful lot happening starting from next week the 3rd with the first batch of the PINK FLOYD Vinyl reissues.
These are the first four albums, piper at the gates of dawn, a saucerful of secrets, the soundtrack to the film “ More” and lastly the double Ummagumma.
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd’s debut album featuring the original line-up of Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason. The album includes the classic songs Astronomy Domine, Lucifer Sam and Interstellar Overdrive. One of the seminal psychedelic rock albums of the 1960s.
Stereo version (original LP both Mono and Stereo)
A Saucerful Of Secrets
The band’s second album, originally released in 1968, was the first album to feature David Gilmour, who replaced Syd Barrett on guitar and vocals. It is both the last Pink Floyd album on which Syd Barrett appeared and the only studio album to which all five band members contributed. This is Pink Floyd in transition from Barrett’s psychedelic whimsy to the style of their epic pieces. Classic tracks include Jugband Blues and Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun.
Stereo version (original LP both Mono and Stereo)
More
In 1969 the band collaborated with filmmaker Barbet Schroeder to provide the soundtrack to the film More. This was the first of Pink Floyd’s film soundtrack albums, and includes future early 70’s live favourites Cymbaline and Green Is The Colour.
Ummagumma
This was the band’s first double album and has one of their most iconic cover images. One album features Pink Floyd’s then-current live set, while Disc 2 includes solo compositions and performances by each member of the band. Live tracks include Careful With That Axe, Eugene and Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, while studio tracks include Grantchester Meadows and The Narrow Way.
I read Mason’s book there a few years ago and he speaks of Barrett’s departure from the band which i felt from reading it the remaining members of Floyd had a lot of regrets about……Syd had become increasingly difficult to handle and work with…..so they decided not to pick him up for gigs until basically he got the message….rough enough on him.
Supergroup HELLYEAH have an album out next Friday also, group made up of members of PANTERA, MUDVAYNE and NOTHING FACE. This one comes as a deluxe CD or a DLP coloured with souvenir patch and codes.
JESS GLYNNE’s album gets its first press on Vinyl.
There’s a new album from jazz pianist BRAD MEHLDAU TRIO called “ blues and ballads”
ROXETTE have a new album next week as do DEXYS….entitled Dexys do Irish and country….
Universal have the new PAUL SIMON record “ stranger to stranger” on CD, deluxe CD and 180 gram LP with codes. “ Wristband” is the lead single from the record and i like it ( i think a lot of people are not sure about the single)
Universal also for next week have the TRAVELLING WILBURYS collection on 2CD/DVD….CDs has both albums , volume one and volume three plus bonus tracks and the DVD features footage of the band from the first chord to the final mix.
Five truly incredible musicians made a great record together and a damn fine follow up…..Bob was in the zone the day he wrote “ tweeter and the monkey man” .
The triple LP version of the Wilburys collection includes a booklet, poster and an envelope containing 6 postcards.
Kind of expensive all round but especially the Vinyl set…115 euro….its a lot for it….not that we are overly expensive….we are a tenner cheaper than the big dog in the sky…..warning lights….warning lights….be careful mr. record company man….bi curamach.
Universal have another big reissue in THE ROLLING STONES “ totally stripped” which ultimately tells the story of the two studio sessions and three live shows that made up the “ stripped “ project …..Eagle Rock doing this one and it’s in a load of formats….DVD, BLURAY, DVD/CD, DVD/2LP, 4DVD/CD, 4BLURAY/CD.
I’m not complaining here…no no no…. i ain’t….cos it helps me and human nature being what it is, if it helps me i ain’t going to complain about it, so this ain’t a complaint….i do enough of that and i have been banging this drum for a long time anyway….but can we keep rehashing the classics….the coin makers….how long can we throw out THE STONES, THE ZEPPELINS, THE FLOYDS , THE BEATLES of the past worlds to drum up cash…..Oasis truly were the last phenomenon….that’s over 20 years ago….can the wheel be reinvented? Can you do much more with a voice, a guitar, a bass and a set of sticks? ( surely you can touch , affect people with the quality of your songs….surely there are kids in a garage somewhere making mind blowingingly good songs…with meaningful intelligent lyrics backed up by excellent musicianship….you just gotta connect with people….is that the problem?? ….we spend all day every day connecting with people without ever really connecting at all….how do you connect with the youth??
I was always of the belief that it’s only around the corner ….the next supergroup… but it still ain’t happened….Bruce in Croke park AGAIN… I mean come on….how many more times….Bruce was as cutting edge as they come in his day…a young Dylan they said…..Bob allegedly wrote the aforementioned TWEETER AND THE MONKEYMAN as a homage to the young Mr. Springsteen…..that was nearly 30 years ago.
Are THE ARCTIC MONKEYS going to be playing Croke Park in 30 years time???
( arguably the biggest new band this century…16 years old now this century) or will it be an ED SHEERAN reunion tour….no pedals just acoustic guitar because he has arthritis in his feet….i for one have to believe it’s out there, that band is out there ….the industry needs it, music needs it and most importantly the kids of this generation need it.
Was the money put in the wrong places in the noughties , fast buck reality TV shows , microwave dinner pop stars…. Are we now paying the price??….a bit like cork hurling in lots of ways the music biz this century ….it’s bound to come right, were Cork and all that….but will it come right??
There really are no signs of it coming right.
The youth drive change but the biggest album this year for me was Bowie’s Blackstar…a truly great record on its own merits….the next biggest will be the new Radiohead album….both of these connect with the over 60’s and over 30’s respectively ( sorry, couldn’t resist) not with the 12 to 22 age bracket…..that’s where each of us have our favourite bands from, the ages of 12 to 22….test yourself….when did you first discover your favourite band?
But are there enough young people connected in the right way….they love their tunes as much as we did, but just in a different way i suppose….randomness , not connecting to a band really….am i just too old to get what they get or are the youth simply missing out? or will it come back around like a Cork all ireland should??
A young girl rang yesterday….mid to late teens id say…..will i have the new CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN Vinyl for today…?
Ah, fresh air….i love it, i truly do….jack shit to do with anything monetary…couldn’t care less…happy with what i do, happy at home…the rest is all horse manure….pay your bills and try enjoy the ride….dead long enough and all that yada yada.
The youth are the only ones to drive change…so come on people
Let the children lose it,
Let the children use it,
Let all the children boogie.
Universal also have a new album by VOLBEAT and the latest 10” by BLOSSOMS.
PIAS for the 3rd of June have the fifth album by THE KILLS ‘Ash and Ice’, released via Domino Records, and there is an Indie only exclusive double marbled vinyl..
MINOR VICTORIES eponymously titled debut by supergroup comprising of Rachel Goswell (Slowdive), Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), Justin Lockey (Editors), and also includes guests James Graham (The Twilight Sad) and Mark Kozelek. Again exclusive white vinyl for us Indies..
Speaking of exclusives…. We are getting a couple of NOEL GALLAGHER’s last record (great record by the way) ‘Chasing Yesterday’ in signed by the man himself…. Now they are expensive, but if you’re interested pop us a mail…
On the local scene, here’s the new video from JOHN BLEK AND THE RATS latest stunning album ‘Borders’.. This track is one of my favourites on the album… Great drum and bass groovy relationship going on here…
The hurling is back… Thurles Sunday what’s the chances?.. Against the oldest enemy… Slim to none? Hard to call is my opinion.. Could, should be an interesting one.
Anyway… News on the RADIOHEAD white vinyl is better.. I am receiving 24 copies of it now… Better than 10… So still 6 copies available if anyone else is interested.. No luck at all on the single.. Got zero, zip, nada, nought… Crazy Ebay pricing now your only option (my advice, forget about it and don’t support the slippery quick buck merchants)…
Anyway, June 17th for the Radiohead… I have not listened at all to it yet..
Or for those who prefer the visual medium of a video, we have upgraded our camera in the Music Zone Towers, but unfortunately our camera man is still a bit on the shakey side! Be sure to hit the subscribe button on our YouTube channel in order to keep up with these weekly video new release updates! One customer got a fine chuckle from me during the week when he asked for me not to send him any more Vinyl Pornography.. Sorry, here’s more porn.. Be sure to subscribe for vinyl porn!
Moving on from that so… To releases for next Friday the 27th of May.. No major releases but still quite a few interesting ones.
Universal have the new CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN album on CD and Gatefold Vinyl via Island records..
Thirty four years on and the return of MARTIN FRY with the follow up to ‘The Lexicon of Love’.. Part II is out next Friday.. CD only for now.. LP will follow in coming weeks.
Universal also have a nice WILKO JOHNSON selected blues album CD… 40 tracks, 8 quid.. Entitled ‘The First Time I Met The Blues’.
There is a 9LP STEVE HACKETT vinyl boxset of his first 6LPs, plus previously unreleased ‘Live at the New Theatre, Oxford 1979’, and a double live LP ‘Live At Reading 1981’
Still more from Universal for next week, the third instalment of the MARVIN GAYE boxsets, this is an 8LP set again, covering records from 71-81, including the classics like ‘Let’s Get It On’, and ‘What’s Going On’, and the alimony acquired favourite ‘Here, My Dear’.
Universal have a reissue of TALK TALK’s ‘Laughing Stock’ and the NIRVANA live compilation ‘From The Muddy Banks of the Wishkah’ on double LP, and lastly there is a new ALAN PARSON’s triple live album.
Sony for the 27th of May have LACUNA COIL’s new album ‘Delirium’, limited edition CD and limited edition LP. Some nice Sony Legacy vinyl reissues also out, including titles from the brilliant JEFF LYNNE’S E.L.O, and the great bard himself MR. LEONARD COHEN… E.L.O titles include ‘A New World Record’, ‘El Dorado’, and ‘Out of the Blue’, and the Cohen titles are ‘Songs of Leonard Cohen’, ‘Songs From A Room’, and ‘Songs of Love and Hate’. Decent value on the Cohen’s at 18Eur each!
A good friend and customer of the shop, Tim Mc 2, put together a really fabulous video documentary of the shop on Record Shop Day… A brilliant piece in my opinion, really captured the day… Thanks Tim!
Tim and myself go back a while but inadvertently Tim is the reason MUSIC ZONE is here.. We worked together in McDonalds in 1991.. Tall ships race time.. Busy for the burgers, burnt fingers, work there, work anywhere… Tim got into GOLDEN DISCS just around the corner on Patrick Street. Tim always loved his tunes and I had him pestered if there was news on a job there, not to forget me… Low and behold, one day in trots Tim.. ‘I’m moving on Ray, will I put in a word for ya?’… True to his word.. Bod a bing, here I am… 23 years later, boring guys to death with my rambling notes.
If you can spare 40 minutes over the weekend have a watch.. We think it’s worth it.. Thanks to Ian, Frank, Stevie, Martin and Aaron for doing the auld interviews.. There are some lovely moments in the video.. I lightly chuckle when I see Arthur making his decision on his free CD from the box of freebies… The reaction is great I think (over Stevie’s shoulder during his interview!). Great document of a great day.. Thanks a million Tim.. And the rest of ye… Handsome devils for showing up… It was a Boyzone reunion audition in the man cave that day..
Proper for the 27th of May have new albums by BRONAGH GALLAGHER. The King of swamp rock, TONY JOE WHITE, has a new one via YepRoz.. MARK KOZELEK ‘Sings Favourites’, PINK FLOYD ‘London 66/67’, PET SHOP BOYS new 12 inch single on white vinyl.. Nice few bits.
Lastly from Proper is the second album by CIARAN LAVERY… I am really looking forward to hearing this one… Firstly he is Irish which is always a great starting point for me.. So much Irish music is as good, if not better, than any of the stuff we are being force fed, but it is so hard to get seen.. Radio in this country don’t help.. It’s all about the dollar.. Why can’t this song be played on 96FM?… Radio Friendly, surely?… You heard the quality of the local guys here from the video.. Top quality each and everyone of them, and deserve a shot at it..
This dude has a lot of talent, and deserves to be heard… And he starts from the right place… All for one and one for all, let’s hold hands and build a wall..
PIAS have new albums for the 27th by FLUME, on coloured vinyl for Indies only, the new I HAVE A TRIBE vinyl, as well as the new DEATH ANGEL record through Nuclear Blast… .DANIEL ROMANO’s new record on New West called ‘Mosey’ is also out… Being very well received by critics, LP is double gatefold at 45RPM in Mono, with codes.
Geoff Barrow of PORTISHEAD has the soundtrack to the ‘Couple In The Hole’ movie..
Plenty of reissues from PIAS also for next week including JOHN LEE HOOKER’S ‘Alive Volume 1’ and ‘Volume 2’, some MOBY vinyl reissues of ‘Animal Rights’, ‘Everything is Wrong’, and ‘Play’. Also reissued is MY MORNING JACKET’s ‘It Still Moves’, deluxe LP reissued with 13 track b-sides on ATO, and finally the 10th Anniversary of SPOON’s ‘Gimme Fiction’ on 2LP through Matador..
Republic of Music have the new GOLD PANDA record, their third on City Slang records.
Warner for the 27th of May have NEIL YOUNG’s ‘Rust Never Sleeps’ DVD and Blu Ray, which is a visual document of the tour of the same name… Also the Human Highway DVD for the first time ever.. It had a very limited cinema release back in the day… Neil has decided to let it out after years.. This has been described as The Wizard of Oz on acid…
Warner also have the new MONKEES album.. First in 20 years.. Also out is a BURT BACHARACH ‘Best Of’, and the new album by BAND OF SKULLS…
Sony gets the nod to start for the 20th of May. Dylan’s new album is out next Friday entitled “Fallen Angels”, another covers album, the first record really divided people, some saying it was as good as anything Dylan has ever done, others thinking it was pure tripe.. I’m praying to sit on the fence somewhere firmly in between both views… I thought it was a nicely produced, easy listening album, well arranged and for me, vocally quite nice… not great but not shite either. Bob has sold over 125 million records now… savage like… but I do wish he was writing his own songs and not doing these covers stuff. Must have a touch of writers block… can happen to the worst of us!
Story goes (probably not true at all), when Bono met Bob for the first time, Bono questioned Bob on his apparent ease with penning songs… Bono – “they say you can write a song anywhere, at any time, at the drop of a hat??”… Dylan – “Yeah, that’s about right”… Bono – “can you write a song now?” Dylan writes some lines on a napkin and shows Bono… Bono- “wow that’s unreal, can I have it?”… Dylan – “no, write your own songs”. As I said, probably not true at all.
Sony also have the brilliant MANIC STREET PREACHERS fourth album… commercially massive album… “Everything Must Go” on a deluxe reissue boxset as well as CD and standard LP. A cracking album in my opinion aside from the huge hits on it, some gems like “small black flowers” and the brilliant “all surface but no feeling”… in fact every track is strong on it… just like the new FRANKS album… its brilliant… not a weak song… really, really good… in case I didn’t tell ye already.
Sony also have the ADAM AND THE ANTS reissue of 1980’s “Kings of the Wild Frontier” on a fancy super dooper boxy thingy… I was a tad young for this at the time, only 6… but seems to be a lot of interest so I must have a proper listen.
Sony also have the new CHRISTY MOORE CD, his 25th solo album, “Lily”… lovely name… eh hem… same as the smallest… Christy wrote some of the songs on this one as well as songs written by Peter Gabriel, Declan O’Rourke and our own John Spillane.
Lastly from Sony is a new HIGHWAYMEN live one called “American Outlaws Live”… Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson. Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings… four fine lads lads I’d say would make Christy look like an altar boy even in his heyday… this one is a 4CD set.
Pias have a GRATEFUL DEAD tribute album created and curated by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the National… it’s a celebration of the DEAD’s music over 6 hours and 59 tracks… CD only
Essential have the new RICHARD ASHCROFT album on CD and double vinyl record as well as the new SATYRICON CD and LP, “Nemesis Divina”.
I had to rush purchase the indies only, one press only, really, really limited RADIOHEAD vinyl on Monday last… I ordered a few… quite a few, but have been told by the rep to stop taking names at 10… that he would try and get me more than 10, but 10 was all he thought I would get… at this point 8 customers have contacted me about the record (the white version), so only 2 more kinda guaranteed to get them… if you want to throw your hat in the ring… its first come first served… if I get more than ten white ones, they will be allocated to the names in that position… sorry about this, I know it’s not ideal… if you’re not arsed about the colour, let me know also and I shall keep for you… released for Friday the 17th of June… I hoped I would get around 20/25 of the white, but looks like it will be around 10 copies… will keep ye posted next week on developments… just telling ye the sceal is all.
Warner for the 20th of May have the BOWIE “changes one Bowie” on CD digipack and 180 gram vinyl… random black or clear are the vinyl, 50% of each being pressed… like looking for willy wonkas golden ticket… you don’t know until you open the wrapper… bit of a gimmick really… the powers that be know a lot of Bowie fans are completists and the record company are not really looking after their customers… make it limited to a number so at least the early and more eager birds will get the worms… this way (50/50 way) is less fair but probably more lucrative… don’t kill the golden goose lads… vinyl is keeping the whole thing afloat… do not piss people off… treat them right…cornerstone of any relationship is honesty, trust and respect… not making people feel like they have been mugged … bigi curamach Mr. Record company man or I won’t be coming for dinner, I can hear some Bowie fans hum.
Warner also has the second album release by Tom Petty’s band MUDCRUTCH… they actually formed back in 1970 originally… took them a while to get the debut album out… 2008… Warner also have a reissue of DEATH’s debut album “scream bloody gore” on 2CD and royal blue vinyl with codes.
I did warn there was a bit tonight… is anybody awake still? Nearly there. Universal for the 20th of May have the new ERIC CLAPTON record called “I Still Do” on CD and LP… Bleeding Heart Pigeons have the CD release of their excellent debut “is” out next Friday. Ariana Grande has a new album… Bassist and a third of the JAM, Bruce Foxton has a new solo record… contributions by Weller. Sing Street gets its vinyl release and there are some nice Jazz 5CD sets by some of the greats like Miles, Coltrane and Bill Evans.
New song tonight by the Stone Roses… one of my favourite bands (who were never properly a band, if that makes sense). Probably, if there had been more productivity, would have been my numero uno, up there competing with THE DOORS, THE BEATLES, THE CURE and THE SMITHS, (note to upcoming bands, put THE at the start of your band name).
I was 15 when the debut album dropped… all the b-sides… sheer class… the tunes were class… still are… I love the second record also… it was a disappointment for a lot of people and the snobby purists will slag it off, but this snobby purist thinks it’s a fine record with some cracking tunes… so there for ya… must say though the new song… jury is out big time… lovely riff and playing all through by Squire, Mani with his northern soul influenced bass lines and Reni is driving the beat as only the beatmaster can but lyrically it is so weak… catchy, anthemic, but so weak lyrically… where are the lyrics that caught a 15 year olds imagination:
“as the miles they disappear,
see land begin to clear,
free from the filth and the scum,
this American satellite’s won”
from ‘Waterfall’ or
“kiss me where the sun don’t shine,
the past is yours but the future’s mine”
from ‘she bangs the drums’ or the adolescent awakenings from ‘going down’,
“Penny’s place, her crummy room,
her Dansette crackles to Jimi’s tune,
I don’t care I taste Ambre solaire,
her neck, her thighs, her lips, her hair”
Brownie was always a good man for lyrics, including his solo stuff like:
“fed up of excuses,
theres nothing more to say,
sands of your patience have surely drained away,
backed into a corner,
built of my design, peer into the future,
entwined is yours and mine,
I know this can’t go on if things remain the same,
drastic change is needed, its driving me insane”
… and I’m sure there will be finely penned songs off this album…just not this one…. maybe they felt they had to open with some kind of a singalong anthem … I still love them and always will but this is no ‘I am the Ressurection’… did I say I still love them though…
Anyway, for those still awake,
sin e for this week,
Thanks for listening,
Ray
Music Zone will be 15 years old on Sunday (no need for champagne, or cakes, or chocolates, or anything for that matter..just glad to be alive!) It feels like only yesterday in some ways.. Bridget Jones was the big seller when the shop opened on Tuesday after the May bank holiday weekend… Nervous as a kitten I was… Standing like a rabbit caught in headlights when the first potential customer approached. Builder guy, breakfast roll wrapped up good and tight as they say.. ‘Any AC/DC CD’s?’.. Ah christ… Some of the Sony stock never landed in, including the AC/DC titles… ‘No sorry… Should be in during the week, I can hold one for you?’… ‘Nah, you’re grand, i’ll call another day…’ Note to self and others… Always have some AC/DC titles… Anyway, excuse my meanderings into past lives…
One other quick note to self and others, no really big beasts in the sky back then, or files to download to your PC either… So more important note to self and others… These days (2016), have AC/DC titles in stock!
For all who prefer the visual, check out the new release video here :
Releases for May 13th include CORINNE BAILEY RAE’s new album on Universal, the METALLICAvinyl boxsets (first two records), and the new DRAKE album also.
Warner for the 13th of May have a MORBID ANGEL LP reissue of ‘Altars of Madness’, THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA Deluxe CD remaster of ‘Spirit of the Century’ on Omnivore and lastly, the big one from Warner next week is the new FOY VANCE album ‘The Wild Swan’, on CD and LP… Signed to Ed Sheeran’s label where in fairness artists and bands are allowed to do as they please creatively (allegedly anyway).
PIAS for the 13th of May have new albums by EAGULLS ‘Ullages’ on CD, LP and also on initial order only coloured LP for Indies like me… EAGULLS have been mentioned by some sectors in the same sentences as THE CURE and THE COCTEAU TWINS… No pressure there lads… Just two of the greatest bands ever is all…
New metal albums on Nuclear Blast for next week by GRAND MAGUS and also by HATEBREED.
PIAS also have NEW ORDERS ‘Music Complete’ on deluxe CD, which (and please ignore me with my affection for cheap silly gags), doesn’t seem that complete at all, there having been so many versions of it already.. (Sorry, can’t help myself)…
PIAS have a debut, a hotly anticipated debut record by OSCAR, also WOLF PARADE, ‘Apologies to the Queen Mary’ on triple LP (coloured only for the indies..), or cassette tape… Appearing more and more on sell in sheets from the record companies to me… Never… Surely… Never.. I for one like the format… 18 year old Fiestie that passed the NCT last week only allows cassettes to be played in it… It only allows certain other things also, like who it lets into it and who can start her… You and I both know that next week the Fiestie could be in the bin, but like Danny Healy Rae sure we’ll keep going for as long as we can get away with it.. There’s nothing in that whole climate change crap i’d say… Or drink driving either for that matter…
Was tempted in starting a tiny cassette corner in the shop just for Sean O’ Rourke and the likes who like rewinding the tape with their biro… Therapeutic I think he said… Cassettes anyone?.. Cassettes… Bueller…. Bueller…
Sorry, lastly this time from PIAS are some Domino LP releases from the likes of THE FALL,PAVEMENT,CASS MCCOMBS and FOUR TET.
The latest catch phrase in the shop, for a while now really, which has toppled the ‘do you sell iTunes cards here?’ chart topper, is definitely, ‘jays, the records are back hah!’… ‘They are…’ ‘Crikey, i’ve loads of them up the attic, the must be worth a fortune’. Well, the follow up line can vary to a number of different roads or tangents (I do know a bit about tangents, note to self, ease off the tangents…), but the opening line is heard 40 times a week in the shop over the last few months, easily hitting Itunes off it’s perch… ‘Jays the records are back huh?’… The records are back.
Music on Vinyl upcoming releases include MILES DAVIS Double Live LP ‘Dark Magus’ and IGGY POP’s fourth solo album ‘Soldier’, IAN BROWN ‘Golden Greats’, BOB DYLAN’s ‘World Gone Wrong’, and the brilliant DANCES WITH WOLVES soundtrack by JOHN BARRY and some SOFT MACHINE reissues.
Republic of Music have the 20th anniversary of the MOBB DEEP classic ‘The Infamous’ on double coloured vinyl (one blue and one orange) for next week.
New CHILI PEPPERS album announced for June as I am sure you are aware.
I noticed a load of people holding the new BOWIE record sleeve up to the sun or the heavens today.. Is there some sort of mass cult effort like a Ouija Board type of thing to contact the great man? Or is that the star transforms into a galaxy of shining stars when sunlight hits it (no wonder it took nearly 4 months to be discovered).. Note to self….. Stop trying to tell the Bowie heads stuff they obviously already know… I am right in thinking the notes to self do come from the Bridget Jones film? Soundtrack came out in May 2001?… Note to self…. Check your research….
I’m sure you won’t be sorry to read that’s that…
Sin é for tonight..
Check out the website for all the comings and goings,
Releases in the shop for today include THE STAR WARS : FORCE AWAKENS PICTURE DISC, ROB ZOMBIE, DEEP PURPLE, BOZ SCAGGS, VINYL ON VINYL, THE JAYHAWKS, JESU / SUN KILL MOON, and KING GIZZARD amongst them.
The video is back this week, for those who prefer the visual medium!
Universal have the new GREGORY PORTER album, the guttural, soulful jazz singer’s new album is available on CD / 2LP / CD + DVD..
Universal also have a deluxe version of the stunning debut by RYAN ADAMS ‘Heartbreaker’ on 4LPs / DVD, or 2CD / DVD, featuring the legendary New York show at the Mercury Lounge in 2000. The set also includes rare and unseen photos… None from that famous night in Tung Sing Chinese in the city… Unfortunately…
Universal have the LP reissue of RICK WAKEMAN’S ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’, as well as some STEVE EARLE vinyl reissues including some gems like ‘Copperhead Road’, and ‘Guitar Town’.
Warner for next week the 6th of May have a few bits and pieces of note including THE RIDES second album ‘Pierced Arrows’ on Provogue Records. THE RIDES consist of Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Barry Goldberg, and this release in on CD, Deluxe CD and LP with codes.
Warner also have a vinyl reissue of DIANA KRALL’s debut record ‘Stepping Out’, on a double LP with codes… (most have codes to be fair these days, my own personal opinion.. My thinking on the way forward if the record companies want to support the physical formats… Single LP new releases should have a 20 Euro price point with CD included in a little slip case and access to a code also if you want it… Do not penalise the physical buyer, give them the lot..)
Warner also have some more good vinyl reissues including NATALIE MERCHANT’S ‘10,000 Maniacs’, ‘In My Tribe’, and ‘Our Time In Eden’, the great soundtrack to JACKIE BROWN gets a reissue, THE CARS ‘The Best Of’ on double LP and some MOTLEY CRUE reissues including ‘Dr. Feelgood’, and ‘Shout at the Devil’.
Lastly from Warner for next week is a GORDON LIGHTFOOT ‘88 Sony 4CD set….
Tesco Ireland were in the high court in the last week… Brought there by their Dublin based supplier of CDs and DVDs, Beaumex.. Beaumex have supplied Tesco stores in this country for nearly 20 years now… Neither a great friend of this corporation… But that’s neither here nor there… Beaumex are suing Tesco for fraudulent concealment saying that Tesco are deliberately making it hard for Beaumex to work out what they are owed… The amount of money in question is up to 4 Million Euro… It is alleged by Beaumex that Tesco have made 16,000 deductions to invoices… That’s 16,000 invoices tampered with… i.e, we only got 5… Invoice charged for 10… Only then pay for 5… But how many were received??? That’s a deduction payment.. Nice guys to be doing business with if that’s the case..
Beaumex are only a third party distributer but when you have 108 Tesco accounts waiting on the new Adele album, i’d imagine you can get it at a fairly good price.. Things seemed to have turned fairly nasty there…
If Beaumex are correct… That’s incredible behaviour from Tesco and it also begs the question how Beaumex missed it… I remember a rep from Proper Music telling me some years ago about a big release they had.. (Can’t remember what it was now).. Tesco got in touch, they wanted it.. How much did it cost Tesco wanted to know (very simplified version here..) They were told the price that it could be sold to them for (which took into account the size of the order).. Tesco came back and said that wanted it 10% cheaper than that… Proper hummed and hawed and finally agreed.. For Tesco to turn around and say ‘actually we want it another 10% cheaper’.. Proper hummed and hawed again but this time they said NO.. Fair play to them.. They have never sold a CD to Tesco since.. What a way to operate… They want to rule the world…
I heard a story (true) during the week about a high profile Irish band who were thinking of putting their new album up on iTunes. They were on a small indie label I deal direct with.. iTunes offered them 40 cent on album sale.. I kid you not.. 40 cent out of a tenner.. They have to try recoup the cost of making the record which ain’t just a few pound.. 40 cent… At least through a shop or through their website they will recoup a far higher amount.. In our / this case 66% goes back to the band… 23% to Mr. Taxman.. And 11% to us.. It’s better than 40 cents.. Anyway, i’ve bored ye close to death at this stage i’d say with my anecdotes and tales for the grandchildren, so I am going to move on.. Yipee they say
Sony for next Friday the 6th of May have the new JEAN MICHEL JARRE record ‘Electronical’, as well as the vinyl reissues (again) of MICHAEL JACKSON’s first three solo records… I’d say ye probably know the ones.
Essential for the 6th of May have the ne MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER album.
PIAS for the 6th of May have the ASSOCIATES reissues including ‘Fourth Drummer Down’, ‘The Affectionate Punch’, and of course ‘Sulk’ (which is probably in danger of becoming my nickname), and also the new Yeasayer album ‘Odd Blood’..
At Music Zone Towers (just off President Donal Trump Plaza), we are having a bit of a VINYL SALE… Not everything i’m afraid.. Just stuff that we have too much of.. So here’s the gig :
15% OFF RSD 2016 stock left on the racks.
20% OFF BLACK FRIDAY 2015 stock left on the racks.
20% OFF 3 OR SO BOXES OF VINYL STOCK (located by record players at counter).
Worth a nose if you’re passing..
On the local scene, aboveDat have a debut single coming out next Friday the 6th. aboveDat consist of Stevie G and Ian Ring (one half of Young Wonder), with vocals beautifully and soulfully put on this track by Christina Underwood. Check it out here :
Just a quick note… Normal service will resume soon.
Two points of note today though, both important.
Local lads THE SHAKER HYMN are playing an instore with us this Friday at 4PM to launch their new album ‘Do You Think You’re Clever?’… If you can pop in to support the lads that would be great.. They’re playing Coughlan’s also that same Friday 22nd of April, still a few tickets left.
Secondly, a hugely important, heartfelt, genuine thank you to everyone who supported us for RSD.. Ye guys reading this.. Sheer class.. Humbling to be honest.. The support… The bands… Thank ye.. And the boys who work with me.. Thanks!
So 8 sleeps to RECORD SHOP DAY, excitement is building with us, a theme of celebration ( were still alive!!!) this year, like every other year, we’re still going….i think this is Music Zone towers 6th RSD….I think i got about 6 records the first year in ( was not stocking vinyl at the time) to maybe 30 records in 2012 to this year where we are getting nearly 800 records across 300 titles……so bring your wallets ( !!!) leave your car…. if you wish….booze and buns shall be provided…we hope to give everyone in the early
morning queue a pressie….LP/ 7INCH/ CD/BIT OF MERCH/LOCK OF BOBBY’S HAIR ( some of ye in need of it) things like that up for grabs…definitely for the first 30 to 40 anyway. My RSD fill of records was good enough, a few disappointments though as usual but hey that’s the nature of the beast …..a lot of the smaller UK labels don’t seem to be overly fair when it comes to supplying the Irish shops for RSD, I feel they sell them in the UK first and if they dont sell out, then we get a shot at it….whereas the majors in fairness, yes in fairness i said, give Ireland 10% of the UK/IRELAND quantity….so if there is 500 units of the DOORS record for the UK and IRELAND…then Ireland get 50 copies….TOWER and GOLDEN DISCS would probably eat up 20 of them, GD qty spread across a few shops….30 units then left for the likes of me, Willie in ROLLERCOASTER in Kilkenny ( we don’t really talk about sport, well the one that matters anyway, no, we don’t really talk about it, i may inquire about Brian Codys health from time to time but generally we keep it to the music ) OMG in Galway, BEN O NEILL in Dungarvan, CLASSIFIED up in Louth and maybe a few others….so the rest of us can get a few each i.e i have 6 of that DOORS record….ah the Doors….pour moi….numero uno….JIMBO and the lads…6 brilliant records in less than five years, musically and lyrically class
Words dissemble
Words be quick
Words resemble walking sticks
Plant them they will grow
Watch them waver so
I’ll always be a word man
Better then a bird man
I’d say you liked the birds as well now Jim boy to be fair…
Anyway , sidetracked, apologies, RSD commences at 9am on Saturday the 16th of April and we have an independant mini music festival in the shop on the day also… Kicking us off at 11am are a fine rock band with roots in Scotland and Cork, RAISING JUPITER…they will definitely warm us up with some cracking tunes like this beauty…thanks for doing it RJ
Next up at 12 pm is ANDERSON who in fairness to him is travelling down from Dublin to do RSD for us….Daniel played a lovely set around the launch of his album PATTERNS a few months back, so really looking forward to this one….ANDERSON plays Cypress avenue the following weekend Friday the 22nd…thanks for doing it Danny.
1 PM brings us CRY MONSTER CRY…..these boys are class so really looking forward to seeing them…Simon & Garfunkel vibe going on…class..can’t wait…thanks for doing it lads….
2 pm brings us the supremely talented local lass ANNA MITCHELL with a little bit of help from John Blek, Anna’s voice is startlingly beautiful backed up by some fine self penned songs…talented girl….one not to miss…..thanks for doing it Anna
Last up at 3 PM are local young fellers and talented boys CROJAYN….the Music Zone corporation thinks a lot of these boys….an awful lot….pop in and see for yourself….you can brag in years to come that you saw them play in a record shop at the start of their journey…check this out…
We like, we like, we like…
All these artists are doing this for a drop of whiskey and a bun, maybe a record…. so bula bos for getting behind us and the spirit of RSD… hats off to ye Lady and Gents…thanks.
Right so onto releases for the day before RSD, friday the 15th of April which sees the return of the unconquerable Polly Jean Harvey….i like the tunes i heard from this record….reports of stock issues, firm reports, not bullshitting here…my LP order was cut way back…second press wont be in till may 20th…forewarned is forearmed and all that yada yada…
PIAS have some BERT JANSCH LP reissues from the original analogue master tapes , from 1968 “ birthday blues “ and from 1967 “ NICOLA” ….1967….man 1967…what music…THE DOORS debut, PEPPERS, SURREALISTIC PILLOW, LOVES “ FOREVER CHANGES” ….these JANSCH tapes have not being used for nearly 50 years…. There is a DEAD CAN DANCE release also that day says he hedgingly ( if that’s a word) “anastasis” is being reissued on green vinyl….30 copies for Eire….so potluck for me and hence ye….Gerrard and Perry were some duo….
SAM BEAM and JESCA HOOP have an album also on the 15th on sub pop.
Warner have the next in the batch of PHIL COLLINS reissues as well as new albums by GRAHAM NASH and STURGILL SIMPSONS , his third album….this one an open letter to his first child from start to finish….
Republic of Music have the new album “ person A” ( 4th) by californian 10 piece EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS as well as JOHN CARPENTERS follow up “ lost themes 2” some of these on purple and white swirl coloured….make an nice ice cream.
Sony have the lost album from 2001/02 by J.DILLA as well as some vinyl reissues by THE DIXIE CHICKS “ home” and “ taking the lead” and PARADISE LOST “ in requeim”
ESSENTIAL have the new SANTANA album….all original members back for this one….
Proper have the second album by Dublin band THE YOUNG FOLK outnext Friday also.
And last but not least Cork music gods THE FRANK AND WALTERS are to release a new album next Friday….should have stock for RSD THE 16TH….really looking forward to that one….we are, we are, we are the….
So LOADS of releases to bring people into the record shops over RSD weekend….hope you enter one and who knows maybe your grandkids will enjoy that experience also some day…anyway enough of my preaching for one week…
And it’s a bit of a bumper week next Friday the 1st of April… Biggest I suppose is the newLAST SHADOW PUPPETS record, ‘Everything You’ve Come To Except’, out on Domino Records via PIAS. Out on CD, CD/Book, LP, or Limited LP + coloured bonus 7’’. Alex and Miles return for a second offering eight years on from debut. The deluxe heavyweight gatefold LP includes a 32 page booklet, and a bonus coloured 7’’ featuring lead single ‘Bad Habits’ and an exclusive new track. Check out ‘Bad Habits’ below :
THE HEAVY also return with their fourth record… A real melting pot of influences and funkiness… Again there is a limited LP with a 7’’ and also a limited LP Boxset available on Counter Records via PIAS once again.
Another biggie out from PIAS next Friday is the new MOGWAI record on Rock Action… Again Indies only coloured vinyl… ‘Record Shop Day has arrived’ I hear you say, 15 days early…!!
I’m hearing a small bit of disappointment on the shop floor about the releases for RSD this year. I must agree that there are not as many belters as last year…. It is more varied and diverse for sure… But obviously a disappointing list (in some eyes) affects the day (naturally enough). Releases like the three above would have been belters of releases for RSD… But record companies know that customers are going to go to stores anyway maybe and get those three above.. I am a firm believer in LPs for RSD.. More LPs, less EPs and 7’’s for the day anyway. Fingers crossed anyway. Good LPs will always tip away. A collectable 7’’ you can look at for a long long time (forever) and may not be that collectable in the end, unless your a dustmite… Nice then alright.
That said, we can crib as much as we want, but there are some solid releases as always on the day! These include BOWIE, METALLICA, THE DOORS, BOB DYLAN, THE ANIMALS,NIRVANA, as well as a good focus on modern popular bands like BLOSSOMS, BIRDY,BASTILLE, and many more. So while the list may be a lot more varied this year, there are some golden nuggets of limited vinyl as always provided by the RSD day.
Overall it is still a day we are all very much looking forward to in the shop… Limited vinyl and live music always leads to a great day!
Not fully confirmed yet but a nice bit of music lined up for the day as per usual.
Confirmed are ANDERSON, CRY MONSTER CRY, RAISING JUPITER, and brilliant Cork newcomers CROJAYN…. Check out these boys! Should hopefully have one or two more confirmed for next week!
Anderson :
Cry Monster Cry :
Raising Jupiter :
Crojayn :
Anyway, enough of RSD until next week.. (The sign is up… We’re in the mode!)..
Second biggest release for this week in our opinions is the new album by THE SHAKER HYMN.. Their second record and it’s another beauty.. A bit more of a psychedelic feel than the first record.. Great tunes once again all through, and very well produced by Brendan Fennessy of O Emperor… Sax, cello, piano, organ, viola, trombone thrown in from time to time on this new CD with great effect.. I know quite a few of ye picked up the debut album from us and this new one certainly is a step forward. The Shaker Hymn really are one of the best hometown bands around at the moment… About to start a nationwide tour, and they are playing Coughlan’s on April 22nd. Might have the lads in for a few tunes also soon..
Forgot to mention with the PIAS stuff above… There is a special 10th Anniversary 2LP on coloured of the SUFJAN STEVENS classic ‘Illinois’… I must admit his album last year was my favourite of the year.. A truly beautiful record..’The man who taught me to swim, he couldn’t quite say my first name’.. You couldn’t fault Stefan now to be fair.. Maybe not for everyone, but pour moi, a gorgeous album… Understated, soft, and dark.
Proper have a few interesting releases out for next Friday, including the new PET SHOP BOYS album, JAMES LUTHER DICKINSON and THE NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS album ‘I’M JUST DEAD, I’M NOT GONE’, and RYAN VAIL, a young lad from Derry has an interesting record out… Classical / Electronica type of thing if that is a thing..
Fortuna Pop has the new SEPTEMBER GIRLS record out next Friday.. The Dublin 4 piece play Cyprus Avenue on April 16th, with upcoming Cork group The Sunshine Factory.. Will be a gig not to be missed!
Warner have an album by LUKAS GRAHAM (Band) out next Friday also.. Lukas (singer) had a different upbrining than most… Brought up in an autonomous artist’s enclave in the centre of Copenhagen, with no cars, street lighting or police intervention, which goes by the name of Christinia… Probably shapes you a bit different so he might have something to say..
Warner also have a new album out next week by WEEZER… Their tenth.. The White Album… Now lads… There really only is one…
Also out by Warner is the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame DLP Live, which has a loud of household names on it.
The new PANIC AT THE DISCO album gets it’s vinyl record release. Also Warner have the reissue of the 1967 classic ‘West Meets East’ by RAVI SHANKAR and YEHUDI MENUHIN.
Lastly from Warner for next week is a new BLACK STONE CHERRY album ‘Kentucky’, on CD/DVD and LIMITED 3LP on white vinyl with codes.
Universal have the soundtrack to new Irish film ‘SING STREET’ and the vinyl record release from the riveting AMY WINEHOUSE documentary ‘AMY’… The latest Bond soundtrack is out on vinyl, and lastly from Universal is the new album from BABYMETAL, ‘Metal Resistance’ on CD, LP and LP Set which includes a T-Shirt…
Very lastly, we have just had another SUPERB act confirmed for R.S.D… Anna Mitchell has agreed to do a slot with a little help from John Blek… That will be a very nice one.. All good…
First up is the new vinyl record release video, which has the big releases from the last couple of weeks, including local lads JOHN BLEK AND THE RATS and some big names such as JEFF BUCKLEY, JAMES, POLICIA and many more, check the video out below, if you want to see them all, a good bit in! :
Big response to last weeks note on the Record Shop Day, very varied selection this year…. Nothing huge but nice and varied… Maybe not as strong as last year, personally as a shop keeper I prefer album releases, always less of a graveyard after RSD with albums.. RSD can get a bad wrap at times and certainly there are some negative aspects to it… Pricing being one I suppose.. To be fair the 7” and 12” can be excessive.. I don’t know why, it’s unfair… Record companies could feel there is major re-sell value on a lot of the stuff but that’s not a fair reason for inflated prices. Infact, that only fuels another negative for RSD and that is people who get involved for the wrong reasons, purely and simply to buy a record and flip it for twice it’s value 3 hours later on Ebay… Parasites is the industry term for them.. But there are parasites in all games where product is limited and only increases in value… It’s the way of the world as unfortunate as it is… Most who visit us are cool, no issues there, thank God.. I’d hate if the wrong hands got an only limited release to flip it on Ebay taking it away from a genuine fan.
Another problem faced by us on RSD is the availablitiy of the produce… It’s rare and limited by nature but one company this year decided not to support the Irish industry, that company being Music On Vinyl.. Here’s the reason that I can’t buy stock from them this year, in a’roundabout fashion from rep
‘Hi Ray,
I’m afraid that a RSD order is not such a good idea after all because of the way it is organized:
We have to create a special sub account for each participating store; a special RSD account.
Then all RSD orders are collected and automatically entered in the system at once.
Until this is done it is still uncertain who will get what or how many.
When the stock has arrived and is divided between all the participating stores in chronological order, then all the RSD shipments will be shipped out on the same day via priority mail.This is quite expensive but priority is the only option.
And on top of that our accounts department does not make an invoice for an amount below € 300,-
No matter how much I wanted to ship you these titles, all in all its probably not worth the hassle and it would be better to wait until after RSD to see what’s still available then.
I did not know it would be such a tour du force to organize this otherwise I would have told you this much earlier.’
So, I apologise in advance to anyone hoping to get MOV RSD releases here, or in fact anywhere in the country for that matter.. I suppose my returning cribbing emails have yielded promises for next year…
All that said, RSD, is for us what it says on the tin.. It supports us as independent record shops.. And it does.
Last year it was as as good as any day Christmas week.. There was a lovely vibe in the shop all day long… People supported us even without buying any of the RSD stuff… It was humbling, the support, to be honest, from ye the customers and the musicians who played for us… Truly humbling. Musicians signed up to play already for this year include CRY MONSTER CRY, CROJAN and ANDERSON who plays a gig in Cyprus Avenue on Friday April 22 (tickets available now!), and is going to drive down from Dublin to us on the day to play a few tunes in the shop.. Top man… Fair play.. We don’t mind if he turns into… Bleeding Bono (said in my Dublin accent). Anyway bottom line… It’s a hugely important and special day for us here..
Universal have the MOTORTOWN REVUE record Live In Paris, which includes all the Motown stars, the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder etc, all on a 3LP set.. Universal also some STATUS QUO CD expanded reissued versions of ‘If You Can’t Stand The Heat’, ‘On The Level’, and ‘What Ever You Want’. They also have an ERIC CLAPTON 4LP Live Album Collection, which includes Derek and the Dominos, Rainbow Concert, E.C. Was Here and Just One Night.. Also some nice new Bluenote Jazz vinyl reissues with classics from Count Bassie, Ella / Louis, Billie Holiday and Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker…
Warner probably have the biggest releases for the next Friday the 25th with the new JOE BONAMASSA album on CD / Deluxe CD and 2LP… The album is called ‘Blues if Desperation’, out via Provogue..ALL NEW TRACKS
Warner also has the BIRDY record on the same 3 formats, EVA CASSIDY ‘Simply Eva’ LP reissue, and a lost JEFF HEALEY album gets a release.
Sony have a bit out next Friday also, including a new WHITE DENIM record (Major Label Release), new AMON AMARTH album on CD and LP as well as a load of good vinyl record reissues, such as PEARL JAM’s Vs and Vitalogy, as well as all of THE SCRIPTS albums.
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