Iron Maiden !! Beer !!

http://www.ironmaidenbeer.com/

New beverage is inspired by the band.

The beer, entitled 'Trooper', is handcrafted at Robinsons brewery. Bruce Dickinson aided in the development of the beverage, bringing his genuine enthusiasm for ale to the project.

"Malt flavours and citric notes from a unique blend of Bobec, Goldings and Cascade hops dominate this deep golden ale with a subtle hint of lemon" states the Iron Maiden Beer official website. You can also watch a video of Bruce Dickinson introducing the drink below,

'Trooper' will hit store shelves this May.

Stones paid ‘bog standard’ fee for Glastonbury

The Rolling Stones are getting the “bog standard” fee for headlining Glastonbury, organiser Michael Eavis has confirmed.

Fans will be able to see Mick Jagger and co plus hundreds of other acts for around half the price of a standard ticket to the Stones’ 50th anniversary concerts last year.

And when the veterans take to the stage on June 29 they won’t be receiving preferential treatment in terms of money.

Eavis tells the BBC Today programme: “There’s a bog standard price for the headliner – we get headliners for a tenth of the normal price. They’re not being paid very much.

“Headliners are always good to us because they want to do it. They get TV and huge record sales straight after the show.”

He admits finally booking the Stones feels like “winning the World Cup,” explaining: “We’ve waited a long time to get confirmed. We threw our hands in the air with joy, we hugged each other and everything. It’s a really huge thing for us.”

Glastonbury tickets cost £205. Standard tickets for the Stones’ November and December 50th anniversary shows were £406, with nosebleed passes costing £106 and VIP entry costing £1140.

Guitarist Ronnie Wood earlier this year stated his determination to ensure the band appeared at Glastonbury, even if it meant “twisting their arms.” They previously called off plans to play at the Coachella Festival in the US after failing to reach an agreement over their fee. It’s believed a world tour is in the works, with 18 dates agreed for the US and an Australian leg at the planning stage.

!!! Happy 68 Birthday Eric Clapton !!

I am, and always will be, a blues guitarist.
~Eric Clapton

“I found my God in music and the arts, with writers like Hermann Hesse, and musicians like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Little Walter. In some way, in some form, my God was always there, but now I have learned to talk to him.”
~Eric Clapton

….Paul Simon writes great songs. George Harrison great songs, a lot of people, Eric Clapton produces wonderful music.
~Bob Dylan (Press Conference, July 1981)

Robbie Robertson inducts Eric Clapton Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000:

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, (born 30 March 1945) is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. He is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time. Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” and fourth in Gibson’s Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.



In the mid-1960s, Clapton departed from the Yardbirds to play blues with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. In his one-year stay with Mayall, Clapton gained the nickname “Slowhand”. Immediately after leaving Mayall, Clapton joined Cream, a power trio with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce in which Clapton played sustained blues improvisations and “arty, blues-based psychedelic pop.” For most of the 1970s, Clapton’s output bore the influence of the mellow style of J.J. Cale and the reggae of Bob Marley. His version of Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff” helped reggae reach a mass market. Two of his most popular recordings were “Layla”, recorded by Derek and the Dominos, another band he formed, and Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads”, recorded by Cream. Following the death of his son Conor in 1991, Clapton’s grief was expressed in the song “Tears in Heaven”, which featured in his Unplugged album.




A recipient of seventeen Grammy Awards, and the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, in 2004 Clapton was awarded a CBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. In 1998, Clapton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a medical facility for recovering substance abusers.

Bob Dylan: voted into American Academy of Arts & Letters

 

Bob Dylan has been voted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, marking the first time a rock musician has been chosen for the elite honor society. Officials in the Academy – which recognizes music, literature and visual art – were unable to decide if Dylan belonged for his words or his music and instead inducted him as an honorary member like previous honorees Meryl Streep, Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese.

100 Greatest Artists: Bob Dylan

"The board of directors considered the diversity of his work and acknowledged his iconic place in the American culture," executive director Virginia Dajani told the Associated Press. "Bob Dylan is a multi-talented artist whose work so thoroughly crosses several disciplines that it defies categorization."

Outside of the honorary choices, the American Academy of Arts and Letters consists of 250 artists, musicians and writers. Openings are available upon a member's death, and current members conduct the nominating and voting process. The Academy, founded in 1898 and based in New York, has historically locked out the likes of Dylan, dismissing jazz artists to modernist poets; it has largely recognized classical musicians but has also honored artists like Stephen Sondheim and Ornette Coleman. Dajani and other officials have pointed to other organizations that recognize rock music, like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as to why the Academy has skipped out on rock musicians.

50 Best Albums of 2012: Bob Dylan, 'Tempest'

For his part, Dylan has accepted the membership – a stipulation for him to be voted through – but his manager, Jeff Rosen, had no comment on whether he'll attend the Academy's April dinner or May induction ceremony. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon will be the keynote speaker at the May ceremony, and his address is titled "Rock & Roll."

Cover of the Week

Marilyn Manson - Alabama Song (The Doors cover)



I'm afraid !!!

Today: Elvis Presley recorded Always on my Mind in 1972

Always on my Mind is seldom considered among the best of Elvis’ 70′s output, but if you ask me it’s at the top of the list. The recording sessions was great, it included Burnin Love and For the good times. I almost cry when I listen to it, it embodies everything, everything I love about Elvis, heartbreak, slow ballads, emphathy and true feelings. What a voice!

Peter Guralnick writes in his book Careless Love:

The trouble was, he (Elvis) wasn’t interested in cutting a hit record. “He was trying to get something out of his system.”

…

On the second night Felton finally got his way, but he was under no illusion that Elvis was doing it for any other reason than to indulge his producer. With encouragement from Joe Esposito and Jerry Schilling, and with Charlie pounding away on acoustic guitar, they got a good, energetic version of “Burning love”, the song Felton had brought to the session, but it was tossed off in six quick takes, in almost throwaway style, and everyone could see that Elvis’ heart wasn’t really in it. They kept working till four in the morning but got only one more song that night and two the following night, including “Always on my mind”…

Elvis seems very wore down after his divorce from Pricilla and in no mood for Rock’n Roll, but he really let it all out in this great ballad.

Maybe I didn’t love you
Quite as often as I could have
Maybe I didn’t treat you
Quite as good as I should have
If I made you feel second best
Girl I’m sorry I was blind

Early Bidding High for Signed Copy of Sgt. Pepper's

Beatles’ memorabilia is always a bit pricey, but for the band that quite literally changed the course of Rock and Roll many would say it’s worth it.

That seems to be the mentality of those bidding on a signed copy of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which is being auctioned off by Heritage with bids currently sitting at a whopping $90,000.

The iconic album, which features the autographs of all four band members, comes as a Mono UK Gatefold Cover edition via Parlophone. On the Heritage Auctions official website, Beatles’ expert Perry Cox said of the album:

“With my being thoroughly immersed in Beatles collectibles for over 30 years, it takes something extraordinarily special to excite me, but I consider this to be one of the top two items of Beatles memorabilia I've ever seen - the other being a signed copy of Meet The Beatles.”

Bidding on the signed copy of Sgt. Pepper’s ends on today, March 29th at 10pm CT.

Ronnie Wood and Paul McCartney Rock with James McCartney in London

Classic rock fans were given a rare treat at London’s Ambassador Theatre last night.

James McCartney took to the stage with surprise guests Beatles legend and father Paul McCartney as well as Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood in a special sold-out performance, Contact Music reports.

Ronnie joined James on stage for both old and news songs, including “Snow” and “Mexico.” Paul, who was in the audience with wife Nancy and daughters Stella and Mary, couldn’t help but join in and jumped onstage to play piano with son James on three songs.

The gig proved to be a great preview for James’ 47-date US tour set to begin on April 6.

James McCartney's first full length album, “Me,” will be released on May 21. In a statement on his official website, McCartney said of the album, “I wanted to make a record that would be intimate, deeply personal, and honest. An album that would say, ‘This is who I am… both musically and personally. This is me.’”

Fleetwood Mac - 1969 *Then Play On*

This is a truly classic recording — from the band's finest hour.

It's no "Rumours" — and that's a good thing!

Start - Title - Length

00:00 Coming Your Way -- 3:47

03:47 Closing My Eyes -- 4:51

08:38 Showbiz Blues -- 3:52

12:30 My Dream -- 3:30

16:00 Underway -- 2:51

18:51 Oh Well -- 8:56

27:47 Although the Sun Is Shining -- 2:23

30:10 Rattlesnake Shake -- 3:32

33:42 Searching for Madge -- 6:56

40:38 Fighting for Madge -- 2:45

43:23 When You Say -- 4:32

47:55 Like Crying -- 2:21

50:16 Before the Beginning -- 3:28

* Peter Green -- vocals, guitar, harmonica

* Danny Kirwan -- vocals, guitar

* John McVie -- bass

* Mick Fleetwood -- drums

and

* Jeremy Spencer -- piano on "Oh Well" {Pt 2}

* Christine Perfect (McVie) -- piano

* Big Walter Horton -- harmonica

Remember when Fleetwood Mac was still a blues band? Before Buckingham and Nicks came along to water down the group's sound into a syrupy pop outfit that cranked out one album of lowest common denominator top 40 music after another? For anyone who has never heard the band in the early years, nearer their origins, the experience could come as a shock. There's a lot to be said for the argument that the band should have changed their name when they took that radical turn into pop music...

But this album is near the beginning, and it's a joyful experience. The amazing Peter Green (guitar, vocals), the steady rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood (drums) and John McVie (bass), all fresh from some serious schooling in the ranks of the legendary John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, formed Fleetwood Mac in 1967, joined by guitarist Jeremy Spencer, and, just before this set was recorded, guitarist Danny Kirwan. Their first couple of albums were well-received by critics and fans alike in their native UK — with "Then Play On", the band began to expand their songwriting horizons, while remaining true to their blues roots.

The guitar work from the triumvirate of Green/Spencer/Kirwan is stunning, as are their vocals — each infusing his own compositions with a unique personality, yet fitting into the overall sound of the band at the same time. There are some memorable unbeat, rockin' tunes here — but what stands out for me after all of these years are the slower, moodier pieces — vocals and instrumentals alike.

Green's 'Closing my eyes', the second track on the album, is one of the most heartfelt expressions of loneliness and despair I've ever heard — but it's not maudlin. He can sing '...one day I'll die — maybe then I'll be with you' and it doesn't come across as trite for even a second. Danny Kirwan contributes three tunes in this laid-back but strongly emotional vein as well: 'Although the sun is shining' has an achingly beautiful, unusual chord progression — 'When you say' and 'Like crying' are gems as well. The instrumentals — Kirwan's 'My dream', Green's 'Underway', are things of beauty, and the two jams 'Searching for Madge' and 'Fighting for Madge' allow the bandmembers to stretch out a bit in a more upbeat vein.

There are rockers here as well — notably two classics from Peter Green, the classic 'Oh well' (presented here in its entirety, it didn't even appear on the original lp except as a bonus 7″ included in early copies) and the playfully nasty 'Rattlesnake shake' (I remember that the 'underground' FM station in my home town wouldn't even play this track — they were SO adventurous).

Sir Tom Stoppard takes Radio 2 to the Dark Side

 

Legendary playwright Sir Tom Stoppard has penned an original new play for BBC Radio 2 to mark the 40th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s album, The Dark Side Of The Moon.

Dark Side, which will air on the August bank holiday, is a fantastical and psychedelic story based on themes from the seminal album and stars a stellar cast which includes Bill Nighy, Rufus Sewell, and Adrian Scarborough. The lead roles will be played by Olivier Award-winning Iwan Rheon (Misfits) and stage actress Amaka Okafor (The Garbage King).
A long-term fan of Pink Floyd, Academy Award-winner Sir Tom Stoppard has been inspired by the challenge of giving the audience an experience worthy of The Dark Side Of The Moon’s name. He was first approached with the suggestion of writing a play based on the album by a friend in 1973. Now, 40 years later, he has created an hour-long audio drama incorporating music from the album and a gripping story that takes listeners on a journey through their imaginations.
Sir Tom Stoppard says: “This is more or less, I think, the first time anything like this has been done on radio. [I thought] Yes I definitely want to do that but had no idea for a long time what I would do. Finally, I found some time and sat down and listened to the album for the thousandth time and picked up from the beginning and kept going...”
Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour says: “I have read the script of Tom’s radio play Dark Side and found it fascinating. I can’t wait to hear it come to life with the great cast performing it and our music woven into it. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate The Dark Side Of The Moon’s 40 year anniversary.”
Jeff Smith, Head of Music for BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music, says: “Radio 2 is proud to be the home of a very special hour where you can hear an amazing new script by Sir Tom Stoppard framed and inspired by the music of Pink Floyd. Dark Side pays tribute to the album The Dark Side Of The Moon with a dramatic examination of themes including conflict, greed and madness. A combination of Sir Tom’s brilliance, an iconic album and an outstanding cast ensures this production will be unmissable.”
The Dark Side Of The Moon remained in the charts for 741 weeks from 1973 to 1988. With an estimated 50 million copies sold, it is Pink Floyd’s most commercially successful album and is frequently ranked as one of the greatest albums of all time.
Dark Side is made by the in-house BBC radio drama team.
Plus in a special, Now Playing @ 6 Music, Pink Floyd fans can decide the music played in the run up to Dark Side. Hosted by Tom Robinson, 6 Music's regular themed Sunday evening show allows music lovers to direct the musical direction through their correspondence.

ROAD DOG PRODUCTIONS - Canis Urbis Rockin Da Bella on Da Rosa Negra

ROAD DOG YOUTUBE CHANNEL

The Frost Interview: Paul McCartney: 'Still prancing'

Paul McCartney, one of the most famous musicians of all time, rose to prominence 50 years ago as part of the British pop sensation The Beatles. From humble, working-class beginnings, McCartney, 70, is now one of the richest men in the world. He has even topped the bill at the White House, playing for US President Barack Obama. In this episode, he sits down with Sir David for a full hour to tell Frost Over the World his own story of the band, and its break up; to discuss some of the highs - and a few lows - of his life; and to provide a glimpse into his world behind the headlines.

GLASTONBURY 2013 COME & SEE!

2013 line-up revealed

We're very pleased to reveal our 2013 line-up. The Pyramid Stage headliners will be Arctic Monkeys (Friday), The Rolling Stones (Saturday) and Mumford & Sons (Sunday). Even more acts, stages and attractions to be announced.

PAUL MCCARTNEY WORKED WITH MARK RONSON ON THREE NEW SONGS

Mark Ronson had worked with Paul McCartney before, but only as a DJ at the former Beatles legend’s 2011 wedding to Nancy Shevell. Their relationship actually goes back to when Ronson was a boy, and McCartney even saved his life once. Still, there was initial trepidation from Ronson when McCartney tapped him to produce three songs for an as-yet unnamed project.

“He understands that you’re so nervous to be working with Paul McCartney — ’cause everyone is,” Ronson tells Billboard. “He gives you a lot of leeway, but then at the end of the day you need to deliver the goods.”

Ronson is best known as the Grammy-winning producer of Amy Winehouse‘s ‘Back in Black.’ He’s also helmed projects with Kaiser Chiefs, Duran Duran and, most recently, Rufus Wainwright. He is also the stepson of Mick Jones of Foreigner, which is how they two knew each other so many years ago.

McCartney, meanwhile, is completing his initial release since digging back into songbook and jazz songs from his father’s era on an album called ‘Kisses on the Bottom.’ Though McCartney has been active in reissuing some of his classic 1970s solo sides, he hasn’t actually produced a new album of pop music under his own name since ‘Memory Almost Full,’ back in 2007. The collaborative Fireman project followed in 2008.

No surprise, then, that the pressure was on for Ronson.

“He’s done every kind of music. He invented the rule book in several different ways,” Ronson adds. “I don’t know if (our stuff) is revolutionary, but they’re brilliant songs. I just tried to give him a sound he was looking for.”

Cover of the Week

"Love Comes to Everyone" is a 1979 song by George Harrison, from his eponymous album George Harrison. It was issued as the second single of the album.
Another rendition of "Love Comes to Everyone" has been recorded by Eric Clapton on his Back Home album.

TRACK BY TRACK REVIEW: THE STROKES - COMEDOWN MACHINE

A return to form or an album that leaves you asking 'is this it?'


Remember a time when we all wore baggy fleeces, combat trousers and had our rock music dominated by the likes of either Travis or Limp Bizkit? Dark, dark days they were.

Then enlightenment came direct from NYC as the seminal Is This It dominated the airwaves and charged into the 21st Century, relieving us of the dark ages. The Strokes seemed to be our knights in dirty Converse and ripped jeans.

Since then, our relationship with The Strokes has been more than a little hit or miss. ‘Room On Fire’ was a solid and restless rush of pop-rock while ‘First Impressions of Earth’ held more filler than killer. The world met fourth LP Angles with a somewhat lukewarm response before the band left the UK feeling cold with their numbing lack of atmosphere at Reading and Leeds Festival 2011 where co-headliners Pulp blew them off the stage. The inter-band strains were clearly on show as the boys who were once New York’s finest seemed totally disconnected.

Now, more than 10 years since they first changed the world and gave music a good and proper kick up the rear, will Comedown Machine meet The Strokes’ own high standards or will it simply live up to its name?

Tap Out
Slick , sharp and cutting ‘Off The Wall’ era Michael Jackson funk underlies this devilishly understated little Haim-esque R n’ B rock gem. Wanna Be Startin’ Something? Let’s hope so.

All The Time
You’ve heard this one – it was the good single. It’s got that fresh and loose Laissez- faire charm that made us fall in love with The Strokes in the first place. It’s a welcome return for the classic free and easy six string interplay of Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr as that trademark Julian Casablancas drawl playfully muses over The Strokes’ slow and laborious work rate: “All the time in the world is all that’s necessary”. Take all the time you need if you can keep this up.

One Way Trigger
Ah, no they can’t. All of the air is sucked out of the atmosphere as The Strokes revert to a tight and claustrophobic motorik sound while Casablancas squeals in a register that’s far beyond his comfort zone. Don’t sing like that Julian, it sounds baaaad. It’s as if the band are going for that same cutesie razor-sharp nostalgia of the brilliant ’12:51’ but falling miles short of the mark and just sounding like a wasted karaoke rendition of ‘Take On Me’, but without the fun.

Welcome To Japan
Yeaaah! That’s more like it. ‘Welcome To Japan’ is a dark and simmering addictive moment of funk driven fun. There’s some pretty mean and lean Valensi guitar-work at play while Casablancas’ acerbic wit chimes: “Didn’t really know this, what kind of asshole drives a Lotus?”

80s Comedown Machine
Boy, is this unpleasant? It’s like being on a waltzer while hungover as an Ultravox drum beat slowly skitters beneath a slow and repetitive dirge. Pass the bucket.

50/50
Oof! That’s more like it. Where did this come from? Should The Strokes decide to tour this record properly, then 50/50 will certainly become a highlight of their live set – proving that the snarling growl of the chorus doesn’t tear Julian’s voicebox to shreds. It’s a fuzzy, fierce and furious little grungy pop corker, like Iggy and The Stooges via The Stranglers.

Slow Animals
Meh...

Partners In Crime
This is fun. ‘Partners In Crime’ is a rolling and mischievous pop gem that sounds like a close cousin to ‘Electricityscape’ from ‘Room on Fire’.

Chances
Mmm, quite lovely, this. Summer is just around the corner and never felt closer as Casablancas angelically harps over a mellow 1980s Eurythmics-tinged tropical sunset sound. It would have sounded quite fitting on his solo album, but makes for a rare moment of experimentalism for Comedown Machine.

Happy Endings
This one may be a little too subtle for old-school Strokes fans, but that doesn’t stop its bubbly resilience making it a cheeky little earmworm – especially the catchy twist that the track takes in the last 35 seconds.

Call It Fate, Call It Karma
Not only is ‘Call It Fate…’ a wonderful ending to the LP, but it’s also quite a surprising departure for The Strokes. It has a true air of antiquity that they’ve not achieved before with a bluesy Nina Simone swoon above a warm crackling vinyl vibe. Fingers crossed that they explore this territory much more in future.

Verdict:
It’s a cliché to ask “Is This It?”, but while The Strokes would struggle to return to their impeccable form, that’s not to say that Comedown Machine isn’t a welcome addition to their canon. With piercing peaks and bright perks amid a handful of moments of landfill, their fifth LP certainly ranks higher than their last two efforts. It’s not enough to change the world again but accept it for what it is: a brief burst of pleasure from the daddies of garage rock. In short: Take It Or Leave It.

The Strokes’ Comedown Machine is out on March 26 through RCA Records/Sony Music Entertainment Spain.
on March 22 in more countries of the world

PAUL MCCARTNEY ANNOUNCES 2013 WORLD TOUR

Paul McCartney announced the first two dates of what is expected to be a significant touring schedule in 2013. The singer revealed plans for the Out There World Tour on his website this morning (March 20). His goal is to play cities and venues he and his band have never been.

Response to the news was immediate. Within hours of the news, parties in Argentina were staged with revelers holding “Get Back to Argentina Paul” signs and flying blue and white balloons. Tickets for two stops — a June 22 show in Warsaw, Pol. and a June 27 date in Vienna, Aus. — go on sale this Friday (March 22). It will mark McCartney’s first show in Poland, and fourth trip to Vienna. More dates are to be announced in the coming weeks.

According to a statement at his website, McCartney will play songs from his entire career, including his solo material, songs from the Beatles and hits as a member of Wings. 2013 could also mean new music for the legend. He’s reported to be working on a new studio album, the follow-up to ‘Kisses on the Bottom’ from 2012.

Why did you do a version in Spanish? III

Debbie Harry and her band doing what they can...

Why did you do a version in Spanish? II

scorpions,.......
it was necessary?

NEW SECTION :Why did you do a version in Spanish?

Why?,Why?,Why?,Why?,Why?,Why?.. Sting.

The Who Pinball Machine Rings Up a Big Money Score on eBay

You might say that one lucky eBay bidder wanted to learn how to play a mean pinball with this purchase:

At the end of December, a bygone era of arcade games was brought to the modern day when a Who-themed ‘Tommy Pinball Wizard’ pinball machine (pictured on the left) sold for more than $2,400. One of only a reported 4,700 of the machines in production, the Who’s pinball machine made its debut at the Hard Rock Cafe in Dallas in 1993. The machine features 21 songs performed by the cast of the Broadway hit production, ‘The Who’s Tommy.’

Only a handful of musicians can lay claim to having their own pinball machine. Ted Nugent saw a reported 2,671 units of the ‘Nugent’ pinball machine available in the late ’70′s. The King of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley, received a posthumous tribute with 2004′s simply titled ‘Elvis’ pinball machine. And last January, Aussie legends AC/DC had their own pinball machine launched by Stern Pinball Inc.

Despite the increase in popularity of home-based video gaming systems, pinball machines remain a popular game choice of all age groups. With the virtual extinction of arcades, finding the pinball machines to play is a whole different story, however.

The Who recently wrapped up the North American leg of their ‘Quadrophenia + More’ tour. As listed on their official website, the next round of shows takes place in Europe starting in June in Ireland. While the group’s North American shows were routinely well-received, Pete Townshend caused a bit of a controversy when he cursed out a seven year-old girl who was holding up a sign that read “Smash Your Guitar, Pete!” Townshend later apologized for the incident and promised that he would be meeting with the girl and her family in efforts to mend fences.

Eric Clapton’s New Album, Old Sock, Track By Track

Although it goes on sale on March 12 I have it I xd, xd

First Impressions of OLD SOCK From Duffy of Where's Eric!

Interesting title for Eric Clapton’s new album, his first since leaving the Warner’s stable after close to 30 years. Its origins come from Eric being so impressed with David Bowie’s recent single release, "Where Are We Now", that he sent a message, thanking Bowie for such a beautiful song. Bowie replied appreciatively, referring to Eric as “Old Sock”, whereupon Eric sought Bowie’s blessing to use that as his album title. The unorthodox album cover is apparently a self-portrait by Eric taken on his iPhone in Antigua.

The recording band for Old Sock features EC's longtime collaborators Steve Gadd (drums), Willie Weeks (bass), Chris Stainton (keyboards) Michelle John (backing vocals), Sharon White (backing vocals) along with some surprise guests. The album was produced by Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, Justin Stanley and Simon Climie.

With the benefit of just a few advanced listens, here’s a brief track by track summary of EC’s 21st studio album, Old Sock (Bushbranch Records):

Further On Down The Road
Forget any notion you may have had that this is Further on Up the Road in disguise. It ain’t! Lilting reggae, organ swirls, harmonica solo, classy backing vocals, Eric’s voice right up in the mix. Modest little guitar solo builds nicely with high-pitched dampened notes to wrap the song up.

Angel
JJ Cale shuffle, possibly an outtake from the Escondido sessions. Lead guitars more to the fore, with melodic fills throughout, steel guitar, rim shots, nice harmony vocals again. Catchy hook too.

The Folks Who Live On The Hill
Would not have sounded out of place on the Clapton album. Schmaltzy waltz, beautifully played, strings, brushes, Eric on nylon string guitar.

Gotta Get Over
Well known to internet users by now – i.e. the world! Its also the first single from the album having been released to radio mid-month. Strident, chugging riff leads into strong vocals, memorable hook and some fat guitar licks. I danced across the kitchen floor to this one! From the Doyle Bramhall II school of rock with Chaka Khan joining in on backing vocals!

Till Your Well Runs Dry
Fairly faithful reproduction of the Peter Tosh standard, with the slightly soulful intro leading to more familiar reggae territory. Atmospheric solo from Eric.

All Of Me
Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, they’ve all done this. But nobody ever played fuzz guitar on it before! Barrelhouse piano, bit of a fun pub knees up actually. Showcasing Paul McCartney (bass / vocals) no less and the lovely vocal talents of Michelle John and Sharon White.

Born To Lose
Yeehaaah! C&W soft-shoe shuffle cover of a Hank Snow original, recorded previously by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Ray Charles. Eric shines on dobro.

Still Got The Blues
Yes, the Gary Moore version, much appreciated from some of Eric’s 2011 live concerts. Lovely organ from Steve Winwood and acoustic fills lead us in, subtle echo on the vocals. Strings initially rather overpower the (electric) guitar solo but it builds admirably and is still a very very classy number.

Goodnight Irene
Perhaps best remembered by EC fans from the Chas n’ Dave Christmas special on ITV from 1982. This version flows easier than that version and has everything on it – violin, banjo, mandolin, accordion, dobro.

Your One and Only Man
Reggae feel again for this Otis Redding number but with some dirty, funky, under-stated guitar. The harmonica sounds great and is reminiscent of Stevie Wonder. Unusual ending that fades out as if they’d decided enough was enough.

Every Little Thing
Co-written with Doyle Bramhall II, strong melody again leads into a reggae chorus. You sense this one could really break out into a great jam with extended guitar solos until…is that Eric’s daughters singing the chorus at the end?!

Our Love Is Here To Stay
From the film, An American in Paris, performed by Gene Kelly. Another probable Clapton album outtake, slow shuffle, piano to the fore, dreamy steel guitar solo. Jim Keltner is behind the kit for this track.

Old Sock is a natural follow-up to 2010's Clapton album and sees Eric continuing the theme of reproducing songs that have been important to him throughout his life, with reggae, soul, jazz and, of course, the blues, all featured. Eric’s playing is slightly more adventurous here and there is a relaxed, harmonious, fun feel to the album, as reflected in the album’s title and artwork. It's out 12 March in North America on EC’s Bushbranch Records and distributed by Surfdog Records. Polydor Records will distribute to the rest of the world with release dates between 22 and 27 March. It will be released on CD, vinyl and in digital formats.

Download all old sock

video for the song Gotta Get Over

The John Lennon Letters: review

At last, evidence of the childhood burgeoning of John Lennon’s genius can be revealed. Perfectly reproduced on page 25 of this hefty, handsomely mounted, beautifully printed, lovingly curated tome, the journalist and official Beatles biographer Hunter Davies has unearthed an early example of Lennon’s writing, from “around 1955”, demonstrating his nascent gift for coruscating honesty and emotional directness. Less than 20 words long, written with a red crayon in capital letters, the message reads: “HARRY I HAVE TAKEN DAVIDS BIKE I WILL RETURN IT TOMORROW (SO AS NOT TO BREAK INTO THE £1)”.

Fortunately, Davies is on hand to shed light on this cryptic prose poem, revealing that the young Lennon “often went to visit his aunt Harriet, who lived nearby in a house called The Cottage, to play with his cousins Liela and David. On this occasion he seems to have gone off on David’s bike, presumably to save money on a bus fare.”

Well, I’m glad that’s been cleared up.

This book is beyond parody. There can be no argument that Lennon was one of the most iconic and culturally significant figures of the 20th century, a status based on 23 albums made with the Beatles, Yoko Ono and solo. Since his untimely death in 1980, public fascination has led to an industry of posthumous releases and pseudo-forensic examination of everything he ever touched, rather like poring over the bones of a saint in search of religious revelation. As we get further from the creative source, each new addition to the growing heap of branded Lennon memorabilia has the effect of diminishing rather than expanding our sense of the artist. Typically for products endorsed by Yoko Ono, this book has a luxurious sheen that would complement any coffee table, but its contents reveal that the bottom of the barrel has been well and truly scraped clean.

In a self-justifying introduction, Davies claims that he has “rather expanded the definition of the word letter”, but what he has actually done is reduce it to compensate for an absence of any missives of substance. This book should be renamed “The John Lennon Post-it notes”. No piece of paper bearing evidence of his hand is deemed too trivial to include, so that chapters covering the more reclusive years up to his death are filled with hastily scribbled lists of jobs left for various domestic personnel, subsequently numbered, titled and pretentiously annotated by Davies. Letter 264: List for Rosa, 1979 starts “MiLK (3 cartons) ORANGES GRAPENUTS (NOT FLAKES)” and continues in this fashion for several lines. The contrast between the serious presentation and triteness of the content only serves to make the subject look silly.



There are actual letters, many addressed to family members and close friends, written fast and unselfconsciously in a light-hearted style, full of surreal nonsense frequently pertaining to insignificant matters lost in the mists of time, so that all that is left are non sequiturs, baffling

in-jokes and badly spelt puns (Lennon’s spelling is atrocious). Nevertheless, you can hear Lennon’s voice coming through loud and clear and it is not a particularly attractive one. He is frequently defensive, aggressive, paranoid, bossy, sarcastic and self-justifying, particularly in work-related scribbles reacting to perceived criticism or imagined slights against Yoko. He can also be kind, apologetic and funny in a lunatic, Goonish fashion, with the

self-mockery to wonder (in a typically nonsensical letter to the Beatles publicist Derek Taylor) “how come us genious’s’s are so dumb?”

Almost anything of serious interest to Beatles scholars has been seen before, including impressively besotted early love letters to his first wife, Cynthia Powell, which contrast rather sadly with terse post-divorce notes later in life. Among the most telling is a self-pitying letter in 1965 describing his loneliness on tour, in which he says, “between the laughs there is such a drop – I mean there seems no in-between feelings”.

Lennon’s inner world was one of extremes, yet only one letter among the 285 sheds any light on how he mined that for creativity. It is a rambling, depressed, nihilistically defiant letter to art-school friend and former Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe, composed in 1961 but demonstrating a poetic savagery that wouldn’t be heard in his songwriting for another five years. “I usually write like this and forget about it but if I post it it’s like a little piece of my secret self in the hands of someone miles away,” Lennon tells his friend.

But the secret self this book reveals is no secret at all. Lennon chose to explore his volatile nature in music, not in correspondence, and all these scribblings offer are shallow, shadowy glimpses of his familiar contradictions. What do we really learn about Lennon from nearly 400 pages of annotated private correspondence? Well, he couldn’t spell. He liked to doodle. And he had way too much spare time on his hands.

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The Lemonheads - Mr. Robinson

When It’s a Shame About Ray was originally released in 1992, its twelve original tunes barely clocked in at half an hour. It’s quick, casual, tossed-off nature only enhanced its charm at a time when bands were over-eagerly padding 80-minute CDs. Soon after the album’s release, the Lemonheads cover of Paul Simon’s “Mrs. Robinson” became a modest hit and was appended as a bonus cut to the original album.

47 Years Ago: John Lennon “More Popular Than Jesus” Story Is Published

On March 4, 1966, an article appeared in the London Evening Standard that would cause an uproar and ripple for some time. Journalist Maureen Cleave was doing a series entitled ‘How Does a Beatle Live?’ and her encounter with John Lennon provided controversy that spread far beyond the London paper.

“Christianity will go,” Lennon said. ”It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that. I’m right and I’ll be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first, rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.”

The comments generated little response when first printed, but after U.S. teen mag Datebook reprinted the quote out of context months later, the controversy boiled over. Alabama disc jockeys Doug Layton and Tommy Charles of WAQY initiated a ‘Beatle Boycott’ urging people to take their Beatles “records and paraphernalia” to designated places to burn them. The Beatles, and Lennon in particular, were, momentarily, the devil incarnate to the Bible Belt and beyond, just as they were about to begin a U.S. tour.

“John is deeply concerned and regrets that people with certain religious beliefs should have been offended in any way whatsoever,” said Beatles manager Brian Epstein at a press conference. “I’m not anti-Christ or anti-religion or anti-God” Lennon said in a separate press conference. “I’m not saying we’re better or greater, or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person, or God as a thing or whatever it is. I just said what I said and was wrong, or was taken wrong, and now it’s all this.”

He continued his explanation. “If I’d have said television is more popular than Jesus, I might have got away with it” he said. “In reference to England, we meant more to kids than Jesus did, or religion at that time. I wasn’t knocking it or putting it down I was just saying it as a fact and it’s true more for England than here.”

Lennon and the band obviously survived the ordeal, and the tour went on as planned. But the controversy as a result of his statements, which included death threats, was one of the reasons why the Beatles decided to give up the road upon the tour’s completion.

Listen to the ‘Bigger Than Jesus’ Documentary