The Modern Lovers were an American rock band led by Jonathan Richman in the 1970s and 1980s. The original band existed from 1970 to 1974 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson (later of The Cars) and keyboardist Jerry Harrison (later of Talking Heads). The sound of the band owed a great deal to the influence of the Velvet Underground, and is now sometimes classified as "proto-punk". It pointed the way towards much of the punk rock, new wave, alternative and indie rock music of later decades. Their only album, the eponymous The Modern Lovers, contained idiosyncratic songs about dating awkwardness, growing up in Massachusetts, love of life, and the USA.
Richman did not recognize this compilation as his "first album," preferring to recognize his debut as 1976's Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, an album pursuing the lighter, softer direction he had in mind with a completely different band (the two collections were released within months of each other). However, The Modern Lovers was given an enthusiastic critical reception, with critic Ira Robbins hailing it as "one of the truly great art rock albums of all time", and it influenced numerous aspiring punk rock musicians on both sides of the Atlantic, including the Sex Pistols (who covered "Roadrunner" on The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle).
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Jeff Ray's third and most compelling album to date. A blues-influenced tour de force of resonator slide-guitar, Ray weaves the grit of the Mississippi Delta into a tapestry of poetic americana.Since the release of his rockin' multi-instrumental 2004 sophomore release, JUNE GENERATION, Ray embarked on a life of touring solo from the Midwest to the South where he found the inspiration for LAST GREAT WINTER. Influenced by the Midwest resonator guitar scene, Ray picked up a National steel guitar and eventually landed opening slots for some of his biggest influences, including Chris Smither. Drawing from those performance experiences, Ray left behind the studio band and found his solo groove on LAST GREAT WINTER. On the album, he weaves his stylistic diversity with unmatched simplicity using only a resonator guitar, his voice, and a stomping foot that blends seamlessly into each song. Jeff reveals with great clarity his unique style that he calls Zen Blues - a style marked by alternate guitar tunings and songs that unsuspectingly shift between thumb-thumping slide-guitar ballads to worldly folk-inspired jams.Ray even throws in a few surprises, including a bluesy rendition of Bob Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" and a catchy version of Woody Guthrie's timeless anthem "This Land Is Your Land", one of the most surprising versions ever recorded. Originally a protest song, "This Land Is Your Land" eventually morphed into a childhood sing-along, stripped bare of it's most controversial verses. But Ray returns this song to its original purpose and gives it new life by altering the melody, changing the rhythm, accentuating the forgotten verses, and even altering the final lines to give new meaning.Jeff Ray continues to gain recognition as an emerging influence in the acoustic roots music scene.
It hasn't been a vintage years for LP record finds at car boot sales and charity shops, but I've found a fair number over the last 12 months, some of which have been fairly valuable. Many of these I have sold on Ebay but I've kept quite a few. These are the top seven in terms of value, according to the Rare Record Guide.1. Fairfield Parlour - From Home To Home. Released in 1970 on Vertigo. Mint value - 350.I bought this one from a chap who had quite a large record collection, most of which were early 70s prog rock. This was the pick of the bunch by the successor band to Kaleidoscope.2. The Champ - The Mohawks. Pama PMLP 5. Mint value 200.This was one of nine reggae and rocksteady LPs that I bought at a car boot sale. Actually this one isn't reggae at all, despite being on the predominantly reggae Pama label, It's British soul/funk - not particularly good, but highly collectable. The band's leader The Hawk was organist Alan Hawkshaw, one time member of Emile Ford's Checkmates.3. Crab's Biggest Hits Vol 1. Pama ECO 2. Mint value 100.Crab, launched in 1968, was one of many Pama labels and featured recordings by various Jamaican and UK producers. Artists featured on this 'Best of' were Ernest Wilson, G G Grossett. the Ethiopians, the Versatiles, Derrick Morgan, the Viceroys, Val Bennet and the Tartans. This was another of the nine LPs mentioned above.4. The Kinks Live At Kelvin Hall. Pye NPL 18191. Mint value 100.During the year I bought a great batch of 45s from a lady who I met at a car boot sale who I badgered until she let me into her garage! Most of them were on Pye related labels but one was Jim Dandy by Lavern Baker, which lists at a cool 350! Another visit six months later resulted in me obtaining several decent LPs, including this live one by The Kinks released in 1967.5. Tommy Sands - Sands Storm. Released in 1958 on Capitol. Mint value - 80.This was another LP from the same batch as Fairfield Parlour and is an excellent rock and roll LP from 1959.6. The Lively Ones - Surf Drums. LP released on London in 1963. Mint value 70.In August I picked up some great surf LPs including half a dozen by The Ventures, one by the California version of the Tornadoes and another by the Surfaris. This obscure UK surf instrumental LP on London was among them.7. Tony Orlando - Bless You & 11 Other Great Hits. LP released in 1961 on Fontana in 1961. Mint value 60.I make no apologies for saying that Tony's versions of Halfway To Paradise and I'd Never Find Another You are at least as good as Billy Fury's and what's more they predated his. He was only 16 when he recorded these tracks, which also included Bless You and Happy Times, and all the songs are excellent - not surprising, given that seven of them were written by Goffin and King. I found this comparative rarity in a chariry shop in Reading.
At around this time every year the Vinyl Word raises a glass to those musicians and entertainers who have died during the year. As ever, 2013 has seen many greats pass on, and no doubt others will do so during the last two weeks of the year. And even as I am writing this, news has come through of the death, at 81, of Peter O'Toole, one of the greatest actors of the late 20th century, whose starring roles include Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion In Winter, The Ruling Class, Becket, Goodbye Mr Chips and My Favourite year. The Vinyl Word raises a glass, as I'm sure Peter himself would have done. Here are some of the other more significant losses that we have seen this year.Jewel Akens - Birds and the Bees singer; Patty Andrews - member of the Andrews Sisters; Kevin Ayres - Soft Machine; Kenny Ball - trad jazz man; Peter Banks - member of Yes; Sid Bernstein - US producer and promoter; Big Bopper Jr - rock and roll singer: Joe Bihari - Modern records co-founder; Karen Black -American actress and singer; Bobby 'Blue' Bland - legendary soul and blues singer (pictured); Eddie Bond - rockabilly singer; Lee 'Sugarfoot' Bonner - Ohio Players; Richard Briers - comedy actor; Texas Johnny Brown - bluesman; Donald Byrd - jazz trumpeter; J J Cale - singer/songwriter from Tulsa; Roscoe Chenier - blues/zydeco guitarist; Cowboy Jack Clement - Sun singer and singwriter; Lewis Collins - Professionals actor and one time member of the Mojos; Mac Curtis - rockabilly singer; Jimmy Dawkins - bluesman; Bob Day - one half of the Allisons; Ray Dolby - recording engineer; Frank D'Rone - Strawberry Blonde singer; George Duke - jazz keyboard player, producer and singer; Deanna Durbin - 40s singer and actress; Bob Engemann - member of the Lettermen; T-Model Ford - bluesman; David Frost - TV interviewer, entertainer and presenter; Annette Funicello - US beach movie actress and singer (pictured); David Garrick - UK 60s pop singer: Eydie Gorme - singer and wife of Steve Lawrence; Jack Greene - country singer; Chico Hamilton - jazz drummer and bandleader; Hardrock Gunter - bluesman; Noel Harrison - Windmills of my Mind singer; Richie Havens - singer/songwriter and guitarist; Donna Hightower - soul and jazz singer; Rick Huxley - Dave Clark Five member; Roosevelt Jamison - Memphis songwriter and music manager: Roland Janes - Sun guitarist; Virgil Johnson - member of the Velvets; George Jones - country singer; Marvin Junior - member of the Dells; Claude King - country singer; Roger Lavern - member of the Tornados; Alvin Lee - Ten Years After; Terry Lightfoot - trad jazz man; Little Tony - Italian pop singer; Jackie Lomax - member of the Undertakers; Mary Love - soul singer; Lewis Lymon - rock an roll singer and brother of Frankie; Gloria Lynne - jazz and blues singer; Magic Slim - bluesman; Bobby Mansfield - member of the Wrens; Ray Manzarek - member of the Doors; Bobby Martin - Philly soul producer; Sammy Masters - rockabilly singer; Larry McKinley - co-founder of Minit records; Marion McPartland - jazz pianist and composer; Ready Teddy McQuiston - New Orleans presenter and DJ; Shadow Morton - girl group record producer and writer; Junior Murvin - reggae singer; Chicago Bob Nelson - bluesman; Bernie Nolan - member of the Nolans; Patti Page - 50s songstress; Bobby Parker - Watch Your Step bluesman; Bill Pertwee - Dad's Army actor; Piano Red - piano bluesman aka Dr Feelgood; Charles Pope - member of the Tams; Maxine Powell - Motown etiquette guru; Reg Presley - lead singer of the Troggs: Marvin Rainwater - rock and roll/country singer; Phil Ramone - record producer; Lou Reed - Velvet Underground and solo rock star; Joan Regan - 50s UKs singer; Dale Robertson - TV western actor; Bobby Rogers - Miracles; Sid Selvidge - folk singer and member of Mud Boy and the Neutrons; Paul Shane - Hi-Di-Hi actor; George Beverley Shea - gospel singer; Gary Shearston - Australian singer; Tony Sheridan - UK singer with early Beatles in Hamburg; Bobby Smith - member of the Spinners; Mel Smith - actor and comedian; Clyde Stacy - rockabilly singer; Cleotha Staples - member of Staple Singers; Gordon Stoker - member of the Jordanaires; Richard Street - member of the Monitors and Temptations; Frank Thornton - Are You Being Served actor; Stan Tracey - UK jazz pianist; Larry Verne - Mr Custer artist; Esther Williams - swimmer turned actress; Paul Williams - music author; Artie 'Blues Boy' White - bluesman; Ray Whitley - beach music singwriter; Slim Whitman - country singer; Tony Wilkinson - record collector, music writer and Woodie; Chick Willis - bluesman; Cecil Womack - member of Valentinos and one half of Womack and Womack. May you all rest in peace. And thanks for the memories.
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