Showing posts with label PInk Floyd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PInk Floyd. Show all posts

High five ... plus five: Top selling music memorabilia for March

New blog feature lists highest auction prices realized for vinyl records, concert posters
By Peter Lindblad

David Bowie - Low U.K. 1977 Original
Factory Sample
The fallout from David Bowie's death continues to impact the record-collecting market. That story and more are highlighted in the first installment of a new feature here at the All Access blog, which takes a monthly look at the best-selling vinyl records (classical records have been omitted) and other musical memorabilia on eBay.

Not found among the most expensive items sold in March is this U.K. 1977 original factory sample version – considered one of the first ever printed – of Bowie's Low photographed at right. Considered one of the first ever printed, this piece, described by the seller as "impossibly rare," went for $1,234. And yet, it did not even come close to sniffing the prices realized by three other Bowie lots that lead March's top-selling listings for records. A listing of top-selling concert posters for March is also included below:

Records

David Bowie - Deram Japanese Stock
with "Both Obi's" 
1. David Bowie – David Bowie ($12,911.54): It doesn't get much better for collectors of David Bowie records than this. According to the seller, this Japanese version of David Bowie's self-titled album is in mint condition, having never been played, and is said to be the "the rarest David Bowie Deram LP on earth." Going further, the seller writes, that it is an unprecedented Deram stock copy DL-44 "in it's absolute complete day of release form" with the original strip OBI DL-44 – "the unfathomably rare mini OBI." It comes with the original lyric sheet and advert sheet. "I have owned five of these stock copies along the road, none with an OBI," continues the seller. "And nobody has even heard of this secondary mini OBI before." To read the complete backstory to this item, check it out on eBay.


David Bowie - Hunky Dory Preview
Pressing Only Four Copies Exist
2. David Bowie – Hunky Dory ($10,783.26): More from the Thin White Duke, there are only four known copies of this preview pressing. What makes this one special, according to the seller, is that it comes with the very first Hunky Dory sleeve ever printed. Previously used, the seller includes a detailed description of its flaws in the eBay write-up; however, the lot also comes with a handpicked stack of paperwork, a 12 1/2 x 12 1/2-inch promotional gatefold wraparound sleeve with pouches to house all the promo photos and paperwork that goes with the record.

The Beatles - LP Please Please Me -
Stereo First Pressing - Black And Gold
3. The Beatles – Please Please Me LP ($6,526.71): The 1963 release, catalog No. PCS 3042, is a stereo version of the Please Please Me LP. According to the seller's description, "The first copies of this record, like this one, were pressed with the elusive black and gold labels. This was due to Parlophone changing the label design to the more well-known black-and-yellow version. It is estimated that only 600 copies were ever pressed, making them extremely difficult to find." Adding to the unique character of these versions is a mistake, namely the publishing credit given to Dick James Music for the songs "I Saw Her Standing There," "Misery," "Do You Want to Know a Secret" and "There's a Place." Later pressings corrected the error, crediting Northern Songs. Furthermore, there is other evidence of this being housed in an original first pressing sleeve. It has an Ernest J. Day cover, with STEREO writ large on the front top right corner. A photo credit for Angus McBean is located on the front right bottom corner.

The Parliaments - This is My Rainy Day/
Getting Ready for the Summer
Cabell 115
4. The Parliaments – This is My Rainy Day ($5,324.55): An original Northern Soul rarity, this 7-inch single is in very good condition. Issued by the Cabell Records label in 1966, it is an original 1960s pressing, a first edition now out of print. Considered "the rarest of all records by The Parliaments," one of the groups featuring Archie Himon, aka Little Archie of Huntington, West Virginia, there are very few known copies of the single. Some say the reason is that the owner of Cabell Records wasn't happy with it. At least two known copies were out there, before this one was unearthed, according to the seller. They sold for between $4,400 and $6,400.

David Bowie - The Bowpromo
5. David Bowie – The Bowpromo ($5,188.73): In mint condition, this piece is thought to be among the most collectible David Bowie records around. Bowie sings all the songs on Side 1, while Dana Gillespie provides the vocals for Side 2. It contains different versions of songs on Hunky Dory that never made it on to the album. Descriptions of the songs here are said by the seller to be included on a number of web sites and of great interest to Bowie collectors due to their rarity. The seller claims to have purchased the record from Gillespie.

Concert posters:

Sam Cooke Five Royales Original
1958 Pre-Fillmore Boxing Style
Concert Poster
1. Sam Cooke – Five Royales Original 1958 Pre-Fillmore Boxing Style Concert Poster ($2,550): Soul/R&B legend Sam Cooke headlined this show at Chattanooga City's Auditorium in Tennessee on Sept. 29, 1958. Future Rock & Roll Hall of Fames the Five Royales opened for him, along with other acts. Measuring 21 5/8 x 28 1/4 inches, the original poster is on thick cardboard, similar to boxing-style posters. While it does show some damage, the poster is still highly prized by soul collectors, considering the profiles of these iconic soul and R&B artists.

Pink Floyd - Concert Poster 1970
Boston Tea Party
2. Pink Floyd – Concert Poster 1970 Boston Tea Party ($2,200): Extremely rare concert poster for Pink Floyd's show at the Boston Tea Party April 12, 1970. In very good condition, with sharp corners and no folds, the piece measures 17 x 17 inches. The Boston Tea Party was a concert venue at 53 Berkeley Street in Boston's South End neighborhood and played a role in the psychedelic movement. 


Grateful Dead - VTG 1970
Grateful Dead Tour Concert
Poster Psychedelic Art
MIT Armory Event
3. Grateful Dead  VTG 1970 Grateful Dead Tour Concert Poster Psychedelic Art MIT Armory Event ($2,100): An authentic Grateful Dead poster for the band's May 7, 1970 show at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Armory, this piece is printed on thick card stock and measures 11 x 14 inches. A pin hole, corner creases, smudges, stains and scuffs mar this poster, but the seller said the artwork "appears to have been hand-painted onto the poster since the art almost has a felt-like feel rather than what a screen print would feel on paper, and the opposite side shows a 'blueprint' of the finished poster." Additionally, two artists signed their names in the two bottom corners.

Tom Wilkes 1960s Rock
Concert Psychedelic Poster
4. Tom Wilkes 1960s Rock Concert Psychedelic Poster ($1,800): Here's a Tom Wilkes 1960s rock concert psychedelic poster from the Monterey International Pop Festival, one of the biggest events in rock history. Wilkes served as the art director for the festival, and between 1967 and 1969, he was the art director A&M Records. Responsible for many award-winning designs, Wilkes won a Grammy award for best recording packaging for Tommy performed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Choir. He also designed covers for legendary records, such as George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, Neil Young's Harvest and the Rolling Stones' Beggars' Banquet.The poster's framed dimensions are 26.75 x 41.5 inches.


KISS - Original KISS Blue
Oyster Cult New Year's Eve
Nassau Coliseum NY
Concert Poster
5. KISS – Original KISS Blue Oyster Cult New Year's Eve Nassau Coliseum NY Concert Poster ($1,336): Legendary rock acts KISS and Blue Oyster Cult were on the bill, with special guest the Leslie West Band. The poster was promoting a Dec. 31, 1975 show for KISS. It was the first New York area concert for the "ALIVE" North American Tour, the initial stop at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island. The seller claims to have received the poster from promoter Phil Basile, a Long Island promoter who worked with another legendary promoter, Ron Delsener. Not a copy or reproduction, this is a rare, original concert poster that has some creases and edge wear.


Massive 60s and 70s Rock Photo Archive Hits The Auction Block

The Who 1965
September 2015 -  Backstage Auctions is proud to present one of the most historic rock photo archive auctions featuring thousands of vintage images of the British music scene from the 1960s and 1970s.

The collection consists of well over 20,000 historic negatives, slides and transparencies featuring some of the most iconic musicians and bands of all time. Almost exclusively comprised of film from the 1960s and 1970s, this material comes direct from John Halsall and was once part of the core archive of a London based photo agency. After having been professionally stored for the past 35 years, the world can now witness the unearthing of a visually magnificent and historically significant archive that has no equal.

This collection is divided in just under 500 individual lots and will be offered with a full transfer of rights, which makes this material not only collectible but also commercially appealing and exceptionally valuable.

The Grateful Dead 1970
As with any high quality collection, this archive is well-represented by the various decades and genres that ultimately transformed and created the history of rock, pop and punk music.

From the 1950s the collection offers attractive lots by several of the Jazz, Pop and Country greats such as Duke Ellington, Fats Domino, Charlie Mingus, Sidney Bechet, The Andrew Sisters, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Johnny Cash, Bill Haley & The Comets and Gene Vincent.

Otis Redding 1966
The roaring 60s consume a large part of the auction. From teen heart-throbs such as the Bee Gees, Beach Boys, Dave Clark 5, Sonny & Cher and The Walker Brothers, to R&B giants such as James Brown, The Crystals, Martha & The Vendellas, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and The Supremes.

It is however the Rock & Roll portion that truly elevates this collection to peerless heights. In particular the thousands of never-before-seen photos of The Rolling Stones and The Who is what makes this archive one for the ages. 

Equally significant are lots by The Animals, The Band, Jeff Beck, The Byrds, Blind Faith, Cream, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, The Mamas & The Papas, The Move, Them and Pink Floyd.  

Mick Jagger 1964
Robert Plant 1979
The 1970s is the next decade that consumes the other large part of the auction, fueled by incredible collections from many of the A-List of Rock such as Led Zeppelin, Queen, David Bowie, Black Sabbath, Mountain, New York Dolls, Sweet, Thin Lizzy, T. Rex and Frank Zappa

Complementing the diverse 70s are fantastic lots from the Punk era (Sex Pistols, The Clash, Blondie, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Jam, The Stranglers), Pop giants (ABBA, The Carpenters, Neil Diamond, The Police, Dire Straits) to the early days of Heavy-Metal (AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard).

The collection comes to a conclusion in the early 1980s with exceptional lots from some of the legendary New-Wave (The Tourists, Pretenders, Ian Dury), Ska (Madness) and Reggae (Peter Tosh) performers.

Sex Pistols March 21, 1977 with Sid Vicious at Notre Dame Hall - London
Rounding out the archive are several impressive festival collections (Isle of Wight, Knebworth, Reading, Bickershaw, Glad Rag Balls and others) to over 30 lots from various “Top of the Pops” and “Ready, Set, Go!”  television episodes aired between the mid-60s to 1982.

Collection Highlights

Highlighted below are what we consider to be the Top Five collections to be featured in the auction. Of course it was hard to pick just five, but read on and you will get a sense of why these collections are high on our list.

Rolling Stones 1965
The Rolling Stones - simply because of the sheer volume (almost 5,000 negatives) and the fact that 75% of it is dated between 1963 and 1969. It provides the a most comprehensive visual documentation of their TV appearances, live shows, formal and candid photo sessions and their years of touring.

The Who 1965
The Who - very much for the same reason as with The Stones.  With almost 3,000 negatives, of with more than half from the 60s, this collection presents an insight into their high profile and public lives. 


Cream 1969
Eric Clapton – and in particular the collection of photos of Cream and Blind Faith, which include highly illusive images of club shows, rehearsals and candid photo sessions. The many addition lots of Eric Clapton with Delaney & Bonnie, as well as his early years a solo artist makes this overall a most comprehensive collection of the vintage Clapton era.

Jimi Hendrix ca. 1966 UK
Professional Photo Shoot
Jimi Hendrix - just when one would think that every Hendrix photo that was ever made has already been discovered and seen by ‘the world’, this archive offers 175 jaw-dropping new images, from photo sessions and candid moments, to TV appearances, rehearsals and live shows.

The 5th artist is a true toss-up between Pink Floyd (for the Syd Barrett content), Otis Redding (for the amazing live and backstage photos of several of his U.K. shows) and Black Sabbath (because it documents the first few years of their career through a series of stunning photo sessions and live shows).


Collections worthy of more than a quick glance

The Jeff Beck Group 1967 with Rod Steward and Ron Wood
The Jeff Beck Group 1967 with Rod
Stewart and Ron Wood
What comes to mind initially is a collection of almost 800 Rolling Stones negatives (!) taken from their first tour of Ireland, which lasted exactly 3 days (January 6-8, 1965). To take that many photos means that you have documented nearly every plane, train and bus ride, hotel stay, breakfast, lunch and dinner, rehearsal and concert, dressing room and backstage moment from that tour…and this collection in fact has done just that.

The second is more an ‘angle’ than a specific artist. Perhaps the most unique element of this archive is that it captures so many ‘big name’ artists at a time when they were so young. And with that comes the other aspect…so many of the photos are deeply personal as they show these artists at home, in their backyard, on the road, in a dressing room, even in the hospital. What stands out – and we could do a great photo collage – is;

•         Keith Moon at home with wife & kids
•         Bill Wyman at home with wife & kids
•         Pete Townshend visiting his manager’s office
•         The Bee Gees at home with wives / girlfriends
•         Jimi Hendrix in rehearsal
•         Cream on the couch of their management office
•         Mick Jagger looking at a "peeking" fan 
•         Otis Redding getting ready for a show in London
•         Marc Bolan and his girlfriend with newborn son 
•         David Bowie on the floor in his apartment
•         Jeff Beck with his buddies (Stewart and Wood) 
•         Johnny Cash with wife & son
•         Roy Orbison with wife & son
•         Ozzy Osbourne dropping his pants  
•         Sonny & Cher in the worlds most "dizziest" outfits  
•         Diana Ross & The Supremes first UK visit
•         Mama Cass Elliot in her London hotel room
•         George Martin (The Beatles producer) at home

David Bowie ca. 1969
About John Halsall

John Halsall started London Features and was formed in 1969 and initially began as a tool for the syndication of John's

John Halsall - London Features Press Pass 1974
personal freelance articles and the photographs taken by his photographer/ co-director. By the 1970s it because apparent that, as far as rock music was concerned, London had become the Capital of the World and many of the foreign publications that had used Halsall as their foreign correspondent were either opening their own offices in London or financing a London based staff.

As time passed, the need for Halsall’s interviewing and writing obligations diminished but the need for on the ground photographers was growing, so LFI (London Features International) added photographers, opened additional dark rooms and a proper studio, and soon came into its own as an established agency.

Halsall interviewing Carl Wilson
of the Beach Boys in 1973
LFI became the largest agency in its field and the competition conceded; most sold their collections to LFI complete with rights as did many independent photographers. Halsall, being a businessman first, recognized the value and opportunity in the images and began to personally purchase the collections and assimilate them into the LFI library. 

Decades later, LFI became the victim of the “digital revolution” and the rise of such well funded giants as Getty and Shutterstock.  LFI was sold in 2005 and Halsall retired along with his amazing library of images. The collection being presented at auction is the personal collection and historical archive of John Halsall.


Auction Information

The Photo Archive Auction will have a special VIP Preview beginning on September 19th, 2015. The bidding will begin on September 26th and run through October 4th, 2015.

To register for your All Access VIP Auction Pass click here:  VIP REGISTRATION








New Pink Floyd album artwork unveiled

More details about 'The Endless River' revealed
By Peter Lindblad

Pink Floyd - The Endless River 2014
A classy tribute to a fallen comrade, keyboardist extraordinaire Richard Wright, the cover to Pink Floyd's upcoming LP The Endless River features a lone boatsman paddling across a blanket of clouds into a glorious sunset.

The metaphor may be a bit obvious for the Floyd, whose album art is usually somewhat more enigmatic, but it's a beautiful and poignant piece of work and given the circumstances surrounding this release, it's an entirely appropriate meditation on mortality, loss and the afterlife.

Wright died of cancer in September 2008, leaving only guitarist/singer David Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason as remaining members, following Roger Waters' acrimonious split from the group.

In 1993, the trio hunkered down at Brittania Row and Astoria Studios for sessions that yielded the Division Bell, Pink Floyd's last studio album. It was the first time they had done so since the seventies, when they hashed out the iconic Wish You Were Here LP, another moving Pink Floyd record that ruminated on former band leader Syd Barrett's sad decline and mental disintegration.

Last year, Gilmour and Mason went back through the music that came out of the Division Bell studio work and decided to hone and shape these orphaned pieces – with the help of modern recording technology – for a new album, The Endless River. The whole LP is a celebration honoring the genius of Wright, whose keyboards helped mold Pink Floyd's uniquely spacey and conceptual progressive-rock sound.

According to a statement on the www.PinkFloyd.com web site, The Endless River is "a mainly instrumental album with one song, 'Louder Than Words,' (with lyrics by Polly Samson), arranged across four sides and produced by David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth and Andy Jackson."

Some, like Mike Portnoy, have expressed their reservations about the new album, wondering how it can be a proper Pink Floyd album without Waters and the deceased Wright and Barrett. He would prefer a special edition reissue of the Division Bell. That's splitting hairs, especially considering the contributions Wright made to these recordings while still alive. Throughout music history, there are numerous instances of artists taking work from sessions for one album and using them later for another.

How many stories are there out there of songs being written long ago in the distant past and then brought out of retirement for inclusion on future releases? What makes these creations any different? And as for Waters, he made his own bed, opting to go solo and talking about how Floyd was "a spent force" way back when and prematurely proclaiming the band's death. It was his hubris that led to his departure, and while he certainly was the driving force in Floyd in the aftermath of Barrett's death, how much of that was due to his own need to for full control?

Anyway, you'll be able to form your own opinions when The Endless River comes out on Nov. 10.

Here's the track listing for The Endless River:

"Things Left Unsaid"
"It's What We Do"
"Ebb and Flow"
"Sum"
"Skins"
"Unsung"
"Anisina"
"The Lost Art of Conversation"
"On Noodle Street"
"Night Light"
"Allons-v (1)"
"Autumn '68"
"Allons-v (2)"
"Talkin' Hawkin'"
"Calling"
"Eyes to Pearls"
"Surfacing"
"Louder Than Words"

DVD Review: Pink Floyd – The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story

DVD Review: Pink Floyd – The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story
Eagle Rock Entertainment
All Access Rating: B+

Jerry Shirley, ex-drummer for Humble Pie, saw the old creative spark return on occasion while helping Syd Barrett record his solo albums, The Madcap Laughs and Barrett. He was also there when Barrett put down his guitar and simply walked off the stage June 6, 1970, at the Olympia Exhibition Hall.

Predicting what the erratic Barrett would do by then was an exercise in futility, his mind scrambled from taking too much acid. In 2001, a documentary titled "The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story," which included Shirley's observations, examined Barrett's sad decline through a somewhat stodgy, if well-arranged and professionally edited, mosaic of vintage video snippets, performance clips and promotional videos, and poignant, candid interviews with those who knew him best.

Now reissued by Eagle Rock Entertainment as a two-disc DVD set with complete, unedited Q&A sessions with Roger Waters, Nick Mason, David Gilmour and Richard Wright and Graham Coxon's bonus cover of "Love You," off The Madcap Laughs, this version of "The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story" fleshes out what was already a well-rounded, in-depth portrait of an artist whose mind was set adrift long before he shuffled off this mortal coil.

Told chronologically, it's a concise and insightful look at the rise of Pink Floyd as inspired psychedelic-rock oddballs, these experimental delinquents led by a cult figure in Barrett, whose ability to make the mundane seem strangely magical led to wonderfully mad musical creations that set the band on an artful journey of imagination and wonder. Barrett, though, would only travel so far with them.

Amid the expected gushing tributes, the sense of loss and wasted talent, and the behind-the-scenes peek into Barrett's life beyond the Floyd, "The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story" – Barrett would surely balk at such a pedestrian title, as well as the film's bland narration – is a focused examination of his impact on the band and popular music in general. A kindred spirit, Robyn Hitchcock, admires his genius from afar, offering his personal thesis on why Barrett still matters. There's also a detailed analysis of the song "Bike," so blissfully strange and childlike and yet crazed in its manic musique concrete episode, from Pink Floyd's psychedelic masterpiece Piper at the Gates of Dawn, that gazes at the Barrett's idiosyncratic artistry and shakes its head at its audacity. Fading remembrances, both happy and still troubled by his disintegration, flow like rivers of colorful paint from witnesses of Barrett's bedraggled character, his unique vision and his growing detachment, which led to a hermit-like existence and self-imposed musical exile until his death.

At the end, there's still emptiness. What remains is a wide gap in our understanding of how Barrett lived during all those years of radio silence, his story a frustrating mystery with an unsatisfying resolution. And yet, as is argued in the film, perhaps Barrett was fated to burn brightly, just before having his candle snuffed out.
– Peter Lindblad

Monte Pittman: To the Third Power

Guitarist talks new album, Madonna and Prong
By Peter Lindblad

Monte Pittman and group - 2014
Monte Pittman hit the jackpot. Having moved to Los Angeles in his mid-20s to teach guitar, the native Texan, in short order, became Madonna's guitar teacher, having been introduced by the man she was dating at the time, famed British director Guy Ritchie, also a student of Pittman's.

Within a month, Pittman was playing alongside Madonna on the "David Letterman Show," her performance coinciding with promotion for her album, Music. That was only the start of their working relationship, as Pittman went on to provide guitar for all of Madonna's five tours since then, the first being the 2001 Drowned World Tour.

That, in and of itself, would make Pittman the envy of any struggling musician trying to find work in the field, let alone all the perks, such as performing in some of the biggest venues and music events in the world, including the 2012 Super Bowl. Then, along came Prong.

Joining the alternative-metal attack dogs, Pittman played bass and guitar for Prong on the raging albums Scorpio Rising and Power of the Damager, as well as the live effort 100% Live. Prong and Madonna couldn't be more different, of course, but that doesn't really concern Pittman. He's enjoyed both experiences immensely.

These days, though, Pittman's focus is on his burgeoning solo career, christened by 2009's sonorous acoustic vessel, The Deepest Dark. It was a successful debut, hitting No. 1 on the Best Selling Acoustic Albums list at CD-Baby.com. A Kickstarter campaign helped Pittman record the follow-up, 2011's grungy rocker Pain, Love & Destiny. On CD Baby, that one kicked up a fuss, reaching No. 1 on its Rock Album and Pop Album charts, while also cracking the Top 10 Albums list as well.

Now comes The Power of Three, Pittman's most metallic offering yet. Together with drummer Kane Ritchotte and bassist Max Whipple, as well as Flemming Rasmussen, who helped Metallica achieve thrash nirvana with Master of Puppets, Pittman and company went to Copenhagen, Denmark, to map out and execute a hard-driving record, one that often gnashes its teeth in the most savage manner possible, while still leaning on well-crafted melodies.

In this wide-ranging e-mail interview, Pittman talked about his extraordinary career and a record that promises to soon make him a household name in the world of heavy metal, Madonna or no Madonna.

Before recording The Power of Three, did you have an idea in mind of what kind of album you wanted to make? 
Monte Pittman: Yes. I knew exactly what I wanted it to be like. We recorded the album in the order you hear it. We got off the plane and recorded "A Dark Horse." The last song we recorded was "All Is Fair In Love And War." I set out to make an album that would have been my favorite album when I got my first guitar.

There are a lot of heavy riffs and really satisfying thrash elements to this record, especially with "A Dark Horse," but there's also a song like "Everything's Undone," which has a good, strong melody as well. Was it important for you to make a diverse record?
MP: I like a variety of different music and different bands. I think it all comes from what's fun to play on the guitar. If you don't have a good melody, then you may not have a song. I usually make sure that the song can work on the acoustic. You hear everything a little differently that way and may pick up a new idea on the way.

Talk about the making of both "A Dark Horse" and "Everything's Undone." Did those songs evolve in different ways?
MP: After I finished Pain, Love, & Destiny, I was sitting outside by the fire and the lyric "A Dark Horse you've been having nightmares for years about" came to me. That was the beginning. I wrote a majority of "A Dark Horse" probably at the end of 2004. I didn't know where it would go. It wasn't a Prong song. I thought one day I'll make a heavy album just for fun or something. When I started seeing the big picture with making The Power Of Three, I started looking at it again. Then I pieced it all together on an acoustic. Sometimes when I write, I'll hang on to something for a while. If I still like the song later on, then I know I might have something. "Everything's Undone" was written when I got my first prototype for my signature Jarrell MPS guitar. Those guitars are very inspiring to play.

Monte Pittman has played
guitar for Madonna and Prong
Was there a song on the record that ended up sounding much different than you originally intended? And does that happen a lot for you, or do you have them mapped out so well beforehand that they end up being exactly what you thought they'd be?
MP: No. I put a lot of work in the demos, and I knew what I wanted everything to be. Once Flemming started in on it, I handed the keys over to him and it became his baby. On "All Is Fair In Love And War," we left room to be in the moment while recording. So I guess that one would be the most different. The original main riff for "Missing" was more like Cannibal Corpse at first. That song is all written from the Enigmatic scale. 

How did you hook up with Flemming Rasmussen for this record and what was his biggest contribution to the album?
MP: I met him on a day off in Copenhagen while on tour. We stayed in contact and would get together when I came back into town. We would say, "One day we should work together on something." We did an acoustic EP in one day the last time I was on tour in Copenhagen on a day off. He had been helping me with my demos, and he sat me down and said I need to concentrate on the heavy songs I was writing. So I did. Flemming was going to produce my Pain, Love, & Destiny album, but our schedules didn't match. Flemming had several massive contributions to the album. He had us all record together at the same time. When you hear the album, that's us playing in the same room at the same time recording all analog. He would always get us in the right frame of mind. Flemming has done a little of everything ... Metallica, Rainbow, Cat Stevens and Morbid Angel. I like that he's done different kinds of albums.

Talk about the choice of cover art for The Power of Three. Why is it special for you?
MP: My friend Kevin Wilson, who runs Sacred Tattoo in New York, suggested I check out Cam Rackam. Kevin has a gallery in his shop where artists do exhibits. Cam had a painting of Charon that I was blown away by, so I went with that one. Megan Massacre was going to do the album cover, but she's one of the best tattoo artists on the planet. She was too busy. She wound up buying the original painting of Cam's also! 

Do you see this record as a progression from Pain, Love & Destiny or a shift into different territory?
MP: It's a natural progression. Sometimes I write for what I don't have, and I needed some faster/heavier songs. On Pain, Love, & Destiny, I would sneak in some heavy parts as fills going into a chorus. My song, "(I Am) The Black Rabbit" isn't too far from where the material for The Power Of Three is.

You left Longview, Texas, at age 24 and headed for Los Angeles, where you ultimately became a guitar teacher. How tough a decision was that for you and what was attractive about teaching guitar?
MP: I taught as an apprentice under my teacher, Robert Browning. I love teaching. I keeps everything fresh in my head. When you teach, you have to know it in a different way than just being able to play it.

As the story goes, your third student was Guy Ritchie, the British filmmaker. And then you started teaching guitar to his wife at the time, Madonna. What do you remember about meeting each of them for the first time, and what were they like as students?
MP: They were just dating at the time. They were both great to me. They treated me like family. They would learn everything I gave them to learn. Luckily for me, Madonna was just releasing her Music album, and there was a lot of acoustic guitar on there.

Monte Pittman released an
acoustic record in 2009 called
The Deepest Dark
You've been playing with Madonna and helping write songs for her for a long time now. In working with her, and teaching her Pantera riffs, what would fans of hard rock and heavy metal find most surprising about what she's like as an artist?
MP: Most people will say they admire her work ethic and that she's always pushing the boundaries. Madonna has something for everyone. Even the most diehard metal heads will usually point out at least one song they like. Even if you don't like that style of music, you can't deny "Open Your Heart" or "Ray Of Light" or "Secret" aren't great songs.

Is the approach to that kind of songwriting different from the creative process for your own solo work? If so, what's different about it?
MP: Not in the situations I've been in. It usually comes from playing your guitar and coming up with an idea.

When you were asked to play with Madonna, what was your reaction? 
MP: I was excited! She has always been super cool to me. She hadn't toured in seven years, so it was an exciting time to be in that position. 

You worked with Prong on Scorpio Rising and Power of the Damager, co-writing songs and playing guitar, adding backing vocals and some bass work. And those were great Prong records. You also played guitar on the Prong live album 100% Live. What did you find most rewarding about you're experience with Prong?
MP: Thank you! I would say the most rewarding thing is being able to help put one of my favorite bands ever back together. Live, Tommy Victor would let me start "Another Worldly Device" since that's one of my favorite songs. I learned a lot of things that come in handy now with my own band from playing in Prong.

Do you have a favorite Prong album of those two?
MP: Power Of The Damager I guess. I played bass on that one minus a couple guitar solos. We stayed out at Sonic Ranch outside of El Paso and at Al Jourgensen's house making that one, so we had a great time making it. I started doing background vocals with that and that helped open the door to me singing on my own.

You did an acoustic solo record as well, with 2009's The Deepest Dark. Did you have to approach that differently than other projects?
MP: That was my first solo release. I made it just acoustic guitar and vocals so I could recreate it anywhere. That's what started it all. The Deepest Dark was going to be the soundtrack for a film but that never happened. That's one of the reasons I didn't release it before. I wasn't ready yet. Going back and forth between Prong and Madonna took up all my time.

You've done so much in music. Do you have a favorite moment from your days with Madonna or Prong that is really special to you or unusual?
MP: Playing events like Live 8 and Live Earth. That's a great bonus playing with Madonna. Live 8 was Pink Floyd's last show. Getting to watch them rehearse and soundcheck the day before was something I'll never forget. I happened to be one of the only people around with them backstage at the end of the night, so I got to see them all say bye to each other. Also, I got up onstage with Paul McCartney for "Hey Jude." He invited people up from all the bands for the finale. At Live Earth, I joined Spinal Tap to play "Big Bottom." They invited anyone who could play bass to join them. With Prong, there were so many great times on the road. Shows with Anthrax, Type O Negative, and Soulfly ... it was never a dull moment.

What are your hopes for The Power of Three and what are your plans for the coming weeks, months and years?
MP: To get this out there to every pair of ears that will listen. I'm working on booking some shows now that I'll announce soon. I've got enough material written for the next two albums, and I'll keep writing as I go along. I'm putting the team together still and finding the right people to keep pushing this forward.



Kiss, Led Zeppelin to Headline Rock and Roll Summer Classic Auction



September 1, 2013
Houston, Texas

The Rock and Roll Summer Classic Auction

Backstage Auctions is proud to present the annual Classic Rock and Roll Auction featuring over 500 auction lots which - for the most part - will be dominated by an A-list of Classic Rock bands, including KISS, Led Zeppelin, Boston, Styx, Pink Floyd, Beach Boys, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie and The Who. And those are just headliners, there are plenty of classic rock bands and artists that are featured in the complete line up.

Collectors and fans will have access to autographed items, artist worn attire, RIAA record awards, rare concert posters and handbills, collectible vinyl, lots of backstage passes, unique photos, slides and negatives, amazing vintage concert t-shirts, great promotional items, tour programs and so much more.



"Any auction that features collectibles from this list of artists is a celebration of music in itself and we couldn't be more excited about hosting this event" comments Backstage Auctions owner Jacques van Gool. "The diversity in artists, type of collectibles and price range makes this auction accessible and fun for every collector. We pride ourselves in offering exclusive items and this event certainly reflects that. But we also make sure that every collector can participate and with a huge offering of auction lots that start as low as $25.00 we are confident that no one will walk away empty handed".

And when it comes to unique pieces of music history, the auction will feature a John Bonham owned and worn hat, which comes with photos and letter from the Bonham family. And that is just one of over 20 great Led Zeppelin lots.

 
There is a Robert Plant issued RIAA award, an exceedingly rare concert shirt from 1973, amazing collections of promotional CDs, broadcast only shows, ephemera as well as promotional goodies, including a most desirable Led Zeppelin blimp!

Rivaling the attention that Led Zeppelin will receive is the band with fans so loyal and dedicated that they call themselves 'The Army'...or better yet, the Kiss Army! With 210 amazing lots, Kiss certainly dominates this auction in size but then again, it wouldn't be Kiss if it wasn't larger than life. With consignments from a host of reputable inner-circle people, fans and collectors can quench their relentless thirst for top-of-the-line Kiss collectibles that include recording reels, rare vinyl and CDs, autographed items, amazing photo collections, artist worn attire, ephemera and much more. Among the highlights is a stunning acetate featuring an early demo version of the ultimate Kiss anthem 'Rock 'n Roll All Nite'.



Equally impressive are the collections of American arena rockers Styx and Boston, which both contain a wide range of autographed memorabilia, unique vinyl, exclusive promotional and radio broadcast CDs and assorted ephemera.





Collectors who are less band specific and more interest in certain types of collectibles will not be disappointed either.

There's an amazing collection of over 20 original 1968 - 1971 Fillmore East concert programs featuring the likes of The Who, Frank Zappa, Deep Purple, and many others. It even includes the very last program before Bill Graham closed the doors in New York.



The auction will feature great promotional items such as the infamous Led Zeppelin blow-up "Zeppelin", a Pink Floyd blow-up chair and a Alice Cooper toy-gun.



We managed to find great concert shirts and exclusive crew jackets, including Kiss 1977 L.A. Forum, Robert Plant & Jimmy Page 1995 U.S. Tour, Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen tour jackets.






There is a most unique collection of mid 1960s autographed items, photos, transparencies and negatives, which all came from the archives of a fan club agency in Los Angeles. Most of it is concentrated around the Beach Boys and Sonny & Cher but will also include other artists. It even includes a very personal letter from Brian Wilson to a fan.



And speaking of original photos, slides and negatives, collectors will have plenty to feast their eyes on. There are stunning collections with photos from renowned concert photographers Chip Rock, Robert Alford and Julian Baum. Noteworthy are the two lots with color slides from the 1975 Rolling Stones Tour of the  Americas, which include several sensational shots.



Not to be overlooked are the many posters and handbills, including vintage Thin Lizzy, ZZ Top, Kiss, Deep Purple and the immortal Stevie Ray Vaughan.


If you are in the market for record awards, you will be in for a treat; there are RIAA award for Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, The Beatles and Michael Jackson, as well as Canadian awards for Nickelback and Default.


Autographs remain in high demand and this auction has no shortage of signed mementos, from drumheads to posters and from photos to CDs and records. The list is long - and impressive - and spans 5 decades of Rock and Roll, that includes Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Pete Best, The Monkees, Carl Perkins, Dr. John, Styx, Boston, Kansas, Heart, Cheap Trick, Jethro Tull, Peter Frampton, Johnny Winter, ZZ Top, Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith and many, many others.


If you have the space for it, we once again have some great instruments and gear; from a Prince tambourine to Kiss concert used cabinets, to The Who drum sticks and even a complete Piper drum kit.




One final category that deserves attention is that of concert tickets and passes, of which the auction offers literally thousands, going back to the early 1970s. From small artist specific lots to bigger bulk lots; it's all there. But none bigger and more breath-taking than a book with over 500 backstage passes dated between 1981 and 1983. Hands down one of the most stunning single passes collections we have ever come across!


Because there is so much to see and digest, the auction will start with a preview week, beginning Saturday August 31. The auction will start Saturday,  September 7 and will end Sunday, September 15.

For more information about the auction, please visit Backstage Auctions and register for your free VIP All Access Pass.

Backstage Auctions: The 2013 Rock and Roll Summer Classic Auction



Backstage Auctions is a boutique online auction house specializing in authentic rock memorabilia representing a long list of notable and very talented musicians, producers and managers in the music industry since 2003. Exclusive online auction events have featured the private collections of legendary producer Eddie Kramer (Hendrix, Zeppelin, Kiss) and since then, we have represented Scott Ian & Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Page Hamilton (Helmet), John Tempesta (Exodus, Testament, The Cult), John 5 (Zombie, Marilyn Manson),  Ted Nugent, Howard Kaylan (The Turtles), Ross Valory (Journey) and Michael Shrieve (Santana), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, White Snake), Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, Alcatrazz), Al Jourgensen (Ministry), Johny Barbata (Jefferson Starship), Kip Winger (Winger) as well as managers of legendary bands such as The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, KISS, Journey, Joe Walsh, Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band, Motley Crue, Pantera, White Zombie and more. Backstage Auctions works closely with each of their clients and incorporates their personal stories and memories throughout the online auction event. The end result is a unique, historical and unforgettable journey spanning decades of music history.

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Deep Purple to release new studio album in April


Title has yet to be determined
Deep Purple - Rapture of the Deep
Deep Purple isn’t sitting around moping about another snub from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On April 30, 2013, the veteran proto-metal masters will release their first studio album in the U.S. since Rapture of the Deep.
As yet, the album does not have a title, although Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan has revealed a few working song titles, including “Out of Hands,” “Uncommon Man,” and “Hell to Pay.”
“The title of our new album is still a question mark to all of us … we have recorded a new album, and it’s a fantastic collection of songs,” says Gillan. “At the moment that’s the only affirmative point we can offer.”
Featuring brand new studio material, the album was recorded and mixed in Nashville with celebrated producer Bob Ezrin, who has worked with the likes of Pink Floyd and Alice Cooper, among others. Early word is that the record is mix of classic ‘70s Deep Purple with a progressive attitude and modern production.
These days, Deep Purple’s record company is earMUSIC, which plans on releasing more details about the new album when they become available on a dedicated website where all band members will be able to post and interact with fans: www.deeppurple2013.com.

Book Review: If You Like Led Zeppelin ...


Dave Thompson – If You Like Led Zeppelin …
Backbeat Books
All Access Review: A-
Led Zeppelin - If You Like Led Zeppelin ... 2012
Few bands in the history of rock have a more complicated genealogy than the mighty Led Zeppelin, the pitiless thunder gods of 1970s blues-heavy proto-metal who came and conquered, before losing the seemingly indestructible John Bonham to excessive drinking and stopping cold turkey. The job of making sense of it all falls to veteran music scribe Dave Thompson, whose latest book is an immersive exploration of a tangled rock-and-roll ancestry and yet, true to Thompson’s irreverent manner and devilishly clever writing style, it’s not at all stuffy or pedantic. Even while studying both Zeppelin’s DNA and that of its vast progeny with a scrupulous eye for detail, Thompson breathes new life into what had become a dusty, lifeless history, allowing it to unfold in the most remarkably casual manner.
One of Thompson’s greatest strengths as a writer lies in making connections that not everybody sees and then weaving disparate strands of information and insight into entertaining, gently provocative prose. And although Backbeat Books' “If You Like Led Zeppelin …” has the potential to start heated arguments, it slyly eats away some of the Zeppelin mystique without thoroughly destroying it, and for that, it deserves acclaim. Thompson is practically embedded with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones in the studio as they grinded out their early session work, and when it comes to unpacking the unruly story of the Yardbirds and all their personnel changes, Thompson is the perfect guide, pointing out the not-so-obvious key events and turning points in their brief, but influential, existence. Similarly, he transports readers back to the vibrant music scenes of late-1960s England – the British blues boom drawing particular interest – that feed Zeppelin’s esoteric tastes, while never shying away from the less savory and downright despicable aspects of the band’s wilder adventures. Legendary for his anger, John Bonham, as Thompson writes, is said to have once held a man over a balcony, 20 floors from the ground, by his ankles after the unfortunate bloke made a joke about drummers. And you thought only hip-hop moguls pulled those kinds of reckless stunts.
Ah, it’s only rock ‘n’ roll, though, and this is, for the most part, a celebration of Zeppelin’s genius and what artists – including folk (Roy Harper, most of all) and blues (Howlin’ Wolf, in particular) legends – left their mark on the collective consciousness of Page, Bonham, Jones and Robert Plant. Casting his net far and wide, Thompson illuminates Zeppelin’s relationships – however slight or indirect – with everybody from Jeff Beck to Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green, 10cc and Graham Gouldman, The Beatles, John Mayall, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Fairport Convention, Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd, and Cliff Richard, to name but a few. Even bit players like Mickie Most – a minor figure to most, although many will surely recognize the name and know his place in rock history – find themselves written about extensively in Thompson’s tome, as anecdotes about the inner workings of the music business are discussed with a mixture of levity and dead seriousness.
Only 188 pages in length, “If You Like Led Zeppelin …” has more to offer than dry facts and faded nostalgia. Along with an objective autopsy of Zeppelin’s Swan Song, the vanity label they started at a time when everybody was doing it, Thompson lists his 40 favorite Zeppelin covers and surveys their TV and movie appearances – material that, while mildly interesting, seems very much like filler. Nonetheless, Thompson’s work, while far from comprehensive, is a ripping yarn, well-paced and informative. Spreading its seed far and wide, Zeppelin influenced everybody from Soundgarden to Heart, Whitesnake, the Black Crowes and all those denim-and-leather-clad hellions of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, along with countless others. In turn, Bonzo, Jones, Page and Plant had their own spirit guides from the worlds of the blues, folk and other ethnic traditions, and Thompson has tied it all together in a neat little package, recommending more than 200 other bands, records, films and other ephemera you might enjoy if Zeppelin just happens to be your cup of tea.
- Peter Lindblad