linernotes@varulven.com
Welcome to the End of Summer Special from Joe Vig Top 40!
1)ALL THE YOUNG DUDES: MOTT THE HOOPLE
AND IAN HUNTER, THE BIOGRAPHY
2)Mott The Hoople Under Review
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kcfuxzu5ldte
In the feast or famine world that is Mott The Hoople fandom those in the inner circle are aware of Campbell Devine's excellent All The Young Dudes: Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter, The Biography, the superb re-releases on the {@Angel Air} label and
{$Justin Purington}'s www.justabuzz.com webpage for the loyalists. This informative disc - {^Mott The Hoople Under Review} - brings the esoteric to the general public in an informative and entertaining way and deserves mainstream attention. AMG critic
{$Stephen Thomas Erlewine} is liberally quoted from the AMG online text while commentary from {$The Clash}'s {$Mick Jones} - who actually produced and
appeared on a 1981 {$Ian Hunter} album, {^Short Back and Sides}, keyboardist {$Morgan Fisher} who performed with the band on Broadway, recording engineers {$Mick Glossop} and {$Tony Platt} and the usual array of journalists including {$Kris Needs}, founder of the fan club "Mott Lott". There's an absolutely superb commentary by keyboardist - and roommate of {$Mick Ralphs} - {$Morgan Fisher} who, at 23, took his Super
8 camera onto the 1974 tour when the band performed on shows with {$The New York Dolls}, {$Aerosmith} and {$Joe Walsh}. This "Mott In America" footage is
priceless, as is the voice of Fisher recalling the events on this bonus, which turns out to be a very key, well scripted nine and a half minutes of
material.
For more read this:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kcfuxzu5ldte
3)Lou Reed HUDSON RIVER WIND MEDITATIONS
4)Marianne Faithful DVD
5)Melba Moore DVD
6)ELTON JOHN DVD SOMEONE LIKE ME
Title: Someone Like Me
Artist: Elton John
Studio: Eagle Vision USA
DVD Release Date: September 18, 2007
Run Time: 141 minutes
7)David Peel Captain Trip
Rock 'N' Roll Outlaw: The Apple and Orange Recordings
David Peel
http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kpfrxq8dld6e
8)Jethro Tull
Studio: Eagle Vision USA
DVD Release Date: August 21, 2007
9)Orchestra Luna
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=R%20%20%20211082&cf=
10)Pixies Acoustic Live In Newport Eagle Vision
http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jcfuxqtdld0e
11)Pixies Club date: Live at the Paradise in Boston
http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fvftxq9dldae
12)MERLE HAGGARD In Concert 1983
http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3zfrxz85ldje
13)Live in Vienna
Arni Egilsson/Perderson/Darling
http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kxfuxqtrldfe
14) Live in Vienna Miroslav Vitous
http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fzfrxz85ldje
15))Joey Molland Bio
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/molland_joey/bio.jhtml
Badfinger are playing about so we thought we'd put Joey Molland's bio on the Top 40.
16) Todd Royce Step Into The Light
Review by Joe ViglioneTodd Royce (aka Todd Morton) hails from North Berwick, ME, and issues a solid and professional blend of pop/blues from his power trio on this 11-track CD. Though they claim Cream as a major influence, that sound really only comes through on "What I Need," a direction that would be most welcome on future work. Royce's guitar and vocal style blend nicely with his lyrics and maintain a fine balance over the course of the 47 minutes. It's a well thought out and perfectly constructed project, as polished as the 12-page lyric booklet that accompanies the music. The artist calls these takes "eleven mini chapters" of an autobiography "that spans the ages of 19 and 27," put together with his brother, bassist Doug Morton. Interesting that Gary Cherone of Extreme is thanked in the liner notes, as the title track, "Step into the Light," is something that would have easily fit on one of Cherone's own albums with his former band. Full Review Here:
http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jzfrxq9aldte
17)Lisa Hartman
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=R%20%20%20%2055576&cf=
18) John Lee Hooker (Reissue) JEALOUS
(review to follow)
19)John Lee Hooker (Reissue) DON'T LOOK BACK
(Review to follow)
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20) Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=R%20%20%20%2039814&cf=
21)Blood, Sweat & Tears SPINNING WHEEL==================================================================
http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gpfrxze5ldhe
22) GRASS ROOTS MOVE ALONG
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=R++++39323&cf=1350017
23)Grass Roots Grass Roots
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=R++++39321&cf=1350017
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JOE VIG TOP 40 PICK TO CLICK FOR SEPTEMBER
24)Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven & Various Artists
The First Annual Camp Out At Pappy And Harriet's Pioneertown Palace
http://wc03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fpfuxzu5ldhe
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25)THE DRIFTERS / Greatest Hits Live a.k.a. The Greatest Hits
FEATURING GARY BROOKER OF PROCOL HARUM
http://wc03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:avftxzy5ldfe
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26)ANDY WILLIAMS
http://wc03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jxfwxqurldde
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27)PATTY DUKE Valley Of The Dolls
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=R++++61407&cf=1365780
28)PATTY DUKE TV'S TEEN STAR
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=R++++61406&cf=1365780
29)MARTY BALIN Hearts & Other Classics
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=R++++70909&cf=1349526
30)Grace Slick SOFTWARE
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=R++++49539&cf=1350730
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31)David Bowie The Plastic Soul Review
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gbfoxzu5ld0e
Review by Joe Viglione
For die-hard David Bowie fans the transition from Diamond Dogs to Young Americans was not easy, yet this DVD is better than most of the "Under Review"-type analysis out there for much of the same crew that gave us the superior Mott The Hoople Under Review work their magic here again unraveling the tale of the "thin white duke" and his chameleon identity shifts. The bigger the star the tougher it seems to be for these production companies to do an in-depth investigation, but the presence of pianist Mike Garson and drummer Andy Newmark on this study does much to dissipate the dreadful pretensions the narrator, Thomas Arnold's "voiceover", puts on display, most notably calling David "Boww-wee" instead of utilizing the Bowie-knife pronunciation, which is what the former David Jones chose as his name.
for more click here:
http://wm05.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gbfoxzu5ld0e
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32)Vic Damone "On The Street Where You Live"
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:acfyxzu5ldte
Vic Damone at the Royal Festival Hall is a surprising joy - a classy latter-day concert by the smooth-as-velvet voice of Damone backed by The Northern Dance Orchestra, a wonderful full orchestra that adds more than a touch of class to the proceedings. Opening with {&"The Song Is You"} this 1985 concert, listed in the BBC Archives as part of their recordings, has the fifty-seven year old crooner (at the time) in fine form. To Read more go to link
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33)MY HONEY FITZ club review
The Malden Observer By Joe Viglione New! Fri Sep 07, 2007, 03:27 PM EDT
http://www.townonline.com/malden/homepage/x942963470
The Honey Fitz Irish Pub is a restaurant located on 142 Pleasant St., across from Malden Access Television (MATV) station and a stone’s throw from Malden City Hall. The Pub is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Monday through Friday, noon to 2 a.m. on Saturdays, and noon to midnight on Sundays – with the kitchen running 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Monday through Saturday.
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34)Country Buffet review in The Medford Transcript
http://www.townonline.com/medford/homepage/x1185659895
By Joe Viglione/Correspondent
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35)Lake DVD
36)Randy Brecker DVD
37)BLUE TIGER CD
38)GREG LAKE DVD (no relation to Lake) reviews to follow
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39)R & B Jukebox
MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS, MARY WELLS, SAM MOORE
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kxfixqyrldhe
For the hardcore soul fans who need these performances by Sam Moore, Reeves and Wells, pick up the full-length DVDs released by the same company. For everyone else it's Caveat emptor, baby, Caveat emptor. When the marvelous vocal on {&"Dancing In The Street"} is chopped off it
is definitely "let the buyer beware".
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40)BRETT MILANO'S REVISIONIST HISTORY OF THE BOSTON ROCK & ROLL SCENE
Brett Milano is passionate about the music he likes, but "The Sound Of Our Town: A History Of Boston Rock & Roll" (Commonwealth Editions, 2007) is more about Milano's tastes than what actually transpired. This book is his version of the Boston music scene, and doesn't even scratch the tip of the iceberg.
Looking for information on the highly influential Wayne Wadhams, Berklee Professor and producer of Full Circle, singer in The Fifth Estate? Don't look here. There should be a lot more about Moulty & The Barbarians, there's nothing I could find about Jon Butcher's Axis & Johanna Wild bands, Farrenheit (one mention of Charlie Farren?), Girls Night Out, Didi Stewart & The Amplifiers(one mention of Didi that I could find), MCA artist The Rings, two mentions of Fox Pass - nothing on Fox Pass founder Jon Macey who went on to produce demos for Elektra Records'. Maxanne Sartori is not discussed and with only two references to Sartori - a powerful scenemaker responsible for helping Billy Squier, Aerosmith, The Cars, Fox Pass...in fact, why is Squier and his band Piper merely glossed over?
The story of Tim Doherty's life and death are missing from this tome, only a mention of his alter-ego stage name and his sexual identity singing "To Sir With Love" - such an important part of the Cantone's lore which would have made this a compelling read. Doherty was married to Delores Paradise and they had a son but their private lives intertwined with their respective bands which made them real characters. It's stuff people would love to know more about and the absence indicates just how much of "our scene" the author totally missed.
On the back cover of "The Sound Of Our Town" is a huge endorsement from the "recently" fired CBS Program Director known as "The King of Quid Pro Quo in Boston", Edward "Oedipus" Hyson. Called "slimy" in the pages of the Boston Herald when he was fired unceremoniously, why Milano is desperate for an endorsement from such a totally irrelevant has-been (fired from his one gig years ago) when there are so many credible icons on the scene to get the real story from is, well - the real question. Hyson gushes about his pal Milano saying the effort is the result of "painstaking research". It feels more like Brett Milano referenced T Max's little fanzine, "The Noise", instead of going to the source or exploring the thousands of hours of audio, video and print available on this important music community.
If you want to read about "Brett Milano's Favorite Boston Rock & Roll Bands" - The Pixies, Mission of Burma, The Lyres and a few more essays from the Milano scrapbook, the list is $24.95. If you want to read an objective overview of the Boston Music Scene just put "Boston Music Scene" in google, you'll get more satisfactory results for free. Brett is a much better writer than this and needed to employ objectivity and less tunnel-vision when claiming to document a history of The Boston Music Scene. This is hardly "The Sound Of Our Town" and by leaving so many important individuals out, or putting other acts higher up on the ladder, Milano does a great disservice to the scene he is claiming to document. There are thousands of hours of interviews on audio and videotape and tens of thousands of articles on the Boston area scene that Milano could have accessed if he really wanted to write "a history of Boston Rock & Roll". That he failed to do put the elbow grease into this collection of thoughts is an insult to the thousands of hard-working musicians who built the scene long before Brett Milano joined the party after-the-fact. A critical moment in scene history, when The Neighborhoods defected from original manager Richard Nolan, lead singer of Third Rail, is not even mentioned. Nolan wrote a lengthy article for Boston's THE REAL PAPER "I created Frankenstein's Monster". It is harrowing stuff, and it is that information that is missing in this text. But far worse, after the few pages on The Neighborhoods the unfocused Brett Milano writes a paragraph about The Fools - a band that can still out-draw and out-sell The Neighborhoods. So this material isn't about what the community wants or what happened in real time in 1975, 1976, 1980, 1985, it is only what Brett wants to discuss and put his blessing on.
There's no doubt that Maxanne Sartori was more important to the launching of the Boston music scene than Oedipus Hyson, a man who - like Milano - jumped on later and capitalized on the hard work of others, but Milano goes to Hyson instead of Sartori for his information. A better source would have been the wife of a member of Blue Oyster Cult, Deborah Frost, who wrote for New York Rocker and had a punk show before Oedipus on the rival station WHRB (Oedipus was on WMBR). With so much missing and much too much revisionist history don't expect Volume 2 because it is obvious Mr. Milano thinks he has the final word on the Boston scene. If Mission Of Burma are featured, yet leader Roger Miller hailed from Ann Arbor, why couldn't Milano have done pages and pages on other huge figures like Al Kooper, Stones producer Jimmy Miller, Herb Reed of The Platters and author of Grammy winning song "A Natural Man" and "Sunny" Bobby Hebb who lived in the Rockport area for decades. Scruffy The Cat and The Neats were fun, but hardly as influential as Brian Maes and RTZ (featuring Brad Delp and Barry Goudreau of the band Boston). If you're looking for extensive information on Ron Scarlett, Childhood, Little Joe Cook (with a world's record number of appearances at The Cantab), Mickey Bliss, John Kalishes (of Susan and the Ben Orr Band), Jonzun Crew/Peter Wolf/New Kids On The Block guitarist Tony Rocks, Quill (a sentence and a half or so), Shane Champagne, Gary Shane & The Detour, Pure & Easy Records and other key figures there's always Wikipedia. The New York Dolls get more coverage than the band New England. Don't let Milano try to tell you that Hirsh Gardner, Gary Shea & John Fannon were too mainstream because the author does cover the band Boston which was just as arena rock as New England.
Andy Pratt gets a mention but Clint Conley gets pages and pages and pages.
Is Milano trying to pass Clint Conley off as a bigger star than Andy Pratt?
How is that objective?
Conspicuous In Its (Their) Absence is a play on an album by Grace Slick's The Great Society. It is a perfect title for Brett Milano's revisionist history of The Boston Rock & Roll Scene. It is a travesty.
Thank God we have the internet
http://bostontheeighties.blogspot.com/2007/07/80s-boston-rock-roll.html
New Story on Willie Alexander in 8/4/07 North Shore Sunday
http://www.townonline.com/northshoresunday/homepage/x225115227
