On December 22, 2014, John Robert “Joe” Cocker, died aged 70. He was musician (harmonica, piano) and singer with unique gritty voice and stage movements. He gained world popularity with his performance of the Beatles song “With a Little Help from My Friends” at “Woodstock” and “Isle of Wight” festivals in 1969. Cocker has received several awards, including a 1983 “Grammy Award” for his song “Up Where We Belong”; 2007 a bronze “Sheffield Legends” plaque in his hometown and in 2008 “OBE” at Buckingham Palace for services to music. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked him at number 97 on its list of the “100 Greatest Singers”.
Monthly Archives: December 2017
Joe Strummer
On December 22, 2002, John Graham Mellor aka Joe Strummer, died aged 50. He was musician (guitar, bass, piano), singer, actor and songwriter, best known as the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of Clash.
Albert King
On December 21, 1992, Albert Nelson aka Albert King died aged 69. He was musician (guitar, drums) and singer, one of the most influential blues guitarists, one of the “Three Kings of the Blues Guitar” (along with B.B. King and Freddie King). Because of his smooth singing and his large size, he was given the nick name “The Velvet Bulldozer”. In 2013, he was posthumously inducted in the “Rock and Roll of Fame”. King has recorded sixteen studio albums.
Bob Seger: The Distance
In December 1982, “Capitol” label released “The Distance”, the twelfth Bob Seger studio album. It was recorded in 1982, and was produced by Jimmy Iovine.
Personnel:
- Bob Seger- vocals, guitar
- Roy Bittan– piano
- Michael Boddicker- synthesizer
- Bill Payne- synthesizer, keyboards
- Craig Frost- keyboards
- Barry Beckett- keyboards
- Randy McCormick– keyboards
- Drew Abbott– guitar
- Waddy Wachtel– guitar
- Davey Johnstone – guitar
- Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar– guitar
- Pete Carr- guitar
- Don Felder– guitar
- David Hood- bass
- Chris Campbell – bass
- Roger Hawkins- drums
- Russ Kunkel– drums
- Bobbye Hall- percussion
- Alto Reed- saxophone
- Glenn Frey- harmony vocals
- Bonnie Raitt- harmony vocals
- Ginger Blake, Joan Sliwin, Laura Creamer, Linda Dillard, Shaun Murphy- background vocals
- Shelly Yakus – engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by Bob Seger, except where noted.
- Even Now
- Makin’ Thunderbirds
- Boomtown Blues
- Shame on the Moon – Rodney Crowell
- Love’s the Last to Know
- Roll Me Away
- House Behind a House
- Comin’ Home
- Little Victories
Peter Cetera: Same
In December 1981, “Full Moon Label” released the self-titled, debut Peter Cetera album. It was recorded in 1981, and was produced by Peter Cetera and Jim Boyer.
Personnel:
- Peter Cetera – bass, percussion, acoustic guitar, synthesizer, vocoder, horn arrangements
- Steve Lukather– guitar
- Craig Hull – guitar
- Carl Wilson– guitar
- Chris Pinnick– guitar
- Josh Leo – guitar
- Kenny Edwards – acoustic guitar
- Mark Goldenberg –acoustic guitar
- Michael Boddicker, David “Hawk” Wolinski– synthesizer
- Rich Eames – electric piano
- William “Smitty” Smith– organ
- Carl Munoz – piano
- Craig Doerge – piano
- Tommy Morgan – harmonica
- Gary Herbig – saxophone
- Bob Glaub – bass
- Michael Botts– drums
- Michael Botts – drums
- Ricky Fataar– drums, percussion
- Mark Williams – percussion
- Steve Foreman – percussion
- Roland Vazquez – horn arrangements
- John Nieto – cover painting
Track listing:
All tracks by Peter Cetera, except where noted
- Livin’ In The Limelight
- I Can Feel It – Peter Cetera, Ricky Fataar, Carl Wilson
- How Many Times
- Holy Moly
- Mona Mona
- On The Line
- Not Afraid To Cry
- Evil Eye
- Practical Man
- Ivy Covered Walls
The Teardrop Explodes: Wilder
In December 1981, “Mercury” label released “Wilder”, the second Teardrop Explodes (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1981, and was produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley.
Personnel:
- Julian Cope- vocals, guitars, bass guitar, piano, organ
- Troy Tate- guitars
- Clive Langer- additional guitar
- David Balfe- keyboards, synthesizers, loops
- Jeff Hammer – keyboards
- Alfie Agius – bass guitar
- James Eller – bass guitar
- Gary Dwyer– drums
- Luke Tunney, Ted Emmett – trumpets
- Garrish Mashindi – backing vocals
- Colin Fairley – engineer
- Martin Atkins– artwork
- Chalkie Davies – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Julian Cope.
- Bent Out of Shape
- Colours Fly Away
- Seven Views of Jerusalem
- Pure Joy
- Falling Down Around Me
- The Culture Bunker
- Passionate Friend
- Tiny Children
- Like Leila KhaledSaid
- …And The Fighting Takes Over
- The Great Dominions
The Blasters: Same (second album)
In December 1981, “Slash” label released the self-titled, second Blasters (The) album. It was recorded in 1981, at “United Western Studios”, and was produced by Phil Alvin, Dane Alvin, Gene Taylor, John Bazz and Bill Baterman.
Personnel:
- Phil Alvin – vocals, guitar
- Dave Alvin – guitar
- John Bazz – bass
- Bill Bateman – drums
- Gene Taylor – piano
- Lee Allen– tenor saxophone
- Steve Berlin- baritone sax
- Roger Harris, Pat Burnette – engineers
- David Ahlert – second engineer
- Steve Bartel – art direction
- Gustav Alsina – cover design
Track listing:
All tracks by Dave Alvin, except where noted.
- Marie Marie
- No Other Girl
- I’m Shakin’ – Rudy Toombs
- Border Radio
- American Music
- So Long Baby Goodbye
- Hollywood Bed
- Never No Mo’ Blues – Elsie McWilliams, Jimmie Rodgers
- This is It
- Highway 61 – Albert Laundrew
- I Love You So – Bo Diddley
- Stop the Clock – Bob Ehret, Damon Robertson
National Health: Of Queues and Cures
In December 1978, “Esoteric” label released “Of Queues and Cures”, the second National Health studio album. It was recorded in July 1978, at “Ridge Farm Studio” and was produced by Mike Dunne.
Personnel:
- Dave Stewart- organ, electric piano, piano, minimoog
- Phil Miller- guitar
- John Greaves- bass, piano innards, crooning
- Pip Pyle- drums, breakage, percussion, handclaps
- Selwyn Baptiste- steel drums
- Rick Biddulph – bass, organ solo
- Peter Blegvad- spoken word excerpt
- Georgie Born- cellos
- Jimmy Hastings- clarinets, bass clarinet, flute
- Phil Minton- trumpets
- Paul Nieman – trombones
- Keith Thompson – oboe
- Mike Dunne, Brian Gaylor – engineer
Track listing:
- The Bryden Two-Step (For Amphibians), Pt. 1 – Dave Stewart
- The Collapso – Dave Stewart
- Squarer for Maud – John Greaves
- Dreams Wide Awake – Phil Miller
- Binoculars – Pip Pyle
- Phlâkatön – Pip Pyle
- The Bryden Two-Step (For Amphibians), Pt. 2 – Dave Stewart
Jean Michel Jarre: Équinoxe
In December 1978, “Disques Dreyfus” label released “Équinoxe”, the fourth Jean-Michel Jarre studio album. It was recorded January – August 1978, and was produced by Jean-Michel Jarre.
Personnel:
- Jean-Michel Jarre – ARP 2600 Synthesizer, EMS Synthi AKS, VCS 3 Synthesizer, Yamaha CS-60, Oberheim TVS-1A, RMI Harmonic Synthesizer, RMI Keyboard Computer, ELKA 707, Korg Polyphonic Ensemble 2000, Eminent 310U, Mellotron, ARP Sequencer, Oberheim Digital Sequencer, Geiss Matrisequencer 250, Geiss Rhythmicomputer (a custom designed programmable rhythm box), EMSVocoder
- Jean Pierre Janiaud – mixing
- Patrick Foulon – mixing assistant
- Michel Granger – artwork
- Helmut Newton – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Jean-Michel Jarre.
- Équinoxe Part 1
- Équinoxe Part 2
- Équinoxe Part 3
- Équinoxe Part 4
- Équinoxe Part 5
- Équinoxe Part 6
- Équinoxe Part 7
- Équinoxe Part 8
Suicide: Same
In December 1977, “Red Star” label released the self-titled, debut Suicide album. It was recorded in 1975, at “Ultima Sound” in New York City, and was produced by Craig Leon and Marty Thau. In 2013, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 441 on its list of the “Greatest 500 Albums of All Time”.
Personnel:
- Alan Moulder – vocals
- Martin Rev– keyboards, synthesizer, electronics
- Alan Vega– vocals, illustrations
- Larry Alexander, Perkin Barnes – engineer
- Art Blavis – engineer, remastering
- Christine Soares – editing
- Roy Trakin – editing, linear notes
- Marty Thau, Howard Thompson – live recording
- Rogerio Franco, Rob Soares – art direction
- Timothy Jackson – artwork
- Edgard Moscatelli – design
- Michael Robinson – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Alan Vega and Martin Rev
- Ghost Rider
- Rocket U.S.A.
- Cheree
- Johnny
- Girl
- Frankie Teardrop
- Che
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