On January 4, 2011, Gerald “Gerry” Rafferty died aged 63. He was musician (guitar, piano, keyboards), singer and songwriter, member of “The Humblebums” (from 1969 to 1971) and “Stealers Wheel”, together with Joe Egan. As leader, Rafferty released nine albums.
Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams
On January 4, 1983, “RCA” label released “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”, the second Eurythmics studio album. It was recorded February – September 1982, and was produced by David A. Stewart, Adam Williams and Robert Crash.
Personnel:
- Annie Lennox– vocals, keyboards, synthesisers, flute
- David A. Stewart– guitar, keyboards, synthesisers, programming, backing vocals
- Robert Crash– guitar, E-drums, synth, robotic vocals
- John Turnbull– guitar
- Reynard Falconer– synthesisers
- Andy Brown– bass
- Adam Williams– bass, synthesiser
- Green Gartside – vocal duet
- Dick Cuthell– trumpet
All tracks by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, except where noted.
- Love Is a Stranger
- I’ve Got an Angel
- Wrap It Up – Isaac Hayes, David Porter
- I Could Give You (A Mirror)
- The Walk
- Sweet Dreams (Are made of This)
- Jennifer
- This is the House
- Somebody Told me
- This City Never Sleeps
Grace Slick: Manhole
On January 4, 1974, “Grunt” label released “Manhole”, the first Grace Slick solo album. It was recorded in 1973 at “Wally Heider Studios” in San Francisco and “Olympic Studios” in London, and was produced by Grace Slick, David Freiberg, Paul Kantner, Keith Grant and Steven Schuster.
Personnel:
- Grace Slick– vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
- Paul Kantner– vocals, rhythm and 12-string guitar, glass harmonica
- David Freiberg– vocals, rhythm and 12-string guitar, piano, percussion, bass, organ
- Craig Chaquico– lead guitar
- Gary Duncan– lead guitar
- Pete Sears– piano, bass
- Peter Kaukonen– bass, lead acoustic guitar, mandolin
- Keith Grant – synthesizer programming
- Ron Carter– bass
- Jack Casady– bass
- John Barbata– drums
- David Crosby– vocals
- London Symphony Orchestra
- Iaian MacDonald Murray, Calum Innes, Cohn Graham, Angus McTavish, Tom Duncan, Jack Scott, Angus MacKay, William Stewart – bagpipes
- Steven Schuster – orchestra arrangements
Track listing:
- Jay – Grace Slick
- Theme from the Movie Manhole – Grace Slick
- Come Again? Toucan – Grace Slick
- It’s Only Music – Robert Hunter
- Better Lying Down – Grace Slick
- Epic No.38 – Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jack Traylor
The Doors: Same
On January 4, 1967, “Elektra” label released the self titled debut Doors (The) album. It was recorded in August, 1966, at the “Sunset Sound Recorders”, in Hollywood, and was produced by Paul A. Rothchild. Both the album and the song “Light My Fire” were inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”. In 2012, magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked the album on number 42, on its list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. In 2015, based on its cultural, artistic or historical significance, the “Library of Congress” selected “The Doors” for inclusion in the “National Recording Registry”.
Personnel:
- Jim Morrison– lead vocals
- Ray Manzarek– Vox Continental organ, piano, keyboard bass, marxophone
- Robby Krieger– guitar, bass overdubs
- John Densmore– drums
- Larry Knechtel – bass guitar
Track listing:
All tracks by Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore, except where noted.
- Break On Through
- Soul Kitchen
- The Crystal Ship
- Twentieth Century Fox
- Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) – Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill
- Light My Fire
- Back Door man – Willie Dixon, Chester Burnett
- I Looked at You
- End of the Night
- Take It as it Comes
- The End
Hot Tuna: The Phosphorescent Rat
On January 3, 1974, “Grunt” label released “The Phosphorescent Rat”, the fourth Hot Tuna album. It was recorded May – October, 1973, at the “Wally Heider Studios” in San Francisco, and was produced by Mallory Earl.
Personnel:
- Jorma Kaukonen– vocals, guitars
- Jack Casady– electric bass, bass balalaika
- Sammy Piazza –drums, spoons, percussion
- Andrew Narell – steel drums
- Tom Salisbury – conductor of strings and woodwinds
- Marek A. Majewski – design
Track listing:
All tracks by Jorma Kaukonen, except where noted
- I See the Light
- Letter to the North Star
- Easy Now
- Corners Without Exits
- Day to Day Out the Window Blues
- In the Kingdom
- Seeweed Strut
- Living Fust for You
- Soliloquy for 2
- Sally, Where’d You Get Your Liquor From? – Reverend Gary Davis
Ian McDonald and Michael Giles: McDonald and Giles
On January 3, 1971, “Island” label released “McDonald and Giles”, album by Ian McDonald and Michael Giles. It was recorded May – July, 1970, at the “Island Studios”, and was produced by Ian McDonald and Michael Giles.
Personnel:
- Ian McDonald – vocals, guitar, piano, organ, saxes, flute, clarinet, zither, sundries
- Steve Winwood– organ, piano
- Peter Giles– bass guitar
- Michael Giles – vocals, drums, percussion
- Michael Blakesley – trombone
- Mike Gray – strings and brass arrangements
Track listing:
- Suite in C- Ian McDonald
- Turnham Green
- Here I Am
- And many more
- Flight of the Ibis – music by Ian McDonald, lyrics by BP Fallon
- Is She Waiting? – Ian McDonald
- Tomorrow’s People – The Children of Today – Michael Giles
- Birdman – music by Ian McDonald, lyrics by Peter Sinfield
- The Inventor’s Dream (O.U.A.T.)
- The Workshop
- Wishbone Ascension
- Birdman Flies!
- Wings in the Sunset
- Birdman – The Reflection
Syd Barrett: The Madcap Laughs
On January 3, 1970, “Harvest” label released “The Madcap Laughs”, the debut Syd Barrett solo album. It was recorded May 1968 – August 1969, at the “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Syd Barrett, Peter Jenner, Malcolm Jones, David Gilmour and Roger Waters.
Personnel:
- Syd Barrett– lead vocal, acoustic and electric guitar
- David Gilmour– bass guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, drums
- Mike Ratledge– keyboards
- Hugh Hopper– bass guitar
- Willie Wilson– bass guitar
- Jerry Shirley– drums
- Robert Wyatt– drums
- Storm Thorgerson, Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis – design
- Mick Rock– photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Syd Barrett, except where noted.
- Terrapin
- No Good Trying
- Love You
- No Man’s Land
- Dark Globe
- Here I Go
- Octopus
- Golden Hair – lyrics based on a poem by James Joyce, music by Syd Barrett
- Long Gone
- She Took A Long Cold Look
- Feel
- If It’s in You
- Late Night
Melody Maker
On January 2, 1926, first issue of “Melody Maker”, British weekly magazine was published. “Melody Maker” was probably the earliest world music magazine and at its beginnings it was magazine for jazz, dance bands and musicians. Publisher was Lawrence Wright and the first editor was Edgar Jackson. In 2000 “Melody Maker’ was merged into “New Musical Express”.
Graham Nash: Wild Tales
On January 2, 1974, “Atlantic” label released “Wild Tales”, the second Graham Nash studio album. It was recorded in 1973, at “Rudy Records Studio” in San Francisco, and was produced by Graham Nash.
Personnel:
- Graham Nash – lead vocal, acoustic, electric and rhythm guitar, electric piano, piano, harmonica
- Joel Bernstein – acoustic guitar
- Ben Keith – pedal steel guitar, dobro
- David Lindley – electric slide guitar, mandolin
- Dave Mason – twelve string guitar
- Harry Halex – electric piano, acoustic guitar
- Joe Yankee (a pseudonym for Neil Young) – acoustic piano
- Tim Drummond – bass
- Johnny Barbata – drums
- David Crosby: vocal
- Joni Mitchell: vocal
- Stanley Johnston: voice montage
Track listing
All tracks by Graham Nash
- Wild Tales
- Hey You (Looking at the Moon)
- Prison Song
- You’ll Never Be The Same
- And So It Goes
- Grave Concern
- Oh! Camil (The Winter Soldier)
- I Miss You
- On The Line
- Another Sleep Song
The Stranglers: Feline
On January 1, 1983, “Epic” label release “Feline”, the seventh Stranglers (The) studio album. It was recorded in December 1982, at the “ICP Studios” in Brussels, and was produced by Steve Churchyard, Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel,Dave Greenfield and Jet Black. The album first edition was sold with a free one-sided 7″ single “Aural Sculpture Manifesto”.
Personnel:
- Hugh Cornwell – vocals, guitar
- Jean-Jacques Burnel- vocals, bass
- Dave Greenfield- keyboards
- Jet Black- drums, percussion
- Anna Von Stern, France Lhermitte – backing vocals
- Tony Visconti– mixing
- Nick Marchant – art direction, design
- Tim Widdal – design
Track listing:
All tracks by The Stranglers.
- Midnight Summer Dream
- It’s a Small World
- Ships That Pass in the Night
- European Female (In Celebration Of)
- Let’s Tango in Paris
- Paradise
- All Roads Lead to Rome
- Blue Sister
- Never Say Goodbye
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