Tag Archives: December

Elton John: Empty Sky

Empty Sky

On June 6, 1969, “DJM” label released “Empty Sky”, the debut Elton John studio album. It was recorded December 1968 – April 1969, at “Dick James Music Studios” in London, and was produced by Steve Brown.

Personnel:

  • Elton John– vocals, acoustic piano, organ, electric piano, harpsichord
  • Caleb Quaye– acoustic and electric guitars, conga drums
  • Graham Vickery – harmonica
  • Tony Murray – bass guitar
  • Nigel Olsson– drums
  • Roger Pope – drums, percussion
  • Don Fay – tenor saxophone, flute
  • Clive Franks – tape operator, whistling
  • Frank Owen – engineer
  • Gus Dudgeon, John Tobler – linear notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

  1. Empty Sky
  2. Val-Hala
  3. Western Ford Gateway
  4. Hymn 2000
  5. Lady What’s Tomorrow
  6. Sails
  7. The Scaffold
  8. Skyline Pigeon
  9. Gulliver/Hay Chewed/Reprise

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds: The First Born Is Dead

The_Firstborn_Is_Dead

On June 3, 1985, “Mute” label released “The Firstborn Is Dead”, the second Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds studio album. It was recorded November – December 1984, at “Hansa Studios, in Berlin,and was produced by Nick Cave, Blixa Bargeld, Barry Adamson, Mick Harvey and Flood.

Personnel:

  • Nick Cave– lead vocals, harmonica
  • Blixa Bargeld- guitar, slide guitar, piano, backing vocals
  • Barry Adamson- bass, guitar, organ, drums, backing vocals
  • Mick Harvey– drums, guitar, organ, piano, bass, backing vocals
  • Julia Heinglein – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Nick Cave, except where noted.

  1. Tupelo – Barry Adamson, Mick Harvey
  2. Say Goodbye to the Little Girl Tree – Mick Harvey
  3. Train Long-Suffering –  Nick Cave
  4. Black Crow King – Blixa Bargeld, NickCave
  5. Knockin’ on Joe –  Nick Cave
  6. Wanted Man – Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash
  7. Blind Lemon Jefferson – Barry Adamson, Blixa Bargeld, Mick Harvey, Nick Cave

Deacon Blue: Raintown

Raintown

On June 1, 1987, “Columbia” label released “Raintown”, the debut Deacon Blue album. It was recorded December 1986 – February 1987, at “Air Studios” in London, and was produced by Jon Kelly.

Personnel:

  • Ricky Ross – lead vocals
  • Lorraine McIntosh – harmony and backing vocals
  • Graeme Kelling – low voice, guitar
  • James Prime – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Ewen Vernal – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Dougie Vipond – drums, percussion
  • Chris Rea – slide guitar
  • J. Cole- pedal steel guitar
  • Jimmy Helms, George Chandler, Jimmy Chambers – backing vocals
  • Oscar Marzaroli – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Ricky Ross, except where noted:

  1. Born in a Storm
  2. Raintown
  3. Ragman
  4. He Looks Like Spencer Tracy Now
  5. Loaded – James Prime, Ricky Ross, Graeme Kelling
  6. When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)
  7. Chocolate Girl
  8. Dignity
  9. The Very Thing
  10. Love’s Great Fears – Ricky Ross, James Prime
  11. Town to Be Blamed – Ricky Ross, James Prime

James Taylor: Hourglass

Hourglass

On May 20, 1997, “Columbia” label released “Hourglass” the fourteenth James Taylor studio album. It was recorded December 1996, at “Chalker’s Creek” in Massachusetts, “Westlake Audio”  in Hollywood,  “Right Track Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Frank Filipetti and James Taylor. The album won “Grammy Award” for “Best Pop Album” in 1998.

Personnel:

  • James Taylor – vocals, guitar, harmonica
  • Bobby Mann – guitar
  • Ross Traut – guitar
  • Dan Dugmore– pedal steel guitar
  • Jill Dell’Abate – vocals
  • David Lasley– vocals
  • Kate Markowitz– vocals
  • Arnold McCuller– vocals
  • Valerie Carter– vocals
  • Shawn Colvin– vocals
  • Sting– vocals
  • Clifford Carter– keyboards
  • Stevie Wonder– harmonica
  • Edgar Meyer – bass
  • Jimmy Johnson– bass
  • Carlos Vega – drums
  • Luis Conte– percussion
  • Branford Marsalis– soprano and alto saxophones
  • Michael Brecker– tenor saxophone, EWI
  • Yo-Yo Ma– cello
  • Mark O’Connor– fiddle
  • Ed Rockett- penny whistle
  • Ted Jensen – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by James Taylor, except where noted.

  1. Line ‘Em Up
  2. Enough to Be on Your Way
  3. Little More Time with You
  4. Gaia
  5. Ananas
  6. Jump Up Behind Me
  7. Another Day
  8. Up Er Mei
  9. Up from Your Life
  10. Yellow and Rose
  11. Boatman – Livingston Taylor, M. Taylor
  12. Walking My Baby Back Home – Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk
  13. Hangnail

808 State: ex:el

808state_ex-el

On May 9, 1991, “ZTT Records” label released “ex:el”, the third 808 State studio album. It was recorded September – December 1990, at “Revolution Studios”.

Personnel:

  • Graham Massey – synthesizer, drums, engineer
  • Martin Price – performer
  • Björk Guðmundsdóttir – vocals
  • Bernard Sumner – vocals
  • Raagman – vocals
  • Michael Haas – engineer
  • Daren Tidsey – additional engineering
  • Aaron Chakraverty – mastering
  • Trevo Johnson, Tony Panas – design

Track listing:

  1. San Francisco
  2. Spanish Heart
  3. Leo Leo
  4. Qmart
  5. Nephatiti
  6. Lift
  7. Ooops
  8. Empire
  9. In Yer Face
  10. Cübik
  11. Lambrusco Cowboy
  12. Techno Bell
  13. Olympic

The Style Council: Our Favourite Shop

Our-Favourite-Shop

On May 9, 1985, “Polydor” label released “Our Favourite Shop”, the second Style Council (The) studio album. It was recorded December 1984 – March 1985, and was produced by Peter Wilson and Paul Weller. The album cover was designed by Paul Weller and Simon Halfon.

Personnel:

  • Paul Weller– vocals, guitars, bass guitar, synth, design
  • Mick Talbot– Hammond organ, keyboards
  • Camille Hinds– bass
  • Steve White– drums, percussion
  • Helen Turner – piano
  • Peter Wilson – keyboard sequencing
  • Kevin Miller – bass
  • Clark Kent – contra bass
  • Gary Wallis– percussion
  • Dee C. Lee– vocals
  • Lenny Henry– vocals
  • Tracie Young– vocals
  • Alison Limerick– vocals
  • Stewart Prosser – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • David DeFries– trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Mike Mower – flute, saxophone
  • Chris Lawrence – trombone
  • Patrick Grundy-White – French horn
  • Steve Dawson – trumpet
  • Billy Chapman – saxophone
  • John Mealing– orchestration, string arrangement
  • Anne Stephenson – violin
  • Charlie Buchanan – violin
  • Jocelyn Pook– viola
  • Audrey Riley– cello
  • Simon Halfon – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Paul Weller.

  1. Homebreakers – Mick Talbot, Paul Weller
  2. All Gone Away
  3. Come to Milton Keynes
  4. Internationalists – Mick Talbot, Paul Weller
  5. A Stones Throw Away
  6. The Stand Up Comic’s InstructionsBoy Who Cried Wolf
  7. A Man of Great Promise
  8. Down in the Seine
  9. The Lodgers (or She Was Only a Shopkeeper’s Daughter) – Mick Talbot, Paul Weller
  10. Luck – Mick Talbot, Paul Weller
  11. With Everything to Lose – Steve White, Paul Weller
  12. Our Favourite Shop – Mick Talbot
  13. Walls Come Tumbling Down! – Paul Weller

The Dandy Warhols: Welcome to the Monkey House

Welcome to the monkey house

On May 5, 2003, “Capitol” label released “Welcome to the Monkey House”, the fourth Dandy Warhols (The) album. It was recorded September – December 2002, and was produced by Courtney Taylor-Taylor, Nick Rhodes and Tony Visconti. The album title is by by Kurt Vonnegut’s story of the same name, the album cover painting is by Ron English.

Personnel:

  • Courtney Taylor-Taylor– vocals, guitar
  • Zia McCabe– keyboards, backing vocals
  • Peter Holmström– guitar
  • Brent DeBoer– drums, backing vocals
  • Sally Boyden– backing vocals
  • Sam Dodds – backing vocals
  • Adam Flick – bass guitar
  • Jamie Jackson – electric piano
  • Yoad Nevo– additional guitar
  • Parker Posey– mandolin
  • Nile Rodgers– rhythm guitar
  • Mark Tinley – guitar
  • Tony Visconti– bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Nick Rhodes– additional synthesizer
  • Cloudia Tinley – “giggles”
  • Simon Le Bon– backing vocals
  • Mark Tinley – programming, engineer
  • Jeremy Wheatley – programming, mixing
  • Yoad Nevo – additional programming
  • Bjorn Thorsrud – engineer
  • Brian Coates – engineer
  • Nick Friend – recording assistant
  • Daniel Porter – mixing assistant
  • Brian Gardner – mastering
  • Steven Birch – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Courtney Taylor-Taylor, except where noted.

  1. Welcome to the Monkey House
  2. We used to be Friends
  3. Plan A
  4. Wonderful You
  5. Scientist – Courtney Taylor-Taylor, David Bowie
  6. I Am Over It
  7. The Dandy Warhols Love Almost Everyone
  8. Insincere
  9. You Were the Last High – Evan Dando, Courtney Taylor-Taylor
  10. Heavenly
  11. I Am Sound
  12. Rock Bottom
  13. (You Come In) Burned

PJ Harvey: Rid Of Me

Rid_of_Me

On May 4, 1993, “Island” label released “Rid of Me”the second PJ Harvey studio album. It was recorded December 1992 at “Pachyderm Studio” in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, and was produced by Steve Albini and PJ Harvey. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 406 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • PJ Harvey– vocals, guitar, organ, cello, violin
  • Steve Vaughan – bass
  • Rob Ellis– drums, percussion, backing vocals, arrangement
  • Steve Albini– engineer, mixing
  • Head – engineer
  • John Loder– mastering
  • Maria Mochnacz – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Polly Jean Harvey, except where noted.

  1. Rid of Me
  2. Missed
  3. Legs
  4. Rub ’til It Bleeds
  5. Hook
  6. Man-Size Sextet
  7. Highway 61 Revisited – Bob Dylan
  8. 50ft Queenie
  9. Yuri-G
  10. Man-Size
  11. Dry
  12. Me-Jane
  13. Snake
  14. Ecstasy

 

Leon Russell: Leon Russell and the Shelter People

Leon Russell And The Shelter People

On May 3, 1971, “Shelter” label released “Leon Russell and the Shelter People”, the second Leon Russell solo album. It was recorded August – December, 1970 and January 1971, and was produced by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell.

Personnel:

  • Leon Russell – vocals, guitar, piano, organ
  • Claudia Lennear– vocals
  • Kathi McDonald– vocals
  • Joey Cooper – vocals, guitar
  • Don Preston – vocals, guitar
  • Jimmy Johnson– guitar
  • Jesse Ed Davis– guitar
  • Chris Stainton– guitar
  • Jim Price – organ
  • Barry Beckett– organ
  • John Gallie – organ
  • Carl Radle– bass guitar
  • David Hood– bass guitar
  • Jim Keltner– drums
  • Jim Gordon– drums
  • Chuck Blackwell – drums
  • Roger Hawkins– drums
  • Nick DeCaro – string arrangements
  • Terry Manning– Moog programmer, engineer
  • Glyn Johns– engineer
  • Andy Johns– engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Leon Russell, except where noted.

  1. Stranger in a Strange Land – Leon Russell, Don Preston
  2. Of Thee I Sing – Leon Russell, Don Preston
  3. A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall – Bob Dylan
  4. Crystal Closet Queen
  5. Home Sweet Oklahoma
  6. Alcatraz
  7. The Ballad of Mad Dogs and Englishmen
  8. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry – Bob Dylan
  9. She Smiles Like a River
  10. Sweet Emily
  11. Beware of Darkness – George Harrison

Dinosaur Jr.: Beyond

Dinosaur - Beyond

On May 1, 2007, “Fat Possum” label released “Beyond”, the eighth Dinosaur Jr. studio album. It was recorded September – December 2006, and was produced by J Mascis.

Personnel:

  • J Mascis – vocals, guitar
  • Lou Barlow – vocals, bass
  • Murph – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by J Mascis except where noted.

  1. Almost Ready
  2. Crumble
  3. Pick Me Up
  4. Back to Your heart – Lou Barlow
  5. This Is All I Came to Do
  6. Been There All the Time
  7. It’s Me
  8. We’re Not Alone
  9. I Got Lost
  10. Lightning Bulb
  11. What If I Knew