Tag Archives: Michael Blair

Ed Harcourt: Furnaces

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On August 19, 2016, “Polydor” label released “Furnaces”, the eight Ed Harcourt album. It was recorded in 2016, at “Rook’s Nest”, “RAK Studios” and “Assault and Battery Studios” in London, and was produced by Flood.

Personnel:

  • Ed Harcourt – vocals, guitar, bass, piano, synthesizer, glass harmonica, drums, percussion
  • Ewan Warden – guitar
  • Tom Herbert – bass
  • Arnulf Lindner – double bass
  • Stella Mozgawa – drums
  • Raife Burchell – drums
  • Michael Blair – piano, percussion, cymbal, horn, strings
  • Laura Jensen – theremin, backing vocals
  • Gita Langley, Rosie Langley – vocals, violin
  • Hannah Lou Clark – backing vocals
  • Flood – recording, mixing
  • Richard Woodcraft – recording
  • Drew Smith – recording
  • John Carlin – engineer, mixing
  • Richard Andrews – design
  • Ralph Stedman – illustration
  • Steve Gullick – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Ed Harcourt.

  1. Intro
  2. The World is on Fire
  3. Loup Garou
  4. Furnaces
  5. Occupational Hazard
  6. Nothing But a Bad Trip
  7. You Give Me More Than Love
  8. Dionysus
  9. There Is a Light Below
  10. Last of Your Kind
  11. Immoral
  12. Antartica

Ryan Adams: Demolition

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On September 24, 2002, “Lost Highway Records” label released “Demolition”, the third Ryan Adams studio album. It was recorded in 2002, and was produced by Ryan Adams, Michael Blair, Frank Callari, David Domanich, Ethan Johns and Luke Lewis.

Personnel:

  • Ryan Adams – vocals, guitars, harmonica, bass, piano, synthesizer, drum machine
  • Bucky Baxter– guitar, pedal steel guitar, backing vocals
  • John Paul Keith, David Rawlings– guitar
  • Brad Rice – electric guitar
  • Chris Stills – 12-String acoustic guitar, B3, backing vocals
  • Greg Leisz– steel guitar, dobro
  • Mikael Nord Andersson – dobro
  • Michael Blair – djembe heartbeat
  • Sheldon Gomberg – bass
  • Billy Mercer – bass
  • Ethan Johns– drums, electric guitar, ukulele, bass, backing vocals
  • Brad Pemberton – drums
  • Svante Henryson– cello
  • Gillian Welch– backing vocals
  • Julianna Raye – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Ryan Adams, except where noted.

  1. Nuclear
  2. Hallelujah
  3. You Will Always Be the Same
  4. Desire
  5. Cry on Demand
  6. Starting to Hurt
  7. She Wants to Play Hearts
  8. Tennessee Sucks
  9. Dear Chicago
  10. Gimme a Sign
  11. Tomorrow

Anne Sofie von Otter: For the Stars

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On April 10, 2001, “Deutsche Grammophon” label released “For the Stars”, album by Anne Sofie von Otter. It was recorded September 2000-January 2001, and was produced by Elvis Costello.

Personnel:

  • Elvis Costello – vocals, baritone guitar, Lowrey organ, bass
  • Anne Sofie Von Otter – vocals
  • Bengt Forsberg – piano, Hammond B-3 organ
  • Michael Blair – vibraphone, bass drum, percussion
  • Bebe Risenfors – clarinet, tenor saxophone, accordion
  • Svante Henryson – celtar, cello, upright bass
  • Mats Schubert – piano, harmonium, Moog bass
  • Steve Nieve- piano, celeste, organ

Track listing:

  1. No Wonder – Elvis Costello
  2. Baby Plays Around – Cait O’Riordan, Declan MacManus
  3. Go Leave – Kate McGarrigle
  4. Rope – Elvis Costello, Fleshquartet
  5. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder) – Brian Wilson, Tony Asher
  6. Broken Bicycles/Junk – Tom Waits, Paul McCartney
  7. The Other Woman – Jessie Mae Robinson
  8. Like an Angel Passing Through My Room – Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
  9. Green Song – Elvis Costello, Svante Henryson
  10. April After All – Ron Sexsmith
  11. You Still Believe in Me – Brian Wilson, Tony Asher
  12. I Want to Vanish – Elvis Costello
  13. For No One – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  14. Shamed Into Love – Declan MacManus, Rubén Blades
  15. Just a Curio – Elvis Costello, Flesh Quartet
  16. This House Is Empty Now – Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello
  17. Take It With Me – Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits
  18. For the Stars – Elvis Costello

The Replacements: All Shook Down

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the_replacements_-_all_shook_down

On September 25, 1990, “Sire” label released “All Shook Down”, the seventh and final Replacements (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1990, and was produced by Scott Litt.

Personnel:

  1. Paul Westerberg− vocals, guitar, piano
  2. Slim Dunlap– guitar
  3. Tommy Stinson− bass guitar, backing vocals
  4. Chris Mars– drums
  5. Charley Drayton- drums
  6. Mauro Majellan – drums
  7. Michael Blair – drums
  8. Benmont Tench- piano, organ
  9. John Cale− viola
  10. Steve Berlin- saxophone, ocarina
  11. Johnette Napolitano– vocals
  12. Terry Reid- backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Paul Westerberg except where noted.

  1. Merry Go Round
  2. One Wink at a Time
  3. Nobody
  4. Bent Out of Shape
  5. Sadly Beautiful
  6. Someone Take the Wheel
  7. When It Began
  8. All Shook Down
  9. Attitude
  10. Happy Town
  11. Torture
  12. My Little Problem
  13. The Last

Suzanne Vega: Days Of Open Hand

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Days_of_Open_Hand

On April 10, 1991, “A&M” label released “Days of Open Hand”, the third Suzanne Vega album. It was recorded in 1990, at “Skyline Studios”, “RPM Studios” and “The Living Room”, and was produced by Anton Sanko and Suzanne Vega. The album won “Grammy Award for Best Recording Package” in 1991.

Personnel:

  • Suzanne Vega – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, Fairlight,  hand claps
  • Marc Shulman – electric guitar, tiple, electric 12-string guitar, E-Bow guitar, bouzouki
  • Richard Horowitz– ney
  • Anton Sanko – Hammond C3, Akai S1000, Sequential Circuits Prophet VS, Fairlight CMI percussion programming on 3 11, Voyetra Eight on 5 11, Fairlight,  DX7II, string arrangements, classical guitar, tiple, harmonium, electric guitar
  • John Linnell– accordion
  • Michael Visceglia – five-string bass, fretless bass
  • Erik Sanko– fretless bass
  • Percy Jones– fretless bass
  • Frank Vilardi – drums, rims, brushes, Akai S-1000, shaker, percussion, floor tom, snare drum, cymbal, Blastics
  • Michael Blair – metal percussion, tambourine, wood percussion,  shaker,  orchestral bass drum, Chinese drum, hand drum
  • Hearn Gadbois – dumbek
  • Glen Velez– frame drum
  • Shawn Colvin– backing vocals
  • Sandra Park – 1st violin
  • Hae-Young Ham – violin
  • Tim Baker – violin
  • Barry Finclair – violin
  • Rebecca Young Schatz – viola
  • Al Brown – viola
  • Fred Zlotkin – cello
  • Maria Kitsoupolos – cello
  • Philip Glass– strings arrangements

Track listing:

All tracks by Suzanne Vega except where noted.

  1. Tired of Sleeping
  2. Men in a War
  3. Rusted Pipe – Suzanne Vega, Anton Sanko
  4. Book of Dreams – Suzanne Vega, Anton Sanko
  5. Institution Green – Suzanne Vega, Anton Sanko
  6. Those Whole Girls (Run in Grace)
  7. Room off the Street – Suzanne Vega, Anton Sanko
  8. Big Space – Suzanne Vega, Anton Sanko
  9. Predictions
  10. Fifty-Fifty Chance
  11. Pilgrimage – Suzanne Vega, Anton Sanko

Elvis Costello: King Of America

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King of America

On February 21, 1986, “F-Beat” label released “King of America”, the tenth Elvis Costello studio album. “King of America” was recorded in 1985 and 1986, at “Ocean Way” and “Sunset Sound & Sound Factory Studio”, and was produced by J. Henry (T-Bone) Burnett and Declan MacManus.

Personnel:

  • Elvis Costello (Declan MacManus) – lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin
  • T-Bone Burnett- guitars, backing vocals
  • James Burton– electric guitar, Dobro, acoustic guitar
  • Tom “T-Bone” Wolk– electric guitar, piano accordion, electric bass
  • Tom Canning– piano
  • Steve Nieve– piano, Hammond organ
  • Mitchell Froom– Hammond organ, harpsichord, organ, doctored piano
  • Jo-El Sonnier– French accordion
  • Jerry Scheff– string bass, electric bass
  • Ray Brown– double bass
  • Bruce Thomas– electric bass
  • Mickey Curry– brushes, drums, sticks
  • Pete Thomas– sticks, drums
  • Jim Keltner– sticks, drums, brushes
  • Earl Palmer– brushes, drums
  • Ron Tutt– brushes, drums
  • Michael Blair –marimba
  • Ralph Carney- saxophone
  • David Hidalgo– harmony vocal

Track listing:

All tracks by Declan MacManus except where noted.

  1. Brilliant Mistake
  2. Lovable – Declan MacManus, Cait O’Riordan
  3. Our Little Angel
  4. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus, Gloria Caldwell
  5. Glitter Gulch
  6. Indoor Fireworks
  7. Little Palaces
  8. I’ll Wear It Proudly
  9. American Without Tears
  10. Eisenhower Blues – B. Lenoir
  11. Poisoned Rose
  12. The Big Light
  13. Jack of All Parades
  14. Suit of Lights
  15. Sleep of the Just

Elvis Costello: Spike

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Elvis_Costello_Spike

On February 7, 1989, “Warner Bros.” released “Spike”, the 12th Elvis Costello studio album. It was recorded 1987 – 1988, and was produced by Elvis Costello, Kevin Killen and T-Bone Burnett.

Personnel:

  • Elvis Costello– vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, piano, bells, acoustic bass guitar, organ, melodica
  • T-Bone Burnett– acoustic guitar, bass, national steel guitar
  • Dónal Lunny– acoustic guitar, bouzouki, electric bouzouki
  • Marc Ribot– banjo, electric guitar, Spanish guitar, sounds
  • Roger McGuinn– twelve-string guitar, Rickenbacker bass guitar
  • Allen Toussaint– grand piano
  • Mitchell Froom– organ, harmonium, electric piano, Chamberlin, Indian harmonium
  • Benmont Tench– piano, clavinet, spinet, Vox Continental
  • Derek Bell– Irish harp, hammered dulcimer
  • Frankie Gavin – fiddle
  • Davy Spillane– pipe, uilleann pipes, Low whistle
  • Steve Wickham– fiddle
  • Christy Moore– bodhran
  • Paul McCartney– Hofner bass guitar, Rickenbacker bass guitar
  • Nick Lowe– bass
  • Buell Neidlinger– cello, double bass
  • Jerry Scheff– electric bass, double bass, fuzz bass
  • Tom “T-Bone” Wolk– accordion, bass
  • Pete Thomas – drums
  • Willie Green – drums
  • Jerry Marotta– drums
  • Pete Thomas– drums
  • Lionel Batiste– bass drum
  • Jenell Marshall– snare drum
  • Jim Keltner– tom-toms, snare drum, Chinese cymbal
  • Michael Blair – glockenspiel, marimba, tambourine, xylophone, bells, timpani, vibraphone, Chinese drums, Oldsmobilehubcap, Parade drum, anvil, whiplash, crash-box, temple bells, snare drum, “magic table”, metal pipe, “Martian dog bark”
  • Ralph Forbes – electric drums, drum programming
  • Cait O’Riordan– maracas, bells
  • Kevin Harris– tenor saxophone
  • Charles Joseph– trombone
  • Kirk Joseph– sousaphone
  • Roger Lewis– baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone
  • Gregory Davis– trumpet
  • Efrem Towns– trumpet
  • Chrissie Hynde– harmony vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Elvis Costello, except where noted.

  1. …This Town…
  2. Let Him Dangle
  3. Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
  4. Veronica – Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney
  5. God’s Comic
  6. Chewing Gum
  7. Tramp the Dirt Down
  8. Stalin Malone
  9. Satellite
  10. Pads, Paws and Claws – Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney
  11. Baby Plays Around – Elvis Costello and Cait O’Riordan
  12. Miss Macbeth
  13. Any King’s Shilling
  14. Coal-Train Robberies
  15. Last Boat Leaving

Lou Reed: Magic and Loss

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Magic_and_Loss

On January 14, 1992, “Sire” label released “Magic and Loss”, the sixteenth Lou Reed album.  It was recorded in April 1991, at the “Magic Shop” in New York, and was produced by Lou Reed and Mike Rathke.

Personnel:

  • Lou Reed- vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, mixing
  • Mike Rathke – guitar
  • Rob Wasserman- bass
  • Michael Blair – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Roger Moutenot – backing vocals
  • Little Jimmy Scott- backing vocals
  • Roger Moutenot, recording, engineer, mixing
  • Mike Rathke – mixing
  • Joseph Warda – engineer assistant
  • Shannon Carr – engineer assistant
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Sylvia Reed – art direction, design
  • Judith Salavetz – additional design
  • Louis James – cover photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Reed, except where noted.

  1. Dorita – The Spirit
  2. What’s Good – The Thesis
  3. Power and Glory – The Situation – Lou Reed, Mike Rathke
  4. Magician – Internally
  5. Sword of Damocles- Externally
  6. Goodby Mass – In a Chapel Bodily Termination
  7. Cremation – Ashes to Ashes
  8. Dreamin’ – Escape – Lou Reed, Mike Rathke
  9. No Chance – Regret
  10. Warrior King – Revenge
  11. Harry’s Circumcision – Reverie Gone Astray
  12. Gassed and Stoked – Loss – Lou Reed, Mike Rathke
  13. Power and Glory, Part II – Magic – Transformation – Lou Reed, Mike Rathke
  14. Magic and Loss – The Summation – Lou Reed, Mike Rathke

Tom Waits: Rain Dogs

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Rain Dogs

On September 30, 1985, “Island” label released “Rain Dogs” , the eighth Tom Waits album. The middle album of the trilogy that includes “Swordfishtrombones” and “Franks Wild Years”, was recorded at the “RCA Studios” and was produced by Tom Waits. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Rain Dogs” at  number 397 on its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel

  • Tom Waits– vocals , guitar, organ, piano ,pump organ, harmonium, banjo
  • Marc Ribot– guitar
  • Chris Spedding– guitar
  • Robert Quine– guitar
  • Smith– guitar
  • Keith Richards– guitar, backing vocals
  • Robert Musso – banjo
  • Robby Kilgore – organ
  • William Schimmel– accordion
  • Tony Levin– bass
  • Tony Garnier– double bass
  • Larry Taylor– double bass , bass
  • Greg Cohen– double bass
  • Michael Blair – percussion, marimba, drums, congas, bowed saw, parade drum
  • Stephen Hodges– drums , parade drum
  • Mickey Curry– drums
  • Bobby Previte– percussion, marimba
  • John Lurie– alto saxophone
  • Ralph Carney– baritone saxophone, saxophone, clarinet
  • Arno Hecht – tenor saxophone
  • Crispin Cioe – saxophone
  • “Hollywood” Paul Litteral – trumpet
  • Bob Funk – trombone
  • Ross Levinson – violin

Track listing

All tracks by Tom Waits except where noted.

  1. Singapore
  2. Clap Hands
  3. Cemetery Polka
  4. Jockey Full of Bourbon
  5. Tango Till They’re Sore
  6. Big Black Mariah
  7. Diamonds & Gold
  8. Hang Down Your Head – Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits
  9. Time
  10. Rain Dogs
  11. Midtown
  12. 9th& Hennepin
  13. Gun Street Girl
  14. Union Square
  15. Blind Love
  16. Walking Spanish
  17. Downtown Train
  18. Bride of Rain Dog
  19. Anywhere I Lay My Head