Tag Archives: Virgin

Slapp Happy / Henry Cow: Desparate Straights

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desperate-straights

In February 1975, “Virgin” label released “Desperate Straights”, album by Slapp Happy and Henry Cow. It was recorded in November 1974, at “The Manor” in Oxfordshire, England, and was produced by  Dagmar Krause, Peter Blegvad, Anthony Moore, Tim Hodgkinson, Fred Frith, John Greaves, Geoff Leigh and Simon Heyworth.

Personnel:

  • Dagmar Krause– voice, Wurlitzer
  • Peter Blegvad– voice, guitar, cover art
  • Anthony Moore– piano
  • Tim Hodgkinson– clarinet, piano
  • Fred Frith– guitar, violin
  • John Greaves– bass guitar, piano
  • Chris Cutler– drums
  • Pierre Moerlen– percussion
  • Geoff Leigh– flute
  • Mont Campbell– French horn
  • Mongezi Feza– trumpet
  • Nick Evans– trombone
  • Lindsay Cooper– bassoon, oboe

Track listing:

  1. Some Questions About Hats – Anthony Moore, Peter Blegvad
  2. The Owl – Anthony Moore
  3. A Worm is at Work – Anthony Moore, Peter Blegvad
  4. Bad Alchemy – John Greaves, Peter Blegvad
  5. Europa – Anthony Moore, Peter Blegvad
  6. Desparate Straights – Anthony Moore
  7. Riding Tigers – Peter Blegvad
  8. Apes in Capes – Anthony Moore
  9. Strayed – Peter Blegvad
  10. Giants – Anthony Moore, Peter Blegvad
  11. Excerpt from The Messiah – Handel, arr. by Peter Blegvad
  12. In the Sickbay – Dagmar Krause, Peter Blegvad
  13. Caucasian Lullaby – Chris Cutler, Anthony Moore

Mike Oldfield: Platinum

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mike-oldfield-platinum

On November 23, 1979, “Virgin” label released “Platinum”, the fifth Mike Oldfield album. It was recorded in 1979, at “Blue Rock”, “Electric Lady” in the US; and “Througham”,  “Denham”, and “The Manor” in UK, and was produced by Tom Newman.

Personnel:

  • Mike Oldfield– vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, marimba, piano, synthesizers, vibraphone
  • Peter Lemer– keyboards
  • Nico Ramsden – keyboards
  • Sally Cooper – tubular bells
  • Wendy Roberts – vocals
  • Francisco Centeno – bass guitar
  • Neil Jason– bass
  • Hansford Rowe– bass
  • Pierre Moerlen– drums, vibraphone
  • Morris Pert– drums
  • Demelza – congas
  • Allan Schwartzberg– drums
  • David Bedford– vocal arrangements
  • Peter Gordon – horn arrangements
  • Michael Riesman– horn arrangements
  • Kurt Munkacsi – engineer
  • Tom Newman- engineer
  • Richard Manwaring – engineer assistant
  • Renate Blauel– engineer assistant

Track listing:

  1. Platinum Part One: Airborne
  2. Platinum Part Two: Platinum
  3. Platinum Part Three: Charleston
  4. Platinum Part Four: North Star/Platinum Finale
  5. Woodhenge
  6. Into Wonderland
  7. Punkadiddle
  8. I Got Rhythm

Japan: Tin Drum

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tin-drum

On November 13, 1981, “Virgin” label released “Tin Drum”, the fifth and final Japan studio album. It was recorded in 1981, and was produced by Steve Nye, David Sylvian, Mick Karn, Steve Jansen, and Richard Barbieri.

Personnel:

  • David Sylvian– vocals, guitar, keyboard, keyboard programming, tapes, cover concept
  • Mick Karn– fretless bass guitar, African flute, dida
  • Steve Jansen– acoustic drums, electronic drums, keyboard percussion
  • Richard Barbieri– keyboard, keyboard programming, tapes
  • Simon House– violin
  • Yuka Fujii – backing vocals
  • Steve Nye– engineer
  • Phil Bodger – engineer assistant
  • Steve Joule – design
  • Fin Costello – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by David Sylvian, except where noted.

  1. The Art of Parties
  2. Talking Drum
  3. Ghosts
  4. Canton – Steve Jansen, David Sylvian
  5. Still Life in Mobile Homes
  6. Visions of China – Steve Jansen, David Sylvian
  7. Sons of Pioneers – Mick Karn, David Sylvian
  8. Cantonese Boy

Stevie Winwood: Refugees Of The Heart

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refugees_of_the_heart

On November 6, 1990, “Virgin” label released “Refugees of the Heart”, the sixth Stevie Winwood solo album. It was recorded in 1990 at “Netherturkdonic Studios” in  Gloucestershire, England, and “Emerald Sound” in Nashville, Tennessee, and was produced by Stevie Winwood.

Personnel:

  • Steve Winwood– vocals, keyboards, Hammond organ, Mini Moog solo, keyboard bass , guitar, additional percussion, vibes solo, additional drums, drum programming, keyboard programming, Fairlight programming
  • Anthony Crawford– guitar
  • Larry Byrom– guitar, slide guitar
  • Mike Lawler – keyboards
  • Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
  • Russ Kunkel– drums
  • Jim Capaldi– drums, percussion
  • Eddie Bayers– drums
  • Bashiri Johnson– percussion
  • Randall Bramblett– soprano and alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
  • Jim Horn– alto saxophone, baritone and tenor saxophones
  • Harvey Thomson – tenor saxophone
  • Michael Haynes – trumpet
  • Tom Lord-Alge – engineer, mixing
  • Brian Harding – engineer assistant
  • Mike Dolan – addidtional engineering
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff, Melanie Nissen – art direction
  • Mike Fink – design
  • Douglas Brothers – photography
  • John Clarke – executive producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings except where noted.

  1. You’ll Keep on Searching
  2. Every Day (Oh Lord)
  3. One and Only Man” – Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi
  4. I Will Be Here
  5. Another Deal Goes Down
  6. Running On
  7. Come Out and Dance
  8. In the Light of Day

XTC: Skylarking

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skylurking

On October 27, 1986, “Virgin” label released “Skylarking”, the ninth XTC studio album. It was recorded in 1986, at “Utopia Sound Studios” in Woodstock, NY; “The Sound Hole Studios” in San Francisco, and was produced by Todd Rundgren.

Personnel:

  • Andy Partridge– vocals, guitar
  • Colin Moulding– vocals, bass, and bonfire
  • Dave Gregory– vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizer, Chamberlin, string arrangement, the odd tiple
  • Prairie Prince– “the part of the time bomb” (i.e., drums)
  • Beech Avenue Boys (i.e., XTC) – backing vocals
  • Todd Rundgren– melodica,  keyboards, backing vocals, orchestral arrangements, computer programming, engineer
  • Mingo Lewis – percussion
  • Charlie McCarthy – alto and tenor saxophone, flute
  • Bob Ferreira – tenor saxophone, piccolo, bass clarinet
  • Dave Bendigkeit – trumpet
  • Dean Hubbard – trombone
  • John Tenney – violin
  • Emily Van Valkenburgh – violin
  • Rebecca Sebring – viola
  • Teressa Adams – cello
  • Jasmine Veillette – vocals
  • Kim Foscatoand, George Cowan – additional engineering
  • Greg Fulginiti – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Andy Partridge, except where noted.

  1. Summer’s Cauldron
  2. Grass – Colin Moulding
  3. The Meeting Place – Colin Moulding
  4. That’s Really Super, Supergirl
  5. Ballet for a Rainy Day
  6. 1000 Umbrellas
  7. Season Cycle
  8. Earn Enough for Us
  9. Big Day
  10. Another Satellite
  11. Mermaid Smiled
  12. The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul
  13. Dying – Colin Moulding
  14. Sacrificial Bonfire – Colin Moulding

The Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness

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smashing_pumpkins_-_mellon_collie_and_the_infinite_sadness

On October 24, 1995, “Virgin” label released “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness”, the third Smashing Pumpkins (The) studio album. It was recorded March – August 1995, at “Pumpkinland”;  “Sadlands & Bugg Studios”; “Chicago Recording Company” and “The Village Recorder”, and was produced by Alan Moulder, Billy Corgan and Flood.”Rolling Stones” magazine ranked the album at number 487 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” was certified 4 x Platinum in Australia by “ARIA”; Platinum in Belgium by “BEA”; Diamond in Canada by “CRIA”; Platinum in France by “SNEP”; 2 x Platinum in Ireland by “IRMA”; Platinum in New Zealand by “RMNZ”; 2 x Platinum in Portugal by “AFP”; Platinum in UK by “BPI”, and Diamond in the US by “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Billy Corgan– lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, piano, mellotron, production, mixing, string arrangement, art direction, design
  • James Iha – vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, mixing
  • D’arcy Wretzk– vocals, bass guitar
  • Jimmy Chamberlin – vocals, drums
  • Chicago Symphony Orchestra
  • Greg Leisz– pedal and lap steel guitar
  • Audrey Riley– string arrangement
  • Chris Shepard– recording
  • Barry Goldberg – additional vocal recording, mixing assistant
  • Dave Kresl – string recording assistance
  • Flood– mixing
  • Alan Moulder– mixing
  • Howie Weinberg– mastering
  • Frank Olinsky – art direction, design
  • Claudine Pontier – recording assistance
  • Russ Spice – technical assistance
  • John Craig – illustration
  • Andrea Giacobbe – photography
  • Roger Carpenter – technical assistance
  • Adam Green – technical assistance
  • Tim “Gooch” Lougee – technical assistance
  • Guitar Dave Mannet – technical assistance
  • Jeff Moleski – technical assistance

Track listing:

  1. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
  2. Tonight, Tonight
  3. Jellybelly
  4. Zero
  5. Here Is No Why
  6. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
  7. To Forgive
  8. Fuck You (An Ode to No One)
  9. Love
  10. Cupid de Locke
  11. Galapagos
  12. Muzzle
  13. Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
  14. Take Me Down
  15. Where Boys Fear to Tread
  16. Bodies
  17. Thirty – Three
  18. In the Arms of Sleep
  19. 1979
  20. Tales of a Scorched Earth
  21. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
  22. Stumbleine
  23. Y.U.
  24. We Only Come Out at Night
  25. Beautiful
  26. Lily (My One and Only)
  27. By Starlight
  28. Farewell and Goodnight

XTC: Go 2

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go_2

On October 6, 1978, “Virgin” label released “Go 2” the second XTC studio album. It was recorded August–September, 1978, at “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by John Leckie. The album’s cover was designed by Hipgnosis

Personnel:

  • Andy Partridge – vocals, guitars
  • Colin Moulding – vocals, bass
  • Barry Andrews – vocals, crumar group 49 cheesy organ, farfisa organ, lawrence electric piano, wurlitzer e-piano,  minimoog,  clavinet, steinway grand piano, saxophone
  • Terry Chambers-  vocals, drums
  • John Leckie –  engineer
  • Haydn Bendall- engineer assistant
  • Pete James- engineer assistant
  • Andy Llewelyn- engineer assistant
  • Jess Sutcliffe- engineer assistant
  • Dave Eagle – photography
  • Martin Rushent- associate producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Andy Partridge, except where noted.

  1. Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!)
  2. Battery Brides (Andy Paints Brian)
  3. Buzzcity Talking – Colin Moulding
  4. Crowded Room – Colin Moulding
  5. The Rhythm – Colin Moulding
  6. Are You Receiving Me?
  7. Red
  8. Beatown
  9. Life Is Good in the Greenhouse
  10. Jumping In Gomorrah
  11. My Weapon – Barry Andrews
  12. Super-Tuff – Barry Andrews
  13. I’m the Audience – Colin Moulding

Joe Jackson: Night Music

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joe-jackson-night-music

On October 4, 1994, “Virgin” label released “Night Music” the thirteen Joe Jackson studio album. It was recorded in 1994, and was produced by Joe Jackson and Ed Royensdal,

Personnel:

  • Joe Jackson – vocals, piano, electric piano, organ, synthesizers, samplers, celeste, accordion, vibraphone, tom-toms, bells, cymbals, Salvation Army bass drum
  • Graham Maby- bass guitar
  • Gary Burke – drums
  • Albert Regni – clarinet. bass clarinet
  • Michael Morreale – trumpet
  • Tony Aiello – flute
  • Dick Morgan – oboe
  • Mary Rowell – viola, violin
  • Mary Wootton – cello
  • Jean Laurendeau – Ondes Martenot
  • Máire Brennan- vocals
  • Renée Fleming– vocals
  • Taylor Carpenter – vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Joe Jackson.

  1. Nocturne No. 1
  2. Flying
  3. Ever After
  4. Nocturne No. 2
  5. The Man Who Wrote Danny Boy
  6. Nocturne No. 3
  7. Lullaby
  8. Only the Future
  9. Nocturne No. 4
  10. Sea of Secrets

Keith Richards: Talk Is Cheap

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talk-is-cheap

On October 3, 1988, “Virgin” label released “Talk Is Cheap” the debut Keith Richards solo album. It was recorded August 1987 – May 1988, and was produced by Keith Richards, Steve Jordan.

Personnel:

  • Keith Richards– lead vocals, guitar
  • Waddy Wachtel– acoustic, electric, and slide guitar, production consultant
  • Mick Taylor– guitar
  • Bernie Worrell– organ, clavinet
  • Johnnie Johnson– piano
  • Chuck Leavell– organ
  • Ivan Neville– piano, keyboards
  • Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural –accordion
  • Joey Spampinato– bass guitar
  • Jimmi Kinnard – bass guitar
  • Bootsy Collins– bass guitar
  • Charley Drayton– bass guitar, drums
  • Steve Jordan– drums, percussion, bass,  backing vocals
  • Bobby Keys– tenor saxophone
  • Maceo Parker– alto saxophone
  • The Memphis Horns– horns
  • Michael Doucet– violin
  • Sarah Dash– duet and backing vocals
  • Patti Scialfa– backing vocals
  • Willie Mitchell– horn arrangements
  • Robert Berry, Joe Blaney, David Dorn ,Richard Ealey, Joe Ferla, David Kennedy, Paul Milner, Julio Pena, Don Smith, Roger Talkov – engineer
  • Joe Blaney, Don Smith – mixing
  • Greg Calbi – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Keith Richards and Steve Jordan.

  1. Big Enough
  2. Take It So Hard
  3. Struggle
  4. I Could Have Stood You Up
  5. Make No Mistake
  6. You Don’t Move Me
  7. How I Wish
  8. Rockawhile
  9. Whip It Up
  10. Locked Away
  11. It Means a Lot

Ben Harper: Burn To Shine

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ben_harper_-_burn_to_shine

On September 21, 1999, “Virgin” label released “Burn to Shine”, the fourth Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals album. It was recorded in 1999, and was produced by Jean-Pierre Plunie.

.Personnel:

  • Ben Harper – vocals, guitar
  • Bruce Bishop – guitar
  • Michael Fay – banjo
  • David Lindley- banjo, fiddle, mandolin
  • Eric Sarafin – piano, harmonium, recorder
  • Tyrone Downie- keyboards
  • Juan Nelson – bass
  • David Firman – bass
  • Dean Butterworth- drums, snare drums
  • David Leach – percussion
  • James Leigh – trombone
  • Jon Clarke – English horn, oboe
  • Jim Bogen – clarinet
  • Richard Barnes – washboard
  • Eve Butler – violin
  • Joel Derouin – violin
  • Matt Funes – viola
  • Suzie Katayama – cello
  • Real Time Jazz Band
  • Nick Rich – human beatbox
  • Suzie Katayama – string arrangements
  • Eric Sarafin, Dan Steinberg – engineer
  • Dan Steinberg – engineer assistant
  • Eric Sarafin – mixing
  • Steve Gamberoni, Geoff Walcha – mixing assistant
  • Dave Collins – mastering
  • .P. Plunier – art direction, design
  • Tom Dolan, Mike King – design
  • Mike King – illustrations
  • Annalisa – photography
  • Ben Elder – research

Track listing:

All tracks by Ben Harper.

  1. Alone
  2. The Woman in You
  3. Less
  4. Two Hands of a Prayer
  5. Please Bleed
  6. Suzie Blue
  7. Steal My Kisses
  8. Burn to Shine
  9. Show Me a Little Shame
  10. Forgiven
  11. Beloved One
  12. In The Lord’s Arms