Sorry for the dearth of stuff on the site over these last few days but things have been pretty hectic personally and I have learned to not write just for the sake of writing. I would prefer the content to be sparse but good as opposed to overflowing but shit. Of course the content could be sparse and shit but that’s beside the point…

Just received two essential components (finally!) for Rock and Roll Report Studios and will actually begin recording Episode 1 of the Rock and Roll Report Podcast (The Phantom Podcast?) this week. It’s been frustrating to say the least but I think that once I get going things will run a lot smoother. The plan is to have the first episode out the week of October 22, 2007 (probably the 24th) and then every week thereafter. The only decision I face is whether to produce a show the week Rock and Roll Report Radio is on. Since CKUT provides a podcast feed for the show for a week after broadcast I will probably only produce three podcasts a month and see how that goes.

The Day in Rock reports that Fox News columnist Roger Friedman is calling for a boycott of Rolling Stone Magazine. Now I have a love/hate relationship with that mag and I can see that if you are of a politically conservative bent you would have a lot to gripe about but Friedman’s reason is not due to the content of the magazine. Friedman’s complaint revolves around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the fact that Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner essentially controls the nomination process for this ridiculous institution. Now if you shake your head at some of the decisions made for these nominations (why is Rush still not nominated again?) you will definitely want to read Friedman’s reasons for the boycott but really, why don’t we boycott both the magazine and the “institution” and get on with listening to cool rock and roll played in sweaty little clubs, you know, the way rock and roll should be celebrated.

Well if you thought the days of ‘80s hard rock and hair metal were behind us think again. According to Kris Osborn of Time.Com, some of the biggest concert draws of 2007 were reunion concerts by bands like Ratt, Tesla, Poison, Quiet Riot, Ozzy, White Lion and the like and the response to the semi-reunited Van Halen seem to bear this out. The interesting thing is that the shows seem to be attracting young concert goers who weren’t around for these bands’ first kick at the can. Can you blame them? Hard rock and metal have always contained a great mixture of sleaze, glam and fist pumping fun that makes it quite clear you are at a rock show and not a political convention. People want to lose themselves for a couple of hours and this stuff is a great way to do it. Cheap, fast and disposable. That is sometimes the best definition of rock and roll and I guess this just goes to prove that people want more than angst on stage, they want to rock!

One of the best CDs that I received last year and played quite a bit on Rock and Roll Report Radio was Light ‘Em Up! By The Fags and it was with considerable sadness that I learned this summer of the band’s demise. Billed as a logical successor to Cheap Trick, The Fags had what many thought was it all. Great hooks, cool songs, a great sound behind the vocals of main man John Speck, this was a band that seemed poised for great things. Unfortunately major label politics and other business mis-cues killed the band in its crib. Read all about Speck’s experiences with the Fags and their doomed run at the brass ring in The Fags Get Screwed. If you are interested in what John is up to now check out his new band HiFi HandGrenades.

Finally, if you thought all that came out of Israel was religious conflict and strife you will be happy to know that the Jewish Music Group has announced the release of “Israel Unleashed: The Best Rock And Metal From The Holy Land”. Featuring the very best unsigned rock and metal bands from Israel it is scheduled to be released November 27, 2007. For a full track listing check out http://www.jewishmusicgroup.com/album.php?id=131.

That’s it for now. I know I haven’t featured any blitz bands in awhile but if your jonesing for a rock and roll fix I suggest that you click on any of the band links from this week’s Rock and Roll Report Radio playlist and check out what they have to offer. I think you your ears will be amply rewarded.

Later.

Mark

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Sorry for the dearth of stuff on the site over these last few days but things have been pretty hectic personally and I have learned to not write just for the sake of writing. I would prefer the content to be sparse but good as opposed to overflowing but shit. Of course the content could be sparse and shit but that’s beside the point…

Just received two essential components (finally!) for Rock and Roll Report Studios and will actually begin recording Episode 1 of the Rock and Roll Report Podcast (The Phantom Podcast?) this week. It’s been frustrating to say the least but I think that once I get going things will run a lot smoother. The plan is to have the first episode out the week of October 22, 2007 (probably the 24th) and then every week thereafter. The only decision I face is whether to produce a show the week Rock and Roll Report Radio is on. Since CKUT provides a podcast feed for the show for a week after broadcast I will probably only produce three podcasts a month and see how that goes.

The Day in Rock reports that Fox News columnist Roger Friedman is calling for a boycott of Rolling Stone Magazine. Now I have a love/hate relationship with that mag and I can see that if you are of a politically conservative bent you would have a lot to gripe about but Friedman’s reason is not due to the content of the magazine. Friedman’s complaint revolves around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the fact that Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner essentially controls the nomination process for this ridiculous institution. Now if you shake your head at some of the decisions made for these nominations (why is Rush still not nominated again?) you will definitely want to read Friedman’s reasons for the boycott but really, why don’t we boycott both the magazine and the “institution” and get on with listening to cool rock and roll played in sweaty little clubs, you know, the way rock and roll should be celebrated.

Well if you thought the days of ‘80s hard rock and hair metal were behind us think again. According to Kris Osborn of Time.Com, some of the biggest concert draws of 2007 were reunion concerts by bands like Ratt, Tesla, Poison, Quiet Riot, Ozzy, White Lion and the like and the response to the semi-reunited Van Halen seem to bear this out. The interesting thing is that the shows seem to be attracting young concert goers who weren’t around for these bands’ first kick at the can. Can you blame them? Hard rock and metal have always contained a great mixture of sleaze, glam and fist pumping fun that makes it quite clear you are at a rock show and not a political convention. People want to lose themselves for a couple of hours and this stuff is a great way to do it. Cheap, fast and disposable. That is sometimes the best definition of rock and roll and I guess this just goes to prove that people want more than angst on stage, they want to rock!

One of the best CDs that I received last year and played quite a bit on Rock and Roll Report Radio was Light ‘Em Up! By The Fags and it was with considerable sadness that I learned this summer of the band’s demise. Billed as a logical successor to Cheap Trick, The Fags had what many thought was it all. Great hooks, cool songs, a great sound behind the vocals of main man John Speck, this was a band that seemed poised for great things. Unfortunately major label politics and other business mis-cues killed the band in its crib. Read all about Speck’s experiences with the Fags and their doomed run at the brass ring in The Fags Get Screwed. If you are interested in what John is up to now check out his new band HiFi HandGrenades.

Finally, if you thought all that came out of Israel was religious conflict and strife you will be happy to know that the Jewish Music Group has announced the release of “Israel Unleashed: The Best Rock And Metal From The Holy Land”. Featuring the very best unsigned rock and metal bands from Israel it is scheduled to be released November 27, 2007. For a full track listing check out http://www.jewishmusicgroup.com/album.php?id=131.

That’s it for now. I know I haven’t featured any blitz bands in awhile but if your jonesing for a rock and roll fix I suggest that you click on any of the band links from this week’s Rock and Roll Report Radio playlist and check out what they have to offer. I think you your ears will be amply rewarded.

Later.

Mark

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(Press Release) In December, 2007, “Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘N’ Roll Magazine” will make its newsstand debut! As part of our launch, we’re seeking to profile some of the hottest up and coming, as well as established, millennium rock/metal bands! To that end, we are now seeking submissions for our CD Sampler, which should be emailed to sexdrugsandrocknrollmagazine@yahoo.com in MP3 format, along with a myspace link, and a contact name and number. Each participating band will receive a brief (150-200) word write-up (additionally including contact info, websites, etc.), and color photo of the band in the Magazine itself, as well as promotional copies of the issue. The participating bands’ names will also be included in any press release concerning the publication of our inaugural issue. Each slot costs $100.00 U.S.

Our debut issue will feature the beautiful and talented SHERI MOON ZOMBIE on the cover. Sheri’s star has been on the rise since appearing as a lead character in husband Rob Zombie’s “House of 1000 Corpses” and “The Devil’s Rejects.” Currently, Sheri is starring in her hubby’s remake of “Halloween”—as Michael Myers’ mother Deborah—which earned more than $30,000,000 during its opening weekend. Additionally, Sheri owns and operates the Total Skull clothing line, which will be highlighted in her magazine spread. Additionally, it features interviews with Motley Crue founder/songwriter/bassist Nikki Sixx discussing his new biography “The Heroin Diaries,” Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee and his producer, Scott Humphrey, discussing their writing and recording process, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, the Guru of Ganja Ed Rosenthal, are other key articles in the premiere issue of “Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘N’ Roll Magazine.”

More About Us:

“Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘N’ Roll Magazine” is as provocative in subject matter as our title might suggest. A hybrid in the spirit of “Rolling Stone,” “High Times” and “Maxim” magazines, the publication offers cutting-edge coverage and commentary of and on everything and anything colorful—be it mainstream or indie—popping off in the entertainment, sex and counter cultures! Published quarterly to three demographics simultaneously, readers can flip from what’s hottest in the bedroom to the radio or movie screen, hearing it all first-hand from their favorite stars! “Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘N’ Roll” is more than just a magazine…it’s a lifestyle!” www.myspace.com/sexdrugsandrocknrollmagazine

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The theme for this week’s show was based on a quote I saw on the MySpace page of the band Boone Heights which said “Why isn’t Rock n’ Roll a genre anymore?”

This is something I have complained about for years, the over-classification of rock and roll. Quite frankly I don’t care if you listen to Danish Goth Metal or California Power Pop Punk it is all rock and roll. The only concession I’ll give to ’60s nostalgia is the fact that whatever it was, whether it be the Stones, Doors or Frank Zappa it was all considered rock and roll. Let’s reclaim the term and use it before it fades into obsolescence.

On that note, the music I play on the show usually covers the gamut of rock and roll and this show was no exception. Whether it is the punk-inflected tunes of the late great The Joneses or the cock rock of Endeverafter, it’s all part of that great rock and roll stew. Hope you enjoyed it and if you missed it you can download it from the link below for one week.

Artist- Album - Song

1. Astronaut Academy - s/t - Mayday
2. The Joneses - Keeping Up With the Joneses - Tits and Champagne
3. Chop Suicide - Demo - Here to Stay
4. Rock ‘n Roll Stormtroopers - On Fire - Astrogirl
5. Dimestore Haloes - The Ghosts of Saturday Night - Hot Pink Stereo
6. The Soft Explosions- s/t - Funky Black Cat
7. Dum Dog Run - Unreleased- Get To The Chopper
8. Endeverafter - Kiss or Kill - Baby Baby Baby
9. Heavy Drapes - Unreleased - I Wanna Be Maladjusted
10. Swig - True Grit - Truck Drivin’ Jackass
11. The Tender Box - The Score - Place Called Home

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast

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All images Copyright 1968 and 2007 Jerry Schatzberg – www.jerryschatzberg.com

Subject – Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention – We’re Only In It For The Money - Released in 1968 on Verve/Bizarre Records, with cover photography by Jerry Schatzberg.

Sticking with out “psychedelic” theme another week, this week’s Cover Story is on one of the best from the era – Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention’s fantastic spoof of everything and everyone involved in making (and promoting) that genre’s music titled We’re Only In It For The Money. Using an overall style of songwriting that would serve for many years as Zappa and The Mother’s trademark – sparing no subject, touching on all aspects of that subject that made it a joke in the songwriter’s mind, and then delivering this material via bound-to-be-censored lyrics, memorable melodies and with superb musicianship and studio craftsmanship – this record made more people laugh uncomfortably than any other I know of (until the Sex Pistols released Never Mind The Bullocks… 10 years later.

The record parodied everything that the Hippie/Flower Power movement stood for and used as its symbols – from songs such as “Who Needs the Peace Corps” , “Flower Punk”, “Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance”, to the finale of “The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny” – and was Zappa’s conscious effort to get the youth of the day to stop a minute and look at how silly everything was. After The Beatles had released their widely-praised concept record Sgt. Pepper’s, Zappa wanted to show the world both that he’d mastered many technical aspects of the modern recording studio and that, perhaps, some of the widely praised concepts were, in fact, nonsensical, superficial and often meaningless in the long run.

The record did have some decent commercial success, hitting #30 on the Billboard Album charts in 1968, but it has had its greatest impact when viewed historically by fans of rock music. Rolling Stone Magazine included it in its “Top 100 Albums” list in its 20th Anniversary issue in 1987, commenting on how mercilessly – and with great talent - a band from that era could spoof its musical brethren of the time (it also came in at #296 on Rolling Stone’s 2003 list of the “Top 500 Albums of All Time”).

Of course, one of the most-memorable aspects of the record was the packaging. Here again, The Beatles and Sgt. Pepper’s stood for what was in vogue at the time, and so Zappa and his crew felt that it was important to use their newly-famous imagery as a starting point for their parody. Famed photographer and (film-maker) Jerry Schatzberg was called in to aid in this “homage to the collage” of Sir Peter Blake and Michael Cooper, creating the first of what would be many parodies of that work (I particularly liked the one done on The Simpsons in the 90s). How it all came together is addressed in today’s Cover Story….

In the words of the photographer, Jerry Schatzberg (interviewed September, 2007) –

“I had shot a photograph for the Rolling Stones in drag for the U.K. release of their single “Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?”. Zappa had seen that and after seeing the cover of Sgt. Peppers, he had the idea the he wanted to do a spoof of that image, with the principals in drag. I had met Zappa a couple of times before that, but we’d never worked together, so I was intrigued when I was told that this was going to be the cover of his next record.

We had a couple of weeks to produce this, and keeping the Sgt. Pepper’s cover in mind – with its elaborate costumes, flower-filled foreground, and its amazing cast of celebrity guests who were featured on the cover, both of our staffs set out to find the clothes, the props and some “celebrities” who would be part of the final composition.

We all agreed that it’d be very funny if we’d use fruit and vegetables and other junk in the foreground (instead of flowers), and since both of us knew Jimi Hendrix, we asked him to take part (you’ll find a real-live Jimi Hendrix on the far right-hand side of the shot, the second person to the right of Zappa, who’s posed in a mini-skirt). Zappa and his record company then decided on the rest of the background imagery and then a series of photos were taken. I submitted all of my tests over the two weeks and then the final one was selected. No special effects or lenses were used – the final photograph contains just the props and the people you see. Everyone was very happy with the results.”

On the original Sgt. Pepper’s record package, the collage was the cover, a photo of the band with Paul standing with his back to the viewer (“Paul Is Dead?”) was on the back cover, and the inside gatefold image (quite strange for a single LP) showed the band in costume on a bright yellow background, spread across both panels. For the Zappa version, we shot a back cover photo of the band with only one member facing the viewer, and then a gatefold portrait of the band – in costume/drag – standing in front of a bright yellow background.

All images Copyright 1968 and 2007 Jerry Schatzberg – www.jerryschatzberg.com

When the record was first released, a lot of the songs were censored, and so the record company decided to make changes to the packaging, too, and basically turned the package inside-out, with the gatefold image presented as the front cover and the collage on the inside. Years later, when the record was re-released on CD, the original cover was returned to its proper position.

All images Copyright 1968 and 2007 Jerry Schatzberg – www.jerryschatzberg.com

About the photographer, Jerry Schatzberg –

Born In the Bronx, New York in 1927, Jerry attended the University of Miami, and then worked as assistant to Bill Helburn (1954-1956), after which he left to start his career as a freelance photographer. His fashion and portrait photography has been published in magazines such as Vogue, McCalls, Esquire, Glamour, Town and Country, and Life. He was also in demand by the record companies as a photographer and was the one who shot the famous cover photo image (as well as the other photos used on the record sleeve) for Bob Dylan’s 1966 LP Blonde on Blonde. His cover photo portfolio also includes Sonny & Cher’s Wonderous World of Sonny & Cher, The Rascals’ Young Rascals, Wilson Pickett’s Midnight Mover, and others for Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin, Carmen McRae and many others. In 2006, Genesis Publications released a limited-edition collection of Schatzberg’s photos of Dylan entitled Thin Wild Mercury.It was his portrait photography that taught him how to deal with actors. He realized that most people feared the photographer’s lens. To relax them, he would spend as much time with them as possible, not only to know them better, but to see beyond the surface and discover their true self - the one they hid from the outside world. Most of his great portraits of the sixties - Bob Dylan, Francis Coppola, Andy Warhol, Arlo Guthrie, Roman Polanski, Fidel Castro, Milos Forman, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, The Rolling Stones and many more - reveal these moments of truth.

By not giving specific directions to his photographic models Schatzberg gave them rein to find the moment. It is the same way he gets actors to reach inside. In many ways his photographic style is much closer to that of Andre Kertesz or Henri Cartier-Bresson than to the more-contemporary Irving Penn or Richard Avedon. Instead of the self-contained space of the frame, he looks for the space beyond. His photographs are narrative; they tell a story. In an instant they recognize an action, a gesture, an emotion while at the same time they have a rigorous formal pattern that expresses their meaning. The style however, never manifests itself ostentatiously and never encroaches the fluidity of life.

After expanding into directing TV commercials, he made his debut as a film director in 1970 with “Puzzle of a Downfall Child”, the story of a fashion model. Schatzberg then scored with his second directorial effort, the gripping, finely acted “The Panic in Needle Park” (1971), a bleak study of heroin addiction starring Al Pacino. Pacino co-starred with Gene Hackman in Jerry’s next film, “scarecrow” (1973), which was a moody tale of two drifters which in many ways is an apotheosis of 70’s alienation and confusion. Schatzberg was one of the leading protagonists in the Hollywood Renaissance that struck critics and film-goers alike at the beginning of the 70’s. Perhaps significantly, Schatzberg’s critical following in the United States rose and fell with the 70’s; after 1979’s “Seduction of Joe Tynan”, the trend in Hollywood shifted from small introspective films to the Spielberg/Lucas blockbuster mentality.

Jerry Schatzberg never lost his European devotees, as witnessed by the international success of 1989’s “Reunion”. He also directed 1995’s Lumiere et Compagnie with Sylvia Miles and Rob Cea and 2000’s The Day the Ponies Come Back with Burt Young and Guillaume Canet. He’s been nominated for 4 Golden Palm Awards at Cannes (winning one for “Scarecrow” in 1973 and serving on the jury in 2004) and continues to work on projects – writing books and screenplays – to this day.

Ed. note – I’d like to extend a special “thank you” to Florence Annequin, Assistant to Jerry Schatzberg, for her help with this article.

To see more examples of Jerry Schatzberg’s work, please visit his Web site at:
http://www.jerryschatzberg.com

To see more examples of psychedelic artwork in the RockPoP Gallery collection, please visit
http://www.rockpopgallery.com

About “Cover Stories” - Our weekly series will give you, the music and art fan, a look at “the making of” the illustrations, photographs and designs of many of the most-recognized and influential images that have served to package and promote your all-time-favorite recordings.

Every Friday and syndicated the following week on The Rock and Roll Report, we’ll meet the artists, designers and photographers who produced these works of art and learn what motivated them, what processes they used, how they collaborated (or fought) with the musical acts, their management, their labels, etc. - all of the things that influenced the final product you saw then and still see today.

We hope that you enjoy these looks behind the scenes of the music-related art business and that you’ll share your stories with us and fellow fans about what role these works of art - and the music they covered - played in your lives.

All images Copyright 1967 & 2007 Jerry Schatzberg www.jerryschatzberg.com

Except as noted, All other text Copyright 2007 - Mike Goldstein & RockPoP Gallery (www.rockpopgallery.com) - All rights reserved.

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Just a quick heads up that Rock and Roll Report Radio is celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving tonight by playing some amazing rock and roll that should put the stuffing back in your turkey.

Head over to www.ckut.ca at 10:00 PM EST and settle in with a bit of Pumpkin Pie and that last beer in the fridge. What better way to relax that bloated, weary gut than to listen to some driving rock and roll at full volume? It’s certainly better than cranberry sauce!

Later.

Mark

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http://www.myspace.com/vanityink

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Track List
1. Back In The Saddle (Tyler,Perry)
2. Last Child (Tyler, Whitford)
3. Rats In the Cellar (Tyler, Perry)
4. Combination (Perry)
5. Sick As A Dog (Tyler, Hamilton)
6. Nobody’s Fault (Tyler, Whitford)
7.Get The Lead Out (Tyler, Perry)
8. Lick and A Promise (Tyler, Perry)
9. Home Tonight (Tyler)

Released May, 1976 Columbia Records
Produced by Jack Douglas and Aerosmith
Band members:
Steven Tyler-vocals, Joe Perry-guitars, six string bass, lap steel guitar, Brad Whitford-guitars, Tom Hamilton-bass, Joey Kramer-drums

The first track on “Rocks” starts off with a slow-building intro, then Steven Tyler screams “I’m back!”, and you are sucked in. This is Aerosmith’s hardest album…the blues are still evident, but the metal is dominate. Having been dismissed as “the American Rolling Stones” by many critics, this album showcases the band’s true essence. Bluesy, ballsy American rock that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.
“We were doing a lot of drugs by then, but you can hear that whatever we were doing was still working for us”-Joe Perry
This is NOT the “We-have-a-ballad-on-the-soundtrack-of-a-cheesy-action-movie” Aerosmith. Were they a better band before they got sober? Hmmm…you tell me. Buy this album. Now.

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Just wanted to update everybody on a couple of things going on with me and The Rock and Roll Report in case you were wondering.

First up, Pop Montreal has kicked off here in our fair city and I will be out and about attending shows and the like, I just don’t know which ones yet. If you are going to be in town for this cool event drop me an email or comment either here or on my MySpace page (www.myspace.com/rockandrollreport) to let me know you will be there and maybe we can work something out and get together for a beer or a show, or both!

As well as Pop Montreal, I am hoping to make it to the very first International Pop Overthrow held in Canada. David Bash is bringing this very cool event to Toronto from November 14-17, 2007 and I am trying to make arrangements to be there so if you are planning on being in Toronto during this time by all means let me know and we will try and get together.

The brand new Rock and Roll Report column in Roczine Magazine has gone to print and should be available shortly. Go to their site at www.myspace.com/roczine for updates on where you can get your copy and let me know what you think. I know there are a lot of rock mags out there but this one is just a bit different, edgier and well cooler!

Finally, the podcast looks set to debut the week of October 22, 2007. That date is not etched in stone but keep an eye out for it. If you enjoy Rock and Roll Report Radio then I think you will like the podcast. Either way check it out and let me know. And speaking of Rock and Roll Report Radio, the next one is set for October 8, 2007 at the usual time slot of 10:00-11:00 PM EST on www.ckut.ca. Hope you can join me then.

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading, listening, commenting and just stopping by to say hi. It’s been great having ya!

Later.

Mark
www.rockandrollreport.com

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Patti Smith is one of the keynote speakers and performers at Pop Montreal, a huge music festival/conference that kicked off here yesterday. When questioned about what rock and roll meant to her and what she felt rock and roll represented she said that “It’s an idea of common expression.” She elaborated by saying that wherever she tours around the world, rock and roll acts as a common expression, a form of universal language. From people wearing their CBGB’s T shirts on the floors of a club in Munich to crowds of strangers singing along to her songs by heart in Montreal, rock and roll is truly a universal form of expression.

How many times have you encountered a stranger and when you learn that the music that inspires them is the same that floats your boat? It’s like you know that person despite the fact that you have never met them before. Rock and Roll can forge a common bond amongst disparate groups of people; it is one of the amazing things about this particular form of music. Just think of all those weddings you attended where the songs that really got people out of their seats, and I mean everybody were old classics like the Beatles where everyone knows the lyrics to the songs regardless of their personal listening habits. You might hate “Twist and Shout” but dammit you will probably sing along to it whether you want to or not.

I don’t want to get all clichéd about this but you know that buzz you get when you are at a show and hundreds or thousands of people are passionately singing along to the music coming from the stage? In this day and age of death and destruction, it truly is a wonderful place to be. Rock and Roll might not be able to save lives but it certainly makes living the life you are leading worthwhile. Pretty cool huh?

Later.

Mark

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Many people will argue the case that Roky Erickson and his 13th Floor Elevators were the first true psychedelic band. While you argue this over a cold pint, check out this vintage video I found on Aversion for You’re Gonna Miss Me and enjoy one of the true innovators of rock and roll.

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Last. FM has announced that they want to help you kick start your music career by using all the amazing resources of this Web 2.0 world by launching their Now Form a Band initiative as part of their A Campaign For Better Music.

According to their manifesto,

We’re going to show you how to produce, promote and distribute your music, without spending a load of money, and without lots of other people getting involved.

The cool thing about this campaign is they high lite free software and websites that you can utilize to get your music heard. Sounds like a worthwhile time investment to me. I am just getting into the whole Last.Fm thing and I must admit it is pretty cool. So far it looks like CBS in buying the site hasn’t screwed it up too much.

Later.

Mark

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(PR) Nationally-distributed rock label seeking up and coming, unsigned, and established Christian/religious rock and metal bands of all types for forthcoming Comp. focused on and marketed to the Christian Rock/Metal Community. Each participating band will receive a pic and bio in the cd booklet, as well as 20 promos of the cd. The comp. will also feature current/former members of well-known rock/metal acts. Please include a myspace or related web link with any inquiry, and send all inquiries/submissions to religiousrock@yahoo.com.

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Have you always dreamed of recording your music in a professional studio? TuneCore, Eventful and Solid State Logic (SSL) have teamed up to send one band (up to five people) on a one week all expenses paid trip to England to record at Real World Studios, one of the top five recording studios on the planet. The artist or band with the most “demands” at leading online events site Eventful wins this grand prize, which includes studio time, round-trip airfare, ground transportation, food, lodging, an engineer and assistant and 100% unlimited access and complete lockout of “The Big Room” for five days. (Approximate retail value: $25,000.)

Thanks to SSL, TuneCore and Eventful, one lucky band will be able to record at the same studio and use the same state-of-the-art SSL gear as The Cure, Bonnie Raitt, Super Furry Animals, Beth Orton, Goldfrapp, Deep Purple, Robbie Williams, Paul Oakenfold, Sigur Ros and more.

“The Big Room” is world renowned for its 72-channel SSL 9000 XL K series analogue console, its large selection of vintage Neve modules, and its varied array of outboard equipment custom installed to take every advantage of this state-of-the-art facility, all in a room famous for its intoxicating view of the flowing mill pond. Real World’s team brings a wealth of experience, passion and commitment to help music artists realize the full potential of the studio.

To enter, bands will register as a Performer at Eventful and opt-in to participate in the competition. They then need only encourage their fans to “demand” them using Eventful’s Demand service. The unsigned band with the most Eventful “demanders” at 12:00 pm (Pacific Standard Time), October 31st, 2007, wins the grand prize. Bands with the second and third most demanders each win a Solid State Logic Duende DSP processing engine (ARV: $1495.00 each). The top ten (10) bands with the most demanders each get one album, with an unlimited number of songs (total not to exceed seventy-four minutes) placed for free into all digital stores they choose to which TuneCore delivers, including the first year’s maintenance and storage. (ARV: $45 each.)

Find out more at http://www.tunecore.com/realworld.

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Subject – Pink Floyd – Piper at the Gates of Dawn - a 1967 release on Columbia Records (distributed in the U.S. by Capitol Records), with cover photography by Vic Singh.

All images Copyright 1967 and 2007 Vic Singh – www.vicsingh.co.uk

2007 marks the 40th anniversary of the world’s introduction to the recorded music of Pink Floyd. Clubgoers in London had been treated to the band’s psychedelic blues and instrumentals - with 20 minute jams of “Interstellar Overdrive” and ground-breaking lightshows the highlights of a typical concert event – but it was their first singles, “Arnold Layne” and “See Emily Play”, released early in 1967, that introduced the song-writing capabilities of Syd Barrett to a wider listening audience. The singles had done pretty respectably in the U.K. charts and the band was keen on trying out new technologies in the studio. As it was that Barrett – the chief songwriter and singer – was also quite fond of LSD, it only made sense that their first full-length effort, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (whose title was adapted from a chapter in a fondly-remembered book – The Wind in the Willows – from Barrett’s childhood), would both employ these new technologies to craft songs and experimental musical tracks and also be altered by drugs to the point that they were considered “spacey” and “hallucinogenic” in nature.

While the record was a hit in the U.K. at the time (hitting #6 on their album charts), the record did not fare well here in the U.S. until it was re-released in the 70s, after the band’s popularity had soared due to the popularity of their subsequent albums and their touring with other psychedelic stars of the day - including Jimi Hendrix – and their appearances at many music festivals. Of course, Floyd fans are all aware of Syd Barrett’s rapid and disturbing slide into sickness – both mental and physical – that ultimately lead to his ouster from the band in 1968. After his departure and guitarist David Gilmour’s joining the band, Roger Waters took on the role of the creative lead and the band would go on to create a roster of rock classics, selling over 250 million records (!) world-wide. It wasn’t until many years later that rock critics and fans would revisit the band’s debut album and explore its many intricacies, with most fans and critics now in agreement that it deserves consideration as on of the most-important and influential psychedelic recordings of the rock era.

Pink Floyd has also been associated with a number of the best-known artists and illustrators throughout the years, including Storm Thorgerson/Hipgnosis (who created covers for Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and many others) and Gerald Scarfe (creator of the amazing imagery used for The Wall’s packaging and stage show). After they had reached a certain degree of fame (i.e., right after their first album), they did not appear on the cover of any other album, but in 1967, it was an “industry standard” to feature a photograph of the recording artist on the cover, and so London photographer Vic Singh has the distinction of having shot the image that turned out to be the only one that featured the band – and that featured the soon-to-be-sacked Syd Barrett. Vic, too, was interested in creating something unusual (and “psychedelic”) for this commission, and the result was an image that represented the “vibe” of the time exceptionally well. The “making of” this image is the topic of today’s groovy and gear fab Cover Story, so enjoy, you dig?

In the words of the photographer, Vic Singh (interviewed in September, 2007) –

In the mid-1960’s, I was a young established photographer and a member of the 60’s swinging “in-crowd”. I first met the Pink Floyd at an event - or happening as it was called in those days -under the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus in London. They were a new, unknown band and we all chatted for a while. They looked trippy and said they were making their first record album.

A few weeks after our meeting at Piccadilly, their manager (I can’t remember who called, but it was probably either Peter Jenner or Andrew King) rang me at my studio and asked me if I would like to shoot the album cover for The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. I agreed, and we fixed a date for a one day shoot in my studio. At that time, The Pink Floyd were a new band unsigned to any record label, and so there was no art director. I asked their manager if he or the band had any ideas for the album cover, the answer was “no”, and so it was left up to me to come up with ideas. I don’t know if the band had seen any of my work, and since I was not given much to work with visually, the inspiration would need to come from the music and the band’s image.

The band was psychedelic and their music was surreal and alien compared to other popular music of the time, so it needed a far-out image. Having to work with a small production budget (Colour labs for special effects were mega-expensive, and there was no technology like today), I decided to use a prism lens which George Harrison had given me because he could not find a use for it and I had not used it up till then, so it seemed like the perfect solution. All I had to do was screw it on my Hasselblad camera lens and the creative special effect would go straight on to the film.

All images Copyright 1967 and 2007 Vic Singh – www.vicsingh.co.uk

The photo shoot was in my studio and was shot on a white background with flat, even electronic strobe lighting (i.e., a studio flash). I used my Hasselblad with an 80-mm lens and 2 1/4 square Kodak Ektachrome Daylight type film. As I had decided to shoot with the prism lens - which multiplied and softened some of the images - I also asked the band to bring colorful psychedelic clothes (fashionable at the time) which would stand out and provide us with more contrast as the prism lens tended to soften and loose contrast as it split the image. I don’t know how long it took the band to get the clothes together, but they arrived at the studio in the morning, put the coffee pot on, and sat around the studio chatting. There was a lot to chat about as London was buzzing - it was a time of love and peace.Finally, we decided to get on with the photos and the boys went to the changing room and started trying on the clothes. I first started with some test Polaroid shots, positioning them on the white background, which was a bit tricky as the prism lens multiplied each figure - they all overlapped each other! - so I had to get the figures positioned right or the whole thing looked like a mess. Syd got especially interested at this point and was quite intense, changing outfits and the positions of the band on the background and shooting tests on the Polaroid film with me.

All images Copyright 1967 and 2007 Vic Singh – www.vicsingh.co.uk

(Above) Alternate takes from the session

When it was time for a lunch break, my assistant arrived with sandwiches, a couple bottles of Scotch and some joints - all quite enjoyable. After lunch, we put on some Piper music. I had a rather loud stereo system and the Piper sounds could be heard all the way down the street. With the music blasting away, we got into the session, shooting quite a few reels of film and finishing up around 6:00 PM. We had the films processed the next day and I delivered the photos the day after.They loved the photos and Syd got inspired to create the back of the album cover. It had been a beautiful day – as had the day before the shoot and the day after – I attribute it to Flower Power!

About the photographer, Vic Singh –

Vic was born in Lucknow, India, his father a son of Raja of Kalakankar, situated on the banks of The Ganges in northern India and his mother a daughter of a well-known Austrian society photographer in Vienna. He was sent to St. Christopher’s College in Letchworth, Hertfordshire as a young child and his mother decided to move to London.In his teens, he attended St. Martin’s College of Art in London and then got a job at Mayflower Studios as a junior assistant - delivering prints, sweeping the floor, making tea, etc. He then moved on to his first job as a photographer with Studio Five in London’s Mayfair, and a couple of years later, he opened his own photo studio called “Vic Singh Limited” also in Mayfair.

He worked for the fashion, advertising and music industries. Being a member of “the Swinging 60’s In-Crowd” from it’s formation, he had many acquaintances in the music industry. Besides photographing various independent artists such as Pink Floyd, Marc Bolan and others, he also worked for Chris Blackwell of Island Records with artists such as Jimmy Cliff, The Spencer Davis Group (Stevie Winwood) and others shooting PR, record covers and music video (16-mm b/w film), including The Beatles film ‘A Day in the Life’ (from Sgt.Pepper) for Apple Records.

In the last few years, Vic’s concentrated his efforts on the digital side of photography and video and is working in a new environment of the avant-garde music and fashion scene that is, at present, evolving in London.

To see more examples of Vic Singh’s work, please visit his Web site at:

http://www.vicsingh.co.uk

To see more examples of artwork related to Pink Floyd in the RockPoP Gallery collection, please visit http://rockpopgallery.easystorecreator.com/items/pink_floyd/list.htm

About “Cover Stories” - Our weekly series will give you, the music and art fan, a look at “the making of” the illustrations, photographs and designs of many of the most-recognized and influential images that have served to package and promote your all-time-favorite recordings.

Every Friday and syndicated on The Rock and Roll Report the following Monday, we’ll meet the artists, designers and photographers who produced these works of art and learn what motivated them, what processes they used, how they collaborated (or fought) with the musical acts, their management, their labels, etc. - all of the things that influenced the final product you saw then and still see today.

We hope that you enjoy these looks behind the scenes of the music-related art business and that you’ll share your stories with us and fellow fans about what role these works of art - and the music they covered - played in your lives.

All images Copyright 1967 & 2007 Vic Singh www.vicsingh.co.uk
Except as noted, All other text Copyright 2007 - Mike Goldstein & RockPoP Gallery (www.rockpopgallery.com) - All rights reserved.

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