Lou Reed

Lou Reed - NYC Man The Collection (2 CD) - 2003 - BMG

To one man, everything Lou Reed has ever released is absolutely perfect. And if his interviews are any indication, that one man is Reed himself. His vaunted intellectualism has always afforded him a final, unbreachable line of defense when one of his albums is subjected to criticism-- I mean, who are we to detract from Lou Reed's epic vision? We, the insipid, the shortsighted, could never truly grasp the depth of artistry that goes into even the most seemingly hackneyed tracks from Ecstasy (particularly that of "Like a Possum"), to say nothing of the deep harmonic layering in Metal Machine Music. "If you had a small mind, you'd miss it." You said it, Lou. "I've been rewriting the same song for a long time. Except my bullshit is worth other people's diamonds. And diamonds are a girl's best friend." See, only Lou Reed can criticize Lou Reed; fortunately, he has only the kindest things to say about himself. He's been maligned for not understanding what he does best, and inadvertently playing directly into his weaknesses as a result, but I'm more inclined to think that he just doesn't care what other people believe his perceived strengths to be. It almost makes me wonder why he bothered at all to hand-select and remaster the 31 tunes included on NYC Man, especially when such effort has been made to include material from even (to my "small mind") the worst of his later work. Here, studio versions of numerous mega-classics are replaced with live renditions, often denying listeners even that small pleasure of listening to these tracks with some small degree of studio clarity rather than stripped-down, emotionally dead reprises. About the only unpleasantry he's spared us is sixteen minutes (and one second) of grating feedback-- er, I mean, deeply embedded classical melodies-- to represent Metal Machine Music. Still, like any of the greatest Roman emperors and European monarchs knew, the wrath of the mob is something to be avoided, and so the King of NYC condescends to include basically all the songs that will send still send him to the front of the line when rock's judgment day arrives-- most of which appear as live versions. "Sweet Jane"'s gloriously faded core progression is one of the single most ripped-off blasts in rock and roll; the harrowing epic "Street Hassle" still sets a standard in orchestral rock augmentation that few bands can even dream of approaching. The transcendent helplessness of "Caroline Says", the sultry decadence of "Walk on the Wild Side", the sweet fuck-all of "White Light/White Heat"-- all the songs that have been included on every other Lou Reed compilation are here, too. In some sense, the decision to include live takes of many of these songs would be preferable to offering yet another studio copy of "Heroin", if only Reed's lackluster, "I'd rather be anywhere else" live performances didn't so consistently wither in comparison.To give the man some deserved credit, though, it's hard to produce a "bad" version of a song as genuinely perfect as "I'll Be Your Mirror"; it may be diminished here, but fundamentally, it remains one of the brightest jewels in rock's crown. And so it is for all of Reed's most brilliant moments. The bad news is, there's more here than just his most memorable work. Now, to state that many of Lou's later albums are awful is certainly subjective on some level, but I sincerely doubt there's a person alive (well, aside from Lou) who'd be pleased with any collection that attempted to sum up his career by including any songs at all-- even just one, as this compilation does-- from rock-bottom tragedies like Mistrial, Ecstasy, and The Raven. Unfortunately, after the necessary inclusions, that's about all he can do. So, rather than excise "Rock Minuet", the studio-alternate of "Who Am I", or any of the other relatively uninspired works of his later albums, and focus instead on his equally incredible, but more commonly overlooked 80s work-- or shit, just limited this thing to one disc-- he wildly over-reaches. All possible opportunities for cohesion have been denied here at the expense of the implicit notion that all Reed's work is created equal. It ain't. But you know what? Lou really was a genius (maybe still is). Even if his decisions make much of NYC Man a baffling ordeal, as albums go, the canonical rock and roll might contained in some of his greatest triumphs, even in second-rate form, save this album from the guillotine. Such is the scope of his songwriting skill. This is Lou's career, all of it-- from The Velvets to The Raven-- as it could only make sense to him, 3\xBD decades crammed into less than 3\xBD hours. Take away any sort of chronology and then attempt to find representation from every release he ever crapped out, and all that's left is a strung-out, confusing mess that could have turned out a hell of a lot better than it did. A hell of a lot like Lou, actually. © Eric Carr; June 5, 2003 © 2014 Pitchfork Media Inc. All rights reserved http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/6734-nyc-man-the-collection/

Lou Reed has been the subject of so many idiosyncratic, bewildering compilations that the release of yet another idiosyncratic, bewildering compilation can either inspire amusement or frustration. In the case of 2003's double-disc, 31-track NYC Man: The Collection, it's nearly apoplectic frustration because this is yet another thoroughly botched attempt at a thorough overview that doesn't even function as a representative sampler or introduction -- something that is desperately needed in a discography as lengthy and uneven as his. Perhaps part of the problem is indeed that his discography is inconsistent, and thereby any collection that attempts to take it all in will be uneven, but this is especially wobbly, particularly because it tries to cover everything from the Velvet Underground to 2003's The Raven, all with no chronological sense, flipping from decade to decade without sense for either historical or musical logic. Then, there's the song selection itself: It opens up with an unreleased alternate take of "Who Am I" from The Raven, then often substitutes studio cuts with live performances, including a healthy selection from Live in Italy and Perfect Night: Live in London (only one cut from Rock 'n' Roll Animal, strangely enough). It does contain many big songs -- "Walk on the Wild Side," "Satellite of Love," "Dirty Blvd.," "Coney Island Baby," "Perfect Day," "Street Hassle," "Vicious," plus a host of Velvet Underground songs, both in VU and solo versions -- but the songs that surround these tunes are all over the map. Sometimes they're excellent album track selections, but more of the time, they're not as good as songs that have been left behind, which include such cuts as "I Love You Suzanne," "Sad Song," "I Can't Stand It," "New Sensations," "No Money Down," "Romeo Had Juliette," "Egg Cream," "Doin' the Things That We Want To," "Legendary Hearts," and "What's Good," among others. Perhaps these aren't Reed's best -- and, yes, his "best" will always be a subjective matter -- but they are popular, representative songs that would have fit a solo career overview better than much of what is here. Without them, and with the songs that are here, NYC Man is a muddled mess, containing some of Reed's best, but not enough to justify this as the "ultimate" Lou Reed collection. Yet another bungled Lou collection, then. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/nyc-man-the-collection-mr0003030707

Whoever made the selection for this 2-disc set deserves a medal. Reed’s much maligned albums like Sally Can’t Dance, Rock ‘n Roll Heart and Growing Up In Public are well represented by heir best tracks such as Kill Your Songs (albeit a live version), Temporary Thing and The Last Shot. I am pleased that for once someone ignored the critics and just got a lot of the good songs together. The tracks are not arranged chronologically but that just makes the listening experience all the more interesting. Highlights on Disc One are Street Hassle, I’ll Be Your Mirror and Ecstacy. On Disc Two, the music leads up to a climax with The Bells right in the middle and my other favourites here include the live Heroin, the beautiful and moving Satellite Of Love, Dirty Boulevard, Rock Minuet and of course, the poetic Pale Blue Eyes. It’s great hearing these masterpieces out of the context of their original albums, it certainly makes them stand out more as individual songs. I strongly recommend this album to those who would like to investigate Reed’s wok as well as to the long-time fans. - ***** WISE SELECTION by & © Pieter Uys © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.co.uk/NYC-Man-The-Ultimate-Collection/dp/B00008Y4IU

As Lou Reed proclaimed in the title song of his 1976 classic Coney Island Baby, "different people have peculiar tastes," and it sums him up -- in the course of his career, Lou Reed has been lots of different people, and they've all had peculiar tastes. NYC Man, thirty-one tracks selected by the man himself, shows the many strange faces of Lou Reed: the decadent Chelsea-boy punk poet of the Velvet Underground ("I'm Waiting for the Man," "Heroin"), the Seventies glam-rock ho ("Walk on the Wild Side"), the reluctantly wise gutter sage ("Street Hassle," "The Blue Mask") and the guy who took a ton of drugs ("Berlin"). "Ecstasy," from 2000, proves that Reed's creative powers remain fierce -- even if his recent rock opera about Edgar Allan Poe is a lot to forgive. © ROB SHEFFIELD (Posted: Jun 6, 2003) © 2009 Rolling Stone http://web.archive.org/web/20090217130648/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/loureed/albums/album/292115/review/5945559/nyc_man_the_collection

NYC Man is a 2-CD anthology of the late legendary Lou Reed's work. Lou covers everything from the Velvet Underground to 2003's The Raven.This collection is not going to please all Lou Reed's fans as inevitably many fan favourites are omitted. However in the main the 2 CD set contains many excellent album track selections. All the songs in this collection were selected, sequenced and remastered by Lou Reed himself, and it's worth taking note of that. Please see album notes and read http://www.discogs.com/Lou-Reed-NYC-Man-The-Ultimate-Collection-1967-2003/release/1422065 for further details. HR by A.O.O.F.C Listen to Lou Reed's "Coney Island Baby" and The Velvet Underground's "White Light / White Heat" album and read more about the great man @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Reed [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: 2 x rar files: CD 1 Pt 1 = 193 Mb, & CD 2 Pt2 = 175 Mb]

CD 1

1 Who Am I? (Tripitina's Song) 5:33
2 Sweet Jane 3:01 *
3 Rock 'N' Roll 4:40 *
4 I'm Waiting For The Man 4:36 *
5 White Light/White Heat 5:00 *
6 Street Hassle 11:00
7 Berlin 3:23
8 Caroline Says II 4:12
9 The Kids 7:49
10 Walk On The Wild Side 4:11
11 Kill Your Sons 4:08
12 Vicious 2:57
13 The Blue Mask 5:02
14 I'll Be Your Mirror 2:46 <>
15 Magic And Loss - The Summation 6:35
16 Ecstasy 4:30

CD 2

1 I Wanna Be Black 6:29
2 Temporary Thing 5:14
3 Shooting Star 3:12
4 Legendary Hearts 3:05
5 Heroin 8:22 *
6 Coney Island Baby 6:36
7 The Last Shot 3:20
8 The Bells 9:20
9 Perfect Day 3:43
10 Sally Can't Dance 2:55
11 Satellite Of Love 3:37
12 NYC Man 4:55
13 Dirty Blvd. 3:30
14 Rock Minuet 6:56
15 Pale Blue Eyes 5:38 *

N.B: * Lou Reed with The Velvet Underground, & <> Lou Reed with The Velvet Underground (w/ Nico)

All tracks composed by Lou Reed except "Magic And Loss - The Summation" composed by Lou Reed & Mike Rathke, & "The Bells" composed by Lou Reed & Marty Fogel

Alex Machacek, Jeff Sipe, Neal Fountain

Alex Machacek, Jeff Sipe, Neal Fountain - The Official Triangle Sessions (Live) - 2008 - AbstractLogix

2008 Release. This was a special weekend of music. Alex Machacek, Jeff Sipe and Neal Fountain performed three nights of music during the last weekend of June in North Carolina. It was the very first time that Alex and Neal met. Neal Fountain hails from the musical hotbed of Athens, GA, and has been playing professionally from the age of 14. Best known as a sideman to Col. Bruce Hampton and the Fiji Mariners (a post-A.R.U. project of Hamptons) and drumming phenom Jeff Sipe. Neals name is on the short list of greater Atlanta's finest musicians.Matt Garrison was originally scheduled to play with Alex and Jeff as part of the Improvision DVD Shoot. However we had to postpone the DVD shoot because of scheduling conflicts. Neal came on a very short notice and played just great with Alex and Sipe. It got better with every night. So this music is from the final performance from Raleigh. Beautiful moments throughout the entire evening. © http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=23864&cat=0&page=1

Austrian-born electric guitarist Alex Machacek is one of the young post-John Scofield/John McLaughlin/Allan Holdsworth performers whose melodic sense is in a phase of being developed. While he's beyond the noodling stage on this, his fourth album, one gets a sense that he's still a work in progress to find his clear and present voice, preferring to toy with sounds, voicings, and techniques that will serve his ideas better down the road. This live performance in Raleigh, NC, at the Lincoln Theatre is an exercise in that searching process, the guitarist teamed with drummer Jeff Sipe and electric bassist Neal Fountain. While certainly in the jam band area, one could mistake them for a quintessential power trio, but they are not there yet. Instead, Machacek and his mates are satisfied with elongating linear single lines stretched out over a ten-minute average until they slightly change up the mood. The more toned-down and prettier tracks seem to suit them, as the electrified improvisations simmer and at times explode, but rarely boil. The most interesting idea the group espouses collectively is during "Yoga for Cats 1," a spacy and soupy, deep and dark mood, followed by the pleasant "Neal's Fountain" in a traipse pulse, as Machacek's processed guitar is switched off on an alternate passage in shades of McLaughlin. The straight rock-funk of "Gem1" has noisy repeat phrases that meld into a jam, then mold the experiments into various sounds that are not necessarily musical. Synthesized sighing and a faux waltz identify "Pinchproof," while the end of the set has the band in a more sedate and even laid-back mood during "Along Came a Spider," crossing bar lines and offering a more melodic sense. "Put Me Back to Sleep" is an off-putting title that concludes the concert in lighter, acoustic modes with synthesizers as window dressing. The young bassist and drummer recall an embryonic Stanley Clarke and Tony Williams, respectively, minus over the top brashness and showy pyrotechnics, competent but undistinguished. Machacek is an interesting player whose music will advance over time into something distinctive; it's just not there yet. © Michael G. Nastos © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/official-triangle-sessions-mw0000806614

The great Austrian-born electric guitarist Alex Machacek is joined by drummer Jeff Sipe and bass player Neal Fountain. Great Holdsworthian style fusion recorded live in concert in 2008 in N.Carolina, US. Not a shredfest but nice, at times subtle, with well structured compositions brilliantly played by three masters of the genre [All tracks @ 192 Kbps: File size = 98.2 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Pinchproof - Fountain, Machacek, Sipe
2 Strafe - Machacek
3 Very Sad - Machacek
4 Gem1 - Fountain, Machacek, Sipe
5 Yoga for Cats1/Neil's Fountain - Fountain, Machacek, Sipe
6 Along came a Spider - Machacek
7 Put me back to Sleep - Machacek

MUSICIANS

Alex Machacek - Guitar
Neal Fountain - Bass
Jeff Sipe - Drums

Rachael Cantu

Rachael Cantu - Far And Wide - 2009 - Rachel Cantu

Rachael Cantu from Orange County, California is a very talented singer/songwriter who composes a beautiful, passionate and intelligent blend of pop, folk, and soul songs with excellent lyrics and gorgeous vocals. “Far And Wide” is HR by A.O.O.F.C Buy her “Covers” album and support great indie folk rock from a talented and very underrated artist. Read more about Rachael @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachael_Cantu [All Tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 82.4 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Devil's Thunder 3:56
2 Eaten Alive 2:59
3 Far and Wide 2:57
4 Make a Name for Me and You 3:43
5 Thieves and their Hands 3:28
6 We're the Rebels 2:26
7 Your Hips are Bad 2:46
8 Blue House Baby 3:37
9 Genius and a Wizard 2:26
10 Little Ocean Town 4:05
11 Jailbird [Bonus] 2:45

All tracks composed by Rachael Cantu

MUSICIANS

Rachael Cantu - electric & acoustic guitar, vocals
Ted Gowans - guitar, slide gtr, mandolin, synth, rhodes, keyboards
Alex Silverman - guitar, slide guitar, piano, cello
Joey Turco - guitar
Jeremiah Schnieder - bass
Charla McCutcheon - piano, synth, vocals
Darren Phillips - piano, synth and ambience
Brendan Ostrander- drums, percussion
Charles DeCastro - trumpet
Tegan Quin - vocals on Tracks 2,5,8
Vivek Shraya - vocals/backing vocal arrangement on track 1

BIO

RACHAEL CANTU is best known for her evocative blend of indie folk rock delicately infused with distinctly powerful vocals, gentle melodies and heartfelt lyrics. This SoCal native has the whole package—it's no wonder she's been aptly described as "something of a mix of The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde, PJ Harvey, Sarah McLachlan and Norah Jones." Rachael's career first took flight when she joined Tegan and Sara on the road as their opener on multiple tours, leading to additional gigs with such notable artists as Ben Lee, Kaki King and Fun. In addition to solo shows in Los Angeles and major cities across the U.S. and Canada, Rachael honed her live show opening for generational powerhouses like Pat Benatar, Peter Frampton and she won over new fans touring the country with the legendary B.B. King. Rachael Cantu's second studio album "Far and Wide," released in 2009, is an artistic departure from the brooding and moody sounds of her impressive debut CD "Run All Night" (Q Division) and highlights her growth, maturity and evolution as a rising singer/songwriter through musical exploration. Produced by Futcher (The Be Good Tanyas) in Vancouver, the captivating collection of ten eclectic songs with thoughtfully layered arrangements showcase her effortless stylistic versatility, which ranges from upbeat pop, forlorn folk, characteristically haunting pieces and splashes of everything in between. Standout tracks like the ethereal "Devil's Thunder" and touchingly contemplative "Make A Name For Me and You" have attracted the attention of Chop Shop's Alexandra Patsavas, who featured both tunes on ABC's Private Practice. More national exposure followed through a variety of TV placements, such as Pretty Little Liars, Royal Pains and Degrassi, to name a few. Recently, Rachael, along with musician Harlan Silverman, released a studio project called "Little Brutes," a seven song indie-pop EP that features irresistible melodies, infectious lyrics and beautifully executed instrumentation. Currently being shopped around for placements and licensing, "Little Brutes" is a catchy collection of songs that instantly appeal. Currently, you can find Rachael back in the studio writing her forthcoming solo album, due in the not-too-distant future. © http://rachael-cantu.squarespace.com/

Dave D'Angelico

Dave D'Angelico - The Blues According to Texas Son - 2009 - Grooveyard Records

f you like your blues anywhere between RONNIE EARL and STEVIE, this has to be in your collection. Must be the best TEXAS blues guitarist from NEW YORK. All killer, no filler.......great document of this unknown guitar genius's talent......great tunes and some superb guitar playing make this a no brainer for anyone into BLUES or GUITAR.......shame that his career has been cut short by M.S........thank's to the GROOVEYARD we can now all hear this outstanding blues cd........ – from ***** “another unknown blues master” Jan. 20 2014 By & HANS D HARMS © 2008-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.ca/Blues-According-Texas-Dave-DAngelico/dp/B0028M577E

Excellent musical document on this outstanding "blues" guitarist based out of upstate New York. A classic, timeless, dynamic, collection of 21 tracks (77 minutes) recorded thru the years (1988 - 2005) by this talented bluesy Telecaster guitar-slinger. Highly recommended to fans of Roy Buchanan, Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton, SRV, Trower, Albert King, Albert Collins, and fans of "serious" blues guitar magic.Tune into the Man and his music on the appropriately titled, "The Blues According to Texas Son". © http://www.recordheaven.net/index.cfm?iID=77074

Welcome to the world of one serious Telecaster Blues Master.... Just when you think you've heard it all, out of the blue(s) comes a righteous blues guitar slinger named Dave "Texas Son" D'Angelico. Dave has been slingin' his trademark TELECASTER in various blues bars and juke joints in Upstate New York over the past couple of decades, travelling to other cities up & down the east coast through Texas, and has opened for (or jammed with) Roomful of Blues, Savoy Brown, Mick Clarke, Elvin Bishop, Robert Gordon, Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Anson Funderburgh, Robben Ford, Paul Delay Band, Joe Beard plus many others. There is no denying just how good Dave D'Angelico can burn on the blues. He takes a mature, traditional approach with a relaxed air of authority, combining a very original style inspired by his many influences (although not a copycat) and a killer guitar tone to boot - and he does it all with only his fingers, hence the name of one of his discs - "BAREHAND BLUES". Originally influenced by artists like Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, Clarence Edwards. As well as being a great downhome blues Dave likes to rock out! If you're into Roy Buchanan, Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, S.R.V., Clapton, Albert Collins, Duke Robillard, then you need to tune into the guitar magic of Dave "Texas Son" D'Angelico. Check out Texas Son's "Gun Barrel Blues" album. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 182 Mb]

TRACKS

1. In the Meantime 2:26
2. Sugar Sweet 3:03
3. Anything It Takes 3:44
4. Bradshaw Boogie 5:14
5. Wildcattin' Woman 4:34
6. Vinnie's a Hood 4:26
7. Cool Zone 3:59
8. The Fool and Me 4:50
9. Rattlesnake 3:44
10. Becky's Got the Beat 5:08
11. Chester's Blues 3:45
12. Ain't No Reason 3:41
13. Goodbye Baby Blues 3:16
14. I Believe 3:12
15. Albert's Groove 4:04
16. Bats 1:01
17. Keep On Rollin' 3:48
18. Texas Flood Jam 2:32
19. Ghost Blues 3:13
20. Ice Blue Dream 4:45
21. On Two Roads 2:19

All Tracks composed by Dave D'Angelico except “Sugar Sweet” by Freddie King, “Anything It Takes” by Duke Robillard, “Bradshaw Boogie” by Tiny Bradshaw”, “The Fool And Me” by Dewar & Trower, & “Chester’s Blues” is adapted from Chester Burnett (Howlin’ Wolf)

MUSICIANS

Dave D'Angelico – Guitar, Vocals
Dave Dimarzio – Bass
Mike Patric – Bass 0n Tracks 2,3,4
Larry “Yo” Miller – Bass on Tracks 15, 16
Harry Ford – Bass on Tracks 18, 19
Sammy G – Keyboards & Programming on Tracks 16, 20
Dean Miller – Drums
Charlie Rau – Drums on Tracks 2,3,4,19
John Chaffer – Drums on Tracks 5,12
Johnny Borelli – Drums on Track 7
Carlos Grillo – Drums on Tracks 9,11
Jason Smay – Drums on Tracks 15,16
Johnny McMullen – Blues Harp o

Robin Trower & Michael Schenker

Robin Trower & Michael Schenker - Back 2 Back Hits - 1998 - EMI-Capitol Special Markets / CEMA Special Markets

This edition of CEMA Special Markets' acclaimed Back 2 Back Hits pairs two '70s guitar heroes - Robin Trower and Michael Schenker. As is normal in these albums there are a number of favorites missing, but there's enough good tracks here including "Too Rolling Stoned," "Bridge of Sighs," "Armed and Ready," and "Are You Ready to Rock" to make it worthwhile for casual fans of either artists. Listen to Robin Trower’s “ Robin Trower Live!” and Michael Schenker’s Adventures Of The Imagination albums [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 118.1 Mb]

PERFORMERS / TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Robin Trower - Caledonia - James Dewar / Robin Trower 3:40
2 Robin Trower - Too Rolling Stoned - Robin Trower 7:32
3 Robin Trower - Alethea - Robin Trower 3:05
4 Robin Trower - Bridge of Sighs - Robin Trower 5:07
5 Robin Trower - Daydream (Live) - James Dewar / Robin Trower 8:07
6 Robin Trower feat: Michael Schenker - Are You Ready To Rock - Gary Barden / Michael Schenker 3:30
7 Robin Trower feat: McAuley-Schenker Group - Anytime - Steve Mann / Robin McAuley 5:43
8 Robin Trower feat: Michael Schenker - Armed and Ready - Gary Barden / Michael Schenker 4:06
9 Robin Trower feat: Michael Schenker - Desert Song - Graham Bonnet / Michael Schenker 5:53
10 Robin Trower feat: Michael Schenker - Doctor, Doctor (Live) - Phil Mogg / Michael Schenker 5:54

ROBIN TROWER (BIO)

Throughout his long and winding solo career, guitarist Robin Trower has had to endure countless comparisons to Jimi Hendrix, due to his uncanny ability to channel Hendrix's bluesy/psychedelic, Fender Strat-fueled playing style. Born on March 9, 1945, in Catford, England, Trower spent the early '60s playing guitar in various London based outfits; the most successful one being the R&B group the Paramounts, who specialized mostly in covers, but managed to issue several singles between 1963 and 1965. It wasn't until 1967 thatTrower received his big break however, when he joinedProcol Harum. The group had just scored a worldwide smash hit with "A Whiter Shade of Pale," but the only problem was that the band's leader, singer/pianist Gary Brooker, didn't have a proper band to back him. Brooker was previously a bandmate of Trower's in the Paramounts, and offered the guitar slot in his new fast-rising project to his old friend. As a result, Trowerappeared on such Procol Harum classics as 1967's Procol Harum, 1968's Shine on Brightly, 1969's A Salty Dog, 1970's Home (which spawned the popular Trower tune "Whiskey Train"), and 1971's Broken Barricades. While Procol Harum helped launch Trower's career, the guitarist realized there was limited space for his guitar work, and eventually left for a solo career. Enlisting singer/bassistJames Dewar and drummer Reg Isidore (who was soon replaced by Bill Lordan) as a backing band, Trower issued his solo debut, Twice Removed From Yesterday, in 1973. The album barely left a dent in the U.S. charts, but that would change soon enough with his next release, 1974's Bridge of Sighs. With rock fans still reeling from Hendrix's death a few years earlier, the album sounded eerily similar to the late guitarist's work with the Jimi Hendrix Experience (especially his 1968 release, Electric Ladyland), and as a result, the album sky rocketed into the U.S. Top Ten, peaking at number seven. Although Bridge of Sighs was to be his most popular solo release, Trower's stock continued to rise throughout the mid-'70s, as he became an arena headliner on the strength of such hit albums as 1975's For Earth Below, 1976's Robin Trower Live!, and Long Misty Days, plus 1977's In City Dreams. Further releases followed, yet by the dawn of the '80s, it became quite obvious that Trower's star was rapidly fading, as each album sold less than its predecessor. A brief union with ex Cream bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce spawned a pair of releases, 1981's B.L.T. and 1982's Truce, before Trowerreturned back to his solo career. The '80s saw Trower try and expand his audience with several releases that attempted to update his blues-rock style (such as 1987's slick produced Passion), but none returned the guitarist back to the top of the charts. During the early '90s,Trower returned back to Procol Harum for a brief reunion (1991's Prodigal Stranger), before backing ex-Roxy Musicsinger Bryan Ferry on a few releases (1993's Taxi and 1994'sMamouna, the latter of which Trower earned a co-producer credit for). Trower continued to issue solo albums in the 21st century (2000's Go My Way), while a steady stream of live sets and compilations appeared. Trower returned to work withFerry once more on 2002's Frantic, again earning a production credit. Reassembling most of his late-'80s band, Trower released Living Out of Time in 2004 and returned with Another Days Blues in late 2005. What Lies Beneath appeared in 2009 from V-12 Records. © Greg Prato © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved

MICHAEL SCHENKER (BIO)

Along with Gary Moore, Michael Schenker never quite reached the same level of acclaim stateside as he did in Europe (and other parts of the world), despite possessing exceptional, and quite influential, six-string skills. Born on January 10, 1955, in Savstedt, Germany, it was Schenker's older brother, Rudolf, who sparked the youngster's interest in guitar at an early age. Entirely self-taught, Michael picked up a thing or two from such hard-rocking acts as Wishbone Ashand Mountain, as well as his older brother, who would offer the youngster money if he would transcribe certain songs for him while he was at work. As a result of constant playing, it wasn't long before Schenker showed immense talent with the instrument, and by the early '70s, joinedRudolf's group, the Scorpions. Michael appeared on the group's 1972 full-length debut, Lonesome Crow, and toured with the outfit (all at the age of 17). But it was during the album's supporting tour that another up-and-coming outfit, UFO, took a keen interest in the young Schenker and managed to pry the guitarist away from the Scorpions. Although a language barrier existed between Schenker and his new bandmates (he barely knew any English at the time), the guitarist let his playing do the talking, especially on his first recording with the group, 1974's Phenomenon, which spawned such metal classics/Schenker showcases as "Doctor Doctor" and "Rock Bottom" (also of note was the instrumental "Lipstick Traces," a tune which Schenker played entirely with his feet!). It was also around this time thatSchenker began playing an instrument that he would become synonymous with for the rest of his career, a Gibson Flying V (which would eventually be decorated with a half-white/half-black paint job). Heavy-duty touring and a pair of further releases, 1975's Force It and 1976's No Heavy Petting, set the stage perfectly for what UFO hoped would be a global commercial breakthrough. The late '70s saw UFO issue a trio of classic hard rock albums -- 1977's Lights Out, 1978's Obsession, and especially 1979's outstanding live set, Strangers in the Night -- all of which made strong showings on the U.S. charts. But UFO's time in the limelight would be fleeting, as alcohol/substance overindulgence and erratic behavior drew a wedge betweenSchenker and the rest of UFO (the guitarist also became famous for disappearing from the group without any notice, leaving them high and dry mid-tour). 1979 saw Schenker's exit from UFO (who were never the same after his exit) and re-entry into the Scorpions. But, as with his first go around with the group, Schenker's tenure was a fleeting one, only lasting a single album, 1979's Lovedrive, before exiting once more. The same year, Schenker was invited to take the place of the just-departed Joe Perry in Aerosmith. Despite a few jam sessions between Schenker and the others, nothing ever materialized of the Schenker-Aerosmith union (the interesting meeting was discussed by the group in their 1999 autobiography, Walk This Way). Now free of any other obligations, Schenker set his sights on a solo career, forming the Michael Schenker Group immediately thereafter. While the group got off to a promising start with such strong releases as 1980's Michael Schenker Group, 1981's MSG, plus 1982's Assault Attack and One Night at Budokan, interest eventually evaporated, as it became obvious with each subsequent release that Schenker had set his sights at the top of the charts rather than sticking to good old-fashioned hard rock/heavy metal. Constant lineup fluctuation didn't help, either. 1982 saw Schenker get an invite from Ozzy Osbourne to join his group immediately after Randy Rhoads' tragic death, but like the Aerosmith bid several years earlier, it failed to pan out. Despite failing to issue a big commercial breakthrough on his own (although 1989's pop-metal outing, Save Yourself, credited to the McAuley-Schenker Group, came close), the guitarists in such renowned groups asMetallica and Def Leppard were quick to voice Schenker's influence. The early '90s saw Schenkerappear with Ratt on a best-forgotten episode of MTV's popular Unplugged series, in addition to participating in a one-off pop-metal "supergroup," Contraband (which included members of such groups as Shark Island, Vixen, Ratt, and L.A. Guns), who issued a lone self-titled debut in 1991. Throughout the '90s, Schenker continued to issue solo albums, including 1993's acoustic-based Thank You and 1999's more rock-based Unforgiven, but the real story of the '90s for Schenker was his re-enlistment into UFO in 1993. Predictably, Schenker's second go-around with UFO was short-lived, yet it did spawn a world tour as well as an all-new studio effort, 1995's Walk on Water. Schenker's pace of issuing solo albums only increased during the early 21st century, as such titles as 2000's all-instrumental Adventures of the Imagination, plus a staggering three albums in 2001 alone (MS 2000: Dreams and Expressions, Odd Trio, andBe Aware of Scorpions) saw the light of day. 2002 saw Schenker sign on with UFO once more for a new album, Sharks. © Greg Prato © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/michael-schenker-mn0000397545/biography

Gong

Gong - Best Of Gong - 1996 - Mantra Records (France)

One of countless compilation albums from Gong, the monumental progressive rock band. The mothership Gong and her offshoots have released hundreds of albums. It would be ridiculous to say that the thirteen tracks here represent Gong's best work. Nevertheless, what is here is good, and if you're unfamiliar with this legendary band, this is a good album to whet your appetite [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 174.4 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS / ALBUM

1 Radio Gnome - Daevid Allen "Camembert Electrique" 1971 (Gong) 0:27
2 You Can't Kill Me - Daevid Allen "Camembert Electrique" 1971 (Gong) 6:16
3 Fohat Digs Holes In Space - Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth "Camembert Electrique" 1971 (Gong) 6:20
4 Tried So Hard - Daevid Allen, Christian Tritsch "Camembert Electrique" 1971 (Gong) 4:39
5 Radio Gnome Invisible - Daevid Allen "Flying Teapot" 1973 (Gong) 5:32
6 Flying Teapot - Daevid Allen, Francis Moze "Flying Teapot" 1973 (Gong) 11:47
7 I Never Glid Before - Steve Hillage "Angel's Egg" 1973 (Gong) 5:36
8 Masterbuilder - Gong "You" 1974 (Gong) 6:05
9 A Sprinkling Of Clouds - Gong "You" 1974 (Gong) 8:54
10 Tic Toc aka "Zero The Hero & The Witch's Spell" - Daevid Allen, Tim Blake, Christian Tritsch "Live Au Bataclan 1973" (Gong) 5:59
11 Deep In The Sky - Tim Blake "Live At Sheffield 1974" (Gong) 5:13
12 White Neckblues - Daevid Allen "Banana Moon" 1971 (Daevid Allen) 4:37
13 Chrysler Rose - Dashiell Hedayat "Obsolete" 1974 (Dashiell Hedayat) 6:38

MUSICIANS

Daevid Allen - Guitar, Bass Guitar, Vocals
Christian Tritsch - Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Bass
Steve Hillage - Guitar
Robert Wyatt - Guitar, Drums, Vocals
Francis Moze - Bass Guitar, Keyboards
Mike Howlett, Archie Legget - Bass Guitar
Tim Blake - Keyboards, Synths, Vocals
Dashiell Hedayat - Keyboards, Vocals
Gary Wright - Piano
Pip Pyle, Charles Hayward, Laurie Allan- Drums
Pierre Moerlen - Drums, Percussion, Vibes, Marimba
Rachid Houari, Benoit Moerlen- Percussion
Mireille Bauer - Glockenspiel, Percussion
Francis Linon - Noises
Didier Malherbe - Saxes, Flute, Vocals
Nick Evans - Trombone
Gerry Fields - Violin
Gilli Smyth - Vocals
Maggie Bell, Barry St. John, Sam Wyatt, Miquette Giraudy - Backing Vocals

Julian Sas

Julian Sas - Where Will it End? - 1996 - Corazong Records

Often called the "Dutch Hendrix", Julian Sas has become a guitar hero in the Netherlands. He has been compared to artists like Johnny Winter and Rory Gallagher. He was even invited several times to take Rory’s place in the original Rory Gallagher Band. He is certainly not a new Jimi Hendrix. There was only one Jimi! But being Julian Sas is good enough in itself. The Julian Sas Band is one of the strongest 3 piece blues/rock bands you will ever hear. Julian is a solid and sometimes spectacular player, decent vocalist, and usually backed by the tremendous rhythm section of Pierre de Haard on drums and a most impressive Phil Poffe' on bass. ‘Where Will It End!?’ is Julian Sas’s first album and was released in 1996. It was recorded, on invitation, in the famous Dolfin Studios in Frankfurt, Germany in 2 days, without any overdubs, put on CD as it was played live in the studio.This is earthy, gutsy, honest, dynamic, and electrifying boogie blues and soul rock. Julian is a great but underrated guitarist and a great Rory Gallagher fan. Join the club! LOL! Read more about this album @ http://www.cavalier-musicmanagement.com/artists/7-julian-sas/releases/15-where-will-it-end-- Check out Julian’s “A Smile To My Soul” album on this blog and buy his great "Bound To Roll" album and support great blues rock [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 117 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Turpentine Moan 3:07
2. Honey Babe 4:16
3. Make Up Your Mind 7:54
4. Goin'down 5:04
5. Trying to Do Right 3:04
6. Travelling Home 3:19
7. Home Feeling 3:44
8. Voodoo Love 4:57
9. I Don't Know 3:44
10. Stranger Blues 4:56
11. Serves Me Right to Suffer 7:16

All tracks composed by Julian Sas, Phil Poffé, & Pierre de Haard except Track 4 by Don Nix, Track 9 by Julian Sas, Track 10 by Elmore James, and Track 11 Trad.

MUSICIANS

Julian Sas - Guitars, Blues Harp, National Duolian, Vocals
Phil Poffé - Bass Guitar
Pierre 'Boogiemachine' de Haard - Drums

BIO

Hello everybody. My name is Julian. I was born on a river in 1970 in a small town in the center of the Netherlands called Beneden-Leeuwen. Since I was born I have been a restless person, This is something that I still have today. Only until I was 6 years old I knew where this was coming from; I saw this movie called the Toronto rock 'n roll festival. There I saw Jerry lee lewis and Chuck Berry. From that day on I knew what I was going to be In my life I wanted to make music. I was hooked as a little child on what I felt when I saw this movie, it was Jerry lees immense energy and maybe more important for my future I saw Chuck's guitar. My mother saw that I dreamed and talked only about guitars from that day on. So they gave me little toyguitars and stuff like that but I kept dreaming about the real thing. By the time I was 10 I was into bands like Motorhead and AC/DC, Judas priest and Iron Maiden and more heavy stuff. Loud guitars and big Marshall amps and again a lot of energy. They saw me listening to music that most children of my age weren't doing at that time so I started again about a real guitar and when I was about 12 years old I got one an Ibanez les paul copy which I still have today. With a guitar comes an amplifier so they gave me this 30 watt Yamaha where I could practice with. I started to listen to anything I could lay my hands on, and this is something that I still do today. I have never had no musical schooling so this is for me the only way to learn music. By listening and playing you start to know how things work. A friend of mine taught me some basic chords and a few scales and something about where to put your fingers and that was it. The rest was up to me. By the time I was 13 I heard something that really got me deep emotionally and his name was Muddy Waters. From that day on I decided to dedicate my life to blues and bluesrock. When I was not in school I played guitar, I kinda locked myself in my room to become what I wanted. The guitar became and still is an obsession for me. I'm a very quiet guy in fact and this instrument really gave me the chance to express my feelings. When I was 17 years old it was 1987 and that was great year for me because I met a girl who is now my wife; someone who knows what drives me in being a musician and understand what music means to me. And it was the first time I saw Rory Gallagher. He shocked my world big time. That was what I was going to be. I started a band and two years later I quit school, because we had a lot of gigs and becoming a history teacher was not my thing. I must have had a thousand jobs and a lot of jams and bands and duo's but by the time I was 26 I started this band called Julian Sas Band. We got a record deal and the first album was called 'Where will it end!?'. And that my friends is still the story today, when it is up to me we got along time coming, because we really love what we do. For me being a musician is all about freedom and doing what you really love. I am fortunate to be in such a position but then again I worked hard for it and still work hard for it because nothing in life comes easy. So this is my story. I want to tell you that for me playing music is something I try to do until the day I will lay my guitar down and I will meet the great spirits in the sky. I will always write songs about loneliness and oppression and being free out on the road. Music still comforts my ever restless soul. Which after all these years is still inside of me... Thank you for making my dream come true......... Julian © 2001-2012 www.juliansas.com

MORE

The Julian Sas Band is one of the leading blues rock bands in The Netherlands. Since they began playing together about 7 years ago, they have released 7 CD's, 1 DVD and done an awful lot of gigs. In 1998 the band received a public award for their second album called 'A Smile to my Soul'. It was listed as one of the best blues CD's of that year. In 1999, the Julian Sas Band was top of the bill at the legendary Fehmarn Festival (the German equivalent of Woodstock), which was entirely dedicated to the memory of Jimi Hendrix. The Band also featured at the Rory Gallagher Tribute in the Belgium town of Wespelare. In september 2000, they released 'Spirits On The Rise', their fifth and most recent album. Julian Sas lives in Beneden Leeuwen, a small town that lies between the rivers Maas and Waal in what might be called the Blues Delta of The Netherlands. This is where he finds inspiration for many of his songs. Although Julian is only 32, he is already being compared to American guitar giants such as Johnny Winter, Walter Trout and Jimi Hendrix. He can play load and aggressive as well as heartrendingly subtle, and no-one can play a boogie like he does. Most of the songs he writes are based on riffs of John Lee Hooker, Freddy King, Willy Dixon, Memphis Slim or other major blues artists. Julian is a great fan of the late Rory Gallagher and the fact that he was invited to take Rory's place in the original Rory Gallagher Band on a number of occasions, clearly shows how his fellow musicians have come to respect him. Pierre de Haard, the drummer in the band, lives in Germany. Since the end of the sixties, he has been playing various styles of music. Pierre, who is also known as the 'Boogie Machine', loves to improvise together with Julian. Tenny Tahamata of Moluccan origin is the bassplayer and lives in Tiel, The Netherlands. He's selftaught, has done experience with various local bands playing all kinds of music. The last years Tenny played with blues rock trio Half Past Midnight, which accompanied Curtis Knight until his death. In between he did several gigs with harp player Keith Dunn before to join the Julian Sas Band. © www.juliansas.com © http://www.mymusicbase.ru/PPB/ppb10/Bio_1047.htm

George Terry

George Terry - Guitar Dr - 2005 - Terrytunes, Inc.

Blues Rock and Ballads from Eric Clapton's first band guitar pal George Terry. Starting off as a studio musician in the late 1960's, George Terry started a band with Eric Clapton after recording the 461 Ocean Blvd. album in 1973. Eric recorded four of George's songs, "Mainline Florida", "Lay Down Sally", "Don't Blame Me", and "Let Me Stay" which was not released by Eric and is on George's Guitar Drive CD. The Bellamy Brothers had a hit with George's song "What'll I Do". They did a video with George and were nominated as Country Duo of the Year at the CMA and the ACM Awards. Here are some of the better known artists George Terry has done recordings with: Buddy Miles, Mike Bloomfield , Aretha Franklin , Joe Cocker , Freddie King , The Bellamy Brothers , ABBA, Dionne Warwick , The Bee Gees, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Stephen Stills. George has recorded 15 albums with Eric Clapton including “461 Ocean Boulevard “,”EC Was Here”, and “Slowhand”. Guitar Drive is a CD with a variety of songs by George Terry including "Let Me Stay" that was done with the original Eric Clapton Band in the 1970's. Jamie Oldaker/Drums, Dick Simms/B3, Carl Radle/Bass, Eric Clapton played and also sang the end chorus of the song, with George Terry on the lead vocal and electric guitars. This is the first CD George has recorded as a solo artist. A rare find for the INDIE market! © http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gterry

George Terry was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1950. A guitarist, he began his career as session musician in the late 1960s. George was a studio musician at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida when he was first introduced to Eric Clapton in 1970. Prior to signing on with Eric for the 461 Ocean Boulevard sessions in 1974, he worked extensively with Simon & Garfunkel, Sonny & Cher, Neil Diamond and on Bill Wyman’s solo efforts. In a 1976 interview, George said he was working in a studio next to Eric’s and Eric invited him to jam “when he got bored with his stuff.” This evolved in Terry’s participation on the 461 Ocean Boulevard Sessions and becoming a member of the band. During those sessions, Eric recorded four of George’s songs: “Mainline Florida,” “Lay Down Sally,” “Don’t Blame Me,” and “Let Me Stay.” The latter was not used on the album. During some of Eric’s 1970s tours, George handled the bulk of the soloing and sang back-up vocals. His association with Eric ended in 1978 when he returned to Florida and session work. © 2014 WHERE'S ERIC! THE ERIC CLAPTON FAN CLUB MAGAZINE http://www.whereseric.com/the-vault/biographies-band-members-and-collaborators/terry-george

Great underrated album from the great Philadelphia born guitarist, George Terry. George may not be a household name, but in his earlier days he played with Joe Bonamassa and later on with many of the greats in rock music and other genres. George has said that, “After all is said and done, it’s the songwriters I would most wish to perform with… and at the top of the list is Paul McCartney”. Listen to Freddie King’s “Burglar” album featuring George Terry [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 114 Mb]


TRACKS

1. That Ain't You 3:57
2. It's Only Make Believe 3:45
3. She's My Harley Davidson 3:54
4. Let Me Stay 4:12
5. Don't Ask Me 6:06
6. Off To See The Moon 4:15
7. Long Way Down 3:40
8. Only Love Can Save Me Tonight 4:16
9. All Possible Dreams 4:04
10. It's Alright 3:30
11. Wild Life 3:30
12. You Blame It All 3:41
13. Get It Right 2:21

All tracks composed by George Terry

MUSICIANS

George Terry - Guitars, Lead Vocals
Eric Clapton - Guitar, Vocals on "Let Me Stay" (End Chorus)
Carl Radle - Bass
Dick Simms - B3 Organ
Jamie Oldaker - Drums

SHORT BIO (WIKI)

George E. Terry (born in 1950) is an American blues rock and rock and roll guitarist best known for his live and studio work with Eric Clapton during the 1970s. He is also known for his studio work with a number of other artists, including ABBA, the Bee Gees, Joe Cocker, Andy Gibb, Freddie King, Diana Ross, Stephen Stills, and Kenny Rogers. Much of this work came through Terry's association with Bee Gees member Barry Gibb, who was in high demand as a producer in the 1980s. Prior to joining Clapton's band, Terry was already a well-established South Florida guitarist and session musician, and had played with several notable bands including "GAME" who released two albums in 1970 and 1971. Terry was the group's featured lead guitarist and bassist, and wrote several songs on both albums.Clapton recorded three of Terry's songs: Mainline Florida, Lay Down Sally, and Don't Blame Me. Terry was a member of Clapton's studio and touring band until it was dissolved in 1979. Terry's song What'll I Do with the Bellamy Brothers received heavy radio airplay. Terry released a solo album in 2004, entitled Guitar Drive.