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Technology Tuesday: This Is My Jam

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FM disc jockeys once ruled the roost. (And shit, before that it was AM jockeys. Dating myself, I recall an FM station promotion that had contestants send in Polaroids of running over AM radios with your car to kill AM and help popularize the “new” FM!) Then, it was the VJs (Video Jockeys) that set the trend. And it wasn’t just MTV either: There were over the air stations, like Boston’s V66, that set the world on fire. Since then, many different influencers have had an impact on what music people listen to. While there has been scores of things that come and go in popularity, like satellite radio, computerized algorithms a la Pandora, blogs, magazines, websites and tons of other pundits that think they dictate musical tastes, one thing has remained constant: Recommendations from friends.

One thing that will never change when it comes to trusted musical recommendations are those that come from friends and valued sources. Such was the absolute explosion of Turntable.FM. It resonated because you could listen to the DJs (many of whom you knew) whose opinion you valued. However, the initial explosion of interest was tempered with the fact that the time/value proposition was becoming less and less valuable as the service become more popular and the “suggestions” were diluted.

What if you could cherry pick the best of the best? The one tune that your friends and people in your trusted circle were listening to right now? Well, you can. This is the idea of “This Is My Jam“.



What is It? You know how you often have one tune stuck in your head? And it plays over and over? And it is awesome? And you want to share it with the world? This is the idea behind This Is My Jam. The site allows you to pick just one song, or “jam.” They encourage you to pick the one “that’s been stuck on repeat, that one you love.” Then you can add a bit of personalization in how it is displayed and then you share it.

What makes this service so compelling? For me, it is the utter simplicity and lack of clutter. I can quickly drill down and get some spot-on suggestions of some tunes that are thrilling people right now. Unlike Simplify Media of old that allowed you to listen to the entirety of a friend’s library, or Spotify playlists that can reach hundreds of tracks per playlist, or dozens of wall posts on Facebook, or culling through someone’s Twitter timeline hoping to find the gem that was shared earlier, TIMJ pares the recommendation game down to its bare essence: What’s your favorite track right now?

How does it work? Simply sign up, search for friends that you want to follow via Twitter or Facebook, and find a tune that you want to share. Then, with one click, you can “Play All the Jams From People You Follow.” It’s like a Twitter timeline with just kick-ass music suggestions. The music is mostly curated from YouTube and during playback a small, unobtrusive window displays the video. You can, of course, pick and choose what you want to listen  to, and cherry pick which tracks to listen to without going through the entire playlist.

After seven days, your jam is dead! No stale jams here. So you can either pick a fresh jam to share or you will not be sharing anything after seven days. Dead simple way of keeping the music relevant and timely.

Other things to know about TIMJ:

> Besides the clutter-free, streamlined, and fresh approach to music suggestions, one of the compelling things about the service right now is that there are no ads! Simple & clean interface that makes listening online a joy.

> Like most things you do online, when posting your Jam, you can Tweet it or post it to Facebook as well. Commenting on the tracks, adding favorites, “liking” and playcounts are all supported.

> There is no software to download of course, it works right in the browser and is run with HTML5 so iOS users can fortunately join in the fun on iPads and such.

> Even though you are limited to one tune at a time that expires after seven days, you are free to change your Jam as often as you wish.

Bottom Line: The age old question of music recommendation is an always evolving and interesting one. This is My Jam is a dead simple, elegant, and fresh solution to curating a playlist of what your friends are listening to right now. I’ve only been using this for less than a week and have already found some great tracks that I’ve added to my library. Perhaps you will find some killer music too!

This is my jam. What’s yours?

[Stay tuned for next week's installment of Technology Tuesday for another kick-ass music recommendation service that centers around bands rather than tracks!]

________________________________

Hidden Track Technology Tuesday

email: parkerjh@gmail.com
twitter@tmwsiy
voice-mail:  (781) 285-8696

Have an idea for an article? Product, app, or web service you are passionate about? Feel free to get in touch with me.



Levon Helm in Final Stages of Cancer Battle

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We’re sad to report that the rumors making the rounds lately are true – our hero Levon Helm is in the final stages of his battle with cancer. His family has just released a statement

[Photo by Parker Harrington]

Dear Friends,

Levon is in the final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey.

Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration… he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage…

We appreciate all the love and support and concern.

From his daughter Amy, and wife Sandy

Levon was one of the first artists we covered on Hidden Track and one of our favorites. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. Helm was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998 and underwent many radiation sessions to beat back the disease. The cancer hindered his singing voice, but Levon fought through it and went on to tour and play many Midnight Rambles at his home studio. The Band drummer was thought to be dealing with a back issue recently, though rumors started to spread last weekend that he was on “his deathbed.”

The Band – I Shall Be Released

The lack of response from Levon’s camp gave us the feeling, along with longtime nemesis Robbie Robertson having a kind word for him at Saturday’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, that today’s announcement was coming. Outside of the family’s announcement, there’s no further word at this time about the situation.

Reactions have come in from around the musical world…


Put on The Band..turn it up LOUD..listen to it with happiness that we got to exist in the same time as Levon Helm..even if for just a while
@Jeffreyaustin10
Jeffrey Austin


Levon Helm, a king among men.. Just read the sad news about his illness x
@LisaHBand
Lisa Hannigan


Opening for Levon Helm was one of the great honors of my musical life. The thrill of just shaking his hand has never gone away.
@okkervilriver
Okkervil River


As a life long fan of The Band and a drummer who likes to sing, Levon has been a huge part of my life. My prayers go out to his family.
@thedeadblog
The Dead Blog


Such a bummer: http://t.co/l2nS76hT. Please send Levon and family your love and support. http://t.co/qOYZqSpS
@deertickmusic
Deer Tick


Sending love, prayers and good vibes to Levon Helm.
@NicoleAtkins
Nicole Atkins


If you’re not familiar with Levon Helm, watch this from “The Last Waltz.” The Band at their best http://t.co/vEQIQMXU
@EricStangel
Eric Stangel


Sending love and prayers to Levon Helm http://t.co/a0MDYIKa
@bowerypresents
bowerypresents


We are grateful to have hosted a Ramble. Levon Helm in ‘Final Stages’ of Battle With Cancer http://t.co/2KVHljU6 via @
@oldtownschool
Old Town School



May Levon Helm’s journey be a gentle one…
@BBiB
BeyondBeyondisBeyond


Levon Helm looking to the Heavens. http://t.co/C6Gz7Rvr
@tmwsiy
Parker


Thinking of Levon Helm. One of the Band’s underrated gems, “Acadian Driftwood.” http://t.co/r8AX9sgI
@stevesilberman
Steve Silberman


Hopefully this sad news will get Garth Hudson to open his vaults and release the rumored treasure trove of Levon & the Hawks recordings.
@warondrugsjams
The War on Drugs


Na, na na na na na na, na na na na na na, na na na na na na #levon
@heyscottyb
Scott Bernstein


In honor of Levon….listening to The Band live at Watkins Glen. Go peacefully and thanks for everything you gave us. #musicgreat #levon
@unclebutta
Ryan Abramow


WORST NEWS EVER: #Lotts of Love, prayers, thoughts, well wishes to #Levon. #sad #RambleOn #tweetsAREjustNOTheartfeltenough
@Dlottmusic
D.Lott


Thoughts are with Levon and his family and friends @
@andykahn
andykahn


My thoughts & prayers go out to Levon Helm & his family.
@Slash
Slash



Nooooooo… “@: Sad news: The Band’s Levon Helm is in the “final stages” of his battle with cancer: http://t.co/VIvdirNY”
@juliamordaunt
Julia Mordaunt


Prayers for Levon Helm please
@benchten
benmont tench III


a couple of downloads of @ Levon Helm I’ve previously posted:http://t.co/TtDh5USd http://t.co/CJmTX0Ck http://t.co/r6VXoKgC
@scott_bernstein
Scott Bernstein


Safe journey, Levon. Long may you ramble.
@originalwyllys
wade wilby


If Levon dies roots music is fucked #PrayForLevon
@ShooterJennings
Shooter Jennings


Life doesn’t get much more beautiful than it is when Levon’s singing. Best wishes to him and his family. #levonhelm
@GuyForgetOPT
Guy Forget


Levon Helm’s May 6 show has been canceled. Our thoughts + prayers are with the Helm family during this difficult time. http://t.co/dVv2GRka
@TheRyman
Ryman Auditorium


Watching John Convertino play drums while I mourn Levon Helm. Seems right. So sad..
@NekoCase
Neko Case


ALSO! Levon Helm is a GREAT actor. Not enough people saw “The 3 burials of Melquiades Estrada”. Tommy Lee Jones, Melissa Leo, @
@NekoCase
Neko Case


RT @: It’s nearly impossible to sing so smoothly and hit that hard at the same time. I love your lungs, Levon.
@mike_gordon
Mike Gordon


an honest & classic voice, unmistakable back beat & pervasive smile – you are in our thoughts and prayers, Levon http://t.co/3tbYSLoo
@Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo


Tracy Smith (Pulitzer winner yesterday) wrote a poem re: Levon Helm. http://t.co/XTKWOjjz Printed in 2009 @ and still on my fridge.
@gregseitz
Greg Seitz



RT @ Send all your nice thoughts to Levon Helm, just in case you haven’t yet. // On it: no one in this or any world like him.
@MJMcKean
Michael McKean


Levon Helm in our hearts
@EdwardSharpe
Edward Sharpe


Our thoughts & prayers go out to Levon, one of the greatest drummers, singers, & individuals of all time. A profound influence on me&theNocs
@gracepotter
Grace Potter


Levon is in his last stages…
@DrakeBell
Drake Bell


Levon Helm’s drums on those early Band album’s did indeed sound sorrowful. A nearly impossible level of soulfulness/musicianship.
@EugeneEdwards25
Eugene Edwards


Levon Helm is losing his battle against cancer. Words can’t express how much he has influenced the direction of… http://t.co/sjWacBgZ
@TheWallflowers
The Wallflowers


How can God be ready to take Levon Helm and Justin Bieber is still going strong? Dick move, Big Guy. Dick move.
@kristopherRL
Kris Logsdon



Levon Helm is knocking on Heaven’s Door. Light his way with your prayers. http://t.co/P6wL0CqU
@JPBarlow
John Perry Barlow


Sending well wishes and healing thoughts to the great Levon Helm and his family right now.
@yimyames
Yim Yames

[Note: We'll update this post with more reactions as they come in.]


Tour Dates: Billy Bragg Returns To Mermaid Avenue

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With all the planned celebrations surrounding Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday this year, it’s no surprise that Billy Bragg would be throwing his hat into the ring to honor the iconic and influential singer-songwriter. The U.K.- based folkie has direct ties to Guthrie, teaming up with Wilco back in 1997, to put music to a collection of unrecorded Guthrie songs. The two acts recorded nearly 50 songs, which have been packaged together as the Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions, which will hit stores next Tuesday. Bragg will honor Guthrie’s legacy with his Ain’t Nobody That Can Sing Like Me world tour, that will see the singer perform songs from the aforementioned collection, as well as material from his own socio-political charged songbook, that certainly would have made Woody proud.

If you’re not into a night with Billy Bragg, then maybe you’ll be interested in hitting one of these recently announced tours…

 


Video: Paul McCartney – My Valentine

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Paul McCartney unveiled a series of three videos this week for the first single off his new album, Kisses on the Bottom. As you might expect from the title, the song takes its musical cues from the age old jazz standard My Funny Valentine. The videos feature Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp doing sign language to the lyrics, which is exactly as boring as it sounds, but The British Deaf Association claims the two are signing for the word “tampon” instead of “valentine,” so there’s that. The music provides a pleasant new direction for Sir Paul. Check it out…


Review: Bill Evans Soulgrass @ Blue Note

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Saxophonist Bill Evans came up in the jazz world, but he’s a jazz musician like his friend Bela Fleck is a jazz musician: deeply virtuosic, but hardly tethered to doctrine or idiom or genre, and definitely willing to push the envelope on music that’s endlessly variable and warrants well-thought-out, but not overly cerebral, exploration.

Soulgrass, Evans’ seven-year-old bluegrass-jazz summit, is the ideal forum for something like this. The jazz-meets-bluegrass-with-plenty-of-stopovers concept isn’t new — the Flecktones are its best-known modern purveyor — but Evans’ effusiveness and his skill in picking co-conspirators make his version sound particularly adventurous. And yet, it also goes down pretty smooth without being neat and tidy; Evans himself is so exciting a player that even his freest stuff feels accessible.

The sardine-tight Blue Note, where Evans set up a week’s worth of Soulgrass gigs in mid-April, became a staging for material for his superb new album, Dragonfly. Joining him was an all-star cast: the great, understated Mitch Stein on guitar, a how-is-he-still-unknown banjoist, Ryan Cavanaugh, Josh Dion, a protean drummer but also a sublime singer — his pipes falling somewhere between Southern rock, gospel and buttery R&B — and Etienne Mbappe, a Cameroon-bred bass player and a wicked stylist on the low end, with an all-pro approach, but also a mischievous streak not unlike, say, Oteil Bubridge’s. (Evans, who’s sat in with the Allman Brothers on several occasions over the last two years, must dig that mischief.)

To the definite benefit — and occasional detriment — of the music, Evans took a more-the-merrier approach with these shows, adding A-list guest musicians to round out the core band. At the show I attended, the early set on the third of five nights, Evans had not only John Medeski manning organ and electric piano, but also trumpet legend Randy Brecker, who joined the ensemble after its first selection, and remained through the end of the set.

With such a rich mix of players, it was a challenge to preserve the ensemble vibe; Cavanaugh and Stein, in particular, would disappear into some songs as the marquee guests couldn’t help but command attention. Sometimes it felt like a full-band expression that opened up in different directions picked out by a soloist. Others, it was as spare as two players locked in with one another; Evans and Cavanaugh, in a dazzling showcase midway through the show, picked and blew out a version of Katie Lee that saw each bend a bit to the other’s will, the banjo tones elongating and the sax tones coming as machine-gun fire syncopation.

As on the album, Dion-sung choruses served as starting points and the songs would frequently spread into frothy jams, with Evans trusting his musicians to carve this territory up amongst themselves. Medeski, who can veer from elegant to wildly brainy and ostentatious without much warning, stayed a mostly mellow colorist until late in the show, when he peeled off a solo sequence so fierce during Cool Eddie that Mbappe picked up his progression and started to play off of it, throwing floor underneath. Brecker’s influence was subtler, injecting solos that touched fusion and bop and hot jazz and all sorts of stuff, but that never felt anything but exquisitely just right. Clearly, all of these musicians enjoy orbiting Evans and kicking it on his playground — it’s not unreasonable to think they’re all players who get easily bored and would try to run away with these songs as showboats if they didn’t respect him so.

For a too-short period, it was magic stuff. Evans and crew stuck mostly to Dragonfly tunes over about 75 minutes, and the funky jazz-rocker Tit for Tat, which Evans co-wrote with recent buddy Warren Haynes, and an expansive I Don’t Know About Love were the exploratory standouts. But they also tucked into older and more varied Evans material, as well, including that Cool Eddie, a tribute to Eddie Harris and a staple of Evans and Brecker’s Soulbop band, which had the blues-soul swagger of a Booker T. tune and pulled in everyone. The finale was a raw, gospel-rocking, Dion-led tune called Feel that opened up to solos as a country boogie.

Evans plays in New York and all over the U.S. quite a bit, but seems to spend at least as much time abroad, particularly Europe, where his audiences are ample. He’s mentioned adding more Soulgrass dates in the U.S. this year; these aren’t shows lovers of adventurous music would dare sleep on.


HT Giveaway: Nolafunk Jazzfest Series Tickets

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One week from Friday, the First Annual Nolafunk Jazzfest Series will launch at New Orleans nightclub Republic with a performance by a one-night only band made up of Anders Osborne, Bill Kreutzmann of the Grateful Dead, Paul Barrere & Fred Tackett of Little Feat, and Billy Iuso followed by a set from ALO and opened by Marco Benevento. The series runs through May 5 and along the way will see performances by such HT faves as Los Lobos, Leftover Salmon, 7 Walkers, Wyllys and the NY Hustler Ensemble and Budos Band.

As part of our Everybody Wins When We Plug Something And In Return They Offer Us Free Shit To Give Away program, we teamed up with Nolafunk to offer a pair of tickets to the Jazzfest Series show of your choice. To enter our contest, simply leave a comment below telling us which performance you’d like to attend (a full list below). You can enter a second time by leaving a similar comment on the wall of the HT Facebook Page and a third time by following @hidden_track and tweeting the name of the gig you’d like to attend (be sure to include both “@hidden_track” and #nolafunkjf” at the end of your tweet so that we see it). The contest entry period closes on Sunday at 11:59PM ET. After that, we’ll tally all the entries from our comments section, Facebook and Twitter and pick one winner at random.

Here’s the fine print…

  • To enter the contest, leave a comment below telling us which show you’d like to attend
  • You can enter a second time by leaving a similar comment on the wall of the Hidden Track Facebook Page
  • You can enter a third time by following @hidden_track and tweeting about the show you’d like to see (be sure to include both “@hidden_track” and #nolafunkjf” at the end of your tweet so that we see it)
  • Your comment(s) must be left by 11:59 PM EST on April 23
  • Anybody entering more than once a piece on Facebook, Twitter and at the bottom of this post will be disqualified, tarred and feathered
  • One winner will get a pair of tickets to the Nolafunk Jazzfest Series show of their choice
  • HT staff members are not eligible to win

Here’s the full list of Nolafunk Jazzfest Series performances…

First Annual Nolafunk Jazzfest Series 2012 Complete Lineup

9pm Doors 10pm Start on All Shows unless otherwise noted

Friday Apr 27 // Republic New Orleans, LA

First Annual Nolafunk Jazzfest Series Inaugural Event!

Anders Osborne, Bill Kreutzmann of the Grateful Dead, Paul Barrere & Fred Tackett of Little Feat, and Billy Iuso
followed by ALO
plus opening act Marco Benevento

$35adv – $40dos

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Saturday Apr 28 // Republic New Orleans, LA

Los Lobos
w/ special guests The Iguanas

$39adv – $45dos

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Saturday Apr 28 // Republic New Orleans, LA // 1:30am Doors 1:45am Show (Technically on 4/29)
Grammy Award Winners
Rebirth Brass Band

w/ special guest DJ Jubilee
$20adv – $25dos

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Saturday Apr 28 // Howlin’ Wolf New Orleans, LA
In Association With Soul’d Out Productions

Leftover Salmon plus 7 Walkers feat. Bill Kreutzmann of the Grateful Dead and

Anders Osborne

$35adv – $40dos

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Thursday May 3 // Republic New Orleans, LA

EOTO

w/ special guests Kraddy

and Wyllys & the NY Hustler Ensemble feat. Jen Hartswick & Natalie Cressman of Trey Anastasio Band

$22adv – $25dos
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Friday May 4 // Republic New Orleans, LA

7 Walkers feat. Bill Kreutzmann, George Porter Jr., Papa Mali, and Matt Butler

followed by BoomBox feat. Zion Godchaux

plus opening act Royal Southern Brotherhood (Cyril Neville, Devon Allman, Mike Zito, Yonrico Scott)

$30adv – $35dos

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Friday May 4 // Republic New Orleans, LA // 1:30am Doors 2:00am Show (Technically on 5/5)

BoomBox Only ticket (These Tickets Will Not Be Accepted Until 1:30am)

$20adv – $25dos

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Saturday May 5 // Republic New Orleans, LA

Anders Osborne “CD Release Party” w/ special guests Karl Denson, Luther Dickinson (N. Mississippi Allstars), & more tba

Tab Benoit’s “Swampland Jam” feat. Johnny Sansone, Waylon Thibodeaux, and the  

Mardi Gras Indians (Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr., and Joseph Jr.)
$32adv – $35dos
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Saturday May 5 // Republic New Orleans, LA // 1:45am Doors 2am Show (Technically on 5/6)
In Association With Soul’d Out Productions

Budos Band
with Hairy Apes BMX feat. Mike Dillon 
Plus Special Guests
$20adv – $25dos


Bear Creek Expands Lineup: Daptone Super Soul Revue / A Royal Family Affair / Dumpstaphunk / Zach Deputy / Mastersounds

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The lineup for this year’s Bear Creek Music & Arts Festival has been expanded in a big way. Two of our favorite labels, Daptone Records and Royal Family Records, will each be represented at the festival by a number of artists at the “Daptone Super Soul Revue” and “A Royal Family Affair” respectively. Among the other additions to the bill are George Porter Jr. and the Runnin’ Parders, Wyllys and the New York Hustler Ensemble, Billy Martin & Will Blades Duo, Dr. Klaw as well as Dumpstaphunk, The New Mastersounds and Zach Deputy, who will each perform twice during the four-day festival, which takes place at The Spirit of Suwanee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida from November 8 – 11.

For the Royal Family Affair part of the weekend, Bear Creek will welcome Soulive, Lettuce, Break Science, Nigel Hall and Alecia Chakour “and more.” As for the Daptone Super Soul Revue, the Brooklyn-based label will send Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley and His Extraordinares, The Budos Band, The Sugarman 3 and The Como Mamas.

Bear Creek organizers have also detailed the artists at large – George Porter Jr., Jennifer Hartswick, Natalie Cressman, Billy Martin, Robert Walter, Skerik, Roosevelt Collier, Alecia Chakour, Wil Blades, Atlanta Funk Society Horns, Billy Iuso and Andrew Block.

Tickets for Bear Creek are currently on sale for $130.


Previewing Record Store Day on Twitter

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Record Store Day (@recordstoreday) is this Saturday and the folks behind the annual event taking place at independent record stores across the globe have begun showcasing some of the special releases set to be issued. In a handful of tweets they’ve started sharing links, images and other details about the limited edition (mostly) vinyl products. We shared some details on the Phish Junta Record Store Day package earlier this week, and as you’ll see below the @recordstoreday account is already fielding questions about the 3-LP set.



Hey @, that #RSD12 release you got there sure is pretty. @ http://t.co/mYg2kTcX
@recordstoreday
Record Store Day


Chris Brown of Bull Moose sits down with a whole mess of Record Store Day 2012 releases and gives us a look at what they look like in real life.  Expect pretty etched discs, surprise colored vinyl and a genuinely charming reaction to a special Buck Owens release.
DISCLAIMER: Not all the items talked about here (commercial releases or the free stuff) will be available at all stores.

Chris Brown Record Store Day 2012 Preview Pt.1 from Record Store Day on Vimeo.

Chris Brown Record Store Day 2012 Preview Pt. 2 from Record Store Day on Vimeo.


WOW! called to ask about @ Junta for #RSD12 and was told “lots of shop owners are planning to list them directly to ebay” #NotCool
@melitzis
melita


@ @ we want to know who told you that and any other specifics, please. @ email information at record store day dot com
@recordstoreday
Record Store Day


@ @ @ thanks for reaching out. sent an email with exactly what happened. hope it helps #LoveVinyl
@melitzis
melita


11/1981: @ plays Seattle. 4/21/12: #RSD12 release marks that show’s journey from lost cassette to double LP http://t.co/5XhrEQr6
@recordstoreday
Record Store Day



Briefly: The Bridge to Return @ All Good – One Night Only

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We were sad to see Baltimore-based jam band The Bridge take their ball and go home last year, especially after putting out the fantastic National Bohemian LP. Despite playing what was billed as their “final show” last November in their hometown, the group will reassemble for one night only to perform at this summer’s All Good Festival – their eighth All Good appearance in a row.


God Street Wednesdays: Video Premiere – Weird Dream

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A few weeks back we announced a series of posts that will feature the premiere of video from GSW’s reunion shows in 2010, lovingly shot and put together by our pal Mike Wren. Today, we’ll add a new wrinkle as God Street Wine guitarist Lo Faber will tell the story behind each song moving forward. Here’s Lo’s take on Weird Dream as well as the video of GSW performing the tune on July 9, 2010.

A God Street Wine oldie from 1989 I think, and one of the favorite tunes of the late Paul Ducharme, whose tragic death in 2009 brought the band together after nine years of inactivity. Playing it always makes me think of Paul, and it also one of my favorite songs to hear Jon Bevo play a B3 solo on.

[Photo by Mike Wren]

I know I wrote this while attending Manhattan School of Music, because I also arranged it for big band. It was one of two full-scale big band arrangements I wrote that semester, the other one being for Miles Davis “All Blues”. For the Miles arrangement I earned an A; for “Weird Dream” I got a B and the instructor’s comment was “not Weird enough.” He felt I played it safe with the arrangement which was probably true enough.

God Street Wine – Weird Dream

The jazz school influence can really be heard in the intro, which is reminiscent of the kind of chords found on early Pat Metheney albums especially the classic “Bright Size Life.” Playing that intro has always been a tricky spot for GSW and it has led to several train wrecks over the years, especially in the ninth and tenth measures. As far as our fans go the favorite part seems to be the high-energy jam which is just a straight out rocking jam in A.

Lyrically the tune is one of my many attempts to think my way into the head of some character, in this case a young aspiring gangster, in a summer, hazy urban landscape, with a threat of violence and a promise of sex, but all overlaid with a color-saturated, almost nostalgic lazy indifference and slightly intoxicated confusion.

Upcoming God Street Wine Shows:

August 9 – TRI Studios (Free Webcast)
August 10 & 11 – Sweetwater Music Hall, Mill Valley CA
August 16, 17 & 18 – Gramercy Theatre, NYC NY

Thanks to Lo for sharing the story behind the tune.


Rush Announces Clockwork Angels Tour

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This has been a big few days for Rush fans as the group unveiled the first single off their new album yesterday and this morning have divulged dates for a lengthy, three-leg North American tour in support of the soon-to-be-released LP, Clockwork Angels.

The Clockwork Angels Tour kicks off on September 7th at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire and is currently slated to run through a December 2nd date in Houston. Along the way, the Canadian power trio will visit major and secondary markets, including a date at the yet-to-be-opened Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn.

Here’s the full list of dates:

Sept 7: Manchester, NH – Verizon Wireless Arena (on sale Fri. April 27th)
Sept 9: Washington, DC – Jiffy Lube Live
Sept 11: Pittsburgh, PA – CONSOL Energy Center
Sept 13: Indianapolis, IN – Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Sept 15: Chicago, IL – United Center (on sale Sat. April 28th)
Sept 18: Detroit, MI – Palace of Auburn Hills (on sale Sat. April 28th)
Sept 20: Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Sept 22: St. Louis, MO – Scottrade Center
Sept 24: Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
Sept 26: Winnipeg, MB – MTS Center
Sept 28: Saskatoon, SK – Credit Union Center
Sept 30: Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place
Oct 10: Bridgeport, CT – Webster Bank Arena
Oct 12: Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center (on sale Fri. April 27th)
Oct 14: Toronto, ON – Air Canada Center
Oct 18: Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Oct 20: Newark, NJ – Prudential Center (on sale Fri. April 27th)
Oct 22: Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center (on sale Fri. April 27th)
Oct 24: Boston, MA – TD Garden (on sale Fri. April 27th)
Oct 26: Buffalo, NY – First Niagra Center (on sale Sat. April 28th)
Oct 28: Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena
Oct 30: Charlotte, NC – Time Warner Cable Arena
Nov 1: Atlanta, GA – Verizon Wireless Ampitheater
Nov 3: Tampa, FL – 1-800-ASK-GARY Ampitheater
Nov 13: Seattle, WA – Key Arena
Nov 15: San Jose, CA – HP Pavillion
Nov 17: Anaheim, CA – Honda Center (on sale Fri. April 27th)
Nov 19: Los Angeles, CA – Gibson Ampitheater (on sale Fri. April 27th)
Nov 23: Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand
Nov 25: Phoeniz, AZ – US Airways Center
Nov 28: Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Nov 30: San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
Dec 2: Houston, TX – Toyota Center

There are a total of 33 dates thus far. Ticketing information for most shows will be announced at a later date, though ducats for some gigs go on sale next Friday and Saturday. Visit the band’s official website for the latest. Check out the first single from Clockwork Angels – Headlong Flight…

Rush – Headlong Flight


Video: Umphrey’s Crew = Finger Tight – Fearless

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Attendees of last night’s Umphrey’s McGee show at George’s Majestic in Fayetteville, Ark. were treated to a setbreak performance by the members of the band’s crew. Calling themselves “Finger Tight,” the crew members covered Fearless by Pink Floyd. Light designer Jefferson Waful played keys, monitor engineer Bob Ston handled bass duties, sound engineer Chris Mitchell tackled percussion, tour manager Bobby Haight got behind the kit while guitar tech Andrew Queen (electric) and stage manager Robbie Williams (acoustic) both played guitar. Williams and Waful sang. Take a look…

Finger Tight – Fearless

Umphrey’s band members Jake Cinninger (sound), Ryan Stasik (lights) and Joel Cummins (monitors) handled the production elements while their crew members performed. The last Umphrey’s crew jam took place on March 4, 2008, when they played the UM chestnut G-Song.

[via The Barn Presents]


Bloggy Goodness: Feistodon Record Store Day Single

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While some people get excited about St. Patrick’s Day or Fat Tuesday, around these parts there is another “unofficial” holiday that, if you haven’t already noticed, we like to geek out about and that’s Record Store Day. The annual celebration of independent music stores, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary, features scores of exclusive releases specifically made to be put out this Saturday. While we detailed some of those yesterday, and we’ve got a list of our favorite RSD releases coming later today, the one that I’ve got my eyes on is a split 7-inch single that features a rather out-of-left-field pairing of Feist and Mastodon covering each others songs. The Feistodon single will feature the Canadian singer-songwriter tackling Mastodon’s Black Tongue, while the flip side will showcase the metal band taking on Feist’s A Commotion.

Finally, if you notice people vending local craft beers and veggie burritos outside of your local cineplex this evening, don’t be alarmed as tonight marks the second annual Grateful Dead Meet-Up At The Movies. This year select movie theaters around the country will be screening a previously unreleased Dead show, which was filmed on July 18th, 1989, the middle of a three-night stand at one the band’s favorite outdoor haunts, the Alpine Valley Music Theatre, in East Troy, Wisconsin. For more information, and to find tickets and the theater nearest you, for this one-night only event click here.

For a taste of what you’ll see tonight, check out this video of the show-opening Touch Of Grey…

[via Rolling Stone]


CounterPoint Festival Coming To Atlanta

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You don’t need us to tell you that the festival field is getting more crowded with each passing day. All of this competition makes it hard for new festivals to establish an audience, unless you’ve really got something special going with your event. In the case of a new festival called CounterPoint, the two companies that are teaming up to put the two-day event on have an incredible track record, so we’re keeping our eyes on this one.

Set to take place 30 minutes from Downtown Atlanta on September 28 and 29 at the site of 2007′s Echo Project, CounterPoint is being put thrown by C3 Presents of Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza fame in collaboration with Camp Bisco organizers MCP Presents. Both companies know how to throw a party and put together an interesting lineup. This marks the promoters’ first-ever collaboration.

The multi-stage music festival, for which a lineup will be announced in coming weeks, will feature planned environments including an arts village, extreme sports demonstrations, a beer garden featuring local breweries, a food truck component, local chefs and a college football viewing area. ”As the Southeast’s beacon of culture and diversity, Atlanta is the ideal location to launch CounterPoint.” states CounterPoint Co-Producer and MCP Partner Brett Keber.  ”We are partnering with local vendors, restaurants, chefs,  breweries,  artists and musicians in order to create a world-class event that is also uniquely Atlanta.” Keep your eyes on HT and the event’s website for more details.


Interview: Dave Watts Takes The Motet’s Funk Is Dead East

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The Motet does so well in its home-court markets of Colorado and parts of the West Coast that getting the whole, swollen, funk- and jazz-tastic lineup out East usually requires a special occasion.

In this case, that occasion is the resounding success of Funk Is Dead, a funkify-the-Grateful-Dead concept that The Motet intended as a one-off — one of its annual Halloween interpretations, to be exact — but has taken on a life of its own thanks to fan interest.

It’s been the catalyst for finally bringing the band back to East Coast markets it rarely plays. The band has sold out every Funk Is Dead show so far, says drummer Dave Watts, and will finally bring the production to a short run of four East Coast shows – Philly, D.C., Baltimore and NYC – at the end of April.

A production, it is. The Motet’s membership has always been somewhat elastic in the 15-plus years Watts has been running it, and on top of the core – Watts on drums, Garrett Sayers on bass, Joey Porter on keys, Dan Schwindt on guitar and Ryan Jalbert on guitar – the Funk Is Dead shows also showcase Gabe Mervine on trumpet and Matt Pitts on tenor sax, and three vocalists: Kim Dawson, Jans Ingber and Paul Creighton.

Hidden Track caught up with Watts – a Boston-to-Colorado transplant who now lives north of Boulder in Lyons, Colo. — to hear about the Motet’s latest adventures, in Dead-land and beyond. (Of particular note for New York-based fans is that at following the NYC Funk Is Dead show, April 29 at the Highline Ballroom, least three members of the Motet will be also joining the last night of the Kung Fu residency at Brooklyn Bowl on Monday, April 30 – Watts and Porter with side project Juno What?! and Sayers as an announced special guest.)

HIDDEN TRACK: How did the Funk is Dead concept come about for you guys?

DAVE WATTS: Well we do this every year – cover music for Halloween – and typically it’s funk music from the ’70s and ’80s: Tower of Power, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, we did Michael Jackson one time. One of our favorite ones we ever did, though was Talking Heads. With that, the audience knows every song and gets excited and sings the material, and that’s exciting for us because the energy level jumps a couple of notches. With Earth Wind & Fire and Tower of Power it’s great but it’s a handful of stuff that we love and no one really knows, so we were looking to see what group would be ubiquitous, with the audience recognizing all the material. The Grateful Dead seemed to be part of that.

We’re not huge Dead fans, per se, but we figured it’d be a great challenge to take that music and turn it funky, adding horns and three-part vocals and our signature sound. It’s been really successful – people are sort of blown away with our take on it. The music does lend itself well to that format with funk music, so it’s been exciting for us and for the audience.

HT: But none of you are really Dead fans, huh?

DW: A couple of the guys grew up with it – it’s in their history – but most of us, I’ve got to say, haven’t listened to a lot of that material much at all. That was a great standpoint to come to it, because as a blank slate for us, we didn’t really have preconceived notions of how it was supposed to sound. You look at the Dead melodies and the lyrics, and there’s a lot to chew on as far as what you can do with it, and it makes for a lot of interesting arrangements and harmonics. There’s a lot going on there and a lot we can do with it beyond one-chord funk jams.

HT: How did you select material?

DW: We looked at what was popular but what was also fairly easily to manipulate into horns and vocal-related funk material. The Dead have a lot of slower, shuffle-y kinds of songs that I don’t think works as well, but a lot of their uptempo stuff makes sense. There were the no-brainers like Shakedown Street and Scarlet Begonias that we had an easy time turning into our brand of funk.

HT: It seems like it’s been successful.

DW: Every Funk Is Dead show has sold out. People continue to download the live stuff we put out and the videos. We’re not pushing it real hard after this summer, but I have a feeling it’ll continue forth as people continue to hear it.

HT: By that do you mean you’ll keep Dead songs in rotation?

DW: I’m sure there’ll be some of that, but we always get called to do special gigs here and there where we’re asked to do one of our tribute shows. I imagine that’ll get called on.

HT: We haven’t seen you in a while here on the East Coast.

DW: We haven’t been to the East Coast in I think five years. And we stepped up the venues by booking all theaters – about 1,000-seat theater locations this time around – so we definitely jumped up our exposure for bringing this particular show. And we’d waited a long time and been successful with this at home that it just made a lot of sense to bring it as we come back to the East Coast.

HT: Why has it been so long?

DW: Well, we do so well out here and at a few of our spots on the West Coast, and all of us have side projects we really enjoy, so it made sense to pull in the reins a bit and not tour so hard. We wanted to reap the fruits of our labors out here and make the trips to festivals that really wanted us as opposed to schlepping the club circuit for three weeks at a time. It’s given us more time to be creative.

HT: Do you have a favorite Dead song you guys do?

DW: I enjoy all of them, surprisingly, even some that didn’t strike me, when hearing the original, as ones that were going to work well. Being a drummer I like the trickier time signature stuff, so King Solomon’s Marbles, or Estimated Prophet, are up there. Both have odd signatures.

Funk Is Dead – Shakedown Street

HT: Indeed. What would be one that surprised you?

DW: We took New Speedway Boogie, which is a basic shuffle so it didn’t grab me that much necessarily as a drummer, but which we turned into this James Brown-like shuffle vibe that’s super funky. That one in particular transformed in a way that gets me pretty excited.

HT: So what’s next for the Motet?

DW: We haven’t put out a record in a few years so we’ll be getting together to work on that this spring, and we have a home recording situation together now where we can do a lot of tracking right here at my studio. I’m pretty excited to be dedicating time to come up with new stuff, especially since with some of these shows that we’ve done, like Earth Wind & Fire and Jamiroquai, we’ve hit upon some grooves that really resonate. We’ll try to apply some of that to our new record. And we’ve got some fun festivals coming up like High Sierra, and McDowell Mountain.

HT: Lot of festivals now. How do you pick your spots?

DW: We’re a big group so some of them can’t really afford to bring us out but some of the bigger ones like Wakarusa and High Sierra we can get to. Camp Barefoot in West Virginia seems like it’s grown a lot over the past few years, I’ve done that one with the Kyle Hollingsworth Band and this year we’re bringing the Motet and Juno What?!

I don’t know, some festivals do great and some don’t do so well and it’s not easy to figure out what makes some work and some not work. Harmony Fest just announced they’re not going to be on this year – they’ve been around for more than 30 years. 10,000 Lakes passed away, but High Sierra keeps churning along. Bonnaroo and Wakarusa do well. I don’t know the secret formula.

The Motet – Take Me To The River

HT: Will you be putting in more time with the side projects you mentioned, including Kyle and Juno What?!

DW: Kyle I only do when I can because I’m so busy between Motet and Juno What?! It’s tough for us to get out East but we’re also surprised people in Colorado aren’t sick of us. Every time we play it’s a sold-out show. We are definitely blessed that the scene out here is so fertile and consistent and supports the band and side projects.

HT: I’ve never lived in Colorado but everyone I’ve ever met who supports that scene says the same: it’s self-preserving and always vibrant no matter what the time of year or economic climate.

DW: It’s true. I just sort of count my blessings that we have that here.



In Memoriam: Levon Helm – Age 71

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Levon Helm, legendary drummer of The Band, has passed away at the age of 71 this afternoon surrounded by his friends and family at NYC’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center according to the Times Herald-Record. On Tuesday we found out Helm was in “the final stages of his battle with cancer” and today he succumbed to the dreaded disease.

An official statement from Helm’s family reads:

“Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon. He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be remembered by all he touched as a brilliant musician and a beautiful soul.”

Levon may best have been known for his time in The Band, but over the last few years he reinvented his career. The drummer worked with an incredibly wide range of artists from all corners of the music world including classic rock, indie rock, bluegrass, Americana and jambands. The reactions that have come in the past few days show just how many acts were touched by his amazing musicianship and the soul he displayed in both his drumming and vocals. We’re comforted by long-time collaborator Larry Campbell telling the Poughkeepsie Journal, “he went peacefully.” Campbell told Rolling Stone, “All his friends were there, and it seemed like Levon was waiting for them. Ten minutes after they left we sat there and he just faded away. He did it with dignity. It was even two days ago they thought it would happen within hours, but he held on. It seems like he was Levon up to the end, doing it the way he wanted to do it. He loved us, we loved him.”

Words can’t express our sorrow over the loss of our scene’s patriarch, but we’ll try. Over the next few days we’ll be rolling out a series of posts called “Love For Levon” in which we’ll share our favorite memories and thoughts about our hero. We’ve been keeping track of reactions to the news about Levon in Tuesday’s post and have started to collect remembrances, obituaries, tweets and musical tributes that have followed today’s sorrowful news.


B List: Top Five Picks for RSD 2012

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With Record Store Day, or “Waiting in Line for Limited Vinyl Day” as I like to call it, right around the corner, this week’s B List features my Top Five picks for RSD 2012. Now in its fifth year, the impressive list of limited edition, largely vinyl releases continues to grow. Get to your local independent record store early Saturday if you want to have a chance at getting the wax you really want. At this point, I’m hoping to get even one of the entries on my list.

I tend to flock toward LPs rather than 45s and releases that are particularly exclusive to RSD. Reissues and compilations are cool, but I get most excited for new music and first time on vinyl product over stuff you might find elsewhere.

1. Phish – Junta (5,000 copies)

Phish stepped it up big time this year with the remarkable Junta 3-LP set. Their first proper studio album getting its first proper vinyl release, it’s one of the most extensive releases of any for RSD this year. Let’s hope these end up in the hands of fans before making it to Ebay.

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – We Almost Lost Detroit EP (1000 copies)

The Gil-Scott Heron cover and title track was a highlight of the Detroit duo’s stellar album It’s A Coporate World. The 12” EP features three new tracks as well as three remixes.

3.  Grateful Dead – Dark Star: Europe ’72 Olympia Theatre – Paris, France (4,200 copies)

I don’t always love buying singles, but I do love early ’70s Dark Stars. If the Europe 72 Volume II from Black Friday Record Store Day is any indication, this nearly 30 minute 12” vinyl “single” will sound great and the artwork will be top notch.

4.  Preteen Zenith – Preteen Zenith (2,000 copies)

Whether or not this was a 12” limited edition swirl colored 180 gram vinyl LP release I’d be excited for the first new music from Tim DeLaughter. I love the Polyphonic Spree and anxious to see what new direction DeLaughter is headed with this debut effort.

5.  The Flaming Lips – The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends (10,000 copies)

Frontman Wayne Coyne has been previewing and documenting on Twitter the idiosyncratic and at times bizarre process that went into the making of this typically crazy Lips release. A slew of guests ranging from Bon Iver to Erykah Badu to Ke$ha to Chris Martin, this not-all-that-limited set is nonetheless a must hear.

What RSD releases are you looking to snatch up come Saturday?


Love For Levon: Reactions to the Death of Levon Helm

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Levon Helm passed away today after a long battle with cancer. This afternoon and over the next few days we expect plenty of tributes and thoughts about The Band drummer to file in from around the world. We’ll compile word of those tributes within this post and will update it accordingly.

[Photos by Jeremy Gordon]

Obituaries:

  • Jambands.com: “The only American member of the quintessential Americana quintet, Helm—who also played mandolin, guitar and other instruments—had managed to beat the odds for nearly two decades since being diagnosed with throat cancer in the late 1990s. “
  • Rolling Stone:  ”But at one his last shows, in Ann Arbor on March 19th with a 13-piece band, the audience roared when he sang the Band classic ‘Ophelia.’”
  • New York Times: “In Mr. Helm’s drumming, muscle, swing, economy and finesse were inseparably merged. His voice held the bluesy, weathered and resilient essence of his Arkansas upbringing in the Mississippi Delta.”
  • Billboard: “People ask me about ‘The Last Waltz’ all the time,” Helm writes in a forward of “This Wheel’s on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of The Band.” “Rick Danko dying at fifty-six is what I think about ‘The Last Waltz.’ It was the biggest f–kin’ rip-off that ever happened to The Band — without a doubt.”
  • Grateful Web: “Levon Helm was a very special person to many people and the music community at large and his presence will be missed, but his music will live on forever.”

Musical Tributes:

Finally, we’ll compile tweets about the passing of Levon Helm below…


Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon. He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be… http://t.co/CPtU1jwu
@LevonHelmRamble
Levon Helm


Rest in peace, Levon. <3
@Joeyrusso
Joe Russo


Levon was one of a kind. Heavens rhythm section just got funkier..
@RHCPchad
Chad Smith


God bless you, Levon. The world was a better place for having you in it. RIP brother.
@jackie_greene
Jackie Greene


“Don’t leave me alone in the twilight, ’cause twilight is the loneliest time of day.” #RIPLEVON. Love you.
@georgiakral
georgia kral


Levon Helm was so cool, he didn’t need a hologram of himself to start trending.
@LesRocco
Les Rocco


RIP Levon Helm
@thewarrenhaynes
Warren Haynes


RIP Levon Helm. A huge inspiration to us. #fb
@FRabbits
Frightened Rabbit



Levon Helm: Beautiful human. Incredible musician. Heart-stopping vocalist. Consummate storyteller. Muse. Rest In Peace.
@patrickhallahan
Patrick Hallahan


rest in peace mr levon. thanks for everything. you will be greatly missed.
@yimyames
Yim Yames


R.I.P Levon Helm. Truly one of the best.
@marcmaron
marc maron



Incredibly saddened to lose such a talented artist today. Our deepest condolences to Levon’s family & friends. – The JamBase Staff
@jambase
JamBase


levon ♥
@blues_traveler
Blues Traveler


I am sad Levon Helm is dead that guy was great in every way long live Levon Helm’s spirit in all the musicians his life has touched
@mountain_goats
The Mountain Goats


So sad to hear the news of Levon Helms passing. RIP.
@GalacticFunk
Galactic


RIP levon helm
@bestycoastyy
BEST COAST


RIP Levon. Earth loses a legend. Heaven gains a rambler.
@originalwyllys
wade wilby


Fuck. Fuck. Godspeed, Levon.
@guster
guster



R.I.P Levon Helm. What an inspiration, and what a beautiful musical legacy for us to remember him by. Thanks Levon.
@davyknowles
Davy Knowles


Godspeed #LevonHelms I loved your voice and musicality.
@TaylorRHicks
Taylor Hicks


“Levon wears his war wound like a crown…”
@CameronCrowe
Cameron Crowe


R.I.P. Levon Helm. A mighty heart, with a mighty beat and voice to match. You were and will remain a True inspiration. Heavy Heart now.
@akronfamily
AKRON/FAMILY


I’m truly saddened by the news about my good friend Levon Helm. It was one of the great pleasures of my life to… http://t.co/xl3o2jQN
@SherylCrow
Sheryl Crow


Rest in peace, Levon. Your music & spirit will remain in our hearts forever. http://t.co/FAnOwguh
@gracepotter
Grace Potter


Levon Helm is gone. I miss him already. Thank you Levon for all you gave us.
@joan_osborne
Joan Osborne


Son of a bitch the splendid Levon Helm has left us. A great loss. Heaven doesnt need more music. We do.
@TheLewisBlack
Lewis Black


“Why do the best things always disappear” LEVON
@felicebrothers
The Felice Brothers


RIP LEVON HELM – a true inspiration http://t.co/KJ7g2qhj
@ZooeyDeschanel
zooey deschanel



No way to pay tribute to Levon in 140 characters, so I’ll just say that I’m personally very saddened. RIP
@warondrugsjams
The War on Drugs


The music world lost a great today. We all morn the passing of the legendary Levon Helm.Here’s a sweet video… http://t.co/fxUqD6Rj
@darkstarorch
darkstarorch


RIP to one of our musical inspirations. Take a load off Levon, you deserve it. http://t.co/4XewjjVs
@brushfire
Brushfire Records


We just lost an original…Now Jerry has a great rhythm section…Levon was an amazing rhythm master…Rollin… http://t.co/pJ6UyHul
@mickeyhart
Mickey Hart


A Peaceful Man: To our namesake, rest easy old friend.Levon Helm(May 26, 1940 – April 19, 2012) http://t.co/EEMUq2xV
@theweightonline
theweightonline.com


RIP, Levon…
@jamieshields70
Jamie Shields


RIP Levon Helm. No one sang or played with more heart.
@richardroeper
Richard Roeper


aw. Bummer. R.I.P. Levon.
@michellebranch
Michelle Branch


RIP Levon, RIP Guru…
@atrak
A-Trak


After Ringo introduced me to #LevonHelm, he said, “Levon’s cool, right?” Now Levon will be eternally cool.
@Wildaboutmusic
David Wild

There was a problem connecting to Twitter.

[Note: This Post Will Be Updated Continually]


Love For Levon: Hidden Track’s Founder on Helm

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Levon Helm had an immeasurable impact on many members of our staff. We wanted to give our contributors a forum to discuss the key member of The Band and we couldn’t think of a more perfect person to start our Love For Levon series than Hidden Track founder Slade Sohmer.

To eulogize Levon Helm is to eulogize The Band.

The ‘key man on drums’ lost his decade-long battle with cancer on Thursday, thus extinguishing the torch of one of North America’s most unique and distinguished rock ‘n’ roll bands that Levon forever fought to preserve.

[Photo by Jeremy Gordon]

Eight years in bars. Eight years in arenas. Rocka-backing Ronnie Hawkins. Taking Bob Dylan electric. Deep South white soul, broken soul. A bone-rattling tale of rural sprawl. Cotton country. Rice country. The tortured, resolute spirit of Americana, that of traveling medicine shows and bruised postbellum pride. Schools should teach elementary lessons on how a quintet of musician’s musicians overcame a four-fifths Canadian handicap to churn out one of the finest Southern love letters ever written.

It was Levon who fought to keep The Band on the road. On his disapproval of the justifiably celebrated Scorsese-directed superstar-studded sendoff, The Last Waltz, Levon said: “Do it, puke, and get out.”

He had no desire to allow this band to go from “productivity to retirement” in the blink of an eye. He acquiesced, but he led partial reunion tours and recording sessions, raising Caine back up when he’s in defeat. After his initial throat cancer diagnosis, it was Levon who kept The Band alive at his Woodstock home in the form of the Midnight Ramble. In death, in a sense, Old Dixie goes down with Levon.

On July 28, 1973, about 600,000 people showed up to see The Band, the Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead at Summer Jam at Watkins Glen, a racetrack in upstate New York (some perspective on that: 1 out of every 351 people in America at that time was in attendance). Legendary rock promoter Bill Graham took the stage to introduce The Band to the double-Woodstock crowd, and in a last-but-not-least moment, concluded the lineup with: “The key man on drums, Mr. Levon Helm.” Levon wasn’t the key man on drums. He was the key man, who happened to play drums.

After Richard Manuel committed suicide in 1986 and Rick Danko died of heart failure in 1999, The Band may have lost its heart and its soul. But in Levon it maintained its integrity, its composition.

Levon was a good man, a proud man, a music man. But in a way we don’t just say goodbye to that man; we bid farewell to the stories and yarns long-told by The Band as a collective, and eventually Levon alone. Even though he is survived by Robbie Robertson, the face, and Garth Hudson, the teacher, with Levon’s death we close the final chapter on a band of background players and outsiders who played the perfect American brand of rock ‘n’ roll, a fine, fresh blend of country, blues and bluegrass.

Somewhere, tonight, fittingly surrounded by harps, Richard, Rick and Levon are trading verses and building harmonies on the sweetest version of We Can Talk ever sung. Imagine that.

Slade Sohmer is editor-in-chief of HyperVocal and co-founder of Hidden Track. Feel free to tweet him @hypervocal about whether you’d rather be burned in Canada or freeze in the South.


Video: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – We Almost Lost Detroit

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Despite their silly band name, we fell hard for the quirky electro-folk sounds of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’s debut album It’s A Corporate World, naming it number 19 on our Best Albums list of 2011. For their latest music video, the Detroit-based duo of Joshua Epstein and Daniel Zott have crafted a love letter to their hometown with a fantastic, soulful cover of Gil Scott-Heron’s We Almost Lost Detroit. While the tune was originally written as a reaction to a partial nuclear meltdown at Fermi 1, located about halfway between Detroit and Columbus, Ohio, the band has embraced it as an anthem for the revitalized spirit of a city that has fallen on hard times.

The video features Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. driving around the Motor City, while showcasing “the people who we feel represent the city of Detroit.” Let’s check it out…

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.We Almost Lost Detroit

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. has also shared their insight on the song and video, which you can check out here. You can purchase the We Almost Lost Detroit 12″ EP tomorrow on Record Store Day.


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