Les Paul centenary marked with Gibson Les Paul Award at Q Magazine Awards

With this year marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of guitar legend Les Paul, guitar manufacturer Gibson is partnering with Q Magazine to present the Gibson Les Paul Award as part of this year’s Q Awards, which take place on October 19 in London.

The iconic Gibson Les Paul guitar is one of the most famous instruments in rock history and the Gibson Les Paul Award is presented to specially recognise guitar playing and innovation.

Les Paul is named as one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time. His innovative talents extended into his playing style – including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing – which set him apart from his contemporaries and continue to inspire many guitarists today.

During his career he received 36 Gold records, eleven No.1 hits and several Grammy awards, among many other accolades. He was also a pioneer in the development of multi-track recording, over-dubbing and numerous other recording techniques.

Henry Juszkiewicz, Gibson CEO and chairman said: “We’re delighted to be partnering again with Bauer Media and Q Magazine as a supporter of this year’s Q Awards. The Gibson Les Paul Award, salutes innovation, artistry and inspiration in guitar playing and holds even greater prestige in 2015, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Les Paul.”

(Photo: Thomas Faivre-Duboz)

“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK).

Paul McCartney talks about writing songs with Michael Jackson

To pave the way for a remixed, deluxe edition of his classic album Pipes of Peace, Paul McCartney has released a remix of his 1983 hit with Michael Jackson, ‘Say, Say, Say’, which was originally produced by George Martin. The song became Jackson’s seventh Top 10 hit in a year.

In the video below, McCartney talks to Manic Street Preachers’ frontman James Dean Bradfield about what it was like to write songs such as ‘Say, Say, Say’ with Michael Jackson.

McCartney reveals that the song was written quickly, with Jackson and himself face-to-face around a piano in the former Beatle’s London office.

“It came very easily because I was excited to be writing with him and he was excited to write with me,” said McCartney. “We just popped off each other.”

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“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK). 

James Last’s ‘lost’ America album finally released

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A ‘lost album’ by James Last has finally been released – 44 years after it was recorded.

Titled The America Album, it was produced in Hamburg in 1969 specifically for American audiences. The album wasn’t released and disappeared into Polydor’s archives for almost five decades.

The 11-track album has been described as “artistically ambitious” and “ahead of its time”. It features pop and rock-oriented songs by the likes of Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Jimmy Webb, Laura Nyro and Rod McKuen – including classic late-1960s songs such as ‘Wedding Bell Blues’, ‘Sunshine of Your Love’, ‘Lady Lady Lay’ and ‘Ballad of Easy Rider’.

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New Bobby Vinton greatest hits album: ‘The Ultimate Epic Singles Collection’

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Bobby Vinton fans are being offered a new 2CD set which contains 40 of his greatest hits, B-sides and cover versions of classic songs from the 1960s. Titled Bobby Vinton – The Ultimate Epic Singles Collection, it is said to be “the most comprehensive Bobby Vinton ‘hits’ package ever released”.

Released on 12 August 2013, the collection features all of his hits, including ‘Roses Are Red (My Love)’, ‘Blue Velvet’, ‘Blue On Blue’ and ‘Mr. Lonely’, along with his take on songs like ‘Take Good Care of My Baby’, ‘Half Way to Paradise’ and ‘Sealed With A Kiss’.

Bobby Vinton, now aged 78, has been called “the most successful love singer of the rock era”. From his first hit record  ‘Roses Are Red (My Love)’ in 1962 through to 1972, he had more Number One singles than any other solo male artist.

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Pink Floyd album seals its place in history

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Pink Floyd’s 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon has sealed its place in history by being added to the US Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.

It is one of 25 “culturally” or “historically” significant recordings being added to the registry this year.

Other classics being preserved include Chubby Checker’s ‘The Twist’ (1960), Simon and Garfunkel’s Sounds of Silence (1966), Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (1977), and the 1949 South Pacific cast album.

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ZZ Top to release 10-album box set

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All 10 studio albums recorded by ZZ Top between 1970 and 1990 are to be released in a 100-track deluxe box set titled ZZ Top: The Complete Studio Albums.

The set will begin with ZZ Tops’ First Album (1971) through to 1990’s Recycler. Each album comes in a wallet sleeve featuring the original artwork.

“We’re gratified that the albums from the first 20 years of the band are going to be made available in this set,” said the band in a statement. “We’re especially delighted to note the restoration of ZZ Top’s First Album, Rio Grande Mud and Tejas.”

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Eric Burdon releases new solo album

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To coincide with The Animals’ 50th anniversary this year, Eric Burdon has released a new solo album, ‘Til Your River Runs Dry. It contains 12 songs, mostly written by Burdon, and is said to be his most personal album to date.

  He is currently writing his third memoir (follow-up to I Used to Be An Animal, But I’m Alright Now and Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood). Details of an international tour will also be announced soon.

  Watch the promo video HERE…

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New Rod Stewart album sees return to ‘old-fashioned Rod’

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Rod Stewart’s new album Time marks a welcome return to his unique pop/rock style of the 1970s and 1980s. “It’s just a good, old-fashioned Rod Stewart album with a lot of mandolin, acoustic guitar and fiddles, and good storytelling,” said 68-year-old Rod.

  It’s his first album of all-new material since 2001’s Human. For the first time in nearly 20 years, he also had a hand in writing most of the songs.

  Watch the video for the first single, ‘It’s Over’, HERE…

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New Caffrey Morrison Thompson album ‘Sleepless Nights’ should be a hit with fans of Journey, Asia, Survivor and Paul Carrack

If you’re a fan of the rock musical Rock of Ages, and you’re into the melodic rock of classic 1980s bands like Journey, Asia and Survivor, you’ll love this new album, Sleepless Nights, by Caffrey Morrison Thompson – a highly experienced three-piece band from the North East of England.

Sleepless Nights features a superb collection of 15 pop-rock and melodic blues-driven tracks. The songs provide an excellent vehicle for the band’s soulful vocals which also carry strong echoes of Paul Carrack, Paul Rodgers and Free.

Caffrey Morrison Thompson comprises singer-songwriters Phil Caffrey and Tommy Morrison, and songwriter-producer Steve Thompson.

Phil Caffrey was a member of 1970s band Arbre who were signed to DJM Records alongside Elton John. Phil’s distinctive Paul Rodgers-sounding voice has been much in demand for many years, including backing vocals on a Saxon album and Jimmy Nail’s 1994 hit ‘Crocodile Shoes’.

As a solo artist, Tommy Morrison’s first album, titled Place Your Bets, was co-produced by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company. Tommy’s second album, Cry To The Sky, was produced by Ed Stasium who is best-known for his work with The Ramones, Talking Heads and The Smithereens.

Steve Thompson has written songs for international stars such as Celine Dion, Sara Brightman, Sheena Easton, Elaine Page and Elkie Brooks. He has also enjoyed chart success with his songs ‘Hurry Home’ by Wavelength, ‘I Don’t Want To Be The One’ by The Searchers, and The Tygers Of Pan Tang’s ‘Paris By Air’. He was at the heart of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, producing bands such as The Tygers of Pan Tang, Venom and Raven.

Sleepless Nights includes versions of two Steve Thompson songs which were recorded by Elkie Brooks – the hit single ‘The Last Teardrop’, and ‘One of A Kind’ which was featured on her album Close To The Edge.

You can hear Elkie’s version of ‘The Last Teardrop’ HERE…

Caffrey Morrison Thompson’s Sleepless Nights album can be downloaded at www.sleeplessnights.org.uk. It is also possible to purchase individual tracks.

FULL TRACK LISTING:

1. Sleepless Nights (Tommy Morrison)

2. I Feel The Same (Phil Caffrey/Tommy Morrison/Steve Thompson)

3. Sleepin’ Train (Tommy Morrison/Steve Thompson)

4. Lovin’ Arms (Steve Thompson)

5. What To Say (Phil Caffrey/Tommy Morrison/Steve Thompson)

6. Go Free (Tommy Morrison)

7. Your Finest Hour (Steve Thompson)

8. Never Say Die (Tommy Morrison/Steve Thompson)

9. You Call The Tune (Tommy Morrison)

10. One Of A Kind (Tommy Morrison/Steve Thompson)

11. Easy Street (Tommy Morrison)

12. The Last Teardrop (Steve Thompson)

13. Let Me Hold You (Steve Thompson)

14. Friday (Phil Caffrey/Steve Thompson)

15. We Don’t All Get To Go To Heaven (Tommy Morrison)

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Boz Scaggs unveils new album, Memphis

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Boz Scaggs has released a new studio album, titled Memphis, which was recorded at Willie Mitchell’s legendary Royal Studio in Memphis.

The 12-track album features a number of new songs written by Scaggs plus several cover versions – including his take on ‘Rainy Night in Georgia’ and the country blues classic ‘Corinna, Corinna’.

Guest musicians on the album include Ray Parker Jr. on guitar, Spooner Oldham on keyboards, and the Memphis Horns.

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