The Now Spinning/Recent Purchases Thread

[Rudy]

Short version: Bert Berns, who owned Bang records, flooded the market with Neil's old stuff when Neil went to Uni. Some of it he tinkered with.

It's interesting (?) how Berns was able to recycle what was essentially only two albums' worth of material and milk it for so long. Many years ago I put some effort into figuring out exactly what he recorded for Bang Records and attempted to buy the minimal amount that I could. Turns out the 2-LP anthology Double Gold had everything except his cover of "Hanky Panky." Not the best of cover versions, but the completist in me wanted to get it all into one place (which at the time was a CD), and I had that on another Bang LP, Greatest Hits. There are also mono and stereo versions of his albums but I only opted for stereo. The stereo versions are a mix of genuine stereo and fake stereo.

I just found that there was a Complete Bang Recordings CD from 1994, released on Bang Records (zombie label?). Who knows if it's legit or not? It does have a UPC code though.

https://www.discogs.com/release/3795600-Neil-Diamond-The-Complete-Bang-Recordings

I could never figure out the various versions of the song "Shilo".

I do know he recorded a new version for Uni and yes, various versions tend to kind of blur together after a while.

 

[AM Matt]

The Neil Diamond song "Jungletime" (from 1976 "Beautiful Noise") is my favorite which wasn't released as a 45 single. There were only 3 songs that were release on 45 from the album "If You Know What I Mean", "Don't Think...Feel" & the title track.

 

[Rudy]

Bob James & Keiko Matsui's Altair & Vega is sublime. It leans more classical than jazz, but it's just lovely.

I'll have to switch over to the AirLens and give that recording a play tomorrow. Been so busy working through the recent vinyl that I've only been doing digital at the work desk this week.

Interesting sighting at AXPONA--I stepped into a demo room and another media attendee (from Audiophile Style) was requesting a track from the new Mamiko Watanabe album we like. It's not all that well known, which is why it surprised me.

I played War's Greatest Hits twice today. "Lowrider" of course is a blast, but since I wasn't familiar with most of the tracks, this is like a new exploration--they were half a dozen years before I started listening to funk and soul. "All Day Music" so far is a favorite (and this mastering of it sounds excellent), and "Cisco Kid" is a fun track in that quirky style that War had.

I'm playing the Rachel Z album Sensual right now, the new release I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. It's going to be interesting if I listen to the digital version, as the track orders are quite different. Although to give the label credit, both sides of the LP are within a few seconds of each other.

I'll probably close out the evening with the Pink Panther soundtrack. 45 RPM version of course.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

I just found that there was a Complete Bang Recordings CD from 1994, released on Bang Records (zombie label?). Who knows if it's legit or not? It does have a UPC code though.

https://www.discogs.com/release/3795600-Neil-Diamond-The-Complete-Bang-Recordings

Legit. Burt Berns' widow, Ilene sold Bang's masters and intellectual property to Columbia in the 70s. At that time Neil was on the label, so they likely worked with him to put it out (since he bought back his Bang masters).

It's likely out of print now, as Neil took his rights with him when he left Columbia.

But, we could see a resurrection---as UMG bought all of Neil's catalog in 2022:

UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP ACQUIRES NEIL DIAMOND’S COMPLETE SONG CATALOG AND ALL MASTER RECORDINGS - UMG

Worldwide Agreement Encompasses Global Hits Such As “Sweet Caroline,” “Red Red Wine,” “Solitary Man”, “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Song Sung Blue,” “Love on the Rocks” and “America”. Deal unites legend’s iconic musical works in one place, empowering UMG to engage new audiences, release new music, and...

www.universalmusic.com

Columbia/Legacy/Bang also released Van Morrison---The Authorized Bang Collection:

Amazon.com

What I didn't know until yesterday was that "Bang" was an acronym and that Bert Berns started Bang in partnership with Ahmet Ertegun, Neshui Ertegun and Gerald (Jerry) Wexler (Bert, Ahmet, Nesuhi, Gerald). Berns had been a staff producer at Atlantic and the four agreed to start an indie label together. With the money from "Hang On Sloopy", "I Want Candy" and "Cherry Cherry", Berns bought the other three out in 1966.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

It's interesting (?) how Berns was able to recycle what was essentially only two albums' worth of material and milk it for so long.

That was Ilene. Bert died of a heart attack in 1968.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

My morning listening update:

Carly Simon's Another Passenger and Anticipation made the keeper list. I hit the wall midway through The Bedroom Tapes.

My wife and I are watching E.R., which I missed the first time, straight through (ish---I mean, it's FIFTEEN SEASONS). Anyway, we're about 2/3 of the way through season six and they used Bruce Cockburn's "Wondering Where The Lions Are", which put Bruce back on my radar. So this morning I'll be listening to 1989' Big Circumstance.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

Also: At some point (today, maybe), I'll be dropping off the radar for an extended period.

We leave for six weeks in Italy on Wednesday and my guess is that although I think I have everything organized and ready, my far more organized and farsighted wife will point out several things that are emitting smoke if not outright on fire.

Anyway, I may be here another few days or not. Should be back with the gang here after June 7.

 

[Rudy]

That was Ilene. Bert died of a heart attack in 1968.

I should have remembered this.

We leave for six weeks in Italy on Wednesday and my guess is that although I think I have everything organized and ready, my far more organized and farsighted wife will point out several things that are emitting smoke if not outright on fire.

Have a good trip! I'm the (slightly more) organized one here. I've gone on so many road trips in the past few years that my prep is on autopilot. (And I've been loading up most of the car the night before, to save that "two hour panic/what did I forget?" stress when it's 9am and I wanted to leave at 7am...)

 

[GDBY2LV]

The 2 record vinyl set I bought a couple of years ago, Neil Diamond All-Time Greatest Hits, is on Capitol. It’s clear vinyl, and very not well pressed. Pops, and clicks, and some of the tracks have excessive tape hiss. Not a great purchase, but decent deal when Target had buy 2 get 1 free.

 

[rockdoctor]

The 2 record vinyl set I bought a couple of years ago, Neil Diamond All-Time Greatest Hits, is on Capitol. It’s clear vinyl, and very not well pressed. Pops, and clicks, and some of the tracks have excessive tape hiss. Not a great purchase, but decent deal when Target had buy 2 get 1 free.

I used to have Hot August Night lp set but gave it away long ago. I have his 4 CD set that I put on now and then. I only have three other lp's of Neil's and they are Longfellow Serenade, Beautiful Noise and Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

 

[Rudy]

The 2 record vinyl set I bought a couple of years ago, Neil Diamond All-Time Greatest Hits, is on Capitol. It’s clear vinyl, and very not well pressed. Pops, and clicks, and some of the tracks have excessive tape hiss. Not a great purchase, but decent deal when Target had buy 2 get 1 free.

If Capitol/EMI is now owned by Universal, I'll say that this does not surprise me. They have a reputation for going with the lowest bidder when pressing records. Except when it's one of the "special" reissue programs (like Blue Note's current Classic Vinyl and Tone Poet series, the series by Verve and Craft Recordings that are supervised by Acoustic Sounds, etc.).

Dire Straits' On Every Street had a wonderful sounding reissue about a decade ago, spread across two 33⅓ LPs, mastered by Chris Bellman (who works out of Bernie Grundman's studio). Only, they had it pressed at GZ Media, from Czechoslovakia, and both sets I have came straight out of their sleeves with scratches and scuffs from the pressing plant. It's so nice having the SugarCube now, as I can pull out shoddy records like these and enjoy them without the Rice Krispies.

 

[Rudy]

I used to have Hot August Night lp set but gave it away long ago. I have his 4 CD set that I put on now and then. I only have three other lp's of Neil's and they are Longfellow Serenade, Beautiful Noise and Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

Hot August Night was a record that many friends had (or maybe their parents, or older siblings), so I'd had a cassette dub of it before I got the original Mobile Fidelity pressing from the late 70s. Prior to that, all those copies were in sad shape and very noisy.

 

[Rudy]

Bob James & Keiko Matsui's Altair & Vega is sublime. It leans more classical than jazz, but it's just lovely.

I'm into the first track (the title track) and it's...unusual? Yet familiar, or even comfortable. Not quite classical but darned close to it, and it also has overtones of jazz, new age (the better part of new age, not the overly precious type that annoys most of us), and a couple other things I can't put a finger on.

It's CD-quality digital (not high-res) so it has a slight glare over it but otherwise, it's a very lush recording. It looks as though it was sold as part of a CD/DVD set, where the DVD has a couple of tracks not present on the CD.

This one is a keeper...

BTW, this feels like a podcast. The Mike & Rudy Show.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

I'm into the first track (the title track) and it's...unusual? Yet familiar, or even comfortable. Not quite classical but darned close to it, and it also has overtones of jazz, new age (the better part of new age, not the overly precious type that annoys most of us), and a couple other things I can't put a finger on.

It's CD-quality digital (not high-res) so it has a slight glare over it but otherwise, it's a very lush recording. It looks as though it was sold as part of a CD/DVD set, where the DVD has a couple of tracks not present on the CD.

This one is a keeper...

BTW, this feels like a podcast. The Mike & Rudy Show.

As soon as I get back from Italy, we should get an agent.

 

[Rudy]

As soon as I get back from Italy, we should get an agent.

An agent, a podcast platform...you got me a-thinkin'. Except I have a face for radio, and a voice for silent films.

 

[Bobberman]

An agent, a podcast platform...you got me a-thinkin'. Except I have a face for radio, and a voice for silent films.

I would listen to you two regardless of whether you have a passable voice or not your knowledge and expertise as well as experience in many things are Very Valuable as they are here on the forum

 

[Rudy]

I would listen to you two regardless of whether you have a passable voice or not your knowledge and expertise as well as experience in many things are Very Valuable as they are here on the forum

Maybe you could overdub my parts with your radio voice.

I'm much happier writing about things. Which reminds me, I have the AXPONA show reports to write up very soon...and I keep putting it off!

 

[AM Matt]

I do have "Eric Burdon Declares WAR", "The Black-Man's Burdon", "All Day Music", "The World Is A Ghetto", "Deliver The Word", "Why Can't We Be Friends?", "The Music Band 1 & 2", "The Best Of WAR...And More" (which has 2 new songs "Livin' In The Red", "Whose Cadillac Is That" & the Arthur Baker "Low Rider" remix version) & "Anthology 1970 - 1994" all of them on CD. I do not have the Lee Oskar (harmonica) or the Lonnie Jordan solo material though.

 

[Rudy]

I'll probably have a few of these throughout the day today. The songs, of course, uh-huh...











(Happy 420 Day!)

 

[Rudy]

And in the same theme...who knew this one was related?

Not the original, but my favorite version.

 

[Nemily]

I'll probably have a few of these throughout the day today. The songs, of course, uh-huh...

good lineup

 

[GDBY2LV]

I just got back from the Record Store Day rush, and it was a 50 minute wait to get inside. About 40 people in line before me. Luckily the owner set aside my order last night. Elton John Caribou 50th anniversary 2 lp set on blue vinyl. Out takes and 1 new song on second lp. And the Roches 45th anniversary of their debut album on red vinyl. The coolest thing I saw was the 2 lp box set by KISS drummer Eric Carr. I large portrait of his face on a dark cover, that has big eyes that light up when you touch them. A couple of people bought it while I was there. Over 350 new releases today. All very expensive. What a racket.

 

[Bobberman]

And in the same theme...who knew this one was related?

Not the original, but my favorite version.

This believe it or not was the first version I heard of the song I was unaware of the Beatles at the time EWF released this and as an 11 year old in 1978 I thought this was the definitive version when I heard the Beatles version sa couple of years later that kind of challenged my thinking as I was becoming a huge Beatle fan but I still Like EWF and their arrangement of this I Also like their hits and a few Deep cuts as well

 

[Rudy]

Over 350 new releases today. All very expensive. What a racket.

Indeed. I've found that for the tiles I kinda sorta wanted, I thought they might sell out in a panic, yet they never did. And I'd find them on Discogs much cheaper several months later. One title I'd considered did sell out rather quickly several years ago, but I realized after listening to the streaming version that while the music was good, it's nothing I would listen to as much as other LPs.

Plus, the one time I went, the store had a "no returns" policy so, when one of the records was defective (it was the 10-inch reissue of Sinatra's Songs for Young Lovers), I was SOL. And there again...I found it not a month later for $8 less on Discogs.

There was maybe one record this year I may have wanted, and I didn't even see it in the official list. (It was on the label's list of titles, but not listed at the RSD site.) Still, I'll have to see the price before I decide how much is appropriate for what is essentially a three-song EP.

good lineup

Pass the Doritos, mang!

 

[Rudy]

This believe it or not was the first version I heard of the song I was unaware of the Beatles at the time EWF released this and as an 11 year old in 1978 I thought this was the definitive version when I heard the Beatles version sa couple of years later that kind of challenged my thinking as I was becoming a huge Beatle fan but I still Like EWF and their arrangement of this I Also like their hits and a few Deep cuts as well

I guess I could say I'm a Beatles "acquaintance" as I'm not overly fond of sitting through their records. (I do appreciate the music though.)

I also heard the EWF version first and it's my go-to. In fact, that was my first EWF record--The Best Of, Vol. 1. They probably sold a ton of those back in the day. With this track, "September," and "Love Music," they had three songs that were not available on their albums. "Love Music" in fact is hard to find today even on compilations. I don't even think it made it to the 3-CD box set (I'd have to check). The whole catalog up to the early 90s is a solid part of my collection. And I had the fortune to see them on tour for the Touch The World album. Some of the classic band had departed by that point but it was still an excellent show. No offense to Phillip, Verdine and the others, but without Maurice the touring band isn't the same.