New England Music Scrapbook Newsletter
Alan Lewis, Editor

Our Corner of the Rock 'n' Roll Life

January 10, 2009
Issue 2009:309
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We've got Thrills, chills, Dirty Water
: : : What more do you need?
When the big beat hits ya
Comin' from your transistor
: : : Like the T at full speed
When the big beat hits ya...

"Boston Lullaby," Dudick/Naihersey.
: : : Copyright c. 1980 by Camaraderie Music, BMI.
: : : All rights reserved. Used with permission.

:

:

BRATTLEBORO, VT, January 10 - One busy week is following another busy
week, and another, with very little let-up around the holidays.

We don't know much about a slowing economy.

There is no slowdown around here.

Well, there is the little matter of...
.


RECORD RELEASES THIS WEEK
As Listed by Newbury Comics

THIS IS ANOTHER SLOW WEEK . . for record releases. It's that time of
year. This is a seasonal thing. So we are running the entire Newbury
Comics list. Here you go...

CD New Releases Available Tuesday, January 6th

BACKYARD BABIES-Backyard Babies-$17.99
DESTROY DESTROY DESTROY-Battlesluts-$13.99
GLASVEGAS-Glasvegas (+2)-$7.99
HIGH ON FIRE-Live At The Contamination-$9.99
VARIOUS ARTISTS-TOTAL CLUB HITS 2-$11.88
VARIOUS ARTISTS-ULTRA DANCE 10-$13.88
.....................................
Featured DVD New Release Available Tuesday, January 6th

Pineapple Express - Unrated - $24.99 2-DVD set
<> We need to hear from a certain enthusiast on this, but we
understand generally that there is reason for a good deal of interest
in this Pineapple Express two-DVD set.

SOURCE: Newbury Comics, "January 5 Newbury Comics: New Survey! What
Was Our No. 1-Selling CD of 2008?" January 5, 2009.

SINCE OUR INFORMATION SOURCE CITATION . . refers to a Newbury Comics
survey, here it is:

Which CD listed below do you think was our #1 seller of 2008?

Kings Of Leon "Only By The Night"
Lil' Wayne "Tha Carter III"
Radiohead "In Rainbows"
Metallica "Death Magnetic"
Jack Johnson "Sleep Through The Static"
Disturbed "Indestructible"
Coldplay "Viva La Vida"
Kanye West "808s & Heartbreak"
T.I. "Paper Trail"
Vampire Weekend "Vampire Weekend"

Some of the commentary we received, at our solicitation, for some
reason pertains to new records that are NOT on this week's Newbury
Comics list.

Hoobastank was formerly called Hoobustank. (Notice a difference in
spelling.) The band's eponymous release was thought to show much
potential, and it was a commercial breakthrough. As a member of the
Lewis kindred, Stephen Lewis, said, "While it was the standard
alt-rock pop, it showed a lot of room for growth. The guitars were
diverse enough to make each track stand out and the lyrics were
carried by catchy melodies, so even the corniest lyrics were worth
singing along to." This outfit may be better known today for the
followup album, "The Reason."

The upcoming "autographed" liners include the new solo album by John
Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame.
.


I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, but I find myself wondering where the time goes.

Wherever it goes, time is a thing we are out of.

Many of the items left over can easily keep until later. We also have
a fair amount of even more recent material that I haven't looked
through yet.

Trying to find some mid-point between a near approximation of
completeness, on the one hand, and timeliness, on the other, this is
the time for me to stop.
.


READ, BELOW, WHATEVER INTERESTS YOU, skip whatever doesn't, and it
will all work out just fine.

= = =
= = =

RACHEL McCARTNEY BAND
At Club Passim
Harvard Square
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Saturday, January 10, 2009

<> "Rachel and her Band will be playing Club Passim January 10, 2009.

"Rachel has been in the studio working on her upcoming release,
expected out in spring of 2009, and is very excited to share some of
her new tunes with you. You can hear a preview of what's to come by
visiting Rachel's MySpace page and listening to the brand new studio
version of 'Fire.'"

Saturday, January 10th at 8pm
Club Passim
47 Palmer Street
Harvard Square
Cambridge, Massachusetts
617-492-7679
http://www.clubpassim.org/

RachelMcCartney.com/

SOURCE: Rachel Update: Club Passim January 10th With Band," January 5,
2009.

[This e-mail included about every address imaginable EXCEPT for the
one referenced in its main text, Rachel McCartney's MySpace page.
Probably one would be best off visiting rachelmccartney.com and
linking to MySpace from there. - Ed.]

= = =
= = =

WINTER WARMER BENEFIT CONCERT
For Massachusetts Families in Need
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Johnny D's
Somerville, Massachusetts

<> "On Wednesday, January 14, Alastair Moock is hosting a Winter
Warmer Benefit Concert for Mass Families in Need at Johnny D's. The
lineup of artists include Mark Erelli, Meg Hutchinson, Jennifer
Kimball, Merrie Amsterburg, Todd Thibaud, Tim Gearan, Jimmy Ryan,
Dinty Child, Jim Fitting, and The Loomers! All proceeds go to the
United Way Community Support Fund.

"More info at

http://csf.supportunitedway.org/

January 14th at 8:00pm
Johnny D's
17 Holland St. Davis Sq.,
Somerville (617) 776 2004

SOURCE: Merrie Fans At Q Division Records Dot Com, "Message From
Merrie," January 9, 2009.

= = =
= = =

ROCK BAND
The Downloadable Week Ahead

Hey gang,

<> Here's the DLC for the week of January 13th. We're putting out a
sweet Lenny Kravitz 4 Song Pack, including the following songs:

Are You Gonna Go My Way
Freedom Train
Let Love Rule
Mr. Cab Driver

In addition to the Kravitz 4 Pack, we're also putting out two tracks
from a pair of fan favorite Harmonix bands.

Megasus - Megasus
Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives - Entangled

All tracks are masters. The Kravitz tracks will be available for
$1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) a piece or $6.99 (560 Microsoft Points
for Xbox 360) for the full 4 song pack pack. The HMX tracks will be
$0.99 (80 Microsoft Points) a piece.

These tracks will be available on the Xbox Marketplace on January
13th, and they'll be up in the Playstation Store on January 15th. The
Playstation Store will also be updating with last week's Roy Orbison 6
Pack as well, and you can check last week's announcement thread here
for the track listing and pricing.

[RUMOR HAS IT . . that the downloadable content the following week
will include a couple tracks by the Steve Miller Band: "The Joker" and
"Space Cowboy." - Ed.]

= = =
= = =

DAR WILLIAMS
On Tour

<> "Dar is busy touring through the East Coast with Joshua Radin...."

[Here are the Northeast tour dates as supplied to us. - Ed.]

Wed/Jan-21 - Rochester, NY - Water Street
Thu/Jan-22 - Boston, MA â€" Paradise Rock Club
Fri/Jan-23 - New York, NY â€"Webster Hall
Sat/Jan-24 - Philadelphia, PA - Keswick Theatre
Sun/Jan-25 - Ringwood, NJ â€" Ringwood Public Library

SOURCE: Patty Romanoff of Bullet Proof Artists, "Dar Williams Update,"
January 5, 2009.

= = =
= = =

DEEP FREEZE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
January 31, 2009

Annual Deep Freeze Bluegrass Festival

Fundraiser for the Lakes Environmental Association

Featuring: Kip Hemingway and Crooked River Bluegrass, Squash and
Gourds, Windy Ridge and others to be announced.

Old Bridgton Town Hall
26 N. High Street
Bridgton, Maine

January 31, 2009
Show starts at 7 PM
Adults $15, couples $25, families $30

For more information, contact Peter Lowell, 647-8580.

SOURCE: Maine Academy of Country Music Secretary, "Bluegrass Show,"
January 9, 2009.

:: deepfreeze bluegrass festival ::

= = =
= = =

LISSA SCHNECKENBURGER
"Dance" CD Temporarily on Hold

<> "Due to scheduling conflicts, the release of our next CD, 'Dance,'
has been put on temporary hold, but we'll keep you updated as things
come into place."

http://www.lissafiddle.com/

SOURCE: Lissa Scheckenburger, "Happy New Year From Lissa and Footprint
Records," January 3, 2009.

THIS REFERS TO A PLANNED RELEASE . . of the next album, "Dance," by
the Lissa Schneckenburger Band. And we are, indeed, sorry for the
holdup. But this cloud may prove to be mostly silver lining.

Schneckenburger, it can now be said, released one of the best 2008 New
England albums of any sort. It is called "Song," the title making an
important point on behalf of a fiddler who plays a lot of dances. The
initial focus of this album is on the material: songs that were
uncommonly well selected. And much of what is great about this record
is Schneckenburger's singing, an area in which she has shown
impressive growth. The version of "A-Lumbering We Will Go" ("The
Logger's Boast") most familiar to me features a more simplified tune
than Schneckenburger's version and has more shout to it. But the
simplification and vocal attack add nothing to this song. The subtle
version of "The Logger's Boast" on this "Song" disc is far better.

It is great fun to fill up a coffeehouse, or other listening room of
good size, with people who, by day, work at computers in offices and
then get them singing at the top of their lungs, "We'll range the wild
woods over and once more a-lumberin' go!"

More instrumentation and busy bowing would have been a distraction
from Schneckenburger's excellent singing. Her spare arrangements on
this disc surround and support her vocals and are very much in keeping
with the material.

So now Schneckenburger gets extra time to work her "Song" CD, a thing
well worth doing; and "Dance" will come out when the time is right.

If you want to hear terrific contemporary performances that are deeply
rooted in New England tradition, "Song" by Lissa Schneckenburger is an
ideal place to start. "Song" is a classic album of traditional folk
music.

= = =
= = =

JENNIFER TEFFT BAND
"Wooden Ships" Interpretation

<> "Several months ago John Parrillo, Jeff St.Pierre and I were asked
to do an interpretation of the Crosby, Stills and Nash song, 'Wooden
Ships,' for a project called 'The Next Paradigm.' After much hard
work on the part of the project's producers, it has finally been released.

"The Next Paradigm (TNP) is a multi-media project, consisting of a
book and a corresponding musical CD, which makes commentary on modern
politics, society and culture, in a conversational voice and style
that is familiar, informs and resonates. Speaking with heart and
insight, TNP is directed to the present generation, an underserved yet
important group, will also appeal with those in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

"Check it out at

http://www.myspace.com/thenextparadigm.com

It is an eclectic collection of songs interpreted by some of today's
most creative artists."

SOURCE: Jennifer Tefft Mailing List, "Check Out This New Track From
Jennifer Tefft," January 4, 2009.

[I HAVE MY DOUBTS . . about the MySpace address that appears here, but
this is the way the address came to us. - Ed.]


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BRIEF ITEMS :
: : : : :
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LETTERS TO CLEO
"Sister" Album

<> Copies of the "Sister" CD by the old Boston band, Lettuce to Cleo,
have been trading at pretty high prices. We have learned that it is
now available for downloading via eMusic (www.emusic.com) and also,
like everything else in the world, at Amazon.com. There may be other
sites. These are the ones we know about.
.


ROCK BAND
Mega-Star Announcement

<> The folks at Rock Band have an upcoming announcement about a
mega-star: individual artist, not a band. Evidently this has to do
with a scheduled release of downloadable content.

The mailing we have seen is a little vague for a general audience such
as this, though the same mailing might be quite suitable going out to
just the gaming crew. Once we know more, I imagine we will post it here.

I'll just say at this time that this will make TWO mega-star acts,
since the Rock Banders just announced downloadable titles of the great
Roy Orbison. The Orbison DLC is no small thing. And we have been
receiving mail about this Roy O development. Apparently some of "The
Lonely" are gamers.
.


ROY ORBISON
"The Classic Roy Orbison 1965-1968"

<> Roy Orbison, a rock 'n' roll classic, has come up several times
lately. So I made it a point to recapture a recommendation made to us
some time ago.

I have "For the Lonely: 18 Greatest Hits" on the Rhino label. I was
told by a person, whose opinion I certainly value, that a really good
companion album is "The Classic Roy Orbison 1965-1968," also on Rhino.
Evidently none of the cuts are any too bad, while around eight of
them are strong enough to make the entire album well worth having.
This material comes from the years when Orbison was recording for MGM
Records but was receiving very little promotion. So these cuts are
generally not hits: just good Roy Orbison recordings.

It might be necessary to get "The Classic Roy Orbison" from a used
record seller.
.


JOHN HICKS AND REVOLUTION
A Query

New England's country music community has had its own rollercoaster
ride. And about the time John Lincoln Wright and the Sourmash Boys
(and Gals) put out "Takin' Old Route One" and the "SRO: Live at
Jonathan Swift's" album was issued, New England country music -
particularly in eastern Massachusetts - shot up to the skies like some
reverse shoosting star.

One of the many 1980s acts I really liked was John Hicks and his band,
Revolution.

Lately, a guy searching the Web for information about John Hicks and
Revolution came away very disappointed.

If you can suggest a web site or Web-based archive with information
about John Hicks and band, please e-mail us by way of

: : : FredRemainsLost At Yahoo Dot Com

except, of course, convert this into an all-lowercase, conventional
e-mail address.

For me, easily the best single of those days was John Lincoln Wright's
"Nothin' But the Rain." And Wright really got a good thing going.
Some other personal favorite acts include, in addition to Wright's and
Hicks' bands, Liz Boardo, Sharlene Hooper, Joe Val and the New England
Bluegrass Boys, Tina Welch, and, of course, way-up-there favorite Dick
Curless. In later going there's the Swinging Steaks and Miss Xanna
Don't. The present list stops there, but the favorites do not. There
were others.

A guy I went to junior high with, Conrad Noddin, played with Marty
Robbins. Woo woo!

:: nems query, nemsquery ::
.


YAHOO NEWS HEADLINE
Tuesday Evening

: : : Study: Diet plays bigger role
: : : in weight loss than exercise

It is hard to understand why scientists bothered with this study.
Losing weight is not a problem for much of anyone. I, personally,
have lost lots of weight dozens of times. Keeping weight off is the
problem, and it is the issue these scientists should have studied. (I
lost a tremendous amount of weight in 1985 and have kept it off ever
since.)
.


YAHOO NEWS HEADLINE
Tuesday Evening

: : : Researchers say they can turn coffee
: : : into $1/gallon fuel

I used to work with a nurse who made REALLY strong coffee. Your car
could go 50 or 60 miles or more on a cup of the coffee she made.
After drinking her brew, you would have no trouble imagining a dollar
a gallon coffee-fuel.
.


YAHOO NEWS HEADLINE
Thursday Evening

: : : Cheney says no one saw
: : : financial crisis coming (AP)

This depends entirely on how we define "no one." An easy majority of
state governors saw a recession coming. Many months ago, a rich mix
of Democratic and Republican governors crafted a plan for PREVENTING
the recession they thought was looming. Their proposal has many
points of similarity to the plan now being fine-tuned by the incoming
Obama administration for getting us out of a recession.
.


YAHOO NEWS HEADLINE
Friday Evening

: : : Baltimore mayor indicted on theft,
: : : perjury charges (AP)

YIKES! It's catching!
.


end BRIEF ITEMS


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NEMSnews

New England Music Scrapbook
Brattleboro, Vermont

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<> If you have friends who would be interested in any of the items in
this issue, please forward this newsletter to them. Thanks! We
believe this is one of the main ways we pick up readers.
.


<> As a rule, we do not post SHOW LISTINGS. The reason is quite
simple. Though our name is the NEW ENGLAND Music Scrapbook, probably
an easy majority of our readers are based outside the six New England
states. The great majority of show listings would be of no interest
at all to the great majority of our readers.

We make exceptions when show listings are part of an item of more
general interest. CD-release events are great examples. For us, the
main point of an item of this sort is that an act has a new record.
The show being announced is of secondary interest to us - if that - as
far as the contents of our newsletter goes.

In the very few, truly exceptional instances where we post show
listings...
.

... Shows can be canceled, sold out, or even moved to another date or
location. We recommend checking the Web, calling ahead or otherwise
confirming details.
.


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(Please do NOT click the Reply button.)

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Issue 2009:309

Published no less often than monthly.
We're guessing eventually we'll settle
into an every-other-week schedule.

Copyright © 2009 by the New England Music Scrapbook. All rights reserved.

: : :