Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in the 1960s, which built an important foundation for what would become progressive rock, or perhaps more closely, symphonic rock. They are best known for their 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", which is not only a regular item on classic singles polls, but is also regarded as a seminal track in the development of pop music and particularly progressive rock music. Procol Harum have had a devoted following throughout their career; their music, although being principally noted for its classical influence, also embraces the blues and pure pop music. Based in Southend, Essex, The Paramounts, led by Gary Brooker and Robin Trower and including Chris Copping, scored a moderate British success with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller's "Poison Ivy" in 1964, reaching number 35 in the UK singles chart. They were unable to recreate this, however, and the band fell apart in 1966. In April 1967, Brooker began working as a singer/songwriter and formed Procol Harum with non-Paramounts Keith Reid (poet), Hammond organist Matthew Fisher, guitarist Ray Royer and bassist David Knights. The band name was chosen by its original manager Guy Stevens after a friend's Burmese cat, and has been alleged to be Latin for "beyond these things", however the correct Latin translation of "beyond these things" is Procul His. At Olympic Studios, with session drummer (and non-Paramount) Bill Eyden, producer Denny Cordell, and sound engineer Keith Grant, the group recorded "A Whiter Shade of Pale." The song was officially released on May 12, 1967. With the sudden success of this single and The Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin", their label Deram Records became known as a premier progressive rock label. With a structure reminiscent of Baroque music, a countermelody based on J,S. Bach's cantata no.140 assigned to Fisher's Hammond organ, Brooker's soulful vocals and Reid's mysterious lyrics, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" reached #1 on the British charts and did almost as well in the United States, reaching #5. In the years since, it has become an enduring classic, placing on several polls of the best songs ever. After "A Whiter Shade of Pale" became a hit, the band set out to consolidate their studio success by touring; their live debut was opening for Jimi Hendrix in 1967. Procol Harum produced a unique sound that emphasized Brooker's melancholy vocal style and an evocative mix of his eclectic piano, Fisher's elegant, church-like organ, Wilson's dramatic drumming and Trower's searing guitar, with frequent black humour and a penchant for experimentation. Musically, Procol Harum was split during all these years between Trower's guitar-driven blues rock style and Brooker's and Fisher's structured classical rock sound. the band broke up in 1977. They reunited for a single performance five months later, when "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was named joint winner (along with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody") of the Best British Pop Single 1952–1977 at the BRIT Awards, part of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee.
01- A Whiter Shade of Pale 02- Conquistador 03- She Wandered Through the Garden Fence 04- Something Following Me 05- Mabel 06- Cerdes [Outside the Gates of] 07- A Christmas Camel 08- Kaleidoscope 09- Salad Days [Are Here Again] 10- Good Captain Clack 11- Repent Walpurgis
Though it was originally released to capitalize on the cinematic vehicle of the same name, fewer than half of the songs on Loving You were actually included in the film. Not that anyone cared, of course; this collection of hits ("Teddy Bear"), covers ("Blueberry Hill," "Mean Woman Blues"), and lesser-known treasures ("Party," "I Need You So") topped the charts for 10 weeks running in 1957. This is hardly the best example of the King's pre-Army work--and it often seems downright flimsy compared with his Sun releases and 1956 RCA sessions--but Loving You is still a thoroughly enjoyable document of Presley in his exuberant prime.
01- Mean Woman Blues 02- (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear 03- Loving You 04- Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do! 05- Lonesome Cowboy 06- Hot Dog 07- Party 08- Blueberry Hill 09- True Love 10- Don't Leave Me Now 11- Have I Told You Lately That I Love You? 12- I Need You So
Bonus Tracks:
13. Tell Me Why 14. Is It So Strange 15. One Night of Sin 16. When It Rains, It Really Pours 17. I Beg of You (alternate version) 18. Party (alternate version) 19. Loving You (uptempo version) 20. Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do! (finale)
Pappo is the pseudonym of Argentine blues and rock & roll musician Norberto Napolitano (Buenos Aires, 10 March 1950 - Luján, Buenos Aires province, 24 February 2005). A native of the middle-class La Paternal neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Pappo started playing the guitar at the age of ten, and became active in Argentine rock since its beginnings; Pappo was a force in its transition from English to Spanish as guitarist of Los Gatos, the first rock band to enter the mainstream charts in Argentina. He also played in the first incarnation of cult band Los Abuelos de la Nada and in the quasi-psychedelic La Pesada del Rock and Roll. With his own band, Pappo's Blues, he recorded and toured extensively. He became an underground working-class hero, but received no radio airplay. In the mid-1970s, Pappo spent some time in England, playing alongside Peter Green (formerly of Fleetwood Mac), Lemmy (who later achieved fame with Motörhead), and other rock and blues greats. By the time in which they recorded the third album (“Pappo's Blues Vol 3”), there had been two changes in his group: David Lebón (bass) left, and his place was taken by C.A Machi Rufino and Black Amaya (drums) also left, beibng his place taken by Pomo. The recording of “Pappo's Blues Vol 4” was marked by the return of David Lebón and Black Amaya and the incorporation of Alejandro Medina. On the same year they released the album "Triángulo", and in 1975 “Pappo's Blues Vol 6”, in which Pappo played with Eduardo Barbagnatti and Eduardo Beaudoux. In 1978 Pappo, this time with Alejandro Medina playing bass again and Darío Fernandez with the drums, recorded the last album called “Pappo's Blues Vol 7”. On November 14th 1980 the band officially dissolved, but Pappo kept playing as a soloist. In 1981, he formed Riff, a heavy metal band. During the 1982 Riff became very popular with rockers in South America. In the late 1980s, when Riff disbanded, Pappo spent some time in the United States and formed a new group, Pappo and the Widowmakers in 1989. The band was based in the Los Angeles / Hollywood California area, and the members were as follows: Pappo (lead gutar), Dave Hatlee (bass), Rick Ness (rythm guitar) and Saint Bongosto (drums). Pappo and the Widowmakers recorded a two-song EP in October 1989 and then embarked on tour back to South America in December 1989. They performed several successful shows in venues such as Club Satisfaction in Buenos Aires and The Superdomo in Mar del Plata in 1990, but by the following year the project aborted and Pappo went back to live in Argentina. By that time (early '90s) with the advent of popular blues bands such as Memphis, La Blusera, Pappo was recognized as the godfather of Argentine blues. As such, he enjoyed the appreciation of B. B. King who admitted cherishing many of Pappo's records, and with whom he played at the Madison Square Garden in 1993 and 1994. BB King said in one occasíon "I've travelled 67 countries around the world and Pappo is the only true bluesman I've found. He'sone of the best guitar players I've ever known, not only in Argentina but in the whole world". With Pappo’s Blues he will record three more albums: “Hombre Suburbano” in 1994; “Caso Cerrado” in 1995 and “Auto Rojo” in 1998. Pappo's other love was car racing. He raced in Argentina's top stock-car category, TC, and in motorcycle races, with limited success. Sadly, Pappo died in a road accident in Luján, Buenos Aires province, on 24 February 2005. At route 5, km 71, Pappo's Harley-Davidson lost control, fell to the ground, and a car traveling in the opposite direction hit him, causing his death. The songs featured here are 6 songs extracted from his last album “Buscando un Amor” (2003), on which he homaged BB King, plus 12 other tracks which were recorded live in Buenos Aires on November 6, 2004, at a “BB King Tribute Concert” starred by Pappo himself and BB’s drummer Tony Coleman.
01- Tribute to BB King 02- Rock Me, Baby 03- Thrill is Gone 04- Killin' Floor 05- Trouble No More 06- Little Red Rooster
Recorded Live with Tony Coleman:
07- Tribute to BB King 08- I ain't Drunk 09- All Your Love 10- How blue Can You Get 11- Rock Me, Baby 12- Thrill is Gone 13- Master Charge 14- Everyday I Have the Blues 15- Chop This & Solo 16- Sweet Little Angel 17- Killin' Floor 18- Let the Good Times Roll
After Almendra broke up, Luis Alberto Spinetta (main composer of the group) released a lo-fi solo album called "Spinettalandia y sus amigos" and then visited Europe, where he saw first hand groups like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. Back in Buenos Aires, he decided to form a group where he could recreate the heavy rock sound he had seen and liked so much. And so, Pescado Rabioso was born. The group was originally a trio: Spinetta (vocals and guitars), David Lebón (vocals and bass guitar) and Black Amaya (drums). While recording their first album ("Desatormentándonos", released in 1971) they were joined by Carlos Cutaia (organ). In 1972 they released a double LP (simply called "2"), and then they disbanded. Spinetta recorded and released in 1973 another album under the Pescado Rabioso moniker, but in fact it was a solo album: "Artaud". Although "Artaud" was officially billed as the third Pescado Rabioso album, the Argentinean group had actually broken up by the time it was recorded. It's essentially a solo effort by singer-guitarist-songwriter Luis Alberto Spinetta, with contributions from his brother, drummer Carlos Gustavo Spinetta, bassist Emilio Del Guercio, and drummer Rodolfo García, the latter two of whom had played with Spinetta back in the pre-Pescado Rabioso band called Almendra. "Artaud", dedicated to the french surrealist poet Antonin Artaud, is a milestone in argentine rock. It’s considered by many not only Spinetta's masterpiece, but also the best album ever released in Argentina. If it's something of a progressive/psychedelic record, it has more to do with the juxtaposition of late-'60s and early-'70s styles on display than it has to do with the music itself. On various different tracks, Spinetta offers accomplished, sentimental acoustic-based folk-rock balladry ("Todas las Hojas Son del Viento"); languid jazzy San Francisco-styled mild psych ("Cementerio Club," "Bajan") with quavering guitar; folk-rock with a touch of late-'60s Lennon-McCartney at their most romantic ("La Sed Verdadera"); a piano-backed piece that recalls early Todd Rundgren at his softest ("A Starosta, El Idiota"); and a taut Latin-flavored rocker vaguely reminiscent of early Santana ("Las Habladurias del Mundo"). There's a little weirdness here, but it's limited to just a few spots, like the gradual submersion of "La Sed Verdadera" under ambient restaurant-like white noise and howling wind, and the sudden detour of "A Starosta, El Idiota" into gloomy dissonant piano rumbles, weeping, along with a far-off snatch of the Beatles' "She Loves You" single. The incredible intimacy of the accoustic pieces have earned comparisons to Nick Drake, though I’m not entirely convinced: Spinetta’s performances hint instead at dark neuroses and strange obsessive urges lurking just beneath the deceptively calm surface of the songs. The argentine edition of Rolling Stone magazine voted this album as no. 1 in the "Top 100 best argentine rock albums".
01- Todas Las Hojas Son Del Viento 02- Cementerio Club 03- Por 04- Superchería 05- La Sed Verdadera 06- Cantata De Puentes Amarillos 07- Bajan 08- A Starosta, El Idiota 09- Las Habladurías Del Mundo
Machine Head is the sixth Deep Purple studio album. It was recorded at the Grand Hotel Montreux, Switzerland in December 1971 with the Rolling StonesMobile Studio, and released in March 1972. The conditions in which the original recordings were made are quite outstanding. Hiring the Rolling Stones Mobile One equipment and studios, the band recorded the entirety of the tracks in a Montreux hotel facility, with no overdubs. The "Smoke on the Water" lyrics' citation "Frank Zappa and the Mothers" refers to Zappa's show at a nearby casino. The casino burned down a few days before the start of scheduled Machine Head recording sessions. The song entitled "When a Blind Man Cries" was also recorded during these sessions, but not included on the album. Instead, it was used as a the B-side on the "Never Before" single. Anyway the song appears here as a bonus track, since this is is the album's 25th anniversary edition containing a digital remaster done at Abbey Road studios in 1997. The album is often cited as being very influential in the development of the heavy metal music genre. It is Deep Purple's most successful recording, topping the charts in several countries following its release. In 2001 Q magazine named it as one of the 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time. Machine Head is the subject of one of the Classic Albums series of documentaries about the making of famous albums.
Second of these three CDs which explore the genesis of the music of The Beatles, by taking a look back at some of the early rock and roll music which influenced Lennon, Mc Cartney, Harrison and Starr. These were the artists that were their idols, and these are the songs that they covered on stage in Hamburg and at the Cavern, on the BBC, and on their early albums. In a word, these are the records the Beatles listened to the way we listen to Beatles records…
01- I Got a Woman - Elvis Presley 02- Too Much Monkey Business - Chuck Berry 03- Keep Your Hands Off my Baby - Little Eva 04- Youngblood - The Coasters 05- A Shot of Rhythm & Blues - Arthur Alexander 06- Sure to Fall - Carl Perkins 07- That's Allright Mama - Elvis Presley 08- Carol - Chuck Berry 09- Soldier of Love [Lay Down Your Arms] - Arthur Alexander 10- Clarabella - The Jodimars 11- I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry [Over You] - Elvis Presley 12- Crying, Waiting, Hoping - Buddy Holly & The Crickets 13- To Know Him is To Love Him - The Teddy Bears 14- The Honeymoon Song - Marino Marini and His Quartet 15- Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry 16- Memphis, Tennessee - Chuck Berry 17- Lucille - Little Richard 18- Sweet Little Sixteen - Eddie Cochran 19- Lonesome Tears in my Eyes - The Johnny Burnette Trio 20- Nothin' Shakin' [But the Leaves on the Trees] - Eddie Fontaine 21- The Hippy Hippy Shake - Chan Romero 22- Glad All Over - Carl Perkins 23- I Just Don't Understand - Ann Margret & The Jordanaires 24- So How Come [No One Loves Me] - The Everly Brothers 25- I Forgot to Remember to Forget - Elvis Presley 26- I Got to Find My Baby - Chuck Berry 27- Oh, My Soul! - Little Richard 28- Don't Ever Change - The Crickets 29- Lend Me Your Comb - Carl Perkins 30- Beautiful Dreamer - Slim Whitman
Renato Carosone (3 January 1920 – 20 May 2001) was among the greatest figures of Italian music scene in the second half of the 20th century. He was also a modern performer of the so-called canzone napoletana, Naples' song tradition. Carosone was born in Naples, where he studied piano at his hometown's Conservatory and obtained his diploma in 1937, when he was just 17. He soon signed a contract as a band leader for a tour of Africa. After that job, he ended up in Addis Ababa working as a pianist. In a short while he became quite famous there and had several gigs as band leader. He returned to Italy in 1946, after the end of World War II. Those ten years spent abroad had exposed him to new rhythms and new sounds, but, in spite of his international success, Carosone was a stranger to the Italian audience. He had to start his career afresh, playing the piano in some small dance-hall bands. In 1949 he was asked to put together a group for a club's opening night. After some auditions, he signed the Dutch guitarist Peter Van Wood and the Napolitan drummer Gegè Di Giacomo: so the Trio Carosone was born. The trio became quartet with the Hungarian Gypsy musician Elek Bacsik on bass, guitar and violin. Afterwards Van Wood and Bacsik left the group to pursue solo careers. Gegè Di Giacomo remained with Carosone, who contacted other musicians to finally form a real band. During 1950s Carosone became more and more popular, his orchestra was on high demand both in Italy and abroad, and records sales were soaring high. A hint of his world-wide success: his song Torero - specially composed for a Spain tour - remained for 14 weeks at number 1 on the US hit parade, was translated into 12 languages and no fewer than thirty cover versions were recorded in the United States alone. On 5 January 1957 Carosone and his band started off a successful American tour with a concert in Cuba. The last tour concert was a triumph at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York. Several of his hits were the result of this long and fruitful cooperation with the lyricist Nicola Salerno, who used the pseudonym Nisa. They could understand each other perfectly: just one hint by Carosone, and Nisa wrote a funny, witty little story about it. Among their greatest hits, "'O suspiro", "Torero", "Tu' vuo' fa' l'americano", "Caravan Petrol", "Pigliate 'na pastiglia,"'O Sarracino". Only a few famous songs in Carosone's repertoire were not written by Nisa: "...E la barca tornò sola" (a lively parody of a song performed by Gino Latilla at Sanremo Music Festival in 1954), "Tre numeri al loto", "Maruzzella" (dedicated to his wife Marisa), "'O russo e 'a rossa". He and his group even participated in some Italian films as “Totó, Peppino e Le Fanatiche” (1958). Carosone surprisingly announced his retirement in 1960, when he was still at the top of his success: "I'd rather retire now on the crest of the wave, than after being tormented by the doubt that yè-yè fashion and new armies wearing blue-jeans may wipe away all that I have achieved in so many years of work and worries". His decision caused an uproar. Some even suspected obscure criminal threats from Napolitan maffia. Away from the spotlight, Carosone turned to other interests, mainly painting. On 9 August 1975 Carosone made a comeback in a televised concert, and then he resumed his musical career with live concerts, performing at the San Remo Music Festival and other various TV programs, until late 1990s. He died in Rome in 2001.
01- Tu Vuo' Fa' l'Americano 02- Caravan Petrol 03- Torero 04- Io, Mammetta e Tu 05- Piccolisima Serenata 06- La Pansè 07- 'O Russo e A'Russa 08- Pigliate 'Na Pastiglia 09- 'O Sarracino 10- La Donna Riccia 11- Maruzzella 12- Mambo Italiano 13- Chella Llà 14- 'A Sunnambula 15- 'Stu Fungo Cinese! 16- T'è Piaciuta 17- 'A Casciaforte 18- Scapricciatiello 19- E la Barca Tornò Sola 20- Buonanotte
