Nazareth lead vocalist retires due to bad health

Dan McCafferty, singer in Scottish band Nazareth has been forced to retire.
http://www.nazarethdirect.co.uk/website/news/ explains that McCafferty suffers from C.O.P.D. (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease):
"It has gotten worse lately and after trying to play a festival in Switzerland last weekend Dan found it impossible to continue after performing only three songs. In the dressing room afterwards he told the band that he couldn’t go on any longer."

Recently singer Linda Ronstadt told AARP Magazine that she can not sing anymore since she is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. "No one can sing with Parkinson’s disease,” said Ronstadt to AARP.  “No matter how hard you try.”

Very sad indeed.

Coming soon: Zappa live in Helsinki 1973?

The mysterious message.

The next release in the Zappa Family Trust's series Road Tapes is most likely a recording from Helsinki, Finland 1973.
Check out the latest message on http://www.zappa.com/whatsnew/
On August 23, 1973 Frank and The Mothers played Finlandia-talo in Helsinki. Yes, one year before the concerts in another venue in the same city that would end up on You Can't Do That On Stage Volume 2. Excellent choice, ZFT! Finally we get an official release by the forgotten 1973 band with Jean-Luc Ponty, George Duke and others!!

Dark Side radio play on BBC tonight

A radio play inspired by Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side of the Moon? British playwright Sir Tom Stoppard's play Darkside will be broadcast tonight on BBC Radio 2 at 10 PM GMT.

Legendary concert promoter Fritz Rau dies

The German concert promoter Fritz Rau passed away on August 19, at the age of 83. He became a legend in the trade and used to be mentioned as the man who brought the rock stars to Germany.
Fritz Rau organized concerts with Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Madonna and many, many more. Frank Zappa mentioned Fritz Rau in one of his songs, Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously?

Some nice pictures here:
http://www.dw.de/a-tribute-to-music-promoter-fritz-rau/g-17036839

More to read here:
http://www.dw.de/fritz-rau-who-brought-the-stars-to-germany-dies/a-17035692

Roger Waters and The Wall 2013 in Gothenburg, Sweden a success

The show is over and Radio Dupree's man on the spot at Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg was pleased with Roger Waters and The Wall as it looks and sounds 2013.

It's a surround sound multimedia extravaganza featuring peaks like the appearance of the giant puppets, i.e. the schoolmaster and the pig. 
Radio Dupree's man in the audience says this is the most spectacular rock show he has ever attended: "The surround effects were fantastic! A few minutes into the show I almost believed that there was an aircraft that was about to crash land in the middle of the stadium".

The music was mostly true to the album, with minor differences as a couple of pieces that he'd never heard before as well as a few songs being slightly rearranged. Roger Waters looked to be in good shape and a happy mood. So thumbs up from The Wall from our concert attendee!

The local newspaper GP reviews the concert here (in Swedish) giving it a 4 out of 5 rating. A couple of translated senteces:

Popular culture is full of fools who assume the mantle madness and we should be extremely thankful for that. Otherwise we would have never known Roger Waters and been able to experience one of the most spectacular rock shows ever. This year's stadium edition of The Wall is signed by a man who moste likely is just that: both beautiful and challenging.

2013 The Wall is so packed with expression and impression that it is hard to take everything in.

The reviewer's only criticism is the anti-war propaganda, calling it "naive and over explicit".

Yet it is impossible to resist the force of the show. When the helicopter wings and hail of bullets are slamming into you from the surround system at Ullevi you can not help but be amazed.

"If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding!" The schoolmaster on stage.

Time will tell if this really is the very last tour performing The Wall. Ten shows remain before the grande finale in Paris, France September 21.

GP also tells the story of how a handwritten letter from Roger Waters reached Gothenburg's Mayor Anneli Hulthén two years ago. Written on a paper napkin it says:

"My Dear Mayor!

My old friend Thomas, well he´s not that old! But you know what I mean! Happened to mention that Göteborg has not only the best Symphony Orchestra in Sweden but also a great annual festival. Also that he might persuade you to consider a semi staged concert version of my opera "CA IRA" (There is Hope) for inclusion. Should that happen, I would be very happy. Thank you for your consideration!

Roger Waters"

Pic and full story (In Swedish) over here!

Gothenburg, Sweden getting ready for Roger Waters and The Wall

- - - - UPDATE 12.05, August 18 - - - -

How was it? Read the review here!

- - - - - - - -

Roger Waters is in Gothenburg, Sweden today playing The Wall. Still a couple of hours to go but here's a first report and a couple of pics from our correspondent ready to enjoy this classic rock creation:

The town is gearing up for Waters. Here and there you can here fragments of Pink Floyd music ... from cars passing and from record stores. People here and there wearing Floyd t-shirts.

Tune in for - hopefully -  a review and some pics later today/tomorrow!

- - - - UPDATE 8.30 p.m. - - - -

On site. Many fans outside the arena. The Wall is played in the bar at the entrance. Talking Heads, John Fogerty and J.J. Cale on the PA.
The atmosphere is good. 

- - - - UPDATE 9.10 p.m. - - - -

Showtime!

- - - - UPDATE 12.05, August 18 - - - -

How was it? Read the review here!

Weekend Music: Steely Dan medley a' la Paul Henry Wilmuth!

Book title: Eminent Hipsters. Author: Donald Fagen

We were sure we'd done a blog post about Donald Fagen's book Eminent Hipsters, but apparently not!

Well, not to worry, as there's some brand new news regarding that book coming here. Together with what we should've posted in that post that never was posted. Until now.

The book was mentioned in passing by Donald during Sunken Condos interviews late last year, but here are the facts:

Title: Eminent Hipsters
Publisher: Viking Adult
Publication date: October 22, 2013
176 pages.
ISBN 9780670025510

There's also an audio book version released by Penguin Audio on the same date. Five hours, four CD:s and read by Donald Fagen himself.
ISBN 9781611762198

Here's how the publisher presents the book and author:

A witty, revealing, sharply written work of memoir and criticism by the cofounder of Steely Dan

Musician and songwriter Donald Fagen presents a group of vivid set pieces in his entertaining debut as an author, from portraits of the cultural figures and currents that shaped him as a youth to an account of his college days and of life on the road.

Fagen begins by introducing the “eminent hipsters” that spoke to him as he was growing up in a bland New Jersey suburb in the early 1960s, among them Jean Shepherd, whose manic nightly broadcasts out of WOR-Radio “enthralled a generation of alienated young people”; Henry Mancini, whose swank, noirish soundtracks left their mark on him; and Mort Fega, the laid-back, knowledgeable all-night jazz man at WEVD who was like “the cool uncle you always wished you had.” He writes of how, coming of age during the paranoid Cold War era, one of his primary doors of escape became reading science fiction, and of his invigorating trips into New York City to hear jazz. “Class of ’69” recounts Fagen’s colorful, mind-expanding years at Bard College, the progressive school north of New York City, where he first met his future musical partner Walter Becker. “With the Dukes of September” offers a cranky, hilarious account of the ups and downs of a recent cross-country tour Fagen made with Boz Scaggs and Michael McDonald, performing a program of old R&B and soul tunes as well as some of their own hits.

Acclaimed for the elaborate arrangements and jazz harmonies of his songs, Fagen proves himself a sophisticated writer with a very distinctive voice in this engaging book.

And the very latest is that Donald will do a short promo tour with five dates listed over at the Penguin Group's homepage:

* Tuesday, Oct 22 2013
Location: New York
BARNES & NOBLE
Upstairs at the Square, Pre-sign books, On stage Q&A
   
* Thursday, Oct 24 2013
Location: Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA FREE LIBRARY
Pre-sign books, On stage Q&A
   
* Tuesday, Oct 29 2013
Location: Washington
SIXTH & I
Pre-sign books, On stage Q&A
   
* Wednesday, Nov 06 2013
Location: San Francisco
BOOKSMITH
Pre-sign books, On stage Q&A
   
* Thursday, Nov 07 2013
Location: Seattle
TOWN HALL, SEATTLE
Pre-sign books, On stage Q&A

Click this link for more information!

And since a few of the texts appearing in the book have been up on donaldfagen.com in the past, the publication of this book is probably one reason that donaldfagen.com since a couple of months redirects to Donald's Facebook page.

UK premiere of Zappa's 200 Motels after 42 years

Frank Zappa swore he would never return to Britain unless he got an apology from the Queen after the Royal Albert Hall cancelled a concert with the music from his film 200 Motels in 1971. Zappa did eventually return to the UK but died without getting an apology from anybody. Now there will be redress of a kind when the show is finally given its UK premiere.

Read the full story here (The Independent)

Pink Floydmania in Gothenburg

Roger Waters. Photo: kulturkalaset.goteborg.com

Gothenburg in Sweden seems to be the place to be this week for fans of Pink Floyd and/or Roger Waters. Tonight there is a performance of Water's opera Ça Ira with Waters as narrator and on Saturday August 17 there is a performance of The Wall.
Ça Ira will be performed with Göteborgs Symfoniker outdoors at Götaplatsen and is free of charge. The Wall will be staged at Ullevi and Radio Dupree will have a reporter in the audience at that event.

Zia helping Keith get that Black Cow sound right on the night!

Feelgood post of the week:

Zia soundchecking Black Cow with dad Keith Carlock during the current Steely Dan tour!

Link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201671019998684&set=vb.1275064478&type=2&theater

(And we can't help thinking about all the hardcore Steely Dan fans who'd like to be in Zia's place just there and then! :) )

George Duke our Album of the Month artist for August 2013

We were just about to launch our Album of the Month for August when the news reached us that George Duke had passed away, so instead of a brand new album of jazzy Steely Dan covers we picked George's 1975 record The Aura Will Prevail. An album that includes two Frank Zappa collaborations.

Enjoy these as well as the other tracks on this jazz fusion classic this month on Radio Dupree!

Got any Duke favourites you'd like us to add? Write a comment or mail us at radiodupree@yahoo.se

Radio Dupree Top 12 - August 2013

1. Steely Dan - Bodhisattva
Countdown To Ecstasy

2. Roxy Music - Bitter End
Roxy Music

3. The Rolling Stones - Complicated
Between the Buttons

4. Paul McCartney & Wings - Bluebird
Band on the Run

5. Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention - You Didn't Try to Call Me
Cruising with Ruben & The Jets

6. Lou Reed - Lady Day
Rock'n'Roll Animal

7. Steely Dan - With A Gun
Pretzel Logic

8. Jimi Hendrix - Room Full of Mirrors
More Experience Vol. 2

9. Frank Zappa - Pinocchio's Furniture
Shut Up'n Play Yer Guitar

10. The Doors - Alabama Song
The Doors

11. The Doors - Roadhouse Blues - Morrison Hotel
12. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Sister Andrea - Between Nothingness & Eternity

-------------------------------------------------------
Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

Look! Our Album of the Month for July delivered the number one for this short but sweet chart. And we notice that a rare visitor to our chart in the form of Lou Reed. Other than that it is the "usual suspects".

Keep on listening and if you hear something you like give it a thumbs up. If it's something you don't like a thumbs down. That way we know what to remove and add to the ever-changing playlist and also get a chart of listeners favourites once a month.

George Duke dies at 67

Photo: http://georgeduke.com/

Musician and producer George Duke died Monday evening in a Los Angeles hospital were he was being treated for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
His wife Corrine died in July last year.

George Duke was born in San Rafael, California and began taking piano lessons at age 4 after seeing Duke Ellington play.

In 1966 he released his first record and went on to play with - amongst others - Jean-Luc Ponty, Don Ellis Orchestra, Cannonball Adderley, Frank Zappa and Stanley Clarke before going solo in 1976.

More:

Radio Facts: Vic McLean, George Duke’s Close Friend and Promoter Talks to Radio Facts

George knew his time was near. He always kept his health issues close to the vest. - See more at: http://www.radiofacts.com/vic-mclean-george-dukes-close-friend-and-promoter-talks-to-radio-facts/#sthash.2QfKVxP4.dpuf

"George knew his time was near. He always kept his health issues close to the vest."

BBC: George Duke, jazz musician, dies at 67

Wikipedia: George Duke

georgeduke.com

George knew his time was near. He always kept his health issues close to the vest. - See more at: http://www.radiofacts.com/vic-mclean-george-dukes-close-friend-and-promoter-talks-to-radio-facts/#sthash.2QfKVxP4.dpuf

Zappa catalogue now represented by Kobalt Music Group

Kobalt Music Group will be representing the entire Frank Zappa catalogue.

The company announces that Kobalt "immediately begins global representation of all of Zappa’s extraordinary songs, including his early works with the Mothers of Invention, and his touring groups as well as his solo works. Along with global copyright administration services, Kobalt will also represent the catalogue for synchronization in film, TV, games, and other media."

http://www.kobaltmusic.com/page-news-detail.php?id=WN1422

http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2013/08/02/frank-zappas-entire-catalogue-now-represented-by-kobalt/