Album of the Month: Rush

Announcing the long overdue Album of the Month for May 2014. But what's a week and a half in the great scheme of things for a record that was released 40 years ago?
And we're looking to Canada and the still very much active band Rush debut album titled "Rush".

This is also gives us a chance to continue our posts about non-average packaging of music. The first being yesterdays post about the nickel-silver Wu Tang Clan extravaganza.

As the debut album from Rush is 40 years old it is only fitting that a remaster is released. And it is. Digitally of course, but also in a vinyl box that surprisingly does not include any outtakes and extra music, but some other goodies for the Rush fan/collector.

Original album jacket art, a reproduced promo poster, three litographs, a family tree of the band and a card for a digital download of the album should you not want to play the physical vinyl one that's in the box.
The record itself is pressed on 200g audiophile vinyl. And the box is a limited release.

Come back later today and Sunday for two more packaging posts! One of them including the sad story of how Radio Dupree missed out on a brand new, fresh collector's item due for release June 11, 2014.

Cher + Wu Tang Clan = True

Yes, Cher is apparently on two tracks on rap legends Wu Tang Clan's forthcoming double album Once Upon A Time In Shaolin.

And if you think that's a way to increase interest and sales of the album you're wrong. At least as far as sold copies go. The fact of the matter is that it will be released in one copy only, sold to the highest bidder.

According to this article in The Guardian the plan is to sell the album through some auction house, but apparently the band has already been offered $5 million from private parties interested in owning the only copy.
At the same time fans have started a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to match the $5 million bid and share the music among fans.

You see, before the album copy is sold it will do a tour of museums, galleries, universities and such being exhibited and people can listen to it on headphones for $30-50 a pop.

Yes. You read that correctly. Send the album on tour and charge people to hear it.

The person who finally end up with the only existing copy of the Wu Tang album will get it in a nice engraved nickel and silver box...

Chuck Berry gets The Polar Music Prize

The Polar Music Prize 2014 is awarded to rock'n'roll pioneer Chuck Berry and director Peter Sellars.
They will receive their awards during a gala ceremony in Stockholm with the Swedish king on August 26.
http://polarmusicprize.org/announcement/

The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by the late Stig ”Stikkan” Anderson, the publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA.

Two more dates for the Steely Dan 2014 tour

Those who thought the schedule for the Jamalot Ever After tour was complete will have to rethink. Two dates were added today:

September 19 & 20 at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. Tickets go on sale May 9 (pre-sale May 7).

More info on steelydan.com and facebook.com/steelydan

Drummer Morgan Ågren plays with Crimson ProjeKCt

Swedish drummer Morgan Ågren will join The Crimson ProjeKCt as a stand in for a few dates this summer.
Will play double drums with Pat Mastelotto, we learn via Facebook from mr. Ågren.

The dates:
31/7 Aschaffenburg (DE) - Colos Saal
1/8 Breitenbach am Herzberg (DE) - Burg Herzberg Festival
5/8 L'Aquila (IT) - Blues Sotto le Stelle

Edwyn and Soho on Record Store Day

The sun was out and people as well for Record Store Day 2014 in London and Berwick Street Market.

Radio Dupree spent a couple of hours taking in the sights, smells and sounds.
We managed to catch Edwyn Collins 20 minutes on the main stage.

It was fun seeing people exited about music and record stores!

40th anniversary edition of Zappa's Apostrophe (')

Good news and bad news when it comes to the Frank Zappa areas. Let's start with the good ones: There will be a 40th anniversary release of Zappa's successful album Apostrophe ('). 

The special Record Store Day 7 inch vinyl single is sort of a sneak preview. The B-side Down In De Dew, alternate mix, is probably among the extra material for the 40th anniversary edition of the album.

Bad news: We get reports that the Mothers of Invention drummer Billy Mundi has passed away. He was in the band in 1966 and 1967 when he quit to join Rhinoceros. R.I.P.

http://theseconddisc.com/2014/04/17/umes-record-store-day-slate-features-frank-nirvana-frank-zappa-classic-blue-note-motown-funk-and-more/

Record Store Day 2014 is today!

Today is Record Store Day and since Radio Dupree is on a weekend trip to London, England we'll celebrate the vinyl, the CD and whatever sound carriers that there have been and still is in the capital city of England/UK.

Here's a 15 minute film made in England on Record Store Day 2013. And here's the link to recordstoreday.com where you can read up on the whole thing.

Weekend music: Walter Becker - Bob Is Not Your Uncle Anymore

walterbecker.com

Steely Dan 2014 tour: 53 dates announced

The press release (also quoted on Steely Dan's Facebook page) says:

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Walter Becker and Donald Fagen will bring Steely Dan to the road in 2014, taking their "Jamalot Ever After" Tour across the U.S. and Canada. Opening at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, Oregon on July 2, the tour is set for 47 shows before concluding at Baltimore, Maryland's Pier Six Pavilion on September 17. Visit http://steelydan.com/ for a full list of dates and on sale details.

A quick glance over on steelydan.com lists not 47 but 53 shows between July 2 and September 17. But what the hey! As they say; "the more the merrier"...

And that last phrase gives us hope that there might be additional dates added in the next two months leading up to the first show of the tour. There's even a handful of months after the tour and before Christmas that could include some dates overseas. Could and ... dare we say ... should? There. We said it. Not that we know anything about any additional touring plans.

Being fairly laidback and easygoing guys here at Radio Dupree we choose to end this post quoting Doris Day:

Que sera sera!

Zappa sideman Brock in Zappa/Bach project

Napoleon Murphy Brock, former lead singer in Frank Zappa's band, plans a project with music by Bach, Zappa, Hendrix, Miles Davis, Satie, Schubert and George Gershwin.

At least one concert is planned, at St. Katharinen Kirche in Hamburg, Germany on July 16. The ensemble includes Swedish pianist Mats Öberg. Rumours say that there may be a concert in Öberg's old hometown Umeå as well. Umeå is Cultural Capital of 2014 (along with Riga of Latvia).

Napoleon Murphy Brock.

Napoleon Murphy Brock was a member of Zappa's band between 1973 and 1976 as a vocalist, flutist, saxophone player and occasionally also as keyboard player.

http://www.arf-shop.zappanale.de/index.php?cPath=3_14

Oklahoma City third date on Steely Dan 2014 tour

The third and latest date added to the 2014 Steely Dan tour is Oklahoma City on July 21. Here's the list so far with the San Diego tickets going on sale tomorrow April 5!

Jul 17 San Diego CA - Humphrey's - Tickets on sale April 5
Jul 21 Oklahoma City, OK  - Chesapeake Energy Arena  - Tickets on sale April 11
Aug 8 Niagara Falls, NY - Seneca Events Center -  Tickets on sale April 25

steelydan.com
facebook.com/SteelyDan

New Gil Scott-Heron album for Record Store Day

Record Store Day on April 19 is approaching and with it more than 640 exclusive releases. Among them this vinyl only 3000 copies limited album recorded back in 2008 and featuring striped down versions of some of Gil's songs.

Second Steely Dan date for 2014 tour

A second date on the 2014 tour is out! August 8 will see Steely Dean playing The Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls, New York.
Ticketmaster start selling the tickets April 28. 

Radio Dupree Top 20 - April 2014

1. King Crimson - Formentera Lady
Islands

2. Bloomfield, Kooper, Stills - Albert's Shuffle
Super Session

3. Robert Fripp & The League of Gentlemen - Eye Needless
God Save the King

4. Yes - Does It Really Happen
Drama

5. Prefab Sprout - The Best Jewel Thief In The World
Crimson/Red

6. Jimi Hendrix - Message to Love
Live At Woodstock (2 CD)

7. Walter Becker - This Moody Bastard
11 Tracks Of Whack

8. David Bowie - Young Americans
Young Americans

9. David Bowie - The Bewlay Brothers
Hunky Dory

10. David Bowie - Rebel Rebel
David Live

11. Steely Dan - Slang Of Ages - Everything Must Go
12. Pink Floyd - The Great Gig in the Sky - Dark Side of the Moon
13. Steely Dan - Night By Night - Pretzel Logic
14. Yes - Turn of the Century - Going for the One
15. Frank Zappa - When No One Was No One - Guitar
16. Steely Dan - Charlie Freak - Pretzel Logic
17. Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia - Frevo Basgado - Friday Night in San Francisco
18. Deep Purple - Help - Shades of Deep Purple
19. Stevie Wonder - Creepin' - Fulfillingness First Finale
20. Supertramp - Rudy - Crime of the Century

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