Sonntag, 18. März 2018

Franz K. - Wir haben Bock auf Rock

Band history translated from Wikipedia:

In 1969, Franz K. was established by Mick Hannah (guitar, born 15 July 1951), Peter Josefus (bass, vocals, November 6, 1951, † 14 November 1997) and Stefan Josefus (drums, born 24 February 1947). First, the trio played blues and impressively covered blues-rock from bands like Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After – down to jazz/crossover. Initially they held gigs e.g. combined with local political cabaret of their roadie Manfred Günther, after 1970 they worked often together with lyricist Arnold Leifert. The style was in this period increasingly rocking up to hard rock.

In 1972 they released their first album "Sensemann", and thus belonged to the pioneers of German Rock. On this LP, there were only two tracks, each of 20 minutes length. In 1973 came the second album in less progressive vain in German. Both records sold poorly, however. In the next few years Franz K. released several singles. The breakthrough came in 1977 with the album "Bock auf Rock". In the years 1978 to 1983 the band released another six albums. Then it became quiet around the band and with producer Peter Orloff they moved into the pop field.

In 1997 Peter Josefus died of lung cancer. Mid 2000, his brother Stefan released the last recording with Peter "Nachts sind deine Küsse heiß" (Your kisses are hot at night) and put together a CD with pop songs from recent years. On a concert in December 2004 in the sold-out "Zeche Bochum" Mick Hannes and Stefan Josefus played together for the first time in over 20 years. The appearence, in which only six songs were played, was held at the event "Rock for animals". In fall 2008, SPV published a double CD with the two LPs "Bock auf Rock" and "Geh zum Teufel". In the summer of 2009, Franz K. started a comeback. In September 2009, their new album "Mehr Respekt" was published. The 2010 released single "Die Gute" is the only German version authorized by Steve Miller of his world hit "The Joker". A big party for old friends was the open-air concert in their home town Witten-Annen in July 2010.

Line Up 2010: Stefan Josefus (drums), Mick Hannah (guitar), Michael "Momo" Grimm (bass, vocals), Klaus Vanscheidt (guitar), Tim Husung (drums, percussion).

Tracklist:

A1Wir haben Bock auf Rock4:36
A2Bye bye, Johnny4:30
A3Eh, Mann!3:55
A4Der König4:15
B1Tiger4:05
B2Halt mich fest3:25
B3Halt mich fest, Teil II (Boogie)5:10
B4Condor (Instrumental)4:12

Franz K. - Wir haben Bock auf Rock
(ca. 256 kbps, cover art included)

Samstag, 17. März 2018

Tom Robinson Band - The Winter Of 89

This album was recorded live in 1990 by a re-formed version of the band without either Dolphin Taylor, who was playing with STIFF LITTLE FINGERS at the time or Charlie Morgan who was playing with ELTON JOHN. Basic tracks recorded at Central TV Studios for the Bedrock programme, which has subsequently been released on DVD. Studio post production by Tom.

"Motorway - Live In Concert" is a pirate version of 'The Winter of 89' thanks to an unscrupulous record company called Merlin exploiting a loophole in EU law. Having licensed the album for £3000 they sold it on to other dodgy record companies around the world. The album has now been pirated variously under the titles 'Motorway', '2-4-6-8 Motorway' and even (incredibly) 'Power In The Darkness' using different covers, crap photographs and duff or nonexistent liner notes. In some cases even the song titles have been altered. The band receive no royalties from sales of these albums.

Artists:
TR(bs), Danny Kustow (gtr), Mark Ambler(kyb), Steve Creese (drs) EXCEPT tracks 11 and 12 which feature Paul Harvey (gtr) Winston Blisset (bs) James McMillan (tpt) Mark Ramsden (sax) and on Track 12 Steve Laurie (dr)

Tracklist:
1. Number One: Protection
2. The Winter Of '89
3. You Gotta Survive
4. Too Good To Be True
5. Martin
6. We Didn't Know What Was Going On
7. Up Against The Wall
8. Glad To Be Gay
9. Power In The Darkness
10. 2-4-6-8 Motorway
11. Atmospherics: Listen to the Radio
12. War Baby

Tom Robinson Band - The Winter Of 89
(256 kbps, front cover & alternative covers included)

Freitag, 9. März 2018

David Bowie in Bertolt Brecht´s "Baal" (1982) - Rest in peace!

Baal is an EP by David Bowie, comprising recordings of songs written for Bertolt Brecht’s play Baal. It is also referred to as David Bowie in Bertolt Brecht’s Baal, as credited on the sleeve.

In August 1981, Bowie had begun rehearsals to appear in the BBC version of Baal. The lyrics to the songs were all translated by Ralph Manheim and John Willett. Dominic Muldowney provided all new musical settings, except for "The Drowned Girl", which was a setting by Kurt Weill done originally for Das Berliner Requiem.
In September 1981, Bowie and Tony Viscontireturned to the Hansa studios in Berlin to re-record the five songs Baal performed in the play.

“Baal’s Hymn” is a combination of the vignettes spread throughout the play, and establishes Baal’s amoral character. “Remembering Marie A” concerns Baal’s reminiscences of a past conquest, where he can remember a cloud drifting overhead, but not the face of the girl he was with. “Ballad of the Adventurers” is Baal’s aggressive lament to the death of his mother. “The Drowned Girl” relates the suicide of one of Baal’s conquests – a video clip for this song was shot by David Mallet at the same time as the one for “Wild is the Wind”. “The Dirty Song” is a short number, with Baal humiliating his lover Sophie.

His performance as Baal was transmitted on February 2, 1982, and RCA issued the EP to coincide with this. Both the play and EP were well received, with the latter reaching #29 in the UK chart, commendable considering the unconventional tracks. As well as the 7" edition (which came packaged in a double gatefold sleeve containing extensive notes pertaining to the musical content and a short biography of Bertolt Brecht) the EP was released as a 12" which gained it some play in clubs as well as radio airplay.


Tracks:

A1) Baal's Hymn
A2) Remembering Marie A
B1) Ballad Of The Adventurers
B2) The Drowned Girl
B3) Dirty Song

David Bowie in Bertolt Brecht´s "Baal" (1982)
(320 kbps, cover art included)


Mittwoch, 7. März 2018

Paul Robeson - Spirituals (1945)

Born on April 9, 1898, in Princeton, New Jersey, Paul Robeson went on to become a stellar athlete and performing artist. He starred in both stage and film versions of The Emperor Jones and Show Boat, and established an immensely popular screen and singing career of international proportions. Robeson spoke out against racism and became a world activist, yet was blacklisted during the paranoia of McCarthyism in the 1950s. He died in Pennsylvania in 1976.

When he was 17, Robeson earned a scholarship to attend Rutgers University, the third African American to do so, and became one of the institution's most stellar students. He received top honors for his debate and oratory skills, won 15 letters in four varsity sports, was elected Phi Beta Kappa and became his class valedictorian.

Increasing political awareness impelled Robeson to visit the Soviet Union in 1934, and from that year he became increasingly identified with strong left-wing commitments, while continuing his success in concerts, recordings, and theatre. In 1950 the U.S. State Department withdrew his passport because he refused to sign an affidavit disclaiming membership in the Communist Party. In the following years he was virtually ostracized for his political views, although in 1958 the Supreme Court overturned the affidavit ruling. Robeson then left the United States to live in Europe and travel in countries of the Soviet bloc, but he returned to the United States in 1963 because of ill health.

Robeson appeared in a number of films, including Sanders of the River(1935), Show Boat (1936), Song of Freedom (1936), and The Proud Valley (1940). His autobiography, Here I Stand, was published in 1958.
Tracklist:

Go Down Moses2:44
Balm In Gilead2:13
By An' By2:29
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child2:31
John Henry2:27
Water Boy2:30
Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen2:41
Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho1:53
 
Paul Robeson - Spirituals (1945)   
(320 kbps, cover art included)               

Samstag, 3. März 2018

Doc Watson - Southbound (1966)

"Southbound" is the second studio album by the American folk music artist Doc Watson, released in 1966.

"Southbound" was a pivotal record for Doc Watson. Upon its 1966 release, it demonstrated that Watson was capable of more than just dazzling interpretations of folk songs, but that he could also write excellent original material and rework new country songs in a fascinating manner.

"Southbound" also marked the recorded debut of Merle Watson, Doc's astonishingly talented son.               

Tracklist:

A1Walk On Boy3:19
A2Blue Railroad Train2:41
A3Sweet Georgia Brown1:52
A4Alberta2:40
A5Southbound2:44
A6Windy And Warm2:11
A7Call Of The Road2:16
B1Tennesse Stud3:33
B2That Was The Last Thing On My Mind2:44
B3Little Darling Pal Of Mine2:40
B4Nothing To It2:00
B5Riddle Song2:34
B6Never No More Blues3:09
B7Nashville Pickin'1:50

Doc Watson - Southbound (1966)
(192 kbps, cover art inlcuded)