Raven - Raven (1969 us psychedelic/blues rock, 2004 reissue - MP3 320K and FLAC)

Raven was first discovered internationally by then Beatle, "the late George Harrison." In 1968, Harrison was sent a live tape recording ("Live at the Inferno") of the band by Raven's personal manager, Marty Angelo.

Harrison liked the tape and sent a telegram to Angelo expressing his desire to produce Raven for the Beatles newly formed record label, Apple Records.

Harrison's interest in Raven is mentioned in a Beatles' tell-all book entitled, The Longest Cocktail Party. Angelo writes more about his experiences with Harrison and Apple Records in his book, Once Life Matters: A New Beginning.
Raven eventually moved from Buffalo to New York City in 1968 and became the house band at Steve Paul's Scene.

They also made appearances in numerous venues throughout the Manhattan area such as:

Bill Graham's Fillmore East, appearing with Procol Harum and The Byrds.

Andy Warhol’s and Lou Reed's legendary Electric Circus appearing with the Chambers Brothers and free speech and anti-war activists, Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin.

Weisglass Stadium appearing with The Rascals, Savoy Brown, and Albert King.

The Singer Bowl Music Festival appearing with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Muddy Waters.

Hunter College appearing with Chuck Berry and Terry Reid.

Village Inn - appearing with Spooky Tooth.

Steve Paul's Scene - various appearances.

The Revolution - appearing with Jethro Tull.

Ungano's Nightclub - various appearances.

Woodstock Sound Festival - Woodstock NY.

Producer/Songwriter David Lucas - helped Raven in its initial quest to secure a major recording contract.

Lucas produced a recording session at A & R Studios in New York City with the newly formed Raven in 1968. The tape from that session later helped Raven secure a recording contract with Columbia Records.

Raven's New York music attorney Miles Laurie represented many successful people in the entertainment industry, including artists such as Ray Charles and Barry Manilow.

Before Raven signed a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1969, Laurie set up a special meeting with Michael Lang, one of the co-founders of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. Lang wanted to produce Raven and offered the band a spot on his upcoming music festival but only if they first signed a production contract with him.

Raven quickly turned Lang's offer down. The band felt they had a very good reason.

Raven had played at the "Woodstock Sound Festival" in 1968 in Woodstock, New York. Raven was one of the only electric bands on the bill.

The organizers of 1968 "Woodstock Sound Festival" made Raven wait until the very last minute of the festival before they were allowed to perform. Once Raven hit the stage, they were booed and disrespected by the strictly folk-music oriented audience.

Raven members felt it was not worth signing a production contract with Lang just to be a part of his upcoming ’69 music festival.

Raven became so popular amongst established musicians that even English bands coming to the United States asked for Raven to open their shows. Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull were two such groups.

Led Zeppelin's lead guitar player, Jimmy Page stated after a gig they did together in Boston, "Raven's John Weitz is one of the best guitar players in the world."

Raven also turned down an offer from producer Lewis Merenstein, famous for his work with Van Morrison. Merenstein eventually hired original Raven members, pianist "the late Stan Szelest," guitarist Ernie Corallo, and percussionist Sandy Konikoff for his production of Garland Jeffery's album, Grinders Switch.

Columbia Records' distinguished producer, John Hill was influential in signing Raven to a recording contract. Hill took a special interest in the band and produced their first and only album for Columbia.

Raven did record extra songs during their production sessions with Hill. However, those songs were never released because the group disbanded before a second album could be completed.

Ira Blacker, a popular booking agent working for Associated Booking Corporation and attorney Miles Lourie, also helped solidify Raven's deal with Columbia Records.

"The late Bill Graham" (Fillmore East) and Steve Paul (The Scene) played a special role by believing in and booking live appearances of Raven before they even had a major recording contract.

Raven toured England in 1969 and performed at Lyceum Ballroom, Marquee Club, Roundhouse, Bath Pavilion, and various concert halls.

The band split up in late 1970 due to personal reasons, walking away from five-year contracts with manager Marty Angelo, Associated Booking Corporation and Columbia Records.

Angelo did make one last-ditch attempt to keep Raven together. He was not willing to accept the fact that such an outstanding group of musicians were disbanding because they could no longer personally get along.

Thinking that making more money might solve Raven's problem, Angelo negotiated a highly lucrative production agreement with "the late Tony Stratton-Smith".

Smith was the creator and chairman of the board of Charisma Records, one of the most influential independent record labels in England. Unfortunately it was too late, Raven members turned down Smith's offer to instead pursue individual careers.

Raven - Neighbor, Neighbor


Track list:
01. Feelin' Good (02:52)
02. Neighbor, Neighbor (04:27)
03. Green Mountain Dream (04:36)
04. No Turning Back (03:34)
05. Let's Eat (05:46)
06. Howlin' For My Baby (04:36)
07. Frumpy (03:06)
08. None Of Your Jive (03:32)
09. Bad News (10:00)

Raven:
*John Weitz - guitar
*Tony Salla - vocals and harp
*James Frank Calire - keyboards and vocals
*Gary Mallaber - drums
*Thomas J. Calandra - bass

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Rebecca Black's Friday Lyrics Deeper Meaning Revealed

I'm sure you all are aware of the you tube sensation sung by Rebecca Black called "Friday".  It has this catchy tune and repetitive lyrics that makes you have LSS (Last Song Syndrome) about it.

If you think it's just a simple song, well watch this video and decide if its convincingly funny=)

P65 instead of P170 for Groupon Movie Night on June 3, 2011 at Glorietta 4 Cinema 2

Can't believe I just missed a 65 php deal for a movie ticket of X-men: 1st class at Glorietta 4.  The deal was sold out before I even realized.  Are you one of the lucky 300 who was able to purchase?

Click to see deal

Pockie Ninja How to get more Money

Need more money (Stone) on Pockie Ninja Game? This is several ways to get money and make you rich on Pockie Ninja Game...

1. Iron ore Quest
One of the key factors to my success with synthing items and not worrying about the cost at high synth times, is doing [REWARD QUESTS] for [IRON ORE]. This quest gives you roughly 2000-3000 stone, per quest. Only usually costing you 400-500 total stone to

5th TAGCOM Toys & Hobbies Convention

There was a 3-day event held at Robinson's Midtown Atrium, Ermita, Manila from May 20-22, 2011.  My brother went on the first day to buy collectible toys.  During the first day, only racks of toys were displayed and no other events were held.  

We had the chance to pass by last Sunday May 22.   Admission was FREE.  The place was swarming.  There were many cosplayers and fans.  There were were many audience too.  Not only in the ground floor but for the second and third floors.  Too bad we couldn't stay for long=(

5th TAGCOM Toys & Hobbies Convention
May 20-22, 2011
Robinsons Manila Midtown Atrium
Ermita, Manila
10:00 am – 9:00 pm

Shawn Phillips - Contribution/Second Contribution (1970 us, psychedelic/progressive folk with remarkable falsetto, 2009 remaster - MP3 320k and FLAC)

Shawn Phillips shares with Tim Buckley and Van Morrison the passion for black music and a constant innovation in vocal techniques.

Texas-born, Phillips began his career as a folk-singer in California, where he recorded his early albums Favourite Things - I'm a Loner (Columbia, 1965), that included only three original compositions, and First Impressions (Columbia, 1966), which was a little bolder but basically also in the tradition of the New York folksinger. After living in England and Paris, Phillips settled in Italy. Sessions with Steve Winwood, Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi of the Traffic yielded the material for Contribution (A&M, 1970), a much more original work.

First of all, the material was entirely composed by Phillips. Second, it included three lengthy songs (L Ballad, Withered Roses, Screamer For Phlyses) that looked more like jams. Third, Phillips mixed folk, rock, psychedelia, jazz, classical and Indian music. The opening Man Hole Covered Wagon was the only conventional song. Withered Roses was closer to a raga than to a ballad. L Ballade was virtually a classical sonata.

The pieces on Second Contribution (1970) were even more abstract, free-form, disjointed. Phillips was no longer restrained in his innovative use of the guitar and the sitar, and was even self-indulgent in his display of his three-octave vocal range. Orchestral arrangements by Paul Buckmaster enhanced the magic. The impressionistic power of Steel Eyes, The Ballad Of Casey Deiss (vibraphone, horns), Song For Sagittarians and She Was Waitin' For Her Mother was unique.

Original Vinyl Album Liner Notes The Shawn Phillips music.
Kaleidoscopic and organic. Flowing. Living for a time. Incorporating every musical style from Bulgarian to quarter tone to African. But going its own way.

Fulfilling one of the prerequisites of art -- It doesn't leave you feeling quite the same. "If I had to describe my music in a few words, I would say it's about freedom -- the frequency of intensity that any individual being feels in a moment of unselfish experience."

"I'm trying to take a musical sound heard by the ear -- and then take the sound which continues from the ear to the mind -- and try and paraphrase that sound through electronics." "I believe every bit of the music I play is within each individual already." "My music is an attempt to move the inner self, in each individual who listens to it. I've tried to cover the beauty and the ugliness."

"It takes a musician to translate it from the mind into the mechanical." "I want everyone who hears my music to experience the sadness, perplexity, the great thoughts, the grave thoughts, the joy, the freedom, the fullness of the experiences I've had, which in turn, were expressed to create the music."

"Some of my music tries to create a crisis in the mind of the individual who listens to it, and leave it to him to resolve it ... it requires both intellectual and emotional response -- the two tied together." "In Mexico with Donovan -- my music began to come out. I threw off all the crap and I played with twice the energy and drive I ever had before. It was funny. I just suddenly came into harmony with all things."

"I'm in Italy standing on the outside looking in. But I'm not in a hermitage." "No -- not a hermitage. But right in the middle of everything that's happening." "It's all created for people." "As my self arrived at harmony -- I don't like the word spiritual, but I guess that's what it is -- my music arrived there too.

When I recorded the album, I told the musicians: I'm a man. I've created this much. You're men. I want you to put what you feel to it."


Tracks
Contribution
1. Man Hole Covered Wagon - 4:34
2. L Ballade - 6:47
3. Not Quite Nonsense - 1:45
4. No Question - 3:37
5. Withered Roses - 8:18
6. For JFK RFK & MLK - 4:54
7. Lovely Lady - 4:56
8. Screamer for Phlyses - 6:09
Second Contribution
9. She Was Waiting for Her Mother at the Station in Torino ... - 4:54
10. Keep On - 3:21
11. Sleepwalker - 1:32
12. Song for Mr. C - 3:49
13. Ballad of Casey Deiss - 6:12
14. Song for Sagittarians - 3:43
15. Lookin' Up Lookin' Down - 3:55
16. Remedial Interruption - 1:56
17. Whazz At - 1:56
18. Schmaltz Waltz - 1:44
19. F Sharp Splendor (Paul Buckmaster) - 0:36
20. Steel Eyes - 4:18
All titles written by Shawn Phillips except where noted.

Musicians
-Contribution
*Paul Buckmaster - Keyboards
*Jim Capaldi - Drums
*Candy John Carr - Drums
*Jimmy Coff - Percussion
*Adrian Gaye - Guitar
*Remi Kabaka - Percussion
*Chris Mercer - Saxophone
*Mox - Harmonica
*Shawn Phillips - Guitar, Sitar, Vocals
*Peter Robinson - Percussion, Keyboards
*Mick Weaver - Keyboards
*Steve Winwood - Keyboards
*Chris Wood - Wind
-Second Contribution
*Paul Buckmaster - Keyboards, Orchestral Arrangements
*Harvey Burns - Guitar
*Anello Capuano - Guitar
*Jim Cregan - Guitar
*Barry Dean - Bass, Guitar
*Ann Odell - Keyboards
*Brian Odgers - Bass
*Shawn Phillips - Guitar, Sitar, Vocals
*Peter Robinson - Percussion, Keyboards
*Bruce Rowland - Drums
*Jerry Salisbury - Horn

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Savoy Brown - Raw Sierra (1969 uk blues rock blended jazz and boogie rock - MP3 320K and FLAC)

With the release of their fifth album, Savoy Brown starts hitting their stride. Raw Sienna is the first of three masterpieces in a row for Kim Simmonds and company, as well as Chris Youlden's finest hour with the band. (So fine, in fact, that he would leave the band soon after for his own solo career.)

He and Kim would continue their experiments, begun on the previous album A Step Furthur, with horns and orchestration, and thus continue to expand the vocabulary of blues/rock.

Some tracks, such as "Needle and Spoon," swing as well as any produced by jazzman Dave Brubeck, with intense lyrics that undercut the nonstop groove with pain. (Does anyone out there really think this is a prodrug song? Listen again: "You married to H, you know you married for life!")

"Hard Way to Go" and "A Little More Wine" would deservedly become concert staples, while "Stay While the Night is Young" finds Youlden at his most romantic and tender.

Kim was also beginning to compose some of the most eloquent instrumentals in rock: "That Same Feelin'" continues the 1960's-adventure-movie-soundtrack feel of "Waiting in the Bamboo Grove" from A Step Furthur, while "Is That So" foreshadows the deep introspection of Savoy's next masterpiece, Looking In.

Most bands would be lucky to have one album half as good as Raw Sienna; the fact that Savoy Brown climbed so many peaks in their illustrious career shows the desire and the determination of leader Kim Simmonds to constantly reinvent and challange both himself and his fellow musicians (by Chris Meesey Food Czar).

That Same Feelin':


Track List:
01.A Hard Way to Go
02.That Same Feelin'
03.Master Hare
04.Needle and Spoon
05.A Little More Wine
06.I'm Crying
07.Stay While the Night Is Young
08.Is That So
09.When I Was a Young Boy

Personnel:
*Chris Youlden (vocals, guitar)
*Kim Simmonds (guitar, piano)
*Tone Stevens (electric bass)
*Roger Earl (drums)


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