Bill Allerton is dead. That was the impossibly sad news from our longtime mutual friend Colin Baker. I was in upstate New York, two days after my daughter’s wedding, and two weeks after both of my parents had died (they were old, long […]
For those interested in record and memorabilia collecting, here’s The Bob Lefsetz Podcast’s recent episode with Recordmecca’s Jeff Gold. In this wide ranging two-hour plus interview, Jeff talks about his record collecting origins, the early days at Rhino Records (he was the first employee,) working at A&M and Warner Bros. Records for legendary executives including […]
We’re happy to announce the release of the updated and revised edition of TOTAL CHAOS: The Story of The Stooges/As Told by Iggy Pop, by Recordmecca’s Jeff Gold. Signed copies are available from our friends at Arcana:Books on the Arts. Published by Jack White’s Third Man Books, the newly revised TOTAL CHAOS includes additional photos […]
Last week Mo Ostin died, at age 95. I was beyond lucky to work with Mo at Warner Bros. Records, the company he ran for 32 years, and wanted to share some memories of arguably the most important record executive ever, and the smartest person I ever met […]
Here’s a true piece of music history we’ve just listed: Janis Joplin’s first recording contract, with Mainstream Records, signed by Janis and her Big Brother and the Holding Company bandmates on September 13 1966. From On the Road With Janis Joplin by John Byrne Cooke: Big Brother was first approached by Bobby Shad, the owner […]
Here’s a remarkable Grateful Dead collectible we’ve just listed: a set of four 10″ 2-Track tapes from the mixing session of the ultra-rare Grateful Dead single, “Dark Star/Born Cross-Eyed,” with nearly two hours of unreleased–and very different–mixes. As Dead collectors know, this single (with picture […]
Here’s a handbill advertising arguably the most important shows in Bob Dylan’s long career; his two-week stand opening for The Greenbriar Boys at Gerde’s Folk City in Greenwich Village. The first of these shows, on September 26, 1961, resulted in a rave review in The New York Times—the first article ever written about Dylan—and his […]
@ Mojo. It’s an early 20th century word meaning “a magic charm, talisman, or spell.” Muddy Waters sang “Got my mojo working.” And mojo is exactly why I collect records that were owned by my favorite musicians. The music of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the Velvet Underground, the Grateful Dead and […]
Join me on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1:00 PM Pacific Time for a virtual launch event for my new book, Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s. Mark Ruffin of SiriusXM’s Real Jazz will be interviewing me, followed by a question and answer session. Signed books will be available. Register here. For more […]
We’ve just posted a 3 1/2 minute video ‘trailer’ for Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s, which will give you an excellent idea of what my new book looks like (more info here.) And here’s some more great pre-release reaction (see more in the previous post). Vivid and beautiful Los Angeles Times […]
It’s less than three weeks until the November 17 release of my new book, Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s, and some great early feedback is coming in. The book is based on a newly discovered archive of jazz club souvenir photographs and memorabilia. Many jazz clubs of the era had in-house […]
Jazz giant Charlie Parker was born August 29, 1920; one hundred years ago tomorrow. The worldwide celebrations marking his centennial show just how much of a mark he made on music in his short 34 years on the planet. Parker looms large in my forthcoming book, Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s […]
I’ve been meaning to write about the almost incomprehensible death of Hal Willner (of Covid-19 complications) since his passing on April 7, but to be honest, I couldn’t figure out what to say. There have been some high profile obituaries and tributes (just google his name). My wife just sent me Elvis Costello’s moving remembrance, […]
Hello everyone, I hope you’re all well, washing your hands frequently, and staying sane. I’ve been meaning to write about the proliferation of fake sealed records being offered on EBay, particularly ones with bogus “hype stickers”. Resealed records have always been a problem. In the 70’s, I was friendly with an employee at Tower Records […]
OK record nerds, time for more Hendrix pressing minutiae. For many decades, like most of the rest of the world (or at least Hendrix collectors) I accepted the conventional wisdom that the first pressing of Hendrix’s 1966 debut single, “Hey Joe/Stone Free” on UK Polydor had red labels and a black and white logo. Yes, […]
It’s been two weeks since Gary Stewart, my dear friend of 44 years, took his own life, and I’m still trying to process it. We met as teenage college students and music fanatics; I was a clerk at the Rhino Records Store in Westwood and Gary was an enthusiastic customer. He was a management trainee […]