Presse - Teil 1 - HEAVY KRAUT! -Wie der Hardrock nach Deutschland kam 1970 - 1976 (2-CD)- Medien-info
Die zweiteilige CD-Dokumentation von Bear Family Records® auf insgesamt 4 CDs mit jeweils einem etwa 96-seitigen illustrierten Begleitbuch beschreibt tiefgründig die Anfänge des Hard Rock in unserem Land, die Versuche von Bands, Musikern, Produzenten und Plattenfirmen, einen eigenen Weg zu gehen, der schließlich mit den Scorpions oder Rammstein Rockmusik aus Deutschland auf die Weltkarte des Genres brachte.
Die zweiteilige CD-Dokumentation von Bear Family Records® auf insgesamt 4 CDs mit jeweils einem etwa 96-seitigen illustrierten Begleitbuch beschreibt tiefgründig die Anfänge des Hard Rock in unserem Land, die Versuche von Bands, Musikern, Produzenten und Plattenfirmen, einen eigenen Weg zu gehen, der schließlich mit den Scorpions oder Rammstein Rockmusik aus Deutschland auf die Weltkarte des Genres brachte.
Exzellentes Reissue
Strange Pleasure, Jimmie Vaughans meisterhafte erste Soloplatte nach dem Ende der Fabulous Thunderbirds, teilt das Schicksal so vieler Alben aus den 90s, Sie ist selten, und wer ein Exemplar der ursprüinglich 1994 erschienenen LP haben möchte, muss clafiir heute tief in die Tasche greifen. Der Discogs-Schnitt betragt 87 Euro, der Preis der aktuell tatsachlich angebotenen Exemplare liegt weit darüber.
Abhilfe schafft die exzellente Reissue auf dem Label Bear Family, das Strange Pleasure zum ersten Mal überhaupt in einer nummerierten Auflage von 1.500 Stuck wieder in die Laden bringt.
Im Gegensatz zum Original auf Epic hat das auf Wiederveroffentlichungen spezialisierte deutsche Indielabel die Songs auf vier LP-Seiten verteilt, setzt auf 45 Umdrehungen pro Minute und macht den einst von Nile Rodgers eingerichteten und von Bob Ludwig bei Gateway Mastering in Portland perfekt ausbalancierten Klassiker damit zu einem wahren Hörgenuss. Auch die Pressqualitat der beiden schweren LPs lasst keine Wünsche offen und tragt dazu bei, dass die an Lightnin' Hopkins und Albert Collins geschulten Licks in Songs wie Just Like Putty überwältigend klingen. Die Höhepunkte unter ausnahmslos grossartigem Material setzen das akustische Six Strings Down und Love The World, das Vaughan gemeinsam mit Dr. John geschrieben hat, der auch als Gastmusiker an Piano und Bass mit von der Partie ist... (Phillipp Schmatloch - Mint Magazin 11/23)
Strange Pleasure, Jimmie Vaughans meisterhafte erste Soloplatte nach dem Ende der Fabulous Thunderbirds, teilt das Schicksal so vieler Alben aus den 90s, Sie ist selten, und wer ein Exemplar der ursprüinglich 1994 erschienenen LP haben möchte, muss clafiir heute tief in die Tasche greifen. Der Discogs-Schnitt betragt 87 Euro, der Preis der aktuell tatsachlich angebotenen Exemplare liegt weit darüber.
Abhilfe schafft die exzellente Reissue auf dem Label Bear Family, das Strange Pleasure zum ersten Mal überhaupt in einer nummerierten Auflage von 1.500 Stuck wieder in die Laden bringt.
Im Gegensatz zum Original auf Epic hat das auf Wiederveroffentlichungen spezialisierte deutsche Indielabel die Songs auf vier LP-Seiten verteilt, setzt auf 45 Umdrehungen pro Minute und macht den einst von Nile Rodgers eingerichteten und von Bob Ludwig bei Gateway Mastering in Portland perfekt ausbalancierten Klassiker damit zu einem wahren Hörgenuss. Auch die Pressqualitat der beiden schweren LPs lasst keine Wünsche offen und tragt dazu bei, dass die an Lightnin' Hopkins und Albert Collins geschulten Licks in Songs wie Just Like Putty überwältigend klingen. Die Höhepunkte unter ausnahmslos grossartigem Material setzen das akustische Six Strings Down und Love The World, das Vaughan gemeinsam mit Dr. John geschrieben hat, der auch als Gastmusiker an Piano und Bass mit von der Partie ist... (Phillipp Schmatloch - Mint Magazin 11/23)
Beinahe zwanzig Jahre später bringen „Bear Family Records“ dieses kleine, längst verschollen geglaubte Juwel frisch gemastert als hochwertiges 180g-Vinyl heraus. Dabei überraschen Richard Kersten (Gitarren, Gesang) und Marcus Darius Ghoreischian (Schlagzeug) samt ihren Mitmusikern Robby Matthes (Bass, Gesang), Glenn Turner (Gitarren, Gesang) sowie Frederik Faint (Keyboards) mit einem klaren Sound, der natürlich ihr eigenes Charisma, ihren eigenen Gitarrenklang und Gesang offenbart, aber dennoch unverkennbar den Spirit der BEATLES am Leben hält. Mal schaut der Rock oder Pop, ein anderes Mal der Beat und die Psychedelia hervor.
Man muss es hören, um es zu glauben: 2006 nur für private Zwecke auf CD veröffentlicht, erscheint das Werk nun erstmals auf exquisit klingendem Vinyl und schließt die Lücke zwischen Oasis und The Analogues, wenn es sie denn je gab, auf beeindruckende Weise. Ein Geniestreich! INGO SCHEEL
Major record companies like Sony’s Legacy, UMI, and Warner’s Rhino have all produced great box sets, but nobody can match the ones from Germany’s Bear Family label, which has been turning out meticulously researched, beautifully packaged, anVault archaeology doesn’t get any better than this. Offering 472 tracks on 16 discs, plus a massive hardcover book stuffed with fascinating details, R&B in D.C. (1940-1960) delivers what its title promises, documenting so many roots and branches of the musical scene in the nation’s capital that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by this massive, beautifully executed project. But don’t be intimidated. Dive in anywhere to discover exciting performers, from a handful of stars to scads of lesser-knowns, and note the surprisingly good sound, despite many songs being dubbed from disc in the absence of master tapes.d mindbogglingly comprehensive anthologies for nearly half a century.
The latest, R&B in DC: 1940–1960, is a case in point. Featuring 472 songs on 16 CDs, this numbered, limited-edition box brilliantly evokes the rhythm and blues scene in Washington, D.C., over two decades. It comes with a 352-page, LP-sized hardcover book that contains well-informed essays about the music, the artists, the record labels, the radio stations, and the clubs as well as notes about every song, a bibliography, a ton of rare period photos, and more.
Compiling the material for the coffee-table book reportedly took about seven years, and one can only imagine what must have been required to track down, license, and restore all this old music, much of which was rescued from extremely rare 78 and 45 rpm records. The list of acknowledgments to researchers, DJs, collectors, record dealers, and others is understandably long.
The latest, R&B in DC: 1940–1960, is a case in point. Featuring 472 songs on 16 CDs, this numbered, limited-edition box brilliantly evokes the rhythm and blues scene in Washington, D.C., over two decades. It comes with a 352-page, LP-sized hardcover book that contains well-informed essays about the music, the artists, the record labels, the radio stations, and the clubs as well as notes about every song, a bibliography, a ton of rare period photos, and more.
Compiling the material for the coffee-table book reportedly took about seven years, and one can only imagine what must have been required to track down, license, and restore all this old music, much of which was rescued from extremely rare 78 and 45 rpm records. The list of acknowledgments to researchers, DJs, collectors, record dealers, and others is understandably long.
Various - History R&B in DC 1940-1960 - Rhythm & Blues, Doo Wop, Rockin’ Rhythm and more… The Washington Post
When we listen to a recording of an old song — say, the D.C. nightclub semi-fixture Eva Foster singing “You’ll Never Know” roughly 68 years ago — something excellent happens: the air that surrounds us shakes the same way it shook in 1953. Is there anything else like it? Old music might plunge our imaginations into the past, but more tangibly, it changes the physical reality directly outside of our heads. Listening to an old song isn’t a revisitation. It’s a material reenactment. Then happens now.
A sweeping and scrupulous new boxed-set, “R&B in DC 1940-60,” does this little trick 472 times. Compiled and produced by music historian, DJ and record collector Jay Bruder, and released by the German label Bear Family Records, the set features more than 20 hours of blues, doo-wop, jazz, classic R&B, proto-rock-and-roll and other hybrid styles of Black dance music made in Washington decades ago, conjuring the sound of a largely vanished city in startling detail.
The “R&B in DC 1940-1960” box set features more than 20 hours of tunes. (Bear Family Records)
How startling? “Beyond painstaking” probably sells Bruder short. The 352-page coffee table tome anchoring this set examines the scene on a granular level, with Bruder chasing down every scrap of lore until the trail fades into the mist of unknowability. Having scoured old newspaper clips, copyright records, studio and label paperwork, Yellow Pages advertisements and more, he maps out a teeming network of high schools, churches, nightclubs, recording studios, record labels, radio stations and television programs that made this scene pulse for two decades.
When we listen to a recording of an old song — say, the D.C. nightclub semi-fixture Eva Foster singing “You’ll Never Know” roughly 68 years ago — something excellent happens: the air that surrounds us shakes the same way it shook in 1953. Is there anything else like it? Old music might plunge our imaginations into the past, but more tangibly, it changes the physical reality directly outside of our heads. Listening to an old song isn’t a revisitation. It’s a material reenactment. Then happens now.
A sweeping and scrupulous new boxed-set, “R&B in DC 1940-60,” does this little trick 472 times. Compiled and produced by music historian, DJ and record collector Jay Bruder, and released by the German label Bear Family Records, the set features more than 20 hours of blues, doo-wop, jazz, classic R&B, proto-rock-and-roll and other hybrid styles of Black dance music made in Washington decades ago, conjuring the sound of a largely vanished city in startling detail.
The “R&B in DC 1940-1960” box set features more than 20 hours of tunes. (Bear Family Records)
How startling? “Beyond painstaking” probably sells Bruder short. The 352-page coffee table tome anchoring this set examines the scene on a granular level, with Bruder chasing down every scrap of lore until the trail fades into the mist of unknowability. Having scoured old newspaper clips, copyright records, studio and label paperwork, Yellow Pages advertisements and more, he maps out a teeming network of high schools, churches, nightclubs, recording studios, record labels, radio stations and television programs that made this scene pulse for two decades.
Major record companies like Sony’s Legacy, UMI, and Warner’s Rhino have all produced great box sets, but nobody can match the ones from Germany’s Bear Family label, which has been turning out meticulously researched, beautifully packaged, and mindbogglingly comprehensive anthologies for nearly half a century.
The latest, R&B in DC: 1940–1960, is a case in point. Featuring 472 songs on 16 CDs, this numbered, limited-edition box brilliantly evokes the rhythm and blues scene in Washington, D.C., over two decades. It comes with a 352-page, LP-sized hardcover book that contains well-informed essays about the music, the artists, the record labels, the radio stations, and the clubs as well as notes about every song, a bibliography, a ton of rare period photos, and more.
Compiling the material for the coffee-table book reportedly took about seven years, and one can only imagine what must have been required to track down, license, and restore all this old music, much of which was rescued from extremely rare 78 and 45 rpm records. The list of acknowledgments to researchers, DJs, collectors, record dealers, and others is understandably long.
The latest, R&B in DC: 1940–1960, is a case in point. Featuring 472 songs on 16 CDs, this numbered, limited-edition box brilliantly evokes the rhythm and blues scene in Washington, D.C., over two decades. It comes with a 352-page, LP-sized hardcover book that contains well-informed essays about the music, the artists, the record labels, the radio stations, and the clubs as well as notes about every song, a bibliography, a ton of rare period photos, and more.
Compiling the material for the coffee-table book reportedly took about seven years, and one can only imagine what must have been required to track down, license, and restore all this old music, much of which was rescued from extremely rare 78 and 45 rpm records. The list of acknowledgments to researchers, DJs, collectors, record dealers, and others is understandably long.
Various - History R&B in DC 1940-1960 - Rhythm & Blues, Doo Wop, Rockin’ Rhythm and more… HE SECOND DISC
Various Artists, R&B in DC: 1940-1960 (Bear Family)
R&B in D.C. 1940-1960 is Bear Family’s latest treasure trove: a 16-CD box set comprehensively surveying two decades of American regional music as only Bear Family can – with 472 tracks (that’s around 20 hours of music!) and a 352-page hardcover book. It spotlights the early days of future marquee artists including Marvin Gaye, Billy Stewart, and Don Covay (all of whom spent their early days on the D.C. scene) as well as dozens of artists who never broke out beyond local stages but are nonetheless worthy of rediscovery. The box is a snapshot of the many sounds percolating in broader American culture during those years – not just “R&B” per se but swing, doo-wop, rock-and-roll, and soul, too. Master tapes have been utilized when possible (including the 1951 RCA Victor sessions by Tribble, Frank Motley, The Heartbreakers, and Jimmy McPhail) but hundreds of recordings for which no master tapes survive have been transferred and restored by Doug Pomeroy especially for this release. This one-of-a-kind set is limited to just 1,500 copies worldwide. Click here for the full track listing.
Various Artists, R&B in DC: 1940-1960 (Bear Family)
R&B in D.C. 1940-1960 is Bear Family’s latest treasure trove: a 16-CD box set comprehensively surveying two decades of American regional music as only Bear Family can – with 472 tracks (that’s around 20 hours of music!) and a 352-page hardcover book. It spotlights the early days of future marquee artists including Marvin Gaye, Billy Stewart, and Don Covay (all of whom spent their early days on the D.C. scene) as well as dozens of artists who never broke out beyond local stages but are nonetheless worthy of rediscovery. The box is a snapshot of the many sounds percolating in broader American culture during those years – not just “R&B” per se but swing, doo-wop, rock-and-roll, and soul, too. Master tapes have been utilized when possible (including the 1951 RCA Victor sessions by Tribble, Frank Motley, The Heartbreakers, and Jimmy McPhail) but hundreds of recordings for which no master tapes survive have been transferred and restored by Doug Pomeroy especially for this release. This one-of-a-kind set is limited to just 1,500 copies worldwide. Click here for the full track listing.
Various - History R&B in DC 1940-1960 - Rhythm & Blues, Doo Wop, Rockin’ Rhythm and more… No Depression
THE READING ROOM: Box Set’s Book and CDs Explore Washington, DC’s R&B HistoryWhen we think about R&B and soul, Muscle Shoals, Memphis, Detroit, and Philadelphia come immediately to mind as the homes of the sweet grooves that filled dance floors and clubs. The records of William Bell, Carla Thomas, Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Billy Paul, and The Spinners, among many others, stayed at the top of the charts in the ’60s and ’70s, each single or album defining an evolving sound identified with the particular city in which the music was recorded at now-iconic studios.Washington, DC, doesn’t come to mind as readily, though, when we think about soul music and the rise of R&B. While Washington had its stars, such as Don Covay, Marvin Gaye, The Clovers, and Van McCoy, their success came after they had left DC and were associated with other labels in other cities. A monumental new book by music researcher and radio host Jay Bruder — with editorial assistance from John Broven (author of Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans), Dan Kochakian (contributor and editor at Blues and Rhythm magazine), Colin Escott (author of Hank Williams: The Biography), and longtime Washington-area DJ and radio program director Dick Lillard — corrects this oversight.
THE READING ROOM: Box Set’s Book and CDs Explore Washington, DC’s R&B HistoryWhen we think about R&B and soul, Muscle Shoals, Memphis, Detroit, and Philadelphia come immediately to mind as the homes of the sweet grooves that filled dance floors and clubs. The records of William Bell, Carla Thomas, Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Billy Paul, and The Spinners, among many others, stayed at the top of the charts in the ’60s and ’70s, each single or album defining an evolving sound identified with the particular city in which the music was recorded at now-iconic studios.Washington, DC, doesn’t come to mind as readily, though, when we think about soul music and the rise of R&B. While Washington had its stars, such as Don Covay, Marvin Gaye, The Clovers, and Van McCoy, their success came after they had left DC and were associated with other labels in other cities. A monumental new book by music researcher and radio host Jay Bruder — with editorial assistance from John Broven (author of Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans), Dan Kochakian (contributor and editor at Blues and Rhythm magazine), Colin Escott (author of Hank Williams: The Biography), and longtime Washington-area DJ and radio program director Dick Lillard — corrects this oversight.
Various - History R&B in DC 1940-1960 - Rhythm & Blues, Doo Wop, Rockin’ Rhythm and more… americanahighways.org
The latest, R&B in DC: 1940–1960, is a case in point. Featuring 472 songs on 16 CDs, this numbered, limited-edition box brilliantly evokes the rhythm and blues scene in Washington, D.C., over two decades. It comes with a 352-page, LP-sized hardcover book that contains well-informed essays about the music, the artists, the record labels, the radio stations, and the clubs as well as notes about every song, a bibliography, a ton of rare period photos, and more.
Compiling the material for the coffee-table book reportedly took about seven years, and one can only imagine what must have been required to track down, license, and restore all this old music, much of which was rescued from extremely rare 78 and 45 rpm records. The list of acknowledgments to researchers, DJs, collectors, record dealers, and others is understandably long.
One indication of Bear Family’s obsession with comprehensiveness is that the book opens with a disclaimer that almost reads like an apology: “No attempt was made to cover every record by every artist featured. The list of included artists is extensive but by no means complete.” True, but the compilers can probably be forgiven for any omissions since as previously noted, they did manage to fit in nearly 500 songs. The playing time exceeds 20 hours so you can literally rock around the clock with almost no repeats.
The latest, R&B in DC: 1940–1960, is a case in point. Featuring 472 songs on 16 CDs, this numbered, limited-edition box brilliantly evokes the rhythm and blues scene in Washington, D.C., over two decades. It comes with a 352-page, LP-sized hardcover book that contains well-informed essays about the music, the artists, the record labels, the radio stations, and the clubs as well as notes about every song, a bibliography, a ton of rare period photos, and more.
Compiling the material for the coffee-table book reportedly took about seven years, and one can only imagine what must have been required to track down, license, and restore all this old music, much of which was rescued from extremely rare 78 and 45 rpm records. The list of acknowledgments to researchers, DJs, collectors, record dealers, and others is understandably long.
One indication of Bear Family’s obsession with comprehensiveness is that the book opens with a disclaimer that almost reads like an apology: “No attempt was made to cover every record by every artist featured. The list of included artists is extensive but by no means complete.” True, but the compilers can probably be forgiven for any omissions since as previously noted, they did manage to fit in nearly 500 songs. The playing time exceeds 20 hours so you can literally rock around the clock with almost no repeats.
Press Archive - R&B in DC 1940-1960 - Rhythm & Blues, Doo Wop - Washingtonian magazine
...DC's R&B scene didn't produce a huge number of records that hit the national charts. But Bruder's box set, with its extensive con textual info and illuminating photos and posters, captures just how vital it was as a local phenomenon. "This particular era of music, it was pure-it was fun," says Motley's grandson Morris Clarke, who was close to the musician when he was growing up in Durham. (Motley died in 1998.) "They weren't paid a lot of money to do this. This was real passion."
The collection also offers a cohesive narrative ofa time and place and culture that-as participants pass away and demographic change erodes the city's institutional memory-is fast fading. "1 want everyone to learn about these people and the community that nurtured them in what was a pretty difficult period for the AfricanAmerican community in Washington, DC," Bruder says. "These folks, they accomplished a lot. And no, they didn't have a ton ofnational hits. But they made sorne great music."
...DC's R&B scene didn't produce a huge number of records that hit the national charts. But Bruder's box set, with its extensive con textual info and illuminating photos and posters, captures just how vital it was as a local phenomenon. "This particular era of music, it was pure-it was fun," says Motley's grandson Morris Clarke, who was close to the musician when he was growing up in Durham. (Motley died in 1998.) "They weren't paid a lot of money to do this. This was real passion."
The collection also offers a cohesive narrative ofa time and place and culture that-as participants pass away and demographic change erodes the city's institutional memory-is fast fading. "1 want everyone to learn about these people and the community that nurtured them in what was a pretty difficult period for the AfricanAmerican community in Washington, DC," Bruder says. "These folks, they accomplished a lot. And no, they didn't have a ton ofnational hits. But they made sorne great music."
Jay Bruder Interview 26.07.2021
Ich bin Todd L. Burns, und willkommen bei Music Journalism Insider, einem Newsletter über Musikjournalismus. Klicken Sie hier, um ihn zu abonnieren!
Jay Bruder ist ein Musikforscher und Autor. Zusätzlich zu einer wöchentlichen Radioshow über Musik nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg für BluegrassCountry.org arbeitet Jay an Recherchen für Wiederveröffentlichungen. Sein neuestes Projekt erscheint später in diesem Jahr: ein tief recherchiertes Box-Set mit dem Titel R&B in DC 1940-1960 - Rhythm & Blues, Doo Wop, Rockin' Rhythm und mehr...*
Ich bin Todd L. Burns, und willkommen bei Music Journalism Insider, einem Newsletter über Musikjournalismus. Klicken Sie hier, um ihn zu abonnieren!
Jay Bruder ist ein Musikforscher und Autor. Zusätzlich zu einer wöchentlichen Radioshow über Musik nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg für BluegrassCountry.org arbeitet Jay an Recherchen für Wiederveröffentlichungen. Sein neuestes Projekt erscheint später in diesem Jahr: ein tief recherchiertes Box-Set mit dem Titel R&B in DC 1940-1960 - Rhythm & Blues, Doo Wop, Rockin' Rhythm und mehr...*
The Beat of Our Hearts: Bear Family Collects Definitive Survey of “R&B in D.C. 1940-1960” Featuring Early Recordings of Marvin Gaye, Don Covay, Billy Stewart
JUNE 22, 2021 BY JOE MARCHESE LEAVE A COMMENT
Washington, D.C. is associated with a great many things…but R&B? Leave it to German label Bear Family to take the emphasis off politics to uncover a lost chapter of the American capital’s rich story. R&B in D.C. 1940-1960 is the name of the upcoming LP-size, 16-CD box set comprehensively surveying two decades of regional music as only Bear Family can – with 472 tracks (that’s around 20 hours of music) and a 352-page hardcover book. This one-of-a-kind set is due on September 3 and limited to just 1,500 copies worldwide. It spotlights the early days of future marquee artists including Marvin Gaye, Billy Stewart, and Don Covay (all of whom spent their early days on the D.C. scene) as well as dozens of artists who never broke out beyond local stages but are nonetheless worthy of rediscovery. The box is a snapshot of the many sounds percolating in broader American culture during those years – not just “R&B” per se but swing, doo-wop, rock-and-roll, and soul, too.
JUNE 22, 2021 BY JOE MARCHESE LEAVE A COMMENT
Washington, D.C. is associated with a great many things…but R&B? Leave it to German label Bear Family to take the emphasis off politics to uncover a lost chapter of the American capital’s rich story. R&B in D.C. 1940-1960 is the name of the upcoming LP-size, 16-CD box set comprehensively surveying two decades of regional music as only Bear Family can – with 472 tracks (that’s around 20 hours of music) and a 352-page hardcover book. This one-of-a-kind set is due on September 3 and limited to just 1,500 copies worldwide. It spotlights the early days of future marquee artists including Marvin Gaye, Billy Stewart, and Don Covay (all of whom spent their early days on the D.C. scene) as well as dozens of artists who never broke out beyond local stages but are nonetheless worthy of rediscovery. The box is a snapshot of the many sounds percolating in broader American culture during those years – not just “R&B” per se but swing, doo-wop, rock-and-roll, and soul, too.
Press Review - Das Bilderlexikon der deutschen Schellack-Schallplatten - Fontes Artis Musicae
Anyone who is interested in German shellac records—whether as a collector, a research- er or a discophile—will have heard of Rainer Lotz. Lotz, who was born in Hamburg, says that he started collecting records in 1955 and is still doing so today. However, his talents include networking as well as collecting. Togeth- er these form the foundation on which his life’s work is based: Das Bilderlexikon der deutschen Schellack-Schallplatten (The German Record Label Book). This encyclopaedia is the work of the century—so much can be said even now.
Although the five-volume encyclopaedia clearly bears Lotz’s signature, his long-time col- laborators, Michael Gunrem and Stephan Puille, are also named as authors. Both of them are col- lectors with an outstanding knowledge of their subject, and their rare images, valuable notes, and important background information con- tribute significantly to the success of the work. However, they are not the only ones: around 300 other names are listed in the acknowledgements, including collectors, archivists, researchers, and institutions from all over the world whose knowl- edge has flowed into this lexicon, the creation of which spanned several decades. Rainer Lotz un- derstands his pictorial encyclopaedia as a colla- tion of information from a global community, and sees himself not as a guru, but rather as a kind of guiding spirit. This is no doubt another reason for the scope and quality of the work.
Anyone who is interested in German shellac records—whether as a collector, a research- er or a discophile—will have heard of Rainer Lotz. Lotz, who was born in Hamburg, says that he started collecting records in 1955 and is still doing so today. However, his talents include networking as well as collecting. Togeth- er these form the foundation on which his life’s work is based: Das Bilderlexikon der deutschen Schellack-Schallplatten (The German Record Label Book). This encyclopaedia is the work of the century—so much can be said even now.
Although the five-volume encyclopaedia clearly bears Lotz’s signature, his long-time col- laborators, Michael Gunrem and Stephan Puille, are also named as authors. Both of them are col- lectors with an outstanding knowledge of their subject, and their rare images, valuable notes, and important background information con- tribute significantly to the success of the work. However, they are not the only ones: around 300 other names are listed in the acknowledgements, including collectors, archivists, researchers, and institutions from all over the world whose knowl- edge has flowed into this lexicon, the creation of which spanned several decades. Rainer Lotz un- derstands his pictorial encyclopaedia as a colla- tion of information from a global community, and sees himself not as a guru, but rather as a kind of guiding spirit. This is no doubt another reason for the scope and quality of the work.
Grammy Nominee Best Album Notes - The Bakersfield Sound : Country Music Capital Of The West, 1940-1974
Scott B.Bomar, album notes writer (Various Artists)
Scott B.Bomar, album notes writer (Various Artists)
Press Archive - King Size Taylor Dr. Feelgood - Taylor Made LP (LP, 10inch) - musikreviews
FAZIT: Zitieren wir hier einfach mal aus dem „Scrap Book“, das dieser extrem raren, streng limitierten und sogar mit einem Autogramm-Foto samt Originalunterschrift versehenen, remasterten 10“-Vinyl-Version plus gut 65 Minuten langen CD beiliegt: „Neben den beiden Bonustracks aus einer frühen Demo-Session der Band enthält das Album, das du in deinen Händen hältst, auch Decca/Ariola-Tracks, die 1964 in Hamburg aufgenommen wurden. Dabei enthält die CD die kompletten 50er-Jahre-Demo-Sessions (hier zum ersten Mal auf CD!), sowie eine äußerst seltene UK-Decca-Single von 1964… This is KING SIZE TAYLOR's rock'n'roll-beat-slop-twist-parade!“
„Taylor Made“ von KING SIZE TAYLOR ist ein musikalischer Edelstein aus dem Hause Bear Family Records, mit dem sie sich zugleich selbst übertroffen haben! Absoluter Raritäten-Alarm auf höchstem Niveau!
FAZIT: Zitieren wir hier einfach mal aus dem „Scrap Book“, das dieser extrem raren, streng limitierten und sogar mit einem Autogramm-Foto samt Originalunterschrift versehenen, remasterten 10“-Vinyl-Version plus gut 65 Minuten langen CD beiliegt: „Neben den beiden Bonustracks aus einer frühen Demo-Session der Band enthält das Album, das du in deinen Händen hältst, auch Decca/Ariola-Tracks, die 1964 in Hamburg aufgenommen wurden. Dabei enthält die CD die kompletten 50er-Jahre-Demo-Sessions (hier zum ersten Mal auf CD!), sowie eine äußerst seltene UK-Decca-Single von 1964… This is KING SIZE TAYLOR's rock'n'roll-beat-slop-twist-parade!“
„Taylor Made“ von KING SIZE TAYLOR ist ein musikalischer Edelstein aus dem Hause Bear Family Records, mit dem sie sich zugleich selbst übertroffen haben! Absoluter Raritäten-Alarm auf höchstem Niveau!
Presse Archive - Bobby Bare Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus - ricentral.com
Founded in 1975, Bear Family Records of Germany has pretty much set the golden standard for box set reissues beginning with multi-LP sets in its early days and moving to compact disc with its advent as a medium in the 1980s. The latter, by virtue of being able to contain up to 80 minutes of music on a single disc, afforded Bear Family the opportunity to amass even larger and more comprehensive retrospectives on an artist or genre spanning 10-CD sets focusing on such cats as Lefty Frizell and Fats Domino or more recently a compilation chronicling the Bakersfield, California country music scene from the 1940s to ‘70s. Consider Bear Family the vault raiders who invade the tombs of record companies and grab as much as they can on an artist and turn it into a lavish box set oft-times replete with hard-cover coffee table type book containing everything you need to know about the artist and recordings contained within. The country music singer/songwriter Bobby Bare has certainly qualified for legend status thanks to early smashes like “500 Miles from Home,” “Miller’s Cave,” “Four Strong Winds,” “Streets of Baltimore,” and “Detroit City,” as well as later hits “Marie Laveau” and “Daddy, What If.” A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and a master of the country ballad, that last mentioned hit leads us into this week’s Ear Bliss focus which is the newest box set from Bear Family Records chronicling Bare’s work with the writer Shel Silverstein. Silverstein’s name is one mostly synonymous with children’s literature thanks to books like “Where The Sidewalk Ends” and “Light in the Attic.” So how does a Bobby Bare and Shel Silverstein connect? Whereas they had met prior thanks to Bare covering the hit song “Sylvia’s Mother” by Dr. Hook & His Medicine Show which just so happened to be written by Silverstein, it wasn’t until meeting again at a music industry party that would get the collaborative ball rolling. It was also lead to a friendship that would last until 1999 when Silverstein succumbed to cancer. Over the course of that friendship, Bare by his own recollection would record over 100 Silverstein compositions, many of which made it to records beginning with the hit Bare album from 1973 entirely written by Silverstein called Lullabys, Legends and Lies. It leads off the new released 8-CD LP-sized box set titled Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein Plus from Bear Family. It features some 137 songs representing six full albums including 25 previously unreleased tracks. It gets the Ear Bliss look-see this week. Let’s get to it.
Founded in 1975, Bear Family Records of Germany has pretty much set the golden standard for box set reissues beginning with multi-LP sets in its early days and moving to compact disc with its advent as a medium in the 1980s. The latter, by virtue of being able to contain up to 80 minutes of music on a single disc, afforded Bear Family the opportunity to amass even larger and more comprehensive retrospectives on an artist or genre spanning 10-CD sets focusing on such cats as Lefty Frizell and Fats Domino or more recently a compilation chronicling the Bakersfield, California country music scene from the 1940s to ‘70s. Consider Bear Family the vault raiders who invade the tombs of record companies and grab as much as they can on an artist and turn it into a lavish box set oft-times replete with hard-cover coffee table type book containing everything you need to know about the artist and recordings contained within. The country music singer/songwriter Bobby Bare has certainly qualified for legend status thanks to early smashes like “500 Miles from Home,” “Miller’s Cave,” “Four Strong Winds,” “Streets of Baltimore,” and “Detroit City,” as well as later hits “Marie Laveau” and “Daddy, What If.” A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and a master of the country ballad, that last mentioned hit leads us into this week’s Ear Bliss focus which is the newest box set from Bear Family Records chronicling Bare’s work with the writer Shel Silverstein. Silverstein’s name is one mostly synonymous with children’s literature thanks to books like “Where The Sidewalk Ends” and “Light in the Attic.” So how does a Bobby Bare and Shel Silverstein connect? Whereas they had met prior thanks to Bare covering the hit song “Sylvia’s Mother” by Dr. Hook & His Medicine Show which just so happened to be written by Silverstein, it wasn’t until meeting again at a music industry party that would get the collaborative ball rolling. It was also lead to a friendship that would last until 1999 when Silverstein succumbed to cancer. Over the course of that friendship, Bare by his own recollection would record over 100 Silverstein compositions, many of which made it to records beginning with the hit Bare album from 1973 entirely written by Silverstein called Lullabys, Legends and Lies. It leads off the new released 8-CD LP-sized box set titled Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein Plus from Bear Family. It features some 137 songs representing six full albums including 25 previously unreleased tracks. It gets the Ear Bliss look-see this week. Let’s get to it.
Presse Archive - Bobby Bare Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus - The Big Takeover
Bobby Bare – Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus (Bear Family)
Bobby Bare Shel Silverstein
10 November 2020 by Jon M. Young
A celebrated children’s book author (“Where the Sidewalk Ends”), as well as a cartoonist and playwright, the multi-dimensional Shel Silverstein probably made his biggest mark as a songwriter, with such witty hits as the Johnny Cash smash “A Boy Named Sue” and Dr. Hook’s “The Cover of Rolling Stone” to his credit. The performer most associated with his tunes, however, was the smooth country crooner Bobby Bare, who helped craft the template for the polished countrypolitan sound in the ‘60s on such smashes as “Detroit City” and “Five Hundred Miles Away from Home.”
Bare shifted gears in the early ‘70s, becoming a charter member of the outlaw movement that rejected conservative Nashville formulas and made superstars of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. From 1972 to 1983, he recorded more than a hundred of Silverstein’s inventive compositions, in the process creating the classic albums Lullabys, Legends and Lies and Down & Dirty. Offering 137 tracks (most written or co-written by Silverstein) on eight CDs, including more than two dozen previously unreleased cuts, along with a large, 128-page hardcover book, this wonderful set is a feast of irreverent humor, bracing social commentary and tender vignettes.
Among the six full or expanded albums featured in Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus are Hard Time Hungrys, a chronicle of economic struggle, and the family-oriented Singin’ in the Kitchen, while two discs of “Stray Bare Tracks” collect singles-only releases or otherwise-overlooked Silverstein songs from other projects.
On the basis of sheer bulk alone, this massive compilation could seem daunting, which is the opposite intent of the music. A supremely genial vocalist, Bare’s easygoing style brings a warm glow to gentle ballads and boozy barroom singalongs alike. Dig almost anywhere and a gem awaits! A few highlights: the toe-tapping tale of voodoo queen “Marie Laveau,” which topped the country charts in 1974; “Yard Full of Rusty Cars,” a sly, talking blues-style account of down-home hospitality; and the aching love song “When She Cries.”
Much like a great short story collection, Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus brings all manner of memorable characters to life, celebrating oddballs, losers and renegades. It’s a perfect match of brilliant composer and masterful interpreter.
Bobby Bare – Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus (Bear Family)
Bobby Bare Shel Silverstein
10 November 2020 by Jon M. Young
A celebrated children’s book author (“Where the Sidewalk Ends”), as well as a cartoonist and playwright, the multi-dimensional Shel Silverstein probably made his biggest mark as a songwriter, with such witty hits as the Johnny Cash smash “A Boy Named Sue” and Dr. Hook’s “The Cover of Rolling Stone” to his credit. The performer most associated with his tunes, however, was the smooth country crooner Bobby Bare, who helped craft the template for the polished countrypolitan sound in the ‘60s on such smashes as “Detroit City” and “Five Hundred Miles Away from Home.”
Bare shifted gears in the early ‘70s, becoming a charter member of the outlaw movement that rejected conservative Nashville formulas and made superstars of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. From 1972 to 1983, he recorded more than a hundred of Silverstein’s inventive compositions, in the process creating the classic albums Lullabys, Legends and Lies and Down & Dirty. Offering 137 tracks (most written or co-written by Silverstein) on eight CDs, including more than two dozen previously unreleased cuts, along with a large, 128-page hardcover book, this wonderful set is a feast of irreverent humor, bracing social commentary and tender vignettes.
Among the six full or expanded albums featured in Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus are Hard Time Hungrys, a chronicle of economic struggle, and the family-oriented Singin’ in the Kitchen, while two discs of “Stray Bare Tracks” collect singles-only releases or otherwise-overlooked Silverstein songs from other projects.
On the basis of sheer bulk alone, this massive compilation could seem daunting, which is the opposite intent of the music. A supremely genial vocalist, Bare’s easygoing style brings a warm glow to gentle ballads and boozy barroom singalongs alike. Dig almost anywhere and a gem awaits! A few highlights: the toe-tapping tale of voodoo queen “Marie Laveau,” which topped the country charts in 1974; “Yard Full of Rusty Cars,” a sly, talking blues-style account of down-home hospitality; and the aching love song “When She Cries.”
Much like a great short story collection, Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus brings all manner of memorable characters to life, celebrating oddballs, losers and renegades. It’s a perfect match of brilliant composer and masterful interpreter.
Bobby Bare Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus - amazon review!
Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus (8-CD Deluxe Box Set)
So, I was thrilled when I saw that the German-based reissue label Bear Family Records – which always goes “first class” on reissuing deluxe boxsets of artists who deserve, but rarely get, attention, I knew I’d learn more about the two of them. Yes,, like most reading this review, I knew Bobby Bare from basically one other recording back in the 1960s from his hit single “Detroit City” (written by Nashville writers Danny Dill and Mel Tillis) but other than the “LLandL album”, I knew little. After spending (literally) hours with this EIGHT-CD (plus 128-page hardbound Lp-size book) box I feel I know both guys. Thanks to the capacity of a CD vs. vinyl, the original two discs fit on the first CD. Then we get the follow-up album “Hard Time Hungrys (another misspelled title!) where not all, but most, are penned by Silverstein. Tracks recorded though not on the original album are added. “Singin’ in the Kitchen” – with the whole Bare family joining in gets the same treatment. A brief break in the flow of issued releases fills the next two CDs, “Stray Bare Tracks” and “More Stray Bare Tracks” before we get to “The COMPLETE Great American Saturday Night” ,and finally two albums from the 80s: “Down and Dirty” and “Drunk & Crazy” which ends with “Desperados Waiting For A Train”, the Guy Clark song made famous by the late Jerry Jeff Walker.
The book has an essay on Silverstein and a new interview with Bare plus the lyrics to all 137 songs in the set.
Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus (8-CD Deluxe Box Set)
So, I was thrilled when I saw that the German-based reissue label Bear Family Records – which always goes “first class” on reissuing deluxe boxsets of artists who deserve, but rarely get, attention, I knew I’d learn more about the two of them. Yes,, like most reading this review, I knew Bobby Bare from basically one other recording back in the 1960s from his hit single “Detroit City” (written by Nashville writers Danny Dill and Mel Tillis) but other than the “LLandL album”, I knew little. After spending (literally) hours with this EIGHT-CD (plus 128-page hardbound Lp-size book) box I feel I know both guys. Thanks to the capacity of a CD vs. vinyl, the original two discs fit on the first CD. Then we get the follow-up album “Hard Time Hungrys (another misspelled title!) where not all, but most, are penned by Silverstein. Tracks recorded though not on the original album are added. “Singin’ in the Kitchen” – with the whole Bare family joining in gets the same treatment. A brief break in the flow of issued releases fills the next two CDs, “Stray Bare Tracks” and “More Stray Bare Tracks” before we get to “The COMPLETE Great American Saturday Night” ,and finally two albums from the 80s: “Down and Dirty” and “Drunk & Crazy” which ends with “Desperados Waiting For A Train”, the Guy Clark song made famous by the late Jerry Jeff Walker.
The book has an essay on Silverstein and a new interview with Bare plus the lyrics to all 137 songs in the set.
Press Archive - Jerry Lee Lewis The Ballads Of Jerry Lee Lewis - musikreviews.de
„Elvis war der Größte, ich war der Beste!“ (Jerry Lee Lewis)
Die meisten von uns bringen mit dem Namen JERRY LEE LEWIS sowie seinem Spitznamen „The Killer“ sofort leidenschaftlich-feurige Rock'n'Roll-Nummern der Marke „Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On“ oder „Great Balls Of Fire“ in Verbindung.
Aber Balladen?! Wenn ein paar vielleicht, oder?
Bear Family Records belehren uns mal wieder eines Besseren und präsentieren auf diesem JERRY LEE LEWIS-Album gleich 27 Balladen vom letzten noch lebenden Rock'n'Roll-Urgestein, die eine satte Laufzeit von 72 Minuten in Anspruch nehmen.
Na, wer hätte das gedacht?
„The Ballads Of JERRY LEE LEWIS“ offenbaren die sicher nicht nur uneigennützige ruhige Seite des Mannes, der durchaus auch mal sein Klavier in Brand setzte, wenn er „Great Balls Of Fire“ spielte, denn neben seiner leidenschaftlichen Rocker-Wildheit war auch sein leidenschaftlicher Hang zur Erotik bekannt, wobei Lewis in dieser Beziehung absolut nichts anbrennen ließ.
Und was half ihm bei seinen Verführungskünsten besonders?
Natürlich auch ein paar feine, herzerweichende Balladen zu schreiben, spielen und singen, bei denen nicht nur die Augen der weiblichen Zunft feucht wurden. Und genau die hört man im Grunde komplett auf diesem Balladen-Album – allesamt beschränkt auf die Zeit von 1956 bis 1963 und unter dem Sun-Records-Label aufgenommen.
„Elvis war der Größte, ich war der Beste!“ (Jerry Lee Lewis)
Die meisten von uns bringen mit dem Namen JERRY LEE LEWIS sowie seinem Spitznamen „The Killer“ sofort leidenschaftlich-feurige Rock'n'Roll-Nummern der Marke „Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On“ oder „Great Balls Of Fire“ in Verbindung.
Aber Balladen?! Wenn ein paar vielleicht, oder?
Bear Family Records belehren uns mal wieder eines Besseren und präsentieren auf diesem JERRY LEE LEWIS-Album gleich 27 Balladen vom letzten noch lebenden Rock'n'Roll-Urgestein, die eine satte Laufzeit von 72 Minuten in Anspruch nehmen.
Na, wer hätte das gedacht?
„The Ballads Of JERRY LEE LEWIS“ offenbaren die sicher nicht nur uneigennützige ruhige Seite des Mannes, der durchaus auch mal sein Klavier in Brand setzte, wenn er „Great Balls Of Fire“ spielte, denn neben seiner leidenschaftlichen Rocker-Wildheit war auch sein leidenschaftlicher Hang zur Erotik bekannt, wobei Lewis in dieser Beziehung absolut nichts anbrennen ließ.
Und was half ihm bei seinen Verführungskünsten besonders?
Natürlich auch ein paar feine, herzerweichende Balladen zu schreiben, spielen und singen, bei denen nicht nur die Augen der weiblichen Zunft feucht wurden. Und genau die hört man im Grunde komplett auf diesem Balladen-Album – allesamt beschränkt auf die Zeit von 1956 bis 1963 und unter dem Sun-Records-Label aufgenommen.
Presse Archiv - KRAUT! - Die innovativen Jahre des Krautrock 1968-1979 - streetclip
Nachdem sich der erste Teil dem Norden und Teil zwei der Mitte Deutschlands widmete, handelt vorliegender dritter Teil von Bands aus dem Süden der Republik und da werden Orte genannt, die nun auch mal in meiner Nähe liegen. Ja, mehr als das, denn mit Zweibrücken ist sogar meine ehemalige Heimatstadt vertreten und da kann es nur eine Band geben, die auf so eine Zusammenstellung gehört. Eine Band, die wohl (u. a.) Uriah Heep das Fürchten gelehrt hätte, wäre sie nicht in der Provinz, sondern vielleicht im Hannoveraner Raum oder in anderen bekannten urbanen Schmieden am Werkeln gewesen: Action.
Gerade diese Band in der vorbildlichen Kompilationsreihe deutscher Musikgeschichte zu sehen, erfreut mich ungemein. Es zeigt auch, wie tief gegraben wurde, um Bands für "Die innovativen Jahre des Krautrock" auszuwählen, denn der Bekanntheitsradius dieser Band dürfte den südwestpfälzisch-, saarländischen Raum nicht sehr weit übersteigen.
Nachdem sich der erste Teil dem Norden und Teil zwei der Mitte Deutschlands widmete, handelt vorliegender dritter Teil von Bands aus dem Süden der Republik und da werden Orte genannt, die nun auch mal in meiner Nähe liegen. Ja, mehr als das, denn mit Zweibrücken ist sogar meine ehemalige Heimatstadt vertreten und da kann es nur eine Band geben, die auf so eine Zusammenstellung gehört. Eine Band, die wohl (u. a.) Uriah Heep das Fürchten gelehrt hätte, wäre sie nicht in der Provinz, sondern vielleicht im Hannoveraner Raum oder in anderen bekannten urbanen Schmieden am Werkeln gewesen: Action.
Gerade diese Band in der vorbildlichen Kompilationsreihe deutscher Musikgeschichte zu sehen, erfreut mich ungemein. Es zeigt auch, wie tief gegraben wurde, um Bands für "Die innovativen Jahre des Krautrock" auszuwählen, denn der Bekanntheitsradius dieser Band dürfte den südwestpfälzisch-, saarländischen Raum nicht sehr weit übersteigen.
Presse Archiv - KRAUT! - Die innovativen Jahre des Krautrock 1968-1979 - rocktimes
Nachdem sich der erste Teil dem Norden und Teil zwei der Mitte Deutschlands widmete, handelt vorliegender dritter Teil von Bands aus dem Süden der Republik und da werden Orte genannt, die nun auch mal in meiner Nähe liegen. Ja, mehr als das, denn mit Zweibrücken ist sogar meine ehemalige Heimatstadt vertreten und da kann es nur eine Band geben, die auf so eine Zusammenstellung gehört. Eine Band, die wohl (u. a.) Uriah Heep das Fürchten gelehrt hätte, wäre sie nicht in der Provinz, sondern vielleicht im Hannoveraner Raum oder in anderen bekannten urbanen Schmieden am Werkeln gewesen: Action.
Gerade diese Band in der vorbildlichen Kompilationsreihe deutscher Musikgeschichte zu sehen, erfreut mich ungemein. Es zeigt auch, wie tief gegraben wurde, um Bands für "Die innovativen Jahre des Krautrock" auszuwählen, denn der Bekanntheitsradius dieser Band dürfte den südwestpfälzisch-, saarländischen Raum nicht sehr weit übersteigen.
Nachdem sich der erste Teil dem Norden und Teil zwei der Mitte Deutschlands widmete, handelt vorliegender dritter Teil von Bands aus dem Süden der Republik und da werden Orte genannt, die nun auch mal in meiner Nähe liegen. Ja, mehr als das, denn mit Zweibrücken ist sogar meine ehemalige Heimatstadt vertreten und da kann es nur eine Band geben, die auf so eine Zusammenstellung gehört. Eine Band, die wohl (u. a.) Uriah Heep das Fürchten gelehrt hätte, wäre sie nicht in der Provinz, sondern vielleicht im Hannoveraner Raum oder in anderen bekannten urbanen Schmieden am Werkeln gewesen: Action.
Gerade diese Band in der vorbildlichen Kompilationsreihe deutscher Musikgeschichte zu sehen, erfreut mich ungemein. Es zeigt auch, wie tief gegraben wurde, um Bands für "Die innovativen Jahre des Krautrock" auszuwählen, denn der Bekanntheitsradius dieser Band dürfte den südwestpfälzisch-, saarländischen Raum nicht sehr weit übersteigen.
Presse Archive - Bobby Bare Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus - Elmore magazine
No BS, when it comes to box sets, Bear Family Records seems to set the standard. Just consider the numbers on their latest LP-sized deluxe offering: 137 tracks on 8 CDs, 6 complete albums, 25 previously unreleased masters, one 128 page hardcover book, containing interviews, tributes, photos and more photos, no selfies, but beaucoup “shelfies” (portraits by Lawson Little), along with a down-to-the-last-detail discography of sessions that ran across two decades, all of it artistically packaged and remastered beautifully so it sounds like it was recorded yesterday.
Like “sessions,” the often-repeated word in Bare’s first big 1959 hit “All American Boy,” playing on lots of sessions were always very important to Robert Joseph Bare Sr.. The music world first knew Bobby as “Bill Parsons” thanks to sloppy label copy on that Top 40 hit.There’s no sloppiness here with this outstanding Bear Family production of the now CMHOF legend’s prolific partial lives work. The bulk of it originates from one irrepressible songwriter, Shel Silverstein. Much of it is conceptual, a term that did not exist in the Music Row that cranked out standard issue LPs back then, with one or two hits and eight placeholders.
No BS, when it comes to box sets, Bear Family Records seems to set the standard. Just consider the numbers on their latest LP-sized deluxe offering: 137 tracks on 8 CDs, 6 complete albums, 25 previously unreleased masters, one 128 page hardcover book, containing interviews, tributes, photos and more photos, no selfies, but beaucoup “shelfies” (portraits by Lawson Little), along with a down-to-the-last-detail discography of sessions that ran across two decades, all of it artistically packaged and remastered beautifully so it sounds like it was recorded yesterday.
Like “sessions,” the often-repeated word in Bare’s first big 1959 hit “All American Boy,” playing on lots of sessions were always very important to Robert Joseph Bare Sr.. The music world first knew Bobby as “Bill Parsons” thanks to sloppy label copy on that Top 40 hit.There’s no sloppiness here with this outstanding Bear Family production of the now CMHOF legend’s prolific partial lives work. The bulk of it originates from one irrepressible songwriter, Shel Silverstein. Much of it is conceptual, a term that did not exist in the Music Row that cranked out standard issue LPs back then, with one or two hits and eight placeholders.
Presse Archive - Bobby Bare Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus - LA Times
Plenty of people had hits with Shel Silverstein’s songs, but he had no better interpreter than Bobby Bare, a gentle giant of 1970s progressive country. The pair grew close as both friends and collaborators, resulting in Bare recording more than 100 Silverstein tunes between 1972 and 1983. All those recordings are in this eight-disc box, a set that highlights the duo’s knack for lullabies, legends and down-and-dirty country.
Plenty of people had hits with Shel Silverstein’s songs, but he had no better interpreter than Bobby Bare, a gentle giant of 1970s progressive country. The pair grew close as both friends and collaborators, resulting in Bare recording more than 100 Silverstein tunes between 1972 and 1983. All those recordings are in this eight-disc box, a set that highlights the duo’s knack for lullabies, legends and down-and-dirty country.
Presse Archive - Bobby Bare Bobby Bare Sings Shel Silverstein plus - theseconddisc.com
The 128-page hardcover book is worth the price of admission. It features an introduction by Peter Cooper, a new interview with Bobby Bare by Hank Davis, a biographical feature on Shel Silverstein by Dave Samuelson, Bear Family’s signature discography by Richard Weize and Samuelson, and most excitingly, complete lyrics for every track. While lyrics are meant to be sung and poetry is meant to be read, Silverstein was adept at both, and his words are often an enjoyable pure reading experience. The book is lavishly illustrated with photographs of both men as well as album artwork. The discs are housed in four digipaks, each holding two CDs. When placed in the box’s tray, they create one large image with their covers. An 8 x 10″ publicity-style photo of Bare and Silverstein has been placed within each box; early copies ordered directly through Bear Family found these autographed by Bare. Mixes of the unreleased material have been created by Vic Anesini and Mark Wilder at Battery Studios, and the subtle mastering is by Marcus Heumann.
There are still other Bare-sings-Silverstein recordings to explore further, including the 1998 album Old Dogs on which Bobby teamed with Waylon Jennings, Mel Tillis, and Jerry Reed for another set of Shel’s songs. That Atlantic release is a coda to this collection worth seeking out, as is Twistable Turnable Man, a 2010 tribute to Silverstein produced by Bobby and his son Bobby Bare Jr. who by then had become an acclaimed artist in his own right. In Samuelson’s text on Silverstein, it’s revealed that Bobby Sr. spoke to Shel on what turned out to be his final night on earth. Their close, brotherly rapport is evident throughout these eight discs of enduring music. Bear Family’s box is a stunning tribute to their collaboration. Head down to the dive bar, crank up the jukebox, and raise a glass – or more likely, a bottle – to the great American Saturday nights of these two country renegades.
The 128-page hardcover book is worth the price of admission. It features an introduction by Peter Cooper, a new interview with Bobby Bare by Hank Davis, a biographical feature on Shel Silverstein by Dave Samuelson, Bear Family’s signature discography by Richard Weize and Samuelson, and most excitingly, complete lyrics for every track. While lyrics are meant to be sung and poetry is meant to be read, Silverstein was adept at both, and his words are often an enjoyable pure reading experience. The book is lavishly illustrated with photographs of both men as well as album artwork. The discs are housed in four digipaks, each holding two CDs. When placed in the box’s tray, they create one large image with their covers. An 8 x 10″ publicity-style photo of Bare and Silverstein has been placed within each box; early copies ordered directly through Bear Family found these autographed by Bare. Mixes of the unreleased material have been created by Vic Anesini and Mark Wilder at Battery Studios, and the subtle mastering is by Marcus Heumann.
There are still other Bare-sings-Silverstein recordings to explore further, including the 1998 album Old Dogs on which Bobby teamed with Waylon Jennings, Mel Tillis, and Jerry Reed for another set of Shel’s songs. That Atlantic release is a coda to this collection worth seeking out, as is Twistable Turnable Man, a 2010 tribute to Silverstein produced by Bobby and his son Bobby Bare Jr. who by then had become an acclaimed artist in his own right. In Samuelson’s text on Silverstein, it’s revealed that Bobby Sr. spoke to Shel on what turned out to be his final night on earth. Their close, brotherly rapport is evident throughout these eight discs of enduring music. Bear Family’s box is a stunning tribute to their collaboration. Head down to the dive bar, crank up the jukebox, and raise a glass – or more likely, a bottle – to the great American Saturday nights of these two country renegades.