UFO - Complete Studio Albums 1974-1986 (10 CD, 2014/FLAC)

 UFO are an English rock band that was formed in London in 1969. They became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the new wave of British heavy metal. Over a career spanning 48 years, UFO have released 22 studio albums, 14 live recordings and 16 compilation albums. They achieved major success in the late 1970s and early 1980s with several albums and singles in the UK and US Top 40 charts, and have sold over ten million records worldwide.

1974 - Phenomenon 

1975 - Force It 

1976 - No Heavy Petting 

1977 - Lights Out

1978 - Obsession 

1980 - No Place To Run 

1981 - The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent 

1982 - Mechanix 

1983 - Making Contact 

1985 - Misdemeanor 

 

VA - When the Sun Goes Down (The Secret History of Rock 'n Roll) [4 CD, 2002/FLAC]

True to its description as "100 Pioneering Blues Classics," the 4-CD When the Sun Goes Down is a choice sample of blues and other related African-American styles from the vaults of Bluebird, one of the more productive roots labels of the past century. The "Secret History" tag is also apropos, given how many tunes here influenced or were directly copied by many of the well-known names in rock in the past 50 years. 

The chronologically organized discs -- Walk Right In,The First Time I Met the Blues, That's Chicago's South Side, and That's All Right -- capture some of the best music from the mid-Twenties until the mid-Fifties. When the Sun Goes Down might exist thanks to the success of resurgent compilations like the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, but it is equally true that current technology facilitates its existence. Modern digital surgery converts scratchy old 78s into translucent documents on prison songs, fiddle tunes, jug band jigs, country blues, urban stomps, and a cappella sermons. There are too many gems to mention. Larger-than-life artist and activist Paul Robeson evokes the very meaning of spiritual in "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." Leadbelly delivers on prison cuts "Ham an' Eggs" and "Midnight Special," a tune about a Texas train that symbolized freedom to Sugarland penitentiary prisoners, Leadbelly included. Dylan favorite Blind Willie McTell does up his standard "Statesboro Blues," while Bonnie Raitt-fave Sippie Wallace supplies a definitive "I'm a Mighty Tight Woman." Then there's Big Boy Crudup's "That's All Right," made famous by Elvis. And how about country crooner Jimmie Rodgers doing "Blue Yodel #9" with Louis Armstrong on cornet? A few cuts could have been omitted, but with 100 tunes, who's complaining? And with liner notes as entertaining as the songs they describe, When the Sun Goes Down is a time capsule of African-American sonic expression, nothing less than American popular music from the last century.

 

The Dead - Summer Getaway 2003 Tour (33 shows)

 The Dead was an American rock band composed of some of the former members of the Grateful Dead.

After the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann formed the band The Other Ones, performing concert tours in 1998 (without Kreutzmann), 2000 (without Lesh), and 2002, and released one album, The Strange Remain. In 2003, they changed their name to The Dead.

In addition to Weir, Lesh, Hart and Kreutzmann, the 2003 lineup of the band included Jimmy Herring, Jeff Chimenti, Rob Barraco, and Joan Osborne. The band was first officially billed as The Dead on February 14, 2003 at the Warfield in San Francisco.

• Bob Weir – guitar, vocals
• Phil Lesh – bass, vocals
• Mickey Hart – drums, vocals
• Bill Kreutzmann – drums
• Jimmy Herring – guitar
• Jeff Chimenti – keyboards, vocals
• Rob Barraco – keyboards, vocals
• Joan Osborne – vocals

 

Joe Cocker discography [1969-2013]

 

John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English rock and blues singer and musician who came to popularity in the 1960s. He was known for his gritty voice, spasmodic body movement in performance, and cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles.

Cocker's cover of The Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" reached number one in the UK in 1968. He performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969, and at the Party at the Palace concert for the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002. His version also became the theme song for the TV series The Wonder Years. His 1974 cover of "You Are So Beautiful", reached number five in the US. Cocker was the recipient of several awards, including a 1983 Grammy Award for his US number one "Up Where We Belong", a duet with Jennifer Warnes.

In 1993 Cocker was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male, in 2007 was awarded a bronze Sheffield Legends plaque in his hometown, and in 2008 he received an OBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. Cocker was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers list.

On 22 December 2014 it was announced that Cocker had died of cancer.

VA - Many Faces of David Bowie (3 CD, 2016/FLAC)

David Bowie was an icon. A legend. A musical chameleon. Some even say that he was a genius. Like Lennon and Elvis before him, when Bowie passed away on January 10th, 2016, it was the end of an era. The rock 'n' roll landscape that he helped create is now vastly different now that he is gone. However, it is time to celebrate his life and the music he left behind.

 On this special three CD set, his legacy is celebrated in performances by his former bandmates, collaborators and even the man himself. This release features songs written or covered by Bowie played by many of the artists he called friends: Iggy Pop, Tony Visconti, Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson, Reeves Gabrels, Mike Garson, Angie Bowie, Woody Woodmansey and many others. There are even some tracks performed by his former band The Spiders From Mars. To top it all off, David himself is featured as guest vocalist or producer on a handful of these recordings. So, raise a toast to the Starman and enjoy this triple disc dosage of David!