Useless Pop Information
Trivial stuff about the artists and releases coming out this week (April 26-May 2):
NEW RELEASES
ZAC BROWN BAND
“Jekyll + Hyde” … 10 of their 16 chart singles on the Billboard country chart have reached No. 1, from “Chicken Fried” to “Sweet Annie.”
CONFUNKSHUN
“More Than Love” … This is the soul-funk band’s first album since 1986. In the early 1970s, they were the backup band for Stax Records’ The Soul Children (remember “I’ll Be the Other Woman”?). Their biggest hit was “Ffun,” which spent two weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart and peaked at No. 23 on the pop Hot 100 in 1978.
JERRY LAWSON
“Just a Mortal Man” … Lawson was the lead singer of The Persuasions, an a cappella group formed in the mid-1960s. Their claim to fame? Frank Zappa championed them and paved the way for them to record their debut album, “Acappella,” in 1970. Lawson also was featured on seasons 2 and 3 of NBC’s “The Sing-Off.”
AMBROSIA PARSLEY
“Weeping Cherry” … She was the lead singer of Shivaree, an alt-country band whose 1999 debut album, “I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in This Dump,” featured “Goodnight Moon,” which can be heard in the closing credits of the 2004 film “Kill Bill Vol. 2.”
10,000 MANIACS
“Twice Told Tales” … Turn the Wayback Machine to 1987 when their Peter Asher-produced “In My Tribe” gave them their international breakthrough. Originally it contained their hit version of “Peace Train,” but after Yusef Islam (the former Cat Stevens) made comments implying he agreed with a death Fatwa against author Salman Rushdie, the song was dropped from future pressings.
REISSUES
BONEY M.
“Ultimate Boney M. – Long Versions & Rarities, Volume 1: 1976-1980,” “Ultimate Boney M. – Long Versions & Rarities, Volume 3: 1984-1987” … This disco-pop vocal group was created by German producer Frank Farian, the man behind the ill-fated Milli Vanilli. Few members of Boney M. actually performed on their many European hits (like “Rivers of Babylon,” “Daddy Cool,” “Ma Baker,” etc.); turns out, Farian did a lot of the male vocals in the studio himself.
BO DONALDSON AND THE HEYWOODS
“Absolutely the Best of the ’70s” … The Cincinnati pop group, best known for the 1974 No. 1 “Billy Don’t Be a Hero,” was named after Donaldson, but he wasn’t the lead singer … he was the keyboardist.
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
“Faithful” … This was supposed to be her third album for Atlantic Records in 1971, but the first two singles failed commercially and then Springfield and the label had a falling out, prompting the album to be shelved. The tapes were thought to be destroyed in a fire, but years later producer Jeff Barry revealed he had stereo mixes of the album. BTW, Dusty’s 1974 album, “Longing” (ABC-Dunhill), suffered a similar fate … it was shelved too.
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“Sources: The Fresh Records Anthology” … The defunct New York indie label (1985-1992) was home to EPMD, Nice & Smooth, Just-Ice, T La Rock and Todd Terry.
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“Sweet Things From the Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry Songbook” … Just some of the smash hits this husband-and-wife team wrote in the 1960s: “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “Then He Kissed Me,” “Be My Baby,” “Hanky Panky,” “Baby, I Love You,” “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” “Do Wah Diddy Diddy,” “Chapel of Love,” “Leader of the Pack,” “River Deep – Mountain High” and “I Can Hear Music.”
About the Author
Gerry Galipault Gerry Galipault debuted Pause & Play online in October 1997. Since then, it has become the definitive place for CD-release dates — with a worldwide audience.
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