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Post by Partridge on May 19, 2020 21:49:06 GMT -5
I'm supposed to be converting this room into a gym so I don't turn into jelly during the coronavirus era, but instead I've spent all my time rummaging through the box I unpacked. Newspaper articles, tour books for Mellencamp, Joel, Thorogood, Ronstadt. I'll post stuff here that is appropriate. Here is an article from USA Today. USA Today, Tuesday, June 25, 1996
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Post by Partridge on May 19, 2020 21:45:26 GMT -5
But in the long run things worked out financially well for her. With 20/20 hindsight, it would have been great if Linda had forced herself to write at least 2 tracks for each album to get those songwriting royalties. If you consider, no matter what she wrote, it would have sounded great with her voice.
I was a little disappointed with the newly released Neil Young album recorded in 1975. I keep hoping as Neil raids the vaults that we will get more Ronstadt harmonies and background vocals, but in this case, it was Emmylou Harris who provided the vocals. I haven't heard the album yet but it includes Neil singing Love is a Rose. I wonder if it's the same recording he released on the Decade set.
And to digress even further, I often see Love is a Rose called a cover of Neil Young's song. But is it a cover really? Did anyone else record and release that song before Linda? I think some people just automatically call any Linda Ronstadt record a cover even if she's the only one who ever sang it.
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Post by Partridge on May 19, 2020 21:22:04 GMT -5
One thing that can ruin your placing for the year is the time of year your hit was released. If you have a big hit with a 20-week chart run and all 20 weeks are used to calculate your Billboard points, you likely have a Top 10 hit for the year. But if 10 weeks of your chart run fell in 1974 and 10 weeks fell in 1975, your song will only chart in the middle of the Top 100 for the year.
A million-selling album that comes out hot and shoots to #1 and then falls rapidly might not place as well on the year-end charts as one that charted moderately for a longer period of time that didn't even sell half as many copies.
As Linda said, "it's all bananas!"
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Post by Partridge on May 19, 2020 16:47:59 GMT -5
I moved into my house in 2002, and ever since then there has been one box sitting on the floor remaining unopened. So after 18 years I decided to see what was in the box. Magazines! I found the October 18, 1975 issue of Billboard. This issue had their "year-end" country music statistics:
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Post by Partridge on May 18, 2020 1:34:49 GMT -5
The latest issue of Mojo Magazine has an interview with Linda Ronstadt. I have not read it yet, but I have ordered my copy. Here is a link for those who are interested. The magazine also includes a CD. Link: Mojo Magazine- Talking Heads- Linda Ronstadt
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Post by Partridge on May 17, 2020 22:57:40 GMT -5
Barnes and Noble has several upcoming exclusives- Bread, The Doors, Ronstadt, Tina Turner- at varying price points. I pre-ordered the Linda Ronstadt title, but I have many questions. Why do you think Get Closer is so expensive? And would gold vinyl be an audiophile product? In my experience, colored vinyl never had the best sound quality, and picture discs were unlistenable. And who can we contact to rewrite that idiotic overview of the album? Why did they involve Dave Marsh?
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Post by Partridge on May 17, 2020 16:34:36 GMT -5
With the overview they provided, they must be trying to keep sales to a minimum.
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Post by Partridge on May 15, 2020 12:19:04 GMT -5
I have waited 36 long, long years to finally see and hear these gems. Hey Brian! I wondered what you've been up to.
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Post by Partridge on May 15, 2020 0:14:49 GMT -5
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Post by Partridge on May 14, 2020 12:59:43 GMT -5
I have a theory about the Linda/Christian/Republican quote. Maybe she did say that!
Linda had a tendency to repeat herself in interviews. How many times have we seen an interview where she says she doesn't sing any music that she wasn't exposed to in her living room by the age of ten? Maybe she was repeating this Christian quote to another reporter and tripped over her tongue and her meaning got changed. But if so, wouldn't a reporter ask for clarification to such a declaration?
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Post by Partridge on May 13, 2020 23:49:55 GMT -5
I was surprised how quick the media was to jump in on the negative stories about Linda in Vegas. I was watching one of the cable news channels one night (in a normal day, I watch none of those channels) and I was informed that Linda did not want any Christians or Republicans in the audience when she performed. You will still see that to this day on many right wing websites. You would think that these channels might try to contact Linda and verify this information directly from her but I don't think anyone did.
[ I am not trying to get a political back and forth started here. I am just stating some facts. ]
So as I re-read this before posting, I know some of you may be thinking if I don't watch cable news channels, why was I watching that day? The reason is because a friend called me and said Linda was on the news and I knew they would repeat the story.
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Post by Partridge on May 13, 2020 12:49:18 GMT -5
Are there recordings available of any of these 2004 appearances?
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Post by Partridge on May 13, 2020 1:58:21 GMT -5
After about 15 years, I have finally put together a page about Linda's 2004 adventure in Las Vegas. I still need to do a page with the Las Vegas negativity she put forth in the week before her appearance at the Aladdin. Here is the link to page 1 and you can click the image at the bottom to see page 2. I've had some issues with the images displaying properly so please give me some feedback if you have problems. link: Linda Ronstadt provokes discussion at the Aladdin
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Post by Partridge on May 10, 2020 12:44:50 GMT -5
I got it from my neighborhood newsstand/comic book store. Just kidding. They have been closed for a while.
I emailed the website and asked about buying a copy to add to my Ronstadt collection. They charge $10 postage included.
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Post by Partridge on May 9, 2020 19:44:27 GMT -5
Certainly another nail in the coffin for the first burst of rock and roll. With Little Richard gone, I think that leaves only Jerry Lee Lewis left from that era. Pat Boone is still alive and hosts a show on the Sirius 50s channel.
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Post by Partridge on May 9, 2020 1:44:32 GMT -5
I got a copy of the magazine. Here is a scan of the cover:
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Post by Partridge on May 6, 2020 17:59:29 GMT -5
I posted a more than deserved 3-star review but apparently it has not been approved yet.
I pointed out that they "don't know much" about Linda Ronstadt.
Also, they said Heart Like a Wheel, Prisoner in Disguise, and Hasten Down the Wind were put out in rapid succession over a period of about 18 months. I pointed out those came out each about one year apart in 1974, 1975, and 1976.
Then they didn't like my favorite HDTW song Crazy so much and had the nerve to say it was just like Patsy Cline's version. WTF?
They rambled on forever at the start of the podcast-- if they're like this on every podcast it's hard to believe there are enough masochists to listen to them each time.
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Post by Partridge on May 6, 2020 14:54:48 GMT -5
Thanks. When I heard them discussing Waddy I thought I had been mispronouncing his last name all these years.
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Post by Partridge on May 5, 2020 16:33:12 GMT -5
I came across this podcast where two amateur musicologists discuss Linda's Hasten Down the Wind album for the better part of an hour. I'm not much on podcasts and for that matter I'm not much on the Hasten Down the Wind album. But I know it's very popular here so I will post the link to the podcast below in case anyone wants to listen. I have issues with the podcast but I'll reserve them for now in case anyone wants to listen. link to play podcast: Hasten Down the Wind podcast
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Post by Partridge on May 2, 2020 22:44:17 GMT -5
Boss, Where did you get that pic? Looks like Joey Ramone with a midriff on and the dark glasses or bangs covering eyes. I tried to enlarge it so I can see detail. I also quickly thought of Lenny Kravitz. eddiejinnj it's an album cover- Lilly Hiatt
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Post by Partridge on May 2, 2020 19:28:47 GMT -5
Typically when these musical specials are shown on PBS stations, there are tons of interruptions asking for donations. Often the donations include a DVD of the program. But since they're calling it Live in Hollywood, the gift for donating may only be the CD.
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Post by Partridge on Apr 30, 2020 0:59:29 GMT -5
For my TV/movie viewing so far this week, I saw the so-so movie The Photograph. Disappointing.
And a couple of documentaries on Netflix, or Amazon Prime, I get them confused:
Cuba and the Cameraman, which was interesting and informative.
My Darling Vivian, a documentary about Johnny Cash's first wife which I enjoyed very much. I do recall seeing a picture of Johnny and his wife and wondering to myself if she were black. Just curiosity but it did not matter to me. I did not realize he lost all his bookings in the South until he could provide verification she was white. Very bizarre. Since most of you will not watch the documentary I will go ahead and let you know that she is of Sicilian descent. Which reminded me of an uncomfortable scene in the movie True Romance.
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Post by Partridge on Apr 26, 2020 0:32:10 GMT -5
April 29, 1995- Santa Cruz Sentinel
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Post by Partridge on Apr 22, 2020 12:29:36 GMT -5
this song from my favorite Beatle
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Post by Partridge on Apr 22, 2020 12:27:19 GMT -5
Richard Thompson's Keep Your Distance
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Post by Partridge on Apr 21, 2020 11:49:23 GMT -5
How could I forget the woman with the 1 single of the decade, Olivia Newton-John?
Based on sales and not some magic numbers, I think these were the best-selling female artists of the '80s:
1 Madonna 2 Whitney Houston 3 Barbra Streisand 4 Linda Ronstadt 5 Pat Benatar 6 Cyndi Lauper 7 Olivia Newton-John 8 Stevie Nicks 9 Tina Turner 10 Reba McEntire 11 Bette Midler 12 Diana Ross 13 Dolly Parton 14 Aretha Franklin
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Post by Partridge on Apr 21, 2020 2:47:34 GMT -5
yes .... it seems like the Billboard ranking was suspect at best and I think your list looks more accurate. I've always taken the Billboard chart summaries historically to be accurate but having Elvis Costello as the #20 artist of the decade of the 1980s seems way off. This was a decade when he had no albums in the Top 20. No million selling albums, 2 gold, arguably 3 if you count Armed Forces from 1979. He had a couple of minor Top 40 hits. As opposed to Ronstadt, who had, as I've said, 9 gold, 8 platinum albums. She had 4 Top 10 hits and several minor Top 40 hits during the decade. Obviously their point system is a crock.
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Post by Partridge on Apr 20, 2020 22:09:25 GMT -5
I've been watching much TV during the shutdown of the country.
This weekend I watched the entire 6th season of Bosch. I actually prefer TV shows to be presented one episode at a time, so you have time to digest what you watched. But I started watching Bosch and ended up finishing the season in one weekend.
Looking forward to the final episode of The Plot Against America tonight. In fact, I'm going to watch that in the next few minutes.
Recent movies I've watched: Queen and Slim The Invisible Man
And I've been watching some shows on BET: American Soul (about the life of Don Cornelius and the Soul Train TV show) Twenties Boomerang
I haven't been reading any new books but I've kept up with magazines with Apple News.
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Post by Partridge on Apr 20, 2020 21:58:03 GMT -5
I posted these Rainstorm articles before I read them thoroughly. I notice that two of the articles are essentially the same.
Linda released 9 albums during the 1990s. All were certified gold. Eight were certified platinum. Two or three were multiplatinum. She sold more albums that decade than Pat Benatar or Tina Turner, but probably about half of what Madonna and Whitney Houston sold. Streisand sold well throughout the decade.
Based on sales and not some magic numbers, I think these were the best-selling female artists of the '80s:
Madonna Whitney Houston Barbra Streisand Linda Ronstadt Pat Benatar Cyndi Lauper Olivia Newton-John Stevie Nicks Tina Turner Bette Midler Diana Ross
Did I forget anyone?
Interesting, when I look at Billboard's chart book, they list the top 20 artists of the 1980s. They have Pat Benatar at #10, Streisand at #12, and Madonna at #14. Ronstadt not in the top 20. Oddly, they have Elvis Costello at #20 for the decade, a decade when Ronstadt had eight platinum or multi-platinum albums and he had zero. Their placements are based on chart position and some obscure point system, not sales.
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Post by Partridge on Apr 20, 2020 13:50:53 GMT -5
April 13, 1990- The SignalJune 10, 1990- Press and Sun BulletinSeptember 27, 1990- Times AdvocateOctober 1, 1990- Los Angeles Times
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