Music new releases Feb. 5, 2013: Richard Thompson; Jim James; Wayne Shorter; Eels; Townes Van Zandt, more!

Click the links to order discounted CDs, LPs or downloads from Amazon.


Electric [Deluxe 2CD] by Richard Thompson


Regions of Light and Sound of God by Jim James


Without a Net by the Wayne Shorter Quartet


Wonderful, Glorious [2 CD Deluxe Edition] by the Eels


Sunshine Boy: The Unheard Studio Sessions & Demos 1971-1972 by Townes Van Zandt


Forever Endeavour by Ron Sexsmith


The Complete Studio Recordings by Roxy Smith


Broken English Deluxe Edition by Marianne Faithfull


94 Baker Street Revisited by Various Artists


Francoise Hardy


Automechanic by Jenny O

DVD and Blu-ray new releases Feb. 5, 2013: Peter Pan anniversary editions; Gunsmoke season 7.2; Ultimate Spider-Man, more!

Click the links to order discounted DVDs or Blu-rays from Amazon.


Peter Pan (Three-Disc Diamond Edition: Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy + Storybook App)


Peter Pan (Two-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging)


Gunsmoke: The Seventh Season, Vol. 2


Ultimate Spider-Man: Avenging Spider-Man


Paul Williams Still Alive


Joseph Campbell & Power of Myth With Bill Moyers

Video find: John Lennon performs Instant Karma on Top of the Pops

Yoko knits while Beatles' roadie Mal Evans plays tambourine.


Twomorrows previews its American Comic Book Chronicles

Twomorrows Publishing, producer of the excellent Alter Ego, Jack Kirby Collector and Back Issue comics-history mags is launching a series of hardcover books charting the history of American comic books.

The first volume, which focuses on the superhero revival years of 1960-64, is out this month. You can check out a generous, 50-page preview here. Looks good!

Here's what Twomorrows has to say:

The American Comic Book Chronicles features TwoMorrows' top authors documenting every decade of comic book history from the 1940s to today! John Wells leads off with the first of two volumes on the 1960s, covering all the pivotal moments and behind-the-scenes details of comics in the JFK and Beatles era! You'll get a year-by-year account of the most significant publications, notable creators, and impactful trends, including: DC Comics' rebirth of Green Lantern, Hawkman, and others, and the launch of Justice League of America and multiple earths! Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's transformation of superhero comics with the debut of Marvel's  Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Hulk, X-Men, Avengers, and other iconic characters! Plus Batman gets a "new look", the Blue Beetle is revamped at Charlton Comics, and Creepy #1 brings horror back to comic book form, just as Harvey's "kid" comics are booming! These are just a few of the events chronicled in this exhaustive, full-color hardcover. 

1960-64 Volume: (224-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95
(Digital Edition) $11.95 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-045-8 • NOW SHIPPING!

COMING IN MARCH:
1980s Volume: (288-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $41.95
(Digital Edition) $12.95 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-046-5 • Diamond Comic Distributors Order
COMING SOON:
1950s Volume: Ships Summer 2013
1970s Volume: Ships Fall 2013 
1965-69 VolumeShips Spring 2014
1940-44 Volume: Ships Summer 2014
1990s VolumeShips Fall 2014
1945-49 Volume: Ships Spring 2015

Taken together, the series forms a cohesive, linear overview of the entire landscape of comics history, sure to be an invaluable resource for ANY comic book enthusiast!

Video find: The Merry-Go-Round performs Lovely Woman


Pop culture roundup: Amoeba's vinyl vault; Bradley Wiggins and the Who; Everly Brothers nuggets; Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan interviewed; Beatles

One of the world's great remaining record stores, Amoeba in the Bay Area, has launched a new download service of digitized vinyl rarities. Check out here. Some background from Boing Boing:

"We've been digitizing a lot," says Jim Henderson, who owns Amoeba along with partners Marc Weinstein, Karen Pearson and Dave Prinz. "What you see now is the lost-between-the-cracks, underappreciated, undervalued (music) from dead labels, (obscure) artists, stuff that we really stand behind. It's mostly in the rock genre, with a lot of jazz, a lot of blues, some country, some spoken word. There are some oddities for sure."

Many of the LPs have been getting remastering upgrades from the original vinyl and shellac sources. Currently, there are only about 1,000 titles for sale, but Amoeba is adding 10 or 15 more every day.
Some Vinyl Vaults artists are readily familiar, and in some cases Amoeba's source material emanates from its owners' own collections. Some of Prinz's rare Louis Armstrong 78s were digitized and are being sold as downloads, while Weinstein's prized collection of 144 Sun Ra albums has also been ripped.
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Olympic cyclist and mod Bradley Wiggins has scored free tix to an upcoming performance of Quadrophenia by The Who.
The band are a big favourite of cyclist Wiggins, who also won the Tour De France in 2012 and took home the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. Revealing that they are yet to meet but establishing plans to get together later in the year, Roger Daltrey of The Who said: "He is invited to any of our shows,” says Roger. “I’ve written and told him that. I’m sure we will meet him - he has a free pass to any show he likes."
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As a tie-in to an Everly Brothers article in its latest issue, Mojo mag has posted a pretty cool playlist of off-the-beaten-path tunes by the glorious duo. Listen here.

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Via Dangerous Minds: A 1970 interview of British comics and Goon Show stars Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers.

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The former HQ of the Beatles' Apple Corps, and site of the Fabs' famous rooftop concert, may become an Abercrombie & Fitch.

Video find: Maureen McCormick (a.k.a. Marcia Brady) on the Dating Game