News

• January 06, 2012 at 07:59 AM

  Satan Is Real: The Ballad of the Louvin Brothers | Book Giveaway!

  Please note: Giveaway ended 1/13/12. Thanks for all your comments! Up until his passing in January 2011, Charlie Louvin was working with Igniter Books on an autobiography about his life.  We're excited to say that the book, Satan Is Real: The Ballad of the Louvin Brothers (Igniter/Harper-Collins), finally comes out this week. The book, written with Benjamin Whitmer and featuring a forward by Kris Kristofferson, is loaded with anecdotes and stories about the late great Charlie Louvin and his life as half of the Louvin Brothers. Our friends at Igniter sent over a PDF with a full chapter from the book and as an added bonus, we'll be giving away one copy! To get your hands on it, leave a comment below with your favorite Louvin Brothers song, album, or memory. Be sure to include your email address (this is kept private) so we can contact the winner. We'll announce the winner on Friday, January 13th. For more info on the book, visit Harper-Collins and be sure to check out our new Louvin Brothers reissues here.

• November 09, 2011 at 12:19 PM

  The Louvin Brothers "Satan Is Real / Handpicked Songs 1955-1962" OUT NOW!

  

  "Imagine the Everly Brothers plus God and cowshit: that's the Louvins." - The Independent

  "Undoubtedly the package of the month" - The Word

  "9/10" - Spin |  " 4 Stars " - The Times |  "5 Stars" - Mojo |  "5 Stars" - Uncut

  Alabama natives Ira and Charlie Louvin were country music pioneers, Baptist blood brothers known for their trademark close harmony vocal style, mandolin magic, and emotive material ranging from spiritual standards, well-crafted covers to influential originals. Out today is the deluxe Satan Is Real / Handpicked Songs 1955-1962 (LITA 075, 2xCD + Audio Commentary Download), which pairs the Louvins' landmark 1959 album Satan Is Real with a star-studded curatorial "best of" featuring classic original Louvin Brothers recordings "handpicked" by the likes of Beck, Emmylou Harris, Will Oldham, Kris Kristofferson, Jim James, Dolly Parton and many more. As you can see in the "What's Inside?" video above, this set features exquisitely re-mastered audio (from the original master tapes) and comes housed in a handsome 6-panel Digipak with a 40-page booklet with period archival photos, extensive liner notes by Jessica Hundley (Grievous Angel: The Intimate Biography of Gram Parsons), track-by-track testimonials from the "handpickers", along with a download link for an exclusive audio commentary and interview with Charlie Louvin recorded in Nashville, June 2010. Also available today, is our equally deluxe edition of the Louvin's 1956 album Tragic Songs of Life (LITA 070, LP). Pressed on virgin 180-gram vinyl and expanded as a gatefold "tip-on" jacket that includes a full color booklet with liner notes also by Jessica Hundley and rarely seen photos, this is a respectfully presented package for Louvin Brothers fans both old and new. Stay tuned, for in the coming weeks we'll also be rolling out (available for pre-order now) separate 180-gram vinyl editions of Satan Is Real (LITA 073) and Handpicked Songs 1955-1962 (LITA 074), both sporting the same exquisite packaging and attention to detail. Whether you like "The Christian Life" or find yourself often reciting the "Kneeling Drunkard's Prayer", this series is not to be missed.

• September 23, 2011 at 11:10 AM

  The Louvin Brothers - All Four Releases Now Available for PRE-ORDER!

  We are beyond excited to announce the reissue of two classics of American music, The Louvin Brothers' Satan Is Real and Tragic Songs Of Life plus an essential "Best-of" Handpicked Songs: 1955-1962 featuring original recordings by the Louvin Brothers and "handpicked" by those they inspired (Beck, Lucinda Williams, M. Ward, Will Oldham, Kris Kristofferson, and many more). But what's that we hear? Someone is asking "Who are the Louvin Brothers?" Well, simply put, Alabama natives Ira and Charlie Louvin are country music pioneers, Baptist blood brothers known for their trademark close harmony vocal style, mandolin magic, and emotive material ranging from spiritual standards, well-crafted covers to influential originals. They've inspired generations with some of the finest harmonies ever recorded and it is with great pleasure that we present these to you.

  For audio samples, more info and to pre-order The Louvin Brothers Tragic Songs of Life click here.

  Tragic Songs Of Life (LITA 070, 180-gram LP) was originally released by Capitol Records in 1956, the Louvin Brothers’ first long-player with the label. Over 12 succinct Ken Nelson produced tracks, Ira and Charlie—backed by an economic supporting cast—sang tales that, according to reissue liner notes writer Jessica Hundley, “reflected the torment, tragedy, and terror of the human condition.” Features original artwork on a deluxe gatefold "tip-on" jacket, contemporary essay, rare period photos, and beautifully re-mastered audio from the original master tapes (with lacquers cut by John Golden at John Golden Mastering).

  

  For audio samples, more info and to pre-order The Louvin Brothers Satan Is Real click here.

  Bolstered by one of the most celebrated and startlingly unique record covers ever, 1959’s Satan Is Real (LITA 073, 180-gram LP) delves into a strange netherworld of country that no longer exists. Touching on the Louvin’s fire and brimstone southern Baptist upbringing, the title track’s spoken recitation proclaims the existence of the devil himself. Features original artwork on a deluxe gatefold "tip-on" jacket, contemporary essay, rare period photos, and beautifully re-mastered audio from the original master tapes (with lacquers cut by John Golden at John Golden Mastering).

  

  For audio samples, more info and to pre-order The Louvin Brothers Handpicked Songs 1955-1962 click here.

  A star studded curatorial compilation, Handpicked Songs 1955-1962 (LITA 074, 180-gram LP) is a shot of Louvin Brothers magic. This LP features 14 tracks performed by the Louvin Brothers during their golden era, each personally selected by the likes of Beck, Emmylou Harris, Will Oldham, Kris Kristofferson, Jim James, Dolly Parton and many more, all housed in a deluxe Stoughton gatefold sleeve plus a full color insert with period archival photos, and extensive liner notes along with meticulously re-mastered audio from the original tapes (with lacquers cut by John Golden at John Golden Mastering).

  

  For audio samples, more info and to pre-order The Louvin Brothers Satan Is Real / Handpicked Songs 1955-1962 click here.

  Satan Is Real / Handpicked Songs 1955-1962 (LITA 075, 2xCD + Audio Commentary Download) collects on CD the classic Satan Is Real album and the Handpicked Songs "best-of", housed in a deluxe 6-panel Digipak with a 40-page booklet with period archival photos, and extensive liner notes along with meticulously re-mastered audio from the original tapes. For a better look at this stellar set, check out the "What's Inside?" video below!

• September 19, 2011 at 10:19 AM

  Rhino Handmade and Light In The Attic Distribution Partnership!

  We're very happy to announce starting October 4th we will be partnering with Rhino Handmade in an exclusive distribution deal. This marks the first time that the incredible and exhaustive releases from Rhino Handmade will be available in stores and via LightInTheAttic.net in addition to Rhino.com. If you're not familiar with Rhino Handmade, do yourself a favor and check out their stellar roster (Judee Sill, Stooges, Bobby Charles, to name just a few). The first release in this partnership is the deluxe reissue of Tim Buckley's Tim Buckley debut album. A stunning 2-CD set with 46 songs features remastered audio by original engineer Bruce Botnick, a gorgeous portfolio cardstock package and book-deep liner notes by Thane Tierney. It will be available October 4th but you may pre-order it now!

  RHINO HANDMADE AND LIGHT IN THE ATTIC RECORDS

  ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTIONPARTNERSHIP

  First Releases Include Deluxe Editions Of Debut Albums From Tim Buckley And Ride Available October 4th and Oct. 18th LOS ANGELES – Rhino Handmade, an imprint of Rhino Entertainment, has announced an innovative partnership with Seattle-based label/distributor Light In The Attic Records. Under this new partnership, Light In The Attic will take select Rhino Handmade titles, previously available exclusively at rhino.com, to retail outlets and also offer them on their website (www.lightintheattic.net). The partnership begins with the deeply expanded debut albums from ‘60s art-pop singer-songwriter Tim Buckley and timeless psychedelic shamans Ride. Handmade titles will continue to be available exclusively at Rhino.com for the first 60 days of release prior to Light In The Attic distributing them exclusively to retail. The partnership between Rhino Handmade and Light In The Attic is a match made in music heaven as both labels work tirelessly to comb the vaults and deliver uniquely crafted releases of some of the greatest (and often times lost, obscure, or forgotten) music masterpieces from the past to music connoisseurs and collectors. Rhino Handmade has been mining the Warner Music archives for over a decade to curate unprecedented collections of rare, out-of-print, and previously unreleased material from such beloved acts as Aretha Franklin, The Doors, Wilson Pickett, The Stooges, and The Monkess while also shining a spotlight on incredible, overlooked artists such as The Beau Brummels, Bettye Lavette, Doug Sahm, and Tony Joe White. Light In The Attic is known for posh CD and 180 gram vinyl runs of crate-digging classics like the first two Karen Dalton albums, the exclusive re-release of the highly coveted and controversial concept LP Historie de Melody Nelson by Serge Gainsbourg, as well as his seductive collaboration with Jane Birkin on Je T’aime …; Betty Davis’s full soul-punk canon, Sixto Rodriguez’s psych-folk masterpiece Cold Fact, and a generous collection of early Kris Kristofferson demos.

• February 01, 2011 at 02:00 AM

  Nigerian Boogie Down! Q&A with Uchenna Ikonne (Comb & Razor Sound).

  Some music just exudes the energy, blood, sweat and tears of those who created it; You can feel them in it. This is the case with Brand New Wayo (Comb & Razor Sound), a new comp of the deepest funk, Nigerian boogie and raw synth badness compiled by Uchenna Ikonne (Comb & Razor blog). Uchenna is a one-man encyclopedia of Nigerian popular music and culture, and he was nice enough to share his story with us... So, Uchenna, tell us about yourself. You grew up in Nigeria but now reside in Boston? Yeah, I was actually born in the US in the 1970s, moved to Nigeria at the beginning of the eighties and then back to the States in the nineties. I spent most of the noughties in transit between the two places and now that we're in the... uh, what do we call this new decade we just entered? The teens? Well, whatever... We'll see where the next ten years finds me situated! You've been writing the Comb & Razor blog since 2006. There's some seriously crazy shit on there--amazing videos of live shows, photos, etc. Where do you find all this music? Are you in touch with any of the artists? Thanks! I am a pathological packrat, so a lot of it is stuff I’ve picked up and held on to over the years. And since I started the blog I’ve put a lot of work into tracking down and befriending many of the original artists, who have been generous enough to share their memories—and memorabilia—with me. "Brand New Wayo: Funk, Fast Times & Nigerian Boogie Badness 1979 - 1983" is the first release on your Comb & Razor Sound label. What made you decide to make the leap from blog to full fledge label? A commitment to a masochistic lifestyle perhaps? No, really… It just seemed like a natural progression. I had long expressed a certain sense of uneasiness with the kind of music blogging I was doing. I felt like it was little more than new wave bootlegging, but my readers would often reassure me that it was all fair game since the records I was posting were very rare and long out of print I might as well just share them online since it didn’t look like they would be coming back into print anytime soon, right? Or maybe I should just get them back in print myself so that they can generate some much-deserved income for the artists? Hmmmm…! [caption id="attachment_3310" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Uchenna....in the field..."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_3307" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="...Digging deep..."][/caption] The music is pretty diverse--jazz-funk, synth pop, disco, etc---but it all fits in the genre known as "Nigerian Boogie". Yeah, you know we didn't actually call it "Nigerian boogie" back then. "Boogie" is largely a retroactive genre that encapsulates a range of R&B-based, post-disco dance music. I believe the term first came into use among UK fans in the early 80s, after the rock fascists had symbolically demolished disco at Comiskey Park. They still wanted to dance to disco records, but conventional wisdom held that disco sucked, so they had to find a new codeword for the music they loved. But the music we call "boogie" was really more than just the same old disco under a new name: there were changes that took place in the music. The tempo was dialed down a notch, and for the rhythm, rather than disco's four-on-the-four, you got a one-and-two shuffle--which is why boogie's also sometimes called "two-step" among older UK heads. And there was a lot more emphasis on musicianship and songcraft than you usually found in disco's robotic servitude to the beat. But yeah, "boogie" is everything from Vaughn Mason & Crew's "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" to Newcleus's "Jam On It" to parts of Michael Jackson's Thriller and Prince's first two albums to just about everything that was released on Solar Records in the early eighties. Solar Records, by the way, was huge in Nigeria... The label even had a branch in Lagos. All those acts from Solar and Salsoul Records—Shalamar, Skyy, Rafael Cameron, Lakeside—they all came and played in Nigeria to enthusiastic crowds. That boogie sound was just so big in Nigeria, and we had our own local version of it, incorporating more African and neo-African sounds like makossa, soukous, highlife and calypso... That's what has since come to be known as "Nigerian boogie." We still just called it disco, though. Are these tracks largely pulled from singles or albums? All from albums. Apart from the occasional 12-inch mix, the single format was pretty much completely pulled from the Nigerian market by 1978. I think that move actually contributed to the crisis in the music industry in the later eighties, just as the phasing out of the single has done in the US over the past decade or so. What are your favorites from the comps? How about your favorite Nigerian artists? I LOVE that Dizzy K. Falola - Excuse Me Baby" cut... Dizzy K. Falola was certainly one of my favorite artists growing up in the 1980s being that I was a super-zealous Michael Jackson fan and Dizzy K. was the greatest of our many local MJ imitators. Emma Baloka’s “Let’s Love Each Other” is a really nice heavy dance-funker, and “Boys and Girls” by Joe Moks is an infectious and eccentric synth-disco number that I think a lot of folks will dig. I also really like “Pleasure” by Honey Machine and “Big Race” by Segun Robert. There are a lot of great artists and records from that period that I really love and but couldn’t make the compilation de to space constraints. But we’ll see what happens in volume two… And on this side of the pond, what music are you digging here in the states? Oh, a lot of stuff! I have to admit that most of the “new” releases I’ve been into lately have been reissues of some sort, like that Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends collection of Kris Kristofferson demos Light in the Attic put out. But in terms of actual new studio recordings, I really liked Cool Million’s Back For More… That was a really great boogie throwback album featuring some of the finest singers from that era like Me’lisa Morgan, Leroy Burgess and Eugene Wilde. I’m also digging Debo Band, they’re a big band here in Boston, specializing in Ethiopian jazz. They’ve put out some singles but I’m really looking forward to a full-length album from them. And then there’s Mahon, which is a cool, coed electronic soul duo from London. I’m also into a lot of soulful house, like Blaze productions. There’s a duo in Chicago called Windimoto who do stuff along those lines and I definitely recommend their last album Sinister Beauty. They recently released a remix album called Beauty Within, which is just… well, beautiful. I’m going to have to stop there, because when you ask me to talk about music, it’s hard to get me to shut up! Lastly, are you going to continue writing the blog or focus more on physical releases? Both… Though I intend to restructure the blog a little bit so I’m not giving away all the material I plan to reissue, you know? ==== Special thanks to Uchenna for taking the time do this interview and post all the YouTube video clips. Pick up Brand New Wayo: Funk, Fast Times & Nigerian Boogie Badness 1979 - 1983 (distributed by Light In The Attic) NOW!

• January 26, 2011 at 01:48 AM

  RIP - Charlie Louvin

  Sad news coming in this morning that Charlie Louvin (Louvin Brothers), iconic country singer in the brother / close harmony tradition, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. Over the years, we've been so very fortunate to get to know Charlie and work with him a bit. Highlights include: during the work on the Kris Kristofferson Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 (LITA 050) reissue, Kris and Charlie sat down for a great and wide ranging conversation, which you may listen to here. Another great memory is catching a set (on his 80th birthday) at SXSW a few years ago. Our deepest condolences go out to Charlie's family. He will be missed. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Charlie Louvin (L) with Kris Kristofferson. Photo Credit: Sonny Louvin."][/caption]

• December 13, 2010 at 02:34 PM

  3rd Annual Year End Extravaganza!

  Ah...it's that time of year again. The year (2010) that we so anticipated last year comes to a grinding halt and we get all excited for the next year. It's a vicious cycle, but here at Light In The Attic, it's a cycle that we love. During the year of 2010 we all enjoyed some pretty, pretttay, prettaaaayyyy good sights, sounds, smells (?), tastes, and vibes! As in previous years, we want to thank all the people that helped us out. P.S. - if you're wondering why the above pic looks familar, it's because it's the original art made by Drew Christie  (thanks again, Drew) for our first Year End Extravaganza. Patrick just added three candles and voila...artwork for this year! So, without further delay, we give you the Light In The Attic 3rd Annual Year End Extravaganza! Stefan Prescott These are the things that helped me through the year, not necessarily all new this year or discovered this year. Film Kidulthood Irreversible Fired Up! Wheedle' Groove Documentary Music Gorillaz Alela Diane Mos Def Little Ann Andreya Triana Azari & III -Reckless with Your Love Leela James African Headcharge Chico Hamilton Seu Jorge @ Almaz Food Paseo (nuff said) Show VV Brown + Little Dragon Other Culturally Important things that helped me through the year: Record Stores Qool Marv's Mixes Chelsea Football Club ( although this has also been painful all year) Learning about the Velvet Underground from the my LITA colleagues. Gordon Parks Dust & Grooves Vinyl Record collectors photos The Onion Lukasz Lysakowski Facebook Page Rosemary Otero 1.) seeing the song "Tyrants" by Black Mountain, live November 29th @ the Showbox 2.) Jim Sullivan "U.F.O." on vinyl- BEST REISSUE OF THE YEAR!!

  3.) Buffalo Springfield reunion!!! at Neil Young's Bridge School benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, CA 4.) Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute 5.) Flaming Lips live @ the Paramount on September 27th 6.) meeting Ibrahim Ag Alhabib of Tinariwen 7.) finding "I Don't Wanna Play House" by Tammy Wynette for $2.99 at Sonic Boom in Ballard 8.) Sublime Frequencies' "Jemaa El Fna" 9.) watching Jackie Brown for the first time at the Kalaloch Lodge, in Kalaloch, Washington. 10.) getting hired at Light In The Attic!!!!

  Sandy Wilson Top 10 reasons that Sandy the licensing guy didn't submit a top year-end 10 list 10. Experienced side affects including problems urinating, blurry vision, confusion, and relocated salivary glands 9. Disappeared for 6 months after drinking a case Four Loko with singer of Die Antwoord 8. Lost too much sleep worrying about William Hung's spiritual well-being 7. Felt the need to send hand-written letters to each journalist that requested an interview with Jim Sullivan 6. Was too busy inventing words like 'Fauxmosexual' and 'Procrasterbation' 5. Spent a week straight laughing when he heard a guy wearing a knit cap being referred to as a 'sweater head' 4. Had to be sedated when he thought he heard a Black Angels song on a Chili's commercial 3. Accidentally ate something called Turduckster 2. Still shook up over Farmville beastiality rap 1. His dog smoked it [caption id="attachment_2920" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="So that's where it went..."][/caption] Josh Wright A little assortment, in no particular order - - Moving Light In Attic HQ out of the ghetto and into our new office! - My new little puppy, Maggie (editor's note: not the dog above!) - Paseo and it's mighty Cuban sandwiches...you are always there for me when I need you - Mankei and it's mighty spicy tuna rolls (I ate 10 one night!) - Hawking vinyl at Pitchfork & WFMU (thank you to everyone who visited us!) - UFO, El Gusano, Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat, TL Barrett! Matt Sullivan Kris Kristofferson - Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 (LITA 050) There were days and years when it seemed like this would never see the light of day.  It was well worth the wait. Staff Benda Bilili - Tres Tres Fort (Crammed Discs) The record's from '09 but I just discovered it via Henry Rollins' radio show. The tune "Sala Keba" made me literally stop in my tracks.

  

  Ellen's Soul Food (Memphis, TN) The fried chicken is to die for. The Tenth Inning (Ken Burns, PBS) Best Blog (Still) – Pacific Standard Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) (Lorber Films) Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here, Double LP Version (XL) Sadly I still haven't seen the man in concert. Come back West! Joanna Newsom - "Good Intentions Paving Company" (Drag City) One word: EPIC. Robert Wyatt - Vinyl Reissues (Domino) Finally! and done so well. Junip - Fields (Mute) The Golden State Cafe (Los Angeles, CA) Best burger on planet earth. Tame Impala - InnerSpeaker (Modular) Stop the bidding war and get this album out in the U.S. Winter's Bone, Seattle International Film Festival, May 28, 2010 Give the Oscar to Jennifer Lawrence. Wheedle's Groove, Bumbershoot, Sept. 4, 2010 One of the greatest days of my life. El Perro Del Mar - "Let Me In" (The Control Group) Mad Men, The Suitcase, Episode 7, Season 4 (AMC) Hanging with Rodriguez (Detroit, MI) There is only one Sixto. Reissue labels like Sublime Frequencies who go the extra mile, and this interview with Frank Gossner (Voodoo Funk) - Zola Jesus - "Sea Talk" Jim Sullivan on Art Bell's Coast to Coast AM, Nov. 19, 2010 Reigning Sound, Nocturnal, Memphis, TN, July 30, 2010 This show blew my head off. Erkyah Badu - New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh (Motown) The Black Angels & Black Mountain, The Showbox, Seattle, WA, Nov. 29, 2010 Tribute to The (real) Dude, William H. Morse II, Cal Poly, Pomona, CA, Sept. 19, 2010 Beach House - Teen Dream (Sub Pop) The Executive Inn, Memphis, TN Words can not describe. You must see it for yourself. Ted Lucas - Ted Lucas (Yoga Records) I couldn't stop listening to the song "Plain & Sane & Simple Melody" Andrew Graham & Swarming Branch - "Take It Easy On Kathy At Least She Can Dance" (Mexican Summer) Kenny Graham & His Satellites - Moondog & Suncat Suites (Trunk) Thanks to Piccadilly in Manchester for the tip. The Moondoggies - Tidelands (Hardly Art) How is this band not a household name?  Proof: new Moondoggies video by Drew Christie Dadahawh - Peace And Love (Dug Out) '74 heady-spiritual-reggae-walkabout via new reissue label set up by Mark Ainley of Honest Jon's & Mark Ernestus of Rhythm & Sound.  Look forward to what's next. Patrick McCarthy Last December, I moved from NYC (after calling it home for 10 years) to Los Angeles. Here are the top reasons why the City of Angeles is the best place to live! Dang, LA has so many good record stores. I often find myself wandering the aisles of Vacation, Origami Vinyl, Atomic Records, Rockaway Records, Records LA, Amoeba, Counterpoint (also a great book store), and Wombelton. Not to mention all the thrift stores I stop at. LA has always been a big music industry town and it's amazing how many great records (largely Promos) you can find at thrift stores. Being a musician too, it's important to have some non-corporate shops to hang out in and pick up various "necessities". One of these is Old Style in Silverlake . Owned by Reuben Cox, Old Style largely features Reuben's own Frankenstein guitars. He also has "secret" shows (The National just did one) and it's a great shop to hang out in and pull some guitar strings. For pedal mania I check out TrueTone in Santa Monica. For synths and other oddities, Future Music in Eagle Rock is kool. [caption id="attachment_2925" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Keepin' it old at Old Style"][/caption] Who says no one in LA reads? This town is loaded with great book stores. Stories in Echo Park always has great used books and nice small run art books. They make a mean coffee too. Skylight in Los Feliz is great too. A very nicely curated music section and zines. Wacko, also in Los Feliz, has all those eye-candy/coffee table books that you kinda feel stupid (intellectually) for buying but you just can't live without. Counterpoint (Hollywood?) has lots of good used books but I tend to get lost in the LPs when I'm there. Ya gotta eat, right? Can't live without burgers from Fix, In and Out, Fatburger and all the Mexican joints, Hugo's Tacos in Atwater, date night at Elf Cafe in Echo Park, Sunday afternoons at Trails Cafe in Griffith Park, daily donuts at Daily Donuts, all the food trucks, and of course the Hollywood, Silverlake, Atwater, and Barnsdall farmers markets. And at night? Great bands to check out. OFF! and Red Kross at Club Lingerie, Featherbeard at HM157, Sweaters at Vacation, Linda Perhacs at the LA Folk Festival, Atriarch at the Three Clubs (lots of ritual sage burning and really loud guitars). [caption id="attachment_2926" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="OFF!"][/caption] And the general lifestyle? Beautiful weather, Griffith Park, The Bronson Caves (Batman!), Barnsdall Park, Malibu, Lake Hollywood Reservoir (besides how much a pain in the ass it is to find), Echo Park, Elysian Park, and on and on. Randy Newman was so right, of course. Pat Thomas Winter's Bone movie and the resulting soundtrack on LITA's new cinewax imprint Southern Kitchen; soul food restaurant in Tacoma, WA drinking with Chris Estey at Linda's! lecturing at Bumbershoot about music of the Black Power era Matt Sullivan turning me onto the music of Jim Sullivan and Lou Bond

  

  Barbara Manning playing at the Sunset Tavern in Ballard debut album released by Can You Imagine? featuring Pete Bagge, Steve Fisk, et al. discovering the Seattle psych band Midday Veil via Dave Segal Mushroom "Naked Stoned and Stabbed" Patti Smith's book "Just Kids" Sipreano - http://voluntaryinnature.blogspot.com/ For some reason, I can’t remember a lot of last year. It’s been a good one though, have no fear. Communing with nature has been a prime focus. Both Light In The Attic and myself count ourselves lucky to be living on the coast. At this point, my focus is on the coming year (Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown’s Mowest Story 1971-1973, LITA 064!!!), but reflecting back into the void, these are my 2010 highlights… 1) Shooting Wayne McGhie for our From Yard To Yonge-Jamaica To Toronto documentary: Breaking bread with Wayne in the cold Toronto winter of 2004 alongside LITA honcho Matt Sullivan was an occasion I’ll never forget. In 2010, co-director Darby Wheeler and myself spent more time with The Sounds Of Joy (LITA 008) main man, one of Canada’s most unique musical voices. Against many odds, we are working hard to make From Yard To Yonge a reality. Keep your eyes peeled for more news in 2011. 2) Vancouver 2010 Olympics: Though I didn’t follow the sporting action and appalled by the finances, my distaste for the Games was mellowed out somewhat via a booming influx of people (power) and overall positive vibrations. Sorta felt like this sleepy town was awoken for a spell. Basking in the sunlight on the sunny steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery while tram flyers soared across the sky kept me sane for a two-week spell this winter.

  3) Duffy & The Doubters: For me, the best new release of 2010 was easily Ladyhawk singer-songwriter Duffy Driediger’s latest project. Non-believers and curiosity seekers should peep “No Wild Horses” and “Doubters” for proof (*goes well with pudding). Scriptural Supplies is yet another incredible aside from the #1 rock group in Canada.

  4) Needles//Pins: Really hype on this Vancouver trio. DL First World Problems for free HERE. Catch their new album in early 2011. 5) The Mighty Pope recording with Sureshot Symphony Solution in San Francisco: April saw Canada’s boss soul, R&B, and funk legend (LITA 019) record 2 tracks with US crate digger and top breakbeat don Sureshot (The Sharpshooters) for a forthcoming 7”. “Mr. Fortune And Fame” will debut on CBC Radio 2’s The Strombo Show on January 3, 2011. 6) The Power: B.C.’s Sunshine Coast jewel. It’s a healing land where you can play 80’s records to seals, swim in quarries, eat oysters right off the beach, and communicate with tree spirits.

  7) Huey Lewis & The News: Live at the PNE (August 25, 2010). “Heart And Soul.”

  8) Time Cookie: Best DJ mixes of 2010.

  9) Planetarium 2010: April also saw Transmolecular, BCVCO, and yours truly hit the H.R. McMillan planetarium stage with the Poppy Family’s Craig McCaw on mind-bending visuals with all-encompassing support from Morgan Tanner and family. With friends in town from as far away as California and Toronto, the after-party was equally cosmic.

  10) Cratery: Toronto’s one-of-a-kind mix of vintage vinyl madness and music mayhem starring veteran rapper Arcee, the multi-talented Kaewonder, DJ Serious, and a motley crew of guests ranging from super producer Jake One to Alister Johnson (aka Catalist).

  See ya again next year!

  Sipreano

  http://voluntaryinnature.blogspot.com/

  For some reason, I can’t remember a lot of last year. It’s been a good one though, have no fear. Communing with nature has been a prime focus. Both Light In The Attic and myself count ourselves lucky to be living on the coast. At this point, my focus is on the coming year (Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown’s Mowest Story 1971-1973, LITA 064!!!), but reflecting back into the void, these are my 2010 highlights…

  1) Shooting Wayne McGhie for our From Yard To Yonge-Jamaica To Toronto documentary: Breaking bread with Wayne in the cold Toronto winter of 2004 alongside LITA honcho Matt Sullivan was an occasion I’ll never forget. In 2010, co-director Darby Wheeler and myself spent more time with The Sounds Of Joy (LITA 008) main man, one of Canada’s most unique musical voices. Against many odds, we are working hard to make From Yard To Yonge a reality. Keep your eyes peeled for more news in 2011.

• November 26, 2010 at 03:22 AM

  Everything Went BLACK! Sales for Black Friday and Black Sunday!

  As many of you saw yesterday, we announced the Light In The Attic 2011 Subscription Series. If that ain't a Black Friday jam then I don't know what is. And you didn't even have to put up with this shit: Check out the 2011 Light In The Attic Subscription Series HERE:

  

  And if Black Friday weren't enough, for those of you in Seattle, we give you Black SUNDAY!

  What's that, you ask? Well, LITA are moving our HQ to some new digs and we're having a big sale to celebrate. We'll be selling chairs, tables, record/CD shelves, sofas, etc and you can even pick up copies of your favorite and soon to be favorite LITA releases like Jim Sullivan, Monks, Sixto Rodriguez, Wheedle's Groove, Karen Dalton, Betty Davis, Kris Kristofferson, and hundreds of other records. Check out the Craigslist ad and stop by this Sunday, November 28th from 10AM to 4PM.

  

• October 20, 2010 at 02:45 PM

  Here's yer chance! Light in the attic zine issue no. 3 design contest!

  Dear Light In The Attic devotees, we have a mission for you! Curious? Then, read on... On Record Store Day 2011 (April 16), we will unleash upon the world the supreme righteousness that is the Light In The Attic Zine. For those of you who are counting, this will be Issue No. 3. And for those of you who are scratching your heads ("Zine, what zine?" or god forbid, "What's a zine???") the Light In The Attic Zine is an awesome and completely FREE zine that features interviews with legendary artists (Jane Birkin, Kris Kristofferson, Betty Davis), special features, record reviews and coverage of upcoming LITA releases (like the upcoming Jim Sullivan U.F.O. reissue). The contents of Issue No. 3 are still top secret, but let's just say that they are hotter than a two dollar pistol at an all night shoot-out!  Damn! OK, OK, back to the matter at hand. For the cover art of the two previous issues, we enlisted the talents of artist extrodinaire (and frequent LITA artist/desinger) Drew Christie (see below). And now, it's your chance!  The rules are simple and practically non-existent: 1). Make use of your talents and design (paint, draw, etch-a-sketch) us a cover for Issue No. 3 of the Light In The Attic Zine. The rough dimensions are 7 inchs x 7 inchs. 2). Entries must be submitted by November 1st, 2010. All entries must be submitted to zine {at} lightintheattic {dot} net That's it! And, what's in it for you??? Well, in addition to receiving full credit for your kick-ass artwork, the winner will also be entered into the Light In The Attic Subscription Program for 2011! That's a whole lotta good records coming your way all year...for free. Have a look at this past year's program to get an idea. Need some inspiration? Here are the covers for Issue No. 1 and No. 2 by Drew Christie: [caption id="attachment_2544" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Light In The Attic Zine, Issue No. 1"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_2545" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Light In The Attic Zine, Issue No. 2"][/caption] Good luck!!!

• July 21, 2010 at 04:00 PM

  What Happens When Light In The Attic Attends Pitchfork Festival

  Last weekend, Light in the Attic head honchos Matt Sullivan and Josh Wright invaded the Pitchfork Festival at Union Park in Chicago, and set up shop to hawk our glorious releases, including the new Pastor T.L. Barrett and The Youth For Christ Choir Sings LP (officially released next Tuesday, 7/27), as well as our new t-shirts, and the sweet titles we distribute. On top of the special 20% off discount to all who uttered the words "Santa Rosa" through their beer-baited breath, Matt and Josh were giving out our brand new tote bags with purchase. By day three, there were buy-one-get-one-free deals, and ice cold cans of Coors and shots of Jameson were given out to everyone who bought something. Some whiskey lovers even made off with free copies of the Kristofferson Publishing Demos LP. These jokers even showed up to the booth and tried to convince Matt and Josh that they had the Jim Sullivan master reels. (Yeah, right!) No word on how wasted they were at the time. A big thanks goes out to everyone who stopped by to buy stuff and shoot the shit, as well as Pitchfork Festival, who allowed us the space to get some more records off our hands (and inadvertly let us get our dedicated customers a little bit more drunk).

• July 07, 2010 at 08:42 AM

  Charlie Louvin Diagnosed With Cancer

  

  Charlie Louvin (L) with Kris Kristofferson. Photo Credit: Sonny Louvin.

  The legendary country music artist Charlie Louvin has been diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer, according to a release issued by Steele Management, which represents the singer. Charlie, who turned 83 today, visited his doctor recently with what he thought was a minor complaint, and it was at that time the cancer was discovered. Here's the release from Steele Management:

  As Charlie Louvin turns 83 on July 7^th, he is discovering a new foe. He recently went in to see his doctor with what seemed to be a minor complaint, and came back with a diagnosis of stage two-pancreatic cancer. Suddenly, the success of his new CD, “Hickory Wind: Live at the Gram Parsons Guitar Pull, Waycross GA” out July 20^th on Tompkins Square Records, is not nearly as important as Charlie’s victory over one of the most virulent forms of cancer. He has been through a lot in his 83 years, but this hurdle is one he was not counting on.

  On July 22^nd, Charlie will go in for a complex, six-hour surgery at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. It’s called the Whipple Procedure. Charlie’s family and friends are encouraged that he will be in good hands, but they definitely covet your prayers.

  Light in the Attic has had the great honor of working with Charlie on a project slated for release next year. It's been a wonderful and fruitful experience. Our thoughts are with Charlie and his family and loved ones, and we wish him a speedy and full recovery.

• May 26, 2010 at 06:00 AM

  Wheedle's Groove Director Jennifer Maas (And Our Own Matt Sullivan) Featured On KEXP Tonight

  Wheedle's Groove, director Jennifer Maas' film about the Seattle soul and funk scene of the 1960s and '70s, has its official homecoming this week with two screenings at the Seattle International Film Festival. We're biased, but this excellently produced documentary is worth your time and we highly recommend you clear out your schedule to see it. Maas and her husband, Light in the Attic co-founder Matt Sullivan, will also be guests tonight on KEXP's The Roadhouse. Tonight's show is dedicated to Seattle soul and funk, past and present. It will feature a live in-studio performance by The Satellite 4, a Seattle-based soul instrumental combo at 7 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time), in addition to the in-studio interview with Maas and Sullivan, who are scheduled to appear on the program at about 7:30 p.m. Host Greg Vandy is expected to cover a range of topics during the interview, including the making of the film and its critical reception (talk about meet-cute, the couple met when Maas interviewed Sullivan for the documentary), Light in the Attic, and our recent release of Kris Kristofferson's early demos. The show runs from 6-9 p.m. (PDT) and can be heard over the air and also streaming online at kexp.org.

• May 13, 2010 at 04:26 AM

  An Interview With Michael Simmons (Part Two)

  (Photo courtesy of Tyler Hubby) Michael Simmons is a veteran journalist who has written for the likes of MOJO, LA Weekly, The Huffington Post and Rolling Stone. Light in the Attic commissioned Simmons to write the liner notes for its latest release, Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72, a collection of the early demos of Kris Kristofferson. Also an accomplished musician, the Los Angeles-based Simmons is at work on a solo album – Last Call At The White Horse – that he hopes to complete by year’s end. In the 1970s, Simmons fronted the band Slewfoot, whose sound his close friend Kinky Friedman called “metallic cocaine hillbilly bebop.” Simmons, 55, spoke recently with Light in the Attic, and what followed was an insightful, thought-provoking conversation. The New York native talked about working on the liner notes for Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends, Kristofferson’s career and legacy, and a range of other topics. Below is the second half of the two-part interview: Light in the Attic: You’ve witnessed popular music change considerably over your career. What to you is contemporary music about? What do you see happening? Michael Simmons: I don’t know how much I can say, because I don’t listen to (contemporary music) too much. I listen to it enough to know I don’t like it. I don’t have any desire or motivation to go any further into it. It’s a waste of my time. I’m not entertained by it. I’m not uplifted by it. I’m not educated by it. LITA: Are there any artists that grab you? What was the last artist or song you felt compelled by? MS: I’ve dug Bjork. I’ve dug Jeff Buckley. I think the greatest of the so-called contemporary artists is Steve Earle. But Steve Earle is my age. Younger artists? There was a singer named Lhasa de Sela. She was unbelievable. Sadly, she died of cancer recently (in January). Occasionally, people like that come up and grab me emotionally. It seems most musicians are more interested in updating their Facebook pages than learning their craft. There are exceptions, but so few. A lot of it is so underwhelming. LITA: Tell me about your band Slewfoot. How does a guy growing up in New York get into country music? MS: It was a two-fold phenomenon. One side of the answer was, I was basically a rocker. But by the late ‘60s, a lot of rock and roll people – The Byrds with Sweetheart of the Rodeo, (Bob) Dylan with Nashville Skyline – were playing country music. We started digging this stuff. I had this friend, Barry Parker, who was into shortwave radio, which was the Internet of its day (laughs). I don’t know how exactly he got into Nashville country, but he became the only New York teenage Jew who was an expert in Nashville country music. He started playing me this stuff, and I loved it. I thought it was simple, direct, honest, fun music. I saw it was a relative of rock and roll. I saw why it moved The Byrds and Dylan. I got into it, and in fact, I got into Kris because Barry and I knew Roger Miller’s version of “Me and Bobby McGee” before I ever heard Kris’ solo album. As rock music started to become more commercial, I was looking for something to get excited about musically. Country music touched me the most, and I started playing country music with my rock band. By the early ‘70s, there was a club in New York, O’Lunney’s, and they had straightforward, redneck country bands. Here was the real thing. I started hanging out there, and started going on stage singing country songs. I started learning the history of country music, and eventually formed a country band called Slewfoot. I played country music for many years, and it remains one of the great loves of my life. LITA: Do you still play? MS: I gig occasionally and will be playing live more often. I’ve recorded a solo album that’s more or less in the can. I hope to release it soon, possibly this year. It’s got a working title of Last Call At The White Horse. LITA: I read somewhere that someone called you “The Father of Country Punk.” Care to elaborate? MS: (Laughs) I think it was kind of a joke. I founded Slewfoot, and initially we played straightforward hardcore country music – Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Waylon (Jennings), Willie (Nelson), George Jones. We were sitting at a bar after rehearsal one afternoon about 1976. Springsteen was on the radio, and punk was in the air. I was missing my rock and roll edge, and I wanted to rock. I had this idea of playing country music, but playing it really loud and fast. We were playing this bar in New York called The Bells of Hell, where a lot of the rock critics hung out. I don’t remember who first dubbed me “The Father of Country Punk,” but in print it was Robert Duncan, who was an editor at CREEM Magazine. They did an article where they said the best punk bands in New York were “The Dictators, The Ramones and Michael Simmons and Slewfoot.” We thought it was very funny because we didn’t consider ourselves a punk band. LITA: Can you talk about your transition to journalism? MS: I’d written from a young age, and that turned into writing songs. Then some things happened in my personal life, and I needed work. I figured I could make a couple bucks writing. I wrote screenplays and I wrote for my father’s magazine – National Lampoon, where in the mid ‘80s I was an editor. LITA: How was your experience at National Lampoon? MS: It was a mixed bag. It was something in retrospect that was a mistake. But you can’t look back. Anyway, in the ‘90s I started writing for LA Weekly. I wrote this one article about the Hollywood vice squad of the LAPD, who were going into bars and busting bartenders for allegedly serving intoxicated customers. I found out about this sitting at a bar with my then-girlfriend, who got hauled out of the bar by the LAPD for being intoxicated. I wrote an expose about it, and it ended up winning the Los Angeles Press Club Award in 1996. LITA: What are some of the other projects you’re currently working on? MS: I just signed with a book agent to write a book on the Outlaws, about the whole Outlaw country scene. The idea came when I was working on the Kristofferson notes. But I already have the sample chapter that you give to publishing companies, and that chapter is actually the liner notes (laughs). LITA: I loved your inclusion of Merle Haggard and Kinky Friedman in the liner notes. You and Kinky Friedman are old friends right? MS: I became friends with him when he was playing at the Lone Star Caféa club in New York I was also playing at. We became pals, and remain pals to this day. I’m opening up for him in July in Los Angeles at McCabe’s as part of a West Coast tour.

• May 11, 2010 at 06:04 PM

  An Interview With Michael Simmons

  (Photo courtesy of Tyler Hubby) Michael Simmons is a veteran journalist who has written for the likes of MOJO, LA Weekly, The Huffington Post and Rolling Stone. Light in the Attic commissioned Simmons to write the liner notes for its latest release, Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72, a collection of the early demos of Kris Kristofferson. Also an accomplished musician, the Los Angeles-based Simmons is at work on a solo album - Last Call At The White Horse - that he hopes to complete by year's end. In the 1970s, Simmons fronted the band Slewfoot, whose sound his close friend Kinky Friedman called "metallic cocaine hillbilly bebop." Simmons, 55, spoke recently with Light in the Attic, and what followed was an insightful, thought-provoking conversation. The New York native talked about working on the liner notes for Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends, Kristofferson's career and legacy, and a range of other topics. Below is the first half of the two-part interview: Light in the Attic: How did you come to work on this project? Michael Simmons: I loved this singer named Karen Dalton. This guy Mark Linn put out an album of unreleased Karen Dalton stuff. I called him up and asked if I could get a copy. He asked if I was going to write about it, and I gave him my word that I would. I’m sure he didn’t want to waste a freebie. I ended up writing about it for my Huffington Post column. I effusively praised it, and he loved what I had written. He’s one of these cats that goes out and finds rare and unreleased recordings. One day he says to me, “Do you dig Kristofferson?” I laughed, because (Kristofferson) is one of my primary influences. He said, “Well, I’ve got these unreleased demos, and we’re going to put them out on Light in the Attic.” (Light in the Attic) had put out Rodriguez, who I really loved. And I loved these cats at Light in the Attic, because they put such care and love into their releases. Mark Linn asked if I’d write the liner notes for the Kristofferson release, and I said, “Are you shittin’ me?” And that’s how I got the job. LITA: What about Kristofferson appeals to you? What makes him such a timeless artist? MS: You have to understand the mindset of 1960s America. It was an Us vs. Them dynamic. On one side were the freaks, hippies, troublemakers and activists. On the other side was the rest of America. At the same time, I had gotten into hardcore country music while not shedding my hippie heart. The great thing about Kris, he was one of the first people who was authentically country, but at the same time, spoke to hippies. “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Billy Dee,” The Pilgrim” – songs like that were songs about us – my generation and my world. At the same time, it was authentic country music. He was ours. He represented our side, and he also bridged the gap. That was his initial appeal, aside from the fact that he is inarguably one of the greatest living American songwriters. LITA: What aspects of his songwriting make his songs so relevant and appealing decades later? MS: One, the man knows how to write a hook. Writing hooks and writing great melodies are lost arts in the 21st Century. He could write a song that would stay in your head. You couldn’t get rid of it. At the same time, his lyrics were brutally honest. They were poetry. The cat actually brought a more modern, poetic edge to country lyrics. There were other lyricists in country music you could argue wrote poetry. I would say Hank Williams was one of them, but he wrote in an older style. Kris was very modern. Those songs, especially the first batch he wrote in the ‘60s and early ‘70s, those songs are timeless. They transcend any historical period. They don’t sound dated to me. People don’t write about that stuff anymore. It’s relevant, because it hasn’t aged. And they are monumental. When you write stuff of that quality, it’s going to have legs. Kris has proven he is one of the greats of his era. LITA: The musical landscape has obviously changed greatly since Kristofferson’s early output. A lot of his early work was political and topical. Contemporary country music is a different beast. Could he record those songs as a country artist now? MS: (Laughs) There are two kinds of country music in the 21st Century – the shit coming out of Nashville, which is nothing more than commercial crap. It’s music designed for the lowest common denominator. Wal-Mart music. It has no depth or soul. The other kind is what they call Americana or alt-country. If Kris were young today, he would be lumped in with the alt-country crowd. He never would have had the commercial success. Today’s environment wouldn’t have nourished a cat like Kristofferson. Nobody currently working could touch his best stuff. Even he can’t (laughs). He really had that golden period in the early ‘70s. LITA: Had you met Kristofferson prior to writing the liner notes for the Light in the Attic release? MS: The first time I met Kristofferson, I was at his first major New York concert, at Carnegie Hall in 1970, and a friend reminded me we met Kris that night. We had somehow gotten backstage, courtesy of the very understanding usher, and we introduced ourselves to him. Later that same week, we ran into Kris on the street. He was walking down the street with a gorgeous blond. He wasn’t famous yet. I was so excited to see him. I ran up to him and said “Kris! Kris!” Here I was, this young teenage hippie, and he was startled. He hadn’t found stardom yet. I don’t think he’d ever been stopped on the street. I became friendly with him in the ‘80s, because I’d become friends with his longtime lead guitarist Stephen Bruton. Bruton became one of my best friends, and through Stephen I got to meet Kris. Over the years, I would see Kris, and hang out with him, usually backstage. So we knew each other, though not well. He’s a great guy. LITA: Writing the liner notes, what were you trying to convey about Kris during that period of his career? MS: What I set out to do was write liner notes (laughs). It came out naturally in the course of the research and the writing. I think where it ends up is as a tribute not only to Kris, but that era. That was an incredible era – how fertile it was, how productive it was, how romantic, and idealistic. But change is a process. One of the things you learn as you get older is that things don’t change in the way you would like them to change. Kris, though, he stuck to his guns. He’s still political. He’s still writing protest songs. He’s still writing from his heart. Honestly, he’s still writing the truth as he sees it, without any commercial concerns. That’s laudatory in this day and age. LITA: You alluded to the idea that Kristofferson was this kind of hippie country singer. When you reflect upon that, doesn’t it seem remarkable he was able to pull that off? MS: He was able to get away with it because his songs were so damn good. You couldn’t ignore him. I write in the liner notes that you can’t argue with sales. Not only was the cat brilliant – a true and authentic artist – he was also very commercial. He was able to pull it off. If Kris didn’t happen, he would have had to have been invented. Listen, it wasn’t that different from what cats like Gram Parsons were doing. Kris says he didn’t set out to change things consciously. Musically, he was doing what came naturally. Gram had this dream of merging country and rock. Kris, while not conscious of it, functioned in the same way. He changed the way music was. He changed the face of music. He brought literary sensibility to country music. LITA: You mentioned Gram Parsons. Was there a common thread that linked him with Kristofferson and the other artists in the Outlaw country vein? MS: Technically, Gram wasn’t part of the Outlaw country movement. Spiritually, he was. It’s a very specific term that refers to the people around Nashville and Austin who practiced music with a rock ‘n’ roll edge and attitude. “Outlaw” is just a commercial term used to sell that attitude. It’s accurate in that they were breaking rules. They were doing things their way. There were a lot of common threads – long hair, dope and leftist politics. But the real common threads were: think for yourself, question authority, stop letting people push you around. Or as Kris said on many occasions, “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” These cats represent the rebellious streak in the American spirit. They were saying, “Get off my ass.” LITA: Listening to these early demos, what is the importance of these recordings? MS: For me, personally, they remind me that my generation was onto something that hasn’t been replicated since – that sense of freedom, urgency, questioning authority, and doing what your heart tells you. These songs reinforce that. Not just on a political level, these songs work on an artistic level. The thing about Kris’ writing, he really understands the human heart. I think ultimately that’s his greatest gift. He has a lot of empathy for his fellow human beings, and he expresses this empathy in these songs. These songs are incredibly moving.

• May 11, 2010 at 02:42 AM

  Press Clippings: Our Kristofferson Title Is A Big Hit Across The Pond

  (Purchase Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 from our Web site and you'll receive the signed photo you see here. Get 'em while they last.) Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 - Light in the Attic's compilation of Kris Kristofferson's early recording demos - was released today. The early returns have been tremendously positive, and we couldn't be more thrilled. The Brits, in particular, seem to really love them some Kristofferson (understandably): MOJO The Guardian Uncut The Independent

• May 09, 2010 at 05:06 PM

  LITA 050: Kris Kristofferson, Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72

  The songs are raw, unpolished, and brimming with potential, and they represent the evolutionary start point for a man who would greatly impact the modern American songbook. Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 is a compilation of the early recording demos of Kris Kristofferson. Released Tuesday, it is the 50th title in the Light in the Attic catalog, and the culmination of a project six years in the making. The 16 songs presented in this collection – assembled with Kristofferson’s approval – are remarkably intimate, a rare and insightful glimpse of a gifted artist during the nascent period of his career. What is gleaned from these previously unreleased recordings is the breadth of Kristofferson’s talent – his songwriting acumen, that unmistakable voice, his ear for arrangement – and how even as a prodigiously skilled, but still unrefined musician, there is no question of his ability or doubt that his star would ascend in the manner it did. Listening to the rough versions of “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Just The Other Side of Nowhere,” “Come Sundown” and “Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends,” it is immediately apparent that what is unfolding in front of you is the prologue to a compelling story whose outcome you already know, but can’t wait to hear time and again. Purchase Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 here.

• May 04, 2010 at 08:00 AM

  The Great American Songwriter

  Photo of the storefront at Music Millennium in Portland, Ore. Next week, Light In The Attic will release Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72, a collection of the early demos of the great Kris Kristofferson. As part of the run-up to the release date, we’re also attempting to put into some context how important a figure Kristofferson is within the framework of modern American music. A large measure of Kristofferson's greatness can be attributed to his songwriting. Few musicians were as adept at composing songs that entertained and informed, a balance Kristofferson achieved on numerous occasions. His peers took notice, and innumerable artists have recorded Kristofferson-penned songs to great success. Below are some notable examples: Al Green, "For The Good Times" Waylon Jennings, "The Taker" Sammi Smith, "Help Me Make It Through The Night" Johnny Cash, "Sunday Morning Coming Down" Janis Joplin, "Me And Bobby McGee"

• April 28, 2010 at 08:46 AM

  A Conversation Between Charlie Louvin and Kris Kristofferson

  Charlie Louvin (left) and Kris Kristofferson at the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee, January 27, 2010. Photo courtesy of Sonny Louvin. On May 11, Light In The Attic will release its 50th title, a project that was over five years in the making. Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 is a collection of the early demos of Kris Kristofferson, and our anticipation is ratcheting to levels bordering on mania. The good people at NPR are streaming the album in its entirety, and we highly recommend you stop by their site for a listen. As part of the run-up to the release date, we're also attempting to put into some context how important a figure Kristofferson is within the framework of modern American music. The above photo is as good a place as any to begin. Charlie Louvin, along with his brother Ira, are country music luminaries. Kristofferson and Charlie Louvin are old friends. At one time in the 1960s, Kristofferson worked as a janitor at Columbia Studios in Nashville, and Louvin would eventually become the first artist to record a Kristofferson-penned song. In January, the men had a wide-ranging phone conversation, and graciously allowed it to be recorded. The text of the conversation can be found in the latest edition of the Light In the Attic magazine. Below is the recording of their talk, which runs a little over 17 minutes. A special thanks to Mark Maxwell at KPFK in Los Angeles for recording the conversation. Listen to the conversation between Charlie Louvin and Kris Kristofferson here. Visit Kris Kristofferson's Web site here. Visit Charlie Louvin's Web site here.

• April 27, 2010 at 05:40 AM

  Preview our Kristofferson release on NPR

  This week, NPR is streaming our upcoming release Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72, a compilation of the early versions of some of the seminal recordings from the great Kris Kristofferson. Every track from the 16-song collection is streaming now at NPR's Web site. We humbly request that you mosey over and give it a listen. You won't be disappointed. Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends is the 50th title in our catalog and will be released May 11. Listen to NPR's streaming of Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 here. Learn more about the album here.

• January 24, 2010 at 05:07 PM

  GO HERE NOW: THE SELVEDGE YARD

  

  It's Monday morning, a little bit of photography love to help you while away the hours of obnoxious office mates and plastic cupped coffee. The Selvedge Yard is, well how should we explain it, a trove of amazing photos, curated from the interwebs and beyond and explained, explored and all around broken down to expose an event or a time in great detail.  Seriously, the photos and videos featured on this site are absolutely amazing. A few of the more recent music inspired posts you should peruse: Bob Dylan's Newport Jazz Festival Electronic Blow-Out Johnny Fucking Paycheck Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Co. Check out the whole damn site HERE.