New Music Archives - My First Record

Steve Ellis of the Love Affair to release new album on 50th anniversary of Everlasting Love

Steve Ellis, formerly lead vocalist with 1960s band Love Affair has collaborated with Paul Weller on a new album “Boom! Bang! Twang!”, to be released on vinyl and CD on the 20th April 2018.

The album is released 50 years after Steve Ellis had a huge hit with the classic “Everlasting Love” with his band Love Affair and sees a return to the label behind that single, CBS (via Sony).

The album has been co-produced by long-time fan and friend Paul Weller, with the album also featuring Paul Weller and Andy Crofts and Ben Gordelier (The Moons) and numerous other alumni of the rock and pop hall of fame.

The finished product will be a combination of new songs and covers, with the first single off the album, Lonely No More, co-written with Paul Weller, described as a ‘glorious Northern Soul-esque shaker’. As for the covers, they take on tunes from William Bell, Gerry Marsden, Jimmy Cliff and Tim Hardin.

For the Record Press editor, Steve Ellis has one of the great white British soul voices of the 1960s, only matched by Steve Winwood ( Spencer Davis Group & Traffic ) and Steve Marriott ( Small Faces ). A holy trinity of “Sixties Steves”! To prove the point check out this Top 5 Best Love Affair / Steve Ellis Songs –

Top 5 Best Love Affair Songs

1) Bringing On Back The Good Times ( No9 1969 )

2) Everlasting Love ( No1 1968 )

3) Rainbow Valley ( No5 1968 )

4) A Day Without Love ( No6 1968 )

5) One Road ( No16 1969 )

Framed vinyl singles and framed CDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration / special occasion i.e. a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th Birthday ( How about the No1 song on the day of birth? ), a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day. THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT. ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk

By Simon|2018-04-05T10:03:29+01:00April 5, 2018|Framed Vinyl & CDs, Framed vinyl singles, Music, New Music, Nostalgia, Retro Music|0 Comments

Bucks Fizz are to reform with first album for over 30 years

1980s pop group Bucks Fizz have announced that they are to reform and record again, 30 years after they last released new music.

The 1981 Eurovision winners, who had a hat trick of UK No1s, have been back in the recording studio recently and will release their new album, The F-Z of Pop, later this year, following the release of a new single Dancing in the Rain on Tuesday.

Bucks Fizz have had to re-launch and rebrand as simply The Fizz after a bitter legal battle with former member Bobby G, who now legally owns the rights to the original name. Bobby McVay has now joined the band in his place, joining established band members Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston.

By Simon|2017-08-03T13:55:34+01:00August 3, 2017|Framed Vinyl & CDs, Framed vinyl singles, Music, New Music, Retro Music|0 Comments

MyFirstRecord.co.uk Pick of Record Store Day 2017 Releases

MyFirstRecord.co.uk is all about vinyl, retro and contemporary, but we are inclined to recommend Record Store Day 2017 releases with a bit of nostalgia attached them.

So here are the MyFirstRecord.co.uk Pick of Record Store Day 2017 Releases –

1) David Bowie: Cracked Actor

The Record Press author makes no apologies for including David Bowie. He transcended music, art and culture in general. Cracked Actor (Live in Los Angeles 1974) is a three-album set recorded on the “Philly Dogs” leg of his Diamond Dogs tour.

Over five sides of vinyl, you’ll hear material from Diamond Dogs ( 1974 ) and Aladdin Sane ( 1973 ); as well as a handful of tracks intended for (but eventually dropped from) the soul orientated Young Americans ( 1975 ).

The sixth side of the three-album set features an etching of Bowie.

2) Sex Pistols: God Save Sex Pistols

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the seminal Never Mind The Bollocks album, this release contains slightly different renditions of the key tracks and completely different artwork.

3) The Smiths: Boy With The Thorn In His Side

A prime example of what Record Store Day is all about – The Smiths releasing a previously unheard version of one of their best singles.

The limited edition 7″ also contains an early version of Rubber Ring, the original B-side to Boy With The Thorn In His Side.

4) Deee-Lite: Groove Is In The Heart

I make no apologies for nominating this psych-pop disco party song, as a nod to my rave days and love of psychedelic 1960s pop art designs and culture. Album and single sleeve / cover artwork is missed as much as the vinyl records they housed and protected and 50 somethings like me will find this particular record artwork evocative and reminiscent of the 1960s / 1970s TV cartoon Wacky Races.

This record has been out of print on vinyl ever since it was denied the number one spot by the Steve Miller Band’s Joker in 1990. Re-released as a solid pink 12″, the song is backed by the original B-side, What Is Love?

Framed vinyl records with a personalised engraved plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration i.e. a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! ORDER HERE www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENTS! MAKING THE PAST THE PRESENT……

By Simon|2017-03-23T13:13:56+00:00March 23, 2017|Framed vinyl singles, Music, New Music, Nostalgia, Retro Music, Vinyl Records|0 Comments

Kasabian announce new album For Crying Out Loud

Kasabian have announced that their new album For Crying Out Loud will be released on the 28th April.

The new Kasabian album will feature 12 tracks including the first single, ‘You’re In Love With A Psycho’, which is out now.

Serge Pizzorno recently claimed that the album is about “saving guitar music from the abyss”.

He informed Q Magazine: “I was listening to ESG and Talking Heads and in that kind of world, then it just took on a life of its own. I just wanted to make a guitar record that was relevant and important.”

Kasabian have announced a UK and Ireland tour that will build up to the album’s release. They headline Reading and Leeds Festival this summer.

The Record Press author is a little conflicted about Kasabian. I love the band and still remember the watershed moment when I clapped eyes and ears on the band for the first performing their first hit single Club Foot in 2004. It was one of those defining moments where you go “wow” – the previous time that had happened had come ten years earlier when I first saw the Oasis video for Live Forever.

Of course Kasabian were initially seen as natural bed fellows to Oasis both as guitar based band with attitude, but they quickly forged an identity in their own right.

Kasabian are the only band I have seen twice live – my reasons for being conflicted are very trivial. Basically it comes down to the East Midlands football rivalry!! Kasabian are Leicester City fans; I’m a Nottingham Forest fan. But the good news is that my love for music is greater than my love of football, so I easily overcame my parochial partisanship.

Lest we forget the energy and power of Kasabian, here is a top 5 best Kasabian songs –

Top 5 Best Kasabian songs

1) Club Foot ( No19 2004 )

2) Empire ( No9 2006 )

3) Shoot the Runner ( No17 2006 )

4) Cutt Off ( No8 2005 )

5) Fire ( No3 2009 )

Celebrate your love of Kasabian by ordering your favourite Kasabian song as a framed vinyl single or CD single. If intended as a gift, you can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records and CDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration i.e. a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENTS! MAKING THE PAST THE PRESENT…… ORDER HERE www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

By Simon|2017-03-17T12:36:09+00:00March 17, 2017|Framed Vinyl & CDs, Framed vinyl singles, Music, Music Memorabilia, New Music|0 Comments

Half the Beatles reform for a whole album

The two surviving members of the Beatles have recorded music together for the first time in seven years.

Clearly suffering from a classic case of the seven year itch Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are collaborating on a new project. The pair released photos of themselves in Ringo Starr’s home studio over the weekend. Apparently Paul McCartney will be making a guest appearance on Ringo Starr’s latest record, a follow-up to 2015’s Postcards from Paradise.

Ringo Starr appeared on Twitter to thank Paul McCartney for joining him in the recording studio, saying: “Thanks for coming over man and playing great bass. I love you man – peace and love.”

Also joining the former Beatles in the studio was Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, who Ringo Starr said had “come out to play”.

Bruce Sugar, who is producing Starr’s latest album, posted a photo of him with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr on Facebook, with the caption: “Magical day in the studio today with these two.”

It is the first time since 2010 that Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have collaborated on a music project, when McCartney played bass on Ringo Starr’s track Peace Dream, and contributed his vocals to Walk With You.

What are your favourite old Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr / Beatles songs? Let us know in the Reply Box below.

Celebrate your love of the Beatles by ordering your favourite Beatles song as a framed vinyl single. If intended as a gift, you can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records and CDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration i.e. a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENTS! MAKING THE PAST THE PRESENT……

By Simon|2017-02-21T14:36:25+00:00February 21, 2017|Framed vinyl singles, Music, Music Memorabilia, New Music, Nostalgia|0 Comments

Ed Sheeran greets new year with new material

Ed Sheeran has announced the end to his sabbatical from music, with new material due to be released this Friday.

Ed Sheeran posted a video on Twitter in which he waves to fans while smiling and holding up a piece of white A4 paper with the words “New music coming Friday!!” scrawled on it. He then puts the sheet of paper in his mouth and drops it.

Ed Sheeran announced a year ago that he was “taking a break … to travel the world and see everything I missed”, but promised fans he would be back with his third album, which he called “the best thing I have made so far”. He also announced he would disappear from “my phone, emails and all social media for a while”, saying he had started to “see the world … through a screen and not my eyes”.

Ed Sheeran penned this year’s X Factor winner’s single, When Christmas Comes Around, which debuted at number three in the charts.

Ed Sheeran gave his first official return performance for a charity gig at the Natural History Museum at the end of November, days after it was reported that Princess Beatrice had accidentally lacerated his face when a prank went horribly wrong as she pretended to knight the singer James Blunt with a ceremonial sword.

Showing off a scar on his cheek, Ed Sheeran told the audience: “It’s nice to be back. I’ve had a whole year off. I went to Japan for about a month and hung out with Japanese people. Got my face cut open, anyone read about that?”

Which are your favourite Ed Sheeran songs? Let us know in the Reply Box below.

Celebrate your love of Ed Sheeran by ordering your favourite Ed Sheeran song as a framed vinyl single. If intended as a gift, you can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records and CDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration i.e. a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

By Simon|2017-01-04T13:19:19+00:00January 4, 2017|Framed Vinyl & CDs, Framed vinyl singles, Music, New Music|0 Comments

UK sales of vinyl records peak with a 25-year high in 2016

UK sales of vinyl records in 2016 reached a 25-year high as consumers continue to embrace physical music formats .

More than 3.2m vinyl albums sold in 2016, a rise of 53% on the previous year and the highest number since 1991 when Simply Red’s Stars was the bestselling album. This was also the first year that spending on vinyl records outstripped that spent on digital downloads.

The deaths of some music world giants such as David Bowie and Prince was a key driver in vinyl sales, as people invested in records as mementos. After David Bowie’s death he became the bestselling vinyl artist of 2016, with five albums posthumously featuring in the UK top 30. His album Blackstar, which was shortlisted for a Mercury prize, was the most popular selling album of the year, while The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory, Nothing Has Changed and Changes One were also popular vinyl album purchases.

The statistics, compiled by BPI, show that this is the ninth consecutive year that vinyl record sales have increased, in part due to events such as Record Store Day, and the increase in national chains and independent shops selling vinyl records. Supermarkets such as Tesco now stock vinyl records and both HMV and Rough Trade have created extra floor space to accomodate more vinyl records.

At least 30 albums sold more than 10,000 copies in 2016, a stark contrast to 2007 when digital downloads began to take hold and a meagre total of 200,000 LPs were sold overall.

Geoff Taylor, the chief executive of the BPI and the Brit Awards, said: “Growth in UK music consumption in 2016 was fuelled by the explosive rise in audio streaming, which has increased 500% since 2013, and relative resilience from physical formats … We believe this performance is indicative of the promise of a new era for music, where recorded music’s investments in a digital future fuel compelling benefits for fans, artists and the entire music ecosystem.”

Simon Sterland, Record Press Blog author and owner of online framed vinyl record gift retailer MyFirstRecord.co.uk, points out: “The vinyl record industry is going from strength to strength, year on year. This is comprehensive proof, if it were needed, that there is a growing customer base for old school physical copies of music in a technology driven world. I can only see this trend for vinyl record buying continuing as clearly the music download is a poor substitute for the tactile warmth of the vinyl single or album, not to mention the decorative album cover artwork. Put simply, vinyl has a personality all of its own.”

Framed vinyl records with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration / special occasion i.e. a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th Birthday ( How about the No1 song on the day of birth? ), a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!! ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

By Simon|2017-01-03T17:54:13+00:00January 3, 2017|Framed Vinyl & CDs, Framed vinyl singles, Music, New Music, Nostalgia, Retro Music, Vinyl Records|0 Comments

Good times as Chic to release first album in 25 years in 2017

Chic are to release their first album in 25 years next year, Nile Rodgers has confirmed.

The Chic album It’s About Time was originally scheduled to be released this year on Warner Brothers. Now the follow-up to Chic-ism will emerge in the year of the group’s 40th anniversary.

Nile Rodgers wrote on his blog: “When Prince suddenly died, it was like I’d been struck by lightning twice. It made me ‘see’ why I named the next Chic album It’s About Time. Time is so important, and what we do with it is everything.”

Rodgers spoke to Rolling Stone and expanded on his remarks. “If we had put out the album last year, it would have been the 39th anniversary of Chic. No one gives a shit about 39 or 37 or 38. And I went, ‘Wait a minute. 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Chic.’ And then it hit me it was the 40th anniversary of Studio 54. No matter what bad stuff goes on in the world, it’s just like your birthday, you still can celebrate and pay tribute to these anniversaries. The fact that it’s 40 years later and we’re still going strong. Our gigs are fun and great. It still feels the same as when we first started, other than the fact that my guitar feels heavier.”

Nile Rodgers also confirmed the album, though written, was not yet finished, and would not be until he was ready to release it. “I purposely didn’t finish stuff off because there are a lot of artists who wanted to do features with us that we just didn’t get to.”

He added that the album would feature 10 songs, and be the length of a vinyl record. His blog post promised a “big surprise” to go with the album, but he didn’t expand on that with Rolling Stone except to say that it is, indeed, “pretty big”.

This is music to the ears of the Record Press author and all Chic fans. Nile Rodgers and Chic brought a finesse and sophistication to disco and dance music in the 1970s, in keeping with and befitting of their name!! As somebody once said, “style is temporary, class is permanent”.

To prove this, here’s a Top 5 Best Chic Songs –

Top 5 Best Chic Songs

1) Good Times ( 1979 )

2) Everybody Dance ( 1978 )

3) My Forbidden Lover ( 1979 )

4) I Want Your Love ( 1979 )

5) Le Freak ( 1978 )

Which are your favourite Chic songs? Let us know in the Reply Box below.

Celebrate your love of Chic by ordering your favourite Chic song as a framed vinyl single. If intended as a gift, you can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records and CDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration i.e. a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

By Simon|2016-12-21T10:48:30+00:00December 21, 2016|Framed vinyl singles, Music, New Music, Retro Music, Vinyl Records|0 Comments

Turn-tables turn as vinyl record sales pass digital purchases for first time

Last week vinyl record sales passed £2.4million eclipsing the £2.1million for digital music purchases, giving further proof that vinyl record shopping in the UK has gone mainstream.

The interest in buying a physical format of music on vinyl has experienced a resurgence in the past 12 months. This time last year, the sale of vinyl albums reached £1.2m while digital sales were £4.4m. Vinyl records have now experienced eight consecutive years of growth, despite almost dying out around 2006.

Kim Bayley, chief executive of the Entertainment Retailers Association, attributed the increase in vinyl record sales across the UK to being down to a greater number of retail outlets. An increasing number of independent and national vinyl record only shops ( like Rough Trade ) have opened, whilst supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco now stock vinyl records, making them easily accessible.

The top ten records sold this week reflect the variety of people now buying vinyl. Kate Bush, Amy Winehouse and Busted are in the chart, alongside the Guardian of the Galaxy film soundtrack and Now That’s What I Call Christmas compilation album.

Kim Bayley added: “We have a new generation buying vinyl, lots of teenagers and lots of people under 25, who now want to buy their favourite artists on vinyl and have something a bit more tangible, a bit more collectible. People have become keen to support their favourite artists by buying into that ownership concept. It’s very difficult to demonstrate your love of an artist if you don’t have something to hold on to.”

This is music to the Record Press author’s ears, if you will pardon the appalling pun!! As an unabashed “Vinyl Record Ambassador”, long may this trend for vinyl record buying continue and grow……

Celebrate your love of the vinyl record by getting your favourite song as a framed vinyl single. If intended as a gift, you can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque… ORDER NOW…. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records and framed CDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration / special occasion i.e. a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th Birthday ( How about the No1 song on the day of birth? ), a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!! ORDER HERE…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

By Simon|2016-12-07T14:20:08+00:00December 7, 2016|Framed vinyl singles, Music, Music Memorabilia, New Music, Nostalgia, Retro Music, Vinyl Records|0 Comments

Elvis Presley appeal endures as he breaks album chart record

Elvis Presley has broken the record for the most number one albums by a solo artist in the UK.

Elvis Presley’s new album The Wonder Of You has held off stiff competition from Lady Gaga and Michael Buble to become his 13th album to top the chart. Up until now Elvis Presley and Madonna were tied record holders with 12 number one albums each to their names.

Elvis’ ex-wife Priscilla Presley told the Official Charts Company he would have been “so thankful” for the achievement. She said: “I am incredibly proud of all he has accomplished and so grateful to the UK fans who have kept his legacy alive with all of their support. I hope they continue to listen and love his music as much as I do.”

On Elvis’s latest album, his original vocal performances are accompanied by music from The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The singer, who died in 1977, is now second only to The Beatles, who have 15 number one albums to their name.

As a reminder of the brilliance of the man and his music, here’s the Record Press Top 10 Best Elvis Presley Songs –

Top 10 Best Elvis Presley Songs

1) My Boy ( 1974 )

2) Just Can’t Help Believing ( 1971 )

3) Always On My Mind ( 1972 )

4) Moody Blue ( 1977 )

5) In the Ghetto ( 1968 )

6) The Wonder Of You ( 1970 )

7) Heartbreak Hotel ( 1955 )

8) Blue Suede Shoes ( 1955 )

9) Suspicious Minds ( 1969 )

10) Jailhouse Rock ( 1957 )

Which are your favourite Elvis Presley songs? Let us know in the Reply Box below.

Celebrate your love of Elvis Presley aka “The King”, by ordering your favourite Elvis Presley song as a framed vinyl single. If intended as a gift, you can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records and CDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration i.e. a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

For further information, merchandise or memorabilia, go to the Elvis Presley website…… http://www.elvis.com/ http://www.elvisthemusic.com

By Simon|2016-10-29T14:17:47+01:00October 29, 2016|Framed Vinyl & CDs, Framed vinyl singles, Music, New Music, Nostalgia, Retro Music, Vinyl Records|0 Comments

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