Amazon US now sold out of mono AND stereo remasters box sets

As of just a while ago, Amazon US is announcing it's out of the Beatles in Stereo remaster box sets until after the 9/9/09 release date. You can visit the listing here to sign up for e-mail notification when the set is available again.

You can also sign up to be notified if Amazon gets more copies of the limited edition Beatles in Mono box. It's unknown if they will or not. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon starts listing the mono set as available "new or used" from other sellers after the release date. It'll be interesting to see how much these go for. If the box is truly in short supply, prices could be very high.

So far, it looks as if the individual remastered albums are still available for pre-order at Amazon. Abbey Road is the top-selling entry, followed by "The White Album," and Sgt. Pepper.

New music I like: Mayer Hawthorne




Pop links: Doctor Who! Lester Young! Elvis Costello! Disneyland Hotel! Jack Kirby! Lucky Luke!

A couple of Doctor Who-related tidbits:

* Britain's Pinewood film studio has announced an exhibit focusing on underwater filming, which includes images from underwater shoots for "Doctor Who" and other TV shows and movies.

* A British community is trying to save one of the last-remaining TARDIS-like police call boxes left in the country.

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NPR celebrates the 100th anniversary of genius jazz musician Lester Young. The tenor sax was a key member of the Count Basie Orchestra and one of Billie Holliday's favorite accompanists. Here's a clip of the two together:



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Also on NPR: Elvis Costello and Allen Touissant on "Piano Jazz."

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Ultra Swank checks into the groovy Disneyland Hotel.



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Man, Jack Kirby could do a lot with three panels.





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Man, I never realized there was a Lucky Luke film and TV series. Thanks, Booksteve, for setting me straight. I wish those of us in the U.S. could see it--not to mention all those Asterix movies--on DVD.

Video find: The Byrds "Chestnut Mare"

Continuing with some late era Byrds music:



Songwriting great Ellie Greenwich passes away at 68

One of the great Brill Building songwriters, Ellie Greenwich has died at age 88, Rolling Stone reports.

Working with Jeff Barry, Greenwich penned a whole raft of classic 60s tunes, including The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and “Baby, I Love You,” the Shangri-La’s “Leader of the Pack,” the Dixie Cups’ “Chapel of Love,” Tina & Ike Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High” and the Crystals’ “Then He Kissed Me” and “Da Doo Ron Ron.”

New music I like: Laura Vane and the Vipertones




More info.

Pop links: Steranko! Free Shonen Knife!

Today only from Amazon, get a free download of "Barbecue Party," a fun new tune from cult Japanese girl band Shonen Knife.



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Read "The Block," a 1973 tale by the great Jim Steranko.

Official details on Bob Dylan's Christmas album

It's for real. Details from Dylan's official site:

Dear Friends,

We at Columbia Records are happy to announce the October 13 release of Bob Dylan's brand new album of holiday songs, Christmas In The Heart.

Christmas In The Heart will be the 47th album from Bob Dylan, and follows his worldwide chart-topping Together Through Life, released earlier this year. Songs performed by Dylan on this new album include, "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Winter Wonderland," "Little Drummer Boy" and "Must Be Santa."

All of Bob Dylan's U.S. royalties from sales of these recordings will be donated to Feeding America, guaranteeing that more than four million meals will be provided to more than 1.4 million people in need in this country during this year's holiday season. Bob Dylan is also donating all of his future U.S. royalties from this album to Feeding America in perpetuity.

Additionally, Bob Dylan is partnering with two international charities to provide meals during the holidays for millions in need in the United Kingdom and the developing world, and will be donating all of his future international royalties from Christmas In The Heart to those organizations in perpetuity. Details regarding the international partnerships will be announced next week.

Bob Dylan commented, "It's a tragedy that more than 35 million people in this country alone -- 12 million of those children -- often go to bed hungry and wake up each morning unsure of where their next meal is coming from. I join the good people of Feeding America in the hope that our efforts can bring some food security to people in need during this holiday season."

Your friends at Columbia Records


New comics Aug. 26, 2009: Batman and Robin! Eclipso! Fantastic Four! More!

Items of interest in shops this week. Click the title links to order discounted books and action figures from Amazon.


BATMAN AND ROBIN #3 Grant Morrison's new Batseries is still gathering steam. I like the characterizations of this Dynamic Duo and their dialogue, but the plot and villains--the gross-out Professor Pyg and the Circus of Strange--of this first arc haven't really captured my interest. We know little about their backgrounds and motivations--they just seem like run-of-the-mill funnybook villains. And if you're gonna do a good Batman comic, you've got to have great villains. We'll see where it goes from here.


BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #8 BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #7 DC's two best kiddie comics. Lots of fun, imagination and energy in these titles


GOLDEN AGE FLASH 1/6 SCALE FIGURE I've always loved his helmet.


HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES
* AQUAMAN
* BLACK LIGHTNING
* CREEPER
* FLASH
Another batch of nice, George Perez-based figures.


SHOWCASE PRESENTS ECLIPSO A big black-and-white collection focusing on DC's great anti-hero. Collects HOUSE OF SECRETS #61-80 with nice work by Bob Haney, Lee Elias, Alex Toth, Jack Sparling and Bernard Baily.


WEDNESDAY COMICS #8 Another ish of DC's enjoyable tabloid-size anthology.


FANTASTIC FOUR #570 Writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Dale Eaglesham take over as the book's new creative team. I love the FF, but haven't read it in years. I may give it a try. Nice cover by the great Alan Davis. But the short-sleeve uniforms have got to go.


MARVEL MASTERWORKS INCREDIBLE HULK VOL. 1 TP The first Hulk stories in a nice, color paperback collection. Collects THE INCREDIBLE HULK #1-6 with work by a trio of young guys named Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko.

Video find: The Byrds with Earl Scruggs