The Ultimate Music Page

Real Plugin for db Poweramp

2006-01-14T09:49:00.000-08:00

On my friend Cinna's request ..
**************************************
Decoder (Reads)
Real Audio Decoder is handled through DirectShow filters.

An older dBpowerAMP RealAudio Input Codec can be tried only if the above DirectShow Codec does not work, this had the limitation of requiring Real Player 8 and would only decode in realtime.

Real Audio Input Codec = http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codecs/dBpowerAMP-codec-ra.exe
**************************************

DirectShow

dBpowerAMP has a DirectShow Codec, this allows dBpowerAMP to read from any DirectShow filter Codec installed.

Important: The DirectShow codec below does not come with any decoders (or DirectShow filters), these must be installed separately, then configure dBpowerAMP's DirectShow codec to recognize the installed filter.

Download:
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codecs/dBpowerAMP-codec-DirectShowDecoder.exe

Sources of DirectShow filters:

>> AC3: http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/ac3filter/ac3filter_0_70b.exe?download

Add .ac3 to Configure DirectShow Decoder

>> Audible: http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?p=37339#post37339

>> Real Audio: Download 'Real Alternative' from http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/1054136293/1 (or search in Google for Real Alternative) add .ra .rpm .rm .ram .rmvb all on separate lines to Configure DirectShow Decoder.

**************************************
Encoder (Writes)

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codecs/dbpoweramp-encoder-ra.exe

More Albums!!

2006-01-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

Amon Düül II - Yeti (1970)

"Yeti" was Amon Düül II's second album and is among their best. This is Krautrock in all it's immense, epic, primal, psychedelic glory. Originally released as two LP's, this features side-long suites and long improvisations marked by a dense, thick sound with inventive instrumental interplay, massive guitar riffs, herculean bass lines and smoldering vocals, male and female. At first listen some of the long improvisations at the end may seem a little too long, but they grow on you.

http://rapidshare.de/files/10357941/A_D_Yeti_.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/10359658/A_D_Yeti_.part2.rar

******************************************

Krokodil - Solo Düde Dürst (1971)

This isn't really a Krokodil album, I guess the label used the name as a selling point. What it is, is a little-known solo project by Krokodil's drummer, Düde Dürst, joined by Krokodil's bass player and others. It's a remarkable drum-based opus, embellished by a wide variety of other instruments, with rock and fusion elements, featuring just two lengthy LP side-long instrumental suites. Highly creative and unique, I like this a lot.

http://rapidshare.de/files/10728427/dude_durst.rar

******************************************
Brave New World - Impressions On Reading Aldous Huxley (1972)

This little-known gem of Krautrock is a one-shot deal by a group of musicians from Hamburg. Not all of them were German, there is one guy named O'Brien. Largely instrumental, the music has an other-worldly feel to it, and after a couple of atmospheric pieces it really picks up steam. Highlight is the 19 minute
"The End", which is dramatic and ambitious, with some of the coolest chord sequences ever. The piece combines so many aspects - drone jamming, male choirs, saxophone solos, tripped-out effects - that every listen is a new experience. An essential album for the krautrock fan. As it says in the liner notes, "Dig that over-amplified stylophone"!

http://rapidshare.de/files/10469735/brave_new_world.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/10471594/brave_new_world.part2.rar
******************************************
Between - And The Waters Opened (1973)

An unusual and unique group, the German group Between was the brainchild of musical theorist and experimentalist Peter Michael Hamel. As such, Between drew together a wide range of international musicians into a musical and cultural melting pot. And The Waters Opened with its atmospheric dronings is probably Between's most innovative and fascinating, it's an album that oozes beauty and mystery. Haunting and evocative, it's almost chilling!

http://rapidshare.de/files/10475053/between_waters.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/10475878/between_waters.part2.rar

******************************************
Dzyan - Time Machine (1973)

Time Machine marked a change in approach for German band Dzyan. For this album they performed as a three-piece with only one member remaining from the original band: bassist Reinhard Karwatky. Together with Eddy Marron on guitar and Peter Giger on drums, Dzyan recorded Time Machine at Dieter Dierks' studio. Kicking off this album is the track 'Kabisrain' which is part fusion, part ethnic weirdness, all freak out! The closest comparison that can be given would be if Limbus 4 played fusion jazz. 'Light Shining Out Of Darkness', featuring some amazing guitar work from Marron, stands out as a cross between Agitation Free and Popol Vuh. Certain elements from this album might not appeal to all Krautrock fans, but some comparisons can be drawn to Embryo and King Crimson. Whether you like the album or not, you will have to admit that both Karwatky and Marron knew how abuse their instruments. Simply put, these guys can jam! (review from krautrockgroup.com).

http://rapidshare.de/files/10478583/dzyan_time_machine.rar
******************************************
Code III - Planet Of Man (1974)

Produced by Klaus Schultze who also guests on drums on one cut, this is an obscure album of experimental music with a real ambitious concept - the history of the cosmos, from it's creation to humanity's ultimate destruction (ooh!). Electronic and cosmic with some acoustic folkiness thrown in, sounding somewhat similar to Sand's 'Golem', bits of Klaus Schultze's 'Black Dance' , and part of the first track sounds a little Pink Floyd-ish. Probably not for everybody, but worth checking out.

http://rapidshare.de/files/10481926/code_III_planet.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/10483179/code_III_planet.part2.rar

******************************************
Liliental - Lilental - (1978)

Liliental was a side project of Dieter Moebius of Cluster. The band includes two members of the German jazz rock band Kraan. The musical engineer Conny Plank who participated in the publication of many of Cluster’s albums helps the band for guitar, synth, and manipulated voices parts. The tracks range from “ambient” synth experimentations fusing to rock, jazz, “exotic” elements. Liliental is more varied and colourful than most of Cluster’s albums from its ambient era. Although some parts do seem a little tedious and some parts a little too weird, this album does guide the listener into an artful, pleasant, enthusiastic musical world.

http://rapidshare.de/files/10601413/liliental.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/10602551/liliental.part2.rar

******************************************
Jimi Hendrix - Message From Nine To The Universe Vol. 2

This is the second volume of the Hendrix that I posted a couple weeks ago, and it has six tracks, three long jams and three shorter pieces. The highlight on this one is a 30 minute long jam with John McGlaughlin called, oddly enough, 'McGlaughlin Jam'! http://rapidshare.de/files/10547468/message_from_nine_II.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/10549282/message_from_nine_II.part2.rar

2006-01-14T09:28:00.000-08:00

Nine Days' Wonder - Nine Days' Wonder (1970)

From the extreme end of the Krautrock spectrum, this is an essential album, though it may not be an easy listen for some. Obviously influenced by Frank Zappa, maybe King Crimson and others, the first release from these guys is marked by excellent musicianship, long free-jazz type passages, sudden tempo changes and complex time signatures.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9609855/9days_9days.rar
********************************************************************
Tonton Macoute - Tonton Macoute (1971)

This British band's only release "is full of jazz-inspired prog rock with long instrumental interplay in even longer tracks. Their music oozes fun and good-natured moods and should please most everyone, even the ones wary of jazz-tinged music, as this is hardly their only inspiration. Highly recommended to the progheads that seek to deepen their knowledge of early 70's prog rock and looking for unknown gems such as this one"
(progarchives)

http://rapidshare.de/files/9611271/TTMacoute.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9611772/TTMacoute.part2.rar
********************************************************************

The Great Society - Live At The Matrix (1968)

This is a fine set from The Great Society, which featured Grace Slick, with a brilliant version of "Sally Go Round The Roses", and terrific pre-Jefferson Airplane versions of "White Rabbit" and "Somebody To Love", 17 tracks. Note: this is the same album as "Collector's Item", so if you already have that, not much point!

http://rapidshare.de/files/9661959/The_Great_Matrix.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9663455/The_Great_Matrix.part2.rar
********************************************************************

Agamemnon - Part I and II (1981)

The only release from this Swiss band is one of those albums where nothing really jumps out at you, but it is a thoroughy enjoyable listen all the way through, with two long suites telling the story of Agamemnon. It really brings to mind "Atom Heart Mother"-era Pink Floyd at times.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9758922/agamemnon.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9760176/agamemnon.part2.rar
********************************************************************

Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails (1968)

Sporting one of the great album covers, I think this record was the best to come out of the 60's San Francisco psychedelic scene, and maybe one of the best albums ever! These guys were tight, the interplay between guitarists John Cippolina and Gary Duncan is awe-inspiring. Fully half the album is a dedication to Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love", recorded live at the Fillmores East and West, and this is rock and roll at it's best. My favorite tracks, though, are two Gary Duncan pieces, "Maiden Of The Cancer Moon" and "Calvary", they are downright mystical. "Call It Anything You Want"!!

http://rapidshare.de/files/9768439/silver_service_HT.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9769364/silver_service_HT.part2.rar
********************************************************************

Carol Of Harvest - Carol Of Harvest (1978)

At the other end of the Krautrock spectrum from Nine Days' Wonder, this surely must be an unheralded classic of 1970's folk-rock from this German band. The songs are based on warm acoustic melodies, accompanied by beautiful, emotive female vocals, with lots of synthesizer and ripping guitar leads in the mix, making it a kind of symphonic folk/prog. The three bonus tracks at the end were recorded live, and rock a little harder. Altogether, a very worthwile listen.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9772260/carol_of_harvest.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9773697/carol_of_harvest.part2.rar
********************************************************************

Xhol - Hau-Ruk (1970)

A live album from this obscure German progressive rock group, consisting of three long instrumental pieces, the music is at different times cosmic, bluesy and psychedelic, and will appeal to fans of experimental spacey rock. A lack of studio effects, found on their other releases, doesn't hurt this a bit.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9775193/Hau-Ruk.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9776481/Hau-Ruk.part2.rar
********************************************************************

Hawkwind - Space Rock From London (1972)

A great show with great sound quality recorded at the Dream Machine on Oct. 14th, 1972. Note: although edited slightly differently,this is the same show as "BBC Radio 1 Live". "Born To Go", "Master Of The Universe", "Silver Machine" and four other tracks.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9778897/Hawkwind_SRFL.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9779807/Hawkwind_SRFL.part2.rar
********************************************************************

Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum (1968)

Not a lot to say about this classic, except that it's the heaviest, most chaotic, noisiest, most aggressive psychedelic rock ever made probably.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9782840/Blue_Vincebus.rar
********************************************************************

Kraftwerk - Autobahn (1974)

Another classic, a great album.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9783581/autobahn74.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9783985/autobahn74.part2.rar
********************************************************************

Jimi Hendrix - Message From Nine To The Universe Vol. 1 (1969)

Five jams recorded at the Record Plant and the Hit Factory in 1969. The title track, a 19 minute long jam with Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums is by itself worth the download.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9877574/message_from_nine.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9878863/message_from_nine.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9879302/message_from_nine.part3.rar
********************************************************************

Blind Faith - Studio Outtakes 1969

Five untitled instrumentals, three versions of "Well Alright", a blues number-"Key To The Highway", a great rocker-"Change Of Address" and an electrified version of "Can't Find My Way Home".

http://rapidshare.de/files/9880520/BF_Outtakes.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9881985/BF_Outtakes.part2.rar
********************************************************************

Audio Maestro Full Pack 2.69

And finally, a nifty little program I got off cyberspace a couple years ago, I'm sure some of you can have fun with it. It installs as 5 seperate audio apps, including an easy-to-use editor, but of most interest is the "File Converter". Before clicking 'convert', go to tools/options/advanced, and you can experiment with different EQ presets, like 'car stereo', 'club', 'party', etc. It takes a while, so just experiment with one track before doing the whole album. The original file is unchanged, but the converted, EQ'd files are in the 'output' folder in c/program files/TOBEST. I have used this to great effect on some thin-sounding bootlegs, converting to WAV before burning. Use the included key generator to get a serial number.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9786137/Audio_Maestro.rar
********************************************************************

2005-12-19T22:39:00.000-08:00

Audience - Lunch (1972)

I love this album, but it must have been a shock to listeners back in '72, because it is completely different from it's predecessor, "The House On The Hill" that I posted a couple months ago. This is nothing but an exercise in upbeat, quirky, fun rock. Instrumentally there are no electric guitars or synthesizers, only bass, acoustic guitars, vibes, marimbas, horns and reeds...and whistling. Every time I listen to this my spirits lift and I have the whistling break from "Hula Girl" in my head for days.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9393951/audience_lunch.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9395041/audience_lunch.part2.rar

Arktis - On The Rocks (1976)

The third album from a great German band, Arktis. A pounding rhythm section, swirling keyboards, powerful, understated female vocals (in English) and some truly great electric guitar make this an album that I listen to on a regular basis. The 20 minute long "Loneliness" is a highlight. Well, maybe "Dangerous Love". Actually, the whole album is terrific.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9397666/on_the_rocks.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9399440/on_the_rocks.part2.rar

Coupla Prog - Sprite (1971)

German band Coupla Prog never got a recording contract or put out an album in their day, but they were popular and frequent guests on radio staion SWF, and this album is 7 tracks broadcast live. The music is an individualistic brand of heavy progressive blues-rock, with some theatricality and quotations from classical music now and then. Possibly they were fans of England's The Nice, but one of the tracks is titled "Ode To The Vanilla Fudge", so that might be a clue as to where these guys were coming from.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9402957/coupla_prog_sprite.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9404859/coupla_prog_sprite.part2.rar

String Driven Thing - The Machine That Cried (1973)

OK this is an uneven album. There are some slow ballad-y numbers that seem to hamper the proceedings, but I have gotten to like them over time. Actually, maybe it's just that I don't mind them so much! This is their third album, and their first foray into progressive rock territory, thanks to the addition of Grahame Smith (later of Van Der Graaf Generator) on electric violin. The manic psychedelic tracks like "Sold Down The River", "Heartfeeder" and a few others make this worth getting.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9417834/string_machine_cried.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9420552/string_machine_cried.part2.rar

Pentagon - Die Vertreibung Der Bösen (1970)

A blues band from Bavaria! There is almost no info about this band on the internet, not in English anyway. This album wasn't released during the band's lifetime, but was recovered from one of only two existing metal acetates. The music is kind of a jazzy blues, standard guitar bass drum lineup, with some tasty flute now and then.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9422209/pentagon_1970.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9422797/pentagon_1970.part2.rar

Black Widow - Black Widow IV (1972)

Released 25 years after it was recorded, I think this is Black Widow's strongest album. Left without a recording contract after being dropped by CBS, the band entered the studio and was forced to do what it wanted to do all along, produce their own music.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9424193/BW_BW4.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9424852/BW_BW4.part2.rar

Ax Genrich - Psychedelic Guitar (1994)

Ax Genrich was the guitarist for Guru Guru in the early 70's, and somehow, the fact that he was making great music still 20 years later warms the heart. This is pure ear candy for those of us that like this kind of stuff. Favorite track is "South", with a driving Bo Diddley beat and a great female singer, I don't know who she is.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9427036/psychedelic_guitar.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9427779/psychedelic_guitar.part2.rar

Otis Spann & Fleetwood Mac - The Biggest Thing Since Colossus (1969)

Well it's not really Fleetwood Mac because Spann used his own drummer, but Danny Kirwan, John McVie and Peter Green are on board. Otis Spann played piano on almost all of B.B. King's Chess recordings, and his piano arrangements are inspired. Peter Green proves that he is the greatest English blues guitar player ever, turning in what might be his best playing ever put on record. A great blues album.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9429518/spann_colossus.rar

Dreams Of Sanity - Komodia (1997)

This is really outside the scope of this blog, first because it's from the 90's, and second because it's a metal abum! But it's a real good record. The first release from this Austrian band is atmospheric, melodic power metal, and it has the distinction of featuring two female vocalists. Intriguing and Gothic, the first six tracks tell the story of Dante's descent into Hell, hence the title - "Comedy".

http://rapidshare.de/files/9451120/dos_komodia.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9452018/dos_komodia.part2.rar

2005-12-19T22:21:00.000-08:00

Capture Streaming MP3 Audio

Many users have expressed interest on how to capture streaming audio and save the audio in mp3 format. Allow me to introduce an excellent, free tool to your arsenal, the MP3 Stream Recorder. The MP3 Stream Recorder allows the user to record mp3 streams through the web browser and directly links to mp3 server streams. Moreover, this tool comes with full proxy server support.

Download the MP3 Stream Recorder and follow installation instructions.

Locate the Server area and enter the server address in the box.

Select a specific file where you would like to save this stream.

Press the Record button. This will begin recording the live stream directly to the file. This program saves file information (name, url, bitrate, version, etc) in addition to the audio.

Users may painlessly specify the amount, however long or short, of the stream to record. Simply specify time amounts in the recording options.

Pull up the main system menu by right clicking on a empty part of the program. The pop up system menu allows access to more options, including the option to search for certain mp3 servers by category. Moreover, the user may set up proxy and login settings.

Download MP3 Stream Recorder
MP3 Stream Recorder Website

Shoutcast: Create a Personal Radio Station

Enjoy this quick guide to making your own Radio Station using your downloaded mp3s. Requirements include Winamp, a minimum connection of 256/64 kbps (will work with dialup connections, but will not be able to handle more than 2-6 listeners at a time), & an active, steady IP.

Download Shoutcast files from their official website at http://www.shoutcast.com.

Upon download of these file, install both Shoutcast files.

After a successful installation go to: Start > Program Files > Shoutcast DNAS > EDIT SHOUTCAST DNS CONFIG

Configure Shoutcast by scrolling down to the password: change option. Be sure to change your password before continuing configuration.

Find The Portbase and change it to the port of choice.

Find Maxusers and change it to the number of choice. This should be based on your bandwidth: 1,000 users might be an unrealistic choice for a DSL connection. On a cable connection 75 users runs smoothly.

After completing the last three steps select EDIT > SAVE.

Open Winamp and right click on OPTIONS. Proceed to OPTIONS > PREFRENCES > DSP EFFECT > NULLSOFT SHOUTCAST.

Next, under Winamp, find the OUTPUT selection; click on CONNECTION > THROUGH THE ADDRESS - enter the address of your domain; this is obtainable via http://www.no-ip.com if unknown.

Configure the port number to the port earlier entered into The Portbase.

Find the ENCODER and choose the music to play on the radio.

Return back to OUTPUT > OUTPUT CONFIG > YELLOW PAGES. The Yellow Pages displays advertisemant information for the radio.

Click CONNECT. If done properly, the radio station should be online.

The radio may be verified by simply going to the address earlier added in the preference.

Searching Google for Music

First, you may try this link to search Google directly:

Search Google for Music

Here is a second example of maximizing search results on Google:

At Google Search, type in one of the following two phrases (try the first one; if you're not happy with the results, try the second one on your second search):

"index of/mp3" -playlist -html -lyrics
"index of/" mp3 -playlist -html -lyrics

If you'd like, add an artist's name or song name to the end of the phrase, then click the Search Button.

Here are a few examples:

"index of/mp3" -playlist -html -lyrics beatles
"index of/mp3" -playlist -html -lyrics punk

This tip helps you find directories filled with mp3 files by finding Apache's Index page:

At Google Search type in the following code:

+("index of") +("/mp3"|"/mp3s"|"/music") +(mp3|zip|rar) +apache

By editing this code, you can search for any type of media; oog, wav, pdf, etc.

Be sure to edit both the directory names as well as the file extensions if edited.

Finding mp3 and compressed files searching by title:

At Google Search type in the following code:

allinurl: +(mp3|rar|zip|tgz) TheTitle

Replace TheTitle with either a song title, artist name, or album.

Here are a few examples:

allinurl: +(mp3|rar|zip|tgz) beatles
allinurl: +(mp3|rar|zip|tgz) revolver
allinurl: +(mp3|rar|zip|tgz) greatest hits

Finding MP3s on Internet Relay Chat

IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat, one of the most popular and most interactive services on the internet. If you haven't used it before it's name can be a bit deceiving; although there are thousands of chat channels, there are also several channels specifically created for file sharing. Moreover, there are specific channels used for finding full albums or specific tracks.

After downloading and installing the IRC chat client, you must connect to a chat server. I recommend using Efnet, one of the "big three" (also including DALnet & Undernet). Fill in the necessary information to connect to the server. Although, your real full name is not necessary, it is necessary that you fill in something; the same applies to your email address. For more information regarding getting started on IRC, please view the links at the end of this tutorial.

http://tinypic.com/2aork4

One connected to a server, you must find a specific channel for mp3 file sharing. To search for a channel, click on the fourth icon from the left on your tool bar. (See the screenshot below) In the match text: window, type mp3. Then, click Get List! and the program should generate a list of channels. Pick a channel from this list and double click it in the list to join the specific channel.

http://tinypic.com/2aos3d

The example that I will provide you with works with certain mp3 channels on IRC. Specifically, I can recommend to connect on the Efnet server and to join #mp3addicts by typing /j #mp3addicts in the status window. This specific channel hosts literally thousands of mp3s on hundreds of different servers.

The channel has specific robots set up to give you information on how to search the channel for mp3s, rules of the channel and additional information. An example of searching for mp3 is as follows: we are searching for mp3s by "The Beatles". The majority of the file servers in the channel should respond to the command @find Beatles or @search Beatles. Several windows should pop up; these are replies from the file servers in private message windows. Simply cut and paste the given command from the server into the main channel window to recieve the file. Please note that the majority of file servers are on que status, so you may have a small wait period to download the actual file.

When the file is sent, you will recieve a DCC accept screen. If the file matches the name of the file you selected for download, you may accept the DCC transfer. You will see the status of the transfer and will find the file either in your Sounds or Download directory, depending on your settings.

MP3 Freeware Recommendations

Audiograbber
Audiograbber is an excellent program that does as the title says, it literally grabs digital audio from the CD. The program copies the audio digitally, not using a soundcard. This allows the user to make perfect rips; the program includes a test spot to ensure the quality of the rip.

Moreover, Audiograbber automatically normalizes the music and deletes all traces of silence. The program can be set up to send the newly captured data to an external encoder. This program can be used to capture audio from vinyl and cassette tapes. Due to the amazing amount of features included on Audiograbber, I firmly recommend this software above all the rest.

Audiograbber

Download

CDex
CDex is a great alternative to Audiograbber. CDex converts CD digital audio and wav files to directly to MP3 upon the request of the user and supports the use of CDDB. This program has an easy user interface and can be used by a novice. Very user friendly interface.

CDex

Download

dBpowerAMP Music Converter
Convert from one format to another painlessly. dBpowerAMP supports just about every audio type available: mp3, mp4, Windows Media Audio (wma), Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Monkeys Audio, FLAC and has an easy to use interface. Moreover, it converts while preserving ID Tags and normalizing volume on audio files. dBpowerAMP has Windows Explorer Integration - simply right click Convert To & popup useful information on audio files (such as bitrate, length).

dBpowerAMP Music Converter

Download

The Godfather
Rename mp3s, update Tags, restructure files on hard disk, create & merge play lists, & catalog them in a library completely painlessly! This program is extremely easy to use, comes with perfect documentation and produces superior results when editing your mp3 collection.

The Godfather

Download

Winamp
Almost everyone should know what this little program is and what it does. Plays music and video files, includes a full featured media library, supports modern and classic skins, and much, much more.. This is one of the oldest players available and definitely still one of the best available.

Winamp

Download

Foo Bar 2000
This is one of the better alternatives to Winamp. A simple music player which supports every codec known to man. Although it doesn't provide much eyecandy, this player is bombproof and has many user enable options. Don't let the simple GUI fool you.

Foo Bar 2000

Download

Playlist Maker (MP3 Book Helper)
For those tired of using winamp to make playlists and desire a real GUI that does an amazingly efficient job of list making. Another key feature is simple retaging via CDDB. Playlist Maker (MP3 Book Helper) was originally developed for audio books, but works amazingly well with music.

Playlist Maker

Download

MAC
MAC means MPEG Audio Collection. It will help you to organize your audio file collection. There are some nice features, specifically a Tag editor, file renamer utility. Moreover, MAC supports the almost every type of media known.

MAC

Download

Audacity
More open source freeware, this editor is handy for tweaking files recorded on the line in socket. You can use it to split tracks, clean up the sound, adjust the gain, and much more. It will import WAV or MP3 and export to either format or to OGG. (Mp3 is not included, but you just have to install the LAME DLL.)

Audacity

Download

RetroPlayer (Macintosh Platform Only)
RetroPlayer is a music player with which you can listen to music as if it was played by an analog record player. You can re-enjoy a piece of music that you have listened to for many times.

RetroPlayer

Download

Essential Guides

An invaluable tool to help you get the most out of your iPod, this is the guide to have for iPod owners. From simple basics of setup and downloading music to all one needs to know about using your player and managing music files to choosing the right iPod, this easy to understand documentation is necessity.

iPod & iTunes Starter Kit

A comprehensive reference which covers the principles of digital audio for engineers, students, audio professionals in a wide range of fields, and those with an interest in how their DVD player works, the introduction begins with the physics of sound and hearing, an explanation of digital sampling, error correction, noise shaping, over sampling, compression and coding. Password for the rar file is Mat.Riks.Info.

Introduction to Digital Audio

PC Recording Studios gives the "how to" on setting up a computer-based, home recording studio including the lowdown on equipment, designing your studio space, and properly recording your music. This one is from www.ebooksclub.org, cheers to them for the link; password is www.ebooksclub.org.

PC Recording Studios

This guide offers a detailed look at the Windows Media Player and teachers people who gives information regarding organizing and listening to music in various ways. After a full tour of the Windows Media Player, this guide goes on to explain how to set up your computer for music to get the most out of it, how to record from analog sources into your computer, how to use portable digital players (i-pod included), ripping data from compact discs, downloading and purchasing music, and listening to the radio via your computer.

Windows XP Digital Music

Using Winamp with iPod

iPod users can now manage their music collections by using Winamp through a simply plug-in called ml_iPod. By utilizing features through the Winamp digital jukebox, this plug-in bypasses iTunes and leaves users with an alternative way to manage their iPod.

ml_iPod includes many additional features, including the ability to synch multiple iPods with Winamp. Users may create smart playlists through this plug-in. Finally, the most significant of the features, ml_iPod allows the user to copy songs from an iPod onto a hard drive.

Another amazing fact is that iTunes for Windows is a 21-MB download and uses far more resources than Winamp. By contrast, Winamp is 4.7 MB and the ml_iPod plug-in is a mere 130 KB of space. Winamp is known to be faster and more efficent than iTunes software. Furthermore, iTunes is not compatible for Windows 98 users, as Winamp is available on nearly every platform.

ml_iPod

Winamp

Winamp Tips & Tweaks

A collective posting of tips and tweaks for Winamp. These several worthy tips are well documented in this article and, by following these tips, one may be able to get the maximum use out of the Winamp application.

Make Sure You're Using the Latest Version of Winamp
With every new version release of Winamp, the Nullsoft team not only bundles in new features and functionality, they also make sure to include bug fixes and cleaner code. Many times, simply upgrading your software might be enough to kick whatever issues you may be experiencing. Problems that you might find lurking around Winamp 5.0 may already be long gone in 5.08.

Winamp 2.x users should also note that Winamp 5 is a continuation of version 2's code, unlike Winamp 3, which was rewritten from scratch. Winamp 5 is a direct upgrade from Winamp 2, adding in new fixes, security enhancements, and plug-ins (which can be easily disabled if needed). Consequently, Winamp 2.x users are highly advised to download the latest version of Winamp.

Clean Install Winamp and Check Your Plug-Ins
When installing Winamp, you may want to install into an empty directory (new folder), or uninstall your previous version first. Clean installing helps avoid configuration conflicts that may occur when overwriting existing files. Please consult these procedures when looking to do a full uninstall and/or reinstall.

For an introduction to plug-ins, please refer to Winamp's "What is a Plug-in?"

Many instances of Winamp crashing or slowing down could be attributed to unsupported, third party plug-ins. Problems you are experiencing could be the fault of a plug-in, and not Winamp's. If you have reason to believe that a plug-in is in fact causing conflict with Winamp or any other plug-ins you may have installed, you can do one of the following:

Uninstall the plug-in by first hitting Ctrl - P to go into your Winamp Preferences settings. Under Plug-ins, choose the category of your plug-in. Select the offending plug-in. Click the "Uninstall plug-in" button.

Uninstall the plug-in by locating and deleting the appropriate files in your Winamp Plug-ins folder. (e.g. C:\Program Files\Winamp\Plugins)

Download the latest version of the plug-in, and hope it fixes the issue.

Contact the author about the issue, and hope he/she fixes the problem in their next release.

Install Only What You Need.
If you wish to install Winamp with just "basic functionality", you have the option of downloading a powered-down "Lite" version. Though Winamp Lite is able to play your MP3 files and is compatible with Winamp 2 plug-ins and Classic skins, it lacks the following Winamp 5 features: Modern skin support, video playback, the redesigned Media Library, integrated visualizers, ripping/burning support, and the integrated radio/TV tuner. Winamp's product overview provides some information on the above elements.

If you'd rather not lose out on all of those items, you can download the full version, and uncheck the specific features in the installer that you do not plan to use. For example, you can uncheck "support for cd burning/ripping" if you do not plan on using Winamp for CD burning/ripping, but leave the other options marked to install those. Though Winamp runs fine on most systems with all of the "extras" installed, if you do not plan on using them, Winamp will be wasting it's time (and yours) loading them up.

Use Classic Skins or Keep Your Modern Skins Trim.
For an introduction to skins, please refer to Winamp's "What is a Skin?"

Running Winamp in Classic skin mode drastically decreases the startup time of Winamp, while increasing overall speed. While Modern/Freeform skins typically come equipped with extra functions and are oftentimes more visually impressive, you pay for that all with longer load times and more CPU. Classic skins can usually be differentiated from their Modern counterparts by their rectangular shape. Winamp's default Classic can be selected by going to Options > Skins > Winamp Classic. There is a Classic skin that closely resembles the look of the default Modern skin, for those of you wish to use that instead You can choose not to have support for Modern skins at all by unchecking the feature when installing.

If you decide to use Modern/Freeform skins, there are several tweaks you can apply to your preferences, improving your performance while using these skins. All of these preferences can be quickly accessed by hitting Ctrl - P.

Skins > Modern Skins > General tab. On the Timer's Resolution, experiment with what works best for you by moving the slider to the right. The farther right you move the slider, the less CPU this function will use.

Skins > Modern Skins > Alpha Blending tab. Uncheck: enable desktop alpha blending (if using Win2k or XP).

Skins > Modern Skins > Font Rendering. Checkmark: allow use of bitmap fonts that have not been mapped.

Skins > Modern Skins > Current Skin tab. Uncheck: enable beat detection

Skins > Modern Skins > Current Skin tab. Checkmark: disable song ticker

Fine Tune Your General Preferences.
Listed below are several options in Winamp's preferences that you can choose to either enable or disable. While each of these options should add some speed to either your load times or general usage, you should make sure that Winamp retains the functionality you need before turning off any features. All of these preferences can be quickly accessed by hitting Ctrl - P.

General Preferences. Uncheck: show splash screen.

General Preferences. Uncheck: check for new versions at startup

General Preferences. Uncheck: allow Winamp to report anonymous usage statistics

General Preferences > File Types. Uncheck: restore file associations at start-up (Leave this checkmarked if you find that your other media players are resetting your file associations.)

General Preferences > Titles > Metadata Reading section. Select either the 2nd or 3rd options.

General Preferences > Global Hotkeys. Uncheck: enabled (Leave this checkmarked if you wish to use Global Hotkeys.)

General Preferences > Media Library > Library Options tab. Checkmark: do not load database at startup

General Preferences > Media Library > Media Importing tab. Uncheck: rescan folders at startup

General Preferences > Media Library > Recent Items tab. Uncheck: track playback count and last playback time of all files (Leave this checkmarked if you wish to use the Recently Played view and keep track of your play counts.)

General Preferences > Media Library > Recent Items tab. Uncheck: track playback count and last playback time of streams (Leave this checkmarked if you wish to use the Recent Items view.)

General Preferences > CD Ripping > Ripping tab. Uncheck: read audio data from CDs using bundled Sonic extraction engine (Only recommended if you have an ASPI Layer Manager installed.)

Leave Winamp Minimized.
Many users report that Winamp requires less CPU when in it's minimized state. You can usually find the minimize button on the main window's top right corner, third from the right. If you have Global Hotkeys enabled, a keyboard with multimedia buttons, or a plug-in that provides you with alternate playback controls, you should still be able to carry out basic functions with Winamp while the player is minimized.

Consult the Winamp Forums.
If worse comes to worse, and none of the above tips help you, your problems might require a lot more than this guide can help you with. If that's the case, I suggest you either visit #winamptech (irc.zirc.org), or the Winamp Technical Support section of the Winamp forums. There should be a lot of good folks ready to help you in both of the above spots. Please make sure to run a search on your problem first before posting on the forums. Also, make sure you include your system specifications, along with what 3rd party plug-ins you are using and whether or not you have done a clean install.

MUSIC LIBRARY

Mogul Thrash - Mogul Thrash (1971)

Formed by ex-Colosseum guitarist James Litherland in 1971, Mogul Thrash's only album was produced by Brian Auger, who also played on one track. Also included was John Wetton, who provides some meaty bass, and Roger Ball and Malcolm Duncan, who went on to form Average White Band. This is a brass-driven, jazzy slice of progressive rock with some strong guitar and saxophone jamming. If you like Colosseum, you'll like this.

http://rapidshare.de/files/8962177/mogul_original.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8963394/mogul_original.part2.rar

ATTN: The first track of Mogul Thrash, "Something Sad" apparently has a couple small blips on it - here is a blip-free copy:
http://rapidshare.de/files/9196384/Something_Sad.rar

Randy California - Kaptain Kopter And The (Fabulous) Twirly Birds (1972)

Randy California of Spirit played in a band with Jimi Hendrix before Hendrix became famous, so the story goes, and some people think that he influenced Jimi, rather than the other way around! Regardless, I don't know what this album is if not a tribute to Jimi Hendrix. I mean, it has Noel Redding on it. This is some hot stuff.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9012550/twirly_birds.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9013856/twirly_birds.part2.rar

dBpowerAMP 11.0 plus power pack

This is a must-have program for converting audio files from one format to another. I included the power pack which you install after installing the application. You can easily edit Mp3 tags and do all kinds of other stuff. Some codecs included, visit their home page for any others you might need. This program is already registered, just install it and use it!

http://rapidshare.de/files/9013983/dBpA.rar

Paternoster - Paternoster (1972)

Amongst the most legendary of Austrian underground bands, but with a virtually undocumented history, Paternoster originated from Vienna, and existed for only two years in the early-70's, disbanding after the release of just one album. Paternoster were heavy, but their complex progressive blend was patently of the Krautrock ilk. Fronted by a most unusual vocalist, with an equally bizarre use of song, their music drew on that trippy Pink Floyd style. Akin to Gila, Virus, and Jane on occasions, the Paternoster style blended heavy classical motifs, psychedelic flights into the cosmos, and much more. The result is, that every track amounts to a lively potpourri of surprises. (From "Crack In The Cosmic Egg")

http://rapidshare.de/files/9017254/paternoster.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9017806/paternoster.part2.rar

Jimi Hendrix - Axis Outtakes

This 2-disc set consists of, you guessed it, outtakes from the Axis: Bold As Love sessions. Some great Jimi here. This is my first rip using Exact Audio Copy - hope everything came out ok.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9063463/JiHeAxOu.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9066218/JiHeAxOu.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9069139/JiHeAxOu.part3.rar

Odin - Odin (1972)

Odin was a British band, but all the members lived in Germany. Their self-titled debut and only album is one of the many obscure gems released on the Vertigo swirl label. Odin's style was organ dominated progressive rock with influences from hard rock, jazz and some folk. Tracks like "Life is only" and "Clown" are stuffed with lengthy organ passages and good melodies. "Be the Man you are" was an airy acoustic track of the kind that most progressive rock groups would have one or two of on their albums. "Eucalyptus" was an atmospheric instrumental with some nice use of string-synths. "Tribute to Frank" (probably Zappa) was a bit quirkier, with some quite interesting and unusual chords. And the guys used their voices as instruments in the cheerful "Turnpike Lane" with good result. (Review stolen from vintageprog)

http://rapidshare.de/files/9070660/odin.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9071482/odin.part2.rar

Monument - First Monument (1971)

This album was recorded during an all-night substance abuse session by members of the band Zior, which is probably why its such a mish-mash of tempo changes and different styles. Mystical and eerie sometimes, this is some solid hard progressive rock, emphasis on hard. OK maybe doom rock would better describe it. Interesting album all around.

http://rapidshare.de/files/9072517/first_monument.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9073325/first_monument.part2.rar

Klaus Schulze - Black Dance (1974)

Blackdance is one of Klaus Schulze's early albums.The
tempo changes are smooth and sure and the sequences are
varied — some are deep and strong, others are long on
atmosphere. Schulze mixes these elements seamlessly with
experimental timbres and spatial textures. He adds an organ
drone to give the disc a Baroque attitude and sinister
overtones. This is more atmospheric than most of his
albums. (Unknown reviewer)

http://rapidshare.de/files/9076536/black_dance.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/9077269/black_dance.part2.rar

Ibliss - Supernova (1972)

The German band Ibliss released only one album, which is probably more fusion/jazzrock than it is progressive rock. There are four long tracks, the last one, "Athir", being the best in my opinion. This thing is a percussion extravaganza, with most of the first track sounding like a hippie drum circle, only with really good drummers. Lotta flute, sax, and early 70's cosmic-ness.

http://rapidshare.de/files/8351569/ibliss.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8352569/ibliss.part2.rar

Sameti - Sameti (1972)

Sameti had some members who were late of Amon Düül II and the German band Embryo, and the highlight on this is a 22 minute long improvisation, "anotherwaytosee", which definitely sounds very Amon Düül II-ish, and wouldn't sound out of place on one of the classic Düül albums like "Tanz Der Lemminge". Another semi-structured song is called "Big Fat Brother Joint", and likely provides a glimpse into these guys' personal habits!

http://rapidshare.de/files/8354175/sameti.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8354856/sameti.part2.rar

Web - I Spider (1970)

This is a great album, featuring Dave Lawson of Greenslade, though we can be thankful his brilliant organ/mellotron work and vocals sound nothing like he put out with them! A little 'dark' sounding, this is driving, intense jazzrock. This is the British group's third album, the only one with Lawson. After this release they changed their name to Samurai.

http://rapidshare.de/files/8356217/spiderweb.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8356742/spiderweb.part2.rar

Cosmic Eye - Dream Sequence (1972)

I like this album but I don't know what the hell it is really. Prog? Jazz? Avant-Garde? Lotta sitar, tabla, violin. From what I can glean from the net, this is a crew of British jazz musicians from the early 70's taking a stab at psychedelia and doing a damn good job of it.

http://rapidshare.de/files/8360251/cosmic_dream.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8360496/cosmic_dream.part2.rar

Roger Waters - In The Flesh (2000)

Roger Waters' sixth solo release is an awesome sounding collection of live performances from his 1999 tour, showcasing some of his best work. His solo versions of Pink Floyd material are unbelievably good.

http://rapidshare.de/files/8582336/intheflesh.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8582967/intheflesh.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8585072/intheflesh.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8593945/intheflesh.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8606848/intheflesh.part5.rar

Prof. Wolfff - Prof. Wolfff (1972)

Prof. Wolfff sounds like an angrier, more progressive and more electric version of "Ihre Kinder" which isn't too surprising since their only album was produced by Ihre Kinder's manager. This is a good album that may not hit with everybody. Hard prog with classical-sounding keyboard workouts and political lyrics in German with large doses of great sometimes raw-sounding guitar.

http://rapidshare.de/files/8611657/wolfff.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8613009/wolfff.part2.rar

P205 - Vivat Progressio - Pereat Mundus (1978)

This is P205's second album and what it is, is good basic rough-edged rock and roll from the German underground. No "lost treasure of Krautrock" or anything, but there are moments here and there that make you wonder what might have come with a little financial success. When I'm in the mood for this kinda stuff, this album really hits the spot.

http://rapidshare.de/files/8618260/P205.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8619401/P205.part2.rar

The Beatles - Men & Horses, Hoops & Garters

This is a different kind of Beatles bootleg! This website will explain
what it's all about

http://rapidshare.de/files/8623614/Men___Horses.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8626804/Men___Horses.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8628516/Men___Horses.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8629793/Men___Horses.part4.rar

Various Artists - Heavy Christmas (1971)

And finally, last but not least, an 8 Days In April Exclusive. A dang Krautrock Christmas album! Two of the bands we've met before, "Virus" and "Dies Irae", we'll meet "Ardo Dombec" later, the other bands I don't know. My favorites are Virus's "X-Mas Submarine" and Dies Irae's "Silent Night".

http://rapidshare.de/files/8580718/heavyxmas.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8581352/heavyxmas.part2.rar

Captain Beefheart - The Mirror Man Sessions

http://rapidshare.de/files/8262886/Mirror.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8263640/Mirror.part2.rar

Galactic Explorers - Epitaph For Venus (1972)

http://rapidshare.de/files/8264551/galacticepitaph.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8264966/galacticepitaph.part2.rar

Miles Davis - Dark Magus (Carnegie Hall 3-30-74)

http://rapidshare.de/files/8265987/darkmagus.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8266450/darkmagus.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8266969/darkmagus.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/8267411/darkmagus.part4.rar

Alcatraz - Vampire State Building (1971)

The German band Alcatraz recorded only one largely instrumental, jazz-rock progressive improvisational album. "But, what an album they left behind! Their music featured fuzzed guitars and effects overdose in a heavy and bluesy over-the-top Krautrock. Though barely known, Alcatraz were remarkable in that they bridged and mixed together genres that no one else did. In fact, they pulled out all the stops to come up with one of the finest slabs of eccentric heady Krautrock. It's a masterpiece beyond doubt". (Crack In The Cosmic Egg review)

http://rapidshare.de/files/7829237/alcatrazvampire.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7829814/alcatrazvampire.part2.rar

CWT - The Hundredweight (1973)

Though released on Germany's Kuckuk label (home of Armaggedon and Out Of Focus), CWT was a British act whose only album was produced by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham. This is some serious butt-kickin' early 70's rock complete with a driving brass section. Heavy riffs, rough, aggressive vocals, with the brass arrangements having an almost Motown-like groove at times, and brilliant lead guitar all centered around a solid rhythm section, what's not to like?

http://rapidshare.de/files/7830621/CWT.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7831224/CWT.part2.rar

Kin Ping Meh - Kin Ping Meh (1971)

German band Kin Ping Meh's first album is an accessible combination of hard-driving progressive rock, slow blues, and ballads, sometimes with a Beatles-y vibe going on. Produced by Achim Reichel and engineered by Connie Plank, this is a quality production all the way. The first cut 'Fairy Tales' is a 10 minute long masterpiece of driving organ and guitar workouts, though some of the rest of the material may not appeal to prog fans. But if early 70's German rock does it for you, you should get this.

http://rapidshare.de/files/7832318/kinpingmeh.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7832886/kinpingmeh.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7833199/kinpingmeh.part3.rar

Steel Mill - Green Eyed God (1972)

Steel Mill's only album is guitar-driven hard rock with some progressive tendencies, and there is a lot of interaction between electric guitar, flute, and sax. Somehow it reminds of Blodwyn Pig, maybe a little Audience. The title track is superb, starting with a gentle, exotic-sounding flute, then a few vocal verses before the roof caves in and it becomes a hard rocking monster. The rest of the album is pretty good too!

http://rapidshare.de/files/7834565/steelmill.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7835233/steelmill.part2.rar

Hotlegs - Thinks: School Stinks (1971)

This is the album by the group that did "Neanderthal Man", one of the biggest hits of 1970. The same personnel would become 10cc a couple years later, and whatever charm, whatever excitement fans found in Godley & Creme's later work is already present here. The album bombed, possibly because only one other track was anything similar to the big hit. If you like 10cc at all you should get this. Even if you don't actually it's definitely worth a listen.

http://rapidshare.de/files/7877467/School_Stinks.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7878712/School_Stinks.part2.rar

The Cosmic Jokers - The Cosmic Jokers (1974)

The Cosmic Jokers were the Krautrock supergroup that never was, most of the musicians (Manuel Gottsching and Klaus Schulze from Ash Ra Tempel, and Jurgen Dollase and Harald Grosskopf from Wallenstein) didn't even know they were in the band until the albums started showing up in record stores. Recorded at acid parties in Dieter Dierk's studio under the instigation of producers Rolf Ulrich Kaiser (the Malcolm McClaren of the Krautrock scene) and his girl friend Gille Lettman, and then engineered down by Dieter Dierks, these were an attempt to harness the Ash Ra Tempel cosmic vibe into something more accessible to the masses. The first two albums (this is the first one) with their side-long grooves of cosmic mostly instrumental riffing are the best, the ultimate in trippy space rock.

http://rapidshare.de/files/7880944/jokers.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7881576/jokers.part2.rar

Cozmic Corridors - Cozmic Corridors (1974)

Moody and abstract, this is minimalist, stripped down German cosmic electronics, with some spoken female vocals in German.
This is very avante-garde...and spacy! Maybe spooky. Definitely worth a download.

http://rapidshare.de/files/7928870/cozmic.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7929419/cozmic.part2.rar

Jimi Hendrix - Raw Blues

This two-disc bootleg is a monster download, coming in at 200Megs, but is worth getting simply because this is some of the coolest Jimi Hendrix you will ever hear.!

http://rapidshare.de/files/7884746/jhrawbl.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7918675/jhrawbl.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7920271/jhrawbl.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7921752/jhrawbl.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7928229/jhrawbl.part5.rar

DIY: Punk, Power Pop and New Wave (1976-1983)

This is my Garage Sale/Thrift Store/Bargain Bin Find Of The Week©!. It's a promo sampler of a series by Rhino Records from 1992, that had volumes featuring different kinds of Punk and New Wave music. 23 tracks, well 22 really, of stuff from the Sex Pistols to the Weirdos, Buzzcocks, Eddie & the Hot Rods, Rubinoos, etc. etc.

http://rapidshare.de/files/7883210/DIY.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7883926/DIY.part2.rar

San Franciscan Nights - Live Recordings Of The SF Ballroom Scene 1966-1970

Volume Seven

The Daily Flash, The Sons Of Champlin

http://rapidshare.de/files/7505723/SFNightsSeven.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7506338/SFNightsSeven.part2.rar

Volume Eight

Santana, It's A Beautiful Day

http://rapidshare.de/files/7506934/SFNightsEight.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7507411/SFNightsEight.part2.rar

I Drive - I Drive (1972)

I Drive was one of many British groups that played the club circuit in Germany to make a living, and recorded their only album there. Though they were picked up by a former Beatles manager, the album failed due to a lack of promotion and lousy distribution, and the band broke up. Which was too bad because the music is top notch, on a par with the music of the big acts of the day like Atomic Rooster, Budgie, Deep Purple just to name a few. The album contains some brutal rock, some softer material, great production, great vocals and brilliant musicianship. Disc one is the album from 1972, disc 2 contains demos and whatnot from 1969-1972.

http://rapidshare.de/files/7510087/idrive.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7510448/idrive.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7510879/idrive.part3.rar

Embryo - Bremen 1971

The German band Embryo performed on 9/23/1971 at the Leibnizplatz High School in Bremen and the gig was recorded by Radio Bremen and broadcast in the series “Jazz Live“. This was just after the release of their second album, "Embryo's Rache" (Embryo's Revenge). The material is experimental psych/prog rock/jazz, but not nearly as jazzy as some of their later material, which is OK by me. The album consists of four tracks, and for me the highlight is the 26 minute long "SpainYes, Franco Finished", which got the group banned from Spain! This is some real tasty stuff, which you will like a lot.

http://rapidshare.de/files/7551520/embryo.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7552499/embryo.part2.rar

Eloy - Eloy (1971)

Eloy is one of the most famous German bands, known the world over for their Floyd-inspired brand of space rock. This is their first album, recorded by a short-lived line-up, and the band had not yet found their signature melodic style. But that is neither here nor there, as this is a compelling slice of 70's underground German rock, with tons of percussion and some great guitar solos and edgy vocals. Eloy fans probably don't think too highly of this album, but it is a first-rate example of hard progressive rock.

http://rapidshare.de/files/7554470/eloy.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7554879/eloy.part2.rar

Motherlight - Bobak, Jons, Malone (1970)

I could find out almost nothing about this album, other than it is "legendary" and a "highly sought-after rarity". This is a sterling example of early 70's British psychedelic/progressive rock, with wispy vocals, ethereal keyboards, and great lashings of fuzzed-out guitar leads. My impression is that it was a studio project and not an album by a working band. Whatever, it's great stuff!

http://rapidshare.de/files/7556541/motherlight.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7556856/motherlight.part2.rar

Armaggedon - Armaggedon - (1970)

(From "Cosmic Dreams At Play"):
""Why didn't this group record more than just one album? Their self-titled album is a heavy progressive masterpiece with excellent, Hendrix-influenced guitar work and vocals by Frank Diez. Armageddon was the start of his long and impressive career. Their album had six tracks, and two of them were cover versions. Most impressive was the 10 minute version of Jeff Beck Group's "Rice Pudding". This track had some of the greatest heavy guitar riffing to appear on a German record. Their version of Spooky Tooth's "Better By You, Better Than Me" was also competent enough. In addition, both Frank Diez and Manfred Galatik wrote great songs, as typified by the tracks "People Talking" and "Open". Michael Nurnberg and Jurgen Lorenzen provided a strong backing. Armageddon's album has rocketed in price during recent years, due to the ever increasing interest. However, demand for the group was poor way back in 1970, and Armaggedon soon broke up."

http://rapidshare.de/files/7582166/aggedo.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7583800/aggedo.part2.rar

Ralph Stanley - Christmas Time With Ralph Stanley (1993)

Col. Ralph Stanley was one-half of bluegrass pioneers "The Stanley Brothers" and this is a Christmas album for those that enjoy the "High Lonesome" sound. Beautiful harmonies, great songs, brilliant playing this is a classic Christmas album - if you like this kind of music!

http://rapidshare.de/files/7594748/RSChristmas.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.de/files/7595329/RSChristmas.part2.rar

MEGAUPLOAD LINKS

Mecca and The Soul Brother
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=38XX88HO

The Main
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=38HGRVF3

Hip-Hip Underground Pete Rock
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=38V4Z3I3

Lost and Found
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=384WELFQ

All Souled Out
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=38XU3KF0

Surviving Elements
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=38EC55CU

My Own Worst Enemy With EDO G
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=18INZ4KC

Class Is In Session (With 9th Wonder)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1847SR8

Soul Brotha Beats
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=38ZWJOBX

Never Coming Out EP
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=389D3UTH

Live @ The Jazz Cafe In London
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=389CGVEA