[ Tracy Chapman live at Golden Gate Park for Bill Graham in 1991
]Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tracy's performance at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on November 03, 1991 celebrating Bill Graham is now available to listen to online at Wolfgangsvault.com. 2 songs, acoustic ("All That You Have Is Your Soul") and a cappella ("Where the Soul Never dies").
Singer-songwriter, Tracy Chapman, whose strong convictions are relayed in the lyrics of both songs in this set, delivers one of the most touching performances of this concert. Her choice of "All That You Have Is Your Soul" certainly reflected the feelings of many, and her a cappella follow-up of "Where the Soul Never dies" was both inspiring and conforting to those saddened by the events surronding this day
Tracy wrote and recorded the music for a play, "Blood Knot" to be running at the A.C.T theater in San Francisco from Feb. 9 - March 9 2008. Be sure to buy your tickets if you're living in the area.
More about the play on the ACTwebsite and read their dedicated blog
[ 7 Seconds @ Paris Bercy, Dec 10, 1998
]Saturday, December 29, 2007
I remember that day, I remember this specific moment, it was around 2am, I was there since 10am the day before ! We stood in the cold Paris waiting for the opportunity to enter the place, run until the stage so we can enjoy the moment, be there just because we HAD to be there. Tracy's set was awesone (with Andy Stoller on Bass, Steven Hunter on Guitar and Denny Fongheiser on Drums), I haven't seen the band since the New Beginning tour two years before and I was thrilled to attend such an event: Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, Youssou N'Dour (only Sting was missing from the original 1988 tour), Radiohead, Alanis Morrisette...
Rumors say that Peter Gabriel is organising the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 2008. I hope that Tracy will be there, and if it's in Paris again, then it would be just perfect! It's not excluded I take a flight to attend the event, no matter where it is!!
[ Radio program on domestic abuse inspired by Behind The Wall
]Thursday, December 27, 2007
Here's a promo for a radio show from a friend, Michael Davies-Venn, I met online through my website. We exchanged some emails and I guess he's one of those important encounters I made.
Michael Davies-Venn is a freelance writer, journalist and media consultant focusing on broadcast journalism and politics. He is originally from Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa and is based in the United States. Mr. Davies-Venn has worked as a media consultant with the United Nations; United Nations Development Programme and the U.N. mission in Sierra Leone UNIOSIL.
The Masked Demon is a two-part news special on domestic violence in Central Minnesota. The song "Behind The Wall" partly influenced Michael in making this radio show.
[ Sur La Route, France Inter (Radio interview)
]Wednesday, December 19, 2007
An interview from 2003 of Tracy Chapman has been broadcasted on France Inter (french radio station) in the show "Sur La Route". Dubed in French, the English speakers would hear Tracy's speaking voice behind. Tracy talks about the show Tribute to Nelson Mandela in June 1988, how she experienced the event. Quite interesting and not expected at all! You can listen to the show online during 7 days.
[ A Very Special Christmas DVD to be released
]Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The first-ever DVD collection from the "A Very Special Christmas" series, proceeds from which benefit the Special Olympics, is going to release on November 20, 2007!
Tracy Chapman is among the ones featured on the dvd, alongside with No Doubt, U2, Bon Jovi, John Mellancamp, Sting, Vanessa Williams and Run DMC, as well as live performances from Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Wonder, Wyclef Jean ...
Performances gathered on the DVD are from the 1998 and 2000 "Christmas At The White House" specials. I don't have the tracklisting yet but Tracy performed "Give Me One Reason" with Eric Clapton, "O Holy Night" (solo acoustic with bassist player Andy Stoller) and "Santa Clauss Is Coming To Town" with the other guests that night.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first installment in the "A Very Special Christmas" series, which now comprises a total of eight albums. The project was launched in 1987 when record executive/producer Jimmy Iovine decided that a Christmas album would be a beautiful memorial to his father, and his wife Vicki suggested that the album benefit Special Olympics, for which she was working as a volunteer.
[ New www.tracychapman.com !
]Thursday, October 25, 2007
The homepage www.tracychapman.com has just been updated what shall we think? New album coming soon? but it has been done with a photo from the Where You Live cd booklet soooo...
A quick update on the "Dear Tracy" project: I received lots of submissions, for now I have something like 25 eligible letters ready to be published, but I need more to make a book! So some self promotion made by Mr Dylan in person doesn't hurt :)
This "movie" is made to promote the release of a Bob Dylan "best of" box called DYLAN. Buy it if you're new to Dylan!
[ Radio 1's 40th Anniversary
]Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Radio 1 is releasing a new album to celebrate the 40th anniversary: they took the top songs from each of the 40 years in the UK. Fast Car is chosen for the 1988 year, it will be covered by Mutya Buena
Here's the tracklisting of the compilation:
1967 - Flowers In The Rain (The Move) by Kaiser Chiefs 1968 - All Along The Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix Experience) by The Fratellis 1969 - Cupid (Johnny Nash) by Amy Winehouse 1970 - Lola (The Kinks) by Robbie Williams 1971 - Your Song (Elton John) by The Streets 1972 - Betcha By Golly Wow (The Stylistics) by Sugababes 1973 - You're So Vain (Carly Simon) by The Feeling 1974 - Band On The Run (Wings) by Foo Fighters 1975 - Love Is The Drug (Roxy Music) by Kylie 1976 - Let's Stick Together (Bryan Ferry) by KT Tunstall 1977 - Sound & Vision (David Bowie) by Franz Ferdinand 1978 - Teenage Kicks (The Undertones) by The Raconteurs 1979 - Can't Stand Losing You (The Police) by Mika 1980 - Too Much Too Young (The Specials) by Kasabian 1981 - Under Pressure (Queen & David Bowie) by Keane 1982 - Town Called Malice (The Jam) by McFly 1983 - Come Back And Stay (Paul Young) by James Morrison 1984 - Careless Whisper (George Michael) by The Gossip 1985 - The Power Of Love (Huey Lewis & The News) by Pigeon Detectives 1986 - Don't Get Me Wrong (The Pretenders) by Lily Allen 1987 - You Sexy Thing (Hot Chocolate) by Stereophonics 1988 - Fast Car (Tracy Chapman) by Mutya Buena 1989 - Lullaby (The Cure) by Editors 1990 - Englishman In New York (Sting) by Razorlight 1991 - Crazy For You (Madonna) by Groove Armada 1992 - It Must Be Love (Madness) by Paolo Nutini 1993 - All That She Wants (Ace Of Base) by The Kooks 1994 - You're All I Need To Get By (Mary J Blige) by Mark Ronson 1995 - Stillness In Time (Jamiroquai) by Calvin Harris 1996 - No Diggity (Blackstreet) by Klaxons 1997 - Love Fool (The Cardigans) by Just Jack 1998 - Ray Of Light (Madonna) by Natasha Bedingfield 1999 - Drinking in LA (Bran Van 3000) by The Twang 2000 - The Great Beyond (REM) by The Fray 2001 - Teenage Dirtbag (Wheatus) by Girls Aloud 2002 - Like I Love You (Justin Timberlake) by Maximo Park 2003 - Don't Look Back Into The Sun (The Libertines) by The View 2004 - Toxic (Britney Spears) by Hard-Fi 2005 - Father & Son (Yusuf & Ronan Keating) by The Enemy 2006 - Steady As She Goes (The Raconteurs) by Corinne Bailey Rae
[ What Child Is This @ Bridge Benefit Concert in Dec 04, 1988
]Thursday, August 16, 2007
Those songs written by Tracy Chapman performed live here and there, and not published on any album are some priceless jewels. What Child is This is one of my favorite, thanx to the1980srocked for uploading those videos from the 1988 Bridge Benefit Concert on YouTube!
[As said on the website], As the webmaster of this website, I receive lots of emails of people from all over the world wanting to write to Tracy Chapman for one or another reason.
Being unable to give them Tracy's personal email adress, I had the idea of requesting everyone wanting to tell something to Tracy to write her a letter.
With all those letters [emails] I'm going to gather I plan to make a book. I will offer a copy to Tracy herself but everyone will be given the opportunity to buy this book online. Why such an idea?
It gives you the opportunity to speak your heart and story to Tracy
Those touched by Tracy's music would be interested in reading other touching stories
As if it was still to do, it will demonstrate how much the artist and her music can interact with people's life
There are some rules, here they are:
WRITE IN ENGLISH
NOT LESS THAN 300 WORDS, one letter should stand in at least one page
Please understand that ALL LETTERS WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED but a selection of the most moving, interesting, original will be kept for the final book.
Send your letter with those fields:
Name: City, Country: Age: Email:
Letter: ...
to chapmanist@yahoo.com(and please write "Dear Tracy" in the subject of your email)
IMPORTANT:
You accept that those personal words and infos may be published.
All fields must be filled, or your letter won't be published (you can ask for your email to be left unpublished in the book)
You'll receive an email letting you know if your letter has been chosen to appear in the book and when/where it's going to be on sale online.
No profit from the sales of the books will be made for the owner of the website, the cost of the book will be the exact cost of its publication fees.
It's interesting to see that "Fast Car" is THE hit in the US (with "Give Me One Reason") while in France "Talkin'Bout A Revolution" is The hit (and "Fast Car" didn't even released as a single). Some would think that the USA is nation where cars are important and that revolution sounds better in a french ear, could it be realistic?
1. Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan 2. Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones 3. Imagine, John Lennon 4. What's Going On, Marvin Gaye 5. Respect, Aretha Franklin 6. Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys 7. Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry 8. Hey Jude, The Beatles 9. Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana 10. What'd I Say, Ray Charles 11. My Generation, The Who 12. A Change Is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke 13. Yesterday, The Beatles 14. Blowin' in the Wind, Bob Dylan 15. London Calling, The Clash 16. I Want to Hold Your Hand, The Beatles 17. Purple Haze, Jimi Hendrix 18. Maybellene, Chuck Berry 19. Hound Dog, Elvis Presley 20. Let It Be, The Beatles ... 165. Fast Car, Tracy Chapman
[Originally published on July 31, i re-publish this post with an update: the video of Tracy performing Imagine!!]
Few weeks ago, Instant Karma, The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur released: it's a compilation of songs by John Lennon, singers and bands are covering some Lennon's songs and the benefit of the sales are going to help Amnesty in their work...
"Imagine" must be his most famous song, on this album 3 singers are singing it: Me'Shell NdegeOcello, Jack Johnson & Avril Lavigne. Tracy Chapman isn't on this album but she onced covered "Imagine" on TV, it was at the Grammy Awards in 1991. This was the first time she's been taped live on tv playing the piano, and maybe the only time (as far as i know). Here's the video:
[ WMFW (We Must Fight and Win) FM
]Saturday, August 04, 2007
Listening again to this great album by Arrested Development and I had forgot they're mentionning Tracy in one of their songs, "WMFW (We Must Fight and Win) FM".
It's approximately 6:30 in the a.m This is BABA OJE Speaking directly to you Right down to Earth in a language One can easily understand
We gotta list of hits coming at you this hour This is WMFW FM This hour we got Bob Marley The sounds of Miram Makeba, Muta-Buruka
We got the life music group Gumbo coming at you this hour, We got Public Enemy's brand new sounds We got Curtis Mayfield, we also got something coming at you An old one from Isaac Hayes, a brand new one from Tracy Chapman
My man Paris with a brand new album Youssou N'Dour, Black Uhuru, Living Colour, Vinx, Foley, Chaka Kahn, Follow 4 Now, KRS One, Queen Latifah, Stevie Wonder, Jungle Brothers, Gil Scott Heron, The Last Poets,
And last but not least, and featuring brand new sounds By Arrested Development, stay tuned and good morning!
[ Festival de Poupet, one year ago
]Saturday, July 28, 2007
It was one year ago, Tracy & band played at the Festival de Poupet, an original french festival in west of France where people are attending gigs... with their feet in the grass. On their website they're featuring a best of video of the 2006 edition, few seconds of "Say Hallelujah" and "Talkin'Bout A Revolution" are shown on the half of the video (after Johnny Hallyday).
Welcome to this blog about Tracy Chapman: my aim in there is to try to share with you all some things I read, see or hear about Tracy Chapman and related things around her and her music. Some might wondering if there's enough material to maintain a blog, actually I guess so, that's why I'm gonna try this. It's also a place you could comment any post, a little more interactivity on www.about-tracy-chapman.net !
