Ann Steel was masterminded by Roberto Cacciapaglia. They recorded an untitled lp in 1979 (dedicated to the life and work of Guglielmo Marconi), of which "My time" was pulled as a single … and covered by Telex in 1980, on their "Neurovision" lp (both the English and the French version). Later on they released the disappointing "Media" 7" (1980, not on the original lp, bonus on the way too expensive cd via Recording Arts). Half Machine have reissued the lp (HMR020) on 2011-10-24 … by hipster demand, I'm sure ;-)

Excellent boogie funk from 1976 by Spider's Webb, featuring Wrecking Crew bass ace Carol Kaye … on lead guitar! "I Don't Know What's On Your Mind" (Fantasy cat. no. F-9517) has just been reissued by BGP in their "Funk & Jazz Classics" series (CDBGPM247).

Pt. 2 of http://uzine.posterous.com/im-etta-james … I.M. Etta James (1938-01-25 > 2012-01-20). Hey and do check Esther Phillips' 1976 version of "All the way down" here: http://uzine.posterous.com/esthers-version

RIP soul queen Etta James (73) who'd been taken into hospital, suffering from leukemia. Legendary for her recordings on Chess, she had recently released what had been announced as her last  album on Verve Forecast: "The Dreamer" (2011-11-08) - before that she was on RCA Victor. On the reissue front, there's just been a box set on Hip-O Select: "Heart & Soul - A Retrospective" (2011-10), while Kent / Ace have equally launched a number of reissues with bonus tracks viz. "Call My Name" and "Losers Weepers". More on Etta in my next post!

After being among the most interesting labels of the new century, then going broke some years ago … Force Inc & Mille Plateaux have been relaunched via the Vertical.fm label group last year … Curious what they'll bring in 2012!
http://vertical.fm/promo/366.htm
http://www.klitorik.com/

Before Delia Derbyshire, there was Daphne Oram … one of thé pioneers at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Today, her Oramics machine is - mutatis mutandis - available as an iPhone app, while the (long lost) actual machine has become an important piece at the (London) Science Museum, where a special exhibition is still open until 2012-12-01.
http://daphneoram.org/
http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/829198
http://www.stalk.net/paradigm/pd21.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_Oram
http://blog.soundseller.eu/tag/daphne-oram/
http://www.nervoussquirrel.com/oramics.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2669735.stm
http://www.modern-love.co.uk/artists/daphne-oram
http://www.synthtopia.com/content/tag/daphne-oram/
http://soundandmusic.org/projects/oramics-iphone-app
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/9671950.stm
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr08/articles/radiophonic.htm#6
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/galleries/oramics.aspx
http://sparksinelectricaljelly.blogspot.com/2011/10/daphne-oram-at-science-museum.html
http://www.thewire.co.uk/themire/2011/03/the-wire-salon-reading-list-the-sounds-of-new-atlantis-daphne-oram-radiophonics-and-the-drawn-sound-technique-2

Cool concept … record sleeves with only the living on them, the dead having been removed with some software or other … via http://liveiseedeadpeoples.tumblr.com/  [tnx4tip Eav!]

Some of the rare & sparse releases of Kool and Together (from Victoria, Texas, aka My Children +2, but not at all related to Kool and the Gang) have been recorded in the Sugar Hill studios in Houston, Texas. Kool and Together's output has just been compiled by Heavy Light (HLR-001, 2011-10). Amazingly, there's no info yet on this untitled release via http://heavylightrecords.com/ but see here instead: http://lightintheattic.net/news/?p=4292 + http://lightintheattic.net/artists/365-kool-together

Big Bank Hank, Master Gee & Wonder Mike aka the Sugar Hill Gang want their royalties (though some may be Chic's, one might imagine) … Can't wait to start reading (the paperback edition of) Nile Rodgers' autobiography (or memoir) "Le freak (an upside down story of family, disco and destiny", incidentally! And re: the gang's nightmare contracts, see also Roger Paradiso's documentary "I want my name back!" (2011).
http://www.factmag.com/2012/01/04/the-sugar-hill-gang-file-against-universal-for-over-40-years-of-unpaid-royalties/
http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch_trailer_for_i_want_my_name_back_exploring_identity_theft_of_members_f
http://www.dangerousminds.net/comments/nile_rodgers_le_freak_music_biography_of_the_year
http://www.gq.com/entertainment/books/201110/nile-rodgers-le-freak-book-excerpt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapper%27s_Delight#Background
http://www.docnyc.net/film/i-want-my-name-back/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sugarhill_Gang
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile_Rodgers
http://prince.org/msg/8/370093

 Jazzman Gerald has just compiled the best of Tino Contreras on "El Jazz Mexicano De" (JMAN 043 cd / 2lp, 2011-12) … and he's entered the hip record bag business too … Contreras' “Orbita” (taken from the rare and virtually untraceable private press record “Quinto Sol, Musica Infinita”) required specially modified harmonic harps developed by Julian Carrillo … Top reissue for the non religious as well!
http://jazzmangerald.blogspot.com/2011/10/handmade-knitted-record-bags.html
http://jazzmangerald.blogspot.com/2011/10/coming-soon-tino-contreras-cddbl-lp.html
http://fingersports.blogspot.com/2011/11/el-jazz-mexicano-de-tino-contreras.html
http://randallfunk.blogspot.com/2011/10/tino-contreras-el-jazz-mexicano-7.html