Rarebird's Rock and Roll Nest

Ian McDonald, who passed away in February of 2022 at the age of 75, was a progressive rock multi-instrumentalist who was best known as a founding member of King Crimson (playing on, and departing after, their grand 1969 debut album In The Court Of The Crimson King ) and of Foreigner (playing on the popular hard rock band’s first three albums before being ousted in 1980, when the band’s lineup was reduced from six men to 4 ). However, McDonald did record two notable non-band albums a few decades apart. In 1970, he recorded an album with fellow King Crimson refugee Michael Giles (the self-titled McDonald & Giles ) which mixed some elements of In The Court Of The Crimson King with more elements of the Beatles’ Abbey Road . And in 1999, McDonald issued his only full-length solo album, Drivers Eyes , which is not commercially available as of this writing. Drivers Eyes was a pleasing progressive rock effort with a digital-age smoothness that differentiated it from the ‘70’s variety o...

The 50th set of exclusive vinyl items offered to members of Third Man Records’ Vault service was mailed out to the members in December of 2021. For those who are unaware, Third Man Records is the label owned by Jack White, who is the leader of the White Stripes, the Raconteurs, and the Dead Weather, and is now a solo artist. The Vault service promises to deliver exclusive vinyl-only records (usually one full-length album and one 7” single) to its members every three months. The 50th Vault package featured a 2-LP live album from the White Stripes recorded in 2001, as well as a DVD documenting the same concert, and a 7-inch single containing two tracks from White’s two upcoming 2022 solo albums. The 2-LP set Live at The Detroit Institute of Arts 11/2/01 chronicles a November 2001 concert by the duo of Jack and Meg White at the titular museum's Rivera Court. The two discs are visually striking, the first one pressed in transparent vinyl with red splatters, the second one pressed...