The Last 10 CDs I've Listened To....

Since Greensboro, NC, folk singer Bruce Piephoff is a personal friend, I thought it would be safer to go with an image of him, which I took from a Belgian web site_ of all places, than one for either David Bowie or Turkish psychedelic singer Erkin Koray, who turned 70 last year. All of these artists, along many bands that most of you will recognize, were in the last group of cds that I have listened to. Here they are in order:

1) Erkin Koray. "Erkin Koray" (1973) Key Tracks: "Kizlar Da Alin Askere" /("Let the Girls in the Army Too")

2. Bruce Piephoff. "The Chestnut Tree" (2008) Key Tracks: "Notes from Knoxville," "The Chestnut Tree," "The Ballad of Charlie Poole," "Jesse" and ""Jasper's World of no Return."

3. Coldplay. "A Rush of Blood to the Head" (2002). Key Tracks: "In My Place," "The Scientist" and "Clocks."

4. David Bowie. "Heroes." (1977) Key Tracks: "Beauty and the Beast," "Joe the Lion" and "Heroes."

5. The Rolling Stones. "Let It Bleed" (1969) Key Tracks: "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

6. U2. "Boy" (1980; debut album) Key Tracks: "A Day Without Me" and "I Will Follow."

7. The Pretenders. "Learning to Crawl" (1983). Key Tracks: "Back on the Chain Gang," "Middle of the Road" and "Show Me."

8. The Police. "Synchronicity." (1983). Key Tracks: "Every Breath You Take," "King of Pain," and "Wrapped Around Your Finger."

9. The Cars. "Candy-O." (1979) Key Tracks: "Let's Go," "It's All I Can Do" and "Double Life."

10. Rush. "2112" (1976, considered to be the band's best record). Key Tracks: "A Passage to Bangkok" and "The Twilight Zone."

From the Record Collection (4 of 8) "Zenyatta Mandatta" from The Police

Our choice for today's album collection entry is "Zenyatta Mandatta," the third of five studio albums from the English band The Police, one of the earliest New Wave to achieve Billboard chart success.

"Zenyatta Mandatta" only consists of two singles: "Don't Stand So Close to Me," a tale about a female student overtly flirting with a male teacher. The song, written by lead singer Sting, is likely the first and only top 40 hit which makes a reference to Russian literature with the line: 'Just like the old man in that book by Nabakov,' referring to Vladamir Nabakov's classic novel "Lolita."

The record, which runs for 38:16, was produced by the band and Nigel Gray, who would later produce albums for Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was recorded at the Wiseloord Studio in the Netherlands. On the day after the record's completion, The Police headed to Belgium for the start of a large world tour. In the late '70s and early '80s, bands were forced by record companies to tour, which lead to the spectacular burn-out of popular bands, such as Men at Work (the Australian band only recorded three albums, with their final one being a complete dud).

"Zenyatta Mandatta" is also known for having two instrumental tracks, including the Grammy-winning "Behind My Camel," which was the brainchild of guitarist Andy Summers, who just recently ranked number 85 in a list by "Rolling Stone" of the top 100 guitar players in rock and roll history.

The band also consisted of drummer Stewart Copeland, who is now known for recording music for soundtracks to tv shows and films.

The album had mixed reviews, but it sold well, reaching number five in the United States and number one in the United Kingdom. The Police split up in 1984, but reunited for a massive tour in 2007, which sold out proving the band's popular allure remains even though the band is highly unlikely to record another album.