Mike Zito - Blue Room (1998) {2018, 20th Anniversary Remastered Edition}
EAC Rip | FLAC (Tracks) + Cue + m3u + Log ~ 403 Mb | MP3 CBR320 ~ 152 Mb
Full Scans | 00:50:51 | RAR 5% Recovery
Blues Rock | Ruf Records #RUF 1265
EAC Rip | FLAC (Tracks) + Cue + m3u + Log ~ 403 Mb | MP3 CBR320 ~ 152 Mb
Full Scans | 00:50:51 | RAR 5% Recovery
Blues Rock | Ruf Records #RUF 1265
It’s back. The debut album that blew up the ’90s blues scene. The songs that announced the touchdown of a major new talent. In modern times, as an established solo star and former member of the globally acclaimed Royal Southern Brotherhood, Mike Zito’s reputation precedes him. But turn back the clocks. Rewind the film reels. Slip through the wormhole to 1998, when a 27-year-old punk kid took his first shot in the studio. “Blue Room,” he reflects, “is the beginning of me becoming an artist.”
By 1998, Zito had been around the block. Raised at the sharp end in St. Louis, Missouri, he’d witnessed the lean years of the ’70s, as his father – a union employee at the local Anheuser-Busch brewery – grafted to support five kids in a cramped apartment. Music was a way out, with Zito learning his craft at a downtown guitar store, then seizing any live work that fell his way. As he told the Blues Mag: “I’ve played with country bands, dance bands, rock bands, alternative bands…”
Blue Room was the moment of clarity, when Zito realised he was burning to be more than a roadhouse-filling covers band. In 1997, he assembled a dedicated lineup and announced his new mission statement: original songs written from the heart. But artistic integrity didn’t come cheap. With just $1000 for studio bills, Zito knew he had one shot. “I have many great memories of the Blue Room sessions,” he says. “It was recorded in the basement of a house outside of St. Louis. We recorded the whole album in one day and all the tracks are live with no overdubs – except the vocals. We had played the night before until 6am at an all-night club in St. Louis and went to the studio at 9am. We brought beer with us and basically did not sleep.”
Play Blue Room today and you can still feel the urgency flood through the speakers. The scratchy funk-blues of Hollywood sets a breakneck pace. Pull The Trigger has an irresistible stop-start lick that underpins Zito’s ragged vocal. It’s All Good pairs a muscular lick with a virtuoso solo. Gravy Jam and Soundcheck are chop-flexing instrumentals, while Lovering is a slow-blues pulsing with potency.
Elsewhere, Shoes Blues is a rampant good-time anthem, offset by Ways About You’s jazzy shuffle and the glassy funk of Lightning Bug. Finally, there’s a wah-soaked cover of Elton John’s Rocket Man, closing a tracklisting that offers a signpost to the artist Zito would become. “The singing is sometimes not quite there,” he considers, “and the guitar playing is so over the top. But it’s full of honesty.”
Likewise, while Zito’s later albums would find him drilling deeper as a lyricist –to examine themes from mortality to sobriety – this opening gambit captures the worldview of a young man enjoying primal pleasures. “The vibe of Blue Room is total bravado,” he reflects. “I was so full of myself back then, and mostly the songs were about partying and sex. I was 27 years old and trying to be a rock star.”
Blue Room changed everything. As the album sold, the songs began to be requested live – displacing the Cream and Hendrix covers – and Zito was heralded as an artist of rare potential. Back then, he didn’t anticipate the bitter-sweet future about to unfold – the lost years of alcoholism in the post-millennium, the salvation offered by his wife, Laura, the plaudits of Royal Southern Brotherhood in 2012 and the rising trajectory of his solo career since he picked it back up with 2015’s Keep Coming Back. But when Zito looks back now at Blue Room, he wouldn’t change a thing: “I find such joy in listening to the young man on this recording. I’m so proud that it’s finally being released by Ruf Records after twenty years…”
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Track List:
01. Hollywood [4:05]
02. Pull The Trigger [4:53]
03. It's All Good [3:28]
04. Gravy Jam [5:04]
05. Lovering [7:44]
06. Shoes Blues [3:50]
07. Ways About You [4:15]
08. Soundcheck [4:18]
09. Lightning Bug [7:54]
10. Rocket Man [5:20]
Personnel:
Bass Guitar - Doug Byrkit
Drums - Brian Zielie
Guitar, Vocals - Mike Zito
Exact Audio Copy V1.1 from 23. June 2015
EAC extraction logfile from 18. October 2019, 18:53
Mike Zito / Blue Room
Used drive : HL-DT-STDVD-RAM GH22NP20 Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No
Read offset correction : 102
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Appended to previous track
Used output format : User Defined Encoder
Selected bitrate : 128 kBit/s
Quality : High
Add ID3 tag : No
Command line compressor : C:\Program Files\Exact Audio Copy\Flac\flac.exe
Additional command line options : -V -8 -T "Genre=%genre%" -T "Artist=%artist%" -T "Title=%title%" -T "Album=%albumtitle%" -T "Date=%year%" -T "Tracknumber=%tracknr%" -T "Comment=%comment%" %source%
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
1 | 0:00.00 | 4:06.53 | 0 | 18502
2 | 4:06.53 | 4:54.48 | 18503 | 40600
3 | 9:01.26 | 3:29.46 | 40601 | 56321
4 | 12:30.72 | 5:05.69 | 56322 | 79265
5 | 17:36.66 | 7:44.74 | 79266 | 114139
6 | 25:21.65 | 3:50.66 | 114140 | 131455
7 | 29:12.56 | 4:14.73 | 131456 | 150578
8 | 33:27.54 | 4:17.55 | 150579 | 169908
9 | 37:45.34 | 7:55.67 | 169909 | 205600
10 | 45:41.26 | 5:19.48 | 205601 | 229573
Track 1
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\01 Hollywood.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 1.5 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 41336557
Copy CRC 41336557
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [1C8BB406], AccurateRip returned [22A83967] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 2
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\02 Pull The Trigger.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.39
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 1.7 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC D9FA49B9
Copy CRC D9FA49B9
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [A32C5F46], AccurateRip returned [ABB60932] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 3
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\03 It's All Good.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.14
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 1.8 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 0FB8B729
Copy CRC 0FB8B729
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [B949425B], AccurateRip returned [92E1C6E7] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 4
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\04 Gravy Jam.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.42
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 2.1 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 93E76421
Copy CRC 93E76421
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [6F5CFB46], AccurateRip returned [41B49CE7] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 5
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\05 Lovering.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.43
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 2.3 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC F6D9226B
Copy CRC F6D9226B
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [208F550A], AccurateRip returned [3AA4E0A4] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 6
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\06 Shoes Blues.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.21
Peak level 94.4 %
Extraction speed 2.4 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 63021664
Copy CRC 63021664
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [76DC1EB0], AccurateRip returned [0F68961B] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 7
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\07 Ways About You.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.16
Peak level 94.4 %
Extraction speed 2.2 X
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC DF3A8DE0
Copy CRC DF3A8DE0
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [711F15AE], AccurateRip returned [0EE9413E] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 8
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\08 Soundcheck.wav
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 2.6 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 281AF015
Copy CRC 281AF015
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [63BD193E], AccurateRip returned [23B2902B] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 9
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\09 Lightning Bug.wav
Peak level 94.4 %
Extraction speed 2.9 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 53D8B657
Copy CRC 53D8B657
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [FA471804], AccurateRip returned [5A48D8C9] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 10
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\10 Rocket Man.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.42
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 2.9 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 3B6BE739
Copy CRC 3B6BE739
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [5B067EF4], AccurateRip returned [845696D0] (AR v2)
Copy OK
No tracks could be verified as accurate
You may have a different pressing from the one(s) in the database
No errors occurred
End of status report
==== Log checksum BFF2FBCE923B4A629760822AE771ABBCF3A82A959CCDC2EE24C05A4E5FB0AC41 ====
EAC extraction logfile from 18. October 2019, 18:53
Mike Zito / Blue Room
Used drive : HL-DT-STDVD-RAM GH22NP20 Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No
Read offset correction : 102
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Appended to previous track
Used output format : User Defined Encoder
Selected bitrate : 128 kBit/s
Quality : High
Add ID3 tag : No
Command line compressor : C:\Program Files\Exact Audio Copy\Flac\flac.exe
Additional command line options : -V -8 -T "Genre=%genre%" -T "Artist=%artist%" -T "Title=%title%" -T "Album=%albumtitle%" -T "Date=%year%" -T "Tracknumber=%tracknr%" -T "Comment=%comment%" %source%
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
1 | 0:00.00 | 4:06.53 | 0 | 18502
2 | 4:06.53 | 4:54.48 | 18503 | 40600
3 | 9:01.26 | 3:29.46 | 40601 | 56321
4 | 12:30.72 | 5:05.69 | 56322 | 79265
5 | 17:36.66 | 7:44.74 | 79266 | 114139
6 | 25:21.65 | 3:50.66 | 114140 | 131455
7 | 29:12.56 | 4:14.73 | 131456 | 150578
8 | 33:27.54 | 4:17.55 | 150579 | 169908
9 | 37:45.34 | 7:55.67 | 169909 | 205600
10 | 45:41.26 | 5:19.48 | 205601 | 229573
Track 1
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\01 Hollywood.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 1.5 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 41336557
Copy CRC 41336557
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [1C8BB406], AccurateRip returned [22A83967] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 2
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\02 Pull The Trigger.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.39
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 1.7 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC D9FA49B9
Copy CRC D9FA49B9
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [A32C5F46], AccurateRip returned [ABB60932] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 3
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\03 It's All Good.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.14
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 1.8 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 0FB8B729
Copy CRC 0FB8B729
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [B949425B], AccurateRip returned [92E1C6E7] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 4
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\04 Gravy Jam.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.42
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 2.1 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 93E76421
Copy CRC 93E76421
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [6F5CFB46], AccurateRip returned [41B49CE7] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 5
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\05 Lovering.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.43
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 2.3 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC F6D9226B
Copy CRC F6D9226B
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [208F550A], AccurateRip returned [3AA4E0A4] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 6
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\06 Shoes Blues.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.21
Peak level 94.4 %
Extraction speed 2.4 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 63021664
Copy CRC 63021664
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [76DC1EB0], AccurateRip returned [0F68961B] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 7
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\07 Ways About You.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.16
Peak level 94.4 %
Extraction speed 2.2 X
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC DF3A8DE0
Copy CRC DF3A8DE0
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [711F15AE], AccurateRip returned [0EE9413E] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 8
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\08 Soundcheck.wav
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 2.6 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 281AF015
Copy CRC 281AF015
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [63BD193E], AccurateRip returned [23B2902B] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 9
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\09 Lightning Bug.wav
Peak level 94.4 %
Extraction speed 2.9 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 53D8B657
Copy CRC 53D8B657
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [FA471804], AccurateRip returned [5A48D8C9] (AR v2)
Copy OK
Track 10
Filename E:\alexbras\2018 Mike Zito - Blue Room\10 Rocket Man.wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:01.42
Peak level 94.3 %
Extraction speed 2.9 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 3B6BE739
Copy CRC 3B6BE739
Cannot be verified as accurate (confidence 2) [5B067EF4], AccurateRip returned [845696D0] (AR v2)
Copy OK
No tracks could be verified as accurate
You may have a different pressing from the one(s) in the database
No errors occurred
End of status report
==== Log checksum BFF2FBCE923B4A629760822AE771ABBCF3A82A959CCDC2EE24C05A4E5FB0AC41 ====