Order . . .

(based upon https://www.quora.com/How-do-recording-artists-decide-on-the-order-of-the-songs-on-their-CDs)
There isn't a rule of thumb , but there is planning. Look at it as a Classical concert, grouping songs in "moods", then intentionally create longer pauses between the groups.

When Lou Reed was ordering the tracks on New York. He struggled to find the right musical and topical arc until someone suggested he put them in the order in which they were recorded. In that order, the tracks told the story he was hoping for. Y

In a traditional pop context, records were sequenced with the hits or prospective singles "up front" - typically the lead single would be the first song and the other expected singles would follow to round out the first side. 

Some try to make sure that successive songs are not in the same key.

The number one track (and usually the last) are the 'great' tracks that leave an impression.

If it's a concept album that tells a story through the songs, then the order is pretty much fixed to begin with. If it is just a collection of singles, they might look at the dynamics - try and mix up the heavy and the soft, the fast and the slow, etc.

Put a lot of thought into the order of the songs to create a good “flow” and the best overall listening experience from start to finish. Open with a song that represents your overall sound fairly well, and break up the “mood” every 3 songs or so. 

The whole process is just about placing familiar tracks somewhere in the middle, intros and soon to be released tracks at the beginning and the less appealing at the end - it's about fluidity and using the songs at the beginning as singles as they help sell the album.

It's given a lot less thought than it used to. Nowadays most albums are bought online and when you download it you can put it in any order you want. If you are like me you will put your favourites first and the fillers at the end. Another thing to come into it is the shuffle mode on most players nowadays.

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If Only . . .

. . . it were so . . .

. . . and there really was one, single, powerful, overseer of all that there is, it would, without a doubt, open the drain to relieve the pressure being felt by their storm-ravaged city in the west.  If only it were so, and this lone, all-knowing custodian saw the millions of homeless people, in the United States alone, suffering, starving and living like animals, it would surely provide these disadvantaged people the common, basic dignity that comes from having a place to live.  If only it were so, and a great controller watching each and every one, personally witnessed the disregard, greed, and self-serving behavior of so many of its charges with regard to their fellow beings, without a doubt, it would rid these awful creatures of this abhorrent conduct through the supernatural means that it undoubtedly possesses.  If only it were so. . . 

If Only
©2017 Raymond M. Jozwiak

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Battles . . .

. . . of the bands


(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bands)
". . . Third World Games have produced a Battle of the Bands card game, which takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the music business. The object is to recruit members into your band, equip them with instruments, win "gigs" and "hit singles" and earn enough "Superstar Points" to win. The game is also available for play on GameTable Online. There is also a Battle of the Bands video game and TV movie. In the music video game Guitar Hero World Tour and all games that followed, a "battle of the bands" mode is featured as an online gameplay mode. The "battle of the bands" concept has had a heavy influence on reality television. Shows such as the Idol series and The X Factor borrow the basic concept of a "battle of the bands" except with individual singers instead of whole bands, combining the concept with a serial elimination format. There was a brief American series in the vein, The Next Great American Band, that did use whole bands. In the 2011 Australian film Swerve, a battle of the marching bands serves as background to most of the scenes set in the small country town. In the 2014 animated film My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks, the film's storyline centered around a high school Battle of the Bands competition. . ."

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No idea. . .

. . . about Bloodrock. . .

I only knew that DOA was a 'shake-me-up' kinda single that I heard when I was in junior high school (yeah, before they called it "Middle School") and thought it was just great because it was 'heavy' musically and imaginative in the perspective from which it was speaking.  But maybe a little too dark and possibly gross for some. . .

(from wikipedia.com)
". . . Bloodrock initially formed in Fort Worth in 1963, under the name The Naturals. This first lineup featured Jim Rutledge (b. January 24, 1947) – drums/vocals, Nick Taylor (b. October 29, 1946 - d. March 10, 2010) – guitar/vocals, Ed Grundy (b. March 10, 1948) – bass/vocals, and Dean Parks – guitar. They released their first single in 1965 “Hey Girl” b/w “I Want You”(Rebel MME 1003). Shortly thereafter they changed their name to Crowd + 1 and released three more singles: “Mary Ann Regrets” b/w "Whatcha Tryin’ to Do to Me"(BOX 6604), "Don’t Hold Back" b/w "Try," and "Circles" b/w “Most Peculiar Things.”

In 1967 Parks left Crowd +1 to become the musical director for the Sonny & Cher Show (the beginning of a long career as a session musician). He was replaced by Lee Pickens (b. December 8, 194?) – guitar. It was also at this time that Stevie Hill (b. Tulsa, OK) – keyboards/vocals joined the group. They continued as Crowd + 1 until 1969 when they changed their name to Bloodrock. They also recorded their first album, the Terry Knight produced, Bloodrock (ST-435). The album, released in March 1970, peaked at 160 on the Billboard 200 chart .

In 1970 Rutledge moved from behind the drum set to take on lead vocal duties exclusively. Rick Cobb (b. James Richard Cobb III) took over the percussive duties and added his voice to the group as well. This lineup recorded their next four albums: Bloodrock 2 (ST-491), Bloodrock 3 (ST-765), Bloodrock USA (SMAS 645), and Bloodrock Live (SVBB-11038).
Bloodrock 2 and D.O.A.

Bloodrock 2 was their most successful album peaking at #21 on the Billboard Pop Album Chart in 1971 mostly on the strength of their single "DOA" which reached #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 6, 1971. "DOA" also gave the band considerable regional exposure throughout the Southwest and West, particularly in Texas and Southern California. "DOA" was probably the band's most well known and well remembered single. The motivation for writing this song was explained in 2005 by guitarist Lee Pickens. “When I was 17, I wanted to be an airline pilot,” Pickens said. “I had just gotten out of this airplane with a friend of mine, at this little airport, and I watched him take off. He went about 200 feet in the air, rolled and crashed.” The band decided to write a song around the incident and include it on their second album.

In 1972 Lee Pickens left to form The Lee Pickens Group and released the album 'LPG" in 1973 on Capitol Records. Jim Rutlege retired from active music altogether, however in 1976 he also released a solo album on Capitol Records entitled: "Hooray for Good Times". Rutlege was replaced by Warren Ham in early 1972. The subsequent album, Passages was the last time Bloodrock visited the charts. It peaked at #104 on the Billboard 200 in 1972.

1973 brought another personnel change: Rick Cobb vacated the drums to be replaced by Randy Reader. This line up recorded one album: Whirlwind Tongues (1974).

The end of the road for Bloodrock came in 1975. Randy Reader left the group and an album, Unspoken Words, remained unreleased until 2000, where it was included as part of the CD release Triptych (along with Passage and Whirlwind Tongues). Unspoken Words featured Bill Ham and Matt Betton

A reunion concert featuring five of the six original numbers (Jim Rutledge, Lee Pickens, Ed Grundy, Nick Taylor, Stevie Hill, and Chris Taylor in place of original drummer Rick Cobb III) was held on March 12, 2005 in Fort Worth, for the benefit of their keyboardist Stevie Hill.

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