Melanie Phlips

Over 100 tracks from unreleased or very rare recordings. Extensive liner notes by two critically acclaimed journalists Dave Thompson & Mark Paytress. Unseen photos. Mastering and audio restoration in studios in London and Sweden.
Neighborhood Records was a record label founded in 1971 by Melanie and her husband Peter Schekeryk. The label's biggest hit was their number 1 single "Brand New Key". A limited edition six-CD box set in an A5 book format with over 100 tracks, most of which are unreleased versions. For several months in 2023, Melanie herself oversaw this exciting project, contributing photos and information.

Over 100 tracks from unreleased or very rare recordings. Extensive liner notes by two critically acclaimed journalists Dave Thompson & Mark Paytress. Unseen photos. Mastering and audio restoration in studios in London and Sweden.
Neighborhood Records was a record label founded in 1971 by Melanie and her husband Peter Schekeryk. The label's biggest hit was their number 1 single "Brand New Key". A limited edition six-CD box set in an A5 book format with over 100 tracks, most of which are unreleased versions. For several months in 2023, Melanie herself oversaw this exciting project, contributing photos and information.

This 2-CD set of Melanie's first 4 original albums is housed in a card slipcase and includes a 24-page booklet. Remastered in 2022 at Sound Performance, London.

No talent who came out of Woodstock and who continued actively performing more than a quarter century later remained as closely associated with the 1960s and "flower power" than Melanie. Born Melanie Safka in Astoria, Queens, in 1947, she made her first public appearance at age four on a radio show, later studying at the New York Academy of Fine Arts. After mounting a singing career while in college, she later sang in clubs in Greenwich Village, and was signed to a publishing contract in 1967. She recorded her first single, "Beautiful People," for Columbia Records that same year. Her relationship with the record company was short-lived, however, and after one more single she left the label. In 1969, she chanced to meet producer Peter Schekeryk, and after a hastily arranged audition, he took charge of her career.

Commenced in late 1973 but forgotten about and then abandoned in favour of the songs that became 1974’s As I See It Now, Melanie’s Autumn Lady is a great lost album. Aside from a few songs that became singles, such as ‘Bitter Bad’ and her cover of ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow?’, the material is entirely unheard. The record, as the American singer-songwriter originally conceived it, is pieced together by her manager Dave Thompson.

Commenced in late 1973 but forgotten about and then abandoned in favour of the songs that became 1974’s As I See It Now, Melanie’s Autumn Lady is a great lost album. Aside from a few songs that became singles, such as ‘Bitter Bad’ and her cover of ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow?’, the material is entirely unheard. The record, as the American singer-songwriter originally conceived it, is pieced together by her manager Dave Thompson.

No talent who came out of Woodstock and who continued actively performing more than a quarter century later remained as closely associated with the 1960s and "flower power" than Melanie. Born Melanie Safka in Astoria, Queens, in 1947, she made her first public appearance at age four on a radio show, later studying at the New York Academy of Fine Arts. After mounting a singing career while in college, she later sang in clubs in Greenwich Village, and was signed to a publishing contract in 1967. She recorded her first single, "Beautiful People," for Columbia Records that same year. Her relationship with the record company was short-lived, however, and after one more single she left the label. In 1969, she chanced to meet producer Peter Schekeryk, and after a hastily arranged audition, he took charge of her career.

As a Verve Remixed project, with Y'all Don't (Really) Care About Black Women, Melanie Charles set out to breathe new energy into this selection of songs. Melanie was immediately drawn to the rapturous voices of Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn, which inspired her arrangements of "God Bless the Child" and "Detour Ahead." Y'all Don't (Really) Care About Black Women is a love letter to the unheralded work of black women. Melanie asks listeners to take as much responsibility for black women as she does for their work.