Do You Think This Artist Would Have Gotten a Record Deal if they Didn't Have a Famous Family Member #5

Simon Townshend has a very famous brother.   Because of the this he got to make a record.

Simon Townshend  - Sweet Sound (21 Records 1983)

From the looks of the cover, he worked as an auto mechanic or a coal miner during the day.  That being said, he has a very clean shirt.  Either he just put it on or he's wearing some new miracle fabric.   (Personally I can't wear white as often times lunch is on me).  Thanks to brother Pete - who produced this record - he got to be a star for about 30 seconds.


Simon is currently filling in as a second guitarist in the current configuration of The Who.  Family charity.

Sinatra for the UK Only

In 1962, Frank Sinatra visited the UK.   While there, he recorded with Robert Farnon, one of the top conductors in Great Britain.  As Usual, Sinatra didn't do multiple takes.  He had a sore throat and was unhappy with the results.  The result is this LP that was only released in the UK

Sinatra Sings Great Songs from Great Britain  (Reprise 1962)

My basic review is that it ain't that good.  The arrangements aren't really there and Sinatra actually sounds bored.  I can see why Frank chose to keep this under wraps in the USA.  That said, he still sings rings around the current crop of imitators.  Hello Michael Buble.

To get a little geek - Reprise was distributed in the UK via an arrangement with Pye.  This would explain why Reprise got The Kinks

And for you total geeks, the photo of Sinatra on the label is different from the ones used on US Reprise.

Cosby's Label

Before the Cosby Show became a mega hit.  Before he became the spokesman for Jello and Roofies, There was Bill Cosby the record man.

His label, Tetragrammaton, only lasted a few years.

Their biggest hits were early sides by Deep Purple.    When John and Yoko attempted to release Two Virgins which featured Lennon's London Times flapping in the breeze, Capitol/Apple refused to release it.   Tetragrammaton stepped in and released it wrapped in a brown paper bag. 

So what is Tetragrammaton you ask?   It's the term for the Hebrew trick of writing something without actually writing it.  You see, they're not allowed to write 'God' so they write 'G_D' instead.  Kind of silly if you ask me as you've communicated what you want to say.   If we were to apply the same method to gentile writing, GD is shorthand for 'goddamn,'   So I'm not sure they're winning here by writing 'G_D.'   Almost as silly as that symbol for Prince.

So stop whining and finish your GD Jello shot already. 

Memories of El Monte

Primer mi carucha, Chevy '39
Going to El Monte Legion Stadium
Pick up on my Weesa, She is so divine
Helps me stealing hub caps, wasted all the time.
Fuzzy dice, bongos in the back
My Ship of Love is ready to attack.

In the early 60's, local Los Angeles DJ Art Laboe was putting on 'oldies' show at the El Monte Legion Stadium about 10 miles east of downtown LA.   It wasn't really a stadium.  More of a dumpy union hall comparable to Winterland.



Since we're talking the early '60's, Doo Wop from the '50's were the 'oldies.'   Frank Zappa was a fan of this music from his high school days.  As a young struggling musician out in Cucamonga, Frank and bandmate Ray Collins wrote this song and pitched it to Art Laboe.

The Penguins - Memories of El Monte b/w Be Mine  (Original Sound 1963)

It was picked up and recorded by the Penguins who had recorded the doo-wop classic Earth Angel some years before.  Cleve Duncan was the only original member to sing on this.   After this recording, they reformed and hit the oldies circuit.   Frank Zappa went on to form The Mothers of Invention a few years later.

More on the El Monte Legion Stadium.

http://www.elmontelegionstadium.com/history.html

My Name Jose Jimenez

In the early sixties, comedian Bill Dana adopted the character of naive Bolivian swept up in the space program.   His name...Jose Jimenez.    It was milked for all it was worth.  More people knew the name of the character than the comedian himself.  The liner notes emphasize the character is warm individual an offends nobody.  Yeah right.

Totally not OK today, but this was long ago before everyone got so sensitive.  RIP Frito Bandido and Speedy Gonzalez.

José Jiménez: "My name... José Jiménez."
Ed Sullivan: "Well, now I see you have some of your space equipment with you. Uh, what is that called, the crash helmet?"
José Jiménez: "Oh, I hope not."

Ed Sullivan: "Now, what do you consider the most important thing in rocket travel?"
José Jiménez: "To me the most important thing in the rocket travel is the blast-off."
Ed Sullivan: "The blast-off."
José Jiménez: "I always take a blast before I take off. Otherwise I wouldn't go near that thing."

Let's start with the one with a cover that used to terrify my daughter when she was a toddler.

Jose Jimenez in Orbit, Bill Dana on Earth (Kapp 1962)

It started with this one.

  The First Man In Space - Jose Jimenez The Astronaut    (Kapp 1961) 

Prior to conquering space, Jose commanded a submarine...

Jose Jimenez The Submarine Officer  (Kapp  1960)

My daughter grew up OK and now has no fear of Bolivians in helmets.   I, on the other hand, still possess a reasonable unease. 

Roxy Music Cover Models #3 Stranded

Stranded - The Third Roxy Music Album (Island 1973)

By the time we get to the third one, Eno is gone.    For the cover model, we get Marilyn Cole.  She was playmate of the year in 1973.   Of course, she was having a fling with Bryan Ferry at the time.

This particular cover is supposed to depict someone stranded in the jungle.  In wardrobe, she was fitted in the dress and quite pleased with how it looked on her.  When the actual shoot arrived, the photographer tore the dress and hosed her down.  Not quite as glamorous as she had envisioned.

RIP Series - Marty Balin

Not much more can be said about counter-culture heroes Jefferson Airplane (yes kids, there is no 'the').  The band started in the San Francisco folk scene which morphed into the 'San Francisco Sound.'  JA was the first band to get signed by a major - RCA.  Following their success, every major had to have their San Francisco Band.  Warner Brothers got The Grateful Dead.  Columbia got Big Brother an Moby Grape.  Capitol got Quicksilver and Steve Miller.   Jefferson Airplane cracked mainstream AM radio with White Rabbit and Somebody to Love.  They headlined the Saturday night slot at Woodstock (which ended up with them going on Sunday morning).

To most, Grace Slick is the focal point of the band.  Not to diminish her contribution, I wholeheartedly disagree.   Paul Kantner contributed vocals, guitars and songs. Bass and guitar duo Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady anchored the sound with their unique style.  When they left the band to devote their full attention to Hot Tuna, JA became Jefferson Starship. 

And they had three singers who could weave in and out of each other like great jazzmen.  Paul Kantner, Grace Slick and the recently departed Marty Balin.  Marty was the guy who got knocked unconscious at Altamont.   He left the band shortly thereafter.

Marty's contribution is never more evident than on their first live album

Jefferson Airplane - Bless Its Pointed Little Head  (RCA 1968)

The first track on Side 2 consists of everything that made the band great.   Starting with Jack's slap base as everyone else slowly comes in.   Then the vocals.  Starting with Paul, but quickly overshadowed by Grace and Marty.   Hot lead guitar from Jorma accompany the soaring vocals.

The next two tracks showcase Marty on lead vocals.  It's No Secret which was chosen as Jefferson Airplane's first single.

I have an original pressing.  A pre Dynaflex RCA.   It came with a black inner sleeve and an insert.   Why, I don't know.

Marty's stellar contribution to this set is Plastic Fantastic Lover, his love song to his stereo system.

 Worth a lyric reprint.

Her neon mouth with a bleeding talk smile
Is nothing but electric sign
You could say she has an individual style
She's a part of a colorful time

Super-sealed lady, chrome-color clothes
You wear 'cause you have no other
But I suppose no one knows
You're my plastic fantastic lover

Your rattlin' cough never shuts off
Is nothing but a used machine
Your aluminum finish, slightly diminished
Is the best I've ever seen

Cosmetic baby, plug into me
And never, ever find another
And I realize no one's wise
To my plastic fantastic lover

The electrical dust is starting to rust
Her trapezoid thermometer taste
All the red tape is mechanical rape
Of the TV program waste

Data control and I.B.M.
Science is mankind's brother
But all I see is draining me
On my plastic fantastic lover

So when you think of Marty Balin, throw out that MOR crap from the '70's.   You don't need Miracles.   Go for Volunteers or After Bathing at Baxters. Jefferson Airplane if full flight can be stunning.