Happy Halloween

 A dance craze that didn't quite catch on.  It was no Monster Mash.

You rang?

RIP Series - Wayne Fontana

Picked this one up on a record safari in Austin, TX.

Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders - The Game Of Love (Fontana 1965)

RIP Series: Trini Lopez

 If I had a hammer  - and was friends with Frank Sinatra - I might be able to be signed to Reprise.

Trini Lopez  - If I Had A Hammer/Unchain My Heart (Reprise 1963)

Alas  - A hammer couldn't save him from the 'rona.

RIP Series: Keith Tippet

 Honestly don't know much about this guy other than his appearance on a few King Crimson records.

Most notably this one.

King Crimson - In the Wake of Poseidon (Atlantic 1970)

Keith Tippett played piano on this.  His style was original and jarring.  It's influence can clearly be herd in the piano solo in Bowie's Aladdin Sane.   

This record came out in 1970.  I personally haven't heard anything from Tippett since, but he did release records an perform until his death earlier this year.  

RIP Series: Jan Savage

Jan Savage - guitarist for LA psych garage band The Seeds.  

He was the guy with the headband.

The Seeds - In a Web of Sound (GNP Crescendo 1966)

Their second album.  Contains the epic 14 minute Up In Her Room.  One riff, no bridge nor chorus for 13 minutes. 

On the back cover, Jan puts a feather in his headband.  I guess he wanted to be the Indian of the Group just like Jimmy Carl Black

The copy I have was once one owned by a Jennie Morelas and evidently purchased on 1/11/69.

Vote! And Where are the Campaign Songs!

At one time there were original campaign songs issued for presidential elections.  JFK had Frank Sinatra do one.    In 1964, Carol Channing performed a version of Hello Dolly! at a rally.  Ed Ames (Ames Brother, My Cup Runeth Over, The Indian on Daniel Boone, Expert Hatchet thrower on Johnny Carson) recorded it for the 45.

Ed Ames  - Hello Lyndon!  (1964)

Since then, Nixon did one (Nixon's the One).  It became a camp hit during Watergate.   Nobody has done is since save for a Thurston Moore one for Bernie Sanders.   I wish Trump would do one.  Perhaps performed by his untalented family.  I would buy one.  It could be a tax write off.  

Where Am I?

 Has it really been that long since I posted something?   Here's my flimsy excuse......

I've been working at home since mid March.   I've been working at the same computer/Zoom machine that I use for personal recreation.  After what has become 10 hour days, the last thing I want to do is sit at the same 'puter for recreation.  It had become hard to separate professional life from personal life as they happen in the same location.

I quit my job last week and will be starting a new one on Monday.  It's now Thursday and I haven't touched this machine for almost a week.  It's getting fun again.   Today I am taking an enforced 'no plans' day.   I'll probably get back at it shortly.

I have a backlog.  Lots of new dead guys.  An odd Record Store Day.   A visit to my hometown and teenage record store - which is still there!    

Hang tight. Stay tuned.  Stand by (no this isn't a dog whistle through a bullhorn).  I plan on dipping my stylus back into the ring this weekend.

Oh... And.....  Vote as if your life depended on it.  It kinda does.   

Lou Lends Himself Out......

In the '80's, the songtrack album was big deal.    Agents clamored to get their artist on the record.  A lesser artist can rake in the royalties of the major guys on the record.   Fortunately, at the time we still had '45's.    

Lou Reed had a few.

Sam Moore & Lou Reed - Soul Man (A&M 1986)

Taken from a distasteful comedy about a white kid dressing in blackface to take advantage of racial quotas as a university.  I never saw it.  

And and another one

Lou Reed - My Love is Chemical b/w It doesn't matter (Atlantic 1985)

Taken from the film White Nights about a pair of dancers - one Russian, one black - dancing their way across Siberia after a plane crash.   The film also contained the Lionel Ritchie song 'Say You, Say Me.' which won the Academy Award that year.   I thankfully did not have to get suckered into the songtrack album.

Speaking of the Academy Award for Best Song.   Here comes my opinion.   The category needs to go.   It originated when Hollywood was producing original musicals with original songs.  Now it's relegated to the song played over the closing credits to keep the audience there to witness the name of craft services company at each location shoot.  The song often has nothing to do with the film.

Mark my words, when Hamilton is turned into a movie there will be one new song inserted as Oscar Bait for Best Song.   

Iggy Pop's Repo Man Theme and the Ramones Rock and Roll High School were robbed.

Living in a Ghost Town

This little puppy came in the mail..

They're still at it.   

The Rolling Stones - Living in  A Ghost Town (Rolling Stones 2020)

Recorded two years ago, rush released this year while the world is in shutdown

Song is just fine, but this is a silly record.    A 10"  one sided 33 on colored vinyl.  Excuse me.   Vinyl of Color.  

Are We Going to Have to Cancel Dean Martin?

What Could Have Been....

There was a time when record companies got in the way of artists.    One might think this ended in the early '70's.  Not so.   

In 1977, Robert Fripp had dissolved King Crimson (not the first time and not the last).  Fripp embarked on several projects planning a loose trilogy with Peter Gabriel's second album, his own solo album and this record from  - of all people - Daryl Hall

Daryl Hall - Sacred Songs (RCA 1980)

The path to this record was not an easy one

So.   Fripp, not being a singer, wanted Daryl Hall to be the vocalist on his largely instrumental solo album Exposure (EG 1978).   RCA said no.  If Hall did the vocals, then it was a Hall record.   Fripp ended up with Hall on two tracks and the others by Peter Gabriel and Peter Hammill from Van Der Graf Generator.

Also in the works at this time was Halls solo record produced by Fripp.

The record was completed in 1977.   RCA heard it and decided to shelve it.   They felt it would alienate Hall's fan base and hurt his career.   So much for an artist trying to push boundaries and evolve.   This decision really pissed off Fripp and Hall.  They took the finished record and sent cassette copies to journalists.

This resulted in a groundswell among the music press and hardcore fans to get the album released.  Finally, RCA released it in 1980.    The damage had been done.   Plans were in the works to reform King Crimson with Hall as front man.   This got derailed by RCA.  The front man position eventually went to Adrian Belew.   

This is a prime example of corporate money getting in the way of art.

Things I Once Thought Were True - PFM

PFM.   Premiata Forneria Marconi.  An Italian prog band that achieved prog band success in the USA thanks to support from Emerson Lake and Palmer.   Their debut release in the English speaking world was released on ELP's vanity label Manticore.  

Premiata Forneria Marconi (Manticore 1973)

So what did I think?    I used to think their name was the name of band members, much like their benefactor ELP.   Well, that's not correct.   Their name translates as 'Award Winning Marconi Bakery.'

This would explain the photo of  band members carrying loaves of bread on the album cover

RIP Series - Peter Green

Peter Green just ceased to be at 73.    To the casual music fan, he was an unknown.   To the more fanatical of us, he is best remembered as the leader if the first incarnation of Fleetwood Mac. 

Green was the guitarist who replaced Eric Clapton in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers when he left to form Cream.  Leaving to form his own band, he recruited fellow Bluesbreakers John McVie and Mick Fleetwood.  Green was clearly the star and the front man.  The original name of the band was Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac.   It was shortened to a more marquee friendly Fleetwood Mac early on. 

Fleetwood Mac (Epic 1968)

The first album.  Credited to 'Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac' on the spine.

Green was replaced in the Bluesbreakers by a young Mick Taylor who later went on to be a Rolling Stone from 1969 to 1974.

The original incarnation of Fleetwood Mac only lasted a few years.   During that period, they gave us Black Magic Woman (later covered by Santana), Albatross and Oh Well.

Fleetwood Mac - English Rose (Epic 1969) 

  

The second US release.  This one is a compilation of tracks from their second UK release along with some non-album singles. 

Peter Green can not be held responsible for the reprehensible band that followed with Stevie Nicks.   Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame as soon as they were eligible under the Peter Green years.   Since eligibility occurs 25 years after a record release, I'm of the opinion they should rescind the award 25 years after Stevie polluted the band.  Same  goes for Genesis after Peter Gabriel left.

Peter Green is featured in the reference book 'Jews Who Rock.'

Jermaine Jackson and DEVO

Here's an odd little pairing.  Jemaine Jackson backed by DEVO.

Jermaine Jackson as the rebel of the group as he refused to leave Motown for Epic with the rest of the family.  The fact he was married to the daughter of Motown's owner may have figured into the decision.  He continued to release records for the label.  They were not big hits.

In 1982 he had the unlikely pairing with DEVO......

RIP Series - Carl Reiner

Where does the time go.  I'm working from home and one would think I've got a bunch more time as there's no commute.   Not the case.  It's hard to separate work environment from home environment.  After staring at this very screen in this very room for work, the last thing I really want to do is spend more time doing the same for this blog.

In the meantime, people keep continue to die.   

Not really a rock guy or a record guy  - but we lost Carl Reiner.

Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks - 2000 Years With Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks (Capitol 1960)

The 2000 Year Old Man Knew Jesus

Thin lad, wore sandals, long hair, walked around with 11 other guys. Always came into the store, never bought anything. Always asked for water.

Original pressing  on the Capitol rainbow label with the logo on the side.  The logo was later moved to the top by the time The Beatles albums came out in 1964.

Love

One of the great under appreciated (at least by the mainstream) bands to come out of the Los Angeles scene in the '60's.

Love (Elektra 1967)

Their first album.

The band was integrated.  A true oddity at the time.   They were signed to Elektra at the same time as The Doors.   Led by the charismatic Arthur Lee.  His refusal to tour nationally probably contributed to their obscurity.    

This lineup made two more albums, including the classic Forever Changes LP

My copy is in glorious mono and comes with the original company inner sleeve.

Join the Teen Set

Capitol's cash cow in the '60's was, of course, The Beatles.  The rat pack crowd that put the label on the map had just jumped ship for Sinatra's Reprise label.    Capitol went after the teen market.   This here inner sleeve encourages you to join the 'Teen Set.'

Capitol had right of first refusal on UK EMI product.  They never did learn their lesson and passed on The Dave Clark Five and The Yardbirds.   The label was the sole major headquartered on the West Coast.  Their local curated roster consisted of Surf and Hot Rod music.

Happy Fourth of July....

I don't have many 'patriotic' records.   This sort of makes the grade.  It's not Mt. Rushmore, but we can call it Mt. Blackmore if you wish.

Deep Purple in Rock (Warner Brothers 1970)

The first album to feature the classic lineup of the band.   

At Last - The Debut of Jack Cruz

The star of David Lynch's 'What Did Jack Do?' releases his first single.  A must have.

Let's Meet.....

Buddy Holly left The Crickets (before that plane crash by the way).  They needed a front man.   Bobby Vee was a teen idol who really was a rocker at heart.   Hey - let's meet!

Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets  (Liberty 1962)

The result is a pretty decent run through of some rock and roll classics.

Later Bobby Vee met The Ventures

I Find Things in Records #2

Another item torn off a telephone pole.  A flyer for a screening of The Sex Pistols movie.

As I remember - we showed up at the theater and it was boarded up.

Here's the soundtrack album.

Almost......

Just when everything was about to open, the threat of vandalism caused a delayed opening and a board up.  This is like seeing a friend in the hospital.  I want to go full Ron Swanson on this.   'How are the records?  Is anyone playing them?  Are they lonely?'

Perhaps this weekend I'll stop by and say 'hi.'    My wife bought me some gift certificates during the shut-down.   I pre ordered a new release and was going to schedule a drive-by when they opened.

I Find Things in Records #1

I used to be in the habit of filing related items in records.  One thing that found its way into an album by San Francisco punk band The Mutants was a flyer for a gig.  Ripped from a telephone pole in Berkeley and stored in Sherman Oaks for 40 years.  I wish I did it more.  These things are now highly collectable

.

It lived in their only album - Fun Terminal.  I loved this band.  They had a sense of fun that eluded the next wave of punks.

RIP Series - Ian Whitcomb

This one happened about a month ago and slipped by me.    Ian Whitcomb is best known for the novelty single 'You Turn Me On!'

In the USA, he was on Capitol subsidiary Tower (named after the famed Capital Records tower in Hollywood).   So on the back of the LP is Ian's one day in Hollywood.   He didn't venture far from the Capitol records tower as evidenced by the background (The Broadway at Hollywood and Vine, The Hollywood Palace Theater).  All these sites are right outside the building.

RIP Series - Phil May

 Not a household name in the USA, Phil May, the front man for The Pretty Things has died.   the Pretties were the loudest and snottiest of the British Invasion bands.   They are best known in my generation for their two songs featured on Bowie's Pin-Ups LP - Rosalyn and Don't Bring Me Down.

Phil was the singer.  Pictured here front and center on this compilation album of early 45's.

So what can be said of the band?  Their guitar player was the original bass player for The Rolling Stones (before Bill Wyman).  They released the first rock opera - SF Sorrow - before The Who's Tommy.  Their 1970 album Parachute (a must have in my opinion) topped the Rolling Stone critics list that year.   They released two LP's on Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label. They kept at it until the end with the late career CDs Rage Before Beauty and Balboa Island.

RIP Series - Mort Drucker

Not a rock star, but every bit as influential in my upbringing as rock and roll.....

Mort Drucker   - celebrated artist whose work is best remembered from Mad Magazine movie satires.

He did a few album covers - here's one....

The Bears (PMRC 1987)

The band features Adrian Belew reuniting with some old friends after....

1.  Being discovered by Franks Zappa
2.  Touring with Talking Heads and playing on Remain in Light
3.  Becoming a member of David Bowie's touring band.
4.  Being a full fledged front man in King Crimson.

RIP Series - Little Richard

One the most influential.  First class in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Influenced everyone from The Beatles to Prince.   Showmanship and flash emulated by Bowie and the Rolling Stones.  Modern rock and roll owes him a great debt.

Will It Ever Return to Normal?

Will the live music experience ever return to what it was like before that asshole ate the bat?

I long to Rock and Roll All Night - although probably not with this band.

Spending Lockdown At Home With Some Old Friends

One positive thing about the lockdown is working from home in the same room that houses my records.   I stare at the shelves and think  - 'Oh yeah, this one.'

I usually start the day with things that are conducive to a work environment ('50's jazz, slow funk, Eno ambiance, etc).  Gradually works it's way towards more of a beat (surf instrumentals, Sandy Nelson, etc).  By the end of the day, we're more into this old friend.

The Stooges (Elektra 1969)

....Featuring a baby faced Iggy Pop.  

Contains classics still in the setlist 50 years later - I Wanna Be Your Dog and No Fun.