After Dinner Music

Ginger Man just took his sweet date out to a nice dinner.  What next?

She wants to put on the appropriate record, have coffee and talk in their nice clothes.  He, on the other hand, has something else in mind.  Judging by the attire, they just went out somewhere very expensive.   Ginger Man is not interested in coffee.  Coffee is placed aside. He's more interested in the cookie in hand as he manspreads on the couch next to her.

In his eyes, he's thinking something more along the lines of this....

Ah - the sensuous strings and orchestra of Dolf van der Linden.  I don't know German.  I would translate 'Ongetrouwd Man Kamer!' as something like 'Come and Get it Tiger!'

Octopus in a Jar

In 1972, UK prog band Gentle Giant released the first album from what is considered their peak period.    

Gentle Giant - Octopus (Columbia 1972)

Although it was their fourth record, it was only the second to be released in USA.  The UK release had an early Roger Dean painting.  The suits at Columbia thought it would be a better sell if they put an octopus in a die cut jar.

I have eaten octopus and it's yummy, but what's depicted on this cover is something I wouldn't touch at a  99 Ranch Market.  The record buying public (save for a bunch of math geeks) felt the same.

Of course, because record company guys can't be wrong, they blamed the band.  Columbia dropped them after this release.   Their following album, In a Glass House, is arguably their best.   It became the top selling UK import in the USA and held that title until Columbia didn't release the first Clash album stateside.

The original UK Roget Dean cover

After having no US label, Gentle Giant signed with Capitol to release a few highly regarded albums through the remainder of the '70's,   For their last few records, in an attempt to reach an American audience, the band 'normalized' their sound.   For their final album, the band moved back to Columbia for the hideous 'Civilian.'  It promptly tanked and the band was never heard from again.   

Defaced Monkees

I probably would have passed on this as I have the album already.   Something caught my eye.   

The Monkees - Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, LTD.   (Colgems 1967)

Their fourth album and third one of 1967.   One of their best.  I have an original stereo pressing.  So why pick up another copy?   Well, who doesn't love a little outsider art?

I'm not put off by writing on used records.   It tells you some of the contextual history.  Here (we assume) someone thought it would be a good idea to put faces on the previously faceless Monkees.  Joe was testing his name.  Am I Joe or Joey?    

As an extra added bonus, the record is an original mono pressing! The record is good shape and actually sounds better than my stereo copy.

A Shameless Plug - Ronsonol

Those pesky stickers.  You see them on used record covers.  Sometimes on the labels.  You try peeling them off, you try soaking them. You want them gone.  You don't want to damage the cover or label.  What to do?  

Here's a great hack.  Use lighter fluid.  Moisten the sticker with some lighter fluid and Q-Tip and it comes right off.  Many a record in my collection had 'Lovell's $1.99' stuck on the labels.  I  take them off with Ronsonol.

For some reason, stickers and writing on the cover don't bother me.  It gives a sense of where the record has been along with some contextual history.   It bothers me to no end, however, to see stickers on the labels.   I like to watch a clean era appropriate label spinning while I Google the address of the previous owner.

I Was Hoping For Something Like 'Songs of the Humpback Whale'

Who wouldn't want to have a record of a trout quintet?  

Oh Well.

RIP Series - Dr. John

This week we lost Dr. John.   I have one of his records which I love dearly.

Dr. John's Gumbo (ATCO 1972)  (although my pressing is a reissue on Alligator).

Dr. John was a mainstay of the New Orleans sound as a session guy.  Long before he produced his debut album Gris-Gris he had been seasoned session player in Los Angeles. 

Cut to 1973, he goes into Sound City Studios in Van Nuys (one berg north of my current abode in Sherman Oaks) to cut a very New Orleans album. 

The cover was shot at the Farmer John processing plant in Vernon, California.   Happy pigs on the outside, but inside they'll soon be transformed into Dodger Dogs.

Included on the album are authentic renditions of New Orleans classics covered by other artists.  Junko Partner ((The Clash), Iko Iko (Grateful Dead), Let the Goodtimes Roll (Jimi Hendrix) and Liza Jane (The Band, David Bowie.
 

I saw him live when I was a teen.  I'll sheepishly admit I was not scholared enough to grasp it.  He was coming down off his crossover hit Right Place Wrong Time and my perception was of this goofy guy who dressed like a pirate and threw glitter like Rip Taylor.   The fact he was sandwiched between Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa on New Years Eve 1975/1976 probably didn't help.  Add to the mood of he arena the moment weed became decriminalized probably didn't help either.

RIP Series - Roky Erickson

Another day, another obscure rock star who doesn't get a mention in the mainstream press.  Roky Erickson was the front man for The 13th Floor Elevators.   Roky could be considered the Syd Barrett of American Garage Psych.  He eventually went off the deep end.  He spent time strung out, in mental institutions and living with his mother since 1970.  In the few years leading up to his death, he was making sort of a comeback basking in his status as a cult hero.

If nothing else, they leave us with their classic debut album.

The 13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds of The 13th Floor Elevators (1966)

This is the record that arguably defined American Garage Psych.  Heavily guitar driven with the added tone of an 'electric jug' permeating most tracks.

Originally released on International Artist Records (a Houston based independent which was also home to Bubble Puppy of Hot Smoke and Sassafras fame).  My copy is a reissue.

The inclusion of 'You're Gonna Miss Me' on Lenny Kaye's Nuggets compilation reintroduced the band to a new generation of musicians in the '70's.  Television covered 'Fire Engine' at many of their shows.  The garage-y sound was a big influence on the art/punk/DIY scene to come.

June 1st.

I probably should post this on June 1st, but what the hell.  Kevin Ayers came out of hiding and staged a 'comeback' concert.   He was accompanied by current label mates at EG/Island Records.  John Cale, Nico and Eno.   

June 1, 1974 (Island 1974)

Eno gets two songs (Driving Me Backwards and Baby's On Fire), John Cale gets one (Heartbreak Hotel) and Nico gets one (The End).  Kevin Ayers gets all of side two.

Supposedly, John Cale caught Kevin Ayers with his wife the night before.  This would be the story behind the looks exchanged between the two on the cover.