The Band Guestbook, August 2019

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brown eyed girl

As TIFF opens with a documentary about his life, Robbie Robertson opens up about his past, present and future

'They’re all wrong. I have a dream. I’m on a mission'

National Post
August 29,2019

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brown eyed girl

The Unauthorized Story of the Making of 'Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band'
Time Line June 2016-July 2019
Exclaim
Andrew Munger
Aug 30, 2019

Once Were Brothers will play theatrically across Canada this fall, and premiere later on Crave TV.

Robbie Robertson's new album, Sinematic, drops on September 20 on Universal Music Canada.

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Bill M

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JQ

Pretty funny her comment about the hurricane hitting mar a lago - If only...

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NorthWestCoaster

Subject: The Band

Who hates The Band?

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Peter v

More T. Rex, ‘my people were fair and had sky in their hair but now they’re content to wear stars on their brows’ a contender for longest album title and definitely twee. Not a bad album though. Olias of Sunhollow by Jon Anderson sounds twee too. There are many.

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Bill M

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b.lee

See "Belle & Sebastian"?

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Peter V

My best definition was "precious" but I don't think you use that either.

Dictionary: excessively or affectedly quaint, pretty, or sentimental.

"although the film's a bit twee, it's watchable"

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NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Jongle

Thanks for your patience(?). - Jongle is about rhytm ... and rhytm is about music. Simple like that.

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Bill M

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Charlie Y.

Subject: Reply to NorthWestCoaster & haso

NorthWestCoaster, thank you for your kind words. I confess that's true about Facebook, but after almost ten years there, it's good to know this wonderful forum still exists. I recently was "put out to pasture" at my job, so I hope to work my way back into the discussions here now. It always was a .lively and smart group.

haso: Yes, it's true Robbie said The Band didn't know how to read the crowd at Woodstock 50 years ago this month (especially since they couldn't see beyond the first few rows in the darkness) and they did play a somewhat subdued set as a result. The most bizarre moment from the outtakes of the film was seeing a good number of what was left of the festival audience that Monday morning walking AWAY from Jimi Hendrix as he played one of his most famous sets.

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Norbert Both

647-515-both - please reply. I'm that little kid from 40 years ago. Remember? "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"

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Norbert Both

647-515-both - please reply. I'm that little kid from 40 years ago. Remember?

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Peter V

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GregD

Bill M: Thanks for the link to "You, Me and Mexico". Brings back many memories. It was a big surprise to see Edward Bear play on some CBC show after school (the name of which escapes me)and find out that not only were they a group, but they had a singing drummer as well. Danny Marks has listed JRR as an influence on his playing, much like many others on the T.O. scene back then.

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Bill M

NwC: Apparently we've scared everyone else away because of all this Fenno-centric talk, so I guess we should return to mucic.

Here's a 1970 pop hit by the group Edward Bear that I always associate with Mr Leivo, because it was his French class that I skipped most of so I could catch Edward Bear playing one afternoon in my highschool's auditorium.

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Bill M

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NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Seppo Leivo

Bill, what a great man SEPPO LEIVO must have been. A guy you'll meet only once in a lifetime. - I found two things which were more interesting than others. 1.) He performed in shows which were arranged to the soldiers in WW2 in East-Karelia. My granny's cousin (a singer) was a member of these shows exactly in the same areas in the front. 2.) He came back to Finland to get treatments which were offered to WW2 veterans and to meet his friends like SOLMU MÄKELÄ, magicien. Actually, as a young boy I met Solmu Mäkelä in 1961. He learned my a trick I use to practice even today. A funny coincidence is that LEIVO is the same bird as woodlark. - This was a bit self-centered post. It is maybe because I listen to FRANCO BATTIATO's 'Chanson egocentrique'!

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Peter V

I saw her do this live. Incredible.

If you have any kind of conventional recorder (CD recorder, cassette, whatever)) you could just run audio out from a video player to capture the soundtrack of "Live in New Orleans."

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John D

Subject: Far East Man this one's for you

Norah sings The Band

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Far East Man

Subject: Bessie Smith

Greetings all. I’m looking for a recording of Norah Jones covering Bessie Smith. It’s on a video that I have, but I’d like to get it on cd. Any suggestions? I used to have it and it somehow got legs. Thanks for the help.

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Peter V

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Dunc

We’re too poor to have VAR, Peter. Thank God. Good to see Fraser still doing great stuff at Bournemouth. But looks like you may lose him to one of the giants.

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Bill M

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JQ

One of the Koch’s is dead!

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Peter V

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Bill M

NwC: Good of you to mention Thunder Bay. A couple years ago we went to the local record store / folk music venue one afternoon to see who was playing that day. We were early so the owner introduced us to the young duo, Timo and Tyler, music students at the college down the street. I said, "Are you guys from Thunder Bay?". Shocked, they said "How do you know that?" I said, "Anyone named Timo has to be from Thunder Bay, plus the teeshirt saying 'Suomi'".

Speaking of which, the link is to what is apparently the autobiography of my grade 9 French teacher, who moonlighted as a juggler, clown and actor. I gather that he moved from Finland to Canada in the late 1940s to work in the mines in Northern Ontario and eventually retired to Finland. The Wikipedia entry for him seems to have him dying in Canada in 2006 - but it's in Finnish so maybe it really says something else. Any elucidation will be greatly appreciated. By the way, if you see the book and it has an index, Dunbarton High should be mentioned.

Spotniks trump Shadows, I'd say!

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NorthWestCoaster

Subject: The schoolboy band - 50th anniversary

Latest video from our schoolboy band in Finland (or what is still left of it - no, I am not a member anymore). Please google: Bina Nkwazi - Burning love

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Dunc

Five for Friday

Steven Stills Manasas

Graham Nash Songs For Beginners

CSNY Deja Vu

Neil Young Comes A Time

Frankie Miller Easy Money - Reggie Young at his best.

Away up to the school...

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NorthWestCoaster

Subject: The Shadows (especially to the Britts)

Do you still remember the torturous guitar sound of THE SHADOWS? British posters should do that! - In fact, it is still famous in Finland. Please google (or use DuckDuckGo, even better): Ville Valo & Agents - Paratiisi | Emma Gaala 2019 .The melody of this song is a Russian folk song in minor which is popular even in Finnish tangos. It will make success in karaoke in Thunder Bay, North Ontario. The singer has been voted to one of the five *dearest' still living Finns. One of them were LINUS TORVALDS! (Jan!!!)

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NorthWestCoaster

Subject: "Those were the days", Charlie Y(oung) and other gbers from the past

Please Google (or use DuckDuckGo, even better) the Finnish band "Leningrad Comboys + Those were the days" in Paris in 1994to see what I mean

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NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Charlie Y(oung) from "the ol' Virginny"

Welcome back to gb, Charlie. - For ten - or fifteen - or twenty years ago - Charlie was regular here with balanced posts and all. Then he preferred Facebook instead of gb! Hmmm.....

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haso

Subject: $ to spend, etc.

Glenn: have you read (perhaps in between halves at soccer games) the recent Joni biography? As complicated a person as her music, but well done nonetheless. Yeah, she may never have made it to Glasgow, Dunc. I always had the sense that she liked touring about as much as our 5, once they were the Band, i.e. not much, it seems to me. I only saw her once, circa 1975 at a huge arena, I think NHL sized in St. Louis; not exactly a Joni-friendly venue.

The Fats Domino compilation sounds excellent. I recall seeing his (Fat's) reconstructed, post-Katrina, white baby grand at the National Park Service venue in New Orleans. A good stop for anyone down there; they actually do a free jazz gig for about an hour or a bit more. Kind of a kick seeing legitimate players wearing NPS uniforms and all.

I've always enjoyed Jay Cocks' memory (on TLW dvd commentary) of a friend whose son had the Dr. as a piano teacher. Paraphrasing him, you're preparing to do your scales and "in walks the Dr. Wouldn't that be a revelation?"

Any other votes w/ Dunc for good headphones instead of workvan tunes?

Charlie Y: one can only hope we'll eventually get more visuals on the orig 5 at Woodstock? I thought one of BEG's links was interesting where Robbie kind of separates them as deliberately playing a bit of a quieter, dare I say even maybe a spiritual set, that day, for the 450k.

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Dunc

Thanks JQ. I like the album very much, but never knew about the film. I think Broken Bicycles is a great song. Crystal Gayle had two big hits over here and I think she is a good singer. I saw her in concert back in the day. Make sure you check out Maura O’Connell singing Broken Bicycles on YouTube. Actually, with your links to Ireland, check out anything by Maura O’Connell.

Thanks Glenn. Hope you are getting some rest and that your work situation has improved, with you travelling less. I only know three Joni Mitchell albums well and am tempted by the new box set. I would have liked to have seen Joni, but I don’t think she played Glasgow.

I play a collection of Dr John hits, saw him in concert and thought he was great. Just Dr John and his piano in front of a couple of thousand. Great show. I liked his album of old covers, Sentimentally Yours. And of course, as I have written about in the past, the Scottish concert that I most wished I had been at was when he played Blairgowrie. Check out Michael Marra singing Dr John Is Playing Blairgowrie tonight on You Tube.

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Rod

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Bill M

Glenn: Kinda wish it had been Waller, as I went home from the Cushnie tribute with two Waller LPs as well as the Dr John. Scott was a bit Waller fan; when I first met him in '76 or '77 he was planning a Waller tribute show, but then "Ain't Misbehaving'" appeared and put the kibosh on that idea.

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Peter V

I don't think Dr John later ever equalled or came near the originality of that great album. I got the later ones, but they were somehow generic NOLA in comparison.

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Glenn

OOOPS.....Fats Domino, not Fats Waller. So sorry 'bout that!

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Glenn

Yes, Bill...My first Dr. John acquisition was his Original Album Series (five of his Warner Bros. albums in a single package): Babylon, plus Gris-Gris, The Sun, Moon & Herbs, Dr. John's Gumbo and In the Right Place. I got this on eBay for less than $15USD; I thought that was a great deal for 5 albums! He is also one of many great contributors to another recent eBay purchase of mine: Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Waller. A wonderful tribute album with tracks from Petty & Heartbreakers, Elton, Macca, Robbie, Lucinda Williams, Los Lobos, Norah Jones, Robert Plant, Allen Toussaint, Bruce Hornsby, Lenny Kravitz and many others. Really recommend this 2-disc set!

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Bill M

Glenn: I highly recommend Dr John's second album, "Babylon". Challenging in some ways, but well worth the effort. Like your Dr John rediscovery, I got to "Babylon" because of the passing of a musician - in my case Professor Piano, ex-Suede, ex-Hawk Scott Cushnie. At Scott's tribute, his friends and family left his books and records out on tables and invited attendees to help themselves. I did - and "Babylon" went home under my arm.

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Glenn

Dunc: I've been diving into Joni's music this year too. Certainly I knew her hits from her early, folk oriented albums; and Blue and Court & Spark are great albums. But until this year I had not kept up with several decades of her releases. I would recommend Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira. I've enjoyed Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. I prefer the Shadows & Light live album over Miles of Aisles. Night Ride Home has some good moments, and Joni's compilations: Beginning of Survival, Dreamland, Songs of A Prairie Girl are great ways to explore her catalog. Another option is her 4 disc box set Love Has Many Faces. Lots of good stuff!

More recently I've been digging into the music of Dr. John (prompted by his recent passing). I didn't realize how much fine music of his I'd been missing. He amassed a great body or work over the years, and I've enjoyed listening to albums from throughout his career: Gris-Gris, Dr. John's Gumbo, In The Right Place, Duke Elegant, Mercernary, Tribal, and Locked Down. And I love his Curious George Theme Song! Check it out on youtube if you haven't heard it.

I'm one who has Garth's Canadian Celebration of The Band. But also looking forward to Robbie's new music; The Brown Album's 50th; and Abbey Road.

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JQ

Hi Dunc - You mentioned Broken Bicycles. I’m a big fan of this soundtrack. I think it gets overlooked a bit, maybe because the movie didn’t do too well (I don’t know if I’ve ever even seen it) or because of the duets with a country music pop star from that era. I think it’s unique, a real standout and perhaps, stylistically, his bridge into the Frank’s Wild Years trilogy.

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Dunc

Thanks, Bill M. I was speaking to a guy , who has played in many Scottish bands, just before Christmas, and he was of the oplnion that Tom Waits is a great songwriter, but his work sounded much better when covered by other artists. The Rod Stewart covers were huge hits over here and I’m playing Broken Bicycles by Maura O’Connell just now, and it is very good.

I feel I’ve got a lot of listening to do re Joni Mitchell. Big Yellow Taxi was one of the last singles I bought and I own three albums. There is a box set of the first ten Joni albums for the ridiculously low price of 26 pounds, which I might buy, but I’m trying to get the CD collection under control. I think I missed a good bit of Joni because I followed Sandy Denny and to a lesser extent Jacque McShee back in the day. Just too much music, Bill.

Thanks Haso. Really enjoying my collection, and trying to get my collection under control. But every time I bin some of my third division albums, I buy some more. Buy the headphones, Haso. I bought a pair of American Grados years ago and they transformed my listening experience. But I miss concerts, Haso. Only been to six concerts this year.But I thought Graham Nash was a great concert.

And a question. I’m collecting the early Paul McCartney and Wings remastered albums, but I notice that Tug of War is a remix rather than a remaster.This is the only album remixed while the others are remastered. Why would this be?

Thanks everybody.

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Charlie Y.

Subject: The Band's Set at the Woodstock Festival, 1969

I saw high quality video of two songs from The Band's set at the original Woodstock Festival during a screening of outtakes from the Woodstock film at the Library of Congress Packard Campus in Culpeper, VA recently. The guy who introduced the outtakes had worked as a video editor on the 40th anniversary DVD release and says the whole set by The Band exists on film but Warner decided against releasing it. I wish Martin Scorsese would rescue that footage like he did recently with Dylan's Rolling Thunder tour.

The only two songs from The Band shown at the screening were "Long Black Veil" and "The Weight," and it was disappointing to see Richard Manuel missing on the latter. I've since tracked down an audio recording of their set from Woodstock, and it was interesting to hear an audience member yell "where's Dylan?" at one point, and even more interesting to note only two of the songs they performed were Robbie Robertson compositions. Richard Manuel was there on most of the songs, just missing on "The Weight" for some reason, but two songs he wrote or co-wrote were included.

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Peter V

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Joe Frey

Subject: remixes

For me, the Sgt. Peppers remix was a revelation. It made me appreciate that record so much more. I don't find myself listening to the remix version of MFBP that much. I do like the SACD version of MFBP. I guess I should give the remix version a more thorough listening.

Has there been any announcement when the Brown album remix will be released? joe

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John D

Peter I would love to hear a 5.1 Remix of Rubber Soul.

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Peter V

I just ordered the super de-luxe Abbey Road for late September from amazon in the UK. It has 3 CDs and a 5.1 Blu-ray. I thought both Sgt Pepper and the White Album were astonishingly good remixes in 5.1. I bet they’re sorry they didn’t start the 50th Anniversary remix stuff earlier than Sgt Pepper. So is next year “54 Years of Revolver” or will they wait till 60? I mean, will we want a remix of Let It Be what with having Let It Be- Naked already. I doubt it. Revolver and Magical Mystery Tour (US LP) are the ones, but they already put Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane on the Sgt Pepper box.

I assume the de luxe 50th brown album will be similar – 3 CDs plus Blu-Ray is what they can usually squeeze out, though The Beatles had many more takes to play with. I didn’t like Bob Clearmountain’s work on Big Pink. I think Giles Martin’s younger ears and younger perspective were a benefit. Frankly, you can’t polish up perfection much and I would hope the 50th was Robbie rather than Bob Clearmountain. We also know the outtakes were very few and already issued as bonus tracks. If there were more, I think they would have emerged by now.

I hope it isn't just 3 CDS ; stereo, mono, and remix plus the known bonus stuff and an over-bright 5.1 mix.

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haso

Subject: collections, Lisa, Bill M

Dunc: although you only have 4 years on me, you're way ahead on collections; admittedly we are not pros, like Peter & Mr. Donabie, but the best I can manage is going through my, rather limited (in comparison) collection alphabetically from both ends. Sadly I'm not out of the B's or the W's yet. Actually comes down to not listening all that much. In fact it raises a question, open for commentary: I've saved some $'s and am torn between buying good-to-excellent earphones (such as Bose) or having a cd changer added to my work vehicle which only has AM/FM at present. Anyway, the collection, such as it is, according to my spouse when she was hunting for the 4 cd's of Woodstock (circa 2000 or whenever those came out) is kind of an abomination. Well at least the 120+/- lp's are properly shelved.

Thanks for the clarifications, Lisa. I was fairly sure that was the line-up at Forest Hills, etc. Sounds like I should check out both Pennebaker docs. Certainly familiar w/ that clip of BD and the hand-lettered signs.

Bill M: yeah, I had to order Garth's celebration, special, from my local non-corporate record store. Found it interesting and needs some more plays for me. Speaking of non-corporates and the like, any recent word, Jan, regarding the 50th issue of the Brown album? Here's hoping it truly has some interesting stuff, beyond the Clearmountain remix RR has mentioned.

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Mike Nomad

Hey, Ron: I’ve always been partial to “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye, although the Eagles’ “Lyin’ Eyes” also hits home. Good luck out there.

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Peter V

Subject: Daltry Street

A new song from "The New Adventures of P.P. Arnold …" which is a highly-recommended album.

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John D

Nice cover; from a brilliant vocalist.

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Bill M

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Peter V

Subject: Different Drum

This is on P.P. Arnold's new album, though the linked video is 20 years old (and she did a CD single then, I think). Tickets to see her soon!

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Peter V

Last five:

The New Adventures of P.P. Arnold

Forty by Lee Hazlewood (not good)

The Cowboy in Sweden – Lee Hazlewood (excellent)

Out of Sight – Jake Xeres Fussell

Mordecai Jones (Link Wray’s band)

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Lisa

Haso, Don't Look Back was the film of Dylan's tour of England before he went electric. The movie of the tour with the Band was Eat the Document. Nobody from the Band is in the first movie which opens with Dylan dropping hand lettered signs of words from Subterranean Homesick Blues, with Alan Ginsberg lurking in the background. If you haven't seen it you really should, featuring pre-electric Dylan, Joan Baez (who he is awful to), Donovan, etc.

The Forest Hills concert was Dylan, Levon, Robbie, Al Kooper and Harvey Brooks, and I think the lineup for the Hollywood Bowl show was the same.

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Bill M

Dunc: I think Tom Waits's material has to be sung by Tom Waits for the most part, whereas tons of people can and have done terrific covers of Cohen, Dylan and Simon songs. Joni Mitchell's another person whose songs, past a point, were pretty hard for others to cover - but she remained brilliant.

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Joe Frey

Subject: Speaking of Robbie's new album

I have been revisiting RR's albums this past week in light of the new album soon to be released.

I know this probably has been discussed before, but I must have missed it.

The song Testimony has the line" "Those golden days on smokey mountain, Lord playing guitar in a one-man band, that's right."

One view, RR was the glue holding The Band together. A second view, the five members of The Band were a musical brotherhood, they figuratively (or literally) could be considered a "one-man band." A third view, maybe he was referring to both.

Opinions? Joe

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John D

Well I sort of fixed the problem. Just downloaded the YouTube version to my Facebook page. No problem. And I get the video as well. Interesting the way the two companies work.

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John D

I have a question about Sound Cloud. Now I'm new to this app. I uploaded 3 different tracks the first day; from my private collection to this site. No problem. Then yesterday Peter Fonda dies and I go into my iTunes collection and try to upload Born To Be Wild; from the Easy Rider soundtrack; on to my Facebook page.

I notice it is not uploading. Then I get a message from Sound Cloud that it may be because of copyright infringement. What? It asks me if I have the right to upload this song. Now I'm confused. As a music collector of course we don't own any of the copyright to any song we've purchased or downloaded since I was a kid.

Do you think the folks that own the copyright to that song have told Sound Cloud to not let anyone upload it. I'm guessing it depends on the particular song? It's kind of heavy when you get a note asking me if I have the right to upload this song. Didn't happen on the first 5 tracks I uploaded.

Any help on this question from seasoned Sound Cloud users would be helpful.

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Dunc

Should read ‘triple album of Sinatra songs’

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Dunc

Similar ages, Joe. I am more careful collecting too. I use streaming and YouTube, including recommendations on here, to check out music. That Bluetooth receiver which I bought for 20 quid and wrote about here, and plugged into my amp, has brought streaming and You Tube alive for me. Norm’s recommendation, this week, had me playing Marmalade again for a while. Took me back to the dance hall days.

Up until about 15 years ago, I thought of Roger McGuinn as the Byrdman, and saw him perform two absolutely great and different concerts. I think Gene’s songs are great and every album I’ve collected, I’ve got a lot from it.

We’re on the same page, Joe. I got rid of albums I didn’t play and have been careful when buying. I didn’t buy Dylan’s triple album of Dylan songs - two of this are enough. Neil Young - I stopped collecting when he reached the 1980s, but I love the archive series. I’m exploring the classic Scottish albums, and Scottish bands, who have a good reputation, but from different eras from me. I’m spending time listening to Camera Obscura and The Blue Nile, and enjoying them.

I’m aware of time, and I accept that there is great music, which I’ll not reach. You can’t do it all. But I’m looking forward to Robbie’s new album.Thanks, Joe.

It’s Saturday. Away to a match.

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Joe Frey

Subject: Record collecting - The Times are indeed Changing

Dunc,

I used to be obsessive about getting every record by a performer that I was interested in. Gene Clark is a great example. Once I heard White Light, an avalanche of purchases followed.

However, the older I get (just turned 68), the more I now focus on the music that I want to listen to. I have paired down my collection to a manageable size and for some performers, I have created playlists that get pulled off the shelf before actual albums.

I am doing what you are doing too, that is, mining the reissues to rediscover some wonderful records (either remastered or I missed on the first go around).

While I am still on the look out for great new music, I rarely rely on reviews anymore (everything is great, it seems), but stream some records before I decide to buy. I am still in the hunt, but using a different dog.... Joe

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Dunc

I found John D’s posts and Peter’s posts interesting. I felt sad in a way. I’ve enjoyed collecting books, art, old Scottish letters, theatre programmes, football programmes I kept and music over the years. I miss the old days where you could take two albums to the second hand shop and receive one in exchange. I really miss the singles I collected all in their sleeves that my mother probably gave away when I wasn’t interested in them, and living in a different part of the country.

I gave away the books after rereading them, the football programmes, dumped the one drawer of theatre programmes and sold the old Scottish letters. (I love reading about Scottish history).

I’m obviously different from John D, who is a professional, and Peter, a professional writer, whose collecting and knowledge is unsurpassable. I would have liked to see a biography of the Band by Peter. Peter is good for the GB and is helpful and always willing to give time to fellow GB members. I have about 750 cds, which is manageable and are contained on 12 shelves. I have cleared out about 100 cds over the last couple of years.

But I get a lot of pleasure out of my collection and play albums all the time. I’m still adding to my collection and my five for Friday are related to the last couple of months of Fridays.

I’m collecting the remastered early Paul McCartney and Wings. I know much of the music and had a lot of it on cassette and vinyl. The remastered albums are beautiful.

I was one of the Brits, who got into JJ Cale back in the day, and have collected the first ten albums over the last few years. I had been playing an anthology before.

I’m playing a lot of Byrds and Gene Clark, and am adding to my collection of Gene Clark. I think the Gene Clark and Carla Olson album is great.

I bought a couple of Tom Waits’ albums and am now complete. I remember Peter writing about Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon being the ‘big three’. It’s hard to disagree, but I wonder if through time, there will be a ‘big four’ with Tom Waits being that fourth composer.

Playing Steely Dan all the time. Brilliant band. Sometimes I find myself just listening to the music with the voice, which I really like, becoming another musical instrument. Peter recommended the two later albums on Toppermost, and I took a chance, and think they are great. Every time I play Aja, I find something brilliant and new.

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Solomon

Albert Grossman was only on the screen for a few minutes in the Documentary Don't Look Back. I love the scene with him talking to the English promoter/publicist about getting more money for Dylan. I think it's the best scene in the whole film! He would only have been thirty-nine years old at the time although he looks about sixty-nine.

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haso

Subject: 5 for, Pennebaker

Listening to your link, Angie, of the new tune from Robbie. Dare say we could use more commentary from our well-known artists; anything to deprive the thief-in-chief of some media oxygen.

Just noticed this brief piece in the Boston Globe. Imagine there was some notice before in the GB of D. A. Pennebaker's passing, just didn't see it myself. On his [Dylan:] "Don't Look Back" (from the Globe): the tale of "the enigmatic 23-year-old genius's 1965 tour of England, [D. A.] had never heard of his subject or listened to his music. But neither before nor since has anyone gotten as close to the soul of [Dylan]." Kind of like Levon & Robbie in '65, sounds like. Not having seen DLB, am I right in assuming this was the tour w/ the Hawks, post-Forest Hills & post-Hollywood Bowl? And speaking of those 2 gigs, who else was on the stage w/ BD, Levon & Robbie? Was it some of the other players from Newport, '65?

Anyway to revisit the old, 5 for Fridays:

The Beatles: "White Album", cd1... only they could get away w/ the variety of one-offs (Wild Honey Pie, Dear Prudence, in the road).

Bruce: "Born to Run"... seemed anthemic right from the jump.

Various artists: "Love for Levon".

Rhiannon Giddens newest: "There is no Other"... quite spare.

Garth's : "a Canadian Celebration"... just curious if there's ever been discussion here of the various compilations like this or LfL, as to their strengths, weaknesses, breaking new ground w/ songs we all care so much for.

Enjoy the weekend.

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brown eyed girl

JOE FREY...THANKS for second link from Spectrum News part 2 as well as other links.

Music's Next Generation Fulfills Levon Helm's Dream for His Studio

Marisa Jacques

Aug. 15, 2019

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brown eyed girl

JOE FREY...Thanks again for Levon and Woodstock link.

WOODSTOCK 50 Levon Helm's Dream Lives On in Woodstock Recording Studio

BY MARISA JACQUES

AUG. 14, 2019

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Peter V

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Joe Frey

Subject: Levon and Amy

In celebration of Woodstock's 50th Anniversary, my local cable news did a two-part feature on Levon and the Barn. Amy is interviewed among other local musicians.

You can get to it by googling Spectrum News Levon Helm. The first part was aired on August 14th and the second part on August 15th. Joe

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Peter V

A record store owner friend recounted how often he had found illegal substances in records he bought in, so much so that he used to worry about a regular customer who was a police dog handler bringing his dog in. He reckoned he sees much less if any nowadays because he now avoids worn or mediocre condition LPs and people who rolled on them also tended to leave burn marks and had scratched records due to inept tone arm placing while stoned. I found a copy of Velvet Underground third album back in the day with black crumbs all on and in the grooves as if they rolled on the record rather than the sleeve.

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brown eyed girl

haso and Nux... :-D

Hmmm....I was going to post "Twigs and Seeds" by Jesse Winchester and then I got wind of another new song by Robbie.

Robbie Robertson’s Swampy, John Lennon-Inspired ‘Let Love Reign’

"Robbie Robertson is gearing up to release Sinematic, his first studio album in more than seven years that marks a shift in the legendary Band guitarist’s writing: while he wrote mainly character songs for years, his 2016 bestselling autobiography Testimony pushed Robertson to more personal territory. “There is something blatantly honest about this period I’m in now, what I’m drawn to,” Robertson told Rolling Stone’s David Browne. “I guess I’m at an age now – a place in my journey – where I don’t care what you think. I’ll tell you anyway!”

“Some people think John Lennon’s dream about love and togetherness went up in flames,” says Robertson. “I think that’s wrong. It’s everlasting. There was something a little naive about John Lennon going around singing about peace, but in that period young people celebrating love and peace helped end a war.” The song’s snaky groove was inspired by the sounds of some of Robertson’s other heroes: “I thought of Dale Hawkins and ‘Susie Q,’ just as far as a groove and guitar riff,” he said, “like James Burton or Roy Buchanan. That song has cobwebs all over it.””

PATRICK DOYLE
Rolling Stone
August 15, 2019

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BONK

LMAO! Just happened to a friend of mine who was going through some old boxes from 30 years ago. A rather large chunk of black hash wrapped in cellophane in a film canister.

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JQ

.. that sent that last one. I’d reckon that, given my guess at the age demos most represented here, that a lot of you could relate.

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Old 2-part LP covers

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Bill M

By the way, Eugene 'Jay' Smith will be playing solo on Sunday August 25, 2:00-4:00 pm at the old Lambton House off Dundas west of Jane.

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John D

Subject: David Clayton Thomas & The Shays

You can see I discovered Soundcloud today. I just wanted to send this out; as you have heard Bill M and I say that Freddie Keeler might have been the next Robbie Robertson of the Hawks era. 1:21 is when Fred cuts loose. The track is Howling For My Darling.

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John D

Subject: One more from Jericho

This one sounds rather Bandish. Bill I kind of hear a little of Dr. Music in here as well.

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John D

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John D

Subject: Jericho The Band

This is the group from Toronto that Bill M and I were talking about. I tried to send this track one via sound cloud and it didn't go. Trying again.

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Bill M

Speaking of record collecting, I found an item two days ago that pleased me greatly, for personal rather than musical reasons. It was a 12-inch one-sided acetate of Rick James's break-out song "Get Up And Dance", with a note to "Bob the DJ" signed by Rick James and his drummer / producer / label-owner Tony Nolasco. The personal connection is that Rick had me in for a cup of tea (really) in 1977, and played me an acetate just like the one I bought, saying "I think this record is really going to do it for me." I mumbled something positive but thought, no way, why would anyone like that stuff? A couple months later I was on my first and only record-hunting trip across the border to Buffalo, stopped at the first record store we encountered and picked up a copy of the local R&B chart, the Funky 40. And there was "Get Up And Dance" at #8! Rick was right: it was his ticket - back to the Motown label and on to superstardom. (All the good stuff, and all the bad too, unfortunately.)

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Peter V

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Peter V

Discogs lists the Explosive Freddy Cannon on Top Rank from £1.38 to £22, with the top price being near mint. I have it too, great album but he would sell for more than Roy Orbison. My local store has near mint Lps at £5 to £8 and said ten years ago they would have been £20 to £30. In the UK Freddy Cannon is more likely to hold up.

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Bill M

It seems that the normal person, upon hitting 30, gets all weepy about whatever it was that was popular when they were 15. And then they get over it. The Beatles are a bit different, I know, but the point will come when nobody will care, and certainly not enough to insist on Japanese or any other vinyl pressings.

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Bill M

John D: Half of the Paupers, Denny Gerrard and Chuck Beal, grew up together in SW Scarborough. Beal went into management after the group fell apart, and decided to build a group around his old pal Denny. He got Gord Fleming, who was probably playing behind strippers in organ-drum combos on Yonge Street at the time, and Gord remembered Fred Keeler from their days together with David Clayton Thomas and the Shays. Don't know how they got Brantford drummer Frank DiFelice, but he'd been on the fringes of the scene for years, most notably as drummer with the super-strong original line-up of Franklyn Sheppard and the Good Shepherds with Robbie King and Eddie Patterson.

Beal took the group to Albert Grossman, who'd managed the the Paupers, and Grossman put them in the studio with Todd, and released the album on his Bearsville label, playing up the ties to the Band. Unfortunately the original lineup exploded after one or two gigs and a new group was built around DiFelice - with Scott Cushnie on keyboards.

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Bill M

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Peter V

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Peter V

Subject: Ramblin' Jack Elliot

I've been listening to Ramblin' Jack Elliot's "Cocaine Blues" a lot recently. It's an old favourite (linked) and I saw him in London playing it circa 1964 or 65. Listening today to the weird way he extends and pronounces the word "sick" I realized it's exactly how Bob Dylan is likely to pronounce it. Have a listen. I know Dylan admits a Ramblin' Jack influence, but I hadn't realized how carefully he managed to get "sick" to sound like Jack.

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John Donabie

Bill, I went to Freddie Keeler's celebration of life; in Pickering on Saturday. As all the bands he had been with were mentioned, I decided to go hunting for the Jericho album, produced by Rod Rundgren. Freddie on guitar and Gord Fleming on B3 were amazing. On the last track it's life Freddie and Gord duelling. One can hear what many of said that left handed Freddie had that Robertson sound of The Hawks. Gord of course was magic on the B3

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John D

A number of years ago Peter an employee of Capitol EMI Canada, gave me the entire Beatles catalog (at the time) that were Japanese Pressings. There are others here that are better equipped to explain why the Japanese pressings were so much better than all other Beatle releases around the world. Something to do with fewer records being cut from the Mothers? About 5 years ago I had a friend of mine who was Mr. Ebay sell them for me. Couldn't get more that $15.00 per album. I think I should have kept them all. Did keep the Beatles Story.

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Peter V

Still on The Beatles, but more recent from a different store. The son of a man who had passed away brought in his dad’s collection. He had also worked for EMI and had every Shadows record (which had been played) but had realized The Beatles were collectible and had kept one of every UK release. But he hated The Beatles and they were all unplayed.

We chatted about "mint" values of Beatles 45s (often £15 to £20) but as he said, “mint unplayed” copies barely exist. So he reckoned they were worth much more. Another guy there argued, but as he said, "Find one." I don't know what they were sold for.

Entered at Wed Aug 14 15:41:14 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

An example. A store I knew bought in a UK blues musician’s collection after he passed away. They sold them at a lot less than the Rare Record Guide price, even though the condition of many was near mint. There were several copies of ones he was involved with, so some were really “mint.” Unplayed. Any secondhand store has to sell at 100% mark up, whether it’s antiques or books or LPs. So they didn’t pay very much for them.

Recently, as I put a plastic sleeve on every LP, I’ve started putting a little card in the plastic sleeve with the record title, anything special (gatefold, lyric insert etc) and the Rare Record Guide mint value, which always mentions those extras. I could never go back and do it for everything I have, but because I spend so much time in shops, I do know when a record is a bargain. For example, a mint “Willie & The Poor Boys” by CCR is valued at £40 (on Liberty, matt textured sleeve). The vast majority of UK copies are reissues when Fantasy then got its own UK label and have a shiny sleeve (mint value £15). I saw an original Liberty one yesterday (not yet played it to check) but it’s at least “excellent” sleeve and no visible marks and it was £10, and I knew the store owner would give me 20% off that … so £8. I consider a classic like that, which I already had on CD but not vinyl, as an investment and I’ll enjoy listening to it. BUT it’s an investment only if someone who knows is buying.

I guess what I should do is assemble the ones I reckon are really valuable … which would be 99% vinyl, not CD … and take a stall at a major London Record Fair and sell them. Or train one of my grandkids to open an eBay store.

A few CDs are valuable. I was in Japan just after CD was launched and bought a Toshiba-EMI copy of Abbey Road, then #1 in Japan’s CD chart. But EMI made Toshiba withdraw it and it didn’t appear again for years. Copies have gone for £150 but only if they have the Japanese translation “Obi strip” still with them. Of course I threw that away.

Then again, I have a feeling that (e.g.) an original Axis Bold As Love LP, or My Generation by The Who … and other classics … can only go up in value. With banks paying 1% interest if you’re lucky, it’s more entertaining than sticking money in a bank account.

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John Donabie

When one has an Enormous record collection, you really have to look ahead. Peter is not the only one that has been collecting for decades. There are so many positive aspects of collecting; when you have so much love for music.

OK. So, I don't want to get melancholy here; but recently this has happened to a couple of friends of mine; who have been widowed being married to a record collector. The question is, What now? In my case I have a wife son and daughter who are not really interested in my collection. Mrs. D loves the fact that it makes me happy. But we watched a good friend of mine who worked in the record industry pass away a couple of years ago and here's a house, upper & lower filled with 45's, LP's and CD's.

What do you do if your not interested. In my friends case she was able to bring in a guy who deals with large collections and he was able to bring in a couple of potential buyers; who were interested in the whole collection and they each bid on the collection. That's what you need. NO one is going to come in and hunt & peck my collection. What a relief it was for our friend.

Again. I'm not trying to be morose here; but once you reach a certain age it's something to think about. After decades of collecting I really don't want to leave my wife with this job. Do I start getting rid of stuff now; or wait and bring in our mutual friend who deals with such matters. Your talking thousands of pounds of beautiful memories.

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Peter V

Ah, my record collection has taken control and is now impossible to manage. I have five different sets of LP shelving in different parts of the house. I did manage at one time to establish areas for blues, folk and soul. And one set of shelves was “most important” (Band, Beatles, Beach Boys, Byrds, Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, Rolling Stones, Paul Simon then various particularly precious LPs like Link Wray). But it’s all a bit mixed up now and I have to look in three places to find an LP. Plus there are three plastic boxes on the floor “to be investigated”.

CDs are more organized. Just three very large sections. One is “most important bands”, another is blues, soul, early rock. The other is the rest. Oh! I’d forgotten a fourth section on the landing – classical and jazz. I first bought a CD player when they were launched in 1982.

45s are wildly out of control. The huge 45 collection started 20 years ago. I had three large boxes of 45s that I’d put away for about five years. I took them out and to my fury realized someone had been through the boxes (we had had a lot of building work indoors) and stolen some. Missing were several greats I’d bought new … First Cut Is The Deepest by P.P. Arnold, Little Red Rooster by The Rolling Stones, Nadine by Chuck Berry, Rescue Me by Fontella Bass … about a dozen iconic 45s though fortunately the bastard never touched The Beatles or Tamla 45s. At university I did a little DJ-ing and have a very good set of 60s soul. So I started going to Record Fairs and Record shops. Then I decided to do a book on collecting 45s and labels. At the time, Mrs V was collecting childrens books and I spent ages standing waiting in charity shops (thrift stores) while she looked at children’s books. At that time, 45s were “ten for a pound” in many shops and this was really good stuff too, so I started picking them up … and never stopped. Once I picked about five 45s out of a large apple box in a street market at 20p each. The guy said, “You can have the whole box for £5. I’m fed up with them.” There were well over 200 records in there, all 1960s, all clean and in pristine company sleeves too. Lots of EPs. A lot were mainstream stuff … Cilla Black, Tom Jones, Billy Fury … but the sleeves were as bought new which really helped the "sleeve archaeology". In the UK, most company sleeves had a white box and stores wrote the record's catalogue number in there as their filing system, so you can tell if it's the right sleeve for that record. This lot was an invaluable resource.

Nowadays, you will almost never find a good LP or 45 in a charity shop. They sift them out and what’s left is budget label stuff, or the least collectable Middle of The Road stuff.

Dunc- theatre programmes. Two large boxes and three drawers.

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JQ

I go back to his solo take on Finnerio/Peggy O frequently. There’s loads of versions and it’s one of those ancient tunes I’ve always liked; Jerry’s take brought it forward to our the civil war. Black Jack David is another one that came across the water a couple hundred years ago that always works for me, many versions out there of that one too.

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NUX

Subject: Cats Under the Stars

brown eyed girl:Thank you for the feedback on Johnny Clegg and no stress re phone call lol.Best you visit again before there is a civil war mmm,things pretty hostile in this here country...said in jest...but perhaps not.

b.lee ;Cats Under the Stars is amazing!!! Thank you,never heard it before.Have always found Jerry Garcia's vocals very moving,soothing and emotive.This truly blew me away...man it's good!!

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Norm

Subject: Dean Ford

So glad I helped you find them Dunc. One would never want to miss such a performance. The one I first refer to, (on playing it again) at the beginning shows it was done in 2014. In black & white and then melded with a show from when they were young. It does make me cry. What a wonderful song and band.

Youtube is such a wonderful media for old guys like us. You can relive a great deal of your youth and then be able to share it across the globe like this is a very warm feeling. Such a song brings a great deal more meaning for us now. Cheers my friends.

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Bill M

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Lisa

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Dunc

Subject: The shed

And on the shelves above the boxes, I see rows and rows of music books and magazines.

And boxes and boxes of tickets of every concert Peter has been to.

But where’s the theatre programmes kept?

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Peter V

Norm, you must have cameras. Still, boxes and boxes of LPs to keep me warm.

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Norm

Subject: When will it end???

The way I see it, Peter is gonna have to get a bigger house soon to contain his collection.....or maybe he'll get kicked out.....just an observation.

Entered at Mon Aug 12 19:42:22 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Not only did I find the LP a few weeks ago (with Reflections of My Life) but it's an autographed copy.

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Bill M

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Peter V

Subject: Brother Ray

I found two Ray Charles LPs together on Saturday. Love and Peace has She Knows (covered by Richard Manuel) and Wish You Were Here Tonight has the title track, covered by Rick Danko. The albums were together in a s/h shop, no other Ray Charles there.

Wish you Were Here Tonight was recorded in Nashville, and I wish Levon had covered another track, “3/4 Time” by Tony Joe White. Ideal for either him or The 90s Band. I've linked the Ray Charles version. What do you think? Levon would have been done this brilliantly.

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Dunc

Subject: Thanks, Norm

I never knew about these recordings. Dean Ford was a great singer. I’ve ended up playing more of the recordings on You Tube. Marmalade practised, played and played, but when they broke up, Dean should have gone on to have an outstanding solo career. Great singer. Thanks, Norm.

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brown eyed girl

MARTIN SCORSESE AND ROBBIE ROBERTSON TO HOST FREE SCREENING OF ‘THE LAST WALTZ’ AT TIFF

Introduced by Robertson and director Martin Scorsese.

The concert film will screen as part of the festival’s free Cinematheque program.
Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis two hours before each screening.

THE CANADIAN PRESS - Aug-09-19

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b.lee

Peter, the place to look is in Garcia's solo output. Much more consistent in quality than the Dead and generally more focused on songs rather than improv, especially on the studio albums. Cats Under the Stars is a great place to start. Saw this tour with Maria Muldaur and Donna Jean Godshaux (sp?) on vocals, more of a vocal ensemble than singer-with-backup. Even from the back row of the Tower Theater (Phila.) balcony, a stunning show. Garcia's live bands, even to the uneven later years almost always had a set of competent backup singers in tow, making the solo stuff a separate piece from the Dead's efforts. For the most part, tasty licorice, indeed.

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Norm

Subject: Dean Ford

I stumbled on a video of Dean's later version of Reflections of My Life. Not sure exactly when it was done. Not long before his passing I'm supposing. Still wonderful, maybe more than ever.

On my side bar I then found a vid of him covering Roy O's "In Dreams" really amazing the beautiful job he did of that song. He was a great singer.

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Wallsend

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jh

Meanwhile, in Toronto...

Entered at Sat Aug 10 20:27:02 CEST 2019 from (63.142.158.9)

JQ

Hey Toronto folks - Do any of you know this guy who’s based there? His album Pony is pretty cool & original; he sings like a twangy Scott Walker.

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Peter V

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NWC

Subject: Fashion

The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a part Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. - - The Catskills are well known in American culture, both as the setting for films and works of art, including many 19th-century Hudson River School paintings, as well as for being a favored destination for vacationers from New York City in the mid-20th century. The region's many large resorts gave countless young stand-up comedians an opportunity to hone their craft. In addition, the Catskills have long been a haven for artists, musicians, and writers, especially in and around the towns of Phoenicia and Woodstock.

The town of Bethel, New York, located in the Catskills, was home to the famous Woodstock Music festival that took place August 15–18, 1969. The event, wherein 32 music acts performed in front of over 500,000 concert-goers, was captured in the documentary movie Woodstock (1970).

That's about Catskills in Wikipedia.

Me and Missus are following Fashion Science at University of Lund in Sweden (world's top 100 universities in recent years - among the top 0.4% of the world's universities.) We followed our academic disciplines,literature science and nuclear physics long enough but now - after retirement - we have found that fashion sciences has answers to many questions in our culture and social life.

------------------

Back to Catskills

"Time passes slowly up here in the mountains, We sit beside bridges and walk beside fountains, Catch the wild fishes that float through the stream, Time passes slowly when you're lost in a dream. Once I had a sweetheart, she was fine and good-lookin', We sat in her kitchen while her mama was cookin', Starin' out the window to the stars high above, Time passes slowly when you're searchin' for love. [short, glorious piano break] Ain't no reason to go in a wagon to town, Ain't no reason to go to the fair. Ain't no reason to go up, ain't no reason to go down, Ain't no reason to go anywhere."

These were BOB DYLAN's words on Catskills. Compare this to the newest advertsing material of the Swedish(!) clothing company 'Lexington'. This is a company with clothes in East Coast style, leisure, Long Island, the Hamptons.

In their advertising material - shooted bin the Catskills - they describe Catskills like this:

"Everything tastes better outdoos. The mellow sunlight, rustling leaves and the adventure and luxury of dining in the open air make a meal in to a feast."

Catskills seems to be the place to be. In rock and in fashion ;-)

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Jed

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Peter V

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Wallsend

Entered at Fri Aug 9 19:24:22 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

I bought the album, Jed. As I said, seeing it live you'd think "heroic attempt to do a difficult and iconic song. Good on you." You can enjoy that sort of live effort greatly. What I can't believe is that Jerry listened back to the tapes and thought, 'Yep, let's preserve that vocal for posterity.'

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Jed

There are countless live versions of TNTDODD done by Garcia. Like the Grateful Dead,Garcia’s music has the awful,the mediocre....and then there’s that special one that hits the note. As Jerry said his music is like licorice-some people don’t like it,some do,but those that do REALLY like it a lot.

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Peter V

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Peter V

Yesterday I was in a secondhand record shop and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down came on, a cover version. The guy next to me said ‘who the fuck is murdering this? It is truly abysmal singing!’ He was absolutely right as we listened right through. Abysmal. I have the record, the Jerry Garcia Band. I had quite enjoyed his nerve in taking it on and having a go at it live, but there, hearing it in isolation, it is truly indeed horrible.

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haso

Subject: small town talk

Joe & Bill: Have to agree w/ you. I read it a while ago, as I did think his original book on our 5 was quite decent. But found STT as well as his expose of Laurel Canyon both a bit depressing and so overcome w/ name-dropping that he makes JRR look like a rookie that way. I always had the impression that Hoskyns does some good works w/ his Back Pages deal, but imagine Mr. Viney can speak to that more than most of us.

Thanks for the continuing links of good info, Angie (even if I have to admit I've never quite understood your Louuuu deal). Then again the woman in this particular abode, doesn't get this GB deal either. As she admitted tonight, where a local outfit was doing justice to Cripple Creek at the bandstand on the river just as I was walking up (keyboards even got the Jew's harpy thing pretty well, and the drummer was singing lead), once the Beatles broke up and Motown went out of fashion, she lost a lot of interest in popular music.

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brown eyed girl

Robbie Robertson Tribute Show featuring Derek Miller and Special Guests

FREE
Friday, August 17
9:30pm –11:00pm
Concert Stage
235 Queens Quay West

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brown eyed girl

Sunday Morning CBS NEWS
August 4, 2019

Woodstock at 50, in the words, and music, of those who were there

Entered at Thu Aug 8 16:29:30 CEST 2019 from toroon0240w-lp140-08-64-231-150-204.dsl.bell.ca (64.231.150.204)

brown eyed girl

Canadian Music Week
Published on Aug 7, 2019
Youtube

Robbie Robertson Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation

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Dunc

Subject: Och Aye the Noo

Two music items across the Scottish news today. Unusual.

It was 50 years ago today that the Abbey Road photograph was taken by a Scotsman, Ian McMillan. A fellow Dundonian, he died over ten years ago. 50 years!

And a Scotswoman folk musician has had a bit of news today. The excellent Karine Polwart has entered the UK charts with an album of her versions of Scottish hits. Coincidentally, I was playing her first album, some of which was mixed in Canada, yesterday. Make sure you dig out your Karine Polwart album, Peter.

Just now, I’m playing Stone The Crows. I saw them in their early years. Their lead guitarist, Les Harvey was electrocuted and killed on stage in Cardiff just as they were taking off. And Jimmy Dewar, a brilliant singer, spent many years with a wasting disease in a local hospital.

And yesterday I played his brilliant brother’s Alex Harvey Soul Band album. His version of Shout is the best version. I only saw SAHB and they were brilliant.

Thanks, Joe. Never heard of the album. I saw Woodstock in a cinema about eighty years ago. I bought The Best of the Band Recorded Live in Concert, made in Canada, as my Toronto souvenir. Up at the Annexe, Bill M.

Time, Time, Time. Going too fast.

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Bill M

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Peter V

I'd never heard of it. Just checked amazon uk and a new copy (Japanese import) is £62 ($75). However, I ordered a "Used- Very Good" one from a Japan reseller for £15.

I found the "Small Town talk" Woodstock book tedious at the start-too much on the community before rock musicians ever got there, but worthwhile in the end.

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Joe Frey

I finally gotten around to reading this book. The material on The Band was, of course, old news to me. The flow of performers through Woodstock over the years was very interesting and may lead me to explore some records that I had previously passed on or didn't know existed.

However, I have to admit, it was a rather depressing read. To know the power of Paul Butterfield's music in both his blues band and in Better Days and to read about his downfall with drugs (which of course I knew - - but not in such vivid detail) made me quite sad. Not sure if I could recommend it, just not sure how accurate it is. It seems well researched with quotes from contemporaries, but I am just not sure.

On a positive note, he has a wonderful list of 25 timeless Woodstock-related songs at the end, only a few that I haven't heard. He is missing one song, in my opinion. In 1993, Pioneer LDC, Japan released Woodstock Holidays (still my favorite Holiday CD). Artists included Orleans, John Sebastian, Maria Muldaur, John Simon, Jim Weider, Jules Shear & Pat Shazar, John Hall, Amos Garret, Larry Hoppens and Robbie Dupree and Happy and Artie Traum. They performed mostly original songs with some standards.

The song by Artie and Happy is "As Good As it Gets" which is about Woodstock at Christmas time. I always loved that track. I wonder if anyone else has heard that record (never released in the US as far as I can tell) and that song in particular. joe

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Bill M

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Peter V

I've found some odd stuff on vinyl this week. I found "The Charge of The Light Brigade" OST and Manfred Mann open it with the poem set to music. This was a couple of years after they quoted the poem in "5-4-3-2-1". Then I found Paul Robeson doing the Irish classic "Kevin Barry" on a 1957 Topic 45 (just his superb voice and plodding piano) and Vanessa Redgrave doing "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" / "Hangin' On A Tree" also on Topic in 1964. Then three singles by The Loot who grew out of The Soul Agents in 1967-68. Also Gene Vincent's "I'm Back & I'm Proud" album on John Peel's Dandelion label from 1969. It was produced by Byrds' bassist Skip Battyn.

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Joe Frey

The Second Disc website has reported that digital versions of Woodstock performers'sets are beginning to be released.

"Last week saw the release of Woodstock recordings from Tim Hardin; Melanie; Mountain; Blood, Sweat & Tears; and Sha Na Na (whose set is missing one unrecorded number, “Teenager In Love”). Each collection is available as a standalone digital album on iTunes, Amazon Music, and Spotify."

Let's hope that The Band's set will be released too. Joe

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Bill M

The other day I said that Garth appears on just one song on Paul Reddick's excellent "Sugar Bird" CD. Turns out he's on three: "morning Bell", "Wishing Song" and "Climbing Up the Hill", all performed by Reddick on vocal and harmonica, Colin Linden on National steel guitar and Garth Hudson on accordion at Levon Helm's studio.

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Wallsend

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Todd

Northwestcoaster, thanks for the tips on Scandinavia. Looks to be an interesting although slightly unconventional itinerary. I'll let you know in the future if I need any specific advice, but that trip will probably be quite a a few years from now.

Thanks again for all the great tips about visiting England. Who knows, maybe once the Sicily climate event is completed, Mr. Geffen and friends can pilot the yacht up the Thames, and pick me up by the Tower bridge. I promise to plant some trees after I return from my trip!

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Lisa

A couple years ago Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, home of the New York Philharmonic, was renamed David Geffen Hall, after he donated $100 million (!!!) toward their fund-raising drive. So yes indeedy, music has been kind to him ...

As a late and rather nervous driver I'm filled with awe that anybody has the guts to drive in a strange city - you guys are brave!

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Mike Nomad

Once, while driving a Mini in Northern Ireland, travelling north from Belfast in the rain along the coastal A2 highway, I was stopped by a police officer for having my headlights (headlamps) on, something I would normally have done back in Canada. The explanation was that doing so signalled to police that I might have been “in distress.” This was in the early ‘80s, during the time of the so-called Troubles, and the local constabulary were being cautious.

Earlier the same day while trying to leave Belfast, I was caught up in a mad traffic tie-up as police and military cordoned off one street after another during the buildup of a huge protest rally in the city in response to the murder the day before of a well-known (although not by me) pro-Unionist figure by presumably an anti-British faction. Military vehicles speeding by and army helicopters passing overhead as I sat behind the wheel in awe of what was happening around me, my friend beside me, an Ulster expat, trying to direct me onto side streets. It was both scary and exhilarating.

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Peter V

Driving on the other side of the road …

I have a few tips. Please suggest more!

The first thing is book an automatic. Sitting on the other side of the car is enough without dealing with manual gears with the unaccustomed hand. I’ve done that in Italy, Spain and Portugal. Twenty or even ten years or so ago, automatics were hard to get in Europe. It’s easier now as rental companies realize that automatics suffer less from the varied habits of different drivers. BUT still many UK rental cars are manual and you have to book specifically. Just asking for "category (b)" will get you a manual.

I never, never pick up a car at an airport after a long international flight. I sleep one night, preferably two before driving. Exhaustion and jet lag and the hassle of getting baggage combine with picking up a car at an airport, and getting out of a major airport’s convoluted road system is usually the worst piece of driving you will encounter on an entire trip. A few years ago, a relative in his late 70s picked up a car at LAX after an 11 hour flight, then left in the evening rush hour to drive to Solvang. He was absolutely exhausted and shaking when he got there at 11 pm.

I’ve found it easier to pick up a car in the city than in an airport. Cities vary – Las Vegas is great. Airport right at the end of the strip, then you’re immediately out of town. I’ve never found San Francisco intimidating in spite of those hills. We’ve been there three times, got a cab in from the airport, had a full day free the next day, then collected a car downtown. Actually, LA isn’t bad because it’s basically crawling in a traffic jam.

It’s way easier driving in country / small town areas. I’ve found North America fine in Arizona, Nevada, inland California, central Florida, Mississippi, Alberta, around the Niagara river area in Ontario. On the other hand the most frightening place I’ve ever driven is Nashville by a mile. Runners up are Phoenix ring road and Toronto ring road where no one seemed to have any concept of speed limits. Actually, Manhatten was fine early in the morning.

Generally, the UK is calmer and more orderly than Continental Europe. North American traffic is more often calm and orderly too. Driving in Naples, Sicily or Nice in France is terrifying.

Book an SUV. It’s well worth the extra because you can see so much better what’s happening in front of you.

With Continental Europe, I would always fly and rent a car locally, not take my right hand drive car there. I used to do that. When you’re driving on the other side of the road, sitting on the appropriate side of the car makes a huge difference. Stuff like roundabouts seem more logical.

Finally, check out local rules. We had horns blasting behind us because we hadn’t realized in many US states you can turn on a red light. Don’t try it in the UK. Even a UK friend who has lived in the US for years says he now finds the rules of roundabouts confusing. For me, when driving in suburban housing areas in America, I can never work out who goes first when you arrive at a four way crossroads at the same time as other cars. Everyone else seems to know instinctively. In the UK it’s invariably marked with STOP or Give Way signs, or even a roundabout.

Entered at Sun Aug 4 13:39:07 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Kiefer Sutherland

Review added of Kiefer Sutherland in concert. Follow the link.

Yes, Jack Bauer from 24 has recreated himself as an alt.country rock singer and extremely successfully with two excellent albums. Here in concert at the O2 Bournemouth.

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Rod

Entered at Sun Aug 4 04:13:02 CEST 2019 from toroon0812w-lp130-01-74-12-50-205.dsl.bell.ca (74.12.50.205)

Bill M

Yesterday was Garth's birthday, and the last song I listened to yesterday featured Garth, except I didn't know that until hours later when I read the liner notes to Paul Reddick's beautiful "Sugar Bird" album. Unfortunately Garth's on only the one song, which is at the link.

I love the interplay between Garth's accordion and Colin Linden's National guitar at the end. Colin, who also produced, thanks Garth and Levon, in whose studio some of it was recorded. The BaRK rhythm section plays on most songs.

There's a live version on YouTube too - with Reddick, Linden, Gary Craig and John Dymond from BaRK and the great Denis Keldie on accordion. By total coincidence, I walked into a bar early this evening to check to see if the listed artist, Thelonius Hank, was to my liking - and found Denis Keldie and his accordion sitting there on break. We know each other vaguely, so we chatted about the "2B3: Toronto Sessions" album that he's on, and also the recent passing of a mutual friend, a singer who'd sang a couple times with Robbie and the other Suedes 60 years ago.

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JQ

I used to go there frequently; starting back in the day when you couldn’t get a decent pint of Guinness here. So, on an earlier trip when I used to drive there, I quaffed a few lovely pints at the Dublin airport bar and, maybe a tiny bit over the legal limit, I took off in my rental: wheel on the wrong side, driving on the opposite side and then straight into a roundabout. It was a panicky situation and didn’t end well but the only casualty was a side mirror knocked off by another car’s side mirror. Tourists!!

Entered at Sun Aug 4 01:33:43 CEST 2019 from 24-222-133-112.eastlink.ca (24.222.133.112)

joe j

Subject: Travel

Always found the GB a great source of travel advice. Best advice ever re Ireland last year was to take a bus tour rather than renting a car. Stress free. We did have a few days at the end when we shared a rental with another couple for day tripping. On the whole I'd rather not drive outside North America.

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Norm

Subject: Changes in Operations

Last year in BC we had a historical number of wild fires. California is bad but BC is worse. We have learned how to handle them but last year was over whelming.

As far back as 1972 one of our major issues that we learned from. Gordon Gibson a long time logger had logged the mountain behind where the Port Alice town was built. Back then the size of a cut block, (an area clear cut logged) was much larger than now. The logged areas were then burned by a controlled burn. The idea being to prevent wild fires. However the ground was so badly burned the soil was gone and only sand was left, it took a long time for even brush to regrow.

In the fall of 1972 I was at work building a new log dump in Holberg inlet about 20 miles or so from Port Alice. I believe it was October. It had snowed a few inches and turned to rain and that day at Port Alice it rained 5 inches. That mountain behind Port Alice slid down as there was no growth to hold it back and wiped out a quite a bit of the town.

This is a common occurrence in California and Oregon. The heavy rains after fires are some times worse than the fires.

Our reforestation programs have steadily improved over the years so that as well as trees there is other foliage planted by helicopter. Also I have been personally involve in fertilizing trees. I have many really great pictures I took of the operation. Large sacks of fertilizer on my barge and a crew with trailer accommodation. They have a small crane that they lift the sacks with. They have a silo. They pull a draw string that opens the sack and spills the fertilizer (it looks just like hail) into the silo. A helicopter has an aluminum cone shaped bucket under his machine with a short line (about 30 feet). He swoops in so that his bucket goes under the silo. They pull a lever and fill his bucket and he climbs above the trees, pushes a button and as he travels along the fertilizer rains down on the trees.

All of this happens as I pull my barge along slowly. It is damn amazing how that nitrogen filled fertilizer makes those trees grow. I have gone past areas we covered for years now and always marvel over how we helped those trees.

I could go on but I'll stop. As well as reforestation I have been involved in salmon enhancement. Many of us who are adamant about putting back what we take from our environment have a saying. "You don't shit in your own nest."

Entered at Sat Aug 3 13:19:15 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Norm, I did a long rant on Climate Change in April. I've linked it. A week ago the UK recorded its hottest ever day. As has most of Europe this year. Then this week we have a dam on the point of collapse after unprecedented rainfall in Derbyshire. (Incidentally the 190 trees was for first class flights which takes up the space of 3 or 4 economy passengers).

Then today, I saw that most rich people's carbon offset tree planting is too densely planted and in California, which is subject to wild fires. The article said grassland was important - when there's a wildfire much of the carbon stays trapped in roots underground.

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Norm

Subject: Up in Smoke

The situation you are now discussing is something I have spent a lot of time on over many years.

I have a book (several years old now) I can't find it at this moment and I'm so old and stupid I forget the name. However I remember very well what it is about. It is shocking and mind boggling. It shows many stats, of the amount of oxygen one jumbo jet burns crossing the Atlantic. I can give many examples.

Personally the 50+ years I have run up and down our coast with my boats watching the amount of exhaust tugs, cruise ships etc put into the air, never mind all the deep sea ships burning bunker C air traffic and cars and land traffic. If you start to tally it, it is terrifying!

So we have a moron in the White House that says none of that matters. The other day for the first time in at least a couple of years I went in the pub at the top of the wharf and had a beer. I'm sitting at the bar. Several people came by and said "Hi Norm". A guy sitting beside me says, "you must be a regular in here". I said no I just know a lot of people in this town.

This guy was from Conneticut. Now some how that I don't remember, the guy sitting beside him got into this "global warming" conversation. So this guy from Conneticut says, well no-no and he moves his arm up and down and says there is just these cycles of ice age and warming. He sounds like Trump. I said are you for real? After these ice ages do you think there was all this heavy fossil fuel traffic and you are saying this doesn't affect any thing.

It's hard to believe how stupid some people can really be in this day and age with the information that is now available to us. I just got to shake my head.

Entered at Sat Aug 3 01:59:37 CEST 2019 from c-73-149-223-31.hsd1.ma.comcast.net (73.149.223.31)

Joe Frey

Where do we go from here?

Entered at Fri Aug 2 23:55:21 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Fri Aug 2 22:15:09 CEST 2019 from (2600:387:4:802::41)

JQ

JRR hanging with celebs on a yacht leaves a bad taste for me, likely an unreasonable and shitty swing for me to take..

Entered at Fri Aug 2 20:57:58 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Fri Aug 2 20:20:58 CEST 2019 from host-89-241-17-56.as13285.net (89.241.17.56)

Solomon

Recently added to YouTube - THE BAND: Live At The New Orleans Jazz Festival" - (1994)

Entered at Fri Aug 2 16:03:35 CEST 2019 from toroon0240w-lp140-08-64-231-150-204.dsl.bell.ca (64.231.150.204)

brown eyed girl

Happy Birthday Garth!

Garth Hudson - improvised accordion intro

posted by James Orr

"Orr Media Company has had the distinct pleasure of recording Mr. Garth Hudson on a number of occasions and we have quite an archive of moments like these, as well as full concerts. He's a national treasure and hero of the music world, and we are proud to be associated with him."

Entered at Fri Aug 2 15:45:01 CEST 2019 from toroon0240w-lp140-08-64-231-150-204.dsl.bell.ca (64.231.150.204)

brown eyed girl

You have done it again Joe. Here is your link.

Superyachts, 114 private jets, limos… for Google Camp on climate change

"One of the yachts was the Rising Sun, owned by music executive David Geffen, who posed on the deck with Orlando Bloom, his fiancée Katy Perry, restaurateur Janet Zuccarini and rocker Robbie Robertson."

Andrei Harmsworth
Free Metro
August 2, 2019

Entered at Fri Aug 2 14:56:31 CEST 2019 from (2604:6000:e909:6c00:c9c0:3b4e:6341:986a)

Joe Frey

As I was working may way through the first cup, I looked up at the TV screen and saw a picture of Robbie with other celebs. Apparently he is attending the Google Camp in Sicily that is focusing on climate change. The media is trashing the hypocrisy of all these rich people getting to the event in energy guzzling private planes and yachts.

Entered at Fri Aug 2 14:55:17 CEST 2019 from node-1w7jr9srhfsgcixsuofs33bbd.ipv6.telus.net (2001:569:bd24:6400:d14c:3e29:455f:1f09)

Norm

Subject: Music & Travels

Thanks Jan. I should have thought of that. I travelled all of New Zealand on google earth and watched a documentary about the early settlements of South Land. Round Hill and Riverton, there is a lot of great history there.

Wallsend to find a lot of great pictures that people post all over the world Google Earth is wonderful. To see a lot of the wild coast of British Columbia look on the websites of Port Alice, Port Hardy, Haida Gwaii and Prince Rupert.

Entered at Fri Aug 2 14:03:28 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Wallsend – just looked up a bit of NZ history online. When I worked in a museum before university, there was an NZ room- the shrunken tattooed heads being the most popular exhibit in the entire place for schoolkids. Long gone (rightly). Anyway, as I thought, Christchurch is named after the Oxford college, not my neighbouring town (which strongly believes it was the source). But I noticed that the river is the Avon, the same as in Christchurch, Dorset. Then again, “Avon” is the most common river name in the UK.

Entered at Fri Aug 2 12:23:07 CEST 2019 from c83-250-64-123.bredband.comhem.se (83.250.64.123)

NorthWestCoaster

Subject: Todd's travel

Good to see that TODD is planning a trip to Scandinavian countries. These are the most interesting places. It is only a coincidence that they all are NORTHWESTCOASTER related ;-)

(1.) Let's start with Norway to get it done: visit "Systembolaget" in Stroemstad Sweden and you'll meet a lot of Norwegians so you don't need to go to Norway at all. (We Finns love Norwegians, but it is another story...)

(2.) Visit Shakespeare Festival in Hamlet's castle Elsinore Denmark, which is near my current home. Climb to the ramparts of the castle and wave with your hand. I'll shoot salut!

(3) Visit a dull industrial city in the middle of Sweden. Sweden's greatest rock band comes from this depressing place. The city has two walks in a true Hollywood style. You'll visit the most important places in their lives - like the school where they started the band. Needless to say that most of the guys were my students. - If it is not raining you can take a walk on the street were the dark ABBA lady lived as a teenager. I happened to live on the same street.

(4) Finland is really WEIRD, ask Norbert. You don't need to visit Finland if you go to Thunder Bay in Canada. - If you still like to visit Finland go to Pori Jazz Festival (jazz means nowadays "afro-american rhytm music", it can be Kate Perry... don't blame me). Our schoolboy band leader is still having something to do with the festival - like transporting the stars from the airport in his Range Rover. Tell him my regards and you'll get a hug like from a bear.

Entered at Fri Aug 2 09:31:24 CEST 2019 from cm-84.209.141.46.getinternet.no (84.209.141.46)

jh

Subject: "Comfortably Numb" w/Van and our boys

Norm, the answers to all your questions are always to be found right here at this web site.

Entered at Fri Aug 2 02:20:15 CEST 2019 from node-1w7jr9srhfsga7maewkiqx0ap.ipv6.telus.net (2001:569:bd24:6400:391a:ba20:585c:a1c1)

Norm

Subject: Comfotably Numb

I just found a youtube vid. I'm sure some of you have seen it before. I never have.

Roger Waters, Van Morrison & The Band doing this song. It doesn't tell me where or when.

Entered at Thu Aug 1 22:40:12 CEST 2019 from n1-43-95-157.mas2.nsw.optusnet.com.au (1.43.95.157)

Wallsend

Entered at Thu Aug 1 14:46:42 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

And so to music. I found a double CD “Four Classic Albums” by Chuck Berry yesterday in HMV. I have the LPs (After School Session, Chuck Berry Is On Top, One Dozen Berries, Rockin’ At The Hop), plus the Complete Chess box set so I have all the tracks. But at just £5.99 it’s excellent to have those four LPs in their original running order on CD.

“Chuck Berry Is On Top” has the most hits (either by Chuck or cover versions) … 9 out of 12. Of the non-hits the mainly instrumental Hey Pedro is as racist as Speedy Gonzales!

It struck me that it’s odd no UK pub rockers had a hit or major cover of “Anthony Boy” – it fits a London knees-up … Chas ‘n’ Dave or Madness perhaps.

The other thing, listening loud, is that Willie Dixon’s double bass was often sparer than rock band covers with busier bass guitarists. It’s musical, but often doing less.

Entered at Thu Aug 1 14:34:21 CEST 2019 from 82-69-47-175.dsl.in-addr.zen.co.uk (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Gypsies were a major character role in English kids books … Enid Blyton, writing in Dorset (also known for Romanies) often had them as characters, especially in The Famous Five series.

When I was born, Bournemouth, like the New Forest, was in Hampshire. In 1971 it was "moved" into Dorset in government changes to many county boundaries. Poole was always in Dorset. My house is about half a mile on the old Dorset side of the pre-1971 county boundary.

When the boundary move took place, I lived and worked in Bournemouth. I remember the school janitor was most annoyed, "Now we're in Dorset, everyone will think we're stupid … Dorset born, Dorset bred, strong in the arm, weak in the head." Still, I reckon it's better than Hampshire, because everyone thinks they're gypsies."

Entered at Thu Aug 1 07:41:49 CEST 2019 from (32.216.230.188)

Todd

Thanks again for the traveling advice & tips. I'm starting to realize that a week isn't nearly enough to explore everything, but I'm excited about all of the possibilities. We did a beach vacation in July at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, so probably won't be heading to the shore on this trip to England. Will very likely do the riverboat ride to Greenwich though.

Bill M, I appreciate what you are saying about the family connections, even if there are no longer any direct connections with actual people still living in these places. I've been able to trace a direct line back to 1505, to some of the villages in Essex that we will visit. And apparently the family name goes back to the Domesday book of 1086 as well as the great roll of Normandy in 1180, although the records of succession aren't as reliable prior to the early 1500's. It will still be quite a thing to walk the same ground as some of my ancestors, and visit some of the structures from the 1600's that they lived, in which are apparently still standing, although I'm sure they have been updated over the years. Aside from Essex, there are also some ancestral connections to Suffolk, so perhaps we had family that were neighbors many years ago.

I've often wondered what would drive a man to sell his land, pack up his family, and set sail for a new land with so much uncertainty, and knowing that he would probably never return to his homeland. It was during the Puritan migration in the 1630's, so I'm sure there was a strong religious aspect to making such a drastic change, but I wonder if it was also about opportunity. I'm still doing research but it seems that my ancestor was the second born male of the family, and from what I can ascertain, inherited a much smaller portion of the family estate than his older brother. I'm not sure what the economic conditions were like in Essex in the 1630's but the prospect of opportunity in the New World much have been a strong draw for someone to move from a Manor house in England with a fair amount of land, to live in a much more primitive structure in the (then) wilderness of the Connecticut river valley.

A side effect of all of this research is that I've been learning a bit about English history. I had heard of William the Conqueror, but am still trying to sort out the details that led to the Battle of Hastings.

Jan H, it seems like you have friends in all the right places! Sounds wonderful. I've been watching the Broadchurch series, which is very well done, and the landscape from that region in the South of England near Peter V, is very impressive. My English relatives are mostly on my father's side of the family. My Mom's ancestors came from Norway, Sweden & Finland, so once I do some more research into that side of the family, I'm sure I'll be thinking about a Scandinavian visit in the future.

Norm, glad that your Summer is going well. Don't work too hard!

I'm feeling a little guilty that none of this recent discussion has included a Band connection, so I should mention that I took Bill M's advice and did a search of a local phone book by last name for the region that I'll be visiting in England. Don't know if any of these folks living in the area are related to me, but it's a possibility. One of the first searches turned up a google street view photo of a duplex.....painted pink!

Entered at Thu Aug 1 00:04:21 CEST 2019 from n1-43-95-157.mas2.nsw.optusnet.com.au (1.43.95.157)

Wallsend

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