The Band Guestbook, September 2017

Entered at Sat Sep 30 16:07:23 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: Boy on Bridge

My Susan's down island at her sister's in Courtenay. I left a tv on last night when I crashed. This morning I woke up to familiar sounds.

The voice of Alan Doyle who I've long been a fan of. Alan released his first solo album "Boy On Bridge" in 2012. His first solo album since "Great Big Sea" (those guys played some great music).

Watching this show about the making of this album was a treat. He starts out in Newfoundland. Then he's recording a song on a cruise ship about being on a cruise ship and there's a mutiny. He is in an auditorium on the ship. He has all the passengers on the ship involved singing the choruses.

Then he is in LA with a couple of other lads who contribute to his project. He has Jim Cuddy singing in one song. He ends up in Vancouver with Colin James playing a song, (some great slide work) at the studio in Gas Town Bryan Adams uses. Russell Crowe is in town shooting a movie and he is involved, I wasn't aware Alan and Russell had written about 24 songs together.

Now I have to get the album it is really great music.

Entered at Sat Sep 30 06:36:09 CEST 2017 from (47.20.223.94)

Jeff A.

Subject: Live at Aloft Hotel

See the Link. Mostly it all comes down to some kind of sponsorhip today.

Entered at Fri Sep 29 20:43:37 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Here's a link to an article in a First Nations newspaper about Robbie Robertson receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Six Nations of the Grand River.

Entered at Fri Sep 29 17:14:05 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Subject: a young Lenny Breau on Chateau

Among other things, Art Snider released some terrific rockabilly on his Chateaus label. The link is to an early '60s rockabilly record by Ray St Germain - featuring Ray's brother-in-law, the great Lenny Breau, on guitar. It's been included in a couple of compilations over the years, notably "Rockin' Up North" on the Bear Family label.

Shortly after this record, Lenny moved to Toronto to try his luck at the suggestion of Toronto-based singer Joey Hollingsworth. Hollingworth introduced him to Ronnie Hawkins, who provided his rhythm section - Rick and Levon - to back Lenny at an upcoming recording session. Fortunately the tape was saved and was reissued on CD a few years ago.

Entered at Fri Sep 29 13:59:17 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979-1981 (Deluxe Edition) to be released on November 3rd. $223.00 Canadian. 9 CD's.

Entered at Fri Sep 29 04:35:07 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

John D: Funny you should ask. I was downtown early this afternnon so wandered over to Ben McNally's Books to get the Lightfoot, and also left the store with a history of the Horseshoe Tavern (which includes a snapshots of Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko onstage there with Colin Linden in '89).

I've read a bit of the book, but not the axe story (which I've heard many times from many people). I do recall seeing the "Early Lightfoot" LP on a rack outside the Sherman's Mister Sound record store in my local mall when it came out in '72 or '73, but didn't get a copy until probably '75 when a sealed copy turned-up in a delete bin at Queen and Broadview.

Ian W: for your sake I went right to lightfoot's days in London in the early '60s, when "a London agent named Phillip Solomon ... lined up a job for him on 'The Country and Western Show, a summer (of '63) replacement series on the BBC. ... Gordie Lightfoot, as he was billed, performed with a cast that included names like Dougie Squires and the Hickory Sticks and Pete Stanley and His Tennessee Mountaineers.' He also made some duets demoes with Clodagh Rogers, but they weren't picked up for release.

Entered at Fri Sep 29 03:15:22 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

Kevin, I couldn't have said it better. He is a Canadian treasure. Admired around the world. As I have been fortunate to have interviewed him a number of times, he is extremely humble for someone with such an extreme talent.

Entered at Fri Sep 29 02:28:50 CEST 2017 from (46.189.28.184)

Kevin J

.......and Bob F....Thank you very much for the Michael Murphy McDermott tip....I am currently sitting in darkest Germany (Trier) and reflecting on life ( 5 or 6 great German beers tends to lead there ) and my Dad's 10th anniversary passing in October ( nod to JT for the phrase passing ) and watching that video of Michael McDermott returning to his childhood home and wondering what his Dad was thinking each time he left - very affecting.

Entered at Fri Sep 29 01:53:55 CEST 2017 from (46.189.28.184)

Kevin J

Yes, John........For those that know Gord those early recordings are an embarrassment.....he has addressed this issue in several interviews over the years and explained how he went to lengths to have that record expunged. I understood completely those feelings though admit to never having heard them.

Gordon Lightfoot's accomplishments and career are so TOWERING that no bit of early embarrassments can - at this point - diminish his legacy but still we have to respect that desire to control his catalogue. Not sure anyone not having grown up in Canada can fully appreciate the extent to which Gordon Lightfoot was part of every Canadian music fan's life. He was so present and so part of your mother and father and sister and radio in the morning and afternoon and evening and first guitar lesson and what a capo's meant and what the Canadiian railway meant and what staying in Canada meant that it's impossible to explain. I guess Bob Dylain nailed it by saying that he never wanted a Gordon Lightfoot song to end......Summerside of Life....

Entered at Thu Sep 28 22:03:50 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

If you get a chance to read the new book Bill, you will read how Gord took an axe (literally) to the re-release of the Art Snider recordings. I'm told a Gord was not a fan.

Entered at Thu Sep 28 21:01:59 CEST 2017 from (107.211.249.207)

Paul

Bob F., I've never seen Michael McDermott, but seems he's local to me, and I take recommendations from this site more seriously than I would most recs, so I'll look for him. Nice things about the internet is that you can get a quick clip of almost anything with a few keystrokes. I've bought a few CDs based on stuff I first heard about here. Has no one ever heard any more about the big Hawks box that was supposed to come out from Other People's Music? It was discussed for a few years but never appeared. I always assumed it would have the low-fi bootleg live stuff that was already available. But I also hoped it would have unknown studio, demos, etc., and that it would round up everything pre-Music from Big Pink in one place. I think that kind of box would not make a lot of economic sense to the people financing it, but I'd still love to see it just the same, even though I think it would have a limited market and be expensive.

Entered at Thu Sep 28 16:33:24 CEST 2017 from (46.189.28.184)

Kevin J

Bob F: Thank you for providing that Stephen King review. I have never before read anything that so perfectly captures that feeling of just leaving or losing the connection to rock music......Some people are lucky enough to get it back, most never do.

Entered at Thu Sep 28 13:15:14 CEST 2017 from (67.80.30.62)

Jeff A.

Either the music will get attention or you'll just get doubly ignored.

Entered at Thu Sep 28 13:14:35 CEST 2017 from (67.80.30.62)

Jeff A.

Either the music will get attention or you'll just get doubly ignored.

Entered at Thu Sep 28 13:11:25 CEST 2017 from (67.80.30.62)

Jeff

Fuck'nell

You guys are slow pokes.

Especially you Al. Had you noticed before, and raised the normal Al Edge ruckus....

Bob's been pushing McDermott for years now.

I remember bitching about something in a song of his about his father. . You know me, i like to bitch about songs.

Anyroad, Bob's been touting the guy for ages.

No respect. the poor guy gets no respect. Bob, I'm gonna call you Rodney D. for Dangerfield from now on.

Entered at Thu Sep 28 12:53:54 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: McDermott

Al, before you go back to the beginning can I recommend a few songs? Most can be found on line.

Summer Days

Bells

The Idler, The Prophet & A Girl Called Rain

Hey La Hey

Linked Song - 20 Miles South of Nowhere

Whiskey & Water

Dream About Trains

Bars (The Westies)

Getaway Car

Willow Springs

Folksinger

When The Irish Were Kings of New York

Entered at Thu Sep 28 12:10:57 CEST 2017 from (80.3.75.140)

Ian W

All of the 'stuff' about the early recordings was new to me. I gather that Art Snider was involved with one of the TV shows on which Gordon Lightfoot appeared.

I never did get the "Four Strong Winds" book. Maybe I'll buy a second-hand copy. Thanks for the reminder, Bill (and the additional information generally).

Entered at Thu Sep 28 11:31:27 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

He's doing Basingstoke tonight, a mere 50 miles away … I have an early start for Stratford-upon-Avon tomorrow. Don't think I can face a trip to Basingstoke and back tonight … pity. If I'd known a few days ago, I might have stayed in Basingstoke … it's kind of on the way.

Entered at Thu Sep 28 04:20:48 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Ian W: You've dug up all sorts of interesting info about Lightfoot's early recordings. The Two Tones did one, and possibly two, 45s on the Quality label, which was where Art Snider usually placed his productions until he started his own Chateau label. Canatal was a sister label that started about the same time but seems to have run a bit later in the '60s. It reissued a number of Chateau LPs, including the Two Tones, and issued a handful of 45s and a decent number of albums of its own (though all produced by Snider). Most interesting of the LPs was "A Little Too Much" by Larry Lee and the Leesures in '62. Musically the Leesures were a leading sub-Hawks of the time, and socially they were very tight with our guys, rooming in the same cheap Toronto hotel and drinking, smoking and carousing together. No doubt as a result of that, their album includes Hawkins-ish versions of two or three of the R&B songs that Hawkins and the Hawks had recorded in NY with Henry Glover in '61 but which didn't see the light of day until Roulette released "The Best of Ronnie Hawkins and his Hawks" in '64 or '65 (in Canada only).

The Leesures' guitarist at the time was the great Red Shea, whose only 45 under his own name (and backed by the rest of the Leesures) can be heard at the link. Shows his complex C&W picking roots, with more than a nod to the de rigeur Robertson style of the time. A couple years later Red became Lightfoot's lead guitarist, replacing David Rea, who'd taken a promotion and joined Ian and Sylvia. (Ian W: Have you read John Einarson's Ian and Sylvia biography of a few years ago, in which Rea tells of touring the UK in a bus with Ian Campbell and Martin Carthy in the '60s - which is how come he wound up as Fairport Convention's guitarist for a while around 1980. The same book has lots of interesting info about hanging out with Dylan and Grossman.)

Canatal also issued an EP by the Singin' Swingin' Eight - four fun pairs of singing square dancers from the very popular "Country Hoedown" TV show. Gord was half of one of the pairs and sings lead on "Church In The Wildwood" on the EP.

Back to Art Snider for a moment. I have the sense that few of us here are big fans of '60s psych, but serious psych fans the world over take an interest in a handful of vanity recordings he made for some area psych bands - Christmas, Reign Ghost, Rockadrome, Plastic Cloud, et al.

Entered at Thu Sep 28 01:46:15 CEST 2017 from (86.175.225.14)

Al Edge

Bob. Just read a host of reviews on the guy including the one you pasted from Stephen King. I've yet to find a single review that doesn't go into absolute raptures.

Is he really this good? I mean as you know I'm the sort of fella who only likes to write if I've got something to really enthuse about but the reviews of some of these guys make me seem like Mean Mister Mustard.

If he really is as amazing as these guys say he is then I guess it leaves me no option but to follow my own advice in these cases and start at the beginning with his debut album and work through. Not sure what Mag will say re the money stakes. Still....

Ironically enough I notice right now he's doing a short tour of UK. Dunc - he was up near you tonight [Wednesday]. The nearest gig to Liverpool is Leeds so I won't be seeing him.

I'll report back when I've managed to absorb the first album - on current form that should be before Christmas 2020!!!! LOL.

:-0)

Entered at Thu Sep 28 00:59:14 CEST 2017 from (80.3.75.140)

Ian W

One of the songs recorded in Nashville, probably in late 1962, was entitled "Negotiations". On the Canadian single (Chateau C-148), the performer is shown as "Gord Lightfoot"; on the British single (Fontana 267275 TF - an unusual catalogue number for a Fontana single, I think), he is shown as "Gordie Lightfoot"; and on the U.S. single (ABC-PARAMOUNT 45-10373) as "Gordon Lightfoot". All very odd.

Entered at Thu Sep 28 00:50:44 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: McDermott

Al, below find the liner notes Stephen King wrote for McDermott's third album. The week the album was set to be released his record company went belly up. Link is to one of my favorite McDermott songs Shadow In The Window. He wrote this for his Dad. They shared the distinction of having spent time in the same Chicago prison. Thankfully not at the same time.

Liner Notes from Michael McDermott album by Author Stephen King

" In the middle of the night, her mama took her last breath. Threw her lovin' arms around the angel of death "

This is how I came to know about the man who wrote that couplet, which is--like the rest of his work--quite unlike anything that exists in the current rock landscape:

My older son heard Michael's first album, 620 West Surf, playing in a dorm room at college. Joe thought it was one of the best albums he'd heard that year and bought his own copy. His younger brother, Owen, bought a copy on the basis of Joe's recommendation and was similarly knocked out. When Michael's second album, Gethsemane, came out, Owen was not just knocked out but flattened. He bought another copy and gave it to me for Father's Day in 1993.

My first listen to Gethsemane is one of the great events of my life as a rock music fan. It wasn't so much the record itself, good as it was, as the man on the record. Not since I first heard Bruce Springsteen singing "Rosalita" had I heard someone who excited me so much as a listener, who turned my dials so high, who just made me feel so fucking happy to have ears. I used lyrics from one of Michael's songs in my novel Insomnia, and we got to know each other that way. I have listened to some of the songs on this new album go from rough demos to finished tracks, and the result--I'm only speaking for myself, you know--is one of the three or four most remarkable albums I've ever heard. That's not a critical judgement, mind you, but one that comes direct from my heart--and my nerve-endings. Like the man said, "I ain't no monkey and I know what I like."

Michael came along at a good time for me; a vital time. Until Owen handed me Gethsemane on Father's Day two years ago, I had an idea that I had finally gotten too old to rock and roll, had lost my taste and feel for it, and I can't tell you how sad that made me. Rock has been a part of my life since I first heard Jerry Lee Lewis yelling "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" from my mother's Philco. She changed the station to Perry Como; I changed it back; she changed it to Dino Martino; I changed it back again; she gave up in disgust and there it stayed, tuned to the big beat of the pounding pianos and screaming guitars, for the next forty years or so. Rock--the disco, the punk, the anthems--has expanded my life, made it joyful, and maybe saved it once or twice. It saved my sanity for sure, because rock is the most wonderful music on earth. "It just makes people feel good," Fats Domino once said, and how right he was.

To see all that slip away was a little like dying. I never thought the music had died, God, no; I could see my kids digging everyone from Pearl Jam to Ministry and knew it was my problem, not theirs, and certainly not the music's. Then Michael shows up, the way someone always seems to show up when you're feeling dark and not much like dancing anymore. The older kid found him, gave him to the younger kid, and the younger kid gave him to me like a cool drink when I was thirsty. I listened, and there was all of the old magic in new hands.

Michael McDermott is the great album that Gethsemane almost was, it seems to me. I've listened to it over and over, and there's no letdown. You know how it usually is: the hooks get dull and you move on to the next one. On rare albums--Born to Run, Wavelength, the first Marshall Crenshaw record--they get sharper and sharper until finally there's blood on the tracks. And for me, that's what rock and roll music has always been about: upping the emotional ante until it hurts and heals in equal measure, until the blood shows and you feel like your face is about to blow off.

To those hooks Michael McDermott had added lyrical depth and texture that is startling in this minimalist age. He has a poet's eye and the half-laughing, half-sorrowful sensibility of Catholic guilt and remembrance. There are a lot of saints and devils hiding around the corners here, and a lot of beauty with sharp thorns of regret hidden inside: Virginia, Charlie Boy's girlfriend, for instance, who waits on the lovers' favorite hill, not with longing but "with the coldest eyes you've ever seen."

Michael McDermott's music, like Springsteen's and Van Morrison's, helped me to find a part of myself that wasn't lost, as I had feared, but only misplaced. That's why we love the ones who are really good at it, I think: because they give us back ourselves, all dusted and shined up, and they do it with a smile. This record makes me feel bigger than myself--the way I did at nine, listening to Jerry Lee.

I'm always startled by the inability of words to express how good really good rock and roll music can be, but I always know it when I hear it...and besides, words are all I have. So let me say it simple: Michael McDermott is a great artist, and this is a great album. Listen and see if you don't agree.

--Stephen King © 2017 Michael McDermott / Pauper Sky Records

Entered at Wed Sep 27 23:29:26 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Wed Sep 27 22:30:35 CEST 2017 from (80.3.75.140)

Ian W

I can't recall a Gordon Lightfoot TV special in this country back then. Julie Felix had a TV series but that was a bit later.

Thanks for the tip about an earlier recording. I followed that up and found quite a few including an album entitled "Two Tones at the Village Corner" (on the Canatal label) recorded live in that Toronto venue in January 1962. We can't post links here now but, when I found it, you could play 8 of the 12 tracks. The recording was made by one Art Snider, who also assisted with some later Nashville recordings by Gordy (though his first name is shown variously as Gord, Gordie and Gordon). Snider did the arrangements and conducted the orchestra. The resulting singles were released on the Chateau label in Canada in late-1962 ans in 1963 (and on the Fontana label in the UK in 1963).

All of that was new to me.

Entered at Wed Sep 27 18:58:32 CEST 2017 from (86.175.225.14)

Al Edge

Just remembered the posters name who introduced me all those years ago to The Gourds

Ed Voci

Here's to you Ed lad! Amazing recommendation.

:-0)

Entered at Wed Sep 27 18:14:56 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

I suppose you're aware that the 'hit' version of "Tom Thumb's Blues" in Canada was Lightfoot's - in '66, I believe.

Entered at Wed Sep 27 15:51:57 CEST 2017 from (86.175.225.14)

Al Edge

Gonna need your guidance on this one Bob lad. Give us the full gubbins mate. Last time my ears pricked up as much as this was when a poster many moons ago whose name regrettably escapes me right now recommended The Gourds. Or should I say frogmarched me to Amazon to buy their records.

Discovering the wonders of The Gourds proved to be every bit as rewarding as he promised.

Anyroad, Bob, I've just run through half a dozen McDermott You Tubes. Really does sound like he's right up my street but haven't a clue where to begin exploring.

Over to you Bob lad.

:-0)

PS Thanks for the nice comments on The Promise. Paul too.

Entered at Wed Sep 27 15:06:45 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

As I said, this is the first biography that had Gord's 100% co-operation. That's the difference. Nick did 20 interviews over three years. BTW I hear Bill, you worked with Nick on one of his earlier books.

Entered at Wed Sep 27 14:28:30 CEST 2017 from (96.245.114.250)

b.lee

Subject: Speaking of bios and memoirs...

Loudon Wainwright III just released a memoir titled 'Liner Notes: On Parents & Children, Exes & Excess, Death & Decay, & a Few of My Other Favorite Things'. Could be interesting. He was recently interviewed on the NPR Fresh Air program.

A few years ago we attended an outdoor festival during which Loudon (Dad) did a set on the small stage. Son Rufus was the headliner. As we wandered into the main stage lawn, there was Dad, denim jacket and hat, lawn chair in hand. He settled down about 20 feet in front of us, well of to the side of the stage and watched his boy. Haven't heard his latest, but would recommend his 'Last Man On Earth' album from a few years back.

Entered at Wed Sep 27 12:53:03 CEST 2017 from (80.3.75.140)

Ian W

I only saw Gordon Lightfoot live once and that was on a multi-artist bill at a festival in the mid-1960s, before his first album came out. My only memory of him is that he wore a tie, which was unusual at that time.

More interestingly, I later came across a photograph of his guitar, taken at the same festival I think, and it shows the list of songs in his repertoire at that stage in his career. Apart from the fact the fact that he didn't spell too well, two things struck me:

1) the size of his repertoire - around 80 songs on the list - as taped to his guita. It included a few Dylan songs.

2) separate from that songlist, there was a sort-of slot, also taped on to the guitar and into which he could slip a piece of paper appearing to show the songs he was to sing that day [or from which he could choose to sing]. It had 8 songs, 7 of which were on the main list.

I've seen songlists taped on guitars before but never one quite so extensive and never with a means, separately, of showing that day's songs - as it were.

Entered at Wed Sep 27 12:20:22 CEST 2017 from (93.63.223.40)

Kevin J

Bill M: Thank you for that note about Douglas Fetherling. He's done some great work. For those that enjoy travelling, his book "Running Away to Sea" is recommended. I did a similar trip once.

On the subject of books and bookstores, a few weekends ago, I walked through the Indigo at Bayview Village and asked about the paperback release date of "Testimony" and was told October 7 - or some time around that date. While there, I decided to pick up a copy of the hardcover for a gift to a friend. Asked one of the attendants where the book was shelved and he walked me to the location and we noted just two copies were there. I picked out one and opening it saw that it was signed. The attendant grabbed the other and it was also signed......we compared the signatures and they were real Robbie signatures - not stamped a la Jimmy Page - slight variations in size. Anyhow, the guy figured they must have been transfer copies from the Eaton Centre location where Robbie had done his only in-store signing..........I bought them both !

Entered at Wed Sep 27 06:27:21 CEST 2017 from (67.80.30.62)

Jeff A.

Entered at Wed Sep 27 04:33:35 CEST 2017 from (67.80.30.62)

Jeff A.

Entered at Wed Sep 27 04:02:30 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Subject: Lightfoot, etc.

John D: Thanks for the tip about Nick Jennings's biography of Gordon Lightfoot. By coincidence, earlier today a friend forwarded a note that Nick had sent him about the upcoming Jackie Shane compilation on CD - due October 20. I'm very much looking forward to that, as you can well imagine. (Most would count as Northern Soul, Dunc - and very much sought-after.)

Back to Lightfoot, I would have sworn I'd read (and even owned) an earlier Lightfoot biography done in the late '80s or early '90s by a long-time friend of Gord's. I'd guessed Robert Markle, but can find no reference to such an earlier book, by Markle or anyone else. Mind playing tricks, I suppose. But my searches did remind me of the existence of the linked book, "Some Day Soon" by Douglas Fetherling, which is five separate long essays about five well-known Canuckistani songwriters - Lightfoot, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Robbie Robertson and Ian Tyson. I remember it being pretty good, focused on style and sociology rather than chronology.

Entered at Wed Sep 27 00:52:19 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

JOhn D

First Biography of Gordon Lightfoot released today; with his full co-operation. Author is Canadian Journalist, Nicholas Jennings.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 23:34:36 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

I think Springsteen's people assume all his fans are loaded. That's why they release all his current shows as downloads, archival releases and $850 broadway tickets. While The Band management team must think we're all dirt poor. That's why they limit releases to endless reissues of The Last Waltz and Robbie's solo records and memoirs. In a few years when we're all in the nursing home they will probably release an overpriced box set of some live shows.

Paul you ever get out to see Michael McDermott? He's a Chicago native and is always playing in your town. One of the greatest performers I've ever seen. In fact given the choice of seeing Springsteen today or McDermott, I'd rather see McDermott. Please check him out. I know he plays City Winery on a regular basis. He also has a side group with his wife called The Westies. The guy is amazing.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 21:08:42 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Entered at Tue Sep 26 20:28:17 CEST 2017 from (86.167.173.74)

Dunc

Subject: regional variations

Interesting paragraph on regional variations, Peter. I'd heard about heavy metal and the Midlands before. I wonder why?

Did you ever come across a big soul 'find'?

For non UK readers, the Northern Soul fraternity are fanatical. I once saw pictures of a younger colleague's friend's collection of singles, taking up an entire room. Many come from very small record companies in the States. I once came across a record company from Danville. Maybe Band albums came out of there on the train?

Entered at Tue Sep 26 20:22:01 CEST 2017 from (107.211.249.207)

Paul

Thanks for what you guys wrote about The Promise. I got the two recent archive releases from Bruce, the Albany show and the other one, since 1975-78 is a period from Bruce when I want everything, like the Band from 1968 to 1976. When they arrived I listened to them, and realized I've got dozens of live versions of Rosalita, Spirits in the Night, etc. But sometimes, like the Promise or Something in the Night, you get an unusual performance that's not easily available otherwise. Bruce has a way of singing a song like The Promise with a very flat affect, and it seems to imply a lot that's not in the lyrics. Other examples would be songs like Racing in the Street or The Iceman. Nice this stuff is finally trickling out. Something similar from the Band would be welcome, like the Albert Hall, but I think most of the unusual or unique performances are probably already out there.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 16:21:27 CEST 2017 from (80.3.75.140)

Ian W

CBS did plan to release a single from the Dylan's JOHN WESLEY HARDING album. It was to have been "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" b/w "Drifter's Escape", due for release on 22 March 1968. It then got cancelled due to "unforeseen contractual difficulties".

Entered at Tue Sep 26 16:19:05 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Tue Sep 26 16:18:09 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Must have been around 20 years Brian [my work partner] and myself got in with this developer. His name was Peter Lynch and he was a dead ringer for Kenny Lynch in every aspect but most especially that unforgettable unique shaped Kenny Lynch nose - unique that is until we would both closely scrutinize Peter Lynch's own equally unique proboscus.

Neither Bri nor myself ever got around to asking Peter the obvious question. He wasn't the sort of guy you asked that sort of thing but I'm guessing a pound to a pinch of shite he was in some way related. I guess he himself still ponders why two otherwise normal looking guys seemed to take such a huge interest in his nose!!

:-0)

Entered at Tue Sep 26 16:09:45 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: ford Transit 1970

Link to a photo of a classic long wheel base "Tranny" (double wheels at the back to take the weight of Hammonds). Dark blue was the only colour you ever saw. It was the first van in popular use to have a standard car dashboard and steering wheel, in fact the same engine and layout as the slightly upmarket Ford Corsair. It was advertised as driving like a car, and pretty much it did. If it wasn't too windy of course.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 16:06:18 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Ha ha - great story Pete. Was Tarby there with him...boom, boom!!

:-0)

You're a jammy sod Pete. I've gone all these years playing my music loud enough as I crave just one time for some interested soul to knock on the car window to ask what song it is I'm playing. It hasn't happened to date. And I guess there can't be that long left for it to happen. And there's you in the early hours of the morning getting asked by a world renowned superstar!

:-0)

Jeff - the Vic was a fantastic pub with a real rough arse clientele. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night there'd be wonderful sing songs inside immediately followed by fisticuffs and head butting contests outside. Standard fayre for most pubs by us. It's still there, although our maisonettes which were just opposite are long ago demolished. It's located in North Liverpool about 100 yards from the Mersey at the extreme end of the Liverpool dockland. I haven't been back there for what must be 45 years - which is why me nose has retained its perfect shape all this time!! Ha ha.

:-0)

Entered at Tue Sep 26 15:28:11 CEST 2017 from (86.167.173.74)

Dunc

Thanks, everybody. Some really good posts.

I bought 'Rag Mama Rag' then bought bought 'the Brown Album' circa 1972, and I can remember where and being encouraged to buy it, in an independent record shop. It took me a long time to hear 'The Weight'.

As Peter said, bands were based in London, and i think in those early seventies days it would be hard working bands I saw. Those who were willing to tour all the way to Scotland. Amongst many others I saw Jethro Tull, Fleetwood Mac, Family, Yes, Deep Purple, Barclay James Harvest, Be Bop De Lux, Chicken Shack, Stan Webb Band, Taste, The Nice, ELO, Rory Gallagher, Tyranosaurus Rex, Ten Years After, a very young Thin Lizzy, Graham Bond Organisation, Fotheringay, Ginger Baker's Airforce, The Who...

There were good Scottish bands too - SAHB, AWB, Sleaze Band, JSD band, Skeets Boliver(Michael Marra).

and at the folk club - Billy Connolly, Davey Graham, Hamish Imlach, the brilliant Rab Noakes...and a lot of groups who wore pullovers and covered songs.

And there was playing soul records. I loved soul. I remember some guys, who saw music as listening to soul records only.

I always liked pop. I think it was 1971 for me that the album became more important than the single.

I did buy Sha La La La Lee, which was written by Kenny Lynch.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 14:48:38 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: Travellin' Band

What the fuck'smatter with you guys?.........no Silver Eagles????

Entered at Tue Sep 26 13:01:34 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 12:39:38 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

The LWB Ford Transit was the standard rock band vehicle (i.e. light panel truck). Jethro Tull were noted for having a larger Mercedes van. I think Fleetwood Mac did too. Everyone else had a Ford Transit (which replaced the standard Commer van of the mid-60s). Watford Gap was legendary … I think the operating company was favoured. But all rock bands knew service areas by name.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 11:08:10 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 10:15:03 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Crazy Crazes

While finding "Misery" I came across this YouTube gem … Kenny Lynch singing "Crazy Crazes" (or lip synching it). A great example of 1962 (I guess) TV pop!

Entered at Tue Sep 26 10:10:59 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Misery

For our North American readers. In 1970, Kenny Lynch, as a star of the early 60s, would have been playing a “Working Men’s Club” in all probability, rather than a college gig. He was with a driver. Link to his version of Misery … given to him by The Beatles in early 1963 when he was on the bill on their first tour.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 10:01:56 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

I’ll recount a scene. Late 1970. M1 Motorway Services.

At that time, every college and university had a weekend “dance” usually with three bands at the universities. So on a Friday or Saturday night there was a steady flow of Ford Transit vans heading south. Nearly all pro bands, whatever their origin, were based in London. Mostly it took about 90 minutes to clear the stage and load, so 12.30 was pretty standard departure time.

Roadie mythology is that every band stopped at Watford Gap services on the M1. This might have been Watford Gap, but we would probably have stopped at Leicester Forest East if the gig was Yorkshire rather than East Midlands.

So around 3 a.m. At least half a dozen dark blue long wheelbase Transits outside, plus the cars the bands travelled in. I put The Weight on the jukebox. That’s always a lottery … you don’t know how many selections are in the queue before yours comes on. Anyway, The Weight finally came on. A voice shouted out ‘Who put this on?’ I raised my hand. It was Kenny Lynch, famed as the first singer ever to cover a Lennon-McCartney song (Misery). ‘I’ll come and sit with you, then,’ he said.

I had the joy of listening to Kenny singing softly along (word perfect) and then all the other tables joining in on the chorus. That’s how heavily The Band were in rock musician consciousness.

Was there a regional difference in exposure? My years on record collecting (still unfinished) have revealed strong regional differences in what’s around in secondhand 45s and LPs, though Britain never had regional charts … individual shops in some towns had one, but only in their local newspaper. For example, the South Coast, where the seaside resorts were thriving in the late 60s are a goldmine for 60s / early 70s Motown and Atlantic soul … lots of discos. Also in summer, lots of live bands. If I’m in Wales or The Midlands, I’m amazed at the quantity of heavy metal in shops. In Kent, rural Dorset or the far west, the selection of folk is way above average.

You even see this on Record Store Day every year now. Was it 2015 or 2016? What’s That Sound (For What It’s Worth) by Art was a Record Store Day release. Their cover of Buffalo Springfield. Art were an early incarnation of Spooky Tooth, (who covered The Weight). In my area, it sold out in the first few minutes. One of the most desirable singles of the Record Store day. Two weeks later in London there were piles of unsold copies. Then a week later in Marlborough, unsold copies. Spooky Tooth were big in the South Coast ballrooms in 1968. Their cover of The Weight isn’t rare.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 05:22:24 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 04:50:50 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

That's likely the best statement any one's made towards me all day long, Al. I did have a interesting conversation on the subway with two strangers. We spoke about going to visit close friends at their grave sites and having conversations with em. One was a Caribbean man, I'd say in his 50s, the other might have been his daughter or niece, or a younger coworker. She thought we were both nuts & might have to reckon with some heavy spirits. It got pretty good, but restrained & all in a small pre rush hour crowd, not this good.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 01:48:12 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Al, I read a lot of what's written on Springsteen's music and I think what you've written about The Promise is right up there with the very best. You captured the heart and soul of the song. Thanks for sharing my friend.

I'm sure Springsteen will get around to playing The Promise during his Broadway run. All the Wall Street fat cats in the $850 seats will probably use that time to take out their phones and check their messages.

Entered at Tue Sep 26 01:38:51 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Terrific insight there Ian.

I think you've explained so well the broader picture as to why the vacuum existed. Why any artist/management who don't pull out the stops to grab the opportunity when it exists and rely solely on the quality of their work to speak for itself really do run the risk of their work failing to reach the wider audience appreciation they surely want it to reach.

Back in 1968 I was an avid radio listener - Radio 1, Radio Luxemburg and radio Caroline yet I never once heard the Weight on any of those stations. I first heard it on the juke box in the bar of our local pub. I assume it was around the time it was released as a single for it to have been on the playlist. I was just 18 proud and.... :-0). I can still picture the guy who used to put it on. His name was Simmo [Ian Simms]. He was a fair bit older than me - probably mid 20's. I didn't know the guy as a mate or anything and back then wasn't the sort to step up in rank and ask him so I used to trawl through all the songs on the juke box until by a process of elimination costing sixpence each time I narrowed it down to it being The Weight/The Band.

I can still visualise the typed lettering on the juke box selector as I'm typing this. I can also recall the look on Simmo's face - a mixture of puzzlement and pride - when he realized somebody else other than himself was playing the song.

I've no recollection of how I made the jump from the pub exposure to learning about and purchasing Big Pink. I 'm guessing I must have enquired in the local record shop or perhaps there may have been a mention in the NME or Melody Maker. Whatever the case, it was very much a case of Mohammed locating and going to the mountain. Certainly not the other way around.

Nor did it get any better after that. The sleevenotes on Big Pink became my sole source of any information on the group. As far as I ever was aware neither NME nor melody maker ran anything on them. The next bit of information I found was the advert a year later for the second album release 'The Band' prompting me to put in my order immediately at the local record shop. The next reference was a snippet in the NME of george harrison telling people he loved Music From Big Pink but felt The Band was an even better album. Then to no fanfare Rag Mam Rag was released and got to number 17 and so was guaranteed a play on sunday afternoon of Alan Freeman's Pick of the Pops.

And that was about it. So I guess that's why hardly any fucker knew about them Jeff lad.

:-0)

Entered at Tue Sep 26 01:04:15 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Bob F.

Jeez mate, that is heart stopping. Moved to tears listening to it. Fuck. It is such an immense offering it just leaves you numbed. Thanks so much for posting. And you were there for chrissake. Bloodyhell. I've heard it live twice I think but none have come close to that.

Not sure whether I've mentioned it to you before but when I first heard it at the time of 18 Tracks album issue I simply had to write about it in order to deal with the emotional resonance it invoked within me. I'll put it up for yourself and any other Bruce fan who might just happen to enjoy such stuff.

THE PROMISE “The Promise” is by no means Bruce Springsteen’s most prominent song. Originally available as a bootleg only, it was later tucked away on a secondary compilation album of material deemed not quite suitable for primary album release. Though it was later to feature as a focal point for the re-issue of Darkness On The Edge of Town, it remains an obscure diamond of the Springsteen legacy. So much so, it's doubtful many Springsteen afficionados would contest its ranking amongst the artist’s best and most searching offerings.

Like much of his more substantial material its essence lies within the subtleties of spirit that underpin it rather than in any overtness. Written around four decades ago whilst he was still a pioneering young artist that spirit is as relevant today as it was for the generation Springsteen originally wrote it for. If not more so. It could actually have been written yesterday.

The restless, displaced characters that populate so many of Springsteens haunting paeans to inclusion and exclusion are to be found once more within the tapestry of The Promise. The ordinary Joes – in this instance the Johnnies “working in a factory”, the Billys “working downtown” together with the protagonist who “got a job down in Darlington” – live out their mundane existences though always with one eye on escaping. In this case, the character Terry – who we can safely assume to be Bruce himself and who “works in a rock n roll band searching for a million dollar sound” – represents the get out clause to that life, sought by so many though actually available only to the few.

Still, that theme of pulling out will never be that far away even amidst the darkest Springsteen offerings. And in this offering, our protagonist is certainly driven by a yearning to escape from his ordinariness. He “follows that dream just like those guys do way up on the screen” though you know from the opening lines he is not the sort who will ever realise his dreams. Yet, it is not for the want of trying.

The objective may well be hopeless but that by no means closes the door on remaining hopeful. This man has his dignity too – “all my life I’ve fought the fight, a fight that you never can win, every day gets harder to live the dream you believe in”. However for all his ceaseless striving he is also a man with his flaws. Some days he simply doesn’t turn to for his job. “Some nights he goes to the drive in. Some nights he stays home”. It is within the exploration of these everyday human weaknesses that the song reveals its hidden depths. Its true majesty begins to unfold as it evokes that sense of human failing and vulnerability. They are failings Springsteen has always sought to expose in his writing. This time it is encapsulated in the theme of life’s broken promises.

The promises Springsteen writes of are not those life affirming vows and undertakings that accompany the major landmarks of our lives. It is not the betrothal to a sweetheart, the raising of an offspring, the tending of a sick loved one. Rather they are the host of minor resolutions made and dashed day in, day out, week in, week out, year in, year out until we each of us have a lifetime’s legacy of them. The lies with which we kid ourselves and others, the secrets we don’t keep, the timescales we let slip, the friends and loved ones whom we let down and with whom we lose touch - in short “the promises being broken”, often as not “cashed in to fuel our own dreams”. In other words, the very pattern and fabric of life itself.

By the end of his fable, as you might expect, Springsteen is attempting to face up to these realities shoulder to shoulder with us, to gather them into some sort of perspective.

“The promise was broken but you go on living yet it steals something from down in your soul”. When he tells us this he is not making harsh judgement but rather telling it like it is. That it is what happens. Whilst we are not enriched by our failure to honour our resolutions nor should we feel besmirched by it. We are merely demonstrating and living up or down to our humanity.

The song closes with further chilling realities. “Like when the truth is spoken but it don’t make no difference, something in your heart runs cold.” Our protagonist laments that stripped of all its veneers and fineries such resolution can be inevitably what life has in store for most of us. In the ultimate analysis most of us fall short of our goals as our lives become littered with broken promises.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 20:44:11 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

Neil Young and Bruce Cockburn; inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame last night; at Massey Hall; in Toronto.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 19:42:52 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Well Bob , wait a minute now, i was in NY in 91- Woodstock & NYC, I think i caught that same show as you. but i was in NYC in 01 during the time i mentioned too- if you saw a Neil and crazy Horse show then i may have seen that same show too.... show. LOL

Norm, you ain't the only guy with brain damage here.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 19:39:27 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 19:36:35 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Entered at Mon Sep 25 19:02:26 CEST 2017 from (96.245.114.250)

b. lee

Subject: JD correction

I stand corrected. JD Souther's 'A Natural History' consists (mostly) of song he wrote that OTHER people made hits or at least memorably covered. Faithless Love, The Sad Cafe, New Kid In Town, Prisoner In Disguise amongst other gems, rerecorded in his own voice. He should have been a bigger star than he was (is).

Entered at Mon Sep 25 18:53:16 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

I know in 88 he had the This Notes for You big band thing going, i caught two of those shows in relatively small places, i recall the year cause of the woman i was dating & took to the shows, one was our first date...it was after that i saw him with Crazy Horse again, Madison Square Garden a couple of times, exactly when i couldn't say.. Hell, i was in NY in 02 and o3, might have even seen one then if they were touring together....

Entered at Mon Sep 25 18:46:40 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: Lucas Nelson & Promise Of The Real

Dunc, I'm sure you know that Lucas Nelson and his band having been backing Neil recently. This kid is really good. Check out this song (Forget About) Georgia I linked.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 18:34:56 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Dunc, It's a good show. A lot of guitar and great song selection. My wife has a bunch of photos of Neil with that ripped shirt. He must have purchased a case of them and tore off the sleeves. He was going for that punk rocker look. lol I loved the live version of Mideast Vacation. To be honest though, Crazy Horse is my least favorite Neil backing band. I've always preferred The Stray Gators and The International Harvesters. Crazy Horse was so one dimensional and I always felt like he was carrying them on his back.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 18:04:29 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: Rolling Stone & The Band

If I was your typical American teenage music fan back at the end of the 60's, I found out about new music from Rolling Stone almost exclusively. FM radio was still fairly new and in the sticks we only had one weekend "underground" station. In a year or two I would cook up elaborate antennas to pick up WNEW out of NYC. The review of Big Pink by Al Kooper and The Band by Ralph J Gleason were huge. Link is to Ralph J Gleason's review. A great review in Rolling Stone was a career maker in America.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 17:04:07 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: Lyrics

One last thought for the day....considering the actions of the USA president and his following. A remark in the comments column on a Yahoo article:

Comment: The largest percentage of crime in the USA today is committed by black men! That remark is racist.

Lyrics from a Canadian song writer Adam Mitchell;

"Out Among the Stars"

It's midnight at a liquor store in Texas,

Beneath the neon closeup has begun

When a boy walks in the door and points a pistol

He can find a job, but man he's found a gun

Then a change of heart before there's confrontation

Let's the old man live and run out in the street

And he knows that soon they'll come with guns blazing

Already he can feel a great relief

Oh how many travellers get weary

Bearing both their burdens and theie scars

Don't you think they'd love to stop complaining

And fly like eagles out among the stars

There are more important verses, but you get the picture.

Too many young people are given no hope of being treated human and have love and respect. It has to be given more attention.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 16:07:36 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: Bob's arraingments

I appreciate Ramblin' Gamblin' Man as well. Al, you fellows must understand that much of the work on Bob's albums was done at "Muscle Shoals" by that band. As Bob says it was a learning process and they taught him a lot.

Now when I say you guys are young and dumb, I'm sure you know I'm in my Mel Brooks mode and I'm kidding. No one here is dumb, and most much more learned than this old sailor....."Into the Mystic"

My friend B Lee thank you for that.

Now seriously, Al I agree, "Shame on the Moon" was made for Bob. Bob Seger is one of the most gentlemanly kindest person. Look on youtube and watch the way he sings John Fogerty's "Who'll Stop The Rain". His expressions and his excitement in the studio as him and John work together is wonderful.

Also watch Rod Stewart's video of "Who'll stop the rain." Rod uses 3 girls back ground singers. The drummers accents are spot on CCR. The rythmn guitar girl is gorgeous and Rod sings it to perfection.

The Detroit boys like Bob, and his friend Glenn Frey amoung others heard the out west boys like CCR, the Byrds and others and of course many like Glenn Frey came out west. The Bay area was where the action was back then.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 15:48:18 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Great points, Ian. There’s another level though. Influence. In late 1969 to 70, every musician I knew owned Frank Zappa’s “Hot Rats.” It got to 173 in the Billboard 200, and never charted in the UK, but it was voted #13 in a Q & Mojo poll on best prog albums.

Take some classic soul hits in the UK. Wilson Pickett “In The Midnight Hour” #12, Mustang Sally #28. Knock on Wood by Eddie Floyd, UK #19. Otis Redding’s Respect? Didn’t chart, though Aretha’s cover version was #10. These are seminal soul recordings. Mind you, Atlantic had some huge-selling compilation LPs, notably This is Soul which was UK #1.

In June 1970 I bought a copy of The Weight 45 as a birthday present for a friend. I remember the shop had copies on the shelf, and you can date pressings by the LPs advertised on the Capitol rear sleeve. It was a recent pressing with the brown album on the back. So like a lot of soul, it didn’t do that rocket run up the charts in 1968, but sold consistently over a longer period.

(One for Al: I'll have ten Weights, please, was a common expression in UK shops in those days, as you and Dunc will know.)

Entered at Mon Sep 25 14:13:59 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 14:04:17 CEST 2017 from (96.245.114.250)

b.lee

Subject: JD Souther

Rockin Chair, JD Souther released an album of new material, 'If the World Was You' in 2008. A bit jazzier than his 70s stuff but quite stunning. The voice is weathered a bit but still killer. 'A Natural History' (2011), a sort of revisited greatest hits collection is also top notch. I see there have been some live releases since, but have not heard them. JD will top my playlist today. Thanks.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 13:58:30 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Norm, being substantially older, you must have been aware of Ramblin Gamblin Man, I was just a kid, 10 or 11 years old when i heard it. Of course, i was still exposed to alot by my cousin & his friends being 5 years older. I remember it was the hard touring ( & rep for well apppreciated hard touring) & Live Bullet record that broke Seger solidly & then Night Moves took the world by storm.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 13:43:55 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: The Promise Albany 1977

Al, did you get download of Albany 1977? Check out this version of The Promise. I was there!

Entered at Mon Sep 25 13:04:24 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Just seen your post Ian. can't wait to absorb it when I get back in.

:-0)

Entered at Mon Sep 25 13:01:24 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Jeff. Great post. I agree about those lines you quoted. Especially for all us arl arses they're so brutally honest they kill you. I also love the line "...Where they deal one another from the bottom of a deck of promises..." and its multi interpretable context within the song. It takes me straight into the territory Springsteen tackled with arguably my favourite Bruce track 'The Promise'.

Do have to disagree when you say there was another better song for him to write. Personally I do think he'd pretty much nailed it, though I take your point about the quality he had around him. Then again, if any artist had earned such team support it's surely gorra be our Bob.

Norm. Like you I love 'Shame on the Moon' to bits. Wonderful song. My mate Al has it as his all time favourite song full stop!!. When I first heard it when I got the album it was hard to credit it wasn't Bob's own song. It's so made for him and fits him like a glove.

Just a few other observations on Bob whilst we're on it and I'd love to hear other takes on this.

I can't think of any other artist who puts quite so much care, attention and emphasis to the beginnings and, particularly, the endings of songs. On so many of his tracks on his '76 - '91 period it's clear Seger has spent so much time and effort on the bookends of so many of his songs but as I say particularly the ends.

Also his use of the female backing singers is another device he uses to such stunning effect on some of his tracks. And boy am I a sucker for that. Then there's his use of Alto Reed's piercing sax which also lifts many of the songs an extra level. Mainstreet on the Nine Tonight album becomes almost an entirely different song from the more restrained guitar hooked studio album original. then there's the way he clearly writes so many of his songs so that his melodies and lyrics hang so loosely around the music and the musical hooks.

All these devices come to such a beautiful fruition on 'Shinin' Brightly'. the lyrics are so simple and basic but all the other devices lift it so wonderfully the lyrical limitation actually becomes yet another strength of the song all of which possibly goes towards explaining why it's become such a favourite for me.

:-0)

Entered at Mon Sep 25 12:28:22 CEST 2017 from (80.3.75.140)

Ian W

It is one of life’s mysteries why The Band did not fare particularly well in Britain. Al and Peter are right - they were more appreciated by musicians than by record buyers in general - but that doesn’t really explain it. I know in advance that I shall fail but here are a few random thoughts anyway.

Let me start by stating the obvious. Although known as Dylan’s backing group from the time of the 1966 tour and although known by UK rockers as Ronnie Hawkins’ backing group before that, they were formed in 1967. We should view their initial impact in terms of Britain in the 1967 and 1968. MFBP came out in August 1968 in Britain but it is my first contention that it simply did not fit the musical ‘zeitgeist’.

Britain was still “swingin’”. The influence of the Sgt Pepper album was still being felt; the change from Between the Buttons (released January 1967) to Satanic Majesties (released December 1967) may exemplify this. Jimi Hendrix was (literally and metaphorically) the poster boy; he had risen in 1967 from ‘nowhere’, as they say, and his second album, Axis: Bold As Love, was released in December 1967. Pink Floyd had similarly risen in 1967 with Saucerful of Secrets being released in June 1968. This was what was ‘happening’ in Britain at that time.

As with many such broad brush assertions, one can identify at least one exception – in this case, Dylan. With his track record, he bucked the trend with ‘John Wesley Harding’. Released in February 1968, it was not only a UK Top Twenty LP but it got to No.1. There was, though, no Dylan single release from that album that year, though. It was the Hendrix version of Watchtower, released in October 1968 and so very different from Dylan’s original, that achieved chart success.

Covers of Basement Tape songs were being released and you would think that The Band’s involvement in those sessions would gain them some traction. However, perhaps the biggest chart impact with a Basement Tape cover was Julie Driscoll’s “This Wheel’s On Fire”, released in May 1968 (UK # 5 but also international success) . Again, it was a very different ‘sound’. As a recent sleeve-note said, it “managed to capture that transitional era in British music where pop met the underground and fell under the spell of the summer of love”. The Band was never on that continuum – and didn’t want to be

If my first contention is that The Band were ‘out of step’ with the times (counter the counter-culture, if you wish), my second contention is that they did not support their early releases in any meaningful way. They didn’t play concerts and they didn’t do ‘press’, for example. There may have been reasons and those reasons may have been valid - these are not the issue. In terms of personal ‘appearances’ (whether in concert or in interviews), there was a vacuum (or a near-vacuum anyway). There seems to have been a notion that this ploy had worked for Dylan but that notion is false. Dylan had not been reclusive as he rose to national prominence - he played dozens and dozens of concerts, conducted dozens of interviews and even did some press conferences. Perhaps The Band members were put off by the nature of Dylan’s interaction with the press in the 1965-66 period when they toured with him. No matter – it generated awareness of Dylan amongst the general public, including the parents of the young record buyers.

My third contention is that The Band and their management did not grasp the opportunities open to them. Let me give one example. They came over to play the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival, both in their own right and to back Dylan. The publicity was enormous. Dylan had released Nashville Skyline in May 1969 and almost immediately it got into the charts. It was 18 weeks in the LP Top Ten and got to #1. The record-buying public had moved beyond ‘pyscho-delia”. Could not something more have been arranged for The Band during that visit? If there was an exclusivity clause in the contract, I don’t recall it being mentioned in “Stealing Dylan From Woodstock”, the book by Ray Foulk, one of the festival organisers). Another example is not appearing in the Woodstock film, as others have mentioned. Lost opportunities, both!

It would 1970 before The Band began to make any kind of ‘general awareness’ impact here. It wasn’t until the spring of 1970 that they cracked the singles Top Twenty with “Rag Mama Rag”. Perhaps on the back of this, the “Stage Fright” album got to #15 in the LP charts in late1970. This may be why it wasn’t until 1971 that a UK promoter put them on; “Harold Davison on behalf of M.A.M. Ltd., by arrangement with S.B.A.”. The Harold Davison Agency, in the 1960s) was known for promoting jazz concerts - at least, by me. Even then, only one Royal Albert Hall show was put on at first; the following night (June 3rd) was advertised as an “EXTRA CONCERT”. There were no shows in Scotland, as said earlier, nor elsewhere around these isles in 1971. I lived in Scotland then but could not afford a trip to London to see them, in time or in money, and I was someone who had bought MFBP almost as soon as it came out here.

A 1971 article in DISC & MUSIC ECHO started, “Nobody seems to know much about the Band”. Sadly, that just about sums it up as far as most people in the UK were concerned.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 12:18:27 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: Happy Birthday

I'm well aware of how old John and Bob are. They are a year younger than me.

Although Bob had kicked around in a couple of other bands before he began the "Silver Bullet Band", he didn't record the album "Night Moves" until '76.

CCR was long gone by that time. They were and still are huge in Europe. John Fogerty was in the Hall of Fame long before Bob. It's always been well known what Bob thinks of John and his music. Age has nothing to do with that, even tho' John was from the west coast.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 10:03:50 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Subject: Early Seger Linked

Norm, Bob Seger, born May 6th 1945, is 22 days older than Fogerty, who followed on May 28th that year.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 05:44:09 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 04:24:33 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

How do i express this Al? The Fire Inside, well, the entire performance and individual performances are brilliant. The production is as well. Including Seger's genuine vocal. With a real budget, and the best of the best players I engineers it should be almost impossible not to get that. The lyrics- well, i won't brush em off so easily, cause Seger makes em all sound good. And i guess he means em, maybe to him they are real and important. To me, save for a few lines, mainly the title & the last lyrics, it's kind of a pretty pedestrian lyric, mostly the set up is just rehashed self indulgence that's presented as if it wasn't and is sung with conviction..

Here's the terrific and true lines:
"And it comes to you how it all slips away Youth and beauty are gone one day No matter what you dream or feel or say It ends in dust and disarray"

"Dreams die hard and we watch them erode but we cannot be denied the fire inside- burning you up"..... to me, that's phenomenal, and true, but, far as I'm concerned, all the words that mean something in that lyric ..

i think Seger had a much better song to write but wrote this one. But that's just me and it don't mean much. I'm just one person. but it does show how two people ( you & I ) with great musical & lyrical taste can see things quite differently :-)

Entered at Mon Sep 25 04:10:23 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: The Politics

For my own enjoyment I was watching the video I mentioned of John Fogerty & Bob Seger.

The thought struck me how people like Bob Dylan, and John Fogerty feel about their country. It feels so relevant to today. A "Fake President" who treats his people so badly instead of uniting his country.

Bob Wigo, if you are around, I saw your Face Book comments. I expect that as your son is a military man this action the sports people are taking offends you. However you respect their 1st amendment right. How can you reconcile a man who divides your people so. Consider these words of John Fogerty.

Long as I remember, rains been comin' down, clouds of misty pourin',

Confusion on the ground. Good men thru' the ages tryin to find the sun.

And I wonder, still I wonder, Who'll stop the rain.......

I went down Virginia seekin' shelter from the storm

Caught up in the fable, I watched the tower fall,

Five year plans and new deals, wrapped in golden chains,

And I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain.

Heard the singer playin', how we cheered for more,

The crowd has rushed together, tryin' to keep warm,

Still the rain kept pourin', fallin' on my ears,

And I wonder, still I wonder....who'll stop the rain.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 03:39:08 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: Bob Seger

Two of Bob Seger's finest works, he didn't write. His cover of Rodney Crowell's "Shame on the Moon" is (CLASSIC).

Bob Seger has forever been a fan of John Fogerty, (he loves him). Fogerty was a "trail blazer" for many of these rockers.

Just search on youtube and watch Bob & John's video of "Who'll stop the rain".

I know you guys are a bunch of young, dumb kids........but.......you can learn!

Entered at Mon Sep 25 02:44:24 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Subject: The Great Bob Seger

Got everything he's ever done Jeff. Love the fella to bits.

Hard for me to pick his best as he's got so many great tracks in his locker. I know it goes against the grain with some on here who prefer his earlier stuff but my favourite Seger by some distance is the material from the period from Night Moves through to The Distance.

If I could take just one track with me from all he's done then I guess it has to be 'Shinin' Brightly' from the 'Against the Wind' album which is simply so uplifting it still brings a tear or two of joy with each listen. But for those who haven't stuck with the guy and dismiss his later stuff please do also check out the incredible 'Fire Inside' [linked] from 1991 with its relentless mesmerising driving beat, its addictive Roy Bittan piano hook, vocals to match Bob's finest ever and which for me has lyric writing at a level of such piercing honesty you find yourself blushing as he unveils the secret desires of any hot blooded soul.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 01:08:34 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Mon Sep 25 00:25:34 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Sun Sep 24 23:22:47 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Sun Sep 24 19:11:28 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: Days Like This

Every one is always putting out their lists. I don't have lists of resent albums, or what is popular. My lists are in my mind and here is what I listen to all the time.

Today laying back with my head phones on I picked up "Easy Rider" on youtube. The scene where as they ride "The Weight" plays, (by the BAND). This motivated me to spend some of my Sunday morning relaxing with these old friends.

Buck Wheat Stevenson: Wrote "My Maria", best recording, best recording of "Shambala". Died at only 38 having heart surgery.

JD Souther, wrote songs for the Eagles with Glenn Frey. His "Your Only Lonely". Sounds like it should be a Roy Orbison song.

Sammy Johns: Wrote and recorded "Chevy Van". We got a lot of mileage out of that song in the seventies, it was relavent and a great song. Sammy is gone now.

Danny O'Keefe - Good Time Charlie. A great song to end the night.

Bob Seger - "Against the Wind" Suits me, one of Bob's best.

Rod Stewart has a music video of John Fogerty's "Have you ever seen the rain". His band plays this spot on like CCR and the rythmn guitar player is DELUXE. John Fogerty wrote this song when CCR was on a high roll. However they all hated each other and were miserable which was the motivation for this song.

Colin James - "Into The Mystic" one of my favourite songs Colin does a good job and the slide player is pretty tastey.

VAN - Tupelo Honey, don't have to have a reason for this song.

Red Bone - "Come and get your love". Memories

My Morning Jacket - "Makes no Difference" - Remembering the best of the best.

Entered at Sun Sep 24 18:51:29 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Sun Sep 24 15:36:57 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

When I moved to St Louis in 1981, my friend ( since the age of 13) Nancy asked me:"Why St Louis?" I responded;"I made a wrong turn in Pittsburgh." Well, the move was just one of those things, i was going to Arizona, never got there (till 2010, fleeing a girlfriend by going to work a hailstorm).. ......In any event, I returned to NYC in 85, Nancy, a very funny girl, never stopped asking the question, & then when in 97 I moved back to St Louis & began bouncing back & forth for 16 years she kept asking. But we got our answer in 04 when I made that Johnnie Johnson record.

I know better than to expect fast answers to anything.

Entered at Sun Sep 24 15:18:27 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Sun Sep 24 15:10:47 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

I think Pete's spot on re The Weight being performed by so many musicians. Yet admirable as it was for them to attempt to cover it/perform it, it was always going to remain an unattainable target of accomplishment for every UK back street and mainstream band/group with the remotest aspiration of achieving musical credibility. Indeed, when you were as immersed into the matchless beauty and authenticity of the original's perfection as I became it could often make you physically wince when you were exposed to it being 'murdered' live.

I recall Nick Logan's comment in the NME when The Band performed at The Albert hall in '71 - "you could scarcely get near the Albert hall for all the transit vans circling it". It was a resounding testimony to the huge admiration and popularity of The Band amongst the UK musical fraternity.

As regards the ordinary pop/rock music loving Joe/Jane Bloggs, however? Forget it. Not even a quiver on the Rock/pop Richter scale.

Not sure about the Rags/Floral Dance analogy though Pete lad!!

;-0)

I'm still reflecting on why though Jeff - and I will get back to it.

Entered at Sun Sep 24 14:09:25 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

So Mike Scott was right, you can drive it (or in a tour bus, be driven) in a day. I pointed out you need two drivers … in the UK, they have to stop driving a truck or bus after 9 hours at the wheel in any day. I thought of this once when I was having a minor eyelid operation under local anaesthetic. It was 9 pm. As the scalpel finished hovering under my eye, I said 'You must have had a long day.' "I certainly have,' said the surgeon, 'I started at 8 a.m.' So thirteen hours. The thought that a truck or taxi driver is only allowed to work 9 hours in a day was in my mind. Then he added, 'But I live 90 miles away, so I had a two hour drive before I started.'

Entered at Sun Sep 24 14:03:26 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

The Weight was not only known by The Band. There were contemporary covers by Spooky Tooth, Jackie de Shannon, Diana Ross with The Supremes and Temptations, and Aretha Franklin. Then you have Smith on “Easy Rider” OST album (US #6), and The Band on the film. At my birthday party, all five musicians had played The Weight professionally at some time in their lives … all with different bands.

Rag Mama Rag spent many years on BBC Radio Two’s allegedly very short “permanent classic rock playlist.” I heard Terry Wogan play it several times on the breakfast show. He was very fond of it. A nagging thought comes into my mind that it might have influenced his love of the very different but equally jaunty The Floral Dance, a major UK #2 hit for the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band. Terry Wogan then covered it and got to #21.

Entered at Sun Sep 24 12:12:45 CEST 2017 from (86.167.173.74)

Dunc

Thanks, Ben. Yesterday after my post, I thought I wished I had posted that it was a big mistake that they did not appear on the Woodstock film, which was very popular here. Some artists became very popular because of the film. I never thought of the impact of Easy Rider.

Entered at Sun Sep 24 12:00:23 CEST 2017 from (86.167.173.74)

Dunc

Thanks, Al.

Thanks, Jeff. An interesting argument, which I've thought about from time to time. There used to be a radio programme on Radio Scotland (BBC) on Saturday mornings, aimed at listeners, who would be in their fifties, sixties and seventies now. The listeners voted Neil Young as the most popular band or artist.

Thanks, Rod. 'Rag Mama Rag' was popular here. The top twenty show on Sunday evening was a must listen for children, teenagers and young adults. They needed more top twenty singles. Many British artists talk about how much pressure there was to keep producing hits or they would be dropped.

Thanks, Bob F. They're historical novels now. You've got me re reading them. I'm on my fifth since late summer now? Do you play 'Cow Palace 1986'? What do you think?

Entered at Sun Sep 24 09:22:17 CEST 2017 from (210.86.67.137)

Rod

Entered at Sun Sep 24 05:03:23 CEST 2017 from (24.114.77.154)

Bill M

I lived in Saudi Arabia for 15 months in a house with a half-dozen Englishmen, most a bit older than me, two a bit younger. The older guys were all familiar with the Band, and one even returned from a trip home with TLW on VHS for us to watch (it was '84-'85). One of the younger guys turned out to be a big fan, though he admitted that he hadn't even heard of them before the movie appeared. He was (and is) a guitarist who loved Robbie's style, so when he came to Toronto and stayed with us for a bit in the '90s I played him my Roulette 45 or "Who Do You Love"; he'd never heard it and had never imagined Robbie (or anybody else) playing like that. His eyes popped out of his head and he said, "William, I must have this!"

Entered at Sun Sep 24 02:03:40 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Just seen your poser Jeff. It's an interesting one.

I think Dunc and Ben have certainly covered some of the ground. Hopefully I'll find the time tomorrow to put my slant across. maybe Pete and Rog and Ian can do the same. Because whatever the reason, it was certainly the case.

Entered at Sat Sep 23 23:56:03 CEST 2017 from (97.92.250.170)

Ben Pike

Subject: exposure

Dunc, I think here Albert Grossman, a sometimes unfairly maligned figure, did screw up. If the Band had been on the "Easy Rider" and "Woodstock" soundtracks they would have been bigger. If more recent accounts are to be believed, Richard and Rick's penchant for getting into trouble may account in part for the low profile. But they didn't sound much like anything else, were hard to put in a box, and that's what continues to make them special.

Entered at Sat Sep 23 15:23:18 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Essentially you're saying it's a matter of underexposure: not enough promo &/or touring.

I'm wondering if Al thinks it's a cultural or some kind of mindset thing. And/or maybe if he thinks that people like you, he,Peter, Rob Mills, Roger, Richard, Ian, etc, could have some CanAmerican trait or tendencies, or have a deficiency in some sort of particularly U.K.ish trait that made you more vulnerable than the average uker to The Band.

Entered at Sat Sep 23 11:08:17 CEST 2017 from (86.167.173.74)

Dunc

Jeff, the Band had only one top twenty hit, at a time when singles were important, and it's a cliche, but I think there is an element of truth in it, that the Band are seen as 'those people who played with Dylan' in the UK.

I bought the single 'Rag Mama Rag', which was their only top twenty hit in the UK. Thsat was my introduction, but a few years passed before I heard much else about them.

Peter (Hi Peter) talks about how 'The Weight' had cult status, when he was at university, but it was years after that before I had heard it. If that record had made the top twenty instead of only the top forty then the story might have been different.

I read that the biggest Band related selling single in the UK is 'Somewhere Down The Crazy River'. Got a lot of plays up here, and I think it is great.

I think the Band didn't tour enough here also. I don't think that they ever played Scotland. I think as simple a thing as an appearance on 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' would have helped.

Though, conversely, I saw a celebration of 'The Last Waltz' done brilliantly by Irish musicians more than a few years ago and it sold out in no time. And a few weeks ago I was listening to a popular radio show and 'The Weight' by a female singer was introduced as the song which began 'Americana'. And my local record shop has a second hand copy of 'Islands' in the window. I would also say many music fans would know how George Harrison and Eric Clapton revered them. So not entirely unknown.

Thoughts Peter, Roger, Ian and Al.

Entered at Sat Sep 23 01:20:50 CEST 2017 from (47.20.222.197)

Jeff A.

Entered at Fri Sep 22 18:47:23 CEST 2017 from (100.34.127.122)

PSB

Peter according to Google, you can drive from Little Rock to Santa Fe in 12 hours and 18 minutes, though the more realistic distancesonline lists it as 12 hours and 38 minutes.

Entered at Fri Sep 22 12:47:24 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Really nice of you to say that mate.

When I discovered the GB around 2000 I think, it was as if I'd been released from a Band vacuum after 32 years with scarcely one other interested soul with which to share my passion.

The sobering fact which I'm pretty sure no American/Canadian folks can ever really comprehend, was that in the UK The Band was simply not on people's radar. Even Rag Mama Rag reaching the top 20 had no impact at all. Nobody was interested. The tiny flickering of interest with the cinema release of Last Waltz might just as well have been a Mickey Mouse cartoon release for all the response it got.

So discovering Jan's GB was like entering an Aladdin's cave and I don't think I've ever lost the gratitude and relief I felt back then when I discovered it. Moreover i'm sure that is why it compelled me to write those three pieces in an attempt to place on record exactly what The Band and their music had signified to me all those years ago.

And it's why it's such a thrill to think that someone like yourself has found something in what I've written that mirrors what you yourself also felt.

So thanks again Glenn. Means a lot.

:-0)

Entered at Thu Sep 21 16:22:52 CEST 2017 from (70.121.56.235)

glenn t

Thank you, Al, for putting into words what so many of us feel about The Band; about those first two magical, magnificent albums. And thanks to Jan for archiving it; preserving your effort and thoughts for years to come. Perhaps we should have a yearly reminder to read your article, and then to listen to those records without interruption (of course, we can't help but listen to them throughout the year).

Entered at Thu Sep 21 10:14:26 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Jan, you're one of a kind mate.

Many thanks for that. The sentiments of the piece mean so much to me. The fact those sentiments now have a permanent home for like-minded souls to share feels so nice.

:-0)

Entered at Wed Sep 20 23:53:11 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Larkin Poe … the CD from 2011 "Thick As Thieves" arrived today. Played it three times … it's only 25 minutes long so more of a CD EP. Fabulous singing, but I suspect they do covers so brilliantly because their own songwriting (as on Thick of Thieves) is not especially interesting! Will still get the 2017 one though.

Entered at Wed Sep 20 21:50:51 CEST 2017 from (85.164.75.178)

jh

A GB post from 15 years ago was just promoted to the article archive :-) Thank you, Mr Edge

Entered at Wed Sep 20 21:46:21 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Bleedinell Todd!!

I sure wasn't ready for that. I've already watched a dozen of their videos back to back.

Guess I might even start to listen to the music they're playing now I've calmed down a bit!!!

:-0)

Entered at Wed Sep 20 21:12:44 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

The Waterboys new record Out Of All This Blue has a really great sound. My hearing is at least 1/2 way gone and I'm marveling at how it's just jumping out of the speakers.. Mike Scott has taken what's current in music and meshed it with The Waterboys classic sound to create something timeless. Very similar to what The Stones did back in the day with Some Girls. Folks from Great Britain will find Kinky Freedman's History Lesson very interesting. There was a discussion about keyboard players on The GB a few weeks back and The Waterboys have a great one. Brother Paul Brown has been playing with The Waterboys the past few years and he has really elevated their sound. It's easy to root for Mike Scott. One of the good guys.

Entered at Wed Sep 20 20:24:51 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Dunc, thanks. I'm almost done reading the Martin Beck series. Loved all of them. Thanks again for that tip.

Entered at Wed Sep 20 19:51:34 CEST 2017 from (47.20.223.172)

Jeff A.

Entered at Wed Sep 20 18:37:28 CEST 2017 from (86.167.173.74)

Dunc

Enjoyed Roseann's clip very much, Bob. Thanks.

Played BARK's 'Kings and Queens', Bill. Really enjoying it. I only know four or five of the singers. Maybe this album was the BARK album, which took longer to grow on me.

Entered at Wed Sep 20 15:24:14 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Ian W: Thanks for the long quote from Pancake-Nelson. I don't agree with your conclusion that they the don't "mince" their works. What do we make of the following concoction, which goes beyond mince and into the land of slurry: "The results are interesting and even moving .... But ... of no value to those of us who get our enjoyment from hearing old songs brought alive".

Entered at Wed Sep 20 14:46:42 CEST 2017 from (96.245.114.250)

b.lee

Subject: Just an observation

It has occurred to me lately that one reason I and many others were immediately drawn to the songs of the Band is that despite multiple vocalists and overlapping parts, not necessarily quite in rhythmic sync, even the first time you heard a Band song you could understand WHAT THE HELL THEY WERE SAYING! So many new (and probably many old) recordings have the vocals so buried in effects and back in the mix that I can't figure out what they are on about. (Of course my hearing at 60+ is not what it once was.) Thoughts?

Entered at Wed Sep 20 13:40:58 CEST 2017 from (80.3.75.140)

Ian W

I mentioned LITTLE SANDY REVIEW and its editors' predilections. I'll come on to a couple of examples shortly, but, first, the relevant part of the editors' review of Dylan's first album (plus a bit more):

"IN MY TIME OF DYIN' is a fine blues, with Dylan playing some outstanding knife guitar instead of his usual Jack Elliott-style scratch, flat-pick style. His vocal is effectively and strongly blues-tinged. Three other more-or-less blues (Bukka White's FIXIN' To Die, Lemon Jefferson's SEE THAT MY GRAVE IS KEPT CLEAN, and something called HIGHWAY 51) feature Dylan playing his flat-pick guitar, although the singing is generally more bluesy than Western. HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN, a song we can't stand even by Woody, is given superlative treatment here. It is one of the best, most carefully constructed and sung, numbers on the LP, and rises to a smashing emotional climax. Dylan's vocal is very subtle, here".

They end their lengthy review by stating, "All in all, this LP is a magnificent debut, and, we sincerely hope that Dylan will steer clear of the Protesty people, continue to write songs near the traditional manner, and continue to develop his mastery of his difficult, delicate, highly-personal style".

By way of contrast, a few words on Joan Baez, reprinted from a previous article in answer to a reader's letter:

"Baez is an exciting singer and would be stirring whether she did LITTLE MOSES or NIGHT AND DAY. In fact, it probably wouldn't matter which, since she is a superficial performer who doesn't probe the inner content of her material. She is not a folksinger, since she neither sings nor plays in traditional style - nor does she perform traditional versions of folksongs. It's too bad she doesn't, for we feel she has the talent and sensitivity to become a good performer ........ the condition comes about which we recognize in Miss Baez - - a gifted youngster who has heard a couple of Odetta albums and has had a guitar lesson or two jumping on folksongs, changing or arranging and tempering to get them to fit her personal 'style'. The results are interesting and even moving, if the singer is sensitive enough. But as folk music, it is at best a tweety-tweet watering down; at worst a complete and and tasteless travesty. And of no value to those of us who get our enjoyment from hearing old songs brought alive".

And talking of Odetta, they ended their review of her "Odetta At Town Hall" album as follows:/n "ODETTA AT TOWN HALL contains few songs she has not already recorded elsewhere, and is musically redundant as well. Odetta fans may want to buy it for the applause".

Not ones to mince their words, Jon Pankake and Paul Nelson

Entered at Tue Sep 19 23:08:22 CEST 2017 from (81.97.166.53)

Ian W

Thanks for the additional information, Peter.

I don't know whether Dylan actually had a copy of the Harry Smith set but, if not, it was certainly available to him when he got to Greenwich Village in early 1961. In fact, it is quite likely that he was aware of it when he went to college in Minneapolis, where he knew Jon Pankake and Paul Nelson. Pankake contributed an essay to the 1997 CD reissue and, in that essay, he wrote, "I was introduced to the 'Anthology' in 1959 by Paul Nelson, a friend and classmate at the University of Minnesota". 1959 was when Dylan was there. Pankake says that Nelson had located a copy and they sat up til dawn listening to it "over and over" and "talking excitedly". He cites several tracks that "especially enthralled" them and one of those was "John The Revelator", which was the Blind Willie Johnson" track on the set. This prompted Pankake and Nelson to start their LITTLE SANDY REVIEW magazine, which often contrasted (unfavourably) music of the kind on the 'Anthology' and the 'folk music' then being recorded and released by the record companies. Pankake went on, in the next couple of years, to trade (i.e. exchange) "entire 7-inch reels of dubs of old-time country songs and blues".

On arrival in New York, Dylan was fairly soon ensconced with the Village folkies. There is a film of a party at Alan Lomax's apartment (in the spring of 1961, as I recall) and, though Dylan does not appear in the film, several of the people he knew do and Dylan is rumoured to have been present. Lomax could well have had the original 78, as could several other people with whom Dylan was a familiar back then. Your suggestion of an original 78 seems quite likely and, if not an actual 78, then a taped dub of it.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 21:55:44 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Here's a link to the CD JQ referred to. Seems to me to be a must-buy.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 20:58:41 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: RoseAnn on Bronxnet Television

Todd, thank you for those kind words about RoseAnn's songs. I'll pass them on. She will be thrilled. Some days all you need is encouraging words to keep going. Larkin Poe are wonderful. I will be purchasing some of their music. Thanks for that as well.

Al, thanks for never forgetting about RoseAnn. She's going to record her new songs in the next month or so. Hopefully she will have something out by Christmas.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 18:19:29 CEST 2017 from (63.142.158.9)

JQ

This tribute record to Willie Johnson came out a few years back. Interesting and holy.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 17:23:26 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Tue Sep 19 17:22:33 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Ian, look up the song on Wiki. They have a picture of the 1928 Columbia 78 rpm single of In My Time of Dying by Blind Willie Johnson. Interest in him came from Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music, which we know Bob had. He was clearly in touch with avid record collectors as he has described. I wouldn't worry about a reissue, but would assume he knew someone with the original Columbia 78.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 16:20:11 CEST 2017 from (81.97.166.53)

Ian W

I've recently written an article on Dylan and Paul Oliver, the blues authority who died recently.

In this article, I quote from a book entitled "The Blues Revival" by Bob Groom, one in a series of "Blues Paperbacks" edited by Paul Oliver and published by Studio Vista in the 1970s. The book has a brief section mentioning the influence of Dylan in the "blues revival" and this section says that, as indicated by Peter V, "In My Time of Dyin'" came from Blind Willie Johnson, namely from his "Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dyin' Bed".

Bob Shelton (writing as Stacey Williams in the liner notes to Dylan's first album) said that Dylan had never played the song before the recording session and that Dylan could not remember where he had heard it. Dylan plays slide guitar on the recording, using girlfriend Suze Rotolo's lipstick holder to achieve this effect. Since I understand that Blind Willie Johnson also played slide (and that Josh White did not on his version), then this would seem to be a pointer to the likely source. However, John Godrich's 1965 booklet "Pre-War Blues Artists Reisuued on EP and LP 1951-1964" does not list this song amongst the Blind Willie Johnson recordings reissued in the period in question. This leaves open the question of where Dylan first heard the song.

"In My Time of Dyin'" was the very last song recorded at Dylan's first recording session (20 November 1961) and that the 'slating' did not happen until after the recording had taken place (slating normally preceded a recording). The song was done in a single take and it was as though Dylan threw it into the mix at the last minute. Moreover, the preceding recording ("Man of Constant Sorrow"), also done in a single take that day, had no slating whatsoever. I have often wondered if, perhaps as time was running out at the end of that first session, Dylan just quickly sang the two songs straight off, without a break. This suggestion is quite possible, perhaps probable, because "Man of Constant Sorrow did not get a "CO" number at all that day. It was only given a "CO" number two days later, when Dylan did three more takes, the third of which is the one on the album.

You can see all this on a "track sheet" in the BOOTLEG SERIES Vols.1-3 booklet, though this image shows the content of Reel 2C which has recordings from both sessions. My comments are based on "track sheets" for the individual sessions, though the information is the same.

Incidentally, the Paul Oliver article will be in the next issue of one of the Dylan fanzines.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 15:32:08 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Mercedes Benz

Link to Jon Boden's version of Mercedes-Benz in his 365 song marathon "A Folk Song A Day", He justifies it as a folk song too!

Entered at Tue Sep 19 15:28:51 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Tue Sep 19 15:25:01 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

gobsmacked. OK, Oxford say it dates to the 1980s. I suspect the Liverpool connection is because they trace five uses in Alan Beasdale’s TV series “Boys From The Blackstuff.” Then “Historically Speaking” a language website found it in a 1956 book by Jack Reynolds “A Woman of Bangkok.”

There is argument on what a GOB is. In Celtic languages, it’s a mouth. So smacked in the gob. Then they find it in coal mining for the space left when stuff is removed, a hole, or gob. It was packed with loose rock and left to collapse. When it collapsed, startled miners were “gob-smacked” (especially if standing under it) and they date it to 1700. A “gob” in coal mining is known in Australia, and they date that back to 1804, and the first mines.

I can't be bothered to go and look … but I have a funny feeling that GOBSMACKED appears in Barry McKenzie cartoons (about an Australian in England) from the mid-1960s.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 14:53:08 CEST 2017 from (32.216.235.50)

Todd

Subject: The Ladies

Peter V, funny how the multitude of Larkin Poe videos can burn 1/2 hour or more before you've realized that much time has gone by. They also do a pretty good cover of 'Preachin Blues', and a fun version of the Hall and Oates song 'Rich Girl', which is performed in their bathroom. Even when they're goofing around, their talent and musicianship shines through.
As Levon used to say: "Ain't it easy when you know how."

Al Edge, thanks for the tip to Roseann's performance on the Bronx Arts show. She definitely has a talent for putting words together. Reminds me of the type of songwriting and passion that one hears in Lucinda Williams, or Mike Scott and the Waterboys. I love this verse from the second tune that she performed on the show....it's world class songwriting and her phrasing does it justice.

"So I've been thinking about heading South
And finding the crossroads that Robert Johnson wrote about
And asking for forgiveness, if it's some kind of truth
And asking if I deserve something good like you"

Entered at Tue Sep 19 14:30:18 CEST 2017 from (86.167.173.74)

Dunc

And the Bournemouth goal must be the goal of the season. What an angle!

Entered at Tue Sep 19 14:25:11 CEST 2017 from (86.167.173.74)

Dunc

Thanks, Al. I hope it works. But, I've noticed the murmurings of some of the fans. I passionately hope Robertson does the business to reignite the Scottish connection. He's a good player...we've just got to wait and see.

It's all about the money nowadays. Celtic have FAR more than any other club up here. It's 1991 since a team other than the old firm even challenged. I would love for any other club to win our league.

Sometimes I dream that an Arab nation buys Dundee United or St Mirren and invests an incredible amount of money in it and either team(our two families' teams) wins the league.

Thanks, Bill. It's amazing over the years how often I read how such and such a band were influenced by the ISB. Also the same for John Martyn. As well as Steve's and your enthusiasm for BARK, what also took me into them was Tom Wilson's enthusiasm for John Martyn.

I really miss John Martyn and Michael Marra annual concerts.

Maybe wrong, but I always thought of gobsmacked as Liverpool. Definitely not Scottish.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 14:13:01 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

A matter of life and death? It's more important than that … down here, we have had a horrendous start to the season, but even then it took Manchester City to the NINTH minute of extra time to squeeze a winning goal past us. As they say the ref must have been getting embarrassed wondering how long he dare keep it going until City got a goal.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 13:39:14 CEST 2017 from (67.80.30.111)

Jeff A.

Subject: Secret Handshake

Al, if you write to Jan, I'm certain he'd gladly create a secret handshake for you to post with.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 12:48:02 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Hiya mate

There's no panic re the Reds Dunc despite some so-called fans seeming to believe that any absence of instant success equates to the need for a new manager.

Fact is Kloppie will get there for us. He's an exceptional character and totally committed to football in a manner not entirely unlike that of a certain unique man from a now sadly vanished mining village called Glenbuck up in your neck of the woods.

The improvements required are coming. There not yet all in place but these things do take time if your objectives are as high as Kloppie's and ours. In relative terms it is on a limited budget compared to the evil artficially oil financed regimes at the Etihad and Stamford Bridge and Paris and the slightly less evil ones one over at Old Trafford, Munich, Bernebau and Nou Camp.

:-0)

Entered at Tue Sep 19 12:29:59 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Nice one Todd AO.

:-0)

Pete or Dunc or Roger may well have a more insightful takes on this and tell me they were using the expression down their way but I've always presumed it was Cilla who introduced this to the wider British public on her Blind Date show. From what I remember it's been around in Liverpool since I was a kid.

Obviously got to give a listen to Phillip Edgar [as I've heard their biggest fans term them] after all the fuss and report back.

Incidentally close to all our hearts there's a great You Tube of Roseann Fino performing two songs solo acoustic for Bronx Arts which I can't seem to link in the usual box as I keep getting flashing images of a guy who I swear resembles Johnny Cash giving me the finger. I only wish it were longer [the RoseAnn performance not Johnny's finger] and included some of her other incredible stuff from the last two EP's but I guess we just have to be grateful for small mercies.

RoseAnn's link - Bob - perhaps you can put up the link mate??

Entered at Tue Sep 19 10:36:09 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Larkin Poe

Larkin Poe … Many thanks, Todd. I’d assumed it was a cross between Philip Larkin and Edgar Allan Poe. You can spend a long time on YouTube with these girls, let alone The Lovell Sisters. I’ve just ordered the CD of “Thick As Thieves” and I note they have a new one “Peach” in a fortnight.

I thought after my half an hour on YouTube that they were covers specialists … Bang Bang, I Got You Babe, Sounds of Silence, Off the wall, No Particular Place To Go, and many more. Then I looked at the CD listings which are not cover versions. I’m guessing that they have the hobby of recording covers for fun in hotel rooms on tour. They remind me of The Civil Wars and their version of Billie Jean. Jon Boden of Bellowhead did similar when he recorded a “Folk Song A day” 365 songs, done informally over a year. He also did the odd fun one, like Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin among all the traditional folk.

They are a great find … The Lovell Sisters too, adding the third one. My only mild grouse is that on YouTube they attribute In My Time of Dying to Led Fecking Zeppelin. Bob Dylan, while also wrong, would have been a cooler attribution. I reckon it’s traditional, though Blind Willie Johnson may have been the first to record it in 1927.

Link to Larkin Poe’s earlier version as the Lovell Sisters.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 06:24:12 CEST 2017 from (32.216.235.50)

Todd

In that previous post, I meant to type: "gobsmacked (as our British friendS might say)".
It was supposed to be plural. Didn't mean to leave anyone out! Especially anyone from Manchester! ;-)

Entered at Tue Sep 19 05:59:12 CEST 2017 from (32.216.235.50)

Todd

Subject: Larkin Poe

Hey Norm, glad you liked them! Aside from the fact that a lot of YouTube can be a vast wasteland, it can be a great place to hear talented folks who might not be household names.

Bill M, thanks for the Bruce Cockburn link to 'Soul of a Man'. Nice rendition, and always fun to see Richard Bell, Colin Linden and the boys. Ollabelle used to do a version of that song too. It was the first time I'd ever seen someone use a glass slide on an electric bass, as Byron Isaacs used to do on that tune.

JQ, astute of you to pick up on the bluegrass connection. From what I can gather, these girls have quite a few years of experience for only being in their mid 20's. They are from the Atlanta, Georgia area and started out as kids learning classical violin and piano. There is another sister named Jessica, and from about 2004 to 2010 they performed as sort of a bluegrass trio called the Lovell Sisters. There's stuff on YouTube from them as well. In 2005 they appeared on 'A Prairie Home Companion', and in 2006 performed at Merlefest where Rebecca won the Merlfest mandolin contest at the age of 15. After Jessica (who played violin) left to get engaged, go to college, and settle down, the other two remaining sisters formed Larkin Poe. They had a great, great, great, great Grandfather named Larkin Poe who was a distant cousin to Edgar Allen Poe.....so that's where the name came from.

So they've been together in this configuration for about 7 years now, touring and putting out their music independently. Hard to categorize, but they are more in the roots rock category now rather than their bluegrass and classical roots. I believe they have an album coming out this Fall, and they are on a label now, but I don't know how big it is. They also have done some touring with folks like Elvis Costello and Conor Oberst. In fact I first became aware of them by accident one day as I happened to catch a Conor Oberst concert on PBS from the House of Blues in Boston. I was never particularly a fan of his, but I was gobsmacked (as our British friend might say) by how good his band sounded, and watched it through to the end and saw their names in the credits.

It also seems that they were involved in a backing capacity in that 'Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes' project. so they're getting out there, and getting noticed which should hopefully lead to bigger and better things for them. I just can't believe that I had never heard of them prior to a few months ago.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 02:41:14 CEST 2017 from (63.142.158.9)

JQ

Thanks Todd - Very interesting duo. Have they reached a decent level of notoriety? They remind of the old brother duos in bluegrass in terms of their natural harmony singing.

Entered at Tue Sep 19 00:07:34 CEST 2017 from (1.42.8.31)

Wallsend

Entered at Mon Sep 18 22:58:04 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

BIll M

Entered at Mon Sep 18 21:57:38 CEST 2017 from (86.167.173.74)

Dunc

Thanks Bill M. Been busy - nothing exciting. Just catching up just now. Still enjoying BARK. But rationalising the CD collection. Giving to Oxfam the stuff I don't play just now.

Really enjoying Steely Dan just now. Great stuff, I regret I never saw them.

Glad to see you, Al. A bit disappointed by Liverpool just now - that Scottish link - and I go back to the wave of Bert Slater, Tommy Leishman, Ian St John - he of the desk carving, and Ron Yeats.

Lasting for ever. I wonder what of the Band's music will last for ever. Last month there was a concert dedicated to the Incredible String Band organised by Joe Boyd at the Edinburgh Festival, Got a lot of publicity, related to them being innovative and influential. I was aware of them, but probably too young, being into Troggs, Who, Beatles et al at that time.

And also it was 40 years ago last month that 'Mull of Kintyre' was recorded. It will last forever up here - school concerts' recorders, choirs, pipe bands. Brilliant.

Really enjoy Please Please Me, but favourite is A Hard Day's Night.

Enjoyed reading everybody's posts everybody.

Entered at Mon Sep 18 21:44:12 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

BIll M

John B: Thanks for your post. Building on that and Peter V's reply, I'd say that that verse from TNTDODD - "I don't mind them chopping wood / and I don't really care that the money's no good / Just take what you need and leave the rest / but they should never have taken the very best" - totally brilliant, expanding the frame of reference from the best logs, to the best logs and crops, to the best logs, crops and young men - a category that is clearly meant to include Virgil's brother.

Entered at Mon Sep 18 21:24:12 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Subject: the soul of a man

Thanks for Larkin Poe, Todd. Their worthy "Soul Of A Man" caused me to check to see if Bruce Cockburn's cover of the same song is on YouTube too. It is, in multiple versions, including the version he recorded for his wonderful "Nothing But A Burning Light" album. But here's a different version from a 1990 TV show, which I chose because it shows his back-up band of the time - including Richard Bell, Colin Linden and the BaRK rhythm section of Gary Craig and John Dymond. Are you there Dunc?

Entered at Mon Sep 18 17:45:55 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Last word to Johnny Cash

Not the Johnny Cash you might get if you posted SPAM here … but the song God Bless Robert E. Lee. It's linked from the article now, but for those who want it without reading … it's linked.

Entered at Mon Sep 18 17:41:38 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Taken the Very Best

It's like "The Finest" in British references to fallen soldiers in wars which dates back two hundred years. It's a set expression. "The very best" is not just Virgil Kane's brother, but the fallen in general. As you say, it's NOT a reference to Lee.

Lee would hardly have been punished or taken, since he was responsible for the peace without witch hunts on Confederate troops after the war, and acted against the wishes of other leading Confederates. I know the 1920s date of the statues, but even so, they've got the wrong guy. In my recent article (LINKED AGAIN), I've pointed out that many consider Sherman a war criminal.

Entered at Mon Sep 18 17:25:16 CEST 2017 from (108.4.129.40)

John B

Subject: New York Times essay

In Eric Foner’s essay in the Sunday Sept. 17 New York Times, “The Making and the Breaking of the Legend of Robert E. Lee”, Mr. Foner writes that the narrator of The Band’s song, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” refers to Robert E. Lee as “the very best.” It is not clear from the context of the song whether “the very best” refers to the the narrator’s brother, who was killed in the war, or to the narrator’s best crops being taken away, but the phrase certainly does not refer to Lee. General Lee was never arrested, punished, or in any sense “taken” by the North.

Entered at Mon Sep 18 15:16:26 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: Young Blood

Jesus Todd that is great stuff! The first licks on that steel of that old Robert Johnson song make the hair on you neck stand up. Just as Reina and Toni do, these girls understand dynamics and have their hearts into that long ago music.

In another life maybe they were there......Thanks.

Entered at Mon Sep 18 11:03:39 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Ha ha - very droll Bill.

There's certainly 'nowhere' like it, that's for sure.

I'm with Pete though, I think he got mixed up with the milltown down the East Lancs road

:-0)

Entered at Mon Sep 18 10:43:10 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Hi John - of course I've got your station show on favourite link though I have to confess to being utterly hopeless at remembering to give it a listen. Promise to remedy that as all told it's very likely the best thing of its type on the radio anywhere.

In fact the post you referenced was actually to JQ who also has something going in the same line but I'm glad you stepped in as we all need our memories jogging these days.

:-0)

Entered at Mon Sep 18 10:36:44 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Dear me. Spent some time quickly browsing back. So shocked and saddened to read about Jerry Tenebaum passing away. My belated condolences to his wife and family.

In the very early days I was on here Jerry never posted that much though he certainly made up for that over time and became one of the main posters with his unquenchable search for fresh as well as established music always shining through.

Not sure but I guess of all the regular posters who've ever been on here the fact his dad's nightclub figured so prominently in the early history of the boys made him the one on here with the closest links to them along with John D and Serge.

In those early days when he wasn't so prominent we used to exchange lengthy e-mails. Our discussions used to centre around "was there such a thing as the 'greatest' album, song, footballer, ice-hockey player etc etc - or not. My own takes were always veering towards the fact that there very likely are definitive categories. Jerry's take - much like my own son and any other sensible person - would always be that beauty was in the eye of the beholder and that comparisons were bordering on being invidious. He was right of course - subjectivity can never amount to an absolute.

Jerry lad. Rest in Peace. You'll be sorely missed.

Entered at Mon Sep 18 05:36:14 CEST 2017 from (32.216.246.95)

Todd

Subject: She could hear the cars roll by, out on 441, like waves crashin' on the beach

Another Larkin Poe cover that I can't get enough of. They're doing Tom Petty's 'American Girl'.

I've always liked Tom Petty, but hearing their version of his song kind of reopened my ears as to how good of a songwriter he really is.

Entered at Mon Sep 18 04:53:56 CEST 2017 from (32.216.246.95)

Todd

Subject: Larkin Poe

Norm, thanks for the recommendation. Talented ladies with a great feel and respect for the music.

Funny enough, I've been meaning to post something for a while now from a couple of gals who perform together as Larkin Poe. This is Rebecca Lovell singing and her sister Megan Lovell on lap steel.

They do a lot of originals, and have a bunch of professionally produced and recorded videos, but they also do a series of videos they call "Tip of the Hat", in which they pay homage to their influences. These are typically just quickly recorded performances in front of a home video or cell phone type of camera.

The song linked above is a cover of Robert Johnson's 'Come On In My Kitchen'. I've probably watched this video a dozen times, and am blown away by their performance. A lot of people try to cover classic blues songs but often fall short and only rise to the level of imitation. I really feel like they've captured the essence of the song...especially the tasteful lap steel playing by Megan. Check it out!

Entered at Mon Sep 18 02:56:02 CEST 2017 from (208.181.205.134)

Rockin Chair

Subject: A new find

Sitting back listening to a bit of music on youtube. I was again listening to "Tupelo Honey". On the side bar suggestions, I saw this girl for Tupelo Honey. I thought I'd give it a try.

Her name is Reina del Cid. If you haven't heard her, give it a try. Another girl plays lead on a strat for her with a young fellow playing stand up bass. She is quite ammasing and the girl playing lead is a serious guitar player.

I then clicked on them playing, "I shall be released". This is their Sunday morning thing. They are sitting beside a camp fire in their back yard with a wood pile. The way they sang, harmonized and played I shall be released made me cry thinking of our boys, dead and long gone. These girls have the feeling and sole in this song.

Entered at Mon Sep 18 01:52:01 CEST 2017 from (24.114.66.156)

Bill M

Peter V / Al E: if Liverpool's most favourite native was a self-described "nowhere man", doesn't it make sense that he would hail from a "nowhere town"?

Entered at Sun Sep 17 22:55:29 CEST 2017 from (85.164.75.178)

jh

Subject: Clapton joining The Band -- again

"I was given an acetate of Big Pink back in England and it shook me to the core," he said during a press conference at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival to promote his doc, Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars. "I was in Cream at the time with already the notion that it wasn't going in the right direction, and I thought, well this is what it is. I knew who Robbie Robertson was but I didn't realize that was their group. I thought they just appeared. I thought they were all from the Mississippi Delta."

Entered at Sun Sep 17 17:00:44 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

It made me think of hearing some kids in the late 70s. One girl asked who The Beatles were, and got the reply "It was a band Paul McCartney was in before Wings." That got answered, 'So was Paul McCartney in a band before Wings?"

Entered at Sun Sep 17 15:46:46 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

I remember downloading all the songs; from this album; but for the life of me I can't remember from where. According to my iTunes I did it in 2014.

Entered at Sat Sep 16 14:59:22 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Cheers for that Bob.

As a proud Scouser I'm not sure about the 'nowhere town' bit in the interview like. :-0)

But I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation - ha ha

Entered at Fri Sep 15 17:09:14 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: Dreaming The Beatles

Al, if you haven't read Dreaming The Beatles by Rob Sheffield, you must. Link is to recent interview with the author.

Entered at Fri Sep 15 16:27:46 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Sheridan Smith is incredible. I’ve seen her on stage three times. I’ve seen her channel Janis Joplin in the “hippy” Midsummer Night’s Dream. I thought her live Funny Girl better than the Barbara Streisand film, and she did brilliant New York in Little Shop of Horrors on stage. She has huge charisma on stage. Didn’t she get Cilla Black to coach her for “Cilla”? I think I read that somewhere. Then she does Scouse in “Benidorm” and Estuary girl in “Gavin & Stacey.” "Mrs Biggs" is another great TV series. I saw the Cilla DVD in Sainsburys or Tescos last week for about £5 or £6. (I already had it). What she does bring out is that Cilla could really rock before Parlophone and Brian Epstein started directing her career.

Entered at Fri Sep 15 13:42:32 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

First time I've re-watched any of that programme so thanks a bunch for linking it Pete. I'd forgotten about it. What's amazing on this second viewing is that it's so hard not to think that it really is Cilla. The likeness is so striking. What a performance from Sheridan Smith.

Also it's hard not to believe the backing group actually isn't Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. Mind you, I didn't have the same problem with the video that follows on showing Teddy [Kingsize] Taylor in his outrageous red check 3 piece suit as the real Teddy Taylor lived 3 doors away from us when we were kids. Ha ha.

As for PPM. Totally agree Pete. For me it's got to be near the top of any all time list of important album landmarks simply because prior to it there'd been nothing like it. Some might say Billy Fury's debut album for the same innovative reasons but that was almost pure rockabilly so whilst it’s hugely impressive for its amazing authenticity it does suffer for me from its sameness.

PPM on the other hand brought in a variety of diverse musical strands from the raw and desperate soul of John’s ‘Anna’to the seemingly naïve innocence of Paul’s nod to the musical ballad with ‘Taste Of Honey’ to the delicious ‘boy group’ harmonies of the Shirelles‘Baby It’s You’ and John’s killer rock ‘n’ roll delivery of ‘Twist and Shout’. Shoulder to shoulder with all this was the never before heard magical intuitive and innovative fusion of all influences in John and Pauls’ own compositions such as the incredible I saw Her Standing There, Please Please me itself and There’s A Place. Not a skip over on the entire album since the weakest cut Do You Want To Know A Secret is a must listen for George’s rendition of the strongest scouse accent ever committed to record until Lee Mavers. :-0)

Entered at Thu Sep 14 19:12:54 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Thu Sep 14 15:56:05 CEST 2017 from (158.39.173.198)

jh

Subject: Garth & Willie Nelson

Garth hooked up with Willie Nelson yesterday, and joined Willie and Family on stage in Poughkeepsie, NY!

Entered at Thu Sep 14 15:48:38 CEST 2017 from (174.104.129.230)

Calvin

Entered at Thu Sep 14 12:00:45 CEST 2017 from (173.3.48.108)

Jeff A.

Downtown Brooklyn is abuzz about the British couple that was just visiting. Apparently when the husband imbibed a little too much wine he espoused about Rock & Roll & the Rhythm & Blues, & the Mrs. referred to him as "Grape Viney."

:-)

Quite proud of myself for that one,

Entered at Thu Sep 14 10:42:02 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Much of the accreditation of those lost Band tracks on circulating tapes were speculation. Aaron was there, so I would expect to find things were somewhat different to our guesses.

Entered at Thu Sep 14 10:40:05 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

(Jeff knows I'm joking)

Entered at Thu Sep 14 10:39:00 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

… or is it the lost Sony album? The link only mentions Jules Shear on "The Lost Band Tapes."

Too Soon Gone appeared on Jericho, and because Jules Shear is credited with harmony vocal, and John Simon with piano, I'd guessed that was the older session.

High Price of Love appeared on High on The Hog and is definitely new because the lyrics have been updated to reference the Gulf.

The rest of the Jules Shears songs THAT WE KNOW ABOUT (which is the intriguing point, there may be more) are River of Money, Baby Don't You Cry No More, Long Ways to Tennessee, Money Whipped and Never Again Forever. The last appeared on Jules Shears' "Healing Bones" album in 1994. Tombstone, Tombstone was apparently written by Colin Linden, but Jules Shears sings on the demo.

Eight songs? There were versions of Bruce Hornsby's Circle of Time, Night On The Town and The Tide Will Rise among alleged "Jericho outtakes" which might be from the same era, plus the brilliant Nobody Sings Em Like Ray, which hasn't got a writer name attached and Keep The Home Fires Burning.

I'd hope all those "Band Apocrypha" tracks are on Professor Louie's album. On the circulating tapes (OK, cassettes they were) I thought the strongest tracks were the Hornsby ones.

And then there were the two Los Lobos tracks (The Battle Is Over, What Good Is Love).

I'm fascinated and delighted by Professor Louie's new release.

Entered at Thu Sep 14 05:42:52 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.66)

Jeff A.

Calvin, next you'll tell me you were here to meet Peter.

Entered at Thu Sep 14 05:09:50 CEST 2017 from (174.232.0.139)

Calvin

Entered at Thu Sep 14 05:05:43 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.66)

Jeff A.

Entered at Thu Sep 14 01:18:00 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: Professor Louie - Lost Band Songs

Professor Louie and The Crowmatix new release may be of interest to Band fans.

Entered at Wed Sep 13 19:34:12 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.66)

Jeff A.

headin out

Entered at Wed Sep 13 19:10:13 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Jeff, I guess you saw the modern version of The Harlem Shuffle. Sounds like a great night. I'm curious what was average age of the audience was.

Entered at Wed Sep 13 19:03:49 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.66)

Jeff A.

Occasionally Daptone has a big clearance sale outside their building in Bushwick,. sells their various imprints cheaply and directly..

On the high rent- the truth is Pete, the rents are insane. Astronomical. The coffee shops get street traffic all day long- that's how they survive. If you stood in front of one of thsoe joints and saw the amount of people that go through and pay enormous prices for coffee you'd know how they do it....Peopel will pat big tickets for coffee but won;t pay fair prices for music..... the digital world did it....and most people don;t know or care about sound quality. I'm creating a gorgeous sounding record - will it matter if i do?...and it still could get killed in the mix today. I'm gonna do all i can to not let that happen.

TO give you an idea, last week i had a phone conversation with a huge name engineer. recorded and mixed many big hits in the 70s & 80s. He's got to be about 70 years old now, or older. Good guy, we have alot of commonality....a sound genius, with golden ears, and the hits to prove it.. the man knows sound, knows music... and seems cool..

he does occasionally work in a great room- but says that costs double.And that it won't sound twice as good as if he mixed it in his home studio in the extra bedroom in his apartment... i probably disagree with that...because he's gotten rid of almost all his analogue gear & mixes with almost all software... that double cost for the analogue mixing room essentially means he charges as much for himself in his home room as the name room charges daily to rent the room out... Like many mize engineers he'd prefer to mix withoptu the client present, and then you get some chances to adjust- he did say- hsi attitude is if you don';t love it ti's not done..... but when he said that he sends mp3s back and forth for listening, my stomach tightened...... maybe he meant musical files and just used the term mp3s..but in any event- nothign is like being there. in the same great sounding room with great equiopment at te same time... Odds are i mix this in a great studio owned by friends, and the four of us fight it out for three or four days again. Mixing- when you the engineer got it you listen and you listen and you listen. You Listen on one set of speakers, then another, then another, then a boombox. Then you might raise one thing a db or a half in one spot, listen again. you might change a tone, listen again. You take alot of breaks and you rest your ears... and then you go back..It always helps when people agree :-)... All you do is listen, listen more, and when you have something totally solid, and you decide to print it, after wards you listen a few more times to make sure it printed without glitches..... .

Entered at Wed Sep 13 15:07:26 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Wed Sep 13 14:38:21 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

The CDRs in the street puzzled me too. One stall was next to an NYPD van. In the UK, the Copyright Agency have been known to swoop on record fairs with police accompaniment. Bootlegs get confiscated and sellers arrested. Certainly pirate stuff with B&W typed labels would be swooped on. The Copyright agency does the work, but the police go with them.

Bootlegs are more problematic, and many ARE sold at UK Record Fairs. The trouble is that until a few years ago neither Italy nor Luxemburg allowed live performances to be copyrighted so they are in a grey area of legality in the EU. There are also lots of US radio shows on sale even in HMV, which are apparently legal.

It’s an interesting argument. Say there’s a live performance in the park, and you don’t pay to enter the fenced area, but stand on public land outside it and record what you hear, it’s legally akin to recording noisy neighbours for a complaint. You’re on public space. You can hear it. However, once you take it indoors, it surely differs. Whatever, Italy and Luxemburg allowed it.

At UK fairs, I’m told Van Morrison has been known to send some big lads to confiscate any bootlegs of his work. Fair enough.

My biggest surprise was the absence of record stores in Brooklyn. We didn’t get to Rough Trade (which I’ve been to before) and my phone listed two in Williamsburg, but otherwise nothing. Our far smaller conurbation (350,000 in the three towns and their suburbs) has two large HMVs, a local independent who has gone from one store to three stores in two years, another independent and five secondhand vinyl and CD stores. Plus every supermarket has the Top 20 and a few compilations. The bigger supermarkets have the Top 40 CDs and a new vinyl section, limited to 20 or 30 classic titles, but they’re there.

I asked and was told rental was too high in Brooklyn, but there are lots of independent coffee shops surviving with just four or five tables, so they can’t be paying that much rent. I would have thought a similar area of London to Fort Greene / Boerum Hill would have several. Islington for example has a large HMV, one independent and three second hand stores.

Is the USA further down the road to a CD / vinyl free world? It seems so, though in the UK, more stores are opening nowadays.

Entered at Wed Sep 13 04:18:04 CEST 2017 from (67.84.79.123)

Jeff A.

Entered at Wed Sep 13 04:06:12 CEST 2017 from (24.114.51.177)

Kevin J

Every now and then a song used in a television commercial really jumps out. IBM Cloud have an ad out using a remastered version of Harry Nilsson's "Jump into the Fire". Instant flashback to Goodfellas and how effective the song was in that film.

MFBP: As with almost any artist, musician or author, it is often down to when the discovery was made and how. Did you find something on your own......did it help you through a night or a month, etc. With The Band.......I came to them through my brother's record collection and wanting to impress a friend one afternoon ( house to ourselves ) with something a little bit different than our usual fare of David Bowie, Rod Stewart..........Rock of Ages it was....I still remember every bit of every part of that experience.....Next was Best of The Band ( white album ) that was in every Canadian's record collection I ever looked through. Then the Last Waltz and only several years later did I get to the Brown album......Astonishing it was, song after song of greatness. When I finally did get to MFBP, it felt like a letdown. I don't feel that way now but I also rarely listen to it.

David P and Al have both explained in wonderful ways the importance of discovery and the times in which MFBP emerged and helped to shape their musical lives. Nothing can beat that but likewise no one else can really feel it totally if they didn't live that experience in the first place.

Speaking of Harry Nilsson.........I really like the song "Spaceman"......Bill Lee does a bit every day on a Monttral radio show ( Mitch Melnick's show ) which has the song as his intro.

Entered at Wed Sep 13 00:37:11 CEST 2017 from (67.84.79.123)

Jeff A.

Entered at Wed Sep 13 00:17:21 CEST 2017 from (67.84.79.123)

Jeff A.

BTW,Pete, possibly you know that if you walk far enough west from the Fulton Mall you run into Borough Hall. As in Brooklyn Borough Hall. Where the Borough President operates from, ....The Courthouse is opposite it. There are pirates selling burnt discs from tables right in front of the Court House. Cops everywhere...

Entered at Wed Sep 13 00:07:30 CEST 2017 from (67.84.79.123)

Jeff A.

Bob, see the pile of insults us GBers have to live with increases is insurmountable.. But i got to admit. Calvin was here once years ago when i was in for a long stretch from St Louis.... I don't remember what was going on but do remember it was an impossible time for me & i wasn't able to meet him. I still have guilt about it though. No joke, i still feel badly about that.

Pete, there also are large teams of Oriental people who drag rolling cases of burnt discs all over the city, selling music and videos. The cops do nothing. I;ve told some of em they better throw out all there products in front of me, i want to see them put em in the garbage can, or i'm callng the cops. they just keep going store to store, and walking down the sidewalk. They have regular routes...

Entered at Tue Sep 12 23:18:37 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter v

Just back from seeing my new grandson, four days in Brooklyn, and didn't even get time to cross the bridge to Manhatten. A surprise was seeing tables on the street in Fulton Mall, downtown full of CDRs at 3 dollars, two for 5 dollars. All rip offs of James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Marvin `Gaye. Has copyright become so worthless that this stuff is just allowed now on open view? No wonder musicians can't make a living.

Entered at Tue Sep 12 16:01:43 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

"You'd find yourself reading the words of the back cover over and over again searching for some hidden clues as to what these fellows were about, which bit of the respective songs each of them was singing, where they had come from, where they were going. Frustratingly, you'd find little to quench your thirst. All you had to go on was the music and vocals spitting out from what seemed like different parts of that little mono record player before you. There was a complete absence of fuss or hype. It left you craving for the merest snippet. Your intrigue at the stark simplicity of their collective name would soon cede to a glaring realisation. What else, after all, could these guys possibly have been called?"

"Then there was the utter appropriateness of their own names – Danko, Manuel, Garth, Jaime and Levon. 'Levon' for Chrissakes!! You just couldn't make this sort of stuff up, so authentic did it all sound. And then the few brief sentiments uttered by the guy on guitar, Jaime 'Robbie' Robertson, about them enjoying it all 'just enough to smile at one another when we're playing'. It was like some snatched insight into the mental rigeurs of a bunch of musical geniuses. What else would they do, you'd reflect knowingly, smiling to yourself at the logic of it all. Not only was all this utterly convincing. For those to whom such things mattered – and as you might expect with these sort of things that was regrettably a minority – it was intoxicating, enchanting. In short it became vital."

Young people can still pick up on all this. Rob Sheffield just wrote one of the all time great Beatle books 'Dreaming The Beatles', he's probably only in his 40's now. However, to actually have gone in a record store and bought Big Pink and brought it home back then and played it for the first time. Wow! That memory for many of us is priceless.

Entered at Tue Sep 12 14:18:04 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

Al if your addressing me kind sir; yes I'm still on the radio every Saturday afternoon on CIUT 89.5 in Toronto. We're on the world wide web. I guess your time, I would be heard from 7-9 pm in the evening. I'm not on this Saturday; but return on the 23rd. If this wasn't me you were addressing, apologies.

Entered at Tue Sep 12 14:07:53 CEST 2017 from (173.3.51.3)

Jeff A.

Entered at Tue Sep 12 13:46:45 CEST 2017 from (173.3.51.3)

Jeff A.

Entered at Tue Sep 12 10:06:22 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: A Shot of Rhythm & Blues

I commented on that Toppermost piece on Arthur Alexander, especially on how every UK band used to cover A Shot of Rhythm & Blues.

I mentioned The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Zoot Money and Johnny Kidd and The Pirates. Then I remembered Sheridan Smith in the "Cilla" TV serial performed it as the young Cilla Black. It is a brilliant impersonation of Cilla, but also has atmosphere. (LINKED)

Entered at Tue Sep 12 10:01:22 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Please Please Me

Al's piece is also memorable for the stuff on Please Please Me. Those are surely the two greatest debut albums ever, PPM and MFBP. The first Rolling Stones compares in influence and power but has no originals.

PPM was on my mind reading the recent Toppermost on Arthur Alexander (LINKED) … a brilliant comprehensive piece on him. At various times The Beatles did A Shot of Rhythm & Blues and Soldier of Love, but the big link is "Anna" on PPM. It had me re-listening to Arthur Alexander's greatest hits on Ace, and noting that like The Beatles, he was fascinated by girl group sounds … who else but The Beatles would have sung "Boys" dead straight?

Al's piece was wonderful for those of us who invariably list Please Please Me as one of the very best Beatles albums, and not only that, but it should be in those "20 Greatest Albums Ever" lists.

Entered at Tue Sep 12 04:46:54 CEST 2017 from (174.104.129.230)

Calvin

Entered at Tue Sep 12 02:36:00 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Ahoy Al E: Good to hear from you directly, and also to reread your ancient post about your introduction to MFBP the other day. Aside from your delightful enthusiasm, what stands out in the latter is that rather than reviewing the music on the album you took the trouble to put it into the context of the time - when nothing like it existed. That terribly important point is inevitably lost on most people. And I would be among those most people, as I didn't even get to pop radio until the late summer / early fall of 1968. That's about when MFBP came out, but they certainly weren't playing it on CHUM-AM.

Oddly enough, the song that DID strike a chord with me at that very time was the one I've linked to, which shares a churchy organ, a dirge-like rhythm and somewhat muted vocals with "The Weight" (which really SHOULD have been played on CHUM-AM at the time). Plus, the group was five guys from Canada who'd woodshedded around forever before signing with Capitol in the US - and did pretty well, all considered.

Entered at Tue Sep 12 00:42:50 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

Cheers mate.

Hows the radio spot going? As you'll no doubt have gathered from the post, things piled up on me so I never did get around to listening. If your spot's still going send us the details again or perhaps even put them up on here if that's allowed

Entered at Tue Sep 12 00:35:55 CEST 2017 from (107.77.97.92)

JQ

Good to see you here, thoughtful as always.. and a dam good writer!

Entered at Tue Sep 12 00:20:42 CEST 2017 from (86.175.227.12)

Al Edge

As all the current crop of regulars will be only too aware [or, more likely, relieved :-0)], I don’t get to pop into the GB that often now. So it was a lovely surprise and a genuine real bonus for me to come on and read Bob F’s unbridled enthusiasm for Big Pink and the piece I wrote about it.

‘Friend’ relationships really can be weird things at the best of times. They can be solid and lasting. They can also be fleeting and ephemeral. They can be some place in between. Often you can never truly be sure about their substance or what motivates them and what sustains them. Misunderstandings can test and sometimes break them.

Cyber relationships are the weirdest of all. I’m sure like myself you’ve all had many over the years since the magical yet confounded screen in front of us all first seduced us to touch cyber base with folks we’re never ever likely to meet in the flesh. And as for fucking Facebook and Twitter – sheesh – tittle tattle fucking corner or what.

That’s the main reason why Bob’s post so richly warmed the cockles of my heart when I read it. Bob and I had got very close cyber-wise during the time last year when I was pulling up any tree I could wrap my arms around to champion Bob’s hugely talented daughter RoseAnn and her wonderful songs.

Then – for me at any rate – for various reasons real life took a firm grip and dictated that its cyber life buddy be pushed very firmly into the background. It meant me and Bob kind of lost touch. As we all know, it’s precisely the sort of thing that can and does happen especially in cyber world.

Clearly, though, when there’s a solid foundation on which a cyber friendship is built then it can survive such drifting away. And Bob’s post has sure reminded me just how much that is the case. Only a true friend goes out of their way after a nigh 12 month hiatus to reaffirm the sort of loyalty and fondness Bob has just shown. So, Bob, the emotion is more than reciprocated mate.

Yet, needless to say being me, there is another aspect to this. One which concerns the content of the Big Pink piece itself.

This, as we all know, is a website – a superb one by any standard – created by that uniquely motivated Norseman Jan H to display to one and all his devotion to The Band and to honour their legacy. None of the legions who have graced or, in a few rare cases, disgraced its pages down the years would be remotely known to each other were it not for Jan’s cyber pages and that legacy of its incredible subject matter.

Which is why I defy anybody who truly ‘gets’ The Band’ to name anything in their musical pantheon that stands taller and prouder than the venerable treasure that is Music From Big Pink.

When, untold moons ago, to my exuberant delight I first found this website the aspect which took me by surprise as I began to bed in was the apathy for Big Pink amongst a fair few of the posters.

Being amongst fellow Band enthusiasts I found such apathy extremely puzzling. So much so, it compelled me to write the piece which Bob has just re-posted. My objective was to try to convey what I felt the album and its creators represented at the time of its release; the magic of the unique entity into which the four Canadians and one Arkansan had miraculously evolved by the time they released it along with the corresponding magic of the unique record entity they had contrived to create.

It is then hardly surprising that both as a music daft young kid in Liverpool and subsequently as a nigh lifelong Band acolyte, the impact of absorbing every last resonance of Music From Big Pink back in 1968 will always remain with me.

Big Pink is where The Band, as we came to know them, all began and to me will always remain the beating heart of what the group represented. No matter how incredible some of The Band’s subsequent stuff might have been, most especially of course their masterpiece, the Brown album, the groundbreaking legacy of Music From Big Pink stands as a towering musical beacon that proclaimed without fuss or fanfare their undoubted greatness and uniqueness within the musical landscape.

Inevitably then, my piece on Big Pink will always occupy a special place in my own heart and it will always remain a source of pride that I was hopefully able to capture so many years later just what it was back then that the debut album meant to me and, perhaps, others like me. So thank you once again Bob lad for enabling me to reinforce my own connection with both the article and, more significantly of course, the album itself.

Entered at Mon Sep 11 22:11:00 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter v

Entered at Mon Sep 11 21:57:23 CEST 2017 from (173.3.50.15)

Jeff A.

It's not that unusual for people to not respond to relevant posts and subjects around here. In fact, as you pointed out, it's more often than not that the ridiculous subjects get more play here.

It's just how it is.

You could try not being such a cheerful, polite, and friendly bastard, maybe you'll get more responses :-) But

Don't let it bother you.

I'm off to musical matters.

Entered at Mon Sep 11 21:17:33 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

A couple days ago I posted Al Edge's great article on Big Pink. Other then Kevin making a passing comment, no responses. Is it because I posted it? If a more "liked" poster had posted it would the GB community had taken the time to read Al's excellent piece and commented on it? The fact that Al Edge one of the brightest and kindest posters on the GB hasn't posted in several months should have warranted at least "Hi Al, miss you' response". Is the GB community really that miserable?

I think it was a couple weeks ago we had a dialogue on the GB about slang descriptions for penis. That discussion had several responses over a couple days. Is that really more interesting then a great article on Big Pink? If that's the case we should think about changing the name of the Band Guestbook to something that would parody Jimmy Buffet's Parrotheads.

Entered at Sun Sep 10 16:10:28 CEST 2017 from (99.121.52.172)

Dan

Nice article inn WSJ Weekend Review Section - Loudon Wainwright reminiscing about seeing The Band in concert in 1970, and how it inspired him.

Entered at Sun Sep 10 15:23:21 CEST 2017 from (96.20.207.56)

Landmark

Subject: Tickets

I don't know about memberships/priority bookings, as I don't attend many shows. More because ther are not many people that I care to see. What boggles my mind is the time length when a show is announced and tickets are put on sale versus the actual show date. Back when I was in high school (69-73), they would announce and put tickets on sale about three or four weeks before a show. Last week, we saw Bruno Mars (great show by the way) and my wife purchased the tickets, one year earlier.

Even going to the track at Saratoga, for the past two years, have added the price of admission into the price of the box seats, to squeeze out more money from interest into their coffers.

My father was a big baseball fan, who was a season ticket holder. After the strike of 1994, my father had to wait for a long time to get the balance of his tickets refunded. When he finally got his money back, he didn't renew his season tickets for the following season. The Expos phoned him to find out why. I am happy to say that he did not mince words with them.

Entered at Sun Sep 10 14:46:07 CEST 2017 from (64.134.100.27)

Peter V

We discussed this recently. Unfortunately theatre and concert tickets are using the same idea as airlines and Uber and using demand pricing. It's just moving into London's West End now, though hopefully the South Bank theatres will keep away from it. They rely on "Friends" (i.e. Members) who pay an annual fee for priority booking instead, a good system as they get the friends' fees upfront, and sell most of the theatrical run on the first day of booking for the season.

Now they've sorted out how to do it for airlines and concert tickets, I envisage a blood test at the food store to determine how hungry you are before pricing up your groceries.

Entered at Sun Sep 10 00:53:46 CEST 2017 from (67.84.77.235)

Jeff A.

Peter, obviously she was employed and cast. That's exactly what i meant. I wrote planted because it tied to implants. Placed to me means the same as employed & cast. Writing some one had her interest, same thing. Whether or not one has talent, You don't get employed and cast unless some one has your interest. And sometimes some one has to have your interest to get you employed and cast. Obviously that entire video was planned, scripted, etc. That was obvious from the beginning of the first time anyone sees it.

What a waste, discussing this video.who started this.... Kevin? you starting commie trouble again, you lefty?

Entered at Sun Sep 10 00:39:17 CEST 2017 from (64.134.100.27)

Peter v

Courtney Cox wasn't planted. She was employed and cast. It was rehearsed, just as Bruce had a tad too much make up, but it was 1984. It was directed by Brian de Palma, it was hugely popular and shifted Bruce from rock star to global star. I just rewatched it. It was a construct, but I still think a brilliant construct and Clarence looks great.

Entered at Sun Sep 10 00:26:17 CEST 2017 from (67.84.77.235)

Jeff A.

Kev, it was a horrible, horrible video. The girl you didn;t recognize was Courtney cox, and the video elevated her into a career.Obviously, she was planted or placed, and considering she's no Barbara Stanwyck, Helen Mirren, catherine Hepburn, or Sophai Loren or ann MArgaret, some one with pull had her interest at heart...and don't forget, this was prior to any implants. It's possible she had one set for Friends, then a second post Friends. Whether or not she got any prior to Friends is a guess, but she definitley did by the time she was in the remake of The Longest Yard.

Entered at Sat Sep 9 21:13:59 CEST 2017 from (24.114.49.185)

Kevin J

Oh my! Where to start......on just how excruciatingly bad the video was.......let's see....The Twirls....and for God's sake isn't that enough......but let's keep going.......the hopelessly awkward dancing.....that cute white blouse the Boss was wearing.....the psycho eyes of that girl he pulls from the front row.....The only redeeming feature was at least the girl could dance a bit.

On a list of worst rock videos ever made, only the Queen Freddie Mercury "vacuuming the house" video where Freddie was wearing a dress and oh so enjoying the exercise - even ranks with the Boss one.

Rhythm Jimmy: Really good to see you back.

Bob F:Thank you for the Al post.....He's likely feeling blue today after the clobbering Liverpool took from Man City !

Entered at Sat Sep 9 15:56:34 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Kev, thanks for bringing up Al. Last time I inquired about him I was accused of acting like a hall monitor. I miss Al and his incredible writing. His writing on The Band, Bruce, The Beatles and all things Liverpool were wonderful.

This piece he wrote on The Big Pink was the best of the best of Alan Edge.

THE BAND'S BEST

Really nice of Amanda to take on board the point I was attempting to make regarding the significance of Music From Big Pink to many of us older Band fans. I have to say I found it really quite gratifying that she had gone to the trouble of actually trying to listen to the album through the ears of one of us 'arl arses', as it were. It’s a rarer thing than ever these days, such old age empathy. So many thanks Amanda.

If we go back to the time of the original discussions on this topic, my more magnanimous side had put forward a view little of which could, I feel, be construed as contentious. It was along the lines that since The Band so clearly represented different things to different sections of the group's following – in many cases this being consistent with the point of exposure of the respective individual to whichever album, album collection or particular incarnation of the group they had first experienced – the way in which Big Pink itself was rated would often correspond to such patterns. In such light it was therefore scarcely surprising – although nonetheless still very much personally disheartening – to witness the relatively lowly rating of Big Pink amongst so many on this GB – particularly, it would appear, amongst those of more recent persuasion.

My more bullish and contentious side now ventures to expand upon the slant that Amanda touched on – that is, how and why Big Pink came to represent something of a watershed to many of us – including old Slowhand Clapped Out himself - who were exposed to it for the first time back in 1968; why and how it has come to carry such significance to us.

In fact, let us go even further and for the sake of argument take it to a rather more extreme conclusion. What if we now put it to fellow GB'ers that anyone who finds they are unable to rank Big Pink alongside The Brown album at the very pinnacle of The Band's recorded musical achievements are very possibly failing to see the entire picture as lucidly as they perhaps should? That certainly – in so far as history must surely end up judging our heroes – such a contention actually goes to the very core of what The Band represents.

Okay, so I realise feathers can easily get ruffled with such candid assertions as this. Let's see then if we can try and follow this one through right from the start, beginning with a slightly broader perspective on how we formulate judgements on these sort of things.

Let's take somebody who has just latched onto a particular artist. Any artist of significance. They naturally rate this artist highly and are genuinely earnest about acquiring a completely balanced perspective on this artist. In such an instance which would constitute the most reliable way for them to become acquainted with the catalogue of that artist? Would it not be to do so as chronologically as possible? Clearly, not always the easiest way - nor the most affordable. However, in order to formulate a truly objective appreciation of a particular artist's development, both in its own right and in relation to its peers, surely the best way? In other words, you can certainly have your favourite snatches of any artist but unless you have viewed everything through the appropriate objective lens then such favouritism remains merely that. I'll venture a personal experience where I perceive relying on mere favouritism can tend to obscure such judgement.

I have spent many an hour on various websites defending the magnificence of the Beatles first album, 'Please Please Me'. What I have tended to find is that many of the Beatles more recent fan base are invariably only too eager to dismiss the – shall we call them in hindsight – rather naive and simplistic qualities of that first album. They compare it with the sophisticated intricacies and resonances of subsequent Beatles offerings, such as Revolver, The White Album, Abbey Road or any late sixties/early seventies Rolling Stones classic album and declare poor old PPM a non-starter by comparison.

In doing so they are – in my opinion – overlooking what simply has to be a crucial part of any such judgement. That is the comparison with what else was on offer at the relevant time.

In the Beatles case this is straightforward enough to demonstrate, of course – or at least it is for those of us who happened to be around at the time. We take it as read the pivotal importance PPM occupies in rock history. Before it, for example, no other popular artist had self-penned so many songs purely for an album. Further no other popular artist had so successfully merged pure pop with R&B and R&R. The fact is that at the relevant time – namely 1963 – PPM was simply staggering in its consistent quality. It was, comfortably, the best pop/rock album up to that point in time. The best, in fact, until The Beatles next album – 'With The Beatles'. Indeed, as a little 'test the water' gauge on this, one needs only look at arguably the joint weakest track on that second album. The track "I Wanna Be Your Man" was given to The Rolling Stones by John and Paul and became the Stones’ – up to then – most successful song. It also convinced Mick and Keef that they could try their hand at songwriting. A prompting of some significance I'm sure most would agree.

Thus, in the case of The Beatles, it would be extremely flawed reasoning to form a judgement on PPM – or its follow up – without placing such judgement in its historical context. Also without taking cognizance of all the ensuing limitations of what at that time the Beatles' peers were creating or, indeed, what it was humanly possible for any contemporaneous popular music artist to create.

Moving onto the case of The Band, we find things are significantly different.

The Band's creative arc never mirrored that of The Beatles. True, their musical development did not begin an awful lot later than The Beatles – possibly only a matter of a few years or so at most. The crucial difference was that by the time The Band formally released their first recorded offering in 1968, namely Music From Big Pink, they were already comfortably the finished article, possibly as tight and accomplished as it was possible for any combo to be. What's more, they were able to dip selectively into the full repertoire of rock music's, by then, already formidable legacy and marinate it with their own vast range of contemporary and traditional musical influences. By so doing they created a sound that, whilst in itself no more unique than that of The Beatles, carried a maturity that was entirely unique.

A major part of that maturity evolved from an instinctive democracy that seemed to permeate every pore of that first album. Each tiny part of Big Pink appeared to exist simply to serve the whole. It was as if each vocal, each harmony, each instrument – in fact each and every contribution – was teetering on some invisible tightrope between dominance and subservience; competing frantically for every available space yet never less than complementary or utterly accommodating to the other.

Meanwhile, the products of these precarious balancing acts [the ensuing finished album tracks] – no matter how memorable and distinctive they happened to have been – were, in effect, always going to be there as merely a part of an integral whole. It meant Big Pink was not simply a collection of outstanding yet ultimately disparate songs. Rather, like the group who'd created it, the album was a genuine entity where everything fused together seamlessly to create a whole that was simply magical.

The instinctive ‘metaphorical’ jettisoning from this entity of This Wheel's on Fire and I Shall Be Released by some fans – myself included – was to come later. As it stood at the time of its inauguration, it was to be little wonder that The Band's contempories had never before heard such a sound, let alone that they were never able to approach the mark it set.

Nor was such unmatched accomplishment the only quality that distinguished Big Pink from anything else around.

Possibly even more distinctive and defining was its inherent authenticity. The sound conveyed everything about where it was from. The singers and performers on Big Pink sang of their everyday life; the everyday trials and tribulations of the community they were so clearly an integral part of. Crucially their words and sentiments were not mere posturing. In contrast to the vast majority of their white contempories with their – by comparison – sometimes limp offerings, these fellows were the real deal. True representatives of their own bretheren.

This wasn't Joe Cocker asking you to lend your ears for him to sing you a song or Eric Clapton waiting for some mystical love to shine in. It wasn't even John Lennon dissecting the pitfalls and/or merits of a revolution. Rather these were ordinary Joes, country cousins and kinfolk singing from all corners of their front parlour – often at the same time – in some deliciously raw and previously unheard yet unmistakable harmony of the rural American community they had emanated from. The music they were making was simply an extension of that community. Earthy yet heavenly; bleak yet uplifting; stark yet comforting.

Significantly, too, they were also inviting you, their audience, to become a part of what that music – their music – was offering. Its joys and heartaches; its mundanity and its mystery; its suffering and its healing. Even if it were only for the magical interludes when you were listening to them extolling it, then it was still more than enough for it to sink its teeth into your psyche and draw you right in to its very heart.

"Come let me show you how...to milk a cow" was no idle aside. Rather this was a fully blown invitation for you to get those city hands of yours carressing those cow's teats for all they were worth.

Forget anyone else, this was the nearest to complete Soul - and, for that matter Blues and Gospel – that any white artists had ever got; have ever got. The community they extolled was opening up before your very ears – and eyes. Imprisoned in some inner city bedroom you simply couldn't ask for more from a piece of long playing plastic than for it to transport you heart and soul into the backwoods and homesteads of rural America.

Big Pink – and its successor The Band – were a reflection of an artistic entity at the very zenith of its individual and collective power and sensibility. They were performing and singing about – and within – an environment in which they had become steeped; about which they were genuinely passionate.

And it showed.

In every note, in every chord, in every pause came evidence of that conviction. It may not have been the easiest listening music in which you'd ever attempted to immerse yourself. It may not have contained a solitary moment of what we might term pure pop or rock. However, once you had allowed its rhythms and pulses, its front parlour harmonies and sentiments, its craftsmanship and sheer mastery of the idiom to invade your own sensibilities then you could not help but become convinced that you were in the presence of some unique musical entity wherein the sum of the constituent parts amounted to far more than seemed at all humanly possible.

Hardly surprising then the attachment grew stronger with each play. And there were hundreds and hundreds of those playings. One after the other as the album's ambience entered your every orifice. And lingered for all time.

You'd find yourself reading the words of the back cover over and over again searching for some hidden clues as to what these fellows were about, which bit of the respective songs each of them was singing, where they had come from, where they were going. Frustratingly, you'd find little to quench your thirst. All you had to go on was the music and vocals spitting out from what seemed like different parts of that little mono record player before you. There was a complete absence of fuss or hype. It left you craving for the merest snippet. Your intrigue at the stark simplicity of their collective name would soon cede to a glaring realisation. What else, after all, could these guys possibly have been called?

Then there was the utter appropriateness of their own names – Danko, Manuel, Garth, Jaime and Levon. 'Levon' for Chrissakes!! You just couldn't make this sort of stuff up, so authentic did it all sound. And then the few brief sentiments uttered by the guy on guitar, Jaime 'Robbie' Robertson, about them enjoying it all 'just enough to smile at one another when we're playing'. It was like some snatched insight into the mental rigeurs of a bunch of musical geniuses. What else would they do, you'd reflect knowingly, smiling to yourself at the logic of it all. Not only was all this utterly convincing. For those to whom such things mattered – and as you might expect with these sort of things that was regrettably a minority – it was intoxicating, enchanting. In short it became vital.

Meantime, the downside was there as well, of course. Invisible, undetectable yet nevertheless looming all the time in the background.

Not surprisingly, The Band as a collective power could never surpass such an epiphany; such bona fide genius. With Big Pink and its bedfellow The Band they had succeeded in establishing a ceiling that nobody before nor since has got near.

Their achievements had soared beyond merely the sound their music had created. Somehow, the sincerity and sheer downhomeness of their songs and performances on those albums had married together to create an aura of ordinary folk community, rustic life and American history that had resulted in something unique. An art form within an art form as it were. What's more, they had taken it as far as it could go. In the process they had set a mark that was to become unattainable not only for others but also for themselves. Thereafter, inevitably, they, their music and that art form waned. As unerringly as an arrow falling from the apex of its arc, they – and we – were all destined to head towards planet earth.

As they and, hence, their music grew away from the very togetherness and lifestyle that had helped forge it; that had created and sustained it. Inevitably, inexorably it was to lose its substance. The integrity and purity of Big Pink and The Band – those albums' very essence – had been but a tangible manifestation of what was a living breathing entity.

Now the inherent pressures and trappings of fame meant The Band were struggling to hold that together.

Sure, their subsequent offerings were still of the very highest order. Fact was even at their lamest these fellows were peerless musicians and vocalists. Many individual tracks were remarkable. There still came moments of exquisite beauty. Stagefright, their third album contained a string of magical songs and performances that were a testimony to artists of such stature. Rock of Ages was ludicrously accomplished and unleashed My Brother Jake for fucks sake. Moondog Matinee was a nostalgic delight. Northern Lights, meanwhile, presented luscious textures that just soothed the soul.

The difference was in the tales these subsequent albums told; in the windows they opened.

No longer did those tales carry that indefinable authenticity of Big Pink and The Band. No longer did those windows open up to reveal a consistent cinematic landscape. What had once somehow sucked you into its tapestry until you had felt an integral part of it, now merely enthralled you with its isolated layers of brilliance.

That validity which had singled those masterpieces out; that had set them apart was – understandably – gone. Those very ingredients that had made Big Pink and The Band such complete entities, once so available, were now proving more than elusive even for these multi-talented folk.

The sobering fact was no longer did the new material speak for an entire breed of people. Rather it spoke just for the singers and performers and – while that made perfect sense for someone in their position and could still sound at times like heaven – it was simply no longer enough to sustain the aura. The Band's first two creations had made them immortal. Now, manifestly, they were showing they were not. Remorselessly, life was calling in its dues.

A sense of duty is an instinctive thing. Mostly we display it in respect of family and those closest to us. The need to protect them and defend them. To be responsible for them. It is part of the bond.

To feel something akin to that for what is merely a rock album is most probably a preposterous notion. Nonetheless, that I feel such a bond for 'Music From Big Pink' is quite evident from what I find I've written here. This is not least in response to what I have perceived since first discovering this site as a tendency of some to relegate the importance of Big Pink. The intensity of my sentiments may or may not be shared by others. And in the overall scheme of things that, frankly, matters not. What does matter, as far as I'm concerned, is that what I see as the unique majesty of Music From Big Pink has now been represented in a manner which I hope has done it some form of the justice I believe it merits.

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Peter V

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Rhythm Jimmy

What's wrong with the "Dancing in the Dark" video? One of Springsteen's best songs. I was there in St. Paul on the second night of the show when the video was recorded. I actually thought the girl he pulled up from the audience to the stage was an awe-struck fan, not a famous actress. What the hell did I know. It was the last big arena show I ever saw–1984? 1985?

Entered at Sat Sep 9 05:59:05 CEST 2017 from (97.127.61.66)

Rhythm Jimmy

Subject: Whatever

Kevin, thanks for your good humor. Sorry to hear what has befallen Springsteen. I just finished a beautiful novel by Douglas Bauer, "The Book of Famous Iowans," a story of loss and a life forever changed. Tonight seems extra melancholy. I haven't made an appearance here for a long time. My life has taken on larger preoccupations. I am glad to hear some of the voices of the past in these pages. Sleep well tonight, dear Guestbookers.

Entered at Sat Sep 9 04:08:39 CEST 2017 from (24.114.49.185)

Kevin J

Bob F........here's the skinny on the Springsteen Broadway fiasco.........Jon Landeau is a massive fan of this GB and desperately wants to see Al Edge back. What better way ? And on the backs of Wall Street fat cats......perfect.

Or maybe the $550,000 a night in profit the Boss is expected to make will be used to buy up and destroy every single copy in every possible format of the most wretched rock video ever made......"Dancing in the Dark"

........performers often end up playing for the audiences they deserve.........nobody ever nailed this better than Jeff Beck when he decided to pull the plug on his participation in a Rod Stewart tour after just 3 shows a decade or so back.........when RS confronted him as to why........Jeff Beck said simply "Rod, I'm fed up playing for housewives"

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Calvin

Ray Davies Storyteller shows. Where he told the story of the Kinks in the way only Ray can, and played songs in between the tales. Cut the amount of actual songs by 40%, but we'll worth it.

And Henry Rollins spoken word shows. Cause that man in unhinged.

Entered at Sat Sep 9 02:02:37 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Jeff, it really is crazy. He made well over 200 million dollars on his last world tour alone. If it was The Stones it would be no big deal because you don't expect better from them. The people sitting up front in the 850 seats are going to be all the Wall Street fat cats. All the people he was ragging about on the Wrecking Ball record. It's would be really sad if it wasn't such a joke. It's always about the money. Plus he's going to read from his book again. I'm so sick of him talking about his book. I'm so sick of all these rich guys writing these biographies and then going around talking about it. Why can't they be like Dylan, just put the book out and then shut up about it.

Entered at Sat Sep 9 00:28:27 CEST 2017 from (67.84.77.235)

Jeff A.

See da link... Spotify needs its ass kicked royally. Kinda separately, a few weeks ago i received notice of a pending class action suit settlement with them- notifying me to be aware that if i have a claim that they streamed any of my songs without license during a certain time frame there is money in my future, if i file the claim when the settlement is approved...... I like these surprised but i think that by the time this window began i may have licensed everything for streaming, though i was reluctant to..... gotta check

Last week I did get a check for 9 bucks & change from a class action lawsuit against Sylvania auto light bulb products.... i remember buying some of their headlights about 8 years ago and there was a rebate going on,,, they must have had me in their system form the rebate........... 9 bucks is 9 bucks but it don't buy a sanguiche or breakfast in NYC no more.

Entered at Sat Sep 9 00:03:31 CEST 2017 from (67.84.77.235)

Jeff A.

Subject: 850 smackers to see Bruce on Broadway

If i could afford it, i wouldn't pay it. It's disgusting.

I caught two of the Garcia on Broadway shows and the tickets weren't particularly expensive. Noteworthingly normally priced ar a time tickets to concerts were still priced normally, affordably...

Entered at Fri Sep 8 23:57:19 CEST 2017 from (24.114.51.65)

Bill M

Oops - I just noticed that the link to "That's All Right" by Richie Knight and the Mid-Knights from 1965 was not there like I thought it was going to be. Here it is again. Richard Bell on piano, George Semkiw on guitar.

Entered at Fri Sep 8 22:20:28 CEST 2017 from (76.71.7.179)

Kevin J

Sinead was still in transcendent vocal form but the cracks were stating to show.......the performance as LINKED by jh is the rehearsal the night before the show that we all watched on tv. Don't remember the full story but something went wrong with "Mother" the night of the broadcast and Sinead had some sort of falling out with Waters - either then or later on in post production....Hence, the rehearsal footage being used for the dvd release.

Bill M: Thank you for those links !

.......and Mike Nomad.....cheers to the weekend and thank you for the "Fire & Fury" thoughts....nice to have a laugh when reading something here !

Cambridge Five: Just watched this mini-series from several years ago......Really well done and Tom Hollander as Guy Burgess is off the charts good.

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jh

Subject: Roger Waters...

...with Sinead O'Connor + Garth, Levon and Rick!

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PeterV

Entered at Thu Sep 7 22:27:45 CEST 2017 from (81.97.166.53)

Ian W

We went to see "Oslo" at the National Theatre today. It's a play about the setting up and achieving of what became the Oslo accord between the Palestinians and the Israelis in the early 1990s.

The play lasted 3 hours (including the interval) which, what with the subject matter and the fact that we know the outcome and the subsequent events in the Middle East, might make you think it is a play to avoid; on the contrary, I found it riveting. There were tense interchanges between the characters, the problems of ensuring secrecy, the question of who amongst senior diplomats and politicians in various countries knew what, some out-and-out swearing, some bluff and counter-bluff, not to mention duplicity, a fair amount of humour and a few actual jokes told by the participants between the actual meetings. All in all, a very worthwhile outing.

If you have ever wondered about the "behind closed doors" machinations of politicians or have ever been involved in the give and take of negotiation (even if not for such high stakes), you will find it particularly rewarding. If, on the other hand, you are simply intrigued by how implacable foes might come together, you will find it both intriguing and interesting. "Oslo" is transferring to the West End next month.

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Pat B

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Dunc

Yes, Jeff. I noticed they named the person who serviced it. Thanks.

We knew it had been cancelled, Peter, and didn't travel.

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Jeff A.

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Peter V

Yes, we all drove to Southampton to see them. Notice on the door it was cancelled. Not certain we even got a refund. Still, many years of good music means forgiveness.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 22:30:45 CEST 2017 from (86.166.233.92)

Dunc

Subject: Steely Dan

Never saw them. A sad story because me and the mates were all set to travel to Glasgow, sleep in the station and get the milk train back to Dundee the next day, but the tour collapsed or something. I can't remember.

They came back in the nineties, but I was working.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 22:20:00 CEST 2017 from (86.166.233.92)

Dunc

Subject: Dirty work

Thanks, Jeff. I also never knew such things were made in the U.K. Still using my 'Made In Brooklyn' headphones.

I really like Donald Fagen's vocals. But I was in a a restaurant today in the West End of Glasgow at lunchtime having a burger and a beer, and 'Dirty Work' came on the radio with David Palmer on vocals and the line 'Like the castle in its corner in a medieval game' and the musicianship with the great sax solo, and I thought it doesn't get any better than this.

(Simple pleasures - I'm getting old.) They are a brilliant band.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 19:08:22 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: Gregg Allman

Jed, thanks for the heads up about the Allman record. It's a really good record. Great Dylan cover, Willin', Song For Adam. The entire record sounds so good. His singing is beautiful.

I found a really good article in Rolling Stone about the making of the record that I linked.

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Pat B

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Jeff A.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 18:39:37 CEST 2017 from (86.166.233.92)

Dunc

But how do you know such a complex thing is still all good when you buy it, Jeff?

Entered at Wed Sep 6 18:12:10 CEST 2017 from (67.84.76.183)

Jeff A.

Subject: For Sale

You sure gotta take the course

Entered at Wed Sep 6 17:01:29 CEST 2017 from (173.32.250.162)

GregD

Bill M-thanks for that Lighthouse link. Always a joy to listen to. I remember the hype surrounding their reunion weekend at the old Ontario Place Forum in '82 (?) but missed it. Amazing band with 2 great singers, having both Skip Prokopp and the late Bob McBride (Hawkins/Band connection) who could also write. I remember seeing a CHUM/CITY simulcast in the late 70's featuring Bob McBride and his band but I don't recall if he had any former Lighthouse members with him.

R.I.P. Walter Becker. Evidently he missed the last few Dan shows. It was also my understanding that David Palmer was foisted on the band as the "suits" didn't think Fagan could sing, especially in a live setting.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 16:23:48 CEST 2017 from (96.245.114.250)

b.lee

Subject: Wa-koo

Bill, I'm not sure I even have the albums. I may have played them from the station's library. I would have to dust off the record box to see if they are in there. I seem to recall that one them had a plaid cover. Danny Douma is a name I remember. Did not know there was a Band connection! As I recall, the album(s) were a bit bizarre, in a good way, kind of like Hungry Chuck.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 15:47:38 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

You mentioning Wa-Koo tickled a file in the memory bank. Is Domenic Troiano credited somewhere on the first LP? (Yet another link to our guys, if so.)

Entered at Wed Sep 6 15:38:40 CEST 2017 from (100.33.245.182)

Jed

The Jewish community is finally pushing back against Waters's anti Semitic imagery and words.Through the JCRC,they are not urging boycotts,but merely having an organized educational plan to publicize roger's anti semitism.Good idea if done well.Its high time greater efforts were made to expose what a bigoted creep roger waters is.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 12:57:32 CEST 2017 from (96.245.114.250)

b.lee

Subject: David Palmer

David Palmer, post Dan, was in a group named Big Wha-koo (sp?) that released at least one album, I think called Berkshire. I played at least the title track on college radio in the 70s.

I believe Palmer was forced on the Dan by their record label, who did not think that Fagan's voice was radio friendly.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 03:49:40 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Entered at Wed Sep 6 03:26:42 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Ben P: Re Steely Dan, I'd just looked at what Wikipedia had to say about them (surprisingly amusing in parts), not because of Walter Becker but because I wondered if David Palmer of "Can't Buy A Thrill" was the David Palmer of the circa '70 Quinaimes Band (see link for their odd cover of "Visions Of Johanna"). It was.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 03:20:22 CEST 2017 from (67.84.76.183)

Jeff A.

Entered at Wed Sep 6 01:03:35 CEST 2017 from (207.141.134.114)

Ben Pike

Subject: Throwing back the little ones

Interesting not much on here about Walter Becker's death, particularity in light of Dan's connections to The Band.

Anyone have those boots of "Gaucho?" They seemed to be easy to get at one time and then Steely Dan clamped down. You can hear there first single on Youtube, which they never talked about because it's not very good.

Entered at Tue Sep 5 23:23:20 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: Neil Young Interstate

John D, Check out this Neil Young on you tube. He use to do this with The Harvesters in the mid 80's. It's a masterpiece.

Entered at Tue Sep 5 19:55:58 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

A few days ago a few of us posted about drummer Skip Prokop, best known up here as co-founder of the Lighthouse. Here's their big song, which still brings a smile to the face. The horns and strings were part of the band - 13 pieces in all - so touring must've been a bitch. (The bassist is Lou Yachnin, a Montrealer who'd been in John D's favourite Canadian '60s band, JB and the Playboys.

Entered at Tue Sep 5 19:38:02 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Subject: a Hawksish cover of an Adderley song

Here's a link to a decent 1965 sub-Hawks cover of an Adderley classic, "Work Song" - by Richie Knight and the Mid-Knights. Robbie-ish guitar by George Semkiw. Richard Bell's piano is buried in the mix, but is front and centre on the flipside, "That's Alright". I'm sure the Hawks weren't the only local rockers who caught Adderley in person on Yonge Street, but there's also a decent chance that the Hawks performed their own cover of the song, and that's what the Mid-Knights picked up. Come to think of it, the song is still a fixture in Eugene 'Jay' Smith's live shows, and as a regular guest with Hawkins and the Hawks guys, he may well have sung backed by our guys.

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Jeff A.

Entered at Tue Sep 5 16:03:14 CEST 2017 from (174.104.129.230)

Calvin

Entered at Tue Sep 5 14:43:20 CEST 2017 from (173.3.50.165)

Jeff A.

Subject: The Return of Power station

The NYC & worldwide music industry just got a organ transplant. Avatar Studios was the last Manhattan Studio that real audio guys would swear by- in other words, were not afraid to say you could avoid a technical problem when recording there. Sear Sound may still be in that league too, but of course Walter died some years ago... The amazing thing about Sear- Walter willed the studio to his employees.. A few years ago, after a disappointing experience, When I asked one of the foremost mastering engineers & recording authorities alive what was left that was safe, he sadly told me X & Avatar was all, left Sear Sound out... Maybe he overlooked it, It might be great.... Well X closed, & Avatar went up for sale...I don't doubt that there might have been or are some small great studios that are kept up in Manhattan, but, you never know when people lose their marbles.Shit happens. And people lie to snag projects , sessions...This really is open heart surgery folks...In any event. Berklee College bought Avatar & is operating it...quite great...Check out the studios, & Studio G will give you a great idea of what a great mixing room is made of..And if you pay attention to the monitors in each studio, the Yamahas, & genelecs are found in great mixing rooms or control rooms all over the place. The Westlakes and Altecs are often the third, the large monitorss, Yuris are great for the large ones too. (Generally, most studios mix in the control room, but in the older days, it wasn;t uncommon to have dedicated mixing rooms so tracking could continue. Today, many engineers have mixing rooms of their own, but, they ain;t for real mixing rooms like Studio G is. Great sound requires a great recording, a great mix, by a great mixer. And you really do need that great equipment and great sounding room. It all enters into the mix.:-)

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John D

Amazon announced the soundtrack will be released here. Good news. Soundtrack recorded at Abbey Road.

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Jeff A.

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Calvin

I thought they sounded amazing, largely because of a guitarist named Drew Zing if I remember right. Can't imagine what I heard paled before the 70s shows.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 18:19:07 CEST 2017 from (86.166.233.92)

Dunc

Subject: correction

That should read 'There is a run of albums from 'Neil Young' to 'Hawks and Doves' which is a brilliant body of work.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 18:06:48 CEST 2017 from (86.166.233.92)

Dunc

Thanks, Bob F. I'll get it. I'll probably have to wait a couple of weeks to get it. Still supporting record shops, here. There is a run of albums from 'Neil Young' to 'Hawks and Doves'

Really enjoying the Performance Series, but I've not been able to pick up 'Live at the Riverboat' on CD. Is it only part of a larger package? Last five albums played - horrific rain today, day off.

Neil Young 'On The Beach'

The Band Roosevelt Stadium

John Cale Artificial Intelligence

Alex Harvey Soul Band

Lloyd Cole 'The Collection'

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Peter V

On keyboard players, there is the whole range of prog virtuoso keyboard players to take into account if someone's going for a list.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 15:37:56 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

BOB F, I got an advanced copy the other day and it is really great Neil!!!

Entered at Mon Sep 4 14:35:58 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: Neil Young Hitchhiker

Dunc, great new old Neil coming out Friday. Check out link.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 13:01:28 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Subject: Mercy Mercy Mercy

Link to Cannonball Adderley with Joe Zawinul - recorded in the era when The Hawks were huge Cannonball Adderley fans and describe going to see him in Toronto regularly.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 10:35:29 CEST 2017 from (86.166.233.92)

Dunc

Subject: Jon

Thanks for the review, Jon. I have already looked out my copy to play later today.

Playing 'On The Beach' just now with Rick and Levon playing on 'Revolution Blues' just now. Great track and great album.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 10:29:55 CEST 2017 from (86.166.233.92)

Dunc

Subject: Rick Danko

Does anyone know how Carol is getting on with Rick's biography. Will this be published? We are, as Bob F. said recently, all not getting any younger.

And there should be a biography of the greatest keyboard player in the history of rock n' roll. Should there not?

Entered at Mon Sep 4 10:05:38 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Without question, the top two are Garth Hudson and the late Joe Zawinul. I know Zawinul's later stuff is hardly rock, but listen to the soul jazz of Mercy Mercy Mercy with Cannonball Adderley or Birdland by Weather Report. Listen to "Jupiter Hollow" for Garth today!

Benmont Tench and Roy Bittan are excellent professionals in great bands, but hardly innovators. Even though Green Onions is not hard to play, you'd have to rate Booker T above either for innovation and influence.So my number three.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 05:23:28 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Entered at Mon Sep 4 04:35:28 CEST 2017 from (71.234.142.242)

haso

Subject: post TLW, etc

You've all got my curiosity up on the Roosevelt Stadium pieces. See what I can find to hear on you tube or concert vault. Also, I guess I need to find my old cassette of Jubilation. Like many, I've usually discounted anything post-TLW, but plead a good deal of ignorance; while Jeff certainly gives a passionate response to such as me. I have given more due to Levon... Dirt Farmer, etc and Amy's output.

Good on your lad, Jan; sorry about Ray Phirri and one 1/2 of Steely Dan.

Interesting sort of dialog I take from recent issues of Rolling Stone. An article on Petty and the Heartbreakers referenced Benmont Tench as the greatest keyboards in r-n-r. A reader's letter then took exception, putting forward Roy Bittan of the E St. band. I suspect almost all here on the GB might say....... um.....GARTH. Does anyone else really even sit on his organ bench? After that, the most recent Stone has B. Tench encapsulating his own take on top 5 tunes, last of which he calls out Richard and the Band's treatment of I Shall be Released. Makes you wonder how Benmont considers Garth. In a way, I've always liked the TLW version w/ Richard in his regular voice on verse 2 and adding falsetto to Dylan on 3. Of course too bad the tired camera-folk couldn't have got more of Richard then, or otherwise.

I'd be w/ others who read PSB's review of Testimony as pretty accurate. Also wouldn't think Robbie didn't hash that over a lot before making his decision. It was/is painful, yet probably warranted. Renewed input from Sebastian, etc. would be most welcome.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 03:45:37 CEST 2017 from (69.203.125.109)

Jon Lyness

Subject: Roosevelt Stadium

Wow, thanks Peter for finding that review of mine. (I think I had a lot more time back then!) Going to dust that CD off and give it a fresh listen.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 03:39:27 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.41)

Jeff A.

Subject: Old fashioned Ways

This body was found a mile and a half away from where I live.... We have murders in my neighborhood once or twice a week. I live two blocks from the projects and there's always action there. This was notable because of the way the guy was killed or buried at sea.

Entered at Mon Sep 4 03:17:44 CEST 2017 from (64.229.180.136)

Bill M

Entered at Mon Sep 4 00:27:08 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Subject: Leeroy Stagger

Leeroy Stagger from British Columbia is playing in my town tomorrow. I was wondering if any GB folks are familiar with him? I'm liking his songs.

Entered at Sun Sep 3 20:25:28 CEST 2017 from (86.166.233.92)

Dunc

Sorry to hear that, Jeff. I think Steely Dan are great. Always sound fresh. Filled in a couple of gaps in my retirement and still play them all the time. Never saw them. Really like Donald Fagin's solo work too.

Thanks, Peter.

Hi Nux. Sorry to hear about the death of Ray Phirri. Bought three Stimela albums after Graceland tour. Thanks.

Entered at Sun Sep 3 15:59:42 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

There were two shows, both bootlegged. The 31st July one was right after Watkins Glen and contains Saved and Endless Highway. It has been in several versions … This Wheel's On Fire, Blue Highways, Old Dixie. The sound was poor. The performance mediocre except for Lovin' You which was dire.

BUT then the bootleg "Roosevelt Stadium 1/8/73" is the second night. On this GB, Jon Lyness said:

"There is what appears to be a "new" soundboard CD boot of the Band's 2nd concert at Roosevelt Stadium, August 1, 1973. It is INCREDIBLE. I've defended the quality of their performance at the 1st concert (July 31, 1973) before, so it is time to eat my words. The 2nd show blows away the first in every way, tying or surpassing Watkins Glen as the definitive show from that middle period of the original group. The sound is phenomenal, with all of the instruments sounding crisp and in-your-face, and the Band sounds like they are at the top of their game. A fairly pedestrian setlist (for the time) is elevated by smoking, confident performances by each and every member. Robbie's guitar in particular stands out...but they all really outdo themselves on this one. Several of the songs (Back to Memphis, Chest Fever, & others) even feature extended instrumental verses which are breathtaking...I've never heard the original lineup jam so much!, although perhaps those of you with a tape collection know more than I do. Sadly, Garth's Genetic Method has been cut, seemingly to fit the whole show onto one disc, but that is the only flaw I can find with this gem."

Entered at Sun Sep 3 15:43:16 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.41)

Jeff A.

Same goes for the post break up Allman Brothers, versions of Spooky Tooth, Procol Harum, Yardbirds, Pink Floyd, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Fleetwood Mac, Canned heat, Booker T & The MGs w/o Al Jackson,, The Blues Brothers w/o Belushi & Akroyd,, Eagles, The Animals, War, Traffic, the rare Led Zeppelin appearance, Buffalo Springfield, rarer Cream....

And then again, maybe all these acts & others have nothing but a lot of fucking chutzpah for even daring to think the thought. Maybe, just maybe people shouldn't even live past their prime. Now that's nervy. Continuing to live after you've reached your peak. And if you got the gall to do that, imagine having the gall to keep fucking when you don't always fuck as good as you used to....Forget the fact that sometimes you do or do as well differently - maybe people have no business fucking when they don't fuck as good as often.

Maybe,oh, never mind.

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Jeff A.

Entered at Sun Sep 3 12:07:51 CEST 2017 from (210.86.73.183)

Rod Prowse

Entered at Sat Sep 2 21:14:18 CEST 2017 from (84.209.59.92)

jh

Subject: Sharp-dressed men

53 years ago. I was 4 years old. And the times sure were about to change...

Entered at Sat Sep 2 19:23:16 CEST 2017 from (108.88.109.12)

Pat B

Those who saw the OQ generally have the same opinion. Although they were mostly a joy to see, the post-LW version never came anywhere near the live brilliance of the OQ--especially 69-71. Combine that with the release of those first four albums at the same time...oh, never mind.

Entered at Sat Sep 2 12:46:26 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Truly wonderful. In fact the last time I heard it was last night. I have a "Relaxing" playlist on my iPad that I usually listen to for around 20 minutes before I go to sleep. The whole list is over two hours, but the Garth section has French Girls, Largo & Little Island. Reflection (Adagio) by Robbie Robertson is also on there. I hear Garth's Largo at least once a week.

Entered at Sat Sep 2 12:16:30 CEST 2017 from (84.209.59.92)

jh

Subject: Levon + Rick + Keef + Scotty Moore + DJ Fontana +++

Enough of the whimpering. "Deuce and a Quarter", with loads of good-time pics from 23 years ago in Levon's barn, should cheer you up. And that concludes today's YouTube odyssey :-)

Entered at Sat Sep 2 12:08:46 CEST 2017 from (84.209.59.92)

jh

Subject: "Garth Largo"

Hadn't listened to this one for a while. Still stunningly beautiful, Maud Hudson's vocal together with Garth's sax and accordion will bring you to tears. At least this old geezer gets a little misty-eyed listening to it. Music by Anton Dvorak, arranged by Garth Hudson.

Entered at Sat Sep 2 11:53:32 CEST 2017 from (84.209.59.92)

jh

Subject: Garth + Pink Floyd

"Us and Them", w/Doug Paisley, Garth Hudson, Sister Maud Hudson, Netami, Bazil Donovan, Chuck Erlichman, Matt Barber, MOJO magazine (UK) tribute CD, 2011

Entered at Fri Sep 1 23:31:09 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.147)

Jeff A.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 21:47:05 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

Entered at Fri Sep 1 21:24:48 CEST 2017 from (84.209.59.92)

jh

Subject: And now....

...for something completely different. Or is it?

Entered at Fri Sep 1 17:45:51 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.147)

Jeff A.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 17:45:05 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.147)

Jeff A.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 16:45:14 CEST 2017 from (100.34.127.122)

PSB

Entered at Fri Sep 1 15:49:37 CEST 2017 from (173.3.49.147)

Jeff A.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 15:29:46 CEST 2017 from (82.69.47.175)

Peter V

It is more or less Gentle On My Mind. There has been much here about Right Said Fred, who discovered that the new Shania Twain borrows its chorus from I'm Too Sexy. Shania put her hand up at once when it was pointed out, then she had their names put on as co-authors and cut them in on the royalty. It is easy to lift accidentally, and Shania Twain shows what you should do when you realise you have done. Good for her, and Right Said Fred seem content too.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 14:25:06 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

Entered at Fri Sep 1 14:24:02 CEST 2017 from (99.227.166.246)

John D

Well I just listened to the Ritter song. All I could think of was Gentle On My Mind. By the way the song was written by John Hartford and not Jimmy Webb.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 04:39:54 CEST 2017 from (67.84.79.168)

Jeff A.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 04:15:54 CEST 2017 from (73.89.90.175)

Ol' Buddy

John Hartford wrote it.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 03:31:26 CEST 2017 from (67.84.79.168)

Jeff A.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 03:28:03 CEST 2017 from (67.84.79.168)

Jeff A.

It's not traditional blues or traditional folk or gospel. If those were Webb's unique changes & melody (& at the moment I don't associate them with any other song I can think of),whoever wrote Showboat may have a problem.

Entered at Fri Sep 1 02:43:28 CEST 2017 from (24.44.153.18)

Bob F

Entered at Fri Sep 1 01:56:18 CEST 2017 from (67.84.79.168)

Jeff A.

Wow! The melody & structure of the verses of Showboat are a direct lift from Gentle On My Mind... I haven't listened all the way through to both to compare bridges etc but the verse melody & structure are direct..!! Hit me immediately...Boom!

See Bob, when you post music, I do check it out :-)

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