JIMI HENDRIX-LIVE AT WOODSTOCK.
Jimi Hendrix-Live At Woodstock.
Label: Sony Music BMG.
From the moment that Jimi Hendrix saw T-Bone Walker playing his guitar with his teeth he took it as a challenge, and was determined that one day, he would be able to replicate what he had just witnessed the veteran bluesman do.
In years to come, this became part of Jimi Hendrix’s routine as he took the stage with The Jim Hendrix Experience and later with The Band Of Gypsy’s and played his guitar as if his life depended upon it. Although Jimi Hendrix was a technically brilliant guitarist he was also a showman, and some nights, Jimi played his guitar behind his back, other times played it with his teeth and even set on one occasion even set his guitar on fire. It was as if Jimi Hendrix was trying to exercise some inner demons through the medium of music during a career that spanned just four years.
Between 1967-1970, Jimi Hendrix released just three studio albums and one live album before his career was cut tragically short. Music was robbed of one of its most talented sons when Jimi Hendrix passed away on September the ’18th’ 1970 aged just twenty-seven. However, he left behind a rich musical legacy, which included the musical holy trinity of Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold As Love and Electric Ladyland plus The Band Of Gypsy’s eponymous live debut album. These albums however, only tell part of the story.
Since Jimi Hendrix’s death, there’s been a number of posthumous releases, including twenty-two live albums and twelve studio albums. This includes Live At Woodstock which was recently reissued by Sony BMG and is a reminder of one of one of Jimi Hendrix’s seminal live performance . His career began in 1967, when the charismatic musical maverick released his debut album, which was a gamechanger.
Are You Experienced.
That was apparent from the moment critics heard The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1967 explosive debut album Are You Experienced. It showcased the considerable talents and chemistry of the now legendary power trio, which featured a rhythm section of drummer Mitch Mitchell, bassist Noel Redding and guitarist Jimi Hendrix. They had recorded eleven tracks penned by Jimi Hendrix which fused rock and psychedelia.
These eleven tracks became Are You Experienced, which was recorded between October 1966 and April 1967 at three of London’s top studios. Joining The Jimi Hendrix Experience in De Lane Lea At Studios, CBS, and Olympic Studios, in London was Chas Chandler who took charge of production. The former Animals’ bassist had a wealth of experience and guided The Jimi Hendrix Experience through the recording of Are You Experienced. Once it was completed, Are You Experienced was released in Britain in May 1967.
Prior to the release of Are You Experienced, critics hailed the album as one of the greatest debut rock albums ever recorded. This was no exaggeration as Are You Experienced was a groundbreaking fusion of rock and psychedelia that was way ahead of the musical curve. It featured future Jimi Hendrix classics like Foxy Lady, Third Stone from the Sun and Are You Experienced. At the heart of the album’s sound was the freewheeling sound of Jimi Hendrix’s guitar. He could do things other guitarists could only dream of, and unleashed a series of breathtaking performances on Are You Experienced? Add to the equation Jimi Hendrix’s languid, charismatic vocal and it’s no surprise that Are You Experienced was such a huge commercial success.
When Are You Experienced was released in Britain, on the ‘12th’ of May 1967, it reached number two, and this resulted in a gold disc for The Jimi Hendrix Experience. However, soon, things would get even better for The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Three months later, in August 1967, Are You Experienced was released in America and it reached number five on the US Billboard 200, and went on to sell over five million copies. This resulted in Are You Experienced certified platinum five times, and was the start of a three-year period where Jimi Hendrix could do no wrong.
Axis: Bold As Love.
Seven months later, on the ‘1st’ of December 1967, The Jimi Hendrix Experience returned with their sophomore album Axis: Bold As Love in the UK. It featured thirteen tracks, including twelve penned by Jimi Hendrix. These tracks showed that Jimi Hendrix was already maturing and evolving as a songwriter. He may have just been twenty-five, but he was a talented songwriter. Proof of this were tracks like Spanish Castle Magic, Wait Until Tomorrow, Castles Made of Sand and Bold As Love. They featured Jimi Hendrix coming of age as a songwriter, and were recorded at one of London’s top studios.
Recording of Axis: Bold As Love took place at Olympic Studios, London and began in May 1967 and continued into June. However, when the album wasn’t completed, The Jimi Hendrix Experience returned to the studio in October to complete the recording of Axis: Bold As Love, which was scheduled for release later in 1967.
The contract that the Jimi Hendrix Experience had signed stipulated that the band had to release two albums during 1967. They had completed the album just in time for Track Records to release the album at the start of December 1967. However, before that, disaster struck for Jimi Hendrix.
One night, Jimi Hendrix took the master tapes to side one of Axis: Bold As Love to listen to at home. Unfortunately, he left them in a taxi, and despite a frantic search for the master tapes they were never found. This resulted in side one having to be mixed again, which was a delay that everyone could do without. Fortunately, this didn’t delay the release of Axis: Bold As Love.
Axis: Bold As Love, was released in Britain, on the ‘1st’ of December 1967, and was released to the same critical acclaim as Are You Experienced. Critics ran out of superlatives in an attempt to describe Axis: Bold As Love where The Jimi Hendrix Experience flitted between and sometimes combined blues rock, psychedelia and rock. It was a heady and irresistible brew that once tasted was unforgettable. In the reviews, Jimi Hendrix was described as some sort of musical messiah, who had music’s future in his hands. Record buyers agreed with the critics description of Axis: Bold As Love when they heard the album.
When Axis: Bold As Love was released in Britain, it reached number five and was certified silver. This must have been slightly disappointing as Axis: Bold As Love hadn’t replicated the success of Are You Experienced. However, The Jimi Hendrix Experience knew that Axis: Bold As Love was still to be released in America, where their debut had sold five million copies.
A decision was made not to release Axis: Bold As Love during 1967, in case it affected sales of Are You Experienced. It wasn’t until January the ‘15th’ 1968, that Axis: Bold As Love was released in America and reached number three in the US Billboard 200 and was certified platinum. Just like in Britain, Axis: Bold As Love had failed to replicate the success of Are You Experienced, which was disappointing. However, by then, Jimi Hendrix was riding the crest of a musical wave.
Electric Ladyland.
By October 1968, when The Jimi Hendrix Experience were preparing to release their third album Electric Ladyland, Jimi Hendrix was one of the most successful musicians in the world. His albums sold by the million, and when The Jimi Hendrix Experience played live, they were one of the hottest live acts. Proof of that was Electric Ladyland which was the most ambitious album of the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Unlike The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s two previous albums, Electric Ladyland was a double album that featured sixteen songs. Thirteen of these songs were penned by Jimi Hendrix while Noel Redding contributed Little Miss Strange. The other tracks were covers of Bob Dylan’s All Around The Watchtower and Earl King’s Come On (Let the Good Times Roll. These tracks, and the rest of Electric Ladyland were recorded at three recording studios.
Recording sessions for Electric Ladyland took place at Olympic Studios in London and the Record Plant Studios and Mayfair Studios, in New York and began in July 1967 and continued right through until December 1967. After the festive season, The Jimi Hendrix Experience reconvened in January 1968 and spent four months completing their third album Electric Ladyland. It was completed in April 1968, and the release of Electric Ladyland was scheduled for release in October 1968.
As soon as critics heard Electric Ladyland, they realised that this was The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s finest hour as they flitted between and sometimes combined blues rock, hard rock, psychedelia and rock on an album that oozed quality. Proof of that were tracks of the quality of Crosstown Traffic, Voodoo Chile, Voodoo Child (Slight Return), All Along the Watchtower and Gypsy. Electric Ladyland which featured future classics was hailed as the greatest album of The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s career and a future classic. Record buyers agreed.
When Electric Ladyland was released in Britain, on the ‘16th’ of October 1968, it reached number six and was certified gold. Electric Ladyland had outsold Axis: Bold As Love and replicated the success of The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s debut album Are You Experienced.
Nine days, later, on the ‘25th’ of October 1968 Electric Ladyland was released in America, and reached number one on the US Billboard 200. Having sold two million copies, Electric Ladyland was certified double platinum and the rise and rise of The Jimi Hendrix Experience continued.
Just like their previous two albums, Electric Ladyland would later become a classic album. Electric Ladyland was the album that the Jimi Hendrix Experience were always capable of making and they had now fulfilled the potential that on an album that marked the coming of age for The Jimi Hendrix Experience. However, having just released the finest album of their three album career there was a twist in the tale for the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Electric Ladyland would be the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s final album and a fitting swan-song from a legendary power trio. Sadly, the Jimi Hendrix Experience would only ever take to the stage on two more occasions.
Eight months after the release of Electric Ladyland, the Jimi Hendrix Experience played their last concert on June the ‘29th’ 1969 at Barry Fey’s Denver Pop Festival which was a three-day event held at Mile High Stadium. Little did anyone in the audience realised that they had witnessed last performance by the original lineup of the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
While the Jimi Hendrix Experience played one further concert in 1970, to allow Jimi Hendrix to spread his message of universal love, it was without Noel Redding who had quite the band, and embarked upon a solo career. As far as he was concerned, it was the end of the road for The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Woodstock
By the time of the demise of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, its leader was the highest paid musician in the world. Promoters were desperate to add Jimi Hendrix to festival bills and the promoter of The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was no different. It was another three-day festival that was scheduled for took place between the ’15th’ and ‘17th’ of August 1969 on a dairy farm in the Catskill Mountains of southern New York State. Jimi Hendrix invited the invitation and would close the Woodstock Music and Art Fair.
By the time Jimi Hendrix arrived at the three-day Woodstock Music and Art Fair, which had been eventful and sometimes chaotic, he was keen to showcase the new lineup of his band. It featured drummer Mitch Mitchell, replacement bassist Billy Cox and recent additions rhythm guitarist Larry Lee and conga players Juma Sultan and Jerry Velez. As the band took the stage it was 9am on the ‘17th’ of August 1969 ‘only’ 200,000 people watched on as MC Chip Monk introduced the group as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but the bandleader was quick to clarify: “we decided to change the whole thing around and call it Gypsy Sun and Rainbows. For short, it’s nothin’ but a Band of Gypsys.
With that, Jimi Hendrix unleashed what was a spellbinding performance that made musical history. After the Introduction, Jimi Hendrix leads his band through a set that included Message To Love, Izabella, Fire, Voodoo Child (Slight Return). Then the former paratrooper unleashed a breathtaking performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and incorporated a myriad of feedback, distortion, and sustain to replicate the sounds made by rockets and bombs exploding during this incredible and spellbinding rendition of the American national anthem. Having set the bar high, Jimi Hendrix launched into the Purple Haze which gave way to Woodstock Improvisation, Villanova Junction and closed a blistering and breathtaking set with Hey Joe. Once again, Jimi Hendrix was able to make his guitar do things other guitarists could only dream about as he closed his set at 11:10 am having made musical history.
Jimi Hendrix career may have been short, but it was successful and he played his guitar as if his life depended upon it. Especially when he played live and Jimi Hendrix like at Woodstock. Like At Woodstock which has just been reissued by Sony BMG is a reminder of a flamboyant whose raison d’être was to entertain. This technically brilliant guitarist was a true showman, playing his guitar behind his back, other times with his teeth and was known to set his guitar on fire. It was as if Jimi Hendrix was trying to exercise some inner demons through the medium of music during a career that spanned the four-year period between 1967 and his death in 1970.
Forty-nine years after his death, we cain only speculated what he what heights he would’ve reached had he lived? Given Jimi Hendrix’s performance that is documented on Live At Woodstock and the music he released between 1967 and 1970 it’s likely he would’ve gone on to enjoy the long and illustrious career reaching new heights throughout his career. Sadly, that wasn’t to be. At least Jimi Hendrix’s star shawn bright and for four years this otherworldly genius and musical maverick changed and revolutionised music.
Jimi Hendrix-Live At Woodstock.
FAREWELL DR JOHN AND A GUIDE TO HIS MUSIC:PART 1-THE ATCO YEARS 1968-1974.
Farewell Dr John and A Guide To His Music: Part 1: The Atco Years 1968-1974.
A month ago, on the ‘6th’ of July 2019, Dr John, who was born Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. on November the 20th 1941, in New Orleans, which he still called home, passed away aged seventy-seven. That day, music lost one of the greatest musicians of his generation. The next day I was expecting obituaries and tributes praising a man who released thirty studio albums and nine live albums during a recording career that spanned six decades. Especially since Dr John had released several groundbreaking classic alums during the early part of his career. The Atco Years featured Dr John at his best, and for six years he was released some of the best albums of his long and illustrious career. Surely these albums would be mentioned in the obituaries and tributes?
Sadly not, as many newspapers, publications and websites didn’t pay tribute to a legend. Maybe that isn’t surprising as many of these newspapers, publications and websites are staffed and run by millennials and hipsters who copy and paste press releases rather to write reviews or articles. They’re not capable of writing a tribute to a legend like Dr John as they neither know nor understand the man, his music or are familiar with his back-catalogue. So over a couple of articles I’ll look back at six decades of Dr John’s music and say farewell to legend and one of the most charismatic musicians I’ve been lucky enough to see live. Let’s start at the very beginning for Dr John, back in 1968 and his debut album Gris Gris as the Atco Years began.
Gris Gris.
When a copy of Dr John’s debut album Gris Gris was sent to Atlantic Records’ founder Ahmet Ertegun he disliked the album so much, that he was reluctant to even release the album and said: “how can we market this boogaloo crap?” This wasn’t the response that Dr John had been hoping when he recorded Gris Gris which was a combination of psychedelia, blues, free jazz, R&B, soul, funk, jazz. Add to this psychedelic stew the authentic music of the melting pot that is New Orleans and the voodoo image that Dr John had carefully cultivated and Gris Gris was like no other album that Atlantic Records had released. That presented the label with a huge problem.
Atlantic Records’ PR department had idea to promote an album like Gris Gris, as they had no cultural reference points, nothing to compare the album to. Despite the best efforts of Atlantic Records PR department, when Gris Gris was released on January the ’22nd’ 1968 and introduced the world to Dr John The Night Tripper, it failed to trouble the charts and neither critics nor record buyers understood Dr John’s groundbreaking debut album. However, like so many albums that fail to find an album on their release, Gris Gris was later reappraised and belatedly, was recognised as a seminal album that was the start of a rich vein of form from Dr John.
This was the start of a six-year period when Dr John could no wrong, and released seven innovative albums that are among the his finest work. These albums are the perfect introduction to Dr John, who followed up Gris Gris with Babylon.
Babylon.
This was Babylon which was recorded in late 1968, which was a turbulent time for Dr John, who was experiencing problems in his personal life. “I was being pursued by various kinds of heat across LA” and this influenced the album he was about to make. So would the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr and the Vietnam War which is referenced in The Patriotic Flag-Waiver. The title-track Babylon was recorded in 3/4 and 10/4 time, and featured Dr John thoughts on the state of world in late 1968. It was a part of a powerful album that was released in early 1969.
Babylon was released on January the ’17th’ 1969 was a powerful, cerebral and innovative genre-melting album which socially had much in common with Dr John’s debut album Gris Gris. However, critics didn’t ‘get’ Babylon and the album which failed commercially. However, just like Gris Gris, Babylon was later reappraised by critics and nowadays is regarded as one of his finest albums and a minor classic.
Remedies.
Following the commercial failure of Babylon, things went from bad to worse for Dr John, before he could begin work on his third album Remedies. This started when a deal went south, and he was arrested by the police and ended up in jail. It was a worrying time for Dr John who was parole, and if he ended up with a parole violation, he knew he might end up in the infamous Angola jail. That didn’t bare thinking about, and already Dr John was desperate to get out of the local jail. However, he needed someone to post bail, so contacted his managers who he remembers: “were very bad people.” This proved to be an understatement.
Not long after this, Dr John’s managers had him committed to a psychiatric ward, where he spent some time. By then, it was obvious to Dr John that his managers were no longer playing by the rules. All he wanted to do was make music, and everything that had happened recently were nothing to do with music. Instead, it was all connected to Dr John’s increasingly chaotic lifestyle, which made it all the more frustrating for those that realised just how talented the Gris Gris Man was.
Eventually, having managed to put his problems behind him, Dr John wrote the six tracks that became Remedies using his real name Mac Rebennack. Among the tracks Dr John had written was What Goes Around Comes Around which later became a favourite during his live shows and Mardi Gras Day which paints pictures of New Orleans when it comes out to play. Very different was Angola Anthem which was inspired by a friend of Dr John’s who had just been released from Angola, the Louisiana State Penitentiary after forty years. Dr John paid tribute to his friend with an eighteen minute epic that took up all of side two of Remedies. It was produced by one of the most successful producers of the day.
Although Harold Battiste had produced Gris Gris and Babylon, he was replaced by Tom Dowd and Charles Greene who were tasked with transforming Dr John’s career. However, although Tom Dowd was enjoying the most successful period of his career, he had never worked with anyone like Dr John.
When the recording of Remedies began, Dr John was joined by a small band that featured Cold Grits who played drums, bass and guitar and backing vocalists Shirley Goodman, Tami Lynn and Jessie Hill who also played percussion. Dr John played piano, added his unmistakable vocals and despite losing part of a finger during a shooting a few years previously, he played guitar on Remedies which was released in the spring of 1970.
Just like his two previous albums, critics didn’t seem to understand Remedies, which was credited to Dr John The Night Tripper. Remedies was another ambitious album of genre-melting, voodoo-influenced album where Dr John The Night Tripper through everything from psychedelia, blues, R&B, soul, funk and jazz into the musical melting pot and gave it a stir to create an album where the music was mysterious, otherworldly and haunting.
That was the case from the album opener Loop Garoo while there’s a darkness and defiance to the lyrics to the hook-laden What Comes Around (Goes Around) which showed another side to Dr John. His recent problems and experiences had influenced Wash, Mama, Wash where soaring backing vocals and horns accompany Dr John on a track that is tinged with humour. The horns return and play their part in the success of Chippy Chippy, before the darkness describes and music becomes moody and broody as chants, moans and cries emerge from this lysergic voodoo stew of Mardi Gras Day which gives way to the otherworldly eighteen minute epic Angola. It brought Remedies to a close, which was a potent and heady brew from Dr John The Night Tripper.
By the time Remedies was released on April ‘9th’ 1970, some FM radio stations had picked up on the album, and were playing it on their late shows. Despite the radio play Remedies had received, the album never troubled the charts, and it was only much later that record buyers realised that they had missed out on another important and innovative album from Dr John.
The Sun, Moon and Herbs.
Despite Dr John’s first three albums failing to find an audience, many of his fellow musicians were fans of his music, and were only too happy to feature on his fourth album The Sun, Moon and Herbs. This included Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Bobby Whitlock, Graham Bond, Carl Radle, Jim Gordon and Doris Troy. They were joined by The Memphis Horns as Dr John and Charles Greene took charge of production.
They were responsible for a dark and swampy sounding album that is rich in imagery and paints of New Orleans on a hot, sticky night as thunder crackles and rumbles in the distance like the drums on The Sun, Moon and Herbs. When it was released on August the ’31st’ 1971, still critics struggled to understand Dr John’s music, but this time, The Sun, Moon and Herbs which featured an all-star cast, spent five weeks in US Billboard 200 and peaked at 184. At last, Dr John’s music was starting to find a wider audience.
Dr. John’s Gumbo.
Buoyed by the success of The Sun, Moon and Herbs, Dr John decided to record an album of cover versions of New Orleans’ classics for his fifth album Dr. John’s Gumbo. It was produced by Harold Battiste and Jerry Wexler and ironically given Dr. John’s Gumbo featured tracks by legends some of the New Orleans’ musical legends including Professor Longhair, Huey “Piano” Smith, James “Sugar Boy” Crawford and Dr John the album was recorded in LA. However, Dr. John’s Gumbo was The Night Tripper’s most successful album.
Unlike previous albums, Dr. John’s Gumbo was a much more straightforward album of R&B, and it found favour with critics. After Dr. John’s Gumbo was released to critical acclaim, it reached entered the US Billboard 200 where it spent eleven weeks, peaking at 112. Dr John was on his way.
In The Right Place.
Following the success of Dr. John’s Gumbo, Dr John headed to Criteria Studios, in Miami, where he recorded In The Right Place with songwriter, musician, arranger and producer Allen Toussaint. He was one of the most influential figures in the New Orleans’ music scene, and was able to bring out the best in Dr John as he laid down songs of the quality of Right Place, Wrong Time, Same Old Same Old, Peace Brother Peace and Such A Night. Once In The Right Place was completed, the two men returned to the Big Easy and watched as Dr John’s popularity soared.
Critics on hearing In The Right Place which was a fusion of funk, blues and New Orleans R&B hailed the album was one of his finest. Record buyers agreed when In The Right Place was released on February the ’25th’ 1973 thirty-three weeks in the US Billboard 200 and peaked at twenty-four. What Ahmet Ertegun had foolishly described as: “boogaloo crap” just a few years earlier, was now proving profitable for his company. Dr John was having the last laugh.
Desitively Bonnaroo.
The success of In The Right Place was a game-changer for Dr John, whose popularity soared. After six albums, he was enjoying the commercial success and critical acclaim his music deserved. However, Dr John knew that he would have to think about his seventh album, and began writing what became Desitively Bonnaroo.
Of the eleven tracks on Desitively Bonnaroo, Dr John wrote nine and penned Desitively Bonnaroo with Jessie Jill. These tracks were joined by covers of Earl King’s Let’s Make a Better World and Allen Toussaint’s Go Tell the People. These tracks were recorded at Sea-Saint Recording in New Orleans and Criteria Studios in Miami.
Just like In The Right Place, Allen Toussaint produced Desitively Bonnaroo, played piano, keyboards and added percussion and backing vocals. Accompanying Dr John was The Meters, one of New Orleans’ hottest funk band plus a horn section and backing vocalists. They played their part in an album that followed in the footsteps of In The Right Place.
When critics heard Desitively Bonnaroo they were once again won over by another carefully crafted album of funk and New Orleans R&B from Dr John. It oozed quality from the opening bars of Quitters Never Win and included another version of What Come Around (Goes Around) plus the irresistible Mos’ Scocious and songs full of social comment like Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away and Let’s Make a Better World. They were joined by the soulful and funky Sing Along Song and Can’t Git Enuff which is one of the funkiest cuts on the album. However, one of the most beautiful and poignant was the ballad Go Tell The People, which gives way to the uber funky album closer Desitively Bonnaroo. It closed Dr John’s seventh album on a high.
On the release of Desitively Bonnaroo on April the ‘8th’ 1974, it charted in the US Billboard 200 where it spent eight weeks and reached number 105. Despite the quality of Desitively Bonnaroo it had failed to replicate the commercial success of In The Right Place, which must have been a huge disappointment for Dr John.
Sadly, Desitively Bonnaroo was the last album that Dr John released on the Atlantic Records imprint Atco, and was the end of a golden period for Dr John. From Gris Gris which was released on January the ’22nd’ 1968, right through to Desitively Bonnaroo which hit the shops on April the ‘8th’ 1974, musical chameleon and pioneer Dr John had been on the hottest streak of his career, releasing a string of groundbreaking albums, including several classic albums.
These albums showed different sides to Dr John’s music, as his music continued to evolve over a six-year period. By the time he released the funky New Orleans R&B of Desitively Bonnaroo in 1974, this was a long way from his classic debut album Gris Gris. It was an album the majority of critics and record buyers failed to understand. Sadly, that was the also case with Remedies which was released in 1970. It saw Dr John The Night Tripper throw psychedelia, blues, R&B, soul, funk and jazz into the musical melting pot and gave it a stir to create an album where the music was mysterious, otherworldly and haunting. However, this vastly underrated album passed record buyers, and it was only much later that record buyers appreciated and embraced this innovative album.
Nowadays, original copies of Dr John’s seven Atco albums aren’t easy to find, Between 1970s Remedies and 1974s Desitively Bonnaroo this musical pioneer had reinvented his music and was enjoying the commercial success and critical acclaim he so richly deserved. Sadly, Desitively Bonnaroo brought to an end what was a golden period where Dr John could do no wrong, as this musical legend released some of the best music of his long and illustrious career which ended one month ago, on the ‘6th’ of July 2019, when a true musical legend was taken from us aged just seventy-seven. Sadly, there will never be anyone like Dr John a charismatic showman and innovative singer, songwriter and piano player par excellence.
Farewell Dr John and A Guide To His Music: Part 1: The Atco Years 1968-1974.
JOHN MARTYN-TROUDADOUR AND MUSICAL MAVERICK.
John Martyn-Troubadour and Musical Maverick
It’s no exaggeration to say that the late, great John Martyn’s life revolved around music. His career began in 1967, when he was just seventeen. Back then, John Martyn was a folk singer. However, over the next forty-two years, John Martyn continually reinvented his music flitting between folk and folk rock to blues, psychedelia, reggae, rock and trip hop during the five decades John spent making music. He released twenty studio albums during his lifetime, including classics like Bless The Weather, Solid Air and One World. They’re part of the rich musical legacy that John Martyn left behind in 2009. His story started back in 1948.
John Martyn was born Iain David McGeachy, in 1948 in New Malden, Surrey, England. Both his parents were opera singers, so from an early age John Martyn was exposed to music. When John was five, his parents divorced and much of his childhood was spent at his grandmother’s in Glasgow.
His musical career began aged seventeen, playing a mixture of blues and folk music. Legendary folk singer Hamish Imlach was to prove to be an early influence, even a mentor, to John. Quickly, he became a leading figure on the London folk circuit. Thereafter, things started to move quickly for John Martyn.
Aged nineteen, John signed to Chris Blackwell’s Island Records in 1967. In October 1967, his debut album London Conversation was released. Just over a year later, his second album The Tumbler was released in December 1968. On The Tumbler album, the style of music was to change, to a much more jazz influenced sound. This would be the start of the evolution of John Martyn’s music.
By the time John Martyn released his third album Stormbringer in February 1970, he had met and and married Beverley Martin and Stormbringer was their first collaboration.
Previously, Beverley had been a solo artist, Beverley Kutner. She had worked with Jimmy Page and Nick Drake. On their debut album, Stormbringer John’s sound changed again. John played his acoustic guitar through a fuzzbox, phase shifter and Echoplex. This would become part of John’s trademark sound, when he returned to his solo career. Before that, he released one further album with Beverley.
John and Beverley Martyn released one further album together. This was the The Road To Ruin, like Stormbringer released in November 1970. By then, Island Records wanted to market John Martyn as a solo artist. Beverley Martyn did make an appearance on further albums, singing backing vocals. Mostly though, Beverley returned to her career as a solo artist. So did John.
With Island Records now marketing John as a solo artist, he released six studio albums and one live album, 1975s Live At Leeds between 1971 and 1977. the first of these albums was Bless The Weather.
November 1971 saw the release of Bless The Weather which upon its release was hailed as the finest album of John’s solo career. Mostly, it features acoustic music. The exception is Glistening Glynebourne, which showcased John’s echoplex. It would become part of John’s trademark sound. This was a hint of what was to come from John Martyn.
By far, the best album of the seventies was his seminal album Solid Air. Released in February 1973, Solid Air is seen as one of the best albums of the 1970s. The title track was a tribute to Nick Drake, a close friend of Martyn’s who died tragically of an overdose. During the recording of Solid Air, Martyn was to meet bassist, Danny Thompson. The pair collaborated right up until John’s death in 2009. John’s vocal style changed during the recording of Solid Air. At that time, he started to develop a new slurred vocal style. The timbre of this new vocal style resembled a tenor saxophone. Just like the echoplex, this new singing style became a feature of John’s future albums.
His next album Inside Out, was released in October 1973. It featured a much more experimental style of music. There was much more emphasis on improvisation. John’s sound and style it seemed, was constantly evolving.
For his eight album, Sunday’s Child which was released in January 1975, John reigned in his experimental sound. However, Sunday’s Child was a much more eclectic album, with John flitting between country, folk and rock. The result was an eclectic and critically acclaimed album. However, controversy wasn’t far away for John.
In 1975 Island Records refused to release Martyn’s live album, Live At Leeds. So, John resorted to selling signed copies by mail from his home. After the release of Live At Leeds in 1977, John headed to Jamaica on holiday.
What started out as a holiday, ended up with John collaborating with reggae producer Lee “Scratch” Perry. One World, John Martyn’s second classic album, now is seen by some people as the first ever trip hop album. As a result, John Martyn is perceived as the godfather of trip hop and One World a John Martyn classic. After One World, John didn’t release an album for three years.
The eighties were a turbulent time for John Marten, both personally and professionally. By the end of the seventies, John’s marriage had broken down. This led to John pressing “the self destruct button” as he described it. John became addicted to alcohol and drugs. He later said this was a very dark period in his life. Grace and Danger, which was released in October 1980, was the album that came out of this period.
Grace and Danger was autobiographical, describing what he was going through at that time. Chris Blackwell, realising just how personal an album Grace and Danger was, held the album’s release back a year. Partly, this was because of his friendship with both John and Beverley Martyn. Following Grace and Danger, which is one of John’s most underrated and powerful albums, he left Island Records.
After leaving Island Records in 1981, John Martyn joined two albums for WEA. They thought they could transform John’s career, and turn him into a commercially successful artist. The way to do this, they thought, was to move away from John’s traditional sound, to a more mainstream sound. This didn’t appeal to John. So he only stayed at WEA for two albums.
Glorious Fool was released in September 1981, with and Well Kept Secret following in August 1982. This more mainstream sound didn’t prove successful. So John returned to Island Records.
Back at Island Records, John Martyn only released two studio albums. Sapphire released in November 1984, had a poppy sheen. It was quite unlike John Martyn. So was Piece By Piece, which was released in February 1986. Neither album proved particularly successful. So Island Records released a live album
Foundations in 1987. This was much more representative of John Martyn. Sadly, still commercial success eluded John and Island Records dropped Martyn in 1988. This brought to an end a twenty year association with Island Records.
Two years later, John Martyn returned with a new album, The Apprentice. It was released on Permanent Records, and was hailed as a return to form from John Martyn. This would prove ironic and embarrassing for Island Records.
It’s thought that one of the reasons for John Martyn’s departure from Island Records, was that they didn’t like the demos what would became The Apprentice. So when John left Island Records, he set about proving them wrong.
Rather than sign to another record company, John paid for the recording of The Apprentice. He returned “home” to Glasgow, and with his band, recorded The Apprentice at the city’s Cava Studios. This seemed to inspire John, and when the album was complete, John went in search of a record company to release The Apprentice.
Given his track record, there would be no shortage of record companies willing to release a John Martyn album. However, it was Permanent Records that got the honour of releasing what became John’s best album of recent years. Sadly, John never came close to matching the quality of The Apprentice.
The closest he came was Cooltide, which was recorded at Cava Studios, Glasgow. Cooltide was released in November 1990, and featured a jazz sheen. This was well received by critics. They were won over by Cooltide, which critics felt, came close to the quality of The Apprentice. It seemed John’s career was enjoying an Indian Summer.
Despite this, it was another seven years before John returned with an other studio album. His only release was Live, a double album released by Permanent Records in 1994. This showcased what John Martyn live sounded like by the nineties. Nearly two decades after the release of Live At Leeds, and John was still a stalwart of the live circuit. Wherever he went, he still a popular draw. On tour, John embraced the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle.
John Martyn loved life. However, he loved life in the fast lane. During some part of his career, drink and drugs became part of John’s daily diet. This lead to addiction. Eventually, this caught up with John in 1996, when his pancreas literally exploded. For most musicians this would’ve marked the end of their career, and a much more sedate lifestyle. Not John.
He returned in 1997 with a new album And, which featured his old friend, and sometime collaborator, Phil Collins. And marked another stylistic change from John Martyn. There was a noticeable trip hop influence on And. That’s not surprising, as John is regarded as inventing the genre on One World. Reviews of And were mixed. The standout track was Sun Shines Better, which was remixed for the hidden track on the album. With its trip hop sound, the remix would become a favourite of DJs playing chill-out sets. Despite approaching his fiftieth birthday, John Martyn was still relevant.
After not releasing an album for seven years, John returned with his second album in just under two years. The Church With One Bell was a covers albums, where John and small band recorded ten tracks during one week at CaVa Sound Studios. John had covered songs by Bobby Charles, Ben Harper, Elmore James, Rev. Gary Davis, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Portishead. This eclectic selection of songs was released 1998.
The Church With One Bell, like many of John’s later albums, divided opinion amongst critics and fans. While some loved the albums, others weren’t so sure. It was a disappointing way for John to celebrate his fiftieth birthday.
Many people found it hard to believe John Martyn was just fifty. He seemed, had been around forever.. His career had began thirty-three years earlier. Since then, he had released eighteen studio albums. As the new millennia dawned, eighteen became nineteen.
Glasgow Walker was John’s first album of the new millennia. It was also the first album John wrote on a keyboard. Usually, John sat down with a guitar to write songs. Not this time. At Phil Collins’ suggestion, John wrote Glasgow Walker at a keyboard. The result was a genre-hopping album.
Seamlessly, John flitted between blues rock, folk-rock, jazz, psychedelia, rock and trip hop on Glasgow Walker, which was released in 2000. For his oder fans, Cool In This Life, a trip hop track came as a surprise. However, it showed that John Martyn was still determined to take his music in a new direction. The result was a much more eclectic sounding album, which won over critics. They felt Glasgow Walker was better than And and matched the quality of Cooltide. John Martyn’s first album of the new millennia one of the his best album of the post-Island Years. As a result, critics and fans eagerly awaited John Martyn’s next album.
Sadly, On The Cobbles proved to be the final album released during John’s life. It had been recorded in studios in Britain, Ireland and America. By then, John was suffering from health problems.
This had been the case for some time. For some time, John seemed to be jinxed. It started when had injured his head on a rock whilst swimming underwater. Then he stumbled as he took to the stage, and broke a toe. Next there was the time John dislocated his shoulder. One night when John driving home after a “celebration,” he had forgotten to put the car lights on. The car crashed and John broke his neck. Somehow, John survived to tell the tale. However, despite this close escape, John chose to ignore shooting pains in his right knee.
When John eventually sought medical advice, the pain was misdiagnosed as deep vein thrombosis. Eventually, John sought a second opinion. It turned out that John had a cyst on his knee. Poison had been pumping around his body for months. Soon, John was being operated on. Three operations later, and John’s right lower leg was amputated from the knee down. John’s fear of doctors had const him dearly. Despite the loss of part of his right leg, John’s career continued.
He recorded On The Cobbles from a wheelchair at various studios. A familiar face returned for the On The Cobbles, bassist Danny Thompson. The pair had been playing together for over thirty years. However, they hadn’t recorded an album together for nearly twenty years. It was fitting that they reunited on On The Cobbles.
When On The Cobbles was released in April 2004, it was John’s twentieth studio album. He was joined by Mavis Staples, Andy Sheppard and Paul Weller. They played their part on an album that was well received by critics. Sadly, On The Cobbles proved to be John Martyn’s swan-song.
Nearly five years later, on 29th January 2009, John Martyn passed away, aged just sixty. He had spent five decades making music, and released twenty studio albums. These albums were the soundtrack to many people’s lives. Especially classics like Bless The Weather, Solid Air and One World. Then there were hidden gems like the jazz-tinged Inside Out, the eclecticism of Sunday’s Child and the breakup album Grace and Danger. When it comes to live albums, Live At Leeds, which John sold from his house, is his best live outing. Each of these albums, are from the Island Years. For many, these were the best years of John Martyn’s recording career.
Especially the period between 1967 and 1980. When John returned to Island Records, he never reached the same heights as first time round. The glossy pop sheen of Sapphire and Piece By Piece seemed far removed from John’s classic albums. After that, John released six albums for various record companies.
Some of these albums divided the opinion of critics. However, The Apprentice and Cooltide marked a return to form of one of music’s true mavericks.
John Martyn never seemed willing to “play the game.” Just like Neil Young and Van Morrison, John Martyn preferred to do things his way. He was too much of a maverick, and wasn’t suited to life as part of the major label machine. Instead, he was happy to divide his time between the road, and the recording studio.
In the recording studio, John Martyn never stood still. Instead, he combined disparate musical genres, often on the one album. This was all part of John’s determination to innovate and push musical boundaries. He flitted between folk and folk rock to blues, psychedelia, reggae, rock and trip hop on the twenty studio album released during during his lifetime. Despite innovating, and creating several classic albums, commercial success eluded John Martyn. Maybe that’s why for much of his career, John spent large parts of the year on the road?
For much of his career, John Martyn’s natural habitat was the road. He was a free spirit, who enjoyed touring, and was happy to spend large parts of the year on the road. Especially, if Danny Thompson was by his side. Hi-jinks, hilarity and hell-raising often ensued. Sometimes, this meant getting out of Dodge in a hurry. However, they lived to tell the tale and laughed about it afterwards. Sadly, all the hell-raising and carousing caught up with John.
During large parts of his career, John was addicted to drink and drugs. This resulted in his pancreas exploding in 1996, and the car crash where he broke his neck. By the late nineties, John’s luck seemed to be running out.
Then when a cyst was misdiagnosed, this eventually resulted in part John’s right leg being amputated. John didn’t even let this get him down. Determination kicked in, and John overcame the loss of his lower right leg. With the aid of a prosthetic leg, John Martyn’s career continued.
In 2007, John and his keyboard player Spenser Cozens cowrote and recorded the score for Strangebrew. Then a newly reinvigorated John returned to the studio for what would’ve been his twenty-first album, Heaven and Earth. Sadly, before the album was complete, John Martyn died on on 29th January 2009. That day, music had lost one of its most talented sons.
Since then, many of John Martyn’s albums have been reissued. There’s also been box sets and best offs released. These reissues have introduced a new generation of music lover’s to John Martyn’s music. No longer is he one of music’s best kept secrets. Instead, John Martyn’s music is belatedly reaching a much wider audience, who are discovering an innovative and influential artist, who even today, continues to influence another generation of artists, seven years after his death,
John Martyn-Troubadour and Musical Maverick
NIGERIA 70: NOW WAHALA: HIGHLIFE, AFRO-FUNK AND JUJU 1973-1987.
Nigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk and Juju 1973-1987.
Label: Strut Records.
Twenty years ago, in 1999, Strut Records was founded and for tiger next four years, released a number of lovingly curated compilations. This included everything from breaks, funk, library music, old school hip hop, underground disco and Nigerian Afrobeat. By 2003, Strut Records were regarded as one of the UK’s top indie labels given the quality of music they released. Sadly, nothing lasts forever.
In 2003, Strut Records closed its doors and nothing was heard of the label until 2008 when the label made a welcome return. Since then, they’ve continued to released compilations that are of the highest quality, including the Nigeria 70 series. It makes a welcome return with Nigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk and Juju 1973-1987 to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Strut Records.
Nigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk and Juju 1973-1987 is the first instalment in the series since 2011, but compiler, collector and DJ Duncan Brooker is back with a compilation that features twelve slices of Afro-funk, juju and rare highlife from the seventies and early eighties. Many of these tracks have never been released outside of Nigeria.
The compilation returns to Nigerian music’s glory days when established genres like highlife and juju were confined infused with elements of Western jazz, funk and soul a in the newly independent Nigeria. Compiler Duncan Brooker showcases some hugely talented Ukwuani musicians from the Delta State region. This includes guitarist Rogana Ottah and His Black Heroes Internation who contribute Let Them Say, while Onuma Dimnobi features the International Brothers Band’s own brand of highlife.
Very different is the soulful sound of Kinuye (Part I from Don Bruce and The Angels. He was known for memorable stage shows and music that had been heavily influenced by the greats of US R&B.
The compilation examines and explores the relationship between Nigeria and Benin’s music. Two example are Sir Victor Uwaifo and The Titbit Iziegbe (Ekassa No. 70) and Osayomore Joseph and The Creative 7 peerless mid-eighties ekassa jam Obonogbozu
Other tracks worth of a mention include Sickness a 1979 lament on how all countries share troubles by Prince Nico Mbarga and Rocafil Jazz. Felixson Ngasia and The Survivals then fuse disco and funk on the powerful Black Precious Colour. However, one of the highlights is highlife star Etubom Rex Williams and His Nigerian Artistes who contribute the psych funk hidden gem Psychedelic Shoes. It’s a welcome addition to Nigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk and Juju 1973-1987 which makes a welcome return after an eight year absence.
While absence often makes the heart grow fonder, compiler Duncan Brooker has chosen twelve tracks that make Nigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk and Juju 1973-1987 one of the best in this long running series. In fact, of all the compilations of Afrobeat, highlife and juju that have been released over the last few years, Nigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk and Juju 1973-1987 is one of the best and the perfect way for Strut Records to celebrate their twentieth anniversary.
Nigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk and Juju 1973-1987.
WHERE THE ACTION IS! LOS ANGELES NUGGETS.
Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets.
Label: Rhino
There aren’t many compilation series that last twenty-five years. That’s apart from Rhino’s much loved Nuggets compilation series. It began in 1984 when Nuggets, Volume 1: The Hits was released. Little did anyone know that the Nuggets series would last twenty-five years, and include fifteen LP, five box sets and two CD compilations. Like all good things, the Nuggets series had to come to an end. The final chapter in the story was Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets: 1965–1968 box set, which was released in 2009. For record collectors it was the end of era.
Ten years later, and Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets a 2-LP set was released by Rhino for Record Store Day 2019. This was a welcome reissue that featured some of the highlights of Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets: 1965–1968, which was released in 2009. Those who remembered the Nuggets series rejoiced and were keen to add the this limited edition to their record collection. So were hipsters and new breed of record collectors that had embraced vinyl with such enthusiasm. They were in for an eduction when they heard Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets..
Side One.
Opening side one is Love’s I’ll Be Following, penned by the legendary Arthur Lee. This sets the bar high, but Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets doesn’t disappoint. Buffalo Springfield’s Go and Say Goodbye and “If You Want This Love by The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band soon follow on a compilation that is already oozing quality. Proof of this is The Bobby Fuller Four’s Baby My Heart which close side one on a high.
Side Two.
There’s no let up in quality on side two which opens with Sonny and Cher’s It’s Gonna Rain. One Too Many Mornings by The Association is welcome addition as is The Doors’ Take It As It Comes featuring the inimitable Lizard King Jim Morrison. This gives way to The Electric Prunes’ Hideaway while Things To Come’s Come Alive is a hidden gem that is well worthy of inclusion and closes side two.
Side Three.
Lee Hazelwood wrote The Rebel Kind which was recorded by Dino, Desi and Billy opens side three of Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets. It’s followed by a memorable track from surf duo Jan and Dean’, Fan Tan, while The Monkees contribute Daily Nightly , Lee Hazelwood Rainbow Woman and The Ballroom cover Big Joe Williams’ Baby Please Don’t Go. Closing side three is The Rose Garden’s Here’s Today from 1968 which is another welcome addition to what’s shaping up to be the perfect primer to the Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets: 1965–1968 box set.
Side Four.
Already it’s side four of Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets and twenty tracks have just flown past. It’s a case of all killer no filler. That is the case with the five tracks on side five which are all worthy of a mention. This includes I Love How You Love Me by Nino Tempo and April Stevens which opens side one and gives way to Tim Buckley’s emotive and heartfelt rendition of Once Upon A Time and then Randy Newman’s Last Night I Had A Dream. Noel Harrison then contributes Life Is A Dream before Love bookend Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets with You Set The Scene another slice of psych rock from one of its finest practitioners. That brings Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets to a close after twenty-five tracks spread over four sides of vinyl.
The years after the release of Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets: 1965–1968 box set, the 2 LP set Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets, which was recently released for Record Store Day is the perfect primer. It features old friends, familiar faces, new names and hidden gems and was a welcome release for Record Store Day 201i. It’s crammed full of quality garage rock and psychedelic rock and is one of the best compilations released for Record Store Day 2019. However, anyone wanting a copy should get one sooner than later Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets is a limited edition, with ‘only’ 5.500 copies available and once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.
Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets.
THE YOUNG ONES OF GUYANA-ON TOUR AND REUNION.
The Young Ones of Guyana–On Tour and Reunion
Label: BBE Music.
On the ’26th of May 1966, Guyana, the third smallest severing state in mainland South America gained its independence from the United Kingdom. For the people of Guyana this was something to celebrate, and celebrate they did.
In 1970, The Young Ones Of Guyana, a journeyman band who had travelled halfway around the world, were becoming a popular draw in Britain after previous performances in Birmingham and London. These performances followed the first Guyanese ‘Mashramani’, which was a celebration of independence from the United Kingdom.
Four years after their homeland gained its independence, The Young Ones Of Guyana were back touring the United Kingdom, and recorded their debut album during which became On Tour which together with Reunion was released on one CD by BBE Music.
On Tour was recorded at Lansdowne Studios in Holland Park, London, in 1970 by The Young Ones Of Guyana. A total of twelve tracks were recorded by the eight piece band led by its founder and bandleader and Carlton Ramprashad who took charge of production. When On Tour was completed, it was released later in 1970l.,
Carlton Ramprashad also owned his label Rampy ,which released On Tour in 1970. It featured an interesting and eclectic selection of tracks that included various popular reggae, Latin and calypso songs. These were played by a truly talented and versatile octet who could seamlessly switch between musical genres , and included songs as diverse as the Guyanese folk song Yellow Girl and a cover Sly and The Family Stone’s Sing A Simple Song before giving the reggae hit The Liquidator a funky makeover. These tracks came courtesy of The Young Ones Of Guyana’s rhythm and horn sections plus Geoffrey King on Farfisa organ. Bandleader, founder and rhythm guitarist took charge of lead vocals. That was apart from on That Wonderful Sound where Gordon Bevaun takes over vocal duties. It’s part of an album played with youthful exuberance, enthusiasm and expertise as The Young Ones Of Guyana continue to celebrate their newfound freedom from their former colonial rulers. However, The Young Ones Of Guyana weren’t holding any grudges and invited the British people to join them in a what’s best described as a joyous and celebration of Guyana’s music and culture.
Reunion.
After a successful British tour of their debut album On Tour in 1970, which was well received by the music press, The Young Ones Of Guyana called time on their nascent career. They decided to concentrate on their studies and that looked like the end of the band,
Three years passed before The Young Ones Of Guyana were reunited when several members of the band were living in Toronto, Canada. They decided to reform The Young Ones Of Guyana and booked some studio time late at night at Eastern Sound Studios Toronto and recorded Reunion with two new band members. The resultant album Reunion was self released in 1973.
Reunion features a selection of popular songs that ranged from pop to soul. This includes If Loving You Is Wrong, Lean On Me, Ain’t No Sunshine, You Are Everything and the Love Theme From The Godfather. These tracks were played by The Young Ones in their inimitable laid-back Latin-tinged style. However, this time the Farfisa organ, which played such a prominent part on On Tour was replaced by a Hammond B3 and Fender Jaguar and the Gibson guitars were replaced with Fender Telecasters. This resulted in a quite different sound, which sadly, The Young Ones Of Guyana’s British fans never heard.
Reunion was only ever released in Guyana and in the Caribbean. Sadly, very few albums made it to Britain, Europe and America where the album is a highly sought after hidden gem for record collectors. This comes at a price a price that is beyond most record collectors.
Thankfully BBE Music’s reissue of The Young Ones of Guyana’s On Tour and Reunion on one CD means that at last, the inimitable sound of their two albums is available for all to hear. On Tour and Reunion which feature everything from reggae, Latin, funky and calypso songs are played with youthful exuberance, enthusiasm and expertise by The Young Ones of Guyana during their all too short recording career.
The Young Ones of Guyana–On Tour and Reunion.
MICHAEL ROTHER- FLAMMENDE HERZEN, STERNTALER, KATZENMUSIK AND FERNWARME.
Michael Rother-Flammende Herzen, Sterntaler,Katzenmusik and Fernwärme.
Label: Gronland Records.
During the early seventies, the German music scene was thriving, and was one of the most vibrant in Europe. Some of the most influential and innovative music was being recorded and released by German bands. This included the holy trinity of Can, Kraftwerk and Neu!. Along with Amon Düül II, Ashra, Cluster, Popol Vuh and Tangerine Dream, these groups were at the forefront of a new musical movement.
In Germany, this new musical movement was called Kosmische musik. Its roots can be traced to the late-sixties, and in a way, were a reaction against the rigidity and rules of traditional music. No longer were musicians willing to be constrained by the rules of modern music. They wanted to free themselves from the shackles of rules and rigidity, and in the process, create new and groundbreaking music.
To do this, musicians fused a disparate and eclectic selection of musical genres, including everything from avant-garde, electronica, experimental rock, free jazz and progressive rock. All this influenced and inspired Kosmische musik. This included the holy trinity of Can, Kraftwerk and Neu!.
They went on to create music that at the time, was ambitious, groundbreaking and innovative. Musical boundaries were pushed to their limits, and musical norms challenged. The holy trinity are remembered as bands that featured fearless visionaries. This includes Michael Rother, who was a member of three of the biggest bands in German musical history Kraftwerk, Neu! and Harmonia.
After the release of their sophomore album Deluxe, in August 1975, it looked as if Harmonia had just about run its course. and Michael Rother was ready to embark upon a solo career. That would take up the majority of his time. Michael’s first solo album was “Flammende Herzen which I recorded at Conny’s Studio.” Michael had entrusted his solo career to the man he refers to as “the genius.”
Flammende Herzen.
Recording of Flammende Herzen began at Conny’s Studio in June 1976. Michael had penned five tracks, and planned to play most of the instruments himself. The only instrument he couldn’t play were the drums, so Jaki Liebezeit of Can came onboard, and this was the start of a long-lasting collaboration. That was the case with Conny Plank, who co-produced Michael’s debut solo album.
At Conny’s Studio, five instrumentals which were based around Michael’s guitar were recorded. These tracks became Flammende Herzen, which was completed in September 1976. Michael’s debut album scheduled for release in March 1977.
Before the release of Flammende Herzen, critics had their say on Michael Rother’s solo album. Most of the reviews were positive, and it seemed that Michael’s fortunes were about to change.
When Flammende Herzen was released in March 1977, the album wasn’t a commercial success. Despite releasing album after album of innovative and influential music, they failed to sell. It seemed that the music Michael Rother was too innovative and record buyers didn’t understand the music. The only small crumb of comfort for Michael, was that: “Flammende Herzen, which, was released as a single, was later used in the soundtrack to Flaming Hearts.”
Nowadays, Flammende Herzen is regarded as one of Michael’s finest solo albums. It’s as if this was the album he had been longing to make. Sadly, in 1977, as punk was making its presence felt, Flammende Herzen passed record buyers by. By then, Michael had been back in the studio with Harmonia, and a special guest, Brian Eno.
The Return Of Harmonia With Brian Eno-Tracks and Traces.
After the release of Musik von Harmonia, Brian Eno had called Harmonia was: “the world’s most important rock band” at the time. It was no surprise that when Harmonia reunited to record their third album, it was a collaboration with Brian Eno. However, it was also the end of an era.
Little did the three members of Harmonia realise, that Deluxe was the last album they would release for thirty-two years. For what was their swan-song, Harmonia were joined by another legend, Brian Eno.
Michael remembers the sessions well. “Brian Eno was a very intelligent man. He seemed to know what music was on the way up. By then, he was making ambient music and was working as a producer. He was about to produce David Bowie’s Heroes’ album.” However, for the next eleven days, Brian Eno joined the band he had been championing since their debut album.
At the studio in Forst, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Dieter Moebius, Michael Rother and Brian Eno spent eleven summer days recording what was meant to be their third album. The working title was Harmonia ’76. However, by then, Hans-Joachim Roedelius remembers “Michael Rother was wanting to concentrate on his solo career. Once the album was completed, it became apparent Harmonia had run its course. It was evolution.”
This wasn’t surprising. Harmonia weren’t selling many records. Michael Rother remembers: “it was a tough time for us. Our music seemed to be ignored.” Neu! also seemed to have run its course. “Neu ‘75 hadn’t sold well. Klaus wasn’t an easy person to work with. So, I decided to return to my solo career after the release of Harmonia ’76.” That never happened.
Incredibly, the master-tapes for Harmonia ’76 went missing. “We feared they were lost forever. Then twenty years later, they were found.” What was meant to be Harmonia ’76 was released Tracks and Traces in 1997.” That wasn’t the end of the Harmonia story. However, before the next chapter in the Harmonia story unfolded, Michael Rother’s solo career continued apace.
Michael Rother’s Solo Career-Part Two-Sterntaler.
After the drama and disappointment of the loss of the master tapes for Harmonia ’76, the three members of Harmonia went their separate ways. By September 1977, Michael was ready to record his sophomore album Sterntaler.
It was recorded between September and November 1977 at two studios. This included Conny’s Studio, and Michael’s studio in Forst. By then, Michael was a true multi-instrumentalist, and was playing guitar, bass guitar, piano, synths, electronic percussion Hawaiian slide guitar and synth strings. Augmented by Jaki Liebezeit’s drums, Sterntaler took shape.
Unlike his debut album, the synths were playing an important part in Sterntaler’s sound, and were responsible for the melody. Then on the ambient sounding Blauer Regen, Jaki Liebezeit’s weren’t needed. This was another signal that Michael’s music was changing. Michael and co-producer Conny Plank finished work on Sterntaler in November 1977. Maybe the stylistic shift would result in a change in Michael’s fortunes?
Sadly, it was a familiar story. The reviews of Sterntaler were generally positive, and Michael was regarded as one of the most innovative musicians of his generation. However, when Sterntaler was released, the album didn’t sell well . Michael remembers; “my music seemed to be out of fashion.” However, he continued to make music, music that continued to evolve.
Katzenmusik.
Recording of Michael Rother’s third album Katzenmusik took place between March and July 1979. Just like his previous album, the album was recorded in Forst and Conny’s Studio. Michael used mainly electronic instruments. They were augmented by guitars and Jaki Liebezeit’s drums.
It seemed that if Michael Rother was a painter, he was reducing his pallet. That would be the case for most musicians. However, Michael Rother wasn’t most musicians. Along with his co-producer Conny Plank, they recorded two suite of songs which featured twelve tracks. Essentially, they were variations layered around four different five-note melodies. They then recur in a variety of ways. Although stylistically, the music was similar to his two previous albums, the instruments used had changed. However, this didn’t stop Michael Rother recording another album of groundbreaking music. It was released later in 1979.
On Katzenmusik’s release, some critics hailed the album Michael Rother’s finest hour. He had come of age as a solo artist. This should’ve been a cause for celebration. However, it was, and it wasn’t.
Katzenmusik was the last album Michael recorded with Conny Plank. “It was no reflection on Conny. The man was a genius. However, I wanted to go my own way, and explore other options.” Sadly, Michael Rother and Conny Plank’s swan-song wasn’t a commercial success. It would be another three years before Michael released a new album.
Fernwärme.
It was 1981 when Michael Rother began work on his fourth album. The recording took place at Michael’s own Flammende Herzen Studio in Forst. It was just Michael and drummer Jaki Liebezeit. Unlike his first three albums, Conny Plank was absent. “We remained friends, and I owe Conny a lot, but it was the time to move on.”
This couldn’t have been easy. The pair had worked on nearly every project Michael had been involved with. Fernwärme was a first. It was just Michael, Jaki and the latest electronic instruments. They were used extensively on Fernwärme. This included drum machines. For Jaki Liebezeit the writing was on wall. Fernwärme was his swan-song with Michael Rother.
Michael explains: “Fernwärme was the last project Jaki worked on. Again, it was nothing personal. It was similar to the situation with Conny Plank. I wanted to move in a different direction, and already had began to use drum machines. Jaki was a fantastic drummer. The man is a machine, and will be drumming the rest of his life. However, Fernwärme was the last time we worked together.”
As Michael Rother prepared for the release of Fernwärme in 1982, it must have been with a degree of trepidation. It was the first album he had produced himself. However, he needn’t have worried, as Fernwärme was well received upon its release. Michael’s first album in three years, and the first he had produced himself was hailed a success. Sadly, the wider record buying public still hadn’t discovered Michael Rother’s music. “It was a really frustrating time for me.”
Michael Rother’s first four solo albums Flammende Herzen, Sterntaler,Katzenmusik and Fernwärme, have just been released by Gronland Records and this is a welcome reminder of a musical pioneer at the peak of his creative powers. Michael Rother has been part of three of the biggest bands in the history of Kosmische musik; Kraftwerk, Neu! and Harmonia. He then embarked upon a solo career and eventually, would release nine solo albums and more recently, two soundtrack albums. However, for many connoisseurs of Kosmische musik, Flammende Herzen, Sterntaler, Katzenmusik and Fernwärme feature the best music of Michael Rother’s solo career. These are albums he never bettered and are feature a groundbreaking musicians who as he wrote his name into German musical history fist with Kraftwerk, Neu! and Harmonia and then as a solo artist with albums of the quality of Flammende Herzen, Sterntaler, Katzenmusik and Fernwärme which even today, continues to influence and inspire a new generations of musicians.
Michael Rother-Flammende Herzen, Sterntaler,Katzenmusik and Fernwärme.
ALICE CLARK-ALICE CLARK.
Alice Clark-Alice Clark.
Label: We Want Sounds.
Sadly, all too often, hype and image has triumphed over talent, while commercial success and critical acclaim eludes truly talented artists. Chastened by the experience, many of these artists turn their back on the music industry. They’re content to return to civvy street, free from a world populated by A&R executives, PR companies and radio pluggers. At least the artist knows that they gave it their best shot. Alas, it wasn’t to be. Now they begin the first day of the rest of their life.
This is what happened to Brooklyn born soul singer Alice Clark. Her career began in 1968, and was over by 1972. During that four-year period, Alice Clark recorded just fifteen songs during three recording session. This includes two singles, and her 1972 album Alice Clark which has just been reissued by We Want Sounds on vinyl. After commercial success eluded her, Alice Clark career turned her back on music. Since then, Alice Clark has remained one of the soul music’s best kept secrets. She’s also one of music’s music enigmatic figures.
Very little is known about Alice Clark. Indeed, her story is almost shrouded in mystery. All that’s known, is that Alice Clark was born in Brooklyn, and shared the same manager as The Crystals. It was her manager that introduced Alice to singer-songwriter Billy Vera.
The meeting took place at Billy Vera’s publishers, April-Blackwood Music. That afternoon, Billy spent time teaching her some songs that he had written. These songs would be recorded in 1969.
By the time the recording session took place, Alice Clark had taken to occasionally phoning Billy Vera. However, Alice who seems to have been a private person, only ever made small talk. Despite this, Billy remembers: “I got the impression her home life wasn’t that great.” He remembers that Alice: “had kids and belonged to a religious order.” These are the only thing Billy can remember about Alice. However, what nobody who heard Alice as she made her recording debut will forget is…her voice.
For the 1969 session, Jubliee’s studio was chosen. Billy Vera who wrote and would produce the three tracks put together a tight and talented band. The rhythm section featured drummer Earl Williams, bassist Tyrell and guitarists Butch Mann and Billy Vera. They were augmented by trumpeter Money Johnson and backing vocalist Tasha Thomas. This was the band that accompanied Alice Clark on You Got A Deal, Say You’ll Never Leave Me and Before Her Time. Alice Clark delivered confident and assured performances. Two of these songs became Alice’s debut single.
With the three songs recorded, the Rainy Day label decided to release You Got A Deal in January 1968. It was a driving slice of soul, with a feisty, vocal from Alice. Horns and harmonies accompany Alice as she’s transformed into a self-assured soul singer. The flip side was Say You’ll Never, a quite beautiful ballad. A number of radio stations began playing the song. Despite this, Alice Clark’s first single wasn’t a commercial success. It was an inauspicious start to Alice’s career.
Nothing was heard off Alice Clark until March 1969. By then, Alice had recorded her sophomore single. This was the George Kerr, Michael Valvano and Sylvia Moy penned You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me). On the flip-side was Arthur Mitchell and Eddie Jones’ Heaven’s Will (Must Be Obeyed). The two songs were produced by George and Napoleon Kerr. This GWP Production was released on Warner Bros. Alice Clark was going up in the world.
Alas commercial success continued to elude Alice Clark. When You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me) was released as a single, it failed to trouble the charts. That was despite featuring impassioned, hurt-filled vocal. Tucked away on the B-Side was another ballad, Heaven’s Will (Must Be Obeyed). It features a heartfelt vocal from Alice Clark where the secular and spiritual collide. Both sides of Alice Clark’s sophomore single showcased a truly talented singer. Sadly, very few people heard the single. Alice Clark was still one of music’s best kept secrets.
For the next couple of years, Alice Clark was cast out into the musical wilderness. Then Bob Shad at Mainstream Records decided to take a chance on Alice Clark. Mainstream Records were moving into the soul market, are were signing artists. He decided that Alice Clark fitted the bill, and signed her to Mainstream Records.
Soon, work began on Alice Clark’s debut album. A total of ten tracks were chosen. This included a trio of Bobby Hebb songs, Charms Of The Arms Of Love, Don’t You Care and Hard, Hard Promises. Among the other songs were Jimmy Webb’s I Keep It Hid; Petula Clark and John Bromley’s Looking At Life; Leonard Caston’s Don’t Wonder Why; Juanita Fleming’s Never Did I Stop Loving You and Earl DeRouen’s Hey Girl. The other songs chosen were John Kander and Fred Ebb’s Maybe This Time and Leon Carr and Robert Allen’s It Takes Too Long To Learn To Live Alone. These songs became Alice Clark.
With the material chosen, producer Bob Shad set about putting a band together. Apart from guitarist Ted Dubar, the identity of the rest of the band are unknown. However, Ernie Wilkins was drafted in to arrange the songs on Alice Clark. When it was recorded, the release was scheduled for later in 1972.
By then, three years had passed since a record bearing Alice Clark’s name had been released. You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me) had disappeared without trace upon its release in March 1969. Everyone must have been hoping that history wouldn’t repeat itself. Alas, it did.
I Keep It Hid was chosen as the lead single, with Don’t Wonder Why featuring on the B-Side. On its release, I Keep It Hid sunk without trace. Worse was to come. When Alice Clark was released, the album failed to find the audience it deserved. Very few copies of Alice Clark sold. That was a great shame.
During the three years that Alice Clark had been away, she grown and matured as a singer. Despite this, there was to be no followup album. After Alice Clark failed commercially, Alice turned her back on music. Never again did this talented and versatile vocalist return to the studio. Alice Clark was lost to music.
During her four-year career, Alice Clark had recorded just fifteen tracks. They’re a mixture of beautiful ballads and uptempo songs. On each and every song, Alice breathes life and meaning into the lyrics. Her delivers veers between heartfelt, impassioned and soul-baring, to assured, hopeful and joyous. It seems when Alice Clark stepped into a recording studio, she was transformed.
No longer was Alice Clark the quietly spoken young mother that Billy Vera remembers. Suddenly, the God-fearing Alice Clark disappeared, and was replaced by one that wore her heart on her sleeve. She was comfortable sings songs about love and love lost, and could breathe life and meaning into songs about hope, hurt, heartbreak and betrayal. Despite her ability and versatility, Alice Clark commercial success and critical acclaim eluded Alice Clark.
Chastened by the experience, Alice Clark turned her back on the music industry. Nobody seems to know what happened to Alice Clark? Mystery surrounds this hugely talented singer, who should’ve gone on to enjoy a long and successful career. Sadly, that wasn’t to be.
By 1973, You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me) became a favourite on the UK Northern Soul scene. Apart from that, very few people had heard of Alice Clark or her music. It would be a while before this changed.
As the years passed by, a few copies of Alice Clark found their way into bargain bins. Curious record collectors who chanced upon a copy of Alice Clark decided to take a chance on this little known album. Having paid their money, they discovered one of soul music’s best kept secrets,..Alice Clark. They were the lucky ones.
Since then, Alice Clark has become a real rarity. Anyone wanting an original 1972 copy of Alice Clark on Mainstream, will need to search long and hard. If they can find a copy, it will take at least $500 to prise it out of the hands of its owner. It feature a truly talented singer who could’ve and should’ve enjoyed widespread commercial success and critical acclaim. Sadly, for Alice Clark that wasn’t to be.
Instead, commercial success eluded Alice Clark, and in 1972, she turned her back on music. Since then, nothing has been heard of Alice Clark. Mystery surrounds Alice Clark’s life after she turned her back on music. She seems almost to have vanished into thin air. That’s a great shame. Especially given the resurgence in interest in her music and belatedly, Alice Clark’s music is finding the wider audience that it so richly deserves. What her newfound fans would like to know is whatever happened to Alice Clark?
Alice Clark-Alice Clark.
WARFARING STRANGERS: ACID NIGHTMARES LP.
Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares LP.
Label: Numero Group.
Numero Group’s most recent release Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares, documents an oft-overlooked and intriguing part of the psychedelic era. This came after the optimism of the hippie movement came to a sudden end. Gone was the hopeful, positive and sunshine psychedelia. In its place, was a darker and much more abrasive and lysergic style of music. Sometimes, there was a paranoia to the music, as if the hippie dream was now a nightmare.
Sadly, it was for some. There were many who were ill-suited to L.S.D. and other hallucinogenic drugs. Many who had decided to turn in tune in drop out were now acid casualties, and were a shadow of their former selves. This would include Roky Erickson of The ‘13th’ Floor Elevators and Sid Barrett of Pink Floyd. Just like Icarus, they had flown to close to the sun, and never recovered from their ill-judged dalliance with hallucinogenic drugs.
By the time the psychedelic era was over, and music have moved on, a huge amount of singles and albums had been released that were labelled as psychedelia. However, as is so often the case, not all that glittered was gold. Indeed, some of the music released during the psychedelic era bore only a passing resemblance to psychedelia. If George Orwell had been around and writing about music, he would surely remarked: “all psychedelia is equal, but some is more equal than others.”
Many singles and albums released during the psychedelic era were only vaguely psychedelic. That was no surprise, as there had been a lot bandwagon jumping going on during the psychedelic era. Especially groups trying to revive flagging and failing careers. Their last hope was to reinvent themselves as a psychedelic group and enjoy one last payday.
Meanwhile, many unknown groups were releasing some of the most psychedelic music that was released during the sixties and early seventies. These singles and albums were often released in small numbers as private presses. Nowadays, these singles and albums are incredibly rare, and exchange hands for ever-increasing sums of money.
This includes the eighteen tracks on Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmare, a limited edition 2-LP set which includes some of the darkest, most abrasive and lysergic music during the psychedelic era. They were proof that that the hippie dream was well and truly over. The music on Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmare also hints at the music that would follow in psychedelia’s footsteps over the next few decades. There’s a nod towards heavy metal, grunge and stoner rock on Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmare, which are akin to a template for these genres. Each of these genres roots can be traced to some of the tracks on Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmare. They’re a reminder of true psychedelia, not the sanitised version peddled by bands on their last legs or record labels trying to make a quick buck.
Opening Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmare is Xarhanga’s 1973 single Acid Nightmare. It was released on the Portuguese label Zip Zip, which was named after a well known television show. On Acid Nightmare, Xarhanga showcase their unique brand of lysergic, hard rocking sound. Sadly, Xarhanga only released a couple of singles and never got as far as releasing an album.
In 1968, the Vienna based band Novak’s Kapelle released Doing That Rhythm Thing as their debut single on the Austrian label Amadeo. Tucked away on the B-Side was Hypodermic Needle a blistering and raucous fusion of garage rock and psychedelia that is impossible not to like. This was the start of a recording career that lasted eleven years and saw Novak’s Kapelle released one album and four singles.
As the seventies dawned, and the hippie dream was over, a new breed of psychedelic bands emerged. This included Whistlers Mother, who were a tight and talented band. They released Dark Dawn as a single on Multi Records, in 1970. It features a dark, abrasive and lysergic sound that is antithesis to the hippie dream of a few years earlier. There’s also more than a hint of the stoner rock sound that would find favour with music fans further down the line.
To publicise the 1971 Hartlepool Rock Festival, the short-lived Abreaction label released an EP that featured four of the bands on the bill. Opening the EP, was Brass Alley, who contributed Pink Pills. It was penned by Ken Mountain,who produced the songs with Ken McKenzie. From the opening bars, it’s apparent Brass Alley is another talented band, and one who should’ve gone on to greater things. Although lysergic and hard rocking,Pink Pills is melodic a reminder of all that is good about early seventies hard rock.
Gift were a West German group who started life as Phallus Dei, which was also the title of Amon Düül II’s 1969 album. However, Phallus Dei decided to change their name to Gift around 1969. This was a less controversial name for the band who released their eponymous debut album three years later on Telefunken in 1972. Opening the album was Drugs a blistering and progressive hard rocking track from one of the early Krautrock bands.
Acid was a German heavy rock band from Heidelberg. They were formed around 1975 and four years later, released their one and only single Acid. It was released in 1979 on the Frankfurt-based Stall-Studio which was owned by engineer Michael Unger. Straight away, Acid has a slow, dark and moody sound. Soon, the tempo builds and there’s a slight progressive sound to this long-lost heavy rock single.
During the early seventies, Sardonicus was regarded as South-East London’s top rock band. The four piece band cut Nymph as a single for John Martin’s County Recording Service label in Binfield, Berkshire in 1973. Hidden away on the B-Side was Evaporated Brain, which is an intriguing genre-melting song. As guitarist Valentine Pascal lays down some chiming guitar licks, while Chris Rance’s vocal is part garage rock part proto-punk. Three years later, and this vocal style would de rigueur. Chris Rance was ahead of his time on this genre-defying track.
When Mass Temper entered the studio to record a demo in 1968, one of the tracks they recorded was Grave Digger. Since then, this demo has featured on several compilations. It’s best described as proto-metal and was a taste of the music that was to come in the late-sixties and early seventies.
Bulbous Creation was an acid rock band from Prairie Village, Kansas. They recorded their debut album You Won’t Remember Dying in 1971. Sadly, the album wasn’t released until 1994 when it eventually made its debut on the Dallas based psychedelic label Rockadelic Records. One of the highlights of You Won’t Remember Dying was the dramatic and moody sounding Hooked, which features the acid rockers at their very best.
The Ritual were an American band who released a couple of singles in the late sixties and early seventies. Speed Freak was The Ritual’s debut single and was released on the Hastle label in 1969. Although The Ritual were essentially a psychedelic band there’s a progressive sound to Speed Freak. Despite their undeniable talent, The Ritual only released one more single, and never enjoyed the success they deserved.
Purple Sun is one of the many bands who only ever release one single. Their single was Doomsday which was released on the short-lived Rampart Street label in 1970. Doomsday finds Purple Sun fusing psychedelia and hard rock. Later, there’s even a hint of grunge as Purple Sun continue to strut their way through the track.
Sunn Cycle’s Acid Raga closes Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares in style. It’s no exaggeration to say that the compilers have saved the best until last. Acid Raga epitomises the late-sixties psychedelic rock sound. It finds Sunn Cycle fusing psychedelic rock and Eastern influences on Acid Raga. Playing a leading role in the sound and success of this long-lost psychedelic rock hidden gem is a Hendrix inspired virtuoso guitar solo. Sadly, when this Chuck Taylor production was released in 1969 by Spectrum Records who were based in North Carolina, it failed to find the audience it deserved. Now forty-seven years later, and Sunn Cycle’s Acid Raga ensures that closes on a high.
Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares is the latest lovingly curated compilation from Numero Group. It’s another compilation that is all killer and no filler. That takes some doing on a compilation that features eighteen tracks. However, Numero Group dig deeper than many of their competitors and have unearthed a myriad of a long-lost hidden gems. They’re a reminder of an oft-overlooked period in the psychedelic rock era.
During the period Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares documents the hippie dream was but a distant memory. Gone was the hope and optimism of a few years earlier. The flower children had grown up, and moved on. So had music.
Gone was the hopeful, positive and sunshine psychedelia. In its place, was a darker and much more abrasive and lysergic style of music. Sometimes, there was a paranoia to the music, as if the hippie dream was now a nightmare. Sadly, that was a case for many who had become acid casualties. This was one of the realities that became clear when the psychedelic party came to sudden end.
The music on Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares is a reminder of this period. This is a part of the psychedelic era that many writers and compilers have conveniently overlooked. Partly, because it doesn’t fit their idealistic portrayal of the hippie dream and psychedelic era. They’ve convinced themselves and others that the second half of the sixties was a musical nirvana, where peace, love and spiritually mattered and neither consumerism nor capitalism were important. Somehow they’ve managed to overlook the bad music and bad drugs that resulted in many acid casualties. They’ve also managed to forget that most of the yogis and gurus were charlatans, only in it for the money. So were many of the musicians who jumped onboard the psychedelic bandwagon looking for a quick buck.
By the early seventies, which Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares covers, many of the hippies were different people. They were now well on their way to becoming the people they once despised…breadheads. No longer had they any interest in psychedelia, despite the genre being alive and kicking.
Psychedelia by the early seventies was evolving. It had to. If it stood still it risked becoming irrelevant. As a result, many of the new breed of psychedelic bands were taking psychedelia in different direction. That is apparent on Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares which shows a very different side to psychedelia. It’s not just dark and abrasive, but moody, broody, dramatic and always lysergic. The psychedelia on Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares is far removed from the vaguely psychedelic music that the bandwagon jumpers looking for one last payday produced. Instead, the music on Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares is authentic and is always lysergic, and is the perfect addition to any collection of psychedelia.
Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares LP.
STONEGROUND’S WARNER BROS YEARS.
Stoneground’s Warner Bros Years.
The Stoneground story began in San Francisco in 1968, when guitarists Tim Barnes and Luther Billed joined forces with drummer Mike Mau and founded Stoneground. In the early days, Stoneground were happy playing as a trio but before long, the lineup began to expand.
This came about when Tom Donahue, a DJ and promoter who Stoneground’s manger, introduced the band to the two remaining members of The Beau Brummels. They had been one of the pioneers the country rock sound. However, in 1968, The Beau Brummels, who had once been signed to Tom Donahue’s Autumn Records, were reduced to a duo. Since then, the band failed to reach the same heady heights they once had. Maybe it was time for a new challenge?
So when Tom Donahue introduced Stoneground to The Beau Brummels’ vocalist Sal Valentino and guitarist and bassist John Blakely, the five musicians hit it off. They agreed to join forces as an expanded lineup of Stoneground. Soon though, five became nine.
Despite now being a five piece, Stoneground’s lineup was still not complete. Stoneground decided to add four female vocalists to the lineup. Annie Sampson, Lynne Hughes, Lydia Phillips, and Deirdre LaPorte were added to the lineup of Stoneground.
This newly expanded lineup of Stoneground began to hone their sound. At first, they played in San Francisco and in the Bay Area. Their popularity grew, and soon, Stoneground being booked to play further afield.
This resulted in Stoneground being booked to tour America and Europe. It was during that tour that Stoneground found the final piece of the musical jigsaw. This was keyboardist and bassist Pete Sears, who later, would join Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna. He became the tenth and final member of Stoneground.
Having returned home from what had been the longest tour of their career, Stoneground returned to playing in San Francisco. That was where they were spotted by an A&R executive from Warner Bros. They signed Stoneground, and early in 1970, entered the studio to record what became their eponymous debut album.
Stoneground.
Now signed to Warner Bros, Stoneground began work on their eponymous debut album in London, at Trident Studios during a UK tour. However, when Warner Bros heard the tracks they weren’t happy with them. This resulted in Stoneground having to rerecord their debut album.
This time, Sal Valentino assumed the role of songwriter-in -chief. The former Bueau Brummel penned Looking for You, Added Attraction (Come and See Me), Dreaming Man, Stroke Stand and Colonel Chicken Fry. John Blakely and Tom Donauhue wrote Brand New Start. The rest of Stoneground was made up of cover versions.
One of them was Reverend Gary Davis’ Great Change Since I’ve Been Born. It was joined by Ray Davies’ Rainy Day in June and John D. Loudermilk’s Bad News. The other cover version was John Mayall and Sonny Thompson’s Don’t Waste My Time. These tracks would become Stoneground.
Recording of Stoneground took place at Sunwest Studios, Los Angeles during early 1971. By then, Stoneground were an eleven piece band. Keyboardist and percussionist Ron Nagle had been added to Stoneground. This expanded lineup began work on Stoneground.
The rhythm section included drummer Mike Mau, bassist and rhythm guitarist John Blakeley and bassist and keyboardist Pete Sears. Sal Valentino played electric and acoustic guitar while Luther Bildt played guitar and Tim Barnes added lead and bottleneck guitar. Keyboardist and percussionist Ron Nagle was joined by vocalists Annie Sampson, Lynne Hughes, Lydia Phillips, and Deirdre LaPorte. Taking charge of some of the lead vocals were Luther Bildt, Tim Barnes and Sal Valentino. He also co-produced Stoneground with the band’s manager Tom Donahue. Eventually, the album was complete and delivered to Warner Bros.
They had great hopes for Stoneground, and embarked upon an extensive promotional campaign. This made sense. By then, Stoneground were already a popular band with a loyal following. That is despite not releasing an album. However, Stoneground had spent much of their time playing live, and their lives shows were extremely popular. No wonder. Stoneground were a talented and versatile band who seamlessly switched between and combined genres. They continued to do this on their eponymous debut album.
When of Stoneground were sent out to critics by Warner Bros, the band had become the travelling house band for the Medicine Ball Caravan. This was seen by some as Warner Bros trying to jump on the success of the concert film genre. However, Stoneground could walk the walk. Their eponymous debut album was proof of that.
As critics played Stoneground, they heard a captivating fusion of blues, folk, pop, psychedelia, rock and soul. Seamlessly, Stoneground switch between and fuse musical genres and influences. To do this they deploy seven separate vocalists on what’s a genre-melting album where Stoneground showcase their considerable skills.
This was no surprise as Stoneground was a tight, talented band who played with a fluidity that would be the envy of many bands. Stoneground’s potential shawn though on what was an accomplished and eclectic album. It was living up to Warner Bros heavy marketing campaign.
Despite the time and money spent on Stoneground, the album failed commercially. Although Stoneground were a popular live band, the album failed to trouble the US Billboard 200. For Stoneground and Warner Bros this was a huge disappointment. Soon, everyone’s thoughts turned to Stoneground’s sophomore album.
Family Album.
After the release of Stoneground, the band continued in their role as the travelling house band for the Medicine Ball Caravan. They would feature in the the Medicine Ball Caravan film. It documents a hippie caravan on an 8,000 mile road trip. A total of 154 buses, truck and groups like Stoneground made the journey. When the soundtrack was released that accompanied the film, it featured three songs by Stoneground. This introduced their music to a wider audience.
So they hoped would their sophomore album. However, by the time work began on what became Family Album, there had been several changes in Stoneground’s lineup.
Keyboardist and basset Pete Sears left to play on Rod Stewart’s album Every Picture Tells A Story. His replacement was keyboardist Cory Lerios. Two other departure were guitarist Luther Bildt and drummer Mike Mau. He was replaced by Stephen Price. This meant that Stoneground had been reduced to a ten piece band. The new lineup would make their recording debut with Stoneground on the 8th of August 1971.
This recording session wouldn’t take place in the one of San Francisco’s recording studios. Instead, it would take place in KSAN, a radio station in San Francisco, had booked Stoneground to play in what was a series of live broadcasts. Stoneground would take to the air on KSAN in San Francisco on Sunday the 8th of August 1971.
For Stoneground, this was a huge booking. Potentially, they were about to be heard by their largest audience. So before they took to the air, Stoneground began to hone a potential setlist.
When Stoneground arrived at KSAN in San Francisco on Sunday the 8th of August 1971, this was the first time the band had recorded as a ten piece. The rhythm section included drummer Stephen Price, bassist Brian Godual and John Blakeley on bass and rhythm guitarist Sal Valentino played electric guitar, acoustic guitar and percussion. Meanwhile Tim Barnes added lead guitar and Cory Lerios keyboards. This left just the vocalists. Annie Sampson, Lynne Hughes, Lydia Phillips, and Deirdre LaPorte were joined by vocalists Tim Barnes and Sal Valentino. Once the band was setup, they began to work their way through what was a truly eclectic set in front of a specially invited audience of 200 people.
With Family Album completed, Warner Bros began promoting Stoneground’s sophomore album. Copies of Family Album were sent out to critics. They hailed what was a truly eclectic album as a captivating album. It found Stoneground switching between genres and playing with freedom, fluidity and spontaneity. Some critics called the album Stoneground’s finest hour. Later, Family Album was regarded by some critics as the band’s best recording. It showed very different sides to truly talented band.
On Family Album, Stoneground worked their way through a mixture of original songs and cover versions on an album that featured live tracks and songs recorded at the Record Plant. Family Album showed the two sides of Stoneground. They were a talented band who many felt came into their own in the live setting. However, in the studio, Stoneground were capable of crafting memorable music like All My Life, Where Will I Find Love, Gonna Have A Good Time and Jam It. Given Family Album showed the two different sides to Stoneground, Warner Bros had high hopes for the album.
Alas, it wasn’t to be. When Family Album was released late in 1971, the album followed in the footsteps of Stoneground and failed to chart. It was another disappointment for Stoneground. However, their career continued at Warner Bros.
Stoneground 3.
The commercial failure of Stoneground’s sophomore album Family Album meant they were under pressure to come up with a successful third album. Stoneground had signed a three album deal with Warner Bros. This meant that they only ‘owed’ Warner Bros one more album. Should Stoneground’s third album fail commercially, then Warner Bros might take the opportunity to part company with the band. Stoneground were aware of this as they began writing their third album, which later, became Stoneground 3.
For Stoneground 3, Stoneground’s songwriter-in-chief, Sal Valentino contributed six carefully crafted songs. This included Dancin’, Down To The Bottom, From A Sad Man Into A Deep Blue Sea, From Me, Lovin’ Fallin’and Heads Up. Other members of Stoneground contributed songs to Stoneground 3. Lynn Hughes wrote On My Own; Tim Barnes penned You Better Come Through; Deirdre La Porte’ contributed Ajax and Annie Sampson Gettin’ Over You. Cory Lerios wrote Butterfly and cowrote Everybody’s Happy with David Jenkins. These twelve tracks became Stoneground 3.
Recording of Stoneground 3 took place at Wally Helder’s in San Francisco. It was one of the city’s top studios, and was perfectly equipped to record the most important album of Stoneground’s career. Just like previous albums, Sal Valentino took charge of production. By then, Stoneground’s ‘sound’ had changed. Gone was the eclecticism of their two previous albums. This was replaced by a much more radio friendly, pop rock sound. The result was a much more focused album, Stoneground 3.
This Stoneground hoped would find favour with music critics and record buyers. Executives at Warner Bros must have been hopeful when they heard Stoneground 3. Here was an album that they could pitch to radio programmers. The only problem was that maybe the change of sound would alienate Stoneground’s existing fan-base? It was a risk that Stoneground and Warner Bros decided to take.
It looked as if it had paid off. Critics hailed Stoneground 3 the band’s most focussed album. Gone was the free wheeling eclecticism of their two previous albums. In its place were shorter, much more radio friendly songs. This ranged from pop-rock to blues rock and country. Ten of the twelve tracks on Stoneground 3 were less than four minutes. This Stoneground thought would be perfect for radio playlists. Especially as many of the songs were melodic and memorable. Hooks hadn’t been spared on an album where ballads and uptempo tracks rubbed shoulders. This critics forecast was a potent and heady brew, that could transform Stoneground’s fortunes.
Sadly, when Stoneground 3 was released in late 1972, the album wasn’t a commercial success. That was despite Stoneground changing direction musically. This musical sacrifice had all been for nothing. Still, Stoneground 3 had sold poorly. Things weren’t looking good for Stoneground.
Not long after the release of Stoneground 3, Warner Bros decided to drop Stoneground. By then, the tension was high within Stoneground. Outsiders thought that Stoneground weren’t long for the world.
And so it proved to be. Stoneground announced that they would play one final concert on January 6th 1973 at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. That proved to be the final time that the ten members of Stoneground took to the stage together.
Just a couple of weeks after Stoneground’s swan-song, Sal Valentino left the band. Stoneground had lost their songwriter-in-chief and producer. Surely things couldn’t get any worse?
They did. Cory Lerios and Steven Price left Stoneground, and founded Pablo Cruise. Not long after this, four more members of Stoneground left. The only members of the band that reminded were Tim Barnes and Annie Sampson, who later in 1973, put together a new lineup of Stoneground. However, Stoneground’s best days were behind them.
Stoneground’s first three albums were the highlight of their career. This began with Stoneground in 1970. It was followed up by Family Album in 1971 and Stoneground 3 in 1972. These three albums feature Stoneground at the peak of their creative and musical powers. Stoneground and Family Album features Stoneground’s free wheeling, genre-melting sound. The quality continues on Stoneground 3, which is a much more focused album. It mixes pop-rock with blues rock and country. Just like the free wheeling eclecticism of their first two albums, this proves a heady brew. Sadly, the music didn’t find the audience it deserved.
It would be much later when Stoneground’s music began to find a wider audience. A new generation of record buyers began to discover the delights of Stoneground’s first three albums. Nowadays, these three albums from Stoneground’ Warner Bros Years are regarded as the highlights of their long career and back-catalogue.
Stoneground’s Warner Bros Years.
ZEAL ONYIA-TRUMPET KING ZEAL ONYIA RETURNS.
Zeal Onyia-Trumpet King Zeal Onyia Returns.
Label: BBE Music.
It was none other than Louis Armstrong who upon hearing Zeal Onyia for the first time described him as: “the highlife hep cat of Nigerian jazz trumpet’. Like so many others before him, Louis Armstrong was captivated by the combination of Zeal Onyia’s unique tone, rhythm and breathtaking power. This combination, meant that Zeal Onyia was a truly gifted musicians who wrote his name into the history of modern African music.
Zeal Onyia was one of the founders of West African highlife in Ghana and Nigeria, and through his career, was a hugely popular musician. One of his most memorable finest albums was King Zeal Onyia Returns, which was recorded in 1979 after returned from Germany, where he spent much of seventies studying classical music. However, Trumpet King Zeal Onyia Returns, which has just been released by BBE Music as part of their Tabansi Gold reissue series, was very different from the classical music that Zeal Onyia had been studying. It was the latest chapter in his career.
Zeal Onyia’s career began in the forties, when he was playing with Bobby Benson. They played swing and dance which was influenced by Duke Ellington. This was just the start for the versatile trumpeter.
By the fifties, Zeal Onyia had changed direction and was playing classic highlife with ET Mensah. This was the start of a new chapter in the career of a true musical pioneer.
Although Zeal Onyia spent the fifties playing classic highlife this versatile and talented trumpeter changed direction again during the early sixties. He was part of a small jazz band who were so good, that they provided competition for Fela Kuti’s first ever band. However, as the sixties gave way to the seventies, Zeal Onyia left his home behind and headed to Germany where the part of his musical education began.
For much of the seventies, Zeal Onyia studied classical music in Germany, and eventually, returned home to Lagos, in Nigeria, in 1979. One of the first things he did was record an album. This wasn’t an album of classical music, it was Trumpet King Zeal Onyia Returns.
When Zeal Onyia entered the studio in Lagos in 1979, he was joined by the Tabansi Studio Band. Together, they recorded six spellbinding tracks where Zeal Onyia showcases his unique tone, rhythm and breathtaking power. Two of the highlights are the joyous, feel-good of Zeal Anata that transports the listener to a remote Nigerian village as they celebrate a local festival. Then Egwu Olili is stunning instrumental where Zeal Onyia and the Tabansi Studio Band show a remarkable understanding as they reach new heights on what’s a cult classic and historic recording.
Sadly, it’s almost impossible to find copies of Trumpet King Zeal Onyia Returns. The very few copies that come up for sale change hands for large sums of money. Thankfully, BBE Music have recently reissued Trumpet King Zeal Onyia Returns, which is a breathtaking West African highlife classic and that is regarded as a career defining performance from: “the highlife hep cat of Nigerian jazz trumpet,’ Zeal Onyia.
Zeal Onyia-Trumpet King Zeal Onyia Returns.
OJO BALINGO-AFROTUNES-BEST OF JUJU VOL. II-OBA MIMO OLORUN AYO.
Ojo Balingo–Afrotunes –Best of Juju Vol. II–Oba Mimo Olorun Ayo.
Label: BBE Music.
Release Date: ‘28th’ June 2019
Each week, record companies in America, Britain and Europe tempt and tantalise collectors with reissue of rarities that have never been released before. This includes everything from Acid House to zydeco and everything in between, including a compilation of juju music from the mysterious and multitalented Ojo Balingo. The new compilation Afrotunes–Best of Juju Vol. II–Oba Mimo Olorun Ayo which will be released on the ‘28th’ June 2019 by BBE Music, and showcases the multitalented juju music master Ojo Balingo.
The first time many people heard of juju music was when it was popularised by King Sunny Ade during the eighties. Suddenly, juju music was exposed to a much wider audience and people all over the world were enjoying and embracing what was until then, essentially, a traditional type of African music which was mostly played by Yoruba musicians for audiences consisting of Yoruba people.
Juju music’s origins can be traced back to the twenties, when it was first heard in south west Nigeria. Over the next sixty years, it was popularised by several generations of Yoruba musicians. They played juju music to audiences that mainly consisted of the Yoruba people. This was their music, and music which is similar to Highlife. However, what had up until the eighties had been the Yoruba people’s music was discovered by a global audience.
Many music fans across the globe were keen to discover more about the juju music that had been popularised by King Sunny Ade, wanted to hear it played by some of its finest exponents. This included Ojo Balingo who although he was a juju master, is something of mysterious figure who it seems, preferred to let job music do the talking.
A reminder of juju master Ojo Balingo’s music can be found on Afrotunes –Best of Juju Vol. II–Oba Mimo Olorun Ayo. Looking at the artwork to the original album which is a rarity pressed by Nigeria’s Tabansi label, it initially looks like a various artists album, but it’s not. However, what’s clear it’s the same band that feature on each of the eight tracks on Afrotunes –Best of Juju Vol. II–Oba Mimo Olorun Ayo, which is an album of two very different sides.
On the first side, which features Oba Mimo Olorun Ayom, Ayo Igbala Ni Mofe, Gbede Lonro Koko Lagbala and Mrs Titilayo Martins the music is best described as featuring traditional juju music. Flip over the the second side, which includes Igbe Eiye Oloburo, Jide Babalola and Bayo Babalola, Soji Oyebade and Sola Kolawole and Ile Aiye Ile Ese Ile Aiye Ogun. Here, the music is darker and funkier with breaks aplenty which will please sample hungry producers. There’s also talking drums and psychedelic rock Hawaiian guitars which are part of teh backdrop to lyrics that are full of social comments and deeply political. The result is an eclectic and captivating album from the enigmatic and mysterious juju master Ojo Balingo whose talent is indisputable.
For anyone with even a passing interest in Africa music, Afrotunes –Best of Juju Vol. II–Oba Mimo Olorun Ayo which showcased the considerable talents of Ojo Balingo is captivating and breathtaking album from a juju master whose music deserves to be heard by a much wider audience.
Ojo Balingo–Afrotunes –Best of Juju Vol. II–Oba Mimo Olorun Ayo.
BAND APART-BAND APART.
Band Apart-Band Apart.
Label: Crammed Discs.
French-American group Band Apart were founded in the early eighties by New York-based poet and performance artist Jayne Bliss, and Marseille-based musician and producer M.Mader and signed to Marc Hollander’s nascent Crammed discs who released the group’s critically acclaimed eponymous EP in 1981. Two years later in 1983, Band Apart returned with their debut album Marseille, which was also released by Crammed Discs to plaudits and praise. Great things were forecast for Band Apart, but sadly, that wasn’t to be.
After just two years together, Band Apart, who were already making waves and a name for themselves on the No Wave scene, were no more. The group called time on their and career and went their separate ways, resulting in critics wondering what might have been?
Band Apart who achieved a lot during that two year period, had the potential to become one of the leading lights of the No Wave scene, and define its very future. However, that wasn’t to be, and Band Apart were regarded as a group who although they released groundbreaking and innovative music, never quite fulfilled their potential. Or did they and Band Apart’s contribution to music has been underestimated, these unsung heroes of the eighties No Wave scene actually overachieved during the two years they were together?
One way to decide, is to listen to recently release LP or digital album Band Apart, which was released by Crammed Discs and features their complete works. The release of Band Apart is a welcome one, and reminder of a pioneering band, who were one of the first to sign for Marc Hollander’s nascent label Crammed Discs. It was the start of a two year adventure for Jayne Bliss and M.Mader, aka Band Apart.
Having signed to Crammed Discs not long after the label was founded by Marc Hollander in 1981, Band Apart began work on their eponymous EP which featured the moody sounding Jaguar and Strainer with its jangling metallic sound. They’re joined by Eve Ryonne and Le Mont Des Olives which appears at first listen to be joyous and enchanted until the sardonic and scathing lyrics hit home. These four tracks became the Band Apart EP, which was released later in 1981. It featured whispery vocals that are part of a multilayered mix where otherworldly and sci-fi sounds that escape on this groundbreaking No Wave EP. It features raw, mesmeric and mysterious and hazy, lazy and lysergic music that had pop pretensions, but would later influence genres like showcase, lo-fi and dream pop. This was the case with Band Apart’s debut album Marseille.
Two years passed before Band Apart returned with their debut album Marseille in 1983. By then, Band Apart had been playing live in Europe and in New York, and had developed a loyal following with the No Wave scene who would embrace their long-awaited debut album Marseille, which was released to critical acclaim despite it making a change in direction.
Unlike the Band Apart EP, Marseille featured a much more dancefloor friendly collection of songs. This included Ham Sandwich, while Lover which is poppy and has a memorable chorus still leads the listener astray with attempts to disorientate using a musical sleight of hand. O My Beautiful somehow manages to be bright and rueful and will remind many people of the Cocteau Twins. It’s just one of the highlights of a Marseille, a truly captivating and engaging album where Band Apart throw curveballs as they continue their mission to create inventive and innovative music. Sadly, though, not for much longer,
Not long after the release of Marseille in 1983, Band Apart literally fell apart and it was the end of the road for this groundbreaking group who could’ve gone on to even greater things. Sadly, that wasn’t to be and Band Apart’s musical legacy amounted to just their 1981 eponymous EP and their 1983 debut album Marseille.
Thirty-six years later, and there’s been a resurgence of interest in Band Apart, whose music has been reevaluated recently. They’re now regarded as a pioneering group whose music was always inventive and innovative and influenced many musicians making everything from shoegaze, lo-fi, No Wave and dream pop. Many musicians still namecheck Band Apart, and to thus day, are influenced by their music including their 1981 eponymous EP, the five tracks from their debut album Marseille and two bonus tracks, which feature on Crammed Discs new release on vinyl and digital Band Apart which is a welcome reissue of an oft-overlooked but innovative group.
Band Apart-Band Apart.
WAKE UP! MUSIC REMIXES DJ WALL OF SOUND VOLUME 1: MATT WARREN’S MUSIC IS MY LIFE
Wake Up! Music Remixes DJ Wall Of Sound Volume 1: Matt Warren’s Music Is My Life.
Release Date: ‘19th’ July 2019.
Label: Wake Up! Music.
Buoyed by the success of the Matt Warren’s critically acclaimed Nu-House classic, Music Is My Life, Wake Up! Music’s founder and creative director MyMy Lady G aka Pepper Gomez, decided that the Chicago-Miami based label’s next project would be an album of remixes. This, she decided wasn’t going to be just another remix album.
Instead, some of the world’s top DJs were invited to remix a track from Music Is My Life. Calls went out to the legendary John Morales, Brooklyn’s very own DJ Spinna, international man of mystery Al Kent, and the Chicago-based triumvirate of Ralphi Rosario, DJ Lil Tal and Marcus Mixx. They were joined by Texan DJ Dominic Sustaita as well as up-and-coming DJs James Flowers and Michael A. Garza. These nine DJs play a starring role on Wake Up! Music Remixes DJ Wall Of Sound Volume 1: Matt Warren’s Music Is My Life, which is the first instalment in a new and exciting series of Nu-Music from Wake Up! Music which is sure to fuel the parties, dance floors and lives of DJs, dancers and music fans the world over.
The ten remixes find the nine DJs at the top of their game, breathing new life into the tracks on Music Is My Life. Opening Wake Up! Music Remixes DJ Wall Of Sound Volume 1: Matt Warren’s Music Is My Life is Ralphi Rosario a recent convert to Nu- House, who teases the listener with his Big Love Radio Remix of How Do I Love Thee that features a coquettish vocal from the legendary house diva Pepper Gomez. After that, it’s time for take off, and the DJ Spinna Galactic Soul Remix of The Way to My Heart, before disco meets house on what’s an amazing remix from New York’s very own John Morales. The John Morales M+M Mix once again finds Pepper Gomez’s vocal plays a starring role on a track that was one of the highlights of Music Is My upon its release.
Get On Up which topped the DRT Indie Charts in December 2018, is reinvented on the Thank God It’s Tal Remix which is oh so funky, and dancefloor friendly. So is the That Dude Dom Club Mix of Going Deeper which is a call to dance, just like the James Flowers Remix of Musica Es Mi Vida.
The Marcus Mixx Remix of Bang The Box brings back memories of the Acid House days, and convoys of cars trapping round the countryside looking for a likely venue for a rave. Adding a Latin flavour is Michael A Garza’s Deep Future Mix Extended, before the Al Kent Mix of Sometimes finds Scotland’s disco king showing his versatility with a trancey, lysergic and very Nu sounding track. Bookending the album is Ralphi Rosario’s anthemic Big Love Remix of How Do I Love Thee, which is a guaranteed floorfiller and future favourite of dancers everywhere.
Wake Up! Music Remixes DJ Wall Of Sound Volume 1: Matt Warren’s Music Is My Life features ten peerless, innovative and carefully crafted Nu-House remixes from superstar DJs like Ralphi Rosario, John Morales, DJ Spinna and Al Kent, old friends including Marcus Mixx, DJ Lil’ Tal and That Dude Dom, plus up-and-coming producers like James Flowers and Michael A Garza. This uber talented cast of DJs and producers that feature on Wake Up! Music Remixes DJ Wall Of Sound Volume 1: Matt Warren’s Music Is My Life are responsible for hook-laden anthems and floorfillers galore, which are guaranteed to get any party started and will fill any dancefloor.
Wake Up! Music Remixes DJ Wall Of Sound Volume 1: Matt Warren’s Music Is My Life.
DAM
SEAFARING STRANGERS: PRIVATE ROCK LP.
Seafaring Strangers: Private Rock LP.
Label: Numero.
As the sixties drew to a close, the Rolling Stones were one of the most successful bands of the decade. They were preparing to release their Let It Bleed, on the ‘5th’ of December 1969. It was the Rolling Stones eighth album in Britain, but their tenth album in America. That was where the Rolling Stones were most popular, and where they were enjoying a glittering career.
Already, the Rolling Stones had sold in excess of six million albums in America since 1964. Six of the Rolling Stones’ albums were certified gold and three platinum, including their previous album Beggars Banquet. Let It Bleed was the followup, and was released to critical acclaim on the ‘5th’ of December 1969. The following day, the Rolling Stones had agreed to put on a free concert at Altamont Speedway, in Northern California
The concert at Altamont Speedway on the ‘6th’ of December 1969, was meant to feature an all-star cast, including some of the great and good of psychedelia. Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead and Santana were joined by The Rolling Stones, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. They were all booked o play in what was meant to be a landmark event in psychedelic’s musics history, and a hopefully, a good news story. Alas, it wasn’t.
As the Rolling Stones took to the stage, accompanied by Hells Angels who were providing security, the concert descended into chaos. Some of the Hell’s Angels fought with the audience, and Meredith Hunter, a black teenager, was allegedly stabbed by a member of the Hells’s Angels. This resulted in the cancellation of Altamont. One of the headliners, The Grateful Dead, never even took to the stage. Altamont was an unmitigated disaster.
There were three accidental deaths, many were injured, property was destroyed and cars stolen and destroyed. As the sixties drew to a close, the events at Altamont played its part in the decline of psychedelia and a backlash against the hippie movement.
It was no wonder that when the clock struck midnight on the ’31st’ of December 1969, many within the music industry breathed a sigh of relief. While the sixties had been the most important and influential decade in musical history, it ended with chaos and controversy, and a barrage of negative publicity. The dawn of a new decade, was also a new start for music.
With psychedelia no longer as popular, critics and cultural commentators, wondered where was heading? There were several possibilities. The heavy rock pioneered by Led Zeppelin was already popular, and so was the nascent progressive rock movement. Then there was soul and fusion? Critics and cultural commentators all speculated at what the future held for music.
As the seventies took shape, many musical movements proved popular. This included heavy rock, progressive, fusion, Philly Soul and later, disco and punk. There was also soft rock which later became known West Coast sound.
Back in the seventies, the West Coast sound was the perfect soundtrack to the lives of the Baby Boomers, who had grownup and were now parents. They were enjoying the West Coast sound, which incorporated elements of pop, rock, jazz, funk and soul. The music had a slick sound and was full of hooks. This came courtesy of clever chord progressions, lush harmonies and often, swathes of strings. They played their part in the sound and success of the West Coast sound, which forty years later, is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Nowadays, though, the West Coast sound is known as Vanilla Funk or Yacht Rock.
Recently, several compilations of Yacht Rock have been released. The most recent was Seafaring Strangers: Private Rock, which was released by the Numero label on the ‘7th’ of July 2017. It features twenty tracks from artists like Jim Spencer, Ned Doheny, Jeff Harrington, Paul Skyland, Calvin Johnson, Salty Miller, Canyon, Gary Marks, Country Comfort, Chuck Senrick and Rudy Norman. Many of these tracks fall into the category of hidden gems. They’ve been taken from privately pressed albums which were released on small labels.
Often, these albums were self-released by the artist, who had a 1,000 albums pressed and sold them at concerts or through a network of local record shops. Nowadays, many of these albums have a cult following, and are extremely rare. Sadly, some of these albums slipped under the radar, and it was only much later that they were discovered by intrepid crate-diggers. Tracks from these albums, make a welcome appearance on Seafaring Strangers: Private Rock which was been reissued as a 2 LP set by Numero.
Opening Seafaring Strangers: Private Rock is Jim Spencer’s Wrap Myself Up in Your Love which was released on Armada Records in 1979. By then, Jim Spencer was thirty-five and had already released two solo folk albums, 1973s Landscapes and 1974s 2nd Look. Five years later, and Jim Spencer was ready to reinvent himself. He had written Wrap Myself Up in Your Love with Ed Tossing, and they produced the single with Andy Watermann. It saw Jim Spencer embrace disco, on a track that seamlessly fuses elements of funk, proto-boogie, jazz and soul. The result is a beautiful, slow devotional that sets the bar high for the rest of the compilation.
In 1980, Chicago-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Miglio released Everytime It Rains as a single on Michael Records. Hidden away on the B-Side was Never Gonna Let You Go, which was the stronger of the two tracks. It’s a beautiful, heartfelt paean that meanders along, all the time winning friends and influencing people. If it had been chosen as the single, maybe things would’ve been very different for Michael Miglio? Instead, his recording career amounts to just one single, which features the hidden gem Never Gonna Let You Go on the B-Side.
Ned Doheny’s career began at David Geffen’s nascent Asylum Records in 1973, when he released his eponymous debut album. By then, Ned Doheny was as familiar face on the Californian music scene, and was a contemporary of Jackson Browne, The Eagles and Joni Mitchell. However, Ned Doheny didn’t enjoy the same commercial success, and by 1991 was signed to the Japanese label Polystar. He released a trio of albums on Polystar, including Love Like Ours in 1991. It featured Before I Thrill Again, where a funky bass and backing vocalists accompany Ned Doheny’s hurt-filled vocal on a song that epitomises everything that is good about Yacht Rock. It’s also a reminder of a truly talented singer, songwriter and musician whose music should’ve found a wider audience.
When Carter Minor returned to Chapel Hill, in North Carolina, he formed Steps, a five piece band with four new graduated of the local University. Soon, Steps began playing on the local live scene, and in 1982 released their debut EP Sugar on Dolphin Records. It was produced by Steve Gronback and Tim Hildebrandt, featured the Carter Minor composition Your Burning Love. Steps had saved the best until last. It was the last song on the B-Side, and found five members of Steps came into their own. While Carter Minor takes charge of the lead vocal, the rest of Steps add cascading vocals on this dance-floor friendly track that draws inspiration from the blue-eyed soul of The Doobie Brothers and Earth, Wind and Fire. Sadly, there was no followup to the Sugar EP, and Steps had split-up within a year. Your Burning Love is reminder of Steps, who could’ve gone on to reach greater heights.
Paul Skyland’s Give Me Your Love is one of the real finds on Seafaring Strangers: Private Rock. It’s a track from Paul Skyland’s self-released 1982 album Songchild. It was recorded at Suma Recorders in Cleveland, where Paul Skyland spent time carefully crafting his debut album. He believed that Give Me Your Love was his strongest song, and hoped that it would generate interest from record companies. Sadly, that wasn’t the case and Paul Skyland’s debut album remains one of music’s best kept secrets. A tantalising taste of Songchild, is Give Me Your Love a beautiful and carefully crafted song from one of music’s master craftsmen.
From the opening bar’s of Salty Miller One More Time, it’s obvious that this is a very special song. That proves to be case as this beautiful ballad from Salty Miller’s debut album Album #1 takes shape. It’s atmospheric and cinematic, with the sound of waves breaking on a deserted beach as birds fly overhead. Fittingly, Album #1 was released on Beach Music Records Of The Carolinas in 1982. So was the single One More Time, which is a beautiful, tender, heartfelt ballad that showcases the considerable talents of Salty Miller.
Canyon Country were a bar band in Fargo, North Dakota, when Overland Stage’s drummer Dave Hanson asked the band to record his new composition, Lovin’. This was Canyon Country’s shot at the title. They rose to the challenge, and recorded an understated and mellow ballad, that is melodic and memorable. It’s a welcome addition to Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht.
Having put together his band, Gary Marks headed to Vitra Sonic Recording Studios in New York. where he recorded his 1974 debut album Gathering. It was the first of five albums that Gary Marks released on his own label Arewea. The album that started it all off was Gathering, which features an understated, dreamy and ruminative ballad that captivates.
Madness rose from the ashes of Brass Unlimited in 1974. The now defunct band’s rhythm section became Madness. Three years later, they were joined by singer-songwriter Tommy Bruner. His addition saw Madness release their debut single Let’s Hear It For The Man in 1979. In late 1979, Tommy Bruner wrote Madam Operator which became part of the band’s setlist. That was how it came to feature on the K101 radio station’s sampler of music by local bands First Annual Iowa Album in 1980. By then, the answering machine message had been rewritten, to include “Iowa“. This was perfect for an album showcasing Iowa’s up-and-coming bands, of which Madness were one. Sadly, they never made a commercial breakthrough, and their recording career amounts to one single and Madam Operator, which featured on First Annual Iowa Album.
Chuck Senrick’s love of music began as a child, when he was growing up in Minnesota. He learnt to play the piano as a child, and by the time he was fifteen, had joined John Zimmer and The CR4. The band played cover versions on the local live scene. By the time Chuck Senrick graduated from high school, he was already a talented composer and had written the songs that would feature on his 1976 album Dreamin’. Opening the album was the title-track, an understated and impassioned ballad where keyboards and drums are part of a spartan arrangement and allow Chuck Senrick’s impassioned vocal to take centre-stage. It’s a tantalising taste of a truly talented singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Chuck Senrick.
Closing Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht is Rudy Norman’s Back To The Streets. It was the B-Side to Rudy Norman’s 1980 single Harmony. This cover a cover of Elton John Song, and marked the return of Rudy Norman, who after falling out of love with music, had called time on his musical career. By 1980 Rudy Norman was ready to make a comeback and recorded Harmony as a single. On the B-Side was Back To The Streets, a mid-tempo tale of the allure of life in the fast lane. Initially, 500 copies of the single were pressed, and released on New Day Records later in 1980. Sadly, that was the only single Rudy Norman released. However, Back To The Streets was the perfect way to celebrate the comeback of Rudy Norman.
He’s one of twenty artists that feature on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht, which was recently released by Numero. It’s the latest compilation of what’s now called Vanilla Funk or Yacht Rock. Previously, it was known as AOR, Soft Rock or the West Coast Sound. That was before the genre underwent a makeover or rebranding.
Now Yacht Rock is growing in popularity, and no longer is the type of music that is found on compilations like Too Slow To Disco Volume 3 and Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht a guilty pleasure. Instead, Yacht Rock has been growing in popularity over the three years. With Yacht Rock bang on trend, there will be more and more Yacht Rock compilations released over the next few months.
Already, two Yacht Rock compilations have been released over the last couple of weeks. However, Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht is the best Yacht Rock compilation of 2017. The twenty songs have been taken from privately pressed singles and albums that were either self-released, or released in small quantities by regional labels. Sometimes, as little as 500 copies of a single or album were pressed, and many of these albums are incredibly rare. So much so, that finding an original copy is almost impossible. That is a great shame, as many of the songs on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht will whet the listener’s appetite, and they’ll want to hear more from twenty talented artists and groups.
None of the artists and groups on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht were lacking in talent, but for whatever reason, never enjoyed the commercial success that their music deserved. That the case with two of the best known artists on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht, Ned Doheny and Gary Marks, who released a string of albums. Sadly, these album never found the audience they deserved. They weren’t alone.
Many of the artists on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht only released one single or album, and never returned to the recording studio. When their albums failed to find an audience, some became disheartened, and a few turned their back on music, deciding to return to the tedium of the 9 to 5 grind. Other artists didn’t return to the recording studio, but continued to play live, which was much more profitable. In the case of a group like Steps, they split-up up, and never got the chance to fulfil their potential. Sadly, that is a familiar story with some of the artists on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht.
For many of the artists on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht, it’s often a case of unfulfilled potential and what might have been? They were able to write slick sounding songs full of hooks. These songs featured clever chord progressions, lush harmonies and often, swathes of the lushest strings. It’s an irresistible combination, and one that should’ve brought many of the artists on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht to the wider record buying public.
These private presses should’ve acted as a calling card to the artists and bands on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht, and should’ve opened the doors to major record labels. They had the expertise and financial muscle to promote the artists on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht, and ensure their music found the audience it so richly deserved. Sadly, that wasn’t the case and instead, some of the albums ended up in Dollar bins and thrift stores.
That was where they remained, until relatively recently, when intrepid crate diggers took a chance on these albums. Somewhat belatedly, some of music released by the artists on Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht started to find an audience. This has been helped by the resurgence in interest in private presses and indeed Yacht Rock. However, hopefully, the recent release of Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht, which is a flawless compilation of Yacht Rock, will lead to a resurgence in interest in all the artists that feature on the compilation, and somewhat belatedly, their music will find the wider audience that it deserves.
Seafaring Strangers: Private Rock LP.
ELEPHANT9- PSYCHEDELIC BACKFIRE I AND PSYCHEDELIC BACKFIREII WITH REINE FISKE
Elephant9 -Psychedelic Backfire I and Psychedelic Backfire II With Reine Fiske.
Label: Rune Grammofon.
There aren’t many bands who release two albums on the same day, but that is what Elephant9 did recently, when they released Psychedelic Backfire I and Psychedelic BackfireII With Reine Fiske on Rune Grammofon. These two albums feature the return of one of finest Norwegian jazz groups of their generation and is the latest chapter in a story that began in 2006.
That was when keyboardist Ståle Storløkken, drummer Torstein Lofthus and bassist Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen decided to embark upon a new project. This new project they called Storløkken/Eilertsen/Lofthus. The trio consisted of experienced and talented musicians who had a reputation for producing ambitious and innovative music. That had been the case throughout their careers, when they had worked on a variety of projects.
The elder statesman of the trio was keyboardist Ståle Storløkken, who was thirty-seven in 2006. He had been a member of a number of bands including Audun Kleive Generator X, Veslefrekk, Pocket Corner, Humcrush, Pocket Corner and the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. Each of these groups had released at least one album, and so had the other groups Ståle Storløkken was involved with, Bol, Cucumber and Supersilent. It seemed Ståle Storløkken had an insatiable thirst for making music. That was also the case with drummer Torstein Lofthus.
Just like Ståle Storløkken, drummer Torstein Lofthus was a veteran of several bands. He was twenty-nine in 2006, and had previously been a member of Damp and Shining. Both of these band had released two albums, and Torstein Lofthus was no stranger to the recording studio or live scene. It was a similar case with third member of the trio bassist Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen.
He had just turned twenty-eight in 2006, and was the youngest member of the trio. Just like the other members of the trio he was already an experienced musician. Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen was already a member of Big Bang and The National Bank, who were regarded as rising stars of the Norwegian music scene. Despite this, Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen was keen to join the nascent trio, and like many Norwegian musicians was a member of several bands.
That was also the case with Ståle Storløkken and Torstein Lofthus, who had spent much of their careers working on different projects and collaborating with a variety of musicians. Some of these projects enjoyed a degree of longevity, others were short-lived. When Storløkken/Eilertsen/Lofthus began working together they had no idea that eleven years later, they would still be together and enjoying commercial success and critical acclaim. Before that, the new group had to change its name.
For much of the first year, the nascent band spent time honing their sound. When they made their first tentative steps onto the live circuit critics upon hearing Storløkken/Eilertsen/Lofthus described the music as a mixture of fusion, progressive rock and neo-psychedelia. Before long, Storløkken/Eilertsen/Lofthus’ music was already proving popular on the live scene. However, after a year together, the band decided to change their name, and Elephant9 were born in 2007.
Dodovoodoo.
Just a year after the birth of Elephant9, and already the nascent band were preparing to release their much-anticipated debut album Dodovoodoo. It was due for release on the Norwegian label Rune Grammofon in May 2008. However, before that, critics had their say on Elephant9’s debut album Dodovoodoo.
Critics were impressed by Dodovoodoo and lavished praise and plaudits on Elephant9’s groundbreaking, genre-melting debut album. Some critics went as far as to forecast a big future for Elephant9, and tipped them as a band to watch.
Buoyed by the critic’s response to Dodovoodoo, the three members of Elephant9 returned to the live circuit, where they over the next few weeks and months they began to play in front of bigger audiences. Elephant9 who had only been together for two years, had come a long way in a relatively short space of time. However, before long, Elephant9’s thoughts turned
Walk The Nile.
Just over a year after the release of Dodovoodoo in March 2008, Elephant9 returned to the studio to record their much-anticipated sophomore album, Walk The Nile. Elephant9 returned to Grand Sport Studio, where they had recorded their debut album Dodovoodoo. After settling into the familiar surrounding of Grand Sport Studio, Elephant9 set about replicating one of their much vaunted live performances. They came pretty closes as they unleashed a spellbinding, genre-melting performance. Elements of fusion, jazz and rock were combined by Elephant9 at Grand Sport Studio by Elephant9 who reached new heights, on what was the most important album of their career.
Before the release of Walk The Nile, Elephant9’s eagerly awaited sophomore album won over both jazz and rock critics who championed the album When Walk The Nile was released by Rune Grammofon, it was to widespread critical acclaim.
Record buyers were also won over by Walk The Nile, and Elephant9 were on their way to becoming one of Norway’s leading bands. However, Elephant9’s career got another boost later in 2008.
After the release of Walk The Nile, Motorpsycho asked Elephant9 to open for then in Norway and in London. This meant that Elephant9’s music was being heard by a much wider audience. For a group being hailed one of the rising stars of Norway’s vibrant and thriving music scene, 2010 was suddenly getting even better. However, just as it looked like things couldn’t get even better for Elephant9 they did.
Later in 2010, the shortlist for Spellemannprisen Awards were announced, and Elephant9 found their name on the shortlist in the jazz category. The Spellemannprisen Awards which are the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy Award were the most prestigious in Norwegian music, and even being nominated was an achievement in itself. However, Elephant9 went one better, and won a Spellemannprisen Award. 2010 had been the most successful year of Elephant9’s four year career, but they weren’t going to rest on their laurels.
Live At The BBC.
In 2011, Elephant9 released their first live album, Live At The BBC. It was recorded in London, and released by Rune Grammofon. Live at the BBC was a tantalising taste of Elephant9 live. Seamlessly, the three master musicians switched between genres on a quartet of tracks from their first two albums. From I Cover The Mountain Top, through Dodovoodoo, Aviation and the twelve-minute album closer Habanera Rocket, Elephant9 are at their very best. This whetted record buyer’s appetite for Elephant9’s third album.
Atlantis
For their third studio album Atlantis, Elephant9 decided to collaborate with legendary Swedish progressive rock guitarist Reine Fiske. He had made his name with Dungen, and then had joined Reform. However, when he first collaborated with Elephant9, Reine was a member of Sylvester Schlegel’s band The Guild. With Reine Fiske onboard, Elephant9 began work on their third album Atlantis. Once the album was completed, it was scheduled for release later in 2012.
Before Rune Grammofon released Atlantis in October 2012, critics had their say on Elephant9’s third studio album. Just like their first two albums, critical acclaim accompanied the release of Atlantis. Some critics saw Reine Fiske as Elephant9’s missing link. Adding a guitarist to the lineup completed their sound, and now it was a case of onwards and upwards for Elephant9.
That proved to be the case as Elephant9 took to the stage at some of Norway’s biggest festivals after the release of Atlantis. The biggest and most prestigious festival was the Kongsberg Jazzfestival. Elephant9 also won over audiences at Union Scene, and Victoria, before rounding off 2012 with an appearance at Najonal Jazzscene.
Silver Mountains.
After releasing Atlantis to critical acclaim and commercial success, critics and record buyers awaited the release of Elephant9’s fourth album. However, they were in for a long wait, as the three members of Elephant9 were busy with other musical projects. As a result, it was a case of fitting the recording of Elephant9’s fourth album Silver Mountains into Ståle Storløkken, Torstein Lofthus and Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen busy schedules.
In October 2014, Elephant9 returned to the studio where they were once again, joined by Swedish guitarist Reine Fiske. The quartet recorded four tracks penned by Elephant9 and a cover of Stevie Wonder’s You Are The Sunshine Of My Life. These tracks became Elephant9’s fourth album Silver Mountains.
Another year passed before Rune Grammofon released Silver Mountains in October 2014. By then, critics had already hailed Sliver Mountain as the finest album of Elephant9’s career. Record buyers agreed, and the Elephant9 success story continued apace.
Greatest Show On Earth.
Two years after the release of Silver Mountains, the three members of Elephant9 returned to Studio Paradiso in October 2017, where they were about to record their fifth album Greatest Show On Earth. This time, there was no sign of Reine Fiske, who many critics thought was the final piece of the jigsaw. These critics thought that Reine Fiske’s guitar filled and completed Elephant9’s sound. However, when recording began, it was just the core trio of Elephant9 that featured on Greatest Show On Earth.
After just over a two-year wait, Elephant9 recently returned with their much-anticipated fifth album Greatest Show On Earth, which was released by Rune Grammofon. Greatest Show On Earth is their first album to feature just the core trio of Elephant9 since Walk The Nile. However, Elephant9 have come a long way since Walk The Nile.
What’s noticeable about Greatest Show On Earth is that it’s a much more structured album that Elephant9’s previous albums. While much of Greatest Show On Earth was fully composed there were opportunities for a freewheeling Elephant9 to improvise. This is something that Elephant9 excel at as they fuse disparate influences including the progressive rock of Focus, King Crimson and Yes with the fusion of Miles Davis, Tony Williams Lifetime and Weather Report. However, Elephant9 fuse more to the Greatest Show On Earth than fusion and progressive rock. Elephant9 flit between and fuse avant-garde, free jazz, Krautrock, psychedelia, the Canterbury Scene and rock. Not content with fusing an array genres and influences, Elephant9 seamlessly change keys and time signatures during Greatest Show On Earth, which is another album of imaginative, inventive and innovative music where this talented trio play with a freedom and fluidity despite the absence of guitarist Reine Fiske
The addition of guitarist Reine Fiske was seen as the missing piece of the jigsaw. He makes a welcome return on one of two albums that Elephant9 released recently. Psychedelic Backfire I the much-anticipated followup to Greatest Show On Earth, features the core trio and was released on Rune Grammofon. The same day, Psychedelic Backfire II was released and features Reine Fiske.
Psychedelic Backfire I.
Psychedelic Backfire I and II were recorded when Elephant9 played a four day residency at the intimate Kampen Bistro in the Norwegian capital Oslo. On both nights, Elephant9 were greeted by enthusiastic audiences as the local heroes took to the stage to showcase their rocky and grooving inimitable brand of jazz.
On Psychedelic Backfire I, it’s just Elephant9 that take to the stage in this small venue, and from the opening bars are greeted like conquering heroes from the opening bars of I Cover The Mountain Top, which sets the bar high for the rest of the set. Elephant9 like a challenge and launch into Farmer’s Secret and then a seventeen minute version of Habanera Rocket spelt epic.
By now, Elephant9 are combining disparate genres and never miss a beat during a spellbinding and flawless performance. Elephant9 are ate the peak of their powers with the rhythm section locking down the groove as keyboards compliant and fill in the gaps, and prove that not every group needs a guitarist. Even if that guitarist was Reine Fiske. who guested on two previous albums.
After the seventeen minute opus, Elephant 9 launch into a thirteen minute rendition of SkinkFugl and Fønix, before closing the set this action packed set with Actionpack 1 and then Dodovoodoo. It’s the perfect way to close a set that lasts the best part of seventy-two minutes and is spread over four sides of vinyl.
As those that were lucky enough to witness a genre-meting set where elements of avant-garde, free jazz, Krautrock, psychedelia and rock can be heard. It’s a musical potpourri that many thought wouldn’t be bettered. Or could it?
Psychedelic Backfire II With Reine Fiske.
For what became Psychedelic Backfire II, Elephant9 were joined by a very special guest and the man many believe is the missing link in the group, guitarist Reine Fiske. This resulted in the album being entitled Psychedelic Backfire II with Reine Fiske.
For that night, Elephant9 were a back playing as a quartet, who had an almost telepathic understanding. That was the case from the moment they took to the stage at the Kampen Bistro in Oslo, and opened the set with a captivating cover of Stevie Wonder’s You Are The Sunshine Of My Life which gives way to Skink and Fugl Fønix then Habanera Rocket which both feature on Psychedelic Backfire I. That doesn’t matter as the expanded lineup take the tracks in new directions.
Although virtuoso guitarist Reine Fiske is a special guest, he takes care not to overpower or overshadow the members of Elephant9. Even when the band are in full flight, as he expresses himself, he’s happy to compliment Ståle’s keyboards and together, they prove e successful and potent partnership. That is the case on Freedom’s Children and John Tinnick which closes the set and Psychedelic Backfire II on a high. Elephant9 With Reine Fiske take their leave knowing they had reached new heights during the residency. Those that were lucky enough to see the concert realised that they had witnessed something special which now has been released as Psychedelic Backfire II.
Elephant9 throw a series of musical curveballs during Psychedelic Backfire II, where the music is ambitious, innovative and just like on Psychedelic Backfire I, genre-melting. Psychedelic Backfire I and Psychedelic Backfire I are both spellbinding and captivating albums. On Psychedelic Backfire II three before four, as Reine Fiske joins forces with Elephant9, and prove a potent partnership, as they reach new heights. and showcase their considerable skills on what is the second of two breathtaking live albums.
Elephant9 -Psychedelic Backfire I and Psychedelic Backfire II With Reine Fiske.
FIRE! ORCHESTRA-ARRIVAL
Fire! Orchestra-Arrival.
Label: Rune Grammofon.
When Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin founded the Fire! Orchestra in 2011, it featured twenty-eight musicians and vocalists who were responsible for the ensemble’s impressive sound. Now eight years and as they release their fifth album Arrival on Rune Grammofon, its a slimmed down line-up that appears on the new album.
There’s now “only” fourteen members of the Fire! Orchestra, with slimed down rhythm and horn sections being two of the changes. Another addition is the addition of a string quartet which adds a new dimension to the music. So do two familiar faces, vocalists Mariam Wallentin and Sofia Jernberg have been members of Fire! Orchestra and play a starring role on Arrival. It’s the latest chapter in the Fire! Orchestra story which began in 2009, when another group was formed.
2009 was when bassist Johan Berthling, drummer Andreas Werliin and saxophonist Mats Gusfasson decided to form a new band which they called Fire! It was to all intents and purposes a Swedish supergroup. After all Johan, Andreas and Mats were three of Sweden’s finest jazz musicians. Their speciality was free jazz. However, there was a minor problem.
Mats Gustafsson ,Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin all had busy schedule. So they would have to fit playing and recording as Fire! round their existing schedules and other musical commitments.
Reeds player and saxophonist Mats Gustafsson is the elder statesmen of Fire! He was born in 1964, and has been involved in the Swedish music scene since 1988. Since then, Mats Gustafsson has worked as a musician, arranger, composer, conductor and producer. He’s played and performed on over 200 albums. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Currently, Mats Gustafsson is a a member of jazz trio The Thing. However, over the past three decides Mats Gustafsson has collaborated with everyone from Jim O’Rourke to Sonic Youth and Lasse Marhaug. Then there’s the solo albums Mats Gustafsson has released. These solo albums and collaborations add another seventy albums to Mats Gustafsson’s C.V. However, he’s not the only member of Fire! with an impressive C.V.
Just like Mats, bassist Johan Berthling is a veteran of numerous bands. Previously, he’s been a member of Angles, Angles 9, Boots Brown, Nacka Forum, Ohayo, Pipeline, Sten Sandell Trio, Tape, The Godforgottens, The Tiny and Time Is A Mountain. Away from these bands, Johan has worked as a hired hand.
Johan has worked as an arranger, musician, producer and songwriter. Already, he has around 170 credits to his name. When Johan’s not working on other people’s albums, he runs a record label.
In 1999, John and Klas Augustsson founded the Häpna record label. It’s based in Stockholm, and has released nearly sixty releases. This includes albums by Tape, who released their eighth album Casino in 2014. Just like other members of Fire!, Johan has a voracious appetite for making music.
The same can be said of drummer and percussionist, Andreas Werliin. He was born in 1982, and is the youngest member of Fire! Although he’s only thirty-four, Andreas is almost veteran of Swedish music. Andreas has worked as an arranger, musician, singer, songwriter and producer. He’s happy to work as a hired hand, when not been working with the various bands he’s been a member of.
Among the groups that Andreas has played in, are Angles 9, Time Is a Mountain, Tonbruket and Wildbirds and Peacedrums. In both Angles 9 and Time Is a Mountain, Andreas is joined by Johan in the rhythm section. They’ve formed a formidable partnership, since Fire! released their debut album in 2009.
You Liked Me Five Minutes Ago.
You Liked Me Five Minutes Ago was Fire!’s debut album. It showcased what was a new and innovative approach to improvised music. Fire! stepped out of their comfort zone on You Liked Me Five Minutes Ago, seamlessly combining free jazz, psychedelic rock and noise. This was the perfect showcase for the three members of Fire!’s considerable musical skills. Critics were won over by Fire!, and forecast a bright future from the Swedish trio.
Unreleased?
Two years later, and Fire! returned with the first collaboration of their career. They had recorded four lengthy improvised pieces with Chicago born, but Tokyo based performer, composer and record producer. He was a veteran of countless collaborations since his career began in the late eighties. Now he was ready to hitch a ride with Fire!
When the album was ready for release in 2011, Fire! received star billing. Fire! With Jim O’Rourke Unreleased? was released on Rune Grammofon. This genre-melting album saw Fire! continue to push musical boundaries, taking the music in hitherto unexpected directions. The collaboration with Jim O’Rourke was regarded as an overwhelming success. So it was no surprise when another artist asked to collaborate with Fire!
In The Mouth-A Hand.
This time, it was Australian experimental electronic guitarist and percussionist, Oren Ambarchi. He was no stranger to collaborations, and previously, had worked a variety of artists, including Keith Rowe. Fire! agreed to the collaboration, and the result was the album In The Mouth-A Hand.
It featured another four lengthy, improvised tracks. This allowed Fire! and Oren Ambarchi to take the listener on a musical adventure, where musical genres and influences were combined. Three of the most prevalent influences were free jazz, noise and psychedelic rock. Just like previous albums, this was a crucial part of Fire!’s sound.
When In The Mouth-A Hand was released on Rune Grammofon, again, Fire! received top billing. They played a huge part in what was another important album collaboration. With Oren Ambarchi, Fire! had created another album of groundbreaking, innovative music. Despite this, Fire!’s next album wasn’t a collaboration. Instead, it featured just the three members of Fire!
(Without Noticing).
By the time, Fire! began work on (Without Noticing), they were regarded as one of the most exciting and innovative groups in the Scandinavian music scene. Fire! had released three albums in three years. Now they were four for four.
When (Without Noticing) was released on Rune Grammofon in 2013, it was hailed a career defining album. It was a fusion of free jazz and psychedelic rock via a more traditional rocky and jazz-tinged sound. Fire! weren’t afraid of pushing musical boundaries, and on (Without Noticing), continued to do so. This resulted in critically acclaimed reviews from critics. However, by then, Fire! had realised the limitations of a trio, and founded the Fire! Orchestra.
Fire!-Orchestra-Exit.
In 2011, that the members of Fire decided to expand beyond the core trio. They hit on the idea to expand the group. The way Fire! did this, was to bring onboard the great and the good of Scandinavian jazz, improvisation and avant rock players and vocalists. They called this new musical venture Fire! Orchestra. It was a musical first in Sweden.
The newly named Fire! Orchestra were building on the music of some of the legendary free jazz big bands. This includes the big bands of Sun Ra, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Orchestra, Mike Westbrook and Mike McGregor. There was more to the Fire! Orchestra that free jazz. They incorporated funk, blues, rock and jazz. This became apparent when the Fire! Orchestra made their tentative first steps.
In the beginning, the Fire! Orchestra played just a handful of shows. They were finding their feet musically. Gradually, they were finding their sound. It’s best described as genre-melting and was showcased on their live debut album, Exit.
It was in 2013, when Fire! released their live debut album Exit. Released to widespread critical acclaim, Exit was a genre-melting sound that people wanted to hear more of.
Enter.
So after playing a couple of concerts early in January 2014, the Fire! Orchestra entered the Svenska Grammofonstudion, in Gothenberg on 10th January 2014. This wasn’t going to be a long session. Instead, the Fire! Orchestra took just one day to record Enter.
The result was an album of music that critics called innovative and progressive. Enter showcased the Fire! Orchestra in full flight. This was an impressive sound. Especially given their fusion of mesomorphic rock rhythms, funk, free jazz and the bluesy, soul-baring vocals of the Fire! Orchestra’s three vocalists. Add to this the scorching free jazz saxophone of Joe McPhee and Enter, has a potent, powerful and captivating sound; which succeeded in bringing back memories of musical luminaries like Sun Ra, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Orchestra, Mike Westbrook and Mike McGregor. So successful was Enter, that Fire! Orchestra released one more album.
Exit Again.
Just like Exit, Exit Again was another live album. The concert was recorded on 2nd September 2012 at Festival Les Rendez-Vous de L’erdre, in Nantes, France. Joining a slimmed down version of the Fire! Orchestra that night, was guitarist Oren Ambarchi. Joined the great and good of Scandinavian music for what was the Fire! Orchestra’s encore.
When Exit Again was released on 14th January 2014, it was a limited edition release. Only 500 copies of the Exit Again were released on vinyl. Again, the Fire! Orchestra in full flight was an impressive sound. On Second Exit Part One and Second Exit Part Two, the Fire! Orchestra showcase their considerable skills and seamlessly, switch between disparate musical genres. Somehow, it all makes sense, and has the listener wanting to hear more of the Fire! Orchestra. Before that, Fire! would return.
Fire!-She Sleeps, She Sleeps.
Work began on She Sleeps, She Sleeps back in March 2015. That’s when the three members of Fire! recorded the four songs they had written, and would produce.
Recording of She Sleeps, She Sleeps took place at Orionteatern studios in Stockholm. The album was recorded by Mikael Werliin, who also recorded guest artist cellist Leo Svensson Sander at Rud Studios, in Stockholm. Halfway around the world, in Melbourne, Australia, guitarist Oren Ambarchi laid down his parts for She Bid A Meaningless Farewell. Once the sessions were complete, the album was mixed and mastered. Only then was She Sleeps, She Sleeps ready for release.
Eventually, She Sleeps, She Sleeps was scheduled for release on 19th February 2016, by Rune Grammofon. The album was released to widespread critical acclaim. Plaudits and praise accompanied She Sleeps, She Sleeps. I described the album as: “groundbreaking, influential and innovative.” She Sleeps, She Sleeps was also “progressive” and Fire!’s “Magnus Opus.” For the three members of Fire!, this was a good way to start 2016.
Fire! Orchestra-Ritual.
After the release of Fire!’s fifth album She Sleeps, She Sleeps, Johan Berthling, Andreas Werliin and Mats Gusfasson’s thoughts turned to the Fire! Orchestra’s new album Ritual. It had already been recorded by the “slimmed down” lineup of the Fire! Orchestra in 2015.
For the Fire! Orchestra’s fourth album Ritual, Johan Berthling, Andreas Werliin, Mats Gusfasson and Mariam Wallentin composed the five part Ritual suite. It examines mysteries and rituals, not just in life, but in music. Ritual featured texts by Erik Lindegren. This included extracts from his poetry books The Man Without A Way and 1942, which when it was published, was heralded as a truly influential piece of work. With Ritual composed, the next step was for the the Fire! Orchestra to record the album.
Recording of Ritual was scheduled to take place at Rixmixningsverket, in Stockholm. That was where the new lineup of the Fire! Orchestra would record the five part Ritual suite. This new lineup saw the Fire! Orchestra slim down from twenty-nine to twenty-one members. Despite its reduced numbers, the Fire! Orchestra were still capable of producing an impressive sound.
Ritual finds the Fire! Orchestra at their progressive and innovative best. That’s despite the Fire! Orchestra slimming down its lineup from twenty-nine to ‘just’ twenty-one musicians. However, they’re no ordinary musicians. The Fire! Orchestra features some of the most talented musicians Sweden, Norway, Denmark and France has to offer. When they join the Fire! Orchestra,they become part of a pan European supergroup. It’s featured some of the biggest names in European jazz. However, the lineup is somewhat fluid, and members of the Fire! Orchestra have been ever-present since Johan Berthling, Andreas Werliin and saxophonist Mats Gusfasson formed the Fire! Orchestra back in 2011. Since then, the Fire! Orchestra’s star has been in the ascendancy.
Arrival.
That is still the case some eight years they first played live, the Fire! Orchestra are now a hugely popular live draw. When they play live, the sold out signs are up. After all, the Fire! Orchestra in full flow, is an impressive sound. That has been the the case with each of their four previous albums. However, four became five with the release of Arrival, which features the newly slimed down fourteen piece ensemble.
For their fifth album Arrival, Fire! Orchestra recorded seven tracks. Five of these tracks are credited to founder members Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin, but other members of Fire! Orchestra play their part in what s a much more individual set of compositions and songs. These five songs are joined by two peerless cover versions. This includes groundbreaking guitarist Robbie Basho’s Blue Crystal Fire which originally featured on his 1978 album Visions Of The Country. The other cover version is t Last I Am Free which was penned by Chic’s is today probably best known from Robert Wyatt’s version, but originally written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers. However, Robert Wyatt’s version is regarded as the definitive version, but the Fire! Orchestra reinvent the track on an album that is totally different to previous albums which are regarded by some critics as uniform works. However, this time around, Fire! Orchestra change tack and thanks to drummer and producer Andreas Werliin.
He masterminded what is complex album full of detail. where Fire! Orchestra use their all of their muscial palette to create an album that veers between light and shade to sometimes joyous and full of despair and soulful to sultry. Other times, the music is edgy, mystical and otherworldly, but can just as easily be smooth and polished. Arrival is best described as a carefully crafted album that finds Fire! Orchestra seamlessly switching between, and fusing disparate musical genres. This includes avant-garde, bop, free jazz, fusion, improv, jazz, Krautrock, progressive rock and even swing as this all-star showcase their considerable talents. They’re just as happy improvising as they create innovative and inventive music on Arrival, which is their finest hour.
Arrival is also an album that has a warmth and a deep, dynamic mix. This will gladden the heart of everyone who loves good music, and appreciates an album that has been well mixed and mastered, That is the case with Arrival which marks the return of the slimmed down Fire! Orchestra as they reach new heights musically and find their true musical identity on a truly captivating and genre-melting album that is also ambitious, experimental and progressive. Just like previous albums, Fire! Orchestra’s playing on Arrival is imaginative, inventive and innovative as they come of age musically after eight years and five albums.
Fire! Orchestra-Arrival.
MASTERPIECES OF MODERN SOUL VOLUME 5.
Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5.
Label:Kent Dance.
Nearly sixteen years ago, back in October 2003, Kent Soul released the first instalment in the Masterpieces Of Modern Soul series. Since then, another five volumes have been released. The first came in January 2009, when Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 2 was released. Just over two years passed, and then Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 3 hit the shops in November 2011. Since then, connoisseurs of modern soul have patiently awaited the Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 4.
A year passed. Two became three, and still no sign of Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 4. Then after nearly four long long years, the much anticipated fourth volume in what’s one of Ace Records’ most popular series was released to critical acclaim in September 2015.
Then as 2016 dawned, the Masterpieces Of Modern Soul series converted from CD to vinyl when a compilation Masterpieces Of Modern Soul was released.
That was the last instalment in this long-running and popular complain series until recently, when Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5 was released by Kent Dance, an imprint of Ace Records. It features twenty-four tracks that are a mixture of familiar faces, minor classic and hidden gems.
Opening Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5 is Given My Life by the Mighty White a joyous, soulful dancer which sets the bar high. There’s no let up in quality with the addition of L-O-V-E by jazz singer Leon Thomas is popular shuffler on the Northern Soul scene. Quite different is Major Lance’s That’s The Story Of My Life which is an example of seventies soul dance. John Edwards’ How Can I Go On Without You and The Independents’ Lucky Fellow are welcome additions to the compilation and are a reminder of everything that is good about modern soul.
There’s five edits on Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5. The highlights are an We Talk It Over an unreleased track Eddie Floyd recorded for Stax. Then there’s the inimitable Millie Jackson’s 1976 recording for Spring I’ll Continue To Love You, Loleatta Holloway’s Southern Soul hidden gem Mrs So and So’s Daughter and A Star In The Ghetto by Foxfire which features none other Johnny Adams. These three uber soulful edits are welcome additions to Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5.
The Moderations who were from Detroit, contribute Ride The Disco Train, while Felecia Johnson and T.S.B. Inc’s Franchise On Love is funky and soulful. So is Chet Ivey and His Fabulous Avengers’ Dose Of Soul. Deeply soulful is The Headliners’ unreleased dancer I’ll Live My Life Loving You and Herman Davis’ heartfelt rendition of Gotta Be Loved Part 2. Other highlights include Street People’s Your Momma Had A Baby, which was recorded during there first Spring session. Freddie Scott’s laidback hidden gem I Guess God Wants It This Way ensures that Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5 closes on a soulful high.
Hopefully, it won’t be another four years before Kent Dance, an imprint of Ace Records, releases the next instalment in the Masterpieces Of Modern Soul series. Even if it is, and it’s anywhere near as good as Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5 then it’ll be well worth the wait as this is no ordinary soul compilation.
There’s a mixture of familiar faces, minor classics and hidden gems on Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5. Then there’s unreleased tracks and edits on Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5 which is uber soulful, sometimes funky and dancefloor friendly. What more can fans of modern soul ask for?
Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 5.
NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN-THE SOLO YEARS 1976-1988.
Narada Michael Walden-The Solo Years 1976-1988
The first many record buyers heard of Narada Michael Walden, was when he was announced as Billy Cobham’s replacement in the second lineup of the Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1974. By then, Narada Michael Walden was just twenty-two and the Mahavishnu Orchestra was one of the top fusion bands. However, Narada Michael Walden seemed to settle into the role and played on the four albums the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s released between 1974 and 1976s Inner Worlds. That was the last album the second lineup of the Mahavishnu Orchestra would release, and it would be eight years before the fusion pioneers returned with a new album.
Inner Worlds was the last Mahavishnu Orchestra album that Narada Michael Walden played on, and later in 1976 was signed by Atlantic Records where he realised seven albums between 1976 and 1982, before signing to Warner Bros later in 1982. However,Narada Michael Walden’s solo carrer began in 1976.
Garden Of Love Light.
In late 1976, Narada Michael Walden released his debut album Garden Of Love Light on Atlantic Records. The label offered Narada Michael Walden the choice of two producers, but given the album had a rocky sound, he chose staff producer Tom Dowd who had an enviable track record.
Between the ’21st’ of August and the ‘6th’ of September 1976, nine songs were recorded, including seven penned by Narada Michael Walden. They showcased a talented singer-songwriter who Atlantic Records had high hopes for.
When Garden Of Love Light was released, Narada Michael Walden’s debut album sunk without trace. This was a huge disappointment for the twenty-four year old.
I Cry, I Smile.
For his sophomore album I Cry, I Smile, Narada Michael Walden wrote ten new tracks and decided to take charge of production. He had decided to change direction and recorded his first fusion album during April and May 1977.,
I Cry, I Smile was released by Atlantic Records later in 1977, and history repeated itself when his sophomore album failed to chart. This was a disaster for Narada Michael Walden who realised that he needed a hit single.
Atlantic Records had invested heavily in Narada Michael Walden and were yet to see any return on their investment. The two albums that Narada Michael Walden hadn’t even troubled charts and if his third album failed to make an impression on the US Billboard 200 and US R&B charts, Narada Michael Walden’s career could be over before it began. Fortunately, Narada Michael Walden had a plan.
Awakening.
By the time Narada Michael Walden began work on his third album, disco was at the peak of his popularity, and many artists looking to revive ailing and failing careers had jumped on the disco bandwagon. For some artists, a discover makeover had done wonders for their career. Narada Michael Walden was hoping that this would be the case when he began recording the nine new songs he had written for Awakening.
Recording of Narada Michael Walden’s third album Awakening took place at three of New York’s top studios, the Power Station, Electric Ladyland, and Crystal Sound. Narada Michael Walden brought onboard Bob Clearmountain who recorded and mixed five of the nine tracks on the album. The other songs were recorded by Jim Shifflett and Alan Sides, while Patrick Adams and Sonny Burke co-produced Awakening with Narada Michael Walden. When it was completed, the release was scheduled for early 1979.
Before the release of Awakening, Don’t Want Nobody Else (To Dance With You) was released as a single in early 1979 reaching forty-seven in the US Billboard 100 and nine in the US R&B charts. Narada Michael Walden’s luck changed when Awakening then made it into the top twenty in the US R&B charts. Buoyed by this success Narada Michael Walden began work on his fourth album, The Dance Of Life.
The Dance Of Life.
After the success of Awakening, Narada Michael Walden began writing what became The Dance Of Life. This time, he wrote three songs and cowrote the other five with various songwriting partners. They were recorded by a small band at Filmways-Heider Recordings, where Narada Michael Walden and Bob Clearmountain co-produced The Dance Of Life which featured disco, R&B and soul.
Prior to the release of The Dance Of Life, I Shoulda Loved Ya was released as a single and reached sixty-six in the US Billboard 100 and four in the US R&B charts. When The Dance Of Life was released it charted in the US R&B charts, but didn’t replicate the commercial success of Awakening. However, by then, Narada Michael Walden thought that disco had saved his career which had been at a crossroads before the release of The Dance Of Life.
Then on the ’12th’ of July 1979, the disco bubble burst, and suddenly, after the events of the Disco Demolition Derby, at Comiskey Park, Chicago. Suddenly, record companies were dropping disco artists and groups, which was worry for Narada Michael Walden. What did the future hold for him?
Victory.
Despite the disco bubble bursting in spectacular style, Narada Michael Walden returned to the studio later in 1979, to record his fifth album Victory. It featured three Narada Michael Walden compositions and five that he cowrote with various songwriting partners. Just like The Dance Of Life, Narada Michael Walden and Bob Clearmountain took charge of production on Victory, which featured a band that included top session players and backing vocalists.
When Victory was released in 1980, the album featured a mixture of disco, funk, R&B and soul. The only problem was that the record buying public didn’t want to buy disco albums, and Victory failed to replicate the success of Awakening and The Dance Of Live when it stalled in the lower reaches of the US R&B charts and failed to replicate the success of Awakening and The Dance Of Live. It was one step forward, and two steps back for Narada Michael Walden.
Confidence.
After the commercial failure of Victory, it was two years before Narada Michael Walden returned with his sixth studio album Confidence. It featured eight tracks which Narada Michael Walden had written with variety of different songwriting partners. These songs were recorded during 1981 and 1982 with a small, but talented band at three studios. This time, there was no sign of Bob Clearmountain, and Narada Michael Walden took charge of production.
Narada Michael Walden produced another album dancefloor friendly album of soul and R&B. Confidence was released in 1982, stalled in the lower reaches of the US R&B charts,despite the album featuring two minor US R&B hits. Summer Lady reached just thirty-nine and You’re # 1 which reached nineteen and was Narada Michael Walden’s most successful single in three years. However, these two singles were hiding the fact that the time had come for Narada Michael Walden to reinvent himself musically.
Looking At You, Looking At Me.
Eventually, Narada Michael Walden realised this, and when he began work on his seventh album Looking At You, Looking At Me. Narada Michael Walden wrote six songs with songwriting partner Jeffrey Cohen, and the pair also joined forces with Preston Glass and Theo Martin. These songs were joined by covers of Reach Out I’ll Be There and Never Wanna Be Without Your Love where Narada Michael Walden duetted with Angela Bofill.
When Narada Michael Walden recorded Looking At You, Looking At Me, he was joined by the musicians that had featured on the majority of his album. This included bassist Randy Jackson and guitarists Corrado Rustici who were part of a much larger band than had featured on previous albums. It included bassist David Sancious, a horn section and backing vocalists Jim Gilstrap, Frankie Beverley and Maze, Sheila Escovedo. They all featured on Looking At You, Looking At Me where Narada Michael Walden set about reinventing himself on an album that was poppy, soulful, funky and dancefloor friendly.
When Looking At You, Looking At Me was released in 1982, the album wasn’t the success that Narada Michael Walden nor executives at Atlantic Records had hoped and stalled at fifty-one in the US R&B charts. To make matters worse, the lead single Black Boy failed to trouble the charts. However, the cover of Reach Out I’ll Be There reached forty in the US R&B chart and gave Narada Michael Walden a minor hit single. This was another disappointment for the thirty-year old singer, songwriter, arranger and producer, and was the last album he released on Atlantic Records.
After the disappointment of Looking At You, Looking At Me, it was another three years before Narada Michael Walden returned with his eighth album. During that three-year period, Narada Michael Walden concentrated on his burgeoning production career, before returning with The Nature of Things in 1985 on Warner Bros.
The Nature of Things.
After spending much of the time between 1982 and 1985 producing albums for other artists and groups, Narada Michael Walden returned with The Nature of Things in 1985. It featured eight new tracks with he had written with his songwriting partner Jeffrey Cohen and various songwriting partners for his Warner Bros’ debut.
For The Nature of Things, Narada Michael Walden and Jeffrey Cohen wrote High Above The Clouds and Wear Your Love before joining forces with Preston Glass to write Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Suspicion and The Nature of Things. Narada Michael Walden and Jeffrey Cohen then teamed up with Walter Afanasieff to pen Live It Up, before the trio wrote Dancin’ On Main Street with Preston Glass. The Narada Michael Walden and Jeffrey Cohen songwriting team wrote That’s The Way It Is with Corrado Rustici. These eight songs were by then arranged and produced by Narada Michael Walden with his “house band” and a few friends including Patti Austin.
The Nature Of Things was a truly eclectic album, and one that the Warner Bros’ A&R department had high hopes for. However, when the album was released in 1985, it failed commercially and never came close to troubling the charts. The only success came when Narada Michael Walden’s duet with Patti Austin on Gimme, Gimme, Gimme was released as a single and reached the top forty in the US R&B charts. That was as good as it got for Narada Michael Walden.
Divine Emotion.
After the commercial failure of The Nature Of Things, Narada Michael Walden returned to his production career and didn’t return with a new album until 1988s Divine Emotion. It was another album which showcased Narada Michael Walden’s songwriting skills.
For Divine Emotion, Narada Michael Walden penned We Still Have A Dream and with Jeffrey Cohen cowrote Wild Thing, Explosion, Belong, Certain Kind Of Lover, Jam The Night and But What Up Doh? Narada Michael Walden joined forces with Corrado Rustic to write and That’s The Way I Feel About Cha. He then wrote How Can I Make You Stay with Walter Afanasieff and David Frazer, then Narada Michael Walden penned Divine Emotions with Jeffrey Cohen, David Frazer and Bongo Bob Smith. These eleven tracks were recorded by a band that featured familiar faces and new names, and became Divine Emotion.
After a three-year absence,Narada Michael Walden released Divine Emotions as a single, and it reached number twenty-one in the US R&B charts and topped the US Dance charts. This augured well for the release of Divine Emotion in 1988. However, the album stalled at sixty-seven in the US R&B charts. Meanwhile, Divine Emotions reached eight in the UK single’s charts while the album Divine Emotion reached sixty in the album charts.
Although Narada Michael Walden was back in the charts on both sides of Atlantic, he was in no hurry to release a new album, and seven years passed before Sending Love To Everyone was released in 1995. By then, Narada Michael Walden was a successful producer who was working with some of the biggest names in music.
Narada Michael Walden career as a produer began in 1980, and by 1982 he had started to concentrate more on production. Between 1982 and 1988 he was enjoying more success as a producer than a singer. Indeed, many people remember Narada Michael Walden more for his career as a producer than a singer. However, he released nine albums between 1976 and 1988, including six for Atlantic Records and three for Warner Bros. These albums showcase musical chameleon Narada Michael Walden’s versatility and talents as a singer, songwriter and musician as he reinvented himself several times in the pursuit of a commercial success during the twelve year period between 1976 and 1988.
Narada Michael Walden-The Solo Years 1976-1988
THE SPENCER WIGGINS STORY.
The Spencer Wiggins’ Story.
Although Spencer Wiggins is nowadays, widely recognised by critics as one of the finest exponents of deep soul, sadly, he’s still one of soul music’s best kept secrets. Spencer Wiggins at the peak of his powers, had the ability to breath life, meaning and emotion into the lyrics of a song. Sadly, talent alone didn’t guarantee commercial success and critical acclaim for Spencer Wiggins, whose singles failed to find the audience they so richly deserved. Meanwhile, James Carr and Bobby Bland who grew up in the same part of Memphis, were enjoying successful careers while he struggled to make a breakthrough first at Goldwax and then Fame. His story began in Memphis in 1942.
Spencer Wiggins was born on January the ‘8th’ 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, and for much of the forties and fifties, the Wiggins’ family lived in Homer Street. That was where Spencer Wiggins’ love of music blossomed, which his parents encouraged in the hope that it would save their son from getting into trouble.
Both parents wanted their young family including Spencer Wiggins to embrace different types of music, and in the evening they settled down and listened to jazz, gospel and R&B on the radio. However, it was gospel music that Mrs Wiggins was particularly interested in, as she regularly sung in the choir at the New Friendship Baptist Church. Soon, she was encouraging her family to attend services on a Sunday, and succeeded in doing so.
Before long, the choir at the New Friendship Baptist Church was a family affair, with Spencer and Percy Wiggins plus their sisters all joining their mother. By then, Spencer Wiggins had been introduced to Sam Cooke, who for a while was his favourite singer.
Soon, Spencer Wiggins who was still a high school student, decided to start singing outside of the confines of the New Friendship Baptist Church. Before long, he had discovered BB King Bobby Bland and Ray Charles who Spencer Wiggins quickly became his favourite singers. By then, he had introduced songs by BB King Bobby Bland and Ray Charles into his sets. This was fitting.
Bobby Bland was one of a number of singers who grew up in the same part of Memphis as Spencer Wiggins. Others included James Carr, Homer Banks, Maurice White and of course Spencer Wiggins’ brother Percy. All of these singers would go on to enjoy different degrees of success during their career.
Meanwhile, music was a constant throughout Spencer Wiggins’ schooldays. He sung at elementary school and then at Booker T. Washington High School which produced many famous musicians. During Spencer Wiggins’ time at Booker T. Washington High School, Booker T. Jones, Carl Hampton, David Porter, Gene Miller, Homer and James Banks, The Mad Lads, Maurice White and William Bell. Many of these singers, songwriters and musicians would become part of the Memphis music scene. That was all in future.
Before that, Nat D. Williams a history teacher Booker T. Washington High School started arranging talent nights for amateur musicians in Beale Street, which was situated in downtown Memphis. For aspiring musician including Spencer Wiggins, this was an opportunity to a make a breakthrough.
It was around this time that the Wiggins family formed a new five piece gospel group, the New Rival Gospel Singers. Initially, they played at the New Friendship Baptist Church before playing in churches across Memphis. Then in 1957, the New Rival Gospel Singers made their radio debut on Bless My Bones, but never got as far as recording a single or album.
During this period, Spencer Wiggins was a member of the Booker T. Washington High School’s sixty strong Glee Club, which featured his brother Percy, David Porter and Dan Greer. Three of this group Dan Greer, Percy and Spencer Wiggins were close friends from the early fifties right through to the early sixties. However, in 1961 nineteen years old Spencer Wiggins who had been held back a year, graduated high school. Now he had to decide what to do with his life.
Spencer Wiggins had no doubt about what he wanted to do with his life,…become a singer. Not just any singer, but one who enjoyed success coast to coast. Initially, Spencer Wiggins started singing on the local Memphis club scene, where he soon became a popular draw at venues like The Flamenco Club. He worked five nights a week, and earned $9 a night, which soon rose to $15. Before long, Spencer Wiggins was sharing the bill with Al Green, and other nights, opened for Elvis Presley. For Spencer Wiggins the whole experience was a roller coaster, but one he was thoroughly enjoying.
Some nights when he finished at 2am, Spencer Wiggins headed to another venue like the WC Handy Club where he and has friends would shoot the breeze. Then as a new day dawned, Spencer Wiggins and the band wold practised for anything up to three hours. Spencer Wiggins was determined to make a career out of music, and was already making an impact in Memphis’ vibrant soul scene.
One night when Spencer Wiggins appeared at The Flamenco Club, he met Quinton Claunch the founder and owner of Goldwax Records after he had finished his set. By then, Spencer Wiggins was a regular performer in Memphis’ clubs, and it was possible that someone had told Quinton Claunch about the young soul singer Spencer Wiggins who many thought had a bright future ahead of him. So must have Quinton Claunch who offered Spencer Wiggins his first recording contract.
Soon, Spencer Wiggins was in Sam Phillips Madison Avenue studio, where he recorded his debut single for the Bandstand imprint. This was the Isaac Hayes composition Lover’s Crime which featured a hurt-filled vocal.. However, when Lover’s Crime was released in April 1964, it failed to trouble the charts.
In the spring of 1965, Spencer Wiggins returned to Sam Phillips’ studio on Madison where he recorded his sophomore single Take Me Just As I Am which was written by Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham. It features a heartfelt and emotive vocal from Spencer Wiggins whose at his most soulful performance. Considering Spencer Wiggins was just twenty-three, he shows a remarkable maturity on Take Me Just As I Am. Sadly though, when Take Me Just As I Am was released as a single, lightning struck twice and the single failed to trouble the charts.
Despite his first two singles failing commercially, Spencer Wiggins continued to play the clubs around Memphis where he was still a popular draw. If anything, his popularity was rising, so Quinton Claunch sent him to Madison to record his third single.
The song that was chosen was Old Friend (You Asked Me If I Miss Her a collaboration between Jimmy Webb and George Jackson. When Old Friend (You Asked Me If I Miss Her was released on Goldwax Records, in December 1966, it featured Spencer Wiggins’ best performance on this soul-baring slice of spine tingling deep soul. Despite oozing quality, the single failed commercially and Spencer Wiggins was no nearer that elusive hit single.
Four months later, and Spencer Wiggins returned with his fourth single Up Tight Good Woman, which was written by Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham. It’s a song that could’ve only been recorded in Memphis in the late-sixties, and Spencer Wiggins delivers an impassioned vocal while elements of Southern Soul and Deep Soul melt into one. Sadly, when Up Tight Good Woman was released in April 1967, it too, failed commercially and Spencer Wiggins’ search for his first hit single continued.
Another five months passed before Spencer Wiggins returned with his fifth single which the soul-baring ballad The Power Of A Woman which was penned by Quinton Claunch. This time around, the single was recorded in Memphis by a band that featured some top musicians, while Quinton Claunch and Randolph V. Russell took charge of production. They were partly responsible for one of Spencer Wiggins’ finest singles, which sadly, wasn’t the success that everyone hoped. Still, Spencer Wiggins was looking for his breakthrough single.
Five months later, and Spencer Wiggins released the Quinton Claunch composition That’s How Much I Love You on Goldwax Records in February 1968. Again, the single was recorded in Memphis, and produced by the Quinton Claunch and Randolph V. Russell production partnership. Sadly, and despite their best efforts That’s How Much I Love You passed record buyers by.
After the commercial failure of That’s How Much I Love You, Quinton Claunch seemed in no hurry to release the followup single. Nine months passed before Spencer Wiggins released Once In A While (Is Better Than Never At All) as his seventh single for Goldwax Records. It failed to find an audience upon its release in November 1968. For Spencer Wiggins this was just the latest disappointment. Surely things couldn’t get any better?
As 1969 dawned Spencer Wiggins was preparing to release a cover pf Ronnie Shannon’s I Never Loved A Woman (The Way I Love You) as a single in February 1969. It was produced by Quinton Claunch and Randolph V. Russell who hoped that I Never Loved A Woman (The Way I Love You) would give Spencer Wiggins his belated breakthrough. Sadly, it wasn’t to be and it was the end of the line for Spencer Wiggins and rest of artists at Goldwax Records.
Later in 1969, the two owners of Goldwax, Quinton Claunch and Randolph V. “Doc” Russell decided to dissolve the label. They had been unable to agree on the future direction of Goldwax Records, which drove a wedge between the pair. However, James Carr’s increasingly erratic behaviour caused by a worsening in his mental health problems was the final straw. The two friends decided to dissolve Goldwax and Spencer Wiggins and rest of artists at Goldwax Records were left without a label.
Next stop for Spencer Wiggins was Fame, where he released Love Machine in November 1969 and Double Lovin’ in July 1970. When neither single was a commercial success, Spencer Wiggins was left without a label. Adding to Spencer Wiggins’ problems was that he never employed a manager. This was a decision that would cost Spencer Wiggins dearly.
Nearly three years later, in February 1973, Spencer Wiggins released I Can’t Be Satisfied (With A Piece Of Your Love) as a single on MGM Sounds Of Memphis. However, when the single failed to find an audience this was Spencer Wiggins’ eleventh single that that had failed commercially and caused Spencer Wiggins to rethink his future.
Spencer Wiggins wasn’t making a living singing soul, and when he left MGM Sounds Of Memphis he decided to reinvent himself as a bluesman in Florida. However, his career as a bluesman was short-lived and when his band failed to turn up for a show in Memphis in 1973, Spencer Wiggins called time on his career as a bluesman. For the next two years his life headed in a different direction.
For the next couple of years, spent most of his time working in a local church, and made his swan-song as a bluesman in 1975. A year later in 1976, and Spencer Wiggins found god, and from 1977 onwards started singing gospel music.
The same year, 1977, the Japanese label Vivid Music released an album of songs Spencer Wiggins recorded for Goldwax, Soul City USA. This includes Sweet Sixteen, My Love Is Real, I’ll Be True To You and Who’s Been Warming My Oven which made their debut on Soul City USA. It was also Spencer Wiggins’ debut album, as he had previously, only ever released singles. It was almost ironic that Spencer Wiggins’ debut album, Soul City USA was only released after her turned his back on soul and blues, and began recording gospel music. It was the end of era.
Sadly, Spencer Wiggins never enjoyed the commercial success and critical acclaim that his talent warranted. Despite that, Spencer Wiggins is nowadays, widely recognised by critics as one of the finest exponents of deep soul, but sadly, is still one of soul music’s best kept secrets. Even many soul fans haven’t heard of Spencer Wiggins, but after hearing his music once, they’re fans for life. of a singer who had the potential and talent to become a giant of soul.
The Spencer Wiggins’ Story.
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