SPOOKY TOOTH’S ISLAND RECORDS YEARS.
Spooky Tooth’s Island Record Years.
All too often, some bands don’t get the credit they deserve, and that was the case with Spooky Tooth, who for a time, pioneered the use of twin keyboards. They lead the way and soon, other bands were following in their wake. By then, the Spooky Tooth story was over.
Spooky Tooth were only together seven years between 1967 and 1974, but managed to release eight seven albums. They could’ve become one of the biggest British bands of the late-sixties, early-seventies. However, Spooky Tooth wandered down a rocky road. That was the case since for a lot longer.
The Spooky Tooth story started in 1963, when The V.I.P.s were founded in Carlisle, Cumbria by lead vocalist Mike Harrison and bassist Greg Ridley. Over the next four years, The V.I.P.s lineup evolved. Rhythm guitarist Frank Kenyon, lead guitarist Jimmy Henshaw, drummer Mike Kellie and guitarist Luther Grosvenor were members between 1963 and 1967. Other musicians played a walk-on roll on The V.I.P.s’ story. This included Keith Emerson whose keyboards would play a starring role in The Nice and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. However, by the time The V.I.P.s decided to change direction musically, Keith Emerson had left the band.
For the four years they were together, The V.I.P.s played blues and R&B. By 1967, they decided that to change direction musically. So The V.I.P.s changed their name to Art and recorded their one and only album, Supernatural Fairy Tales.
Supernatural Fairy Tales.
In 1967, the newly named Art found themselves signed to Chris Blackwell’s Island Records. Art were about to go into the studio with producer Guy Stevens, so began work on their debut album.
By then, Art’s lineup featured drummer Mike Kellie and guitarist Luther Grosvenor, bassist Greg Ridley, guitarist Luther Grosvenor and vocalist and keyboardist Mike Harrison. The four members of Art got to work on what became Supernatural Fairy Tales.
For their debut album Supernatural Fairy Tales, the four members of Art wrote ten tracks. They would be augmented by covers of The Young Rascals’ Come on Up and Buffalo Springfield’s For What It’s Worth. Recording took place at two studios.
Pye Studios was where the majority of Supernatural Fairy Tales was recorded. Some recording took place at Olympic Studios. At the two studios, producer Guy Stevens, whose career was in the ascendancy, took charge of production. He guided Art through the maze that’s recording a debut album. The result was Supernatural Fairy Tales, which became a cult classic.
When critics heard Supernatural Fairy Tales, the reviews of Art’s debut album were mostly positive. Its progressive, psychedelic rock sound was decidedly on trend. It tapped into a sound that was commercial. Surely, Supernatural Fairy Tales would prove a commercial success?
Sadly, when Supernatural Fairy Tales was released in the Autumn of 1967, the album wasn’t a commercial success. This was disappointing for Art and Island Records.
Shortly after the release of Supernatural Fairy Tales Art split-up. However, like a phoenix from the ashes rose a new band, Spooky Tooth.
The Birth Of Spooky Tooth.
Gary Wright was also a psychology student, who had travelled to Berlin to finish his studies. That was where Gary Wright formed the band The New York Times with some American expats and a German bassist. They had opened for Traffic, and were thinking about recording an album. So Gary Wright contacted his old friend Jimmy Miller. The producer was working for Island Records, and suggested that The New York Times hotfoot it to London.
When The New York Times arrived in London, the recording sessions didn’t go to plan. The rest of the band split, leaving Gary Wright. It was then, in October 1967, that Gary Wright was introduced to the former members of Art and they formed a new band, Spooky Tooth.
It’s All About.
Straight away, work began on Spooky Tooth’s debut album. The new recruit quickly made his presence felt. Whereas the four members of Art cowrote most of their debut album Supernatural Fairy Tales, that wasn’t the case with Spooky Tooth.
Gary Wright penned Sunshine Help Me and cowrote another six tracks. This included It Hurts You So and Forget It, I Got It with his ole buddy Jimmy Miller. The Wright and Miller partnership weren’t finished. They cowrote Love Really Changed Me with Luther Grosvenor. That trio joined Mike Harrison in penning Here I Lived So We. Luther Grosvenor and Gary Wight also cowrote Bubbles. Spooky Tooth was quickly becoming the Gary Wright show.
If the other members felt uncomfortable that Chris Wight was playing a leading role in Spooky Tooth. He was friends with Jimmy Miller, who was chosen to produce It’s All About. He just happened to be friends with Island Records’ owner Chris Blackwell. To onlookers, these relationships looked too cosy. After all, it was Chris Blackwell who introduced Gary Wright. He would join the rest of Spooky Tooth at Olympic Studios.
Island Records’ recording sessions were notorious for only allotting a specific amount of time to record an album. Woe betide the band and producer who went over budget. Spooky Tooth had twelve songs to record when they entered the studio in November 1967. This included covers of Janis Ian’s Society’s Child, Bob Dylan’s Too Much Of Nothing and John D. Loudermilk’s Tobacco Road. Along with the songs penned by members of Spooky Tooth, the twelve songs became It’s All About.
Before the release of It’s All About in June 1968, critics had their say on Spooky Tooth’s debut album. They were won over by It’s All About. Many critics gave the albums rave reviews. Some critics liked that Spooky Tooth had two different vocalists. This was uncommon. However, with Mike Harrison and Gary Wright sharing the lead vocals, this allowed the band to take their music in a variety of directions. On It’s All About, this included blues, rock and psychedelia. Despite winning over critics, record buyers weren’t convinced.
When It’s All About was released in June 1968, the album wasn’t the success many had forecast. This would soon change.
Spooky Tooth were about to become one of Europe’s most popular live bands. Then in August 1968, Spooky Tooth were invited to tour America. This was a game-changer. Especially when Spooky Tooth were invited to play at one of the most prestigious venues in America, the Fillmore West in San Francisco.
Promoter Bill Graham invited Spooky Tooth to play the Fillmore West. This was a rite of passage for bands touring America. It was a signal they had arrived. Spooky Tooth were going up in the world, so Island Records’ thoughts turned to their sophomore album, Spooky Two.
Spooky Two.
Unlike their debut album, Spooky Two only featured eight songs. Partly, this was why Spooky Too was a leaner, more focused album. Again, Gary Wright who had assumed the role of Spooky Tooth’s songwriter-in-chief.
Gary Wright penned four tracks and cowrote three others. This included Feelin’ Bad and I’ve Got Enough Heartaches with drummer Mike Kellie. Mike Harrison and Luther Grosvenor cowrote Waitin’ for the Wind with Gary Wright. Spooky Two’s other track, was a cover of Larry Weiss’ Evil Woman. These songs were recorded at Morgan Studios, London.
Just like It’s About You, Spooky Two was produced by Jimmy Miller. Recording began in November 1968, and Spooky Tooth began recording what’s now considered their greatest album, Spooky Two.
Once Spooky Two was complete, the release was scheduled for March 1969. This didn’t leave much time to promote the album. However, the reviews did a good job of this. Spooky Two was hailed a masterpiece of blues, hard rock, psychedelia and classic rock. Luther Grosvenor’s guitar playing was at the heart of the album’s success. It was loose, but fluid. Spooky Tooth’s played hard, raw and rock on Spooky Too. Critics forecast that Spooky Two was going to be Spooky Tooth’s breakthrough album.
That proved to be the case. On its release in March 1969, Spooky Two reached number forty-four in the US Billboard 200. This resulted in Spooky Tooth’s profile rising.
Suddenly, they were playing in front of bigger audiences on nearly every continent. Other musicians wanted to work with Spooky Tooth. This included French electronic musician, Pierre Henry.
Ceremony.
After the release of Spooky Too, there was a change to Spooky Tooth’s lineup. In 1970, bassist Greg Ridley was asked to join Humble Pie. He agreed, and Andy Leigh was drafted in as his replacement. This was the first, but not the last change in Spooky Tooth’s lineup.
After the commercial success and critical acclaim of Spooky Too, Spooky Tooth’s star was in the ascendancy. Suddenly, people wanted to work with Spooky Tooth. This included French electronic musician, Pierre Henry.
He described himself as a found-object” composer. Pierre Henry took everyday objects and transformed them into an instrument. This wasn’t a new concept.
Pablo Picasso had pioneered the idea in 1912, when he pasted aprinted image of chair caning onto his painting Still Life with Chair Caning. Turning everyday objects into musical instruments took the idea further. That’s what Pierre Henry, and many other moderne musicians did.
Originally, Spooky Tooth were collaborating with Pierre Henry. It was his album. The new lineup of Spooky Tooth were essentially his backing band, on Ceremony.
For Ceremony, Pierre Henry and Gary Wright wrote six tracks. He and the rest of the new lineup of Spooky Tooth made their way to France. It was agreed that Pierre Henry and Spooky Tooth would co-produce Ceremony, due to the fact the album takes the form of a church service.
Quickly, Spooky Tooth recorded their parts. This left Pierre Henry to play synths and take charge of electronics on five tracks. On Hosanna, which closed Ceremony, Spooky Tooth took centre-stage. It was Ceremony’s Magnus Opus. Once the recording was complete, Spooky Tooth headed home.
Having returned home, Spooky Tooth were sent a copy of Ceremony. Gary Wright didn’t like what he heard. He was straight on the phone to Chris Blackwell, urging him not to release Ceremony. This didn’t work.
Chris Blackwell disagreed, telling Gary Wright: “people will love this album. We have to put this out.” According to Gary Wright, the rest of Spooky Tooth didn’t want Ceremony released. He went as far as to say: “it was against our wishes.” He thinks that the “release of the album lead to the initial breakup of the band.”
With Island Records determined to release Ceremony, December 1969 was scheduled as the release date. Before that, critics had their say on Ceremony. This fusion of rock and avant-garde was billed as an album from Spooky Tooth and Pierre Henry. Reviews were mixed. It wasn’t what most critics had expected from Spooky Tooth. The problem Mike Harrison says was;”people thought it was Spooky Tooth’s third album.”
When Ceremony was released in December 1969, it reached just ninety-two in the US Billboard 200. Spooky Tooth were going backwards. That was only part of the story.
All wasn’t well within Spooky Tooth. There was disharmony within the ranks. Mike Kellie believes things would’ve been different if Spooky Tooth: “had independent management.” They could’ve been an arbiter in the conflicts. Without that, Spooky Tooth split-up.
The Last Puff.
That wasn’t the end of the Spooky Tooth story. Instead, it was just the end of a chapter. Mike Harrison, Mike Kellie and Luther Grosvenor remained. Gary Wright exited stage left. So did bassist Andy Leigh. In their place, came some new faces.
Among them, were guitarist Henry McCullough, bassist Alan Spenner and Chris Stainton. He played bass, piano and organ. His versatility would be put to good use on The Last Puff, which was billed as an album from Spooky Tooth Featuring Mike Harrison.
For The Last Puff, seven cover versions were chosen. Among them were Lennon and McCartney’s I Am The Walrus; Joe Cocker and Peter Nichols’ Something to Say; David Ackles’ Down River and Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s Son of Your Father. New recruit Chris Stainton contributed The Last Puff. Ironically, The Wrong Time a song penned by Gary Wright and Hugh McCracken. Given Gary Wright had just left Spooky Tooth this seemed a strange decision.
Recording of The Last Puff took place at Island Studios, London. Producing the album was Island Records’ owner Gary Blackwell and Chris Stainton. Once the new lineup of Spooky Tooth finished recording The Last Puff, it was released in July 1970.
Critics however, received advance copies of Spooky Tooth Featuring Mike Harrison’s album The Last Puff. Critical acclaim accompanied this album of art rock, blues rock, psychedelia and rock. It seemed the loss of two members hadn’t derailed Spooky Tooth.
That seemed to be the case. The Last Puff proved more successful than Ceremony, reaching number eighty-four in the US Billboard 200. However, not long after the release of The Last Puff, Spooky Tooth split-up.
That looked like the end of the line for Spooky Tooth. Island Records were dismayed. They had just lost one of their most popular groups.
So a year later, in 1971, Island Records repackaged and rereleased It’s All About as Tobacco Road. When the album was released, it reached number 152 in the US Billboard 200. That many people thought, was Spooky Tooth’s swan-song. It wasn’t.
You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw.
In 1972, Spooky Tooth reformed, with a new lineup. The only musician who had played on The Last Puff was Mike Harrison.
Luther Grosvenor had joined Mott The Hoople, where he dawned the alias Ariel Bender. His replacement in Spooky Tooth, was future Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones. Mike Kellie was replaced by drummer and percussionist Bryson Graham. Chris Stewart became Spooky Tooth’s fourth bassist. However, the biggest surprise, was the return of Gary Wright.
Quickly, Gary Wright resumed the role of Spooky Tooth’s songwriter-in-chief. He wrote six of the eight songs, and cowrote Times Have Changed with Mick Jones. The other song on You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw was the Bryson Graham composition This Time Around. These eight songs were recorded at three London studios.
Recording of You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw. Olympic Studios, Island Studios and Apple Studios. It seemed no expense was being spared for Spooky Tooth’s comeback album. These were some of London’s top studios. One expense that was saved was a producer. Spooky Tooth produced You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw. It was scheduled for release in ay 1973.
Many of Spooky Tooth’s fans eagerly awaited their comeback album. However, when reviews were published, they were mixed. Some critics felt that You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw wasn’t Spooky Tooth’s finest hour. That’s despite Spooky Tooth combining progressive rock, hard rock and blues rock. While hard rock was still popular, progressive rock dominated the charts. However, other critics were won over by Spooky Tooth’s comeback album.
Other critics liked the dual keyboard sound on You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw. This brought a new dimension to Spooky Tooth’s sound. There was no consensus. For once, a Spooky Tooth album had divided the critics’ opinion. However, record buyers were of one mind.
On the release of You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw, in November 1973, the album reached number eighty-four in the US Billboard 200. This matched the popularity of The Last Puff. Spooky Tooth were back to where they were before Ceremony. What could go wrong?
Witness.
After making their comeback with You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw, Spooky Tooth looked as if their career was back on track. Then there was a change in Spooky Tooth’s lineup.
This time, Spooky Tooth’s original drummer Mike Kellie made a comeback, and replaced recent recruit Bryson Graham. However, that wasn’t the end of Bryson Graham. He played on some of the tracks on Witness. It was a tale of two drummers.
One thing didn’t change, Gary Wright wrote most of Witness. He penned six of the nine tracks, and cowrote the other three tracks with members of Spooky Tooth. Considering the other members weren’t regarded as songwriters, they were proving a reliable source of songs. Gary Wright and Chris Stewart penned Don’t Ever Stray Away. Mick Jones collaborated with Gary Wright on All Sewn Up. Drummer Mike Kellie celebrated his return by cowriting Pyramids with Chris Stewart. It seemed the other members of Spooky Tooth had hidden talents.
They also produced Witness, which was recorded at Olympic Studios and Island Studios, in London. At two of London’s premier studios, Spooky Tooth recorded their sixth studio album. Little did anyone realise, but this would be the last time one of the band set foot in a recording studio with Spooky Tooth. It was the end of an era.
Sadly, with one of the band about to call time on their career with Spooky Tooth, the reviews of Witness were mixed. Not for the first time, a Spooky Tooth album divided opinion. Some critics enjoyed Witness mixture of hard rock, blues rock, progressive rock and psychedelia. Others felt the sound was dated. Record buyers had the deciding vote.
They too were undecided. When Witness was released in November 1973, it stalled at ninety-nine in the US Billboard 200. Witness hadn’t matched the commercial success of You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw. That was disappointing. However, it wasn’t as disappointing as losing one of the band’s most important figures.
Mike Harrison, who founded The V.I.P.s ten years previously, called time on the band he cofounded with Greg Ridley. The group’s cofounder wanted to pursue other projects. Another departure was bassist Chris Stewart. While he was a loss, his departure didn’t leave the void that Mike Harrison’s left. It was a case of the King is dead, long live the King.
The Mirror.
By 1974, music was changing, and changing fast. Progressive rock was one of the most popular genres. It was the most cerebral type of rock music. Glam rock however, was all style and no substance. Then there was Art Rock, which groups like Roxy Music pioneered. Heavy rock was still popular, with Led Zeppelin and Bad Company two of it’s finest purveyors. Spooky Tooth had previously aligned themselves with hard rock. Now they decided to change direction.
With Spooky Tooth changing direction, a new member joined the band. Val Burke had featured on Witness, but on Mirror became a permanent member. Again, Mike Kellie and Bryson Graham both featured on Witness. Drummer, percussionist and keyboardist Mike Patto, was another new addition. It was a very different version of Spooky Tooth that began work on The Mirror.
Gary Wright wrote just two songs and cowrote the other seven songs. The other members of the band seemed to want to contribute to The Mirror. Mick Jones cowrote Fantasy Satisfier with Gary Wright. They cowrote Two Time Love and The Mirror with Mike Patto. He joined Gary Wright in penning The Hoofer. Along with Kyle and I’m Alive, which Gary Wright cowrote, these nine songs became The Mirror.
When recording of The Mirror began, Gary Wright, Eddie Kramer and Mick Jones were co-producing the album. It quickly became apparent to onlookers, that Spooky Tooth had changed direction. Gospel, pop and R&B combined with rock on The Mirror. Once it was complete, Island Records announced The Mirror would be released in October 1974.
Before then, critics had their say on The Mirror. Most were impressed by the new Spooky Tooth. Some weren’t convinced. The new lineup of Spooky Tooth was a shadow of its vainglorious self. Cynics suggested that Spooky Tooth had dumbed down their sound in the hope of commercial success. If that was the case, it backfired on Spooky Tooth.
When The Mirror was released in October 1974, it only reached 130 in the US Billboard 200. It became Spooky Tooth’s least successful album. However, there was a twist in the tale.
A month after the release of The Mirror, Spooky Tooth announced they were splitting up. The members of Spooky Tooth joined other bands, or embarked upon new projects. Some critics said it was the end of an era.
In reality, the departure of Mike Harrison marked the end of an era. He had founded The V.I.P.s with Greg Ridley in Carlisle, in 1963. The V.I.P.s became Art, and then Art became Spooky Tooth. However, Spooky Tooth without Mike Harrison was gin without the tonic. He was part and parcel of the band’s sound, and been a vital cog in the Spooky Tooth Wheel. Without him, the band limped on, and a year later, literally fell apart.
That was the end of Spooky Tooth until 1999, when they reformed and released Cross Purpose. Mike Harrison was back at the helm. Gary Wright wasn’t part of the newly reformed Spooky Tooth. Making a comeback in the Spooky Tooth story was Island Records founder, Chris Blackwell. He produced Cross Purpose, which proved to be Spooky Tooth’s last studio album.
Spooky Tooth went on to released two live albums. The first was Live In Europe in 2001. Another six years passed before Nomad Poets-Live In Germany 2004 was released in 2007. By then, Spooky Tooth were enjoying a resurgence in popularity. It was too little too late for a group who musical history should remember as pioneers and innovators.
It was Spooky Tooth who pioneered the use of twin keyboards in their music. This was something that many other groups went on to adopt later, and contributed to the commercial success and critical acclaim they enjoyed. Spooky Tooth were also one of the few rock bands to use two vocalists. While this had ben tried in other genres, very few rock bands used two vocalists. That was until Spooky Tooth, who embraced also innovation.
Probably Spooky Tooth’s most ambitious and controversal album who collaborated on the album Ceremony with French electronic musician, Pierre Henry. However, b then, Spooky Tooth had already been combining disparate musical genres on their albums. Elements of blues and blues-rock to hard rock, psychedelia and rock featured on Spooky Tooth’s albums. This ensured that their music stayed relevant during what was a golden age for rock music.
During this period competition was fierce. Many of the top rock bands came from Britain, including Bad Company, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. They were among the hardest rocking bands of the late-sixties and early-seventies. This meant they were rivals of Spooky Tooth. However, Bad Company, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin enjoyed far more commercial success and critical acclaim than Spooky Tooth. That’s despite the quality of music Spooky Tooth released. Looking back, Spooky Tooth never quite fulfilled their potential.
This wasn’t helped by changes in lineup and breakups. Despite this, Spooky Tooth still managed to make some of the best, and most memorable rock music of the late-sixties and early-seventies. This music could’ve and should’ve enjoyed much more commercial success and critical acclaim. Even one of the members of Spooky Tooth realised this.
Mike Kellie realised that things would’ve been different if Spooky Tooth: “had independent management” throughout their career. Maybe, with the right manager guiding their career, Spooky Tooth would’ve enjoyed a settled lineup; and The Island Records Years would’ve lasted longer than seven years and seven studio albums; and that Spooky Tooth would be receiving the credit they deserve.
Spooky Tooth’s Island Record Years.
THE STORY OF MARY LOVE.
The Story Of Mary Love
The day that Mary Love entered a talent contest in a local club was that the day that her life changed forevermore. She sang a cover of Etta James’ Somebody’s Got A Hold On Me and won. This resulted in Mary being hired to sing every Thursday.
She was paid $8 a night and accompanying Mary Love were The Vows who she had befriended. They were her friends and were protective of Mary.
The next big break came when Sam Cooke’s manager J.W. Alexander heard Mary sing and gave her his card. The next day, J.W. Alexander and Mary Love met. He offered Mary the chance to sing on demos. This was her opportunity to make a life for herself.
Having started singing demos, Hal Davis heard Mary. He liked what he heard and signed Mary to Modern Records. The only problem was her name. Hal though that Mary Love was a better name for a singer. So it was Mary Love that went on to record twelve tracks for Modern Records between 1965 and 1968.
Mary Love’s Modern Records debut was You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet. It was released in April 1965, and became one of Mary biggest hit singles. The single sold especially well around the Los Angeles area. This was enough to launch Mary Love’s career. Since then, You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet has become a favourite in the UK’s Northern Soul scene, and nowadays, is regarded as a Northern Soul classic.
Following Mary’s debut single, You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet, I’ve Got To Get You Back was released as Mary’s sophomore single in August 1965. Again, it sold well in the Los Angeles area, but failed to find an audience further afield. This would be a familiar story. The exception was Move A Little Closer.
Released in in October 1968, Move A Little Closer reached number forty-eight in the US Billboard 100. This was Mary’s biggest hit. Ironically, Move A Little Closer wasn’t the A-Side. This was Let Me Know. When Move A Little Closer proved more popular, Modern Records flipped the song over, and a hit was born. For Mary, she thought her career was now underway.
Sadly, Lay This Burden Down didn’t build on the success of Move A Little Closer, when was released in October 1966. Again, it failed to chart. It was a hit locally. So was the Ashford and Simpson penned Baby I’ll Come, where Mary mixes power, passion and emotion. It’s one of Mary’s best singles. Tucked away on the B-Side is the hidden gem Satisfied Feeling on the B-Side. Released in February 1967, Mary delivers a vocal tour de force on Satisfied Feeling. After this, Mary would only release one more single for Modern Records.
Talkin’ About My Man was released in July 1967. Written by Arthur Adams, here was a ballad that seemed tailor-made for Mary. Despite this, widespread commercial success and critical acclaim eluded Mary. She did release a duet with Arthur Adams, Is That You. He seems to bring out the best in Mary. Sadly, this didn’t result in a hit single to end Mary’s time at Modern Records.
During her time at Modern Records, Mary divided her time between her solo career and singing backing vocals. Everyone from The Ikettes, Vernon Garrett and Lowell Fulson were accompanied by Mary. However, Mary was determined to make a success of her solo career.
In 1968, Mary met producers Matt Hill and Skip Layne. She recorded the anthemic The Hurt Is Just Beginning and Don’t Let It Happen. The Hurt Is Just Beginning garnered radio play in Los Angeles. This just happened to be during the trial of the Black Panther’s Huey Newton. They took to singing lyrics from the song: “The Hurt Is Just Beginning and don’t let it happen.” Not long after this, the B-Side, If You Change Your Mind, started getting radio play. It was released nationally on Josie, reaching number forty-six in the US R&B Charts. For Mary this was her second most successful single. Despite this, another three years passed before Mary released her next single.
Ironically, it was back in Sacramento that Mary met John W. Cole, friends of Mary’s grandparents. He was a businessman, who ran a chain of chemist and record shops. John wanted to expand his business. Next for John was the music business, and knew Roger Spotts, who played alongside Johnny and Shuggie Otis, two hugely talented musicians, arrangers and producers. So Roger would and arrange Mary’s next single at Ray Charles’ Los Angeles studio.
The Mary Love penned There’s Someone For Me was chosen as Mary’s next single. Roger would produce There’s Someone For Me and the B-Side, Born To Live With Heartache. Ray Charles even helped out during the session. He took charge of engineering. Beautiful, cathartic and soul-baring describes There’s Someone For Me. As for Born To Live With Heartache, Mary raises the funk factor and shows another side to her music. Both sides of this 1971 single, which was released on Elco are among some of Mary’s finest work. Sadly, history repeated itself when the single flopped. This resulted in Mary taking time out from the music industry.
It wasn’t until 1975 that Mary returned to music. She’d been raising her family and singing in nightclubs. However, she’d taken a break from recording. During that time, she’d hung out with Lou Rawls, Barry White, Willie Hutch and Dennis Edwards. Through her friendship with comedian, Rudy Ray Moore, Mary landed a part in the Blaxploitation movie Dolemite. Appearing as herself, Mary sings When We Start Making Love and Power Of Love which were part of the soundtrack released on Generation Records. That would be the last we heard of Mary for a couple of years.
Again, Mary was featuring in another film. This time it was Rudy Ray Moore’s Petey Wheatstraw. Mary penned five tracks for the film soundtrack, which was released on the Magic Disc label. Two of the tracks feature on Mary Love-Lay This Burden Down: The Very Best Of Mary Love. Joy and Loving You are gospel tinged tracks, very different from the disco inspired title-track. Unfortunately, commercial success still eluded Mary. Her career as a soul singer was almost at an end.
Over the next few years, Mary toyed with disco. She released Dance To My Music in 1979, on Inphasion. Although it wasn’t a hit in America, it was a hit in Italy. Then Mary spent three months living in Osaka, Japan, where she was part of Ah Sweet Tastes. They released a single Keep On Dancing, where Mary sings in Japanese and English. Mary’s final two releases were a 1982 cover of Tit For Tat, which was released on Elco. Mary’s final secular single was Save Me, which was released on U-Tone in 1984. After that, Mary Love became a gospel singer. .
Turning her back on secular music, Mary Love became a successful gospel singer. Over the years she became one of the most successful gospel singers. Two of her gospel albums, 2002s Incredible and 2005s Mary, Mary were certified gold, while 2000s Thankful was certified platinum. Mary Love had at last enjoyed the success her voice and undoubtable talent deserved. This commercial success was on Mary’s terms. Sadly, Mary passed away on June 23rd 2013.
She was just sixty-nine and that day soul music had lost one of its greatest female singers. Although Mary Love didn’t enjoy the commercial success and critical acclaim her music deserved, her music is popular throughout the world, especially in the UK, where Mary was always a welcome visitor. That music is a reminder of Mary Love who was one of soul’s finest female singers.
The Story Of Mary Love
THE DAMNED-THE STIFF AND CHISWICK RECORDS’ YEARS.
The Damned-The Stiff and Chiswick Records’ Years.
Not many bands are still going strong after forty-three years. Especially punk bands, which in many cases, were short-lived affairs, who released one or two singles, before calling it a day. However, there’s one punk band are still going strong after forty-three years, The Damned.
The Damned were formed in London in 1976, when members of two existing groups decided to form a new band. This included Dave Lett, Raymond Burns and Chris Millar, who previously, had been members of Masters Of The Backside. They were joined by final Brian Robertson, who had been a member of the London SS. They became The Dammed.
In The Damned, the four musicians sported new musical identities. Vocalist David Lett was known as Dave Vanian; drummer Chris Millar became Rat Scabies; bassist and future guitarist Raymond Burns sported the moniker Captain Sensible. Guitarist Brian Robertson became known as Brian James. Together as The Damned, they soon began making their presence felt in London’s nascent punk scene.
On the 6th of July 1976, The Damned made their live debut, when they supported the Sex Pistols at 100 Club. This was the start of a rivalry between the two groups, which saw one writing their name into musical history.
Having made their live debut, The Damned’s thoughts eventually turned to releasing a debut single. None of the punk groups had released a single yet. Somebody had to be first, so why not The Damned?
They headed to Pathway Studios, London, with producer Nick Lowe. That was where The Damned recorded their new single, the Brian James’ composition New Rose. On the B-Side, was a cover The Beatles’ Help, which was given a punk makeover. Once the single was recorded, it was released on October 22nd 1976, and made history.
New Rose was released by Stiff Records, and reached eighty-one in the UK single charts. It became the first single to be released by a British punk rock group. The Damned had beaten the Sex Pistols’ Anarchy In The UK to the title by five weeks. This wouldn’t the only time The Damned made musical history.
Damned, Damned, Damned.
After the success of New Rose, The Damned headed out on tour with the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Heartbreakers. The plan was to tour Britain, taking punk to the provinces. However, by then, the Sex Pistols had released Anarchy In The UK as a single. This resulted in many venues cancelling the concerts, in case anarchy in the provinces broke out. After a shorter tour than The Damned had expected, they returned to London, and completed the recording of their debut album.
Recording of Damned, Damned, Damned took place during three sessions at Pathway Studios, London. The first was in September 1976, with the album being completed in December 1976 and January 1977. In total, it had taken just ten days to record Damned, Damned, Damned. This left just the album to be mixed. It was completed on 15th January 1977, and just a month later, Damned, Damned, Damned was released.
Before that, critics had their say on The Damned’s debut album Damned, Damned, Damned. The reviews were mostly positive, and praised the energy and humour of the songs. Most were penned by Brian James, with Tony James cowriting Fish, and Rat Scabies contributing Stab Yor Back. Closing the album was a cover of The Stooges’ I Feel Alright. It was one of the tracks where critics remarked upon drive and energy of the rhythm section. Rat Scabies’ drums and Brian James’ bass were crucial to the album’s sound and indeed, success.
When Stiff Records released The Damned’s debut album Damned, Damned, Damned, on 18th February 1977, it reached number thirty-one in the UK album charts. Making the success even sweeter, was the thought that The Damned had become the first punk band to release an album. Again, The Damned had beaten their old nemesis’ the Sex Pistols again, and in doing so, had written their way into musical history. This was becoming a habit.
Alas, The Damned’s run of breaking records came to an abrupt end on 18th February 1977. The same day as Damned, Damned, Damned was released, Neat, Neat, Neat was released as a single. It failed to even trouble the charts. There was small crumb of comfort. Neat, Neat, Neat featured a truly memorable bass line from Captain Sensible. So much so, that in 2006 Stylus magazine called Captain Sensible’s one of the thirty-third best bass line of all time. However, back in 1977, The Damned hardly had time to worry about the commercial failure of Neat, Neat, Neat.
Straight after the release of Damned, Damned, Damned, The Damned headed out on tour, to promote their debut album. Then in March 1977, The Damned got the opportunity to open for T-Rex in March 1977. Things were happening quickly for The Damned, and as spring turned to summer, they then embarked upon an American tour. The Damned became the first British punk band to tour America. Again, they had beaten the Sex Pistols to the punch. However, by August 1977, changes were afoot.
In August 1977, The Damned brought onboard Lu Edmonds as a second guitarist. Around this time, there was also an ill-conceived and ill-fated attempt to bring Syd Barrett onboard to produce their sophomore album. Sadly, by then the founder of Pink Floyd was living a reclusive lifestyle and had serious health problems. However, his onetime colleague Nick Mason agreed to produce what became Music For Pleasure.
Music For Pleasure.
Now a five piece, The Damned began work on their sophomore album, Music For Pleasure. Again, Brian James wrote much of the album. He penned six songs of the ten songs; cowrote Problem Child and Stretcher Case with Rat Scabie and joined with Dave Varian to write Your Eyes. The remaining song, Idiot Box, came from the pen of Dave Varian and Rat Scabies. However, to onlookers, Brian James was playing a major part when it came to writing The Damned’s first two albums. Without him, where would they be?
When it came to recording Music For Pleasure, The Damned had come up in the world. They headed to Britannia Row Studios, which Pink Floyd had built after recording Wish You Were Here in 1975. It was a cutting edge facility, and very different to most studios that punk bands frequented. With Nick Mason taking care of production, The Damned recorded the ten tracks that became Music For Pleasure. Once it was recorded, Stiff Records scheduled the release for late 1977.
Eventually, Music For Pleasure was scheduled for released on the 18th November 1977. Before that, critics had their say on the album. Critics were far from impressed. Part of the problem was the quality of songs. They failed to match the quality on Damned, Damned, Damned. This isn’t unusual, as often, a band have spent months, even years writing their debut album. So when asked to write an album in a short space of time, this is often a step too far. Among the few highlights were Politics, Alone, Your Eyes and Creep (You Can’t Fool Me). They just about stood up to scrutiny, in an album that some critics felt, lacked focus and musical direction. Even new addition Lu Edmonds came in for criticism, with critics doubting that he brought anything to the table. Did The Damned really need two guitarists? That some critics felt was debatable. However, Lu Edmonds almost got away lightly. Other critics went further, calling the album a disaster and a musical misjudgement. This didn’t augur well for the released of Music For Pleasure.
Especially when Stretcher Case Baby had been released as the lead single, on 3rd July 1977, but never came close to troubling the charts. This must have worried members of The Damned and everyone at Stiff Records. Things got worse when Problem Child was released on the 28th September 1977, and failed to chart. Surely things couldn’t get any worse for The Damned?
By then, they must have been fearing the worst, and preparing for what was to come. However, even The Damned couldn’t have foreseen what would happen. When Music For Pleasure was released on the 18th November 1977, the album failed to chart. Neither did final single released from Music For Pleasure.
When Don’t Cry Wolf which was released in December 1977, it failed to chart. It became The Damned’s fourth consecutive single that failed to chart. Only their debut single New Rose charted, and even then, reached a lowly eighty-one in the UK single charts. These were worrying times for The Damned.
Little did The Damned know that two members of the band were planning to quit. Don’t Cry Wolf would prove to be two members of The Damned’s swan-song. That was in the future. Before that, The Damned were hit by two huge blows.
The first was when Stiff Records dropped The Damned. Suddenly, the band who were at the vanguard of the punk movement were without a label. To make matters worse, one of their most talented musicians walked away from the band.
Rat Scabies was so disappointed with Music For Pleasure, that he quit The Damned. Given the importance of Rat Scabies’ drums in The Damned’s sound, it was a blow the band wouldn’t recover from.
That is despite bringing future Culture Club drummer Jon Moss onboard. He couldn’t replicate the sound of Rat Scabies, and in February 1978, The Damned split-up for the first time.
For the next year, the members of The Damned worked on a variety of projects. However, in late 1978, Rat Scabies had formed a new band, Les Punks for a one off gig. Its lineup featured vocalist Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible and a rhythm section of drummer Rat Scabies and Motorhead’s Lemmy on bass. So successful was the Les Punks’ gig, that they reunited in early 1979.
When Les Punks reunited, they decided to change their name to The Doomed. This as close as they dare to using The Damned name. If they had performed as The Damned, there was the likelihood that they would encounter problems with the use of the band’s trademark. By then, Captain Sensible had switched to guitar and keyboards. This left the band without a bassist. While Lemmy filled in when recording demos and playing a few live dates, he had other commitments.
This left The Doomed searching for a replacement bassist. They thought they had found it in Henry Badowski. He spent part of 1978 playing with The Doomed. Then Henry Badowsk was eventually replaced by The Saints’ former bassist Algy Ward. The Doomed’s problematic bass position had been solved. At last, The Doomed had a settled lineup. The only blip came in December 1978, during The Doomed Scottish tour. Gary Holton had to briefly fill in for Dave Vanian. Apart from that, things were looking up for The Doomed.
By April 1979, The Doomed were now The Damned. The group was now, officially able to play and record as The Damned. It was a big relief to the band, whose career had been on hold. Now The Damned could begin to play live and sign a new record deal.
The Damned made their ‘second’ debut in April 1979. By then, Dave Vanian’s vocal style had changed, and he was no longer just singing in his former high baritone style, but crooning. It came as a shock to those who remembered The Damned’s early days as punk pioneers. Another difference was The Damned had adopted a much more melodic style. It was a mixture of speed and volume, and driven along by Captain Sensible’s keyboards. The times they were a changing.
Later in 1979, The Damned’s good luck continued, when they signed a record deal with Chiswick Records. Not long after signing their new recording contract, The Damned headed to Wessex Studios to record what became Machine Gun Etiquette.
Machine Gun Etiquette.
Before heading to Wessex Studios, The Damned had written ten new tracks and cowrote I Just Can’t Be Happy Today with Giovanni Dadomo. Gone were the days when The Damned were reliant upon one songwriter to write most of an album. Belatedly, The Damned were a democracy as far songwriting went. Machine Gun Etiquette was a much more collaborative album. It was also album where they paid homage to one of their musical heroes, MC5.
On their debut album Damned, Damned, Damned, The Damned covered The Stooges I Feel Alright. This time around, The Damned covered MC5s Looking at You. This was fitting given the new direction The Damned’s music was about to head in on Machine Gun Etiquette.
The Damned would combine elements of sixties garage rock, pop, punk and psychedelic rock. There was also a more experimental sound Machine Gun Etiquette. It seemed as if The Damned were in the process of finding themselves musically. Helping them to do so, was producer Roger Armstrong.
When The Damned arrived at Wessex Studios, London, they immediately encountered another of the punk pioneers, The Clash. They were in the process of recording their classic album, London Calling. The new lineup of The Damned must have been hoping that their comeback album would enjoy some of the success that previous Clash albums had enjoyed. They were now one of the biggest British bands, while the third lineup of The Damned were starting over.
This new lineup of The Damned featured vocalist Dave Vanian; drummer Rat Scabies; bassist Algy Ward and Captain Sensible who was switching between guitar and keyboards. It took two lots of sessions to record Machine Gun Etiquette. The first began in March, and finished in May 1979. After a month which The Damned spent playing live, they returned to the studio in July. They spent the next two months completing their third album Machine Gun Etiquette. By August 1979, The Damned were ready to begin their comeback.
For The Damned’s comeback single, the album opener Love Song was chosen, and when in it was released in April 1979, it caught the imagination of the record buying public. Love Song reached number twenty in the UK, and was then released in France, Germany and Holland. The Damned had just enjoyed the biggest hit of their career so far. Soon, The Damned were on a role.
Having enjoyed a hit single with Love Song, The Damned were keen to repeat the experience. The song that was chosen for their second single, was Smash It Up. It’s a song of two parts, where the melodic first half giving way to riotous fusion of pop and punk. It was critique of hippie culture, and a call for political revolution. This the BBC took offence at, fearing it would lead to anarchy in the UK. However, this was the best thing that could happen to the song.
Smash It Up was released on the 28th September 1979, with ironically Burglar on the B-Side. Burglar saw Rat Scabies take charge of the lead vocal. Suddenly, curiosity got the best of record buyers, who bought the single to see what the fuss was about. When this was combined with The Damned fans who bought Smash It Up, it reached thirty-six in the UK. The Damned’s call for political revolution, had been a successful and profitable exercise.
Having released two hit singles from Machine Gun Etiquette, things were looking good for The Damned as November 1979 release date approached. There was only one hurdle left to overcome, the critics. All The Damned had to do, was avoid the slings and arrows of over critical critics.
Unlike their sophomore album Music For Pleasure, Machine Gun Etiquette was hailed a resounding success by critics. Some went as far as to use the c-word, and called Machine Gun Etiquette a classic. This some critics said, was The Damned’s second classic. However, whether Damned, Damned, Damned was a classic is debatable. Machine Gun Etiquette certainly was
Critics enjoyed, embarked and welcome The Damned’s exploration through sixties garage rock, pop, punk and psychedelic rock. They hadn’t turned their back on their punk roots, but The Damned knew that their music had to evolve. What hadn’t changed was The Damned’s ability to create music that is witty and sometimes, full of social comment. Elsewhere, The Damned swagger their way through Machine Gun Etiquette, as they created riotous, rocky and memorable music. It’s akin to an adrenaline rush as The Damned rock, and rock hard. They kick out the jams, referencing Detroit’s finest MC5 on Looking At You, a blistering, driving fusion of garage rock and punk. However, one of the highlights is I Just Can’t Be Happy Today which stylistically and sonically, is reminiscent of the Electric Prunes. Hooks aren’t in short supply on this fusion of pop and rock. However, on other songs, other sides to The Damned shines through on Machine Gun Etiquette which was hailed a stonewall classic.
When Machine Gun Etiquette was released in November 1979, it was to critical acclaim. Ever since their comeback, The Damned’s luck had changed. This continued when Machine Gun Etiquette reached number thirty-one in the UK album charts. Eventually, it was certified silver. The Damned had released the most successful and finest album of their career, Machine Gun Etiquette.
Nowadays Machine Gun Etiquette recognised as a classic album. The Damned come of age on Machine Gun Etiquette. No longer were they the punk band that made their debut on Damned, Damned, Damned. While The Damned hadn’t turned their back on their punk roots, they had moved towards a much more rocky sound.
The Damned incorporate elements of sixties garage rock, pop and psychedelia to their punk roots on Machine Gun Etiquette. This resulted in a much more accessible album than their first two albums. Machine Gun Etiquette had a much wider appeal than Damned, Damned, Damned and Music For Pleasure. Partly, this was to do with the new lineup.
With Captain Sensible switching to keyboards and guitar, this left a void. A new bassist was needed, and Algy Ward fitted the bill. He slotted into the rhythm section alongside drummer Rat Scabies, and they formed a formidable partnership. Meanwhile, Captain Sensible proved a talented keyboardist and guitarist. This game of musical chairs had worked. So had the other change since The Damned had reformed.
This final change was that no longer were The Damned reliant upon one songwriter. Suddenly, the band was a democracy as far as songwriting was concerned. Their lyrics were clever, controversial, witty and sometimes, full of social comment. These songs came to life in the Wessex Studios, and gave The Damned the most successful album of their career. The big question was could they surpass the success of Machine Gun Etiquette?
The Black Album.
Having just released the most successful album of their career, and one that was hailed a classic, The Damned got to work on their fifth album. Most bands would’ve have decided to pickup where they left on Machine Gun Etiquette. However,The Damned weren’t most bands. Instead, they were about to head off on a musical journey through disparate genres.
For The Black Album, David Vanian, Rat Scabies, Captain Sensible and Paul Gray wrote ten new tracks. The Damned also wrote Wait For The Blackout with Billy Karloff, and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with Giovanni Dadomo. These twelve tracks were recorded at two studios.
One of studios that were used was the famous Rockfield Studios, in Monmouthshire. It had been where many classic albums had been recorded. Now The Damned became the latest group to use its prestigious studios. The rest of The Black Album was recorded at Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, in Surrey These studios became a home from home for The Damned as they recorded The Black Album.
When recording of The Black Album began, The Damned had decided to produce the album themselves using the alias The Kings Of Reverb. The exception was History Of The World (Part One), which Hans Zimmer who played synths, produced. The rest of The Black Album featured just The Damned.
For the second album in a row, drummer Rat Scabies had a new partner in the rhythm section. This time, it was bassist Paul Gray. He joined Captain Sensible who played electric guitar, acoustic guitar and keyboards. As usual, David Vanian took charge of the vocals. As the sessions began, it quickly became apparent that The Black Album wasn’t going to very different to Machine Gun Etiquette, in more ways than one.
Quickly, it became apparent that The Black Album was a much different album from its predecessor. The Damned were veering between, gothic rock, indie rock, new wave, psychedelia, punk and rock. It’s a much more eclectic, expansive album. This made the title The Black Album all the more fitting. So would the album cover. That was still to come.
The other difference between Machine Gun Etiquette that The Black Album was a much longer album. One track, Curtain Call, lasted just over seventeen minutes. There was no way that The Black Album would fit on one album. However, there wasn’t enough music to fit on two albums. Then came the idea to have side four feature live tracks.
Fortunately, The Damned had recorded a concert especially for members of their fan club. It had been recorded at Shepperton Studios, on 26th July 1980. Six songs were chosen from the recording of the concert, and found their way onto side four of The Black Album. This included Damned classics and favourites, including Love Song, Second Time Around, Smash It Up (Parts 1 & 2), New Rose, I Just Can’t Be Happy Today and Plan 9 Channel 7. These six songs were a tantalising taste of what The Damned live sounded like. So was the entire recording of the fan club concert, which was released in 1982 as Live Shepperton 1980. By then, The Black Album had been released.
Before that, The Damned decided that the The Black Album deserved an album cover worth of its title. Against a plain black album cover, Damned was written in gothic script, which holly leaves surrounding the nameplate. However, when The Black Album was reissued in 1982 as a single album, the album cover parodied The Beatles’ White Album. However, even in its present form, the album cover was perfect for The Damned’s ambitious, sprawling and genre-hopping double album, The Black Album. It would be released in October 1980, but before that, the lead single from The Black Album was released.
Just a month prior to the release of The Black Album, The History Of The World (Part 1), was released as single in September 1980. On the flip side was a non album track Sugar and Spite. When The History Of The World (Part 1) was released, it came with the credit ‘credit:’ “overproduced by Hans Zimmer.” Ironically, the synth driven History Of The World (Part 1) was a poppy and polished track, and one that radio stations should’ve picked up on. Alas, it reached just fifty-one in the UK singles’ charts. This was another disappointment.
Meanwhile, critics had received their advance copies of The Black Album. It was an ambitious, sprawling double album, where The Damned experimented, flitting between, and sometimes, combining disparate musical genres. This includes on future Damned classic Wait For The Blackout, a dramatic fusion of punk and psychedelia. There was also The Damned’s first foray into gothic rock, which the album cover more than hinted at. Gothic rock was a genre The Damned would embrace throughout the rest of the eighties. That was still to come. Before that, The Black Album was released.
Eleven months after the release of Machine Gun Etiquette, The Black Album was released by The Damned in October 1980. It reached number twenty-nine in the UK album charts, which was the highest placing of The Damned’s four albums. However, the only slight disappointment was that The Black Album wasn’t certified silver like its predecessor. However, the commercial success of The Black Album was a reason to celebrate. A hit single however, would be the cherry on the cake.
So The Damned released There Ain’t No Sanity Clause in November 1980. It wasn’t a track from The Black Album. Instead, it was hoped that There Ain’t No Sanity Clause might make an impact on the lucrative British Christmas singles market. It wasn’t to be, and the single stalled at ninety-seven in the UK singles charts. Maybe The Damned would have better luck next time?
In February 1981, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was released as the second single from The Black Album. Alas, the single failed to chart. The Damned were out of luck.
The Black Album was the final album The Damned released for Chiswick. However, a year later, in May 1982, Chiswick imprint Big Beat Records, released Wait For The Blackout as a single. Sadly, lightning struck twice, and the single failed to chart. This was a slightly disappointing end to The Damned’s time at Chiswick. However, the two albums that The Damned had released on Big Beat Records, Machine Gun Etiquette and The Black Album were two most successful albums of their career. Machine Gun Etiquette is a classic album, while The Black Album finds The Damned’s music evolving.
The Black Album find The Damned moving towards goth rock, which they went on to embrace throughout the eighties. There’s also a psychedelic influence to The Black Album, as The Damned begin to move away from their punk roots. They didn’t cut the ties entirely, for fear of alienating their older fans, who had been around since The Damned released the first punk single and album. That was just four years before the release of The Black Album in 1980. A lot had happened since 1976.
Forty-three years later, and incredibly, The Damned are still going strong. They’ve had their ups and downs, but still keep making music and playing live. They’ve released over thirty albums since The Black Album. However, The Black Album and its predecessor Machine Gun Etiquette are both reminders of The Damned in their prime, when they swaggered their way through albums, displaying a devil may care, rebellious attitude. This resulted in some of the most memorable music of their forty-three year career. Thos included the classic album Machine Gun Etiquette, and the album where The Damned came of age musically, The Black Album which featured a much more sophisticated and eclectic style.
The Damned-The Stiff and Chiswick Records’ Years.
ERIC ANDERSEN-STILL ONE OF MUSIC’S BEST KEPT SECRETS
Eric Andersen-Still One Of Music’s Best Kept Secrets.
In 1975, thirty-two year old folk singer and songwriter Eric Andersen moved to Greenwich Village, New York, where it had all started for him in the early sixties. Back then, Eric Andersen was part of the folk scene, and as a twenty-one years in 1964, had auditioned for Vanguard Records at Gerdes Folk City, a well known music venue in the East Village. The audition was successful, and Eric Andersen was signed to Vanguard Records.
The following year, 1965, Eric Andersen released his debut album Today Is The Highway on Vanguard Records. It was well received by critics, and launched Eric Andersen’s nascent career.
1966 was one of the most important years of Eric Andersen’s career. He made his debut at the Newport Folk Festival, and released his sophomore album ‘Bout Changes ‘N’ Things. Songs like Violets Of Dawn, Thirsty Boots,I Shall Go Unbounded and Close The Door Lightly When You Go showcased a hugely talented songwriter who many critics believed had a big future ahead of him. Just like his debut album, ‘Bout Changes ‘N’ Things was released to plaudits and praise, and Eric Andersen was seen as one of the rising stars of the vibrant folk movement.
When Eric Andersen released ‘Bout Changes ‘N’ Things 2 in 1967, it had much in common with ‘Bout Changes ‘N’ Things. The same songs featured on the album, but they had been rerecorded and Eric Andersen had used different instruments. The songs were resequenced, and When ‘Bout Changes ‘N’ Things 2 was released, it showed another side to these familiar songs as Eric Andersen’s music evolved and moved towards folk rock.
The reinvention of Eric Andersen’s music continued on his fourth album More Hits From Tin Can Alley, which was released in 1968. It was the most eclectic album of Eric Andersen’s career.
When it came time for Eric Andersen to record his fifth album for Vanguard Records, A Country Dream, he was following in the footsteps of many folk singers who had also made the journey to Nashville. Joining Eric Andersen was a band that featured top session players. They played their part in Eric Andersen’s first album of country rock which featured a cover of Otis Redding’s Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay. It was given a makeover and was one of the talking points of A Country Dream when it was released in 1969. Despite being well received, A Country Dream was Eric Andersen’s swan-song for Vanguard Records. He was about to go up in the musical world.
After releasing five albums for Vanguard Records, Eric Andersen signed to Warner Bros. Records. Later in 1969, Eric Andersen released Avalanche where he flits between country-rock and his now familiar folk rock sound. Some of the songs are cerebral, while others feature a reflective, introspective Eric Andersen as he sings of roller coaster romances. However, on It’s Comin’ and It Won’t Be Long, Eric Andersen sounds like Bob Dylan right down to his phrasing. Other songs are understated and allow Eric Andersen’s emotive vocal to centre-stage as this new chapter to his career began.
This new chapter continued with the release of Eric Andersen in 1970. It was Eric Andersen’s second album for Warner Bros. Records, and saw him continue to mature as a singer and songwriter. He had written then entire album which saw Eric Andersen continue to combine country rock and folk rock and on occasions move towards a pop rock sound. Despite being one of his finest albums of recent years, Eric Andersen failed commercially. For Eric Andersen this was the end of his time at Warner Bros.
Later in 1970, Eric Andersen joined Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead and country rockers The Speckled Hen on the Festival Express Tour. It wound its way across Canada and introduced Eric Andersen’s music to a new audience. However, it would be two years before Eric Andersen returned with a new album.
By 1972, Eric Andersen had signed to Columbia and began work on Blue River which was produced Norbert Putnam and features The Jordanaires and Joni Mitchell on backing vocals on the title-track. When Blue River was released later in 1972, it was to overwhelming critical acclaim. Record buyers were also won over by an album the featured elements of AOR, country rock, folk rock, pop and rock, and Blue River reached 169 in the Us Billboard 200. This meant that Blue River was Eric Andersen’s most successful album. It had taken seven years and eight albums, but somewhat belatedly, Eric Andersen had made a commercial breakthrough.
Buoyed by the success of Blue River, Eric Andersen returned to the studio and began work on the followup, which was going to be called Stages. Eric Andersen completed the album, but before it could be released, the master tapes disappeared. This was almost unheard of, and despite searching high and low for the master tapes, there was no sign of it. For Eric Andersen this was a devastating blow, as he had just made a commercial breakthrough.
The loss of the Stages’ master tapes affected Eric Andersen badly, and he decided to take a break from recording. Little did anyone realise that this break would last two long years.
It wasn’t until 1974 that Eric Andersen decided that he was ready to return to the recording studio. This was perfect timing as Clive Davis, who signed Eric Andersen to Columbia, had founded a new label Arista earlier in 1974 and was looking to add artists to the roster. One of the artists he wanted to sign was Eric Andersen, who signed to Arista in 1974, and began work on Be True To You. It’s the first two albums that Eric Andersen released for Arista, and features Eric Andersen as he hits the comeback trail.
Be True To You.
Having signed to Arista, Eric Andersen began writing the ten songs that eventually became Be True To You. This was the much-anticipated followup to the album that was regarded as his masterpiece, Blue River. Be True To You was an album Eric Andersen’s fans had waited patiently for. They had heard about the loss of the master tapes to Stages, and Eric Andersen’s two year absence from the recording studio.
Some of the songs on Be True To You had originally featured on Stages, while others were new songs that Eric Andersen had just written. There was also one cover version Ol 55 on Be True To You. These songs became part of an album that focused on the subject of love and various events that happened during life. However, there was more to Be True To You than that. The album also dealt with how love had affected other people. Be True To You featured two themed sides, with side one entitled I’m Weary Of These Petty Wars while and side two Lovers They Make Promises, But Lovers They Tell Lies, and was ready for release in 1975.
Before the release of Be True To You in 1975, critics had their say on what was the belated followup to Blue River and essentiality, Eric Andersen’s comeback album after three years away. Just like Blue River, critics dissevered that Be True To You was a carefully crafted album where featured folk rock, country rock and pop rock. Critics hailed Be True To You a fitting followup to Blue River, and welcomed the return of Eric Andersen. His partnership with producer Tom Sellers was success.
Sadly, when Eric Andersen released Be True To You in 1975, his Arista debut failed to trouble the charts. This was a huge disappointment for Eric Andersen, who maybe, had been away too long? Three years had passed since Blue River, and many record buyers had short memories and may have forgotten about Eric Andersen. Music was also changing by 1975, and record buyers had moved on to different genres. However, despite the commercial failure of Be True To You, Eric Andersen decided to begin work on the followup Sweet Surprise.
Sweet Surprise.
For Sweet Surprise, Eric Andersen wrote eight new songs whist living in one room high in the mountains of Montana. This backdrop provided the inspiration for Eric Andersen to write Sweet Surprise, where he would renew his partnership with producer Tom Sellers.
Just like on Be True To You, Tom Sellers took charge of production on Sweet Surprise. This time, it was a much smaller band who joined Eric Andersen when recording of Sweet Surprise and they used a different selection of instruments to those that featured on Be True To You.
Sweet Surprise was scheduled for release later in 1976. Before that, the critics sat in judgment, before having their say on the followup to Be True To You. The majority of critics were impressed by Sweet Surprise, which should’ve found an audience within the country music community.
When Sweet Surprise was released in 1976, the album failed to even trouble the charts. This was another disappointment for Eric Andersen, who wound’t release another album for Arista.
Eric Andersen’s Arista years lasted two just two years, when he released Be True To You and Sweet Surprise which were recently remastered and reissued by BGO Records. It was the end of another chapter in a story that began in 1964 when Eric Andersen auditioned for Vanguard Records at Gerdes Folk City.
Twelve years later, and Eric Andersen’s time at Arista had come to a close after releasing just two albums in two-year. During his short stay at Arista, Eric Andersen released two carefully crafted albums, Be True To You and Sweet Surprise, which are best described as hidden gems in his back-catalogue. Especially Be True To You which was the followup to his 1972 album Blue River. Be True To You is a fitting followup to Blue River, and showcases a truly talented singer, songwriter and guitarist. Sadly, Be True To You didn’t find the audience it deserved and slipped under the musical radar. It was a similar case with Sweet Surprise where Eric Andersen embraces country rock on his second set for Arista. When Sweet Surprise failed commercially this was the last album that Eric Andersen released in America for eighteen years.
By the late seventies, Eric Andersen found himself without a record company, and for nearly two decades he fell into obscurity. During that period, Eric Andersen moved to Europe, and released 1980s Midnight Son, 1984s Tight Is The Night and Istanbul in 1985. Things changed in 1988 when Eric Andersen released Ghosts Upon The Road which sold well and caught the attention of critics in Europe. Still though, Eric Andersen was a forgotten man in America, despite producing albums of the quality of Blue River the two carefully crafted hidden gems he released on Arista Be True To You and Sweet Surprise.
Eric Andersen-Still One Of Music’s Best Kept Secrets.
STUBBLEMAN-MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS.
Stubbleman-Mountains and Plains.
Label: Crammed Discs.
Forty years ago, in 1979, Pascal Gabriel aka the groundbreaking and maverick composer and producer Stubbleman, moved from his home in a Belgium to London. The former punk musician joined a series of experimental art school bands, which was the start of a voyage of discovery that led to him discovering the recording studio. This was the start of a long and illustrious career for a producer and songwriter who has gained international recognition.
In the early days, Pascal Gabriel was known for the string of dance hits including Theme from S’Express and Beat Dis. This opened doors for Pascal Gabriel who was soon writing, producing and mixing tracks and albums by everyone from Can, Inspire Carpets and Wire to Dido, Kylie Minogue, Bebel Gilberto, Miss Kittin and Ladyhawke. However, despite working with so many high profile names, Pascal Gabriel’s ended up in the pop wilderness.
Sadly, this was where he was destined to stay for a number of years. However, recently, Pascal Gabriel returned with a new album that shows another side to his music. This is the ambitious and adventurous electronic ambient music that he recorded and recently released as Stubbleman, which is the latest moniker Pascal Gabriel has adopted. Stubbleman recently released his debut album Mountains and Plains on Crammed Discs.
Mountains and Plains is best described as a cinematic and panoramic album which was inspired by Stubbleman’s road trio across America. As he travelled across the land of the free, he experienced train tracks that seemed to go on forever, enjoyed cities that never sleep and visited ruins that brought about a feeling of nostalgia for another era. Stubbleman experienced and witness vast skies, visited the desert plains and junctions that no longer went anywhere. Throughout his road trip, Stubbleman indulged in people watching as he passed through towns and cities which were populated by a wonderfully diverse populace.
On returning home, Stubbleman began work on what later became Mountains and Plains. He fused lo-fi, cinematic mixture of found sounds and field recordings with modular synths and sometimes live piano on eleven soundscapes which combine electronic ambient music and experimental with avant-garde.
The result was Mountains and Plains, a carefully crafted and captivating album of cinematic and panoramic music that is beautiful but understated and engaging, and also emotive and evocative. Sometimes, Mountains and Plains features melancholy rhythms and wistful music which seems designed to tug at the listeners heartstrings. Other times, surges of music emerge from the soundscapes as Stubbleman uses his musical palette to paint vivid pictures.
This he does throughout his debut album, which is best described as a very personal and autobiographical ambient opus, where Stubbleman lays bare his soul as he paints pictures of a distant land and the people he met during his road trip over the Mountains and Plains that decorate the land of the free.
Stubbleman-Mountains and Plains.
DARK STAR SAFARI BY JAN BANG, ERIK HONORE, EIVIND AARSET, SAMUEL ROHRER.
Dark Star Safari by Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, Eivind Aarset, Samuel Rohrer.
Label: Arjunamusic Records.
Jan Bang, Erik Honoré and Eivind Aarset are among the leading lights of Norway’s vibrant music scene, and are know for creating ambitious, innovative and progressive music that pushes musical boundaries to its limits. So is forty-two year old Swiss drummer Samuel Rohrer, who is known as a versatile musician who can effortlessly switch between musical genres. This is something that Samuel Rohrer has in common with Jan Bang, Erik Honoré and Eivind Aarset. They’re like-minded musicians, and it was no surprise when they four friends decided to collaborate on a new project in December 2017.
This new project they called Dark Star Safari, which is by Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, Eivind Aarset, Samuel Rohrer and was recorded in December 2017. Additional recording took place during the summer of 2018 in Berlin, which has been home to Samuel Rohrer since 2003. Meanwhile, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré and Eivind Aarset were doing additional recording in studios in Kristiansand and Oslo, in Norway. When the album was complete, it mixed in June 2018 by Ingo Krauss at Candybomber Studio Berlin. All that was left was for Mike Grinser to master the album at Manmade Mastering in Berlin, December 2018. Now Dark Star Safari were ready to released their debut album.
Dark Star Safari by Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, Eivind Aarset, Samuel Rohrer was recently released on Berlin-based Arjunamusic Records. It’s the result of four like-minded musicians collaborating.
When Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, Eivind Aarset and Samuel Rohrer began recording in December 2017, it was on a project where they were determined to give themselves an organic freedom that enables the music: “to fill itself in”, and to self-actualise through the efforts of the pan-European group of musical pioneers. To create the ten tracks on Dark Star Safari, they began by improvising and sketching out the tracks. Having done this, they examined the ten soundscapes and looked at what potential each one had. From there, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, Eivind Aarset and Samuel Rohrer began adding to the sketches. The four musicians were like artists, who used their musical palettes to add detail and colour to the ten sketches.
The result is ten multilayered and multi-textured soundscapes that make the listener think.Their cinematic sound is sure to paint pictures in their mind’s eye. Some will bring back memories from the distant past, while others have a dreamy, dreamlike sound. Other tracks are evocative, melancholy and wistful quality. Other times, the darkness descends as the music becomes dark, moody and shadowy. Offering a contrast is Jan Bang’s smooth delivery of Erik Honoré’s perceptive lyrics. They play their part in what’s an album of ambitious, innovative, progressive and genre-melting music from this pan-European group of musical pioneers.
Elements of avant-garde, electronica, experimental, free jazz and improv are combined on Dark Star Safari by Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, Eivind Aarset, Samuel Rohrer. They’re responsible for Dark Star Safari which is a truly captivating, cinematic and thought provoking album, that deserves to be heard by as wide an audience as possible given its quality.
Dark Star Safari by Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, Eivind Aarset, Samuel Rohrer.
THE BLUE NILE-HATS
The Blue Nile-Hats.
Label: Confetti Records.
Enigmatic, reluctant and contrarian are words that best of describe The Blue Nile. They’re the complete opposite of most bands. The Blue Nile have been described as publicity shy. That’ is an understatement. Ever since Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell and Paul Joseph Moore formed the Blue Nile, they’ve been one of the most low-profile bands in musical history. It seems that when they were formed thirty-eight years ago, The Blue Nile ticked the “no publicity” box. This has proved a double-edged sword, and resulted in The Blue Nile becoming one of the most enigmatic groups ever. Their story began thirty-five years ago.
The Blue Nile were formed in 1981, when two friends Paul Buchanan and Robert Bell, met Paul Joseph Moore, all of whom met at Glasgow University. Before forming The Blue Nile, Buchanan and Bell were previously members of a band called Night By Night. Try as they may, a recording contract eluded them. Night By Night’s music wasn’t deemed commercial enough. So Paul, Robert and P.J. decided to form a new band, The Blue Nile.
Once The Blue Nile were formed, they set up their own record label Peppermint Records. It was on Peppermint Records that The Blue Nile released their debut single, I Love This Life. This single was then picked up and rereleased on the RSO label. Unfortunately for the Blue Nile, RSO became part of the Polygram label and I Love This Life disappeared without trace. Despite this setback, Blue Nile persisted.
Still, The Blue Nile kept writing and recording material after the merger of RSO with Polygram. Some of that material would later be found on A Walk Across the Rooftops. That was in the future.
Recording of The Blue Nile’s demos took place at Castlesound studio near Edinburgh. That’s home to the man whose often referred to as the fourth member of The Blue Nile, recording engineer Calum Malcolm. He was listening to recently recorded demos through the studio’s Linn Electronics system. It had recently had a new set of speakers fitted. So the company founder, Ivor Tiefenbrun, decided to visit Calum Malcolm to hear his thoughts on the speakers. That’s when Ivor Tiefenbrun first heard The Blue Nile.
Calum Malcolm played Ivor Tiefenbrun a demo of Tinseltown In The Rain. Straight away, the founder of Linn was hooked. He decided to offer The Blue Nile a record contract to the label he was in the process of founding. Most bands would’ve jumped at the opportunity. Not The Blue Nile.
It took The Blue Nile nine months before they replied to Ivor Tiefenbrun’s offer. When they did, the answer was yes. The Blue Nile’s debut album A Walk Across The Rooftops would be released on Ivor Tiefenbrun’s new label Linn Reords.
A Walk Across the Rooftops.
Linn Records and The Blue Nile seemed a marriage made in musical heaven. Linn Records weren’t like a major label, pressurising The Blue Nile into making a decision and delivering an album within a certain timeframe. Instead, Linn Records allowed The Blue Nile to do what they did best, make music. From the outside, this looked as if it was working, and working well.
Years later, Paul Buchanan commented that during Linn Records didn’t operate like a record label. Mind you, he conceded that, during this period, The Blue Nile didn’t operate as a band. However, eventually, in May 1984 The Blue Nile’s debut album was released on Linn Records.
On the release of A Walk Across the Rooftops, it was released to critical acclaim. Critics described the album as a minor classic. A Walk Across the Rooftops was described as atmospheric, ethereal, evocative, soulful and soul-baring. It also featured the vocals of troubled troubadour Paul Buchanan. Despite the critical acclaim A Walk Across the Rooftops enjoyed, it wasn’t a huge commercial success, reaching just number eighty in the UK. However, since the A Walk Across the Rooftops has been recognised as a classic album. So has the followup Hats.
Hats.
Unlike most bands, The Blue Nile weren’t in any rush to release their sophomore album Hats. There was a five year gap between A Walk Across the Rooftops and Hats. It was worth the wait. The Blue Nile had done it again. Hats was a classic.
Featuring seven tracks, written by Paul Buchanan, Glasgow’s answer to Frank Sinatra He’s a tortured troubadour, whose voice sounds as if he’s lived a thousand lives. Producing Hats was a group effort, with Paul, Robert and P.J. taking charge of production duties. Guiding them, was Callum Malcolm. On the release of Hats, British and American audiences proved more discerning and appreciative of the Blue Nile’s sophomore album Hats.
On the release of Hats in the UK in 1989, it was critically acclaimed and commercial success, reaching number twelve in the UK. Then when it was released in America in 1990, audiences seemed to “get” Hats. Not only did it reach number 108 in the US Billboard 200 Charts, but The Downtown Lights reached number ten in the US Modern Rock Tracks charts. It seemed that The Blue Nile were more popular in America, than in Britain. Gradually, The Blue Nile’s music was beginning to find a wider and more appreciative album. Especially when The Blue Nile decided to embark upon their debut tour later in 1989, and showcased what was one of the albums of the year.
In many ways, Hats is a like a musical journey, a voyage of discovery. Over The Hillside is the first step on the journey. Slow, spacious drums, washes of wistful synths and a dramatic guitar combine. Then Paul’s worldweary vocal enters. The sheer drudgery, repetitiveness and almost hopelessness of everyday life flavors Paul’s vocal. Sage-like, he sees through living to work and working to live. It fills him with dread and despair. Reflecting this, is the arrangement, with its somewhat industrial, repetitiveness. Drums with a synthetic, monotonous regularity and washes of wistful synths combine. As the drums reflect the pointlessness of the 9 to 5 life, synths offer a sympathetic backdrop. Meanwhile, eloquently and giving voice to the lack of hope, opportunity and escape, is Paul’s vocal, which brings to life the relentless grind of modern life. Bleak, honest but eloquence personified is this five minute track.
A sprinkling of cascading synths gives way to thunderous drums and washes of synths as The Downtown Lights begins. Soon, Paul Buchanan’s tortured vocal enters. It’s a mixture of emotions, worldweary, but heartfelt and reassuring. Drums cracks, synths fill the gaps and a pounding, broody bass reflects the drama in Paul’s vocal. As the arrangement grows in power and drama, so too does the emotion and reassurance in Paul’s voice. When he sings “it’s alright,” you believe him. His vocal grows in emotion and soulfulness, enveloped by swathes of synths, a funky bass and crispy drums. Later, as the power, drama and emotion grows, driven along by chiming guitars, you realize this is deeply soulful, but not soul music. Instead, it’s music for the soul, music about love, being in love and insecurity.
Waves of synths meander, growing in tension and drama. Let’s Go Out Tonight has just began to reveal its cerebral beauty. Guitars chime, while the backdrop is minimalistic. Paul’s whispered vocal is filled with despair. His relationship is almost over. It’s on its last legs. Rather than stay home and talk about it, it’s easier to go out. Best to dance around the subject and problems, rather admit it’s over. Meanwhile, synths, keyboards and guitar join Paul’s vocal, as he lays bare his soul, his hurt and heartache. His voice is tinged with regret and sadness, as if he can’t believe it’s over. For anyone whose been in this situation, or is going through it, then this song describes it perfectly. Quite simply, this is highlight of Hats and one of the Blue Nile’s greatest songs.
The tempo increase on Headlights On The Parade. So too does the emotion. Blue Nile mix moody funk courtesy of the bass and guitars with waves of bright, hopeful synths and stabs of keyboards. It’s almost as if they’re setting the scene for the worldweary troubadour, Paul Buchanan. From the moment Paul’s vocal begins, his vocal is filled with emotion. Saying: “I love you” isn’t easy, it’s hard, the three hardest words for him to say. Waves of symphonic, hopeful music cascade, envelop Paul’s vocal as he finally plucks up the courage.When he does, it’s almost a relief, it seems. Keyboards and quivering strings join him. Having found the courage, they serenade the one he loves. The result is an elegant, symphonic and beautiful song, one about conquering and overcoming the fear of commitment and the fear of rejection.
From A Late Night Train is a track that’s wonderfully moody and melancholy. The arrangement is broody and minimalistic, meandering behind Paul’s heartfelt vocal. It’s a bit like Frank Sinatra meets Brian Eno. Keyboards picked out carefully and cautiously are joined by occasional bursts of wistful horns. Slowly, Paul delivers lyrics that are poetic, with a strong narrative and steeped in emotion. His half-spoken vocal is filled with sadness, as he sings of his relationship being “over now.” You can imagine him heartbroken, sitting on the late night train, wondering why and what could I have done differently? Considering this track is only four minutes long, it’s a poetic, descriptive and emotive tour de force, Blue Nile style.
Squelchy synths, crunchy drums and percussion join a funky bass as Seven A.M. unfolds. A combination of an industrial sounding arrangement, which brings to mind Can, Neu and Velvet Underground join Paul’s worldweary, wistful vocal. Pensive, probing and questioning, he wonders “where is the love?” It’s a question posed a thousand times before, puzzling poets and philosophers alike. Paul sounds just as puzzled, pondering, wondering. Lovelorn and confused Paul and the Blue Nile bring out the subtleties and beauties of the lyrics, but pose a question that’s unanswerable, even for them.
Saturday Night sees the Blue Nile close Hats with another of their Magnus Opus.’ Like Let’s Go Out Tonight, this is classic Blue Nile. Washes and stabs of synths, chiming guitars, a buzzing bass and crispy drums combine with Paul’s vocal. It’s a mixture of hope, happiness and longing, but tinged with insecurity. Washes of synths and lush strings cascade. They sweep and swirl, and are joined by chiming guitars. Together they envelope Paul’s deeply soulful vocal. His vocal is filled with hope and emotion and plays its part in one of the most beautiful tracks the Blue Nile ever recorded. As if a remastered version of Hats isn’t enough in itself, then there’s the bonus disc.
Unlike the original version of Hats, the newly remastered version includes a second disc of six bonus tracks. While these tracks may not be particularly rare, they offer an insight to an enigmatic band. A live studio version of Seven A.M, alternate versions of Saturday Night Let’s Go Out Tonight are three hidden gems from The Blue Nile back-catalogue. So too is the live version of Headlights On the Parade, which is the perfect reminder of how good a live band the Blue Nile were. The Wires Are Down is a tantalizing glimpse of The Blue Nile and what might have been. I’m sure there’s many more tracks like this hidden, safely away in The Blue Nile’s vaults. Hopefully, before too long, we’ll be able to hear many more of these hidden gems. So, having told you about the newly released, remastered version of Hats, is Hats a better album than their debut album A Walk Across the Rooftops?
Hats is a captivating, bewitching and beautiful album, where The Blue Nile lay bare their soul. Not only do they lay bare their soul, but articulate their hopes, fears, frustrations and dreams. Articulating this range of emotions, is Glasgow’s troubled troubadour, who mixes Frank Sinatra, Tom Waits and Tim Buckley, but doing so in a way that’s almost quintessentially Scottish. This newly remastered version of Hats accentuates the Scottishness of the seven songs. However, despite this quintessentially Scottishness, the music transcends geographical boundaries. For anyone whose lived, lost and lost love, then this album speaks to and for them. It brings to life their heartache and hurt, their sense of how life will never be quite the same again. Combining elements as diverse as Brian Eno, Can, Neu and the Velvet Underground Hats is an album of many influences, but unique. Only the Blue Nile could produce an album so special, so deeply soulful, beautiful and emotive. In some ways, Hats is a very different album from A Walk Across the Rooftops, the Blue Nile’s debut album. However, is Hats a better album?
A Walk Across the Rooftops was one of the best debut albums released by a Scottish, or indeed British band. A Walk Across the Rooftops belongs in every self-respected record collection. So too does Hats. Both albums are the perfect introduction the Blue Nile and their music. After just one listen to the seven tracks on A Walk Across the Rooftops and Hats, you’ll fall in love with the music of The Blue Nile. These were the two best albums of The Blue Nile’s career. Choosing which is the best album is like asking a parent which of their children is their favorite child. Just like they’d refuse to answer the question, I’m going to refuse to choose between not just two of my favorite albums, but two of the best albums released by a British band in the last forty years. Instead, I’ll leave you to decided. The best way to do this, is to buy copies of A Walk Across the Rooftops and Hats, two of best albums by one of music’s best kept secrets.
The Blue Nile-Hats.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE SEEDS
The Life and Times of The Seeds
When The Seeds were formed in Los Angeles in early 1965 by Sky Saxon, Daryl Hooper, Jan Savage, Jeremy Levine and Rick Andridge nobody had any idea just how influential the nascent garage band would be. Over the next four years, The Seeds released five albums, enjoyed four hit singles and pioneered mid-sixties garage rock and acid rock. The Seeds are nowadays regarded as one of the original freakbeat bands, who also coined the term “flower power” and paved the way for punk rock a decade later. However, by 1969 The Seeds were no more, with the latest lineup of the band deciding to call time on their career. It was the end of an era for an influential and innovative band who left behind a rich musical legacy during their short career.
The Seeds began their musical adventure in Los Angeles, in 1965 , when five young musicians decided to found a new band. One member of the new band was charismatic vocalist Sly Saxon who was by far the most experienced member of the band.
He had been a professional musician since the late-fifties and had been releasing singles as Richie Marsh since the early sixties. Sly Saxon who came from Salt Lake City, had moved to Los Angeles to further his musical career. However, he had been treading water until he saw an advert in 1965 looking for musicians to join a new band. This Sly Saxon hoped might be the breakthrough he had been looking for. That proved to be the case, and after an audition Sly Saxon became The Seeds vocalist.
With the lineup of The Seeds finalised, the new band spent time honing their sound. Soon, though, they made their first tentative steps onto LA’s live scene where they secured regular gigs at the Los Angeles nightclub Bido Lito’s. The Seeds were a popular draw with music fans flocking to the venue to see this new band’s high octane performance. Already The Seeds were making their mark on the LA music scene.
Not long after that, The Seeds recorded what would become their debut single Can’t Seem To Make You Mine. With the recording complete, charismatic frontman Sly Saxon started trying to interest record labels in the song. Mostly, it was a case of thanks but no thanks, until he entered the offices of GNP Crescendo Records. They listened to the song and promised Sly Saxon they would get back to him. By then, he and the rest of The Seeds knew not to get their hopes up.
This time it was different, with GNP Crescendo Records getting back to Sly Saxon and telling him how much they liked the song. Not only did they like Can’t Seem To Make You Mine, but they wanted to take The Seeds back into the studio and rerecord it with Marcus Tybalt.
The Seeds agreed and headed into the studio with Marcus Tybalt, where they rerecorded Can’t Seem To Make You Mine. It was then released by Crescendo and picked up by Santa Monica based radio station KBLA. Soon, other radio stations had picked up on Can’t Seem To Make You Mine, and this future cult classic became a regional hit in Southern California. After just a few months together, already The Seeds already had a regional hit single to their name which was a dream come true for the band.
While The Seeds celebrated the success of Can’t Seem To Make You Mine, guitarist Jeremy Levine announced that he was leaving the band for personal reasons. This was a huge blow for The Seeds who looked as if they were on the verge of making a breakthrough.
With The Seeds now a quartet, they returned Los Angeles’ vibrant live scene, where people were starting to take notice of this, new up-and-coming band who had just scored a hit with Can’t Seem To Make You Mine. By then, The Seeds’ popularity was rising and they became a firm favourite of audiences across LA. They were impressed by The Seeds’ high octane, energetic performances as they showcased the new garage rock sound that they were pioneering.
The Seeds.
Although The Seeds spent much of their time playing live, they were already working on their eponymous debut album. Frontman Sly Saxon had dawned the role of The Seeds’ songwriter-in-chief and had penned ten of the twelve tracks that featured on The Seeds. He also wrote Evil Hoodoo with Daryl Hooper and penned No Escape with Jan Savage and Jimmy Lawrence. These twelve tracks were recorded at Columbia Studios, in Hollywood.
At Columbia Studios, Sly Saxon co-produced The Seeds with Marcus Tybalt who had masterminded their debut single Can’t Seem To Make You Mine. When the recording sessions began, drummer Rick Andridge wasn’t joined in the rhythm section by vocalist Sly Saxon who it was thought played bass on The Seeds recordings. Instead, Daryl Hooper who played keyboards, organ melodica and piano, laid down the bass parts using a bass keyboard. Meanwhile, Jan Savage took charge of the bass parts on The Seeds. Eventually, The Seeds had completed their much-anticipated eponymous debut album which would be released by GNP Crescendo Records.
In April 1966, The Seeds were just about to release their eponymous debut album The Seeds. Critics on hearing The Seeds were won over by this classic-in-waiting. The Seeds featured an irresistible fusion of fuzzy guitars, bubbling Hammond organ and Sly Saxon’s vocal which seems to have been inspired by everyone from Mick Jagger to Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. When The Seeds was released, it was to plaudits and praise, and nowadays, the album is regarded as a garage rock classic. Indeed, many critics believe that The Seeds is the finest garage rock album ever released.
On its release, The Seeds sold well and reached 132 in the US Billboard 200. Meanwhile, a decision was made to reissue Pushin’ Too Hard which had been released in 1965. While it failed to chart first time round, this time, Pushin’ Too Hard reached thirty-six in the US Billboard 100 and forty-four in Canada. Later in 1966, Can’t Seem To Make You Mine was also reissued and reached forty-one in the US Billboard 100 and thirty-three in Canada. Things were looking good for The Seeds, as their thoughts turned to their sophomore album A Web Of Sound.
A Web Of Sound.
By the time The Seeds began work on A Web Of Sound, they had been working tirelessly since early 1965. They were now a familiar face and favourite on LA’s live scene. All The Seeds hard work was paying off and they had established a reputation as one of the most innovative bands of the mid-sixties. The Seeds were known to push musical boundaries to their limits as they created music that was best described as eclectic. Despite that, many people still referred to The Seeds as a garage band. However, The Seeds added elements of acid rock, proto-punk and psychedelia to their music. Their sophomore album A Web Of Sound was going to be a very different album to The Seeds.
Just like their debut album The Seeds, Sly Saxon was songwriter-in-chief on A Web Of Sound. On Tripmaker and Rollin’ Machine, the mysterious Marcus Tybalt was credited as one of the songwriters. However, this was just an alias of Sly Saxon who wrote Mr. Farmer, I Tell Myself, Rollin’ Machine and Up In Her Room. Sly Saxon and Darryl Hooper teamed up to write Pictures and Designs, Tripmaker and A Faded Picture. The pair then wrote Just Let Go with Jan Savage. These eight tracks were recorded during July 1966.
The Seeds recorded A Web Of Sound at RCA Victor and Columbia Studios in Hollywood. The sessions started on the ‘5th’ of July 1966 with Sly Saxon using the alias Marcus Tybalt taking charge of production. This time around, drummer Rick Andridge was joined by Harvey Sharpe who was brought onboard for the A Web Of Sound. Completing the rhythm section was Jan Savage who laid down all the guitar parts. Darryl Hooper switched between celeste, organ and piano, while vocalist Sly Saxon added percussion and played piano. After twenty-four days A Web Of Sound was completed on the ‘29th’ of July 1966. It was a very different album to their debut The Seeds.
Critics on hearing A Web Of Sound, realised just how far The Seeds had come in a relatively short space of time. In just six month, their music had progressed, and it looked as if The Seeds were going to match their LA based contemporaries like The Doors and Love every step of the way. That was the case with A Web Of Sound, which was an album of two very different sides.
A Web Of Sound marked the start of a new chapter in The Seeds career, as they broadened their musical horizon on what was a much more eclectic album. The Seeds incorporated elements of acid rock, blues, garage rock, proto punk and psychedelic rock on album that was embraced by the hippies. They were won over by A Web Of Sound which they believed was an unconventional album that featured open-ended songs which appealed to their mindset. These songs eschewed the carefully plotted thoughts and didacticism of the majority of songs on the charts, and left plenty of room for interpretation. The Seeds songwriter-in-chief Sly Saxon was an unlikely hero for the hippies.
When A Web Of Sound was released in October 1966, the album wasn’t a commercial success initially. This changed after the reissue of Pushin’ Too Hard gave The Seeds another hit single. Suddenly, record buyers started investigating The Seeds’ sophomore album A Web Of Sound which had slipped under the radar. While it sold reasonably well, A Web Of Sound was a cult album that failed to replicate The Seeds. It was only later that A Web Of Sound would be embraced by a much wider audience.
By then, critics, cultural commentators and record buyers realised that A Web Of Sound was a stepping stone for The Seeds, as their sound continued to evolve on their third album Future.
Future.
While The Seeds had pushed musical boundaries to their limits on The Seeds and A Web Of Sound, they blew these limits away on Future. The result was a mind-blowing fusion of psychedelia, garage, rock and pop that veered towards jazz and soul.Eclectic doesn’t even come close to describing Future. It’s a minor classic that is a long way from The Seeds roots as a garage band. However, listening to A Web Of Sound it’s obvious that The Seeds were in the process of changing.
When Future was released, it was to critical acclaim and the album reached the top hundred in the US Billboard 200. While this pleased The Seeds, the single A Thousand Shadows failed to match the success of previous albums. This was a disappointment for The Seeds who had produced heady and potent musical brew that showcased a truly talented and versatile band who were musical pioneers. That had been the case since they released The Seeds in April 1966.
After Future, The Seeds’ popularity slumped, and they became a victim of changing musical fashions. That wasn’t the only thing that was changing.
By mid-1968, The Seeds’ personnel began to change, and the other change was their name. The Seeds became Sky Saxon and the Seeds, and in August 1968, Satisfy You was released as a single. It was a fusion of psychedelia and rock, and The Seeds seemed to be heading in the direction of The Doors on Satisfy You. While it failed to chart, it’s a storming reminder that for The Seeds, they had a future after Future.
Falling Off The Edge Of My Mind was the final single The Seeds released for GNP Crescendo. Wild Blood was chosen as the B-Side for The Seeds GNP Crescendo swan-song. Released in January 1969, Falling Off The Edge Of My Mind failed to chart. A fusion of country, psychedelia and rock it saw The Seeds looking for a new direction. Ironically, the B-Side Wild Blood was a better track. Rocky, with a nod to The Rolling Stones, Sly struts his way through the track, as they bid their farewell to GNP Crescendo.
In 1969, The Seeds’ lineup changed. Guitarist Bob Norsoph and Don drummer Boomer replaced Jan Savage and Rick Andridge. Despite this change in lineup, Sky Saxon continued to use the name The Seeds. They didn’t release another single until August 1970.
By then, the best way to describe The Seeds’ lineup is fluid. Various backing musicians came onboard. It was more a band entity than band. Bad Part Of Town was released as a single in August 1970, on MGM. It was rocky track with a psychedelic twist. However, it failed to chart and four months after the release of Bad Part Of Town, The Seeds released their final single.
Love In A Summer Basket was released in December 1970, and was The Seeds’ second single for MGM. Slow, moody, pensive, dramatic and trippy it’s the sunshine psychedelia that The Seeds specialised in a few years earlier. While Love In A Summer Basket failed to chart, their recording career ended on a high. On the flip side of Love In A Summer Basket, was Did He Die. A driving slice of rocky, psychedelia, it showed that The Seeds still had something to offer music. There was only one problem, music was changing. This meant The Seeds had to change.
For the next two years, The Seeds continued, with Sky Saxon keeping the group alive. However, The Seeds best days were between 1965 and 1967. During that period, they released a trio of genre-defying albums and showcased one of the most exciting and adventurous bands of the late sixties. The Seeds were, without doubt, musical pioneers and their three albums are proof of this.
From 1966s The Seeds through 1967s A Web Of Sound and their 1968 swan-song Future, The Seeds weave their magic. They combine a disparate combination of musical genres and influences. Everything from rock, garage rock, psychedelia, folk, jazz, doo-wop, free jazz, proto-punk and even prog rock. With every listen to The Seeds trio of albums, further surprises and subtleties reveal their hidden secrets. Rather than seamlessly flowing from one genre-specific track to another, The Seeds become a musical chameleon. Every track is like a surprise, with hidden depths awaiting the listener. However, The Seeds finest moment was their final album, Future.
The only way to describe Future is a genre-sprawling album. Magpie-like, The Seeds seem to collect musical genres and influences, put them into their lysergic melting pot and sprinkle some secret ingredients. What comes out of The Seeds melting pot was Future. Under appreciated upon its release, that’s no longer the case. Now Future is perceived as a mind-blowing, boundary breaking and genre-defying album, where The Seeds tore up the rule book and rewrote it. Future is essential listening for anyone interested in The Seeds’ music, and is part of their musical legacy.
The Seeds musical legacy was a trio of studio albums, A Web Of Sound, The Seeds and Future feature the changing face of The Seeds. Their best studio album was Future, which is now a psychedelic classic. Drawing inspiration from The Beatles psychedelic masterpiece Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band. It’s a combination of The Seeds garage band roots and psychedelia. The Seeds also were influenced by Frank Zappa, Thirteenth Floor Elevators, The Doors, The Who, the British invasion bands and jazz. Sadly Future marked the end of The Seeds story and while they weren’t the most prolific band in musical history, nearly fifty years later they continue to influence and inspire another generation of musicians and captivate music lovers with their genre-melting sound.
The Life and Times of The Seeds
THE CAREER OF MUSICAL INNOVATOR STEVE TIBBETTS
The Career Of Musical Innovator Steve Tibbetts.
Although Minnesota born composer and guitarist Steve Tibbetts signed to ECM Records in 1981, the pioneer of sound-forming has only released nine albums for Manfred Eicher’s Munich-based label. They showcase the talents of musical innovator Steve Tibbetts.
Steve Tibbetts was born in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1954, and growing up, was introduced to the music of the Kingston Trio, Pete Seeger and Johnny Winter by his father, who worked at the University of Wisconsin School for Workers and also taught labour law around the state. Sometimes, Steve Tibbetts’ father invited anything up to twenty union workers and organisers to the family home, where they would eat, and later, would enjoy an impromptu jam session. Initially, Steve Tibbetts would watch as his father and his friends played an assortment of instruments, including autoharps, banjos, flutes, guitars, psalteries and recorders. Before long, Steve Tibbetts found the confidence to standup and take part in the musical evenings, which were good practise for the future.
By 1975, Steve Tibbetts was a student at Macalester College, and spent much of his time listening to music with friends in his dorm. Days were whiled away smoking and listening to everything from John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders, to Mountain, and sometimes, Paul McCartney and Todd Rundgren. When Steve Tibbetts heard an album that was recorded solely by Todd Rundgren, he believed that he could record a similar type of album. Usually, that would’ve been easier said than done.
Fortunately, Steve Tibbetts was offered a work-study placement at Macalester College’s recording studio, and this allowed him to learn how a studio operated. It was akin to a musical apprenticeship and would prove invaluable as Steve Tibbetts learnt how to operate the equipment, splice and join tape and between 1975 and 1976 record his debut album. By then, the recording studio had become a second home for Steve Tibbetts, and although latterly, he was no longer officially a student, he completed his eponymous debut album in Macalester College’s recording studio.
Steve Tibbetts.
Having completed his eponymous debut album, Steve Tibbetts was released in 1977 on the Cuneiform label. By then, one of the tracks on Steve Tibbetts, Jungle Rhythm, was being used by the ice hockey team the Bay Area Bombers. There was even a rumour that Clive Davis at Arista was interested in signing Steve Tibbetts, and he spent the best part of two weeks waiting for the phone to ring. Despite that disappointment, Steve Tibbetts sold enough copies of his debut album that he was able to but an eight-track tape recorder and set up his own recording studio.
Yr.
In his new recording studio, Steve Tibbetts recorded his sophomore album Yr on his new eight-track tape recorder, and once the album was completed, he began shopping the album to record labels. This proved a thankless task, as Steve Tibbetts the rejection letters dropped through his letterbox. Eventually, they numbered 200, and it wasn’t until 1980 that Frammis released Yr, which was heard by one of the most influential men in European jazz and experimental music.
This was Manfred Eicher, the founder of the Munich-based label ECM Records, who spotted Steve Tibbetts’ potential and signed him in 1981. Since then, ECM Records has been home to Steve Tibbetts, who continued to pioneer sound-forming on his major label debut.
Already, Steve Tibbetts had realised that it was possible to use the recording studio itself as a tool for creating sounds, and this was something that he would pioneer during his career. However, having signed to ECM Records in 1981, he was soon in the studio with Manfred Eicher, who took charge of production.
Northern Song.
Previously, Steve Tibbetts had spent a great deal of time recording his first two albums, but that wasn’t the way that ECM Records’ founder and in-house producer worked. He was used to working quickly, and recording albums over a two or three days. This way of recording worked for most of the artists signed to ECM Records and the label had released many critically acclaimed albums. However, when Steve Tibbetts’ third album and ECM Records’ debut Northern Song was released in 1982, the reviews of what was an adventurous, ambitious and thoughtful album were scathing and critics were far from impressed by the album. For Steve Tibbetts and Manfred Eicher who produced Northern Song, this was a huge blow.
Safe Journey.
Two years later, in 1984, multi-instrumentalist Steve Tibbetts returned with his fourth album Safe Journey. By then, he had returned to his tried and tested way of recording an album, and had spent months recording Safe Journey, which was released to critical acclaim and was the most eclectic album of his career. It featured elements of folk, jazz, modern classical, psychedelia, rock and world music which were combined to create an ambitious and innovative album. Safe Journey was the album that launched Steve Tibbetts’ career at ECM Records.
Exploded View.
When Steve Tibbetts recorded his fifth album Exploded View, he was once again joined by percussionist Marc Anderson, who had played on every album since Northern Song. Marc Anderson’s percussion played an important role in the sound and success of Exploded View, which was released in 1986, and was another eclectic and melodic album, which has been inspired by African, Indian and Moroccan rhythms, and to some extent, the psychedelic and progressive music of the late-sixties and seventies. However, stealing the show was Steve Tibbetts delivers a series of explosive and inventive performances on guitar during this carefully crafted album of soundscapes. It was released to critical acclaim and further enhanced Steve Tibbetts’ reputation.
So did the reissue of Steve Tibbetts’ ECM Records’ debut Northern Song in 1988, which resulted in the album being reappraised by critics. Not for the first time, critics rewrote history, after realising that Northern Song was an ambitious and groundbreaking release that showcased a pioneering musician as he embarked upon his career. Seven years later, and Steve Tibbetts was about to release his sixth album, and fourth for ECM Records, Big Map Idea.
Big Map Idea.
Despite his star being in the ascendancy, Steve Tibbetts seemed in no hurry to release a new album, and his sixth album Big Map Idea wasn’t released until 1989. It was worth the wait and featured a myriad of exotic and ethnic instruments that play their part in an intriguing, mysterious and to some extent, mystical album that is full of twists and turns, as the music on Big Map Idea ebbs and flows, and gradually reveals its secrets. Critics hailed the album as a welcome addition to Steve Tibbetts’ burgeoning discography
The Fall Of Us All .
The next addition to Steve Tibbetts’ discography was The Fall Of Us All, which was released in 1994, five years after Big Map Idea. By then, Steve Tibbetts continued to explore and pioneer sound forming and used the recording studio as an instrument as he continued to create ambitious and innovative music.
Proof of that was The Fall Of Us All, which was another eclectic album that veered between explosive, urgent, uplifting and spiritual as Steve Tibbetts fused elements of Arabian music, art-pop, Eastern sounds, modal jazz, psychedelia, rock and even rock ’n’ roll. The Fall Of Us All was released to widespread critical acclaim and hailed as one of Steve Tibbetts’ finest hours.
Following the success of The Fall Of Us, Steve Tibbetts wasn’t tempted to rush release a new solo album and decided to spend the next few years collaborating with other artists. This included recording a new album with Nepalese Buddhist nun Ani Choying Drolma. In 1997, Steve Tibbetts and Ani Choying Drolma they released their first collaboration Chö, which was well received by critics.
After completing Chö, Steve Tibbetts began recording a new album with Norwegian Hardanger fiddle player, Knut Hamre. Eventually, Steve Tibbetts and Knut Hamre completed the album Å, which was released to plaudits and praise in 1999.
A Man About A Horse.
Eight years after the release of his last solo album Steve Tibbetts returned with A Man About A Horse, which was his sixth release for ECM Records and his eighth solo album. A Man About A Horse was another album with an Eastern influence, and finds Steve Tibbetts eschewing Western scales as the he carves fluid, jagged, rocky and experimental soundscapes. Joining Steve Tibbetts on what was another groundbreaking offering, were percussionists Marc Anderson and Marcus Wise, who play a part in the sound and success of A Man About A Horse. It seemed that Steve Tibbetts’ music was maturing like a fine wine.
Two years after releasing his eighth solo album, Steve Tibbetts and Nepalese Buddhist nun Ani Choying Drolma returned in 2004 with their sophomore album Selwa, which was the followup to their 1997 album Chö. Selwa was an almost flawless collaboration where Eastern and Western music combines seamlessly. It was without doubt, the finest collaboration of Steve Tibbetts’ twenty-seven year career.
After the release of Selwa, Steve Tibbetts didn’t seem in a hurry to release a new album, and preferred to work slowly, as he honed and perfected another ambitious and innovative album. Steve Tibbetts remembered recording Northern Song, which had been in a matter of days, and the scathing reviews were a reminder of the album. That taught him an important lesson, and since then, he worked at his own speed and did things his own way.
Natural Causes.
That was the case when he recorded Natural Causes with his friend Marc Anderson during 2008. In 2010, Steve Tibbetts released his ninth album Natural Causes, which was his first solo album in eight years, and was very different from previous albums. Steve Tibbetts had switched to his father’s Martin D-12-20 12-string acoustic guitar on Natural Causes, which was recorded when he was rethinking his approach to music. This resulted in him studying Bach, Bartók and music theory on a daily basis as he tried to improve himself as a musician.
This paid off, and Natural Causes was released to widespread critical acclaim. Just like his previous albums for ECM Records, Steve Tibbetts was joined by Marc Anderson and they deployed an eclectic array of exotic instruments that accompanied the Martin D-12-20 12-string acoustic guitar. The resulting album, Natural Causes, featured enchanting and captivating multilayered soundscapes that were full of Eastern sounds and was another welcome addition to his discography.
Life Of.
Following the release of Natural Causes, Steve Tibbetts’ fans were already looking forward to his tenth solo album, but deep down, they knew that they were in for a long wait. Steve Tibbetts seems to only release a new solo album every eight years. He had released The Fall Of Us All in 1994, with A Man About A Horse following in 2002 and Natural Causes in 2010. The smart money was on Steve Tibbetts returning with his tenth solo album in 2018. That was the case, with Life Of, being released by ECM Records in May 2018, which marks the octennial appearance of musical pioneer Steve Tibbetts.
For his tenth solo album Life Of, Steve Tibbetts composed thirteen new soundscapes which he decided to record in St. Paul, which was where he had recorded so many of his previous albums. This time, though, it was just a small band that would accompany as he recorded Life Of.
Although Steve Tibbetts is a talented multi-instrumentalist, he decided that he would only play piano and his father’s fifty year old Martin D-12-20 12-string acoustic guitar, that had served him so well on Natural Causes during the recording of Life Of. Joining Steve Tibbetts, was his old friend and percussionist Marc Anderson, who had played on every solo album he had released for ECM Records. The only other musician that joined Steve Tibbetts and Marc Anderson was cellist Michelle Kinney also adds the drones that feature on Life Of. Together, the three musicians began recording what was Steve Tibbetts’ tenth solo album, Life Of which was then mixed at his old alma mater Macalester College. Gradually, Life Of took shape, and was released in May 2018.
The music on Life Of is a quite different from some of Steve Tibbetts’ earlier albums, and features a much more understated and minimalist sound. Life Of features elements of ambient, avant-garde, experimental music, jazz and world music as Steve Tibbetts and his band carefully craft what’s best described as an album of dreamscapes. These carefully crafted dreamscapes veer between melancholy to meditative and ruminative as the music invites reflection. Other times, the music is broody and moody, or dark and dramatic, while other dreamscapes are cinematic, hopeful, melodic and rich in imagery as Steve Tibbetts and his band paint pictures during Life Of which is a powerful and poignant album that is almost flawless.
Just like the other albums Steve Tibbetts has released Life Of showcases the talents of a true musical pioneer Steve Tibbetts. He may not be a prolific artist, but the albums Steve Tibbetts has released have always featured ambitious, innovative and groundbreaking music, during a long and illustrious recording career that has lasted five decades.
The Career Of Musical Innovator Steve Tibbetts.
RHYTHM AND BLUESIN’ BY THE BAYOU-BOP CAT STOMP.
Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp.
Label: Ace Records.
Nowadays, the compilation market is without doubt, one of the most competitive in the music industry. Every week hundreds of compilations are released by labels in America, Europe and Britain. Some are released by major labels, while others are lovingly curated and released by smaller independent labels. However, what many of these compilations concentrate on one type of music.
This can be anything from progressive rock and psychedelia, to funk or fusion, throughout to blues, country, R&B, reggae and soul. Some record companies have taken to focusing on one of America’s great musical cities or states. Among the favourite cites for compilers have been Chicago, Detroit, LA, Memphis, New York and Philly. Often though, some of America’s most musical cities and states were being overlooked, and for too long, this included Louisiana and later, Texas. One man decided to rectify this, Ian Saddler.
He’s a renowned expert in Louisiana and Texas’ rich musical heritage, which made Ian Saddler the perfect person to compile Boppin’ By The Bayou for Ace Records. It was released in 2012, and was so successful that another instalment in the series was commissioned.
Boppin By The Bayou More Dynamite followed in 2013, and enjoyed the same commercial success as its predecessor. Since then, By The Bayou has become one of Ace Records’ longest running and most successful compilation series. The latest instalment in the series is Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp, which is another welcome addition forAce Records’ much-loved compilation series.
For Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp, Ian Saddler takes the listener to the bayou region of South Louisiana and South East Texas, which us an area that spreads from New Orleans in the East to Port Arthur in the West. This area was where the twenty-eight tracks on Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp were recorded.
These tracks were recorded by some of the region’s best known and most successful producers and record label owners. This includes Eddie Shuler, Floyd Soileau, Huey Meaux, JD Miller and Sam Montel who all had one thing in common, an uncanny ability to recognise talented musicians and creating an environment to nurture them and allow them to fulfil their potential.
Eddie Shuler was tased in Lake Charles, while Crowley was home to JD Miller when they both decided to found their first labels. Initially, they were recording and releasing Cajun music but both switched to blues and R&B in the early fifties.
Around a decade later, Floyd Soileau, who was based in Ville Platte, and Baton Rouge-based Sam Montel both founded their own companies. Floyd Soileau focused on Cajun music, while Sam Montel turned his attention to R&B and rock ’n’ roll.
Meanwhile, future producer, Huey Meaux, was managing artists in Port Arthur, where he was based. Initially, he managed Cajun artists but soon was adding rock ’n’ roll singers to his burgeoning roster. At first he placed artists with Floyd Soileau’s Jin label, but soon realised that owning a record label and publishing company was more profitable than working as an artist manager. Huey Meaux was the final member of this quintet of producers who were responsible for recording the music that defined a generation.
This includes the music on Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp, which features twenty-eight tracks where there’s pounding pianos, braying saxophones, scorching guitars and on some songs, accordion or harmonica. They accompany vocals which were encouraged and cajoled by the various producers and who brought the best out of the artists on Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp.
The twenty-eight tracks on Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp includes eleven that have never been released before or are alternate takes. This is similar to previous instalments in the By The Bayou series. Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp opens with Everybody Wants To Know by Lester Robertson which sets the bar high. However, compiler Ian Saddler has unearthed some more unissued hidden gems this time round. This includes Cookie and The Cupcakes’ Crazy Rock plus Rocks On My Pillow. They’re joined by Sonny Martin’s For Your Precious Love and alternate take 2s of Blues Boy Palmer and The Bill Parker Band’s Mary, Mary and Little Miss Peggie and The Bill Parker Band’s Come Over Here. Then there’s Rockin’ Sidney’s Augustine, Thaddeus Declouet’s Shake It Up (All Night Long), Big Chenier’s Stand By My Side, I Wants You by Ashton Savoy and Guitar Gable and King Karl’s Goodbye Whiskey. These unreleased and alternate takes are a cut above what most compilers unearth. However, they don’t have Ian Saddler’s knowledge.
Among the highlights of the other tracks are Big Walter’s Never Too Old plus Crazy Dream and Bop Cat Stomp by King Charles and His Orchestra which features Left-Hand Charlie. They’re joined by Clifton Chenier’s It Happened So Fast, Margo White’s Don’t Mess With My Man and Whoa Mule by Leroy James and His Combo Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp on a stomoung high.
Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp which was recently released by Ace Records is a welcome addition to this successful series. It finds Ian Saddler digging deep in South Louisiana and South East Texas. He’s found some hidden gems amongst the unreleased tracks and alternate takes which sit side-by-side with singles from old friends, familiar faces and new names on Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp which is all killer and no filler.
Rhythm and Bluesin’ By The Bayou-Bop Cat Stomp.
BOBBY HUTCHERSON’S COLUMBIA RECORDS YEARS.
Bobby Hutcherson’s Columbia Records Years.
Less than three years after Bobby Hutcherson made his recording debut, the twenty-three year old vibraphonist released his debut album The Kicker on Blue Note Records in 1963. This was the start of the most prolific period of his long career.
Over the next fourteen years, Bobby Hutcherson released fifteen studio albums, one live album, two collaborations with Herbie Hancock and five with Harold Land. Bobby Hutcherson was also the go-to-guy for anyone looking for a vibes player and played on over forty albums during his time at Blue Note Records. These albums featured the great of jazz, and most of them were released on the legendary Blue Note Records. However, by 1977, Bobby Hutcherson’s time at Blue Note Records was at an end. His swan-song was Knucklebean, which had been released in 1977. After releasing twenty-one albums for Blue Note Records, Bobby Hutcherson was heading for pastures new.
Next stop for Bobby Hutcherson was Columbia Records, where he released a trio of albums between 1978 and 1980. Bobby Hutcherson’s Columbia Records’ 1978 debut was Highway One in 1978, followed by 1979s Conception: The Gift Of Love and Un Poco Loco following in 1980. These three albums marked the start of a new chapter in Bobby Hutcherson’s career.…the Columbia Records’ years.
By the time that Bobby Hutcherson signed to Columbia Records, jazz’s number one vibes man was thirty-seven, and had been a familiar face on the American jazz scene since he made his recording debut on the West Coast August 1960.
Nineteen year old Bobby Hutcherson made his debut with the Les McCann Trio, on the ‘3rd’ of August 1960 when they recorded a single that was released on Pacific Jazz in 1961. Just over four months later, and Bobby Hutcherson joined the Curtis Amy-Frank Butler Sextet when they recorded Groovin’ Blue on December the ‘10th’ 1960. This was the first of many albums that featured Bobby Hutcherson’s vibes.
In 1962, Bobby Hutcherson moved to New York, and was living in the Bronx. Although he was determined to make a career as a jazz musicians, he supplemented his income by driving a taxi.
Just over a year later, Bobby Hutcherson had released his debut album The Kicker on Blue Note Records in 1963. This was the start of the rise and rise of Bobby Hutcherson. Over the next four years, Bobby Hutcherson divided his time between his solo career and his work as a sideman. By 1967, Bobby Hutcherson was already a stalwart of the New York scene. Then disaster struck for Bobby Hutcherson.
This came after Bobby Hutcherson and Joe Chambers were arrested for possession of marijuana in 1967. As a result, the twenty-six year old lost his New York City Cabaret Card and taxi license. For Bobby Hutcherson this was a disaster, as he was no longer able to work on New York City’s cabaret circuit or drive a taxi, which was how Bobby Hutcherson had supplemented his income since the earliest days of his career. That was no longer possible. With his New York City Cabaret Card and taxi license revoked, Bobby Hutcherson decided to go west.
Bobby Hutcherson moved to the West Coast in 1967, looking for a new start. While he continued to record for Blue Note Records until 1977, life on the West Coast suited Bobby Hutcherson, and he eventually found a house forty-five miles outside of San Francisco, just off Highway One. This was an idyllic place to live, and would provide the inspiration for Bobby Hutcherson’s first album for Columbia Records, Highway One.
Highway One.
When it became known that Bobby Hutcherson was leaving Blue Note Records, Bruce Lundvall made his move and signed the vibes man. This was the second major coup of the past two years. Bruce Lundvall had signed Dexter Gordon in 1976, and his signing was a commercial success. Soon, Bruce Lundvall got the green light to sign more ‘straight ahead’ jazz musician. This included Woody Shaw and in 1978, Bobby Hutcherson.
Having signed to Columbia Records, Bobby Hutcherson was keen to begin work on his first album since leaving Blue Note Records. He was hoping to replicate the success that Dexter Gordon had recently enjoyed. To help him write his Columbia Records debut, Bobby Hutcherson and his keyboardist George Cable began work.
It was Bobby Hutcherson that came up with the concept of Highway One, which he named after the Pacific Coast Highway that winds its way around the Californian coast. This beautiful coastal road provided the inspiration for Highway Road. However, as Bobby Hutcherson knew, Highway One meant different things to different people. For those travelling from Mexico and South America, it was the road they travelled through on their way to their other parts of the America. As a result, Highway One is representative of everyone who has travelled that road over the years. Highway One which was one of two tracks penned by Bobby Hutcherson, tries to paint pictures of a journey along that famous coastal road.
Having written Highway One, Bobby Hutcherson also wrote Bouquet. His keyboardist George Cables wrote Secrets Of Love, Sweet Rita Suite (Part 2-Her Soul) and Circle. George Cables and producer Todd Barkan wrote Secrets of Love (Reprise). These six tracks were recorded in San Francisco.
Recording of Highway One took place at Wally Helder Studios, San Francisco, California between the ‘30th’ of May and the ‘23rd’ of June 1978. Accompanying Bobby Hutcherson was an all-star band. The rhythm section featured drummer Eddie Marshall and bassist James Leary. Bobby Hutcherson’s go-to keyboardist, George Cables played piano and electric piano, while Cedar Walton drafted in to play on Bouquet. They were joined by percussionist Kenneth Nash, flautist Hubert Laws and Freddie Hubbard on flugelhorn. When it came to record the closing track Secrets of Love (Reprise), vocalist Jessica Cleaves was brought onboard. This left just strings and horns to be overdubbed and Highway One was completed.
The release of Highway One was scheduled for later in 1978. When critics heard Highway One, they were impressed by the first album of Bobby Hutcherson’s post Blue Note Records’ career. It wasn’t just a case of Bobby Hutcherson picking up where he left off at Blue Note Records. He seemed to have been reinvigorated.
Highway One found favour with critics, and this augured well for the release of the album later in 1978. Upon Highway One’s released, the album found an audience within the jazz community. However, it didn’t follow in the footsteps of Dexter Gordon’s albums for Columbia, and introduce Bobby Hutcherson’s music to the wider audience it deserved. Despite this, Bobby Hutcherson began work on his second album for Columbia Records, Conception: The Gift Of Love in 1979.
Conception: The Gift Of Love.
When work began on Conception: The Gift Of Love, Bobby Hutcherson only contributed one of the seven tracks, No Siree Bob. George Cables wrote Dark Side, Light Side and Quiet Fire. The other tracks included Cedar Walton’s Clockwise, James Leary’s Remember To Smile and Hold My Hand and Eddie Marshall’s Dreamin’. These tracks become Conception: The Gift Of Love which was inspired by the new life that Bobby Hutcherson’s wife Rosemary was carrying.
Recording of Conception: The Gift Of Love took place at A&R Recording Studios and Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Bobby Hutcherson was joined by some of the same musicians that featured on Highway One, including the rhythm section of drummer Eddie Marshall, bassist James Leary and George Cables on piano and electric piano. They were joined by percussionists Kenneth Nash and Bill Summers and flautist Hubert Laws. The horn section featured trumpeters Jon Faddis, Danny Moore, Anthony Tooley, Joseph Wilder and Earl Gardner; tenor trombonists Robert Alexander, John Gale and Urbie Green;alto saxophonist Lenny Hambro; tenor saxophonists Daniel Trimboli and Frank Wess; while Romeo Pinque played baritone saxophone and bass clarinet. Cedar Walton took produced Conception: The Gift Of Love, which was released later in 1979.
Before that, the critics had their say on what was album number twenty-four for Bobby Hutcherson, Conception: The Gift Of Love. The album was well received by critics, who were won over by an album that took as its starting point hard bop.
This was the music that Bobby Hutcherson grown up listening to and he still loved. However, Conception: The Gift Of Love wasn’t a homage to hard bop. Instead, Bobby Hutcherson reworked hard bop and transformed it into music that would appeal to an audience in 1979. Just like the twenty-three albums that preceded Conception: The Gift Of Love, it was album that was an album that was guaranteed to swing.
Conception: The Gift Of Love received praise and plaudits from critics, and was released later in 1979. While the album sold well within jazz circles, Conception: The Gift Of Love eluded mainstream record buyers. Still, Bobby Hutcherson was one of jazz music’s best kept secrets, even though he had released twenty-four albums.
Un Poco Loco.
Soon, work began on the twenty-fifth album of Bobby Hutcherson’s career, Un Poco Loco. Just like his previous album Conception: The Gift Of Love, Bobby Hutcherson only penned one track I Wanna Stand Over There, while George Cables contributed Love Song and Ebony Moonbeams. The other tracks included Jack DeJohnette’s Silver Hollow, Bud Powell’s Un Poco Loco, Red Young’s Ivory Coast and The Sailor’s Song which was written by Steve George, John Lang, Jerry Manfedi and Richard Page. These tracks became Un Poco Loco, which was produced by Dale Oehler.
Recording of Un Poco Loco took place at A&M Recording Studios, Los Angeles later in 1979. This time round, the band was quite different to the two albums Bobby Hutcherson had recorded for Columbia. The rhythm section featured drummer and percussionist Peter Erskine, bassist Chuck Domanico, guitarist John Abercrombie and pianist George Cables. They accompanied Bobby Hutcherson who switched between vibes and marimba on Un Poco Loco. It was released in 1980, which marked the start of Bobby Hutcherson’s third decade as a musician.
Prior to the release of Un Poco Loco, critics hailed the album as Bobby Hutcherson’s finest since signing to Columbia.Bobby Hutcherson had saved his best album until last during his spell at Columbia. Alas, history repeated itself when Un Poco Loco proved popular amongst the jazz community, but failed to find the wider audience that executives at Columbia had hoped. For Bobby Hutcherson, Un Poco Loco marked the end of a two-year spell at Columbia.
Between 1978 and 1980, a newly reinvigorated Bobby Hutcherson released a trio of timeless albums. Highway One, Conception: The Gift Of Love and Un Poco Loco are carefully crafted and accomplished albums which feature a much more commercial and contemporary sound. This should have introduced legendary vibes virtuoso Bobby Hutcherson and his music to a much wider audience. Sadly, that wasn’t to be.
By the time Bobby Hutcherson left Columbia, the thirty-nine year old had already released twenty-five albums. The first twenty-two albums were released on Blue Note Records between 1963 and 1977. This included some of the best and most important music of his long and illustrious career. Then between 1978 and 1980, Bobby Hutcherson released Highway One, Conception: The Gift Of Love and Un Poco Loco on Columbia, which are among the most underrated albums of his long and illustrious career. That took his toll of albums to twenty-five.
After that, Bobby Hutcherson continued to record and between 1982 and 2012 released another twenty albums. Sadly, just three years after releasing Somewhere In The Night (Kind of Blue) in 2012, Bobby Hutcherson passed away on August the ’15th’ 2016, aged seventy-five. That day, music lost one of its most talented sons, Bobby Hutcherson, who left behind a rich musical legacy.
This includes around forty-five solo albums including the three he recorded during the Columbia Records’ years, and all the albums which feature Bobby Hutcherson as sideman during his long and illustrious career.
Bobby Hutcherson’s Columbia Records Years.
COLOMBIAN SOUL COMPILED BY BAGAR AKA TRICKY D.
Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D.
Label: BBE Music.
Release Date: ‘7th’ June 2019.
During a long and successful career, Dean Bagar has done just about everything in music, from managing brands and folding record labels to owning a record shop, DJ-ing and working as a producer. He also collaborated with General Electrick and DJ Deckar in 2001 as Fab Factory, who released three singles and an album. Then in June 2014, using his Tricky D moniker, Dean released his debut album Equanimity. Now five years later, he’s back with a new compilation Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D, which will be released by BBE Music on the ‘7th’ June 2019. It’s the latest instalment in the Tricky D story.
Dean’s roots are in Croatia, where he was born and brought up. Originally, he was a visual artist, and part of the Croatia’s punk and new wave scene, during the early eighties. By the late-eighties Dean had left Croatia.
Towards the end of the eighties, Dean found himself in London. That was where he first came across reggae sound systems. For Dean, musically, this was an important musical discovery and later, Dean would spend time in Jamaica. Before that, Dean found himself a refugee.
Back home in Croatia, the political situation was perilous. People were fleeing the Balkan region which was a war zone. As a result, Dean found himself a refugee in Berlin. In his newly adopted hometown, Berlin, he began to become part of the city’s thriving and eclectic music scene.
As a reaction to the problems affecting his home country, Dean threw himself into Berlin’s Daisy Age movement. Its raison d’être was to bring positivity back to the dance floor. Daisy Age stands for “DA Inner Sound Y’all.” It represents a vibe and sound that’s happy, upbeat, playful and experimental. The term Daisy Age was first coined by De La Soul in 1989 and was supported by The Native Tongue movement. It was the Daisy Age movement that saw Dean make his DJ-ing and production debut.
Having become a part of Berlin’s burgeoning music scene, Dean started to get involved in one of Berlin’s underground clubs, Eimer. It was there he made his debut as an underground breakbeat activist. Not long after this, Dean was part of one Germany’s first live drum´n´bass bands, Elektronauten. Dean’s next venture was founding his first record shop, Tricky Tunes. This was a smart move as Berlin’s music scene was thriving. However, before long, Dean has founded another business.
This came after Dean and his friend Mez spent some time in Jamaica. The reason for the journey to Jamaica was to record some sessions with Jamaican singers. After this, Dean decided to found his own label, which he also decided to name Tricky Tunes. His newly founded label went on to release a series of singles and Tricky D’s compilation of collaboration entitled Tricky Tunes Cuts, in February 2011. However, this wasn’t Tricky D’s first collaboration.
This came back in 2001 when General Electrick, DJ Deckart and Tricky D collaborated as Fab Factory. They released a trio of singles and an album. The singles were Keep The Sunshine, City Lights and Magica, while Fab Factory’s only album was City Lights. It was an ambitious album that was well received. Despite that being the only album Fab Factory released, Tricky D’s production career has continued
Following the release of City Lights in 2001, Tricky D has been working hard DJ-ing and producing. Tricky D has been refining his sound. He’s also been a member of Digital Tattoo, an visual-audio project. Then in 2006, Tricky D made his first trip to Columbia.
Since 2006, Tricky D has been commuting between Berlin and Columbia. During his trips to Columbia, Tricky D has become an integral part of the country’s music scene. He manages and produces many artists, including Los Transatlanticos, who released their critically acclaimed album in 2012. Tricky D has also collaborated with a number of Columbian artists. A number of Columbian artists feature on Equanimity, the long-awaited debut album from Tricky D.
Equanimity is a genre-melting musical journey which features a whole host of guest artists. Among them are Jupiter, Lianna, Tango Crash, Hernan Lopez Newbery, Katya Tasheva Terrence Borwy, Mr. Baba, Big Mancilla and Nuewella Love. Each of these artists played their part in the sound and success of Equanimity, which was released to critical acclaim in June 2014.
Four years later, Tricky Dubs, an album of Tricky D’s remixes, was released to plaudits and praise by BBE Music. The fifteen remixes showed another side to the original tracks on Tricky Dubs.
A year later, on the ‘7th’ of June 2019, Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D will be released by BBE Music, who also released Equanimity. Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D shows another side to Colombian music, which usually is breezy, upbeat and vibrant with traditional and contemporary tailor made for dancing.
Tricky D, whose lived in Colombia for many years, and is an important part of the country’s vibrant music scene, discovered wjya is a much softer and smoother side to Colombian music. This music was almost unknown outside of Columbia, and Tricky D wanted to share this music with the rest of the world. That was how Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D came about. Tricky D remembers his eureka moment: : “I realised that there is no compilation of Colombian downbeat music, so I decided to dig deep and get together collection of dubby, downbeat, minor tuned songs. The result is this collection of twenty spacey, soulful songs recorded by well recognised Colombian artists, many of whom I’ve collaborated with over the past few years.”
The best way to describe the music on Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D is the perfect primer to Colombia’s eclectic electronic music scene which is home to everything from underground sound system crews, hip hop collectives and artists who have been nominated for Latin Grammy Awards. They all share one thing in common, talent, and that is apparent on Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D.
That talent is on show from .Jimena Angel’s Ãyelo which opens Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D and gives way to Cuando Canto Grito by Cerrero and features the talented Lucia Pulido, Next up, is the compiler himself Bagar aka Tricky D who is joined by Jupier and Lianna on Time; Los Secundos Nunca Paran,. These tracks are joined by Pernet’s Gracias, Lianna’s Cada Paso, Alma’s Kong and Salsagroove’s irresistible Mujer Divina.
Another familiar face to connoisseurs of Colombian music is Bareto who contributes La Negra Y El Fantasma. Los Transatlanticos who were produced by Tricky D are joined by Pilar Matarola on De Donde Vengo Yo which is one of the highlights of Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D.
Welcome additions to Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D are Romperayo’s De Tocaima A Acapulco, Ruzto’s ManÌana SeraÌ and Magallanes’ Tres DÃas De Oscuridad which closes the compilation on a high.
Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D is a lovingly curated compilation, and is the perfect introduction to this little known side of the vibrant Columbian music scene. Just like any good compilation, familiar artists are joined by new names on what’s an eclectic compilation, that showcases some of the truly talented artists and bands who have emerged in Columbia’s underground music scene over the last few years. Hopefully, we’ll hear more from these artists, and hopefully, a followup to Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D, which is a compilation that oozes quality.
Colombian Soul Compiled By Bagar AKA Tricky D.
THE THREE MAN ARMY STORY.
The Three Man Army Story.
Adrian and Paul Gurvitz were both experienced musicians before they formed Three Man Army in 1971. Especially Adrian. He had been playing professionally since he was fifteen. The guitarist’s career began in 1964, when he headed out on tour with Billie Davis, Crispian St. Peters and Screaming Lord Sutch. After serving his musical apprenticeship, Adrian formed his first band Rupert’s People.They enjoyed a brief brush with commercial success in 1967, when their single Reflections Of Charlie Brown reached number thirteen in Australia. Alas, that was as good as it got for Rupert’s People. For Adrian, the next stop in his career was The Gun.
That was when Adrian Gurvitz joined his brother Paul’s group, The Gun. The group had been founded in 1966, and originally, was called The Knack. However, in 1967 The Knack changed its name to The Gun. This wasn’t the only change that was about to be made.
Soon, The Gun downsized to a trio, featuring drummer Louie Farrell, bassist Paul Gurvitz and Adrian Gurvitz on lead guitar and vocals. The change in name resulted in a change in fortune for The Gun.
They signed to CBS Records in early 1968, and soon, began work on their eponymous debut album. Once it was complete, The Gun was ready for release. It featured The Gun’s best known song, Race With The Devil.
In October 1968, Race With The Devil was released a single. It reached number ten in Britain, thirty-five reached in Australia and number one in several European countries. For the followup, CBS Records chose Drives You Mad, which wasn’t on The Gun. This non album track was released as a single in 1969, but it didn’t enjoy the same commercial success as Race With The Devil. Despite this, they sent The Gun back into the studio in 1969.
The Gun recorded ten songs which became their sophomore album, Gun Sight. It was released in 1969. So was the lead single from Gun Sight, Hobo. Alas, neither Gun Sight nor Hobo, enjoyed same commercial success as Race With The Devil. For The Gun, this was a huge disappointment. Their last two singles had failed commercially. Surely, two wouldn’t become three?
When it came to releasing a followup to Hobo, CBS Records decided to release a non album chart, and settled on Runnin’ Wild. It was released later in 1969, but failed commercially. Two had become three, and time was running out for The Gun.
They released their final single Long Hair Wild Man in 1970. It was a familiar story, with single failing to trouble the charts. Record buyers within the underground counter culture failed to connect with, or identify with The Gun. Their music passed record buyers by. However, Jimi Hendrix knew who The Gun were.
At the Isle of Wight Festival in June 1969, Jimi Hendrix played a riff from Race With The Devil. This was a huge compliment to The Gun. Alas, they were about to become part of musical history. The Gun disbanded, and the brothers Gurvitz spent a while working on separate projects.
After The Gun disbanded, Adrian Gurvitz began work on what was meant to be his debut solo album. Eventually, though, the album became Three Man Army’s 1971 debut album, A Third Af A Lifetime. Before that, Buddy Miles was asked Adrian Gurvitz to join The Buddy Miles Express, on their US tour.
Having agreed to join The Buddy Miles Express, Adrian Gurvitz spent the best part of two years touring. Night after night, they played to huge audiences. Some nights, 50,000 came along to see The Buddy Miles Express. For Adrian Gurvitz this was the perfect showcase for his considerable skills as a guitarist. However, after two years on the road, the tour was over. What now for Adrian Gurvitz?
Back home in Britain, Adrian Gurvitz was reunited with his brother Paul. They decided to form a new band, which they called Three Man Army, who released their debut album A Third Af A Lifetime in 1971.
A Third Af A Lifetime.
Having formed Three Man Army, Adrian and Paul Gurvitz began work on their debut album, A Third Af A Lifetime. This was the album that Adrian had been working on, before he headed out on tour with The Buddy Miles Express.
For A Third Af A Lifetime, Adrian Gurvitz wrote eight of the ten songs as Adrian Curtis. (Curtis was Adrian’s middle name, and the name he used until later in his career). Adrian penned Another Day, A Third Af A Lifetime, Nice One, Three Man Army, Agent Man, See What I Took, Midnight and Together. He also cowrote Butter Queen with Keith Ellis and Daze with Lou Reizner. Even then, Adrian was the creative force behind Three Man Army. He wrote the album, and when the album was recorded, would dawn the role of lead vocalist and lead guitarist.
With ten new songs penned, Three Man Army headed into the studio with producer Lou Reizner. There was only one problem, the Three Man Army didn’t have a permanent drummer. Spooky Tooth’s Mike Kelly was drafted in and played on nine tracks. He joined bassist Paul Gurvitz in the rhythm section. Meanwhile, Adrian laid down the guitar parts and sang the lead vocals. However, Three Man Army found themselves without a drummer to record Butter Queen. Fortunately, Buddy Miles was in Britain, and Adrian asked him if he could lay down the drum parts on Butter Queen. Not only did Buddy Miles do that, he also added bass on Nice One and organ Midnight. These were the finishing touches to A Third Af A Lifetime. It was released later in 1971.
Before that, critics had their say on A Third Af A Lifetime. It was well received by critics, who regarded the album as a minor hard rocking classic, where classic rock and blues was fused with hard rock. Among the album’s highlights were Hold On, the blistering and anthemic Come On Down To Earth, Mahesha, Take A Look At The Light and Can’t Leave The Summer-Part I and II. Take Me Down From The Mountain and Woman were much more melodic, rock tracks. So much so, that they’ve stood the test of time. However, back in 1971 critics felt that Three Man Army were carrying on the tradition of sixties power trios, and doing so with style and aplomb. The big question was, would Three Man Army’s debut album find favour with record buyers?
When A Third Af A Lifetime was released by Pegasus later in 1971, Three Man Army’s debut album failed to find an audience. For the Gurvitz brothers, and especially Adrian who creatively, was the group’s driving force, this was a huge disappointment. They could only hope that Three Man Army’s luck would change next time around.
Three Man Army.
Three Man Army’s luck changed when met drummer Tony Newman. He was a veteran of numerous groups, including the Rod Stewart Group and Sounds Incorporated. While they were quite different stylistically to Three Man Army, Tony Newman was a talented and versatile drummer. From the first time the Gurvitz brothers heard him play, they realised that he was the missing link in Three Man Army.
Now that Three Man Army’s lineup was complete, work could begin on their sophomore album. The album would be Three Man Army’s debut for their new record companies. Three Man Army had recently signed recording contracts with Polydor in Britain and Reprise Records in America. With the commercial and marketing might of two of the biggest record companies in Britain and America, things were looking up for Three Man Army. All they had to do was write and record their sophomore album.
Just like A Third Af A Lifetime, Adrian Gurvitz wrote most of their sophomore album, including Come On Down To Earth, Take Me Down From The Mountain and Can’t Leave The Summer, Parts 1 & 2. He teamed up with Lee Baxter Hayes Jr to write Take A Look At The Light. However, the addition of new drummer Tony Newman resulted in the formation of a new songwriting partnership.
When Tony Newman joined Three Man Army, it soon became clear that he wasn’t just a talented and versatile drummer, but someone who would become Adrian Gurvitz’s new songwriter also partner.Together, they cowrote Hold On, Woman, Mahesha and Trip. The other track on Three Man Army was a cover of Jack Yellen and Lew Pollack’s My Yiddishe Mama. These songs were recorded at Morgan Studio, in London.
Recording of Three Man Army took place during April of 1972. The new lineup of Three Man Army band had spent time honing their sound, and were ready to record their sophomore album. Producer Lou Reizner returned, but this time round, co-produced the album with Three Man Army. Their lineup featured drummer Tony Newman, bassist Paul Gurvitz and lead vocalist and guitarist Adrian Gurvitz, who also played organ. They recorded nine songs during April of 1972, and they would eventually become Three Man Army.
There was time lag between Three Man Army completing their sophomore album, and its eventual released in 1973. In Britain, the album was released as Mahesha. Across the Atlantic, the album was released as Three Man Army. What critics on both sides of the Atlantic agreed on, was the quality of the music.
Critics were won over by a soulful album of melodic, memorable and hard rocking music. Comparisons were drawn to Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Some critics saw Three Man Army as the natural successor to Cream. Especially given the consistency and quality of music on Three Man Army. It was hailed as minor classic by certain critics. However, they had said the same about A Third Af A Lifetime, and it had failed commercially.
History repeated itself when Three Man Army was released in 1973. The album failed to chart in America, and didn’t find the audience it so richly deserved. Despite the disappointment this caused, Three Man Army regrouped and began work on their third album.
Three Man Army Two.
Despite the disappointment of Three Man Army’s commercial failure, the band were determined to move forward. So Adrian Gurvitz began writing Three Man Army’s third album. He wrote Today, Flying, Space Is The Place. This time around, Adrian and Tony Newman cowrote just the one track, Irving. The pair joined with Paul Gurvitz to write Burning Angel. Adrian also renewed his songwriting partnership with Lee Baxter Hayes, and the pair penned Polecat Woman, I Can’t Make The Blind See and In My Eyes. These songs were recorded at Ramport Studios, in Battersea, London and would become Three Man Army Two.
When recording of Three Man Army Two began, there had been a number of changes made. There was no sign of producer Lou Reizner. He had produced A Third Af A Lifetime and co-produced Three Man Army with the band. For Three Man Army Two. Three Man Army and Cyrano co-produced the album. It featured Three Man Army and a few friends.
Just like Three Man Army, the lineup remained the same. Drummer and percussionist Tony Newman was joined in the rhythm section by Paul Gurvitz who also added acoustic guitar. Meanwhile, Adrian Gurvitz played lead guitar, slide guitar, organ and added lead vocals. Peter Robinson played piano on Space Is The Place and I Can’t Make The Blind See. It also featured backing vocals from Doris Troy, Ruby James and Madeline Bell. With a little help from their friends, Three Man Army recorded what became Three Man Army Two.
Casting around for a title, Three Man Army decided to call the album Three Man Army Two. Their reasoning, was that this was the second album from this lineup of the band. The album was delivered to Warners, who would release the album on Polydor in Britain and Reprise Records in America. Before that, critics had their say on Three Man Army Two.
Just like their two previous albums, Three Man Army Two caught the imagination of critics. However, when Three Man Army Two was released in 1974, the album failed commercially. Just like their two previous albums, Three Man Army Two and its fusion of blues, psychedelia and rock passed record buyers by. Three Man Army were out of luck. Despite that, they planned to record a fourth album.
That didn’t come to pass. Instead, Tony Newman got the chance to join David Bowie’s band. This was too good an opportunity to turn down. Three Man Army were to square one, and without a drummer.
Before the search for a new drummer began, Adrian and Paul Gurvitze joined with Ginger Baker the Baker Gurvitz Army. They released a trio of studio albums between 1974 and 1976. The formation of Baker Gurvitz Army spelled the end of Three Man Army.
Unlike many seventies rock groups, Three Man Army never reunited. Even when interest in their music began to grow. Three Man Army now have a cult following, who have discovered and appreciate Three Man Army’s three albums. They regard each of these albums as cult classics. The first of these three albums is A Third Of Lifetime, which a reminder of another British rock music’s best kept secrets, Three Man Army.
The Three Man Army Story.
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-WOODSTOCK SUNDAY AUGUST 17 1969-RECORD STORE DAY
Sly and The Family Stone –Woodstock Sunday August 17, 1969-Record Store Day.
Label: We Are Vinyl.
Between 1966 and 1976, psychedelic soul pioneers Sly and The Family Stone released eight studio albums and their first Greatest Hits album, which showcased their genre-melting music. It took as a starting point psychedelic soul and added funk and rock to this heady musical brew. This proved an irresistible for many record buyers. However, that was only part of the story of Sly and the Family Stone whose message was one of peace, brotherly love, and anti-racism
There’s much more to the story of Sly and the Family Stone. It’s also a story that features gangsters, death threats, drugs and the thugs that infiltrated one of the greatest bands of the late-sixties and early seventies. All this played a part in the rise and demise of Sly and the Family Stone.
Their story began in 1966, when Sly Stone formed Sly Stone and The Stoners which featured his friend Cynthia Robinson on trumpet. Meanwhile, Sly Stone’s brother Freddie Stone was also founding a new group Freddie and The Stone Souls. Its lineup included drummer Gregg Errico and saxophonist Ronnie Crawford. Saxophonist Jerry Martini who was a friend of Sly Stone’s, suggested that the Sly and Freddie Stone should combine the two bands. This made sense, and Sly Brothers and Sisters was born. However, in October 1966 Sly Brothers and Sisters became Sly and the Family Stone.
Soon, Vanetta Stewart, Mary McCreary and Elva Mouton who had their own gospel group The Heavenly Tones approached Sly Stone about joining the nascent group. He agreed and they became Little Sister, who became Sly and the Family Stone’s backing vocalists.
It wasn’t long before Sly and the Family Stone came to the attention of record companies. This happened after a gig at the Winchester Cathedral, which was a night club in Redwood City, California. After the show, CBS Records David Kapralik executive approached Sly and the Family Stone. He had heard the group’s set and wanted to sign them to CBS’s Epic Records label. Soon, a deal was concluded and Sly and The Family Stone began work on their debut album A Whole New Thing.
A Whole New Thing.
In October 1967, Sly and the Family Stone prepared to release their debut album A Whole New Thing. It had been recorded live in the studio and found Sly and The Family Stone fusing soul and funk. Although reviews of the album were mixed, a number of musicians, including Mose Allison and Tony Bennett were won over by the album. Alas, when A Whole New Thing was released, it failed to chart. This was a disappointing start to Sly and the Family Stone’s recording career.
Dance To The Music.
After the commercial failure of A Whole New Thing, CBS executive Clive Davis asked Sly Stone to make his music more poppy. This he hoped would find favour with DJs and record buyers. Sly Stone decided to write music that would please his employer, and come up with what was essentially a musical formula. Still, though, it allowed Sly and the Family Stone to spread their message of peace, brotherly love, and anti-racism and reach a much wider audience.
The song that Sly Stone wrote was the anthemic Dance To The Music. When it was recorded, new vocalist and keyboardist Rose Stone made her debut. On it release, Dance To The Music reached number eight in the US Billboard 100 and US R&B charts. This was Sly and The Family Stone’s psychedelic soul debut, which was copied by many within the music industry.
In April 1968, Sly and the Family Stone returned with their sophomore album Dance To The Music. This album of psychedelic soul was released to critical acclaimed and is now regarded as an influential and innovative album. Dance To The Music reached 142 in the US Billboard 200 and eleven in the US R&B charts. Sly and The Family Stone’s career was underway.
Life.
Sly and The Family Stone was keen to build on the success of Dance To The Music, and four five months later returned with their third album Life. While it was well received by critics and featured songs of the quality of Fun, Love City and M’Lady, Life failed to replicate the success of Dance To The Music. Instead, it stalled at a lowly 195 on the US Billboard 200. It was a case of one step forward and two back for Sly and The Family Stone.
Stand.
After the disappointing sales of Life, Sly and The Family Stone began work on the band’s fourth album Stand. It was written and produced by lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone. He and the rest of Sly and The Family Stone had surpassed their previous efforts.
When critics heard Stand the hailed the album Sly and The Family Stone’s finest hour, pointing at the quality of songs like Sing A Simple Song, I Want To Take You Higher, Stand and Everyday People. Stand was a classic in-waiting and would transform Sly and The Family Stone’s career.
Everyday People was released as the lead single from Stand in 1969, and topped the US Billboard 100 and US R&B charts. This augured well for the release of Stand. When it was released in May 1969, Stand reached number thirteen in the US Billboard 200 and three in the US R&B charts. By November 1969 Stand had sold over 500,000 copies, was certified gold. Seventeen years later, and Stand was certified platinum. Now Stand was sold over three million copies and is one Sly and The Family Stone’s most successful albums.
Woodstock.
Following Stand, Sly and The Family Stone were invited to appear at Woodstock, and were one of the stars of the legendary festival. Their early morning set on ‘17th’ August 1969, was one of the highlights of Woodstock, and their set was released as a two LP set for Record Store Day 2019. It’s entitled Woodstock Sunday August 17, 1969-Record Store Day and was released by We Are Vinyl and features Sly and The Family Stone at the peak of their powers.
That morning, they opened their set with M’Lady which gave way to Sing A Simple Song, You Can Make It If You Try, Everyday People and the anthemic Dance To The Music. From there, a medley of Music Lover and Higher are followed by one of the the highlights of the set, Want To Take You Higher which is another anthem from Sly and The Family Stone who were fusing psychedelic soul, funk and rock to create a truly heady musical brew. This continued on Love City before they close the show with Stand! which is a reminder if any was needed, of how good a band Sly and The Family Stone were in 1969.
Their appearance at Woodstock further cemented their huge popularity, abd Sly and The Family Stone’s profile was at an all time high. Their record company CBS was desperate for a new album.Deadlines for a new album were set, and deadlines were missed. For CBS, this was frustrating as Sly and The Family Stone had never been as popular. If the band had completed their album on time, it could’ve been their biggest selling album. When CBS realised that a new album wasn’t going to be imminent, they had to settle for Sly and The Family Stone’s’ first Greatest Hits album which was released in 1970, and sold over five million albums. This was helped by their appearance at Woodstock when Sly and The Family Stone stole that morning, and came of age with a barnstorming performance from the psychedelic soul pioneers which is celebrated on Woodstock Sunday August 17, 1969, which was a welcome release on Record Store Day.
Sly and The Family Stone –Woodstock Sunday August 17, 1969-Record Store Day.
THE STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN STORY: TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY,
The Stevie Ray Vaughan Story: Triumph and Tragedy
Just like countless other musicians, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s career is a story of triumph and tragedy. He spent eleven years struggling to make a breakthrough, and during that period, Stevie Ray Vaughan spent six years as a sideman, which was akin to a musical apprenticeship. Having served his apprenticeship, Stevie Ray Vaughan headed out on his own in 1977.
Stevie Ray Vaughan formed Triple Threat Revue, who would later, become Double Trouble in 1977. They announced their arrival with a barnstorming set at 1982s Montreux Jazz Festival. This resulted in Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble being signed to Epic.
Just over a year later, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble released their debut album Texas Flood in 1983. It went on to sell over two million copies, and was certified platinum. This was triumph in the story of Stevie Ray Vaughan. The tragedy came just seven years later.
On August 27th 1990, tragedy struck, when Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash. The Texan blues man was just thirty-six, and had only enjoyed seven years in the spotlight. During that period, it seemed that Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble could do no wrong. They had released albums sold over eight million albums. It was a far cry from when Stevie Ray Vaughan dropped out of high school, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and embarked upon life as a blues man.
College or university Stevie Ray Vaughan decided, wasn’t for him. He had known that for a while. Maybe longer than he realised? After all, Stevie Ray Vaughan had been playing the guitar most of his young life.
Stevie Ray Vaughan was born in Dallas, Texas on October 3rd 1954. After watching his brother Jimmie play his guitar, seven year old Stevie Ray Vaughan picked up a guitar for the first time. Soon, he was hooked, and was determined to master the guitar.
By the time Stevie Ray Vaughan, he had mastered the guitar, and music became more important than getting an education. Eventually, he began to think of making a living out of music. After all, neither college nor university Stevie Ray Vaughan decided wasn’t for him. He had known that for a while. Instead, he wanted to play the blues. This many thought was just a pipe dream, a phase he was going through and eventually, Stevie would settle down. However, in 1971, Stevie Ray Vaughan dropped out of hight school and embarked upon a career as a blues man.
Ever since Stevie Ray Vaughan dropped out of high school in 1971, he had been playing the blues. Having played in a series of bands, Stevie’s break came when he started playing with Marc Benno’s band The Nightcrawlers. After The Nighcrawlers, Stevie played with Danny Freeman in The Cobras. For Stevie, this was all part of his musical apprenticeship. Then in 1977, Stevie Ray Vaughan went from sideman to bandleader, when he formed Triple Threat Revue.
Triple Threat Revue would later become Double Trouble. This came about, when Stevie Ray Vaughan brought onboard the rhythm section of drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon. It was with Double Trouble at his side, that Stevie Ray Vaughan announced his arrival at 1982s Montreux Jazz Festival.
That night, at 1982s Montreux Jazz Festival, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble announced their arrival. Stevie, playing vintage guitars, eschewed the use of effects. Effects were used sparingly during his performance. While Stevie turned his back on effects, he and Double Trouble liked to crank the sound up. To do this, they combined a series of amplifiers. This made the audience sit up and take notice. What they saw was a a blistering, virtuoso performance. By the time Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble left the stage, at 1982s Montreux Jazz Festival their star was in the ascendancy.
Eleven months later, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble released their debut album Texas Flood on Epic. It sold over two million copies, and was certified double platinum. This was the start of the rise and rise, of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.
Texas Flood.
Before they signed to Epic, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble headed to Jackson Browne’s recording studio in Los Angeles. Between 22nd to 24th November 1982, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble recorded ten tracks that would become their debut album, Texas Flood.
At Jackson Browne’s recording studio, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble hooked up with engineer Richard Mullen. He would co-produced Texas Flood with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.
Texas Flood featured ten tracks. Five were penned by Stevie, who also cowrote Dirty Pool with drummer Doyle Bramhall. Along with covers of Howlin’ Wolf’s Tell Me and Buddy Guy’s Mary Had a Little Lamb, these tracks became eventually become Texas Flood.
On the first of the three days at Jackson Browne’s recording studio, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble spent setting up their equipment. The next two days, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble recorded what would become Texas Flood. Now all Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble needed, was a label to release Texas Flood.
In early 1983, Epic signed Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Epic having heard the master tapes of Texas Flood, decided it needed remastered. So, a $65,000 advance was given to remaster the recordings. The advance also allowed Stevie to lay down his vocals at Riverside Sound in Austin, Texas. Then on June 13th 1983, Texas Flood was released.
When Texas Flood was released, it was mostly, well received by critics. No wonder, Stevie Ray Vaughan was easily, one of music’s most exciting guitarists. However, Rolling Stone magazine and Robert Christgau, forever the contrarians, weren’t won over by Texas Flood. This didn’t affect sales of Texas Flood, which reached number thirty-eight in the US Billboard 200. Having sold two million copies, Texas Flood was certified double platinumin America and Canada. Following the success of Texas Flood, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble headed out on a gruelling tour.
On 20th July 1983, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble found themselves in Toronto. That night, they played at The El Mocambo. The concert was broadcast live, with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, billed as a A Legend In The Making.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble made their way through eight tracks. They were a mixture of original tracks and cover versions. Tracks from Texas Flood and Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s sophomore album Couldn’t Stand the Weather, sat side-by-side. These eight tracks were a tantalising taste of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble live. Following the concert at The El Mocambo, the tour continued, before Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble returned to the studio in January 1984.
Couldn’t Stand the Weather.
Just like Texas Flood, Couldn’t Stand the Weather, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s sophomore album Stevie penned half the tracks. He wrote four of the eight tracks. The other four tracks were cover versions, including a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Voodoo Child (Slight Return). These eight tracks were recorded at The Power Station, New York.
Over nineteen days at The Power Station, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble recorded Couldn’t Stand the Weather. Producing Couldn’t Stand the Weather, were Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Richard Mullen and Jim Capter. From the minute Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble laid down their cover of Tin Pan Alley, it was obvious to those in the control room that, here was a band at the top of their game.
That proved to be the case. On the release of Couldn’t Stand the Weather, on 15th May 1984, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s fusion of blues rock, electric blues and Texas rock, won friends and influenced people. This included the programmers at MTV. They put the video for Couldn’t Stand the Weather on heavy rotation. For Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble this meant their music reached a much wider audience.
Then when critics heard Couldn’t Stand the Weather, it received widespread critical acclaim. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble were now being hailed as the saviour of the blues. It had fallen out of fashion long ago. The problem was, the blues hadn’t evolved since the advent of the electric guitar. As a result, the blues was on life-support and close to breathing its last. Then came Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, a blue group who were on MTV. This was as game-changer.
Especially when Couldn’t Stand the Weather was released on May 15th 1984, and reached number thirty-one on the US Billboard 200 charts. This resulted in Couldn’t Stand the Weather being certified double platinum in America and platinum in Canada. It seemed that Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble could do no wrong.
Soul To Soul.
In March 1985, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble returned to the studio. This time, they headed to the Dallas Sound Lab. Between March and May 1985, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble recorded the ten tracks that became Soul To Soul.
For Soul To Soul, Stevie only penned four of the ten tracks. They were Only Say What, Ain’t Gone ‘N’ Give Up On Love, Empty Arms and Life Without You. Drummer Doyle Bramhall contributed Lookin’ Out the Window and Change It. The other tracks were cover versions, including Willie Dixon’s You’ll Be Mine and Earl King’s Come On. Just like Texas Flood, Soul To Soul was co-produced by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble and Richard Mullen. Soul To Soul would be released on September 30th 1985. However, before that, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble made a triumphant return to where it all began, the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Three years after making their breakthrough at 1982s Montreux Jazz Festival, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble returned to where it all began. They played a storming ten song set. That night, just like three years earlier, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble had the audience enthralled. Here was the most exciting blues band in the world. Since their Montreux debut, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble had sold four million albums in America alone. Before long, four would become five.
On the release of Soul To Soul, it was well received by critics. Soul To Soul received the same critical acclaim as their two previous albums. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble were regarded as the most exciting blues band in the world. They were also one of the most successful.
Change It, one of two singles released from Soul To Soul, found flavour with MTV programmers. It reached number seventeen on the US Rock charts. Despite this, Soul To Soul wasn’t as big a commercial success as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s two previous albums.
Soul To Soul was released on September 30th 1985. However, the album reached number thirty-four in the US Billboard 200 charts, and was certified platinum. In Canada, where Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s two previous albums were certified platinum, Soul To Soul was only certified gold. This was a troubling time for Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.
Live Alive.
After the release of Soul To Soul, it would be four years before Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble released another album. During this period, Stevie’s appetite for drink and drugs couldn’t be sated. After breakfast, Stevie would begin his daily diet of a quart of whiskey and a quarter ounce of cocaine. This was Stevie’s daily diet. It would’ve killed most people. Not Stevie. He continued to record and play live. One of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble live performances was released in July 1986, as Live Alive.
Live Alive was a double album recorded during 1985 and 1986s Live Alive tour. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble swagger their way through fourteen tracks on Live Alive. Despite his chaotic lifestyle, Stevie was still one of the best blues guitarists of his generation. Backed by the tightest of rhythm sections, Stevie unleashes a series of blistering performances. Whether it’s original songs or cover versions, they come alive in Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s hands. As a result, critics and record buyers were won over by Live Alive.
Most critics gave Live Alive positive reviews. A few critics disagreed. However, that’s not surprising. Live albums always divide the opinion or critics. Not record buyers. When Live and Alive was released in July 1986, it reached number fifty-two in the US Billboard 200 charts. Although this was the lowest chart placing of any Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble album, Live Alive was certified platinum in America and Canada. This would be the last album Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble would release for three years.
In Step.
By the time Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble returned with their fourth album, In Step, Stevie was a changed man. Gone was the hard living, wild man, with the insatiable appetite for drink and drugs. This was reflected in some of the songs on In Step.
For In Step, Stevie only wrote two tracks, Travis Walk and Riviera Paradise. However, Stevie cowrote four tracks with Doyle Bramhall. This included Wall of Denial and Tightrope, which reflect Stevie’s newfound sobriety. Along with covers of Willie Dixon’s Let Me Love You Baby, Buddy Guy’s Leave My Girl Alone and Howlin’ Wolf’s Love Me Darlin,’ these songs became In Step.
Recording of In Step began on January 25th 1989 and lasted right through to March 13th 1989. Further sessions took place at Kiva Sudios, Memphis, and then in Los Angeles at Sound Castle and Summa Studios, where Double Trouble and Jim Gaines co-produced In Step. Once In Step was finished, it was released on June 6th 1989.
When In Step was released on June 6th 1989, the album was well received by critics. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s fused of blues, rock and soul on In Step, which was perceived as an incredibly honest, personal and autobiographical album. This appealed to record buyers.
On In Step’s release, it reached number thirty-three in the US Billboard 200 charts. This resulted in In Step being certified double platinum in America, and platinum in Canada. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble were the most successful blues bands of the eighties,
Since 1983s Texas Flood, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble had sold eight million albums. Sadly, In Step was the final Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble album released during Stevie’s lifetime.
Tragedy struck for Stevie Ray Vaughan on August 26th 1990. After playing two shows with Eric Clapton at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre, in East Troy, Wisconsin, some of the musicians were due to fly to Chicago. This included Stevie Ray Vaughan. He made his way to one of the four helicopters waiting on a nearby golf course. However, there was a problem.
Witnesses report that that night, the skies weren’t clear. Instead, there was fog, haze and low cloud. This was far from ideal flying conditions. Despite this, the helicopters took off. Joining Stevie Ray Vaughan in the third helicopter, were three of Eric Clapton’s entourage. Once the passengers and crew were ready, the Bell 206A JetRanger helicopter took off, en route for the Merge Field, in the Windy City at 12.50 a.m.
As the helicopter made its way from East Troy, Wisconsin to Merge Field, Chicago, the pilots were instructed to fly over a 1000-foot ski hill. Given the inclement weather conditions, this seemed a strange route. It had disastrous consequences.
By the time the helicopter took off from, it was now the 27th August 1990. As the helicopter climbed high into the night sky, it suddenly, veered to the left and crashed into the ski hill. It was later discovered that the helicopter crashed just fifty feet from the summit. For everybody on board it had been a case of so close, yet so far.
At 4.30 a.m, the Civil Air Patrol were told about the incident. It took them three hours to locate the crash site. When they did, they were able to ascertain that there were no survivors. That day, music lost one of its most talented and charismatic sons, Stevie Ray Vaughan.
The Texan blues man was only thirty-five. Stevie Ray Vaughan had only released four studio albums and one live album. However, these albums sold over eight million copies, making Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble the most successful blues bands of the eighties.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble almost single handedly, revived interest in blues music. Suddenly, there was a resurgence in interest in what was an almost a moribund musical genre. Not any more. Throughout the eighties, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s unique brand of blues rock reached a new, and much wider audience. Playing an important part in the rise and rise of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble was MTV.
A number of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s tracks were on heavy rotation on MTV. Suddenly, a new generation had been introduced to the blues by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. They were their gateway to a whole wider body of work. However, tragically, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s amounts to just the five albums released during Stevie Ray Vaughan’s lifetime.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s swan-song was In Step, which was released on June 6th 1989, some twenty-seven years ago. However, still, a new generation of musicians cite Stevie Ray Vaughan as an influence. No wonder; he was one of the greatest blues guitarists of his generation. Sadly, Stevie Ray Vaughan was only in the spotlight for seven years.
During the seven years that Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s star was in the ascendancy, they released four studio albums and one live album. Their swan-song was In Step, which was released in 1989. By then, Stevie had turned his life around. No longer was he living the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle.
Stevie Ray Vaughan was a changed man. Gone was the hard living, wild man, with the insatiable appetite for drink and drugs. The change in Stevie Ray Vaughan was reflected on In Step’s lyrics. It introduced the listener to a new, changed Stevie Ray Vaughan. They liked what they heard, and In Step reached number thirty-three in the US Billboard 200 charts. This resulted in In Step being certified double platinum in America, and platinum in Canada. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble looked like becoming one of the biggest bands of the nineties. They had already sold over eight million copies between 1982 and 1989.
Sadly, that never happened. On August 27th 1990 Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash. He was only thirty-five years old. That day music lost one of its most charismatic and talented sons, Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose life is one of triumph and ultimately tragedy, but one that will never be forgotten.
The Stevie Ray Vaughan Story: Triumph and Tragedy.
JAMES CARR-UNDOUBTABLY THE GREATEST SOUTHERN SOUL SINGER
James Carr-Undoubtably The Greatest Southern Soul Singer.
By 1964, Memphis was a musical hotbed, and home to many up-and-coming soul singers and songwriters looking to make a breakthrough. Roosevelt Jamieson was a friend of many of these songwriters and soul singers, including OV Wright and James Carr, who were both looking for a label. It was a frustrating period for the two future soul greats, and Roosevelt Jamieson was determined to help the singers on the road to success.
Roosevelt Jamieson arranged for OV Wright and James Carr to audition at Stax, in the hope that his two friends would be signed to what was one of soul’s top labels. When the three men arrived at Stax, they were greeted by Steve Cropper who was going to audition OV Wright and James Carr. Given both singer’s voice’s and talent surely, Steve Cropper would be keen to secure the signature of OV Wright and twenty-two year old James Carr?
After OV Wright and James Carr had auditioned, Steve Cropper showed very little interest in signing either singer. His rational was that they already had two male vocalists on their roster, Otis Redding and William Bell on their roster. Stax didn’t want to add any more male vocalists to their roster. This was a decision that Stax would come to regret.
In late-1964, Roosevelt Jamieson arrived at the home of Quinton Claunch the owner of Goldwax Records on a cold wet winter’s night with OV Wright and James Carr. After some small talk, the two singers sung unaccompanied in front of Quinton Claunch. That was all he needed to hear, and that night, Quinton Claunch signed both OV Wright and James Carr. Stax’s loss was Goldwax Records’ gain. During his time with Goldwax Records, James Carr matured into one of the greatest soul singers of the past six decades, and his single Dark End Of The Street which redefined the future of Southern Soul.
The Goldwax Records’ Years.
With OV Wright and James Carr now signed to Goldwax Records, Quinton Claunch set about finding the right song for his latest signings. He chose That’s How Strong My Love Is for OV Wright, which when it was released on Goldwax Records, charted and gave the twenty-five year old a hit single. There was only one problem though.
After the success of That’s How Strong My Love Is, Don Tobey who owned and ran Duke-Peacock Records claimed to have OV Wright under contract, dating back to when he was a member of The Sunset Travellers. Quinton Claunch, who knew of Don Robey’s alleged business practises, wasn’t going to argue with the ‘music impresario’ who had a reputation for allegedly using intimidation and violence to get what he wanted. OV Wright’s contract at Goldwax Records was canceled, leaving Quinton Claunch with just James Carr.
With OV Wright out of the picture, Quinton Claunch decided to give his other new signing his full attention. Quinton Claunch started looking for the right song for James Carr’s debut single for Goldwax Records. Eventually, the pair settled on Only Fools Run Away, which was released in late-1964 and distributed through Vee-Jay Records.
By then, Vee-Jay was starting to experience financial problems, and no longer had the budget to promote singles, including James Carr’s Only Fools Run Away. Sadly, James Carr’s debut single failed to trouble the charts, which was a disappointing way to start his career at Goldwax Records.
Things didn’t improve for James Carr when I Can’t Make when I Can’t Make It was released in February 1965, and also failed commercially. By then, Vee-Jay’s finances were worsening, and it no longer had the financial muscle it once had.
History repeated itself in September 1965, when James Carr released his third single She’s Better Than You. With Vee-Jay’s financial situation worsening all the time, James Carr watched as another single failed to find the audience it deserved. This was a frustrating time for James Carr and Goldwax Records’ owner Quinton Claunch.
Fortunately, by late-1965 Quinton Claunch had managed to negotiate a new long-term distribution deal with the New York-based Amy, Maia and Bell group of labels. Quinton Claunch was pleased because this meant that Goldwax Records’ releases would be distributed and promoted properly. This was perfect timing, as James Carr’s career was about to be transformed.
For James Carr’s fourth single for Goldwax Records, and his first under the new distribution deal was You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up was chosen. It was a song with a complicated past.The roots of You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up could be traced back to That’s How Strong My Love Is, which OV Wright sung at his Stax audition. Steve Cropper liked the song, and after putting the words to a different melody, gave it to Otis Redding. This didn’t please its Roosevelt Jamieson and Quinton Claunch, who asked one of the Goldwax Records’ staff writers OB McLinton, if he could change the melody. The last thing that Quinton Claunch wanted was to release a hit single, and be accused of plagiarism. After OB McLinton made the necessary changes, James Carr could record You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up.
Quinton Claunch sent James Carr to Chips Moman’s American Studio in late-1965, where he was scheduled to record You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up. Accompanying James Carr was a band that featured some of the top session players. They Quinton Claunch hoped would play their part in James Carr’s breakthrough single.
Goldwax Records scheduled the release of You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up for February 1966, and when the single was released, the powerful, soul-baring ballad entered the charts and reached sixty-three on the US Billboard 100 and seven on the US R&B charts. After four attempts, James Carr had a hit single to his name.
Four months later, James Carr returned with his fifth single for Goldwax Records, a cover of Quinton Claunch’s Love Attack. It featured an impassioned, hurt-filled vocal, and was released in June 1966. Love Attack reached ninety-nine on the US Billboard 100 and twenty-one on the US R&B charts. While Love Attack hadn’t replicated the success of You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up, it gave James Carr his second hit single. James Carr was no one hit wonder.
In September 1966, James Carr returned with his sixth single, Pouring Water On A Drowning Man. Just like James Carr’s two previous singles, it sounded as if he had lived the lyrics to Pouring Water On A Drowning Man. It reached eighty-five on the US Billboard 100 and twenty-three on the US R&B charts giving James Carr his third consecutive hit single. However, James Carr would one more single during 1966.
For his fourth single of 1966, James Carr covered the Chips Moman and Dan Penn composition Dark End Of The Street. It was recorded at Hi Studios in Memphis, as Chips Moman’s American Studio was being upgraded. With some top session players accompanying James Carr, he recorded one of the greatest songs in the history of soul music. Its lyrics hinted at an extramarital or interracial relationship, and James Carr sounded as if he had experienced the hopelessness and torment that comes with this pursuit of forbidden fruit. When Dark End Of The Street was released by Goldwax Records in December 1966, and reached seventy-seven on the US Billboard 100 and ten on the US R&B charts, and redefined the future of Southern Soul.
As 1966 gave way to 1967, James Carr had four hit singles to his name, and was seen by many within the Memphis music industry as one of soul’s rising stars. Steve Cropper at Stax must have been ruing his decision not to sign James Carr, as he was outperforming William Bell. He had just two minor hit singles, and hadn’t enjoyed the crossover appeal that James Carr had. It looked like Steve Cropper had backed the wrong horse.
After enjoying the biggest hit of his career with The Dark End Of The Street, James Carr and Goldwax Records’ owner Quinton Claunch were keen to build on that success. The beautiful ballad Let It Happen was chosen for his next single. However, when Let It Happen was released in May 1967, it just missed out on the US Billboard 100, but reached thirty in the US R&B charts. This gave James Carr his fifth consecutive hit single.
James Carr’s hot streak continued when he released I’m A Fool For You in August 1967. He was joined by Betty Harris, who wasn’t credited on the single, and their duet reached ninety-seven on the US Billboard 100 and forty-two on the US R&B charts. James Carr had now enjoyed six consecutive singles.
During 1967, James Carr released his debut album You Got My Mind Messed Up on Goldwax Records. It featured the Dan Greer composition I Don’t Want To Be Hurt Anymore and other tracks including You Got My Mind Messed Up were Pouring Water On A Drowning Man, Love Attack, The Dark End Of The Street and You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up. When You Got My Mind Messed Up was released in 1967, the album reached twenty-five in the US R&B charts. The James Carr success story continued.
For James Carr’s final single of 1967, he released a cover of Quinton Claunch and OB McLinton’s A Man Needs A Woman. It’s a Southern Soul ballad whose roots are in the church, and features a tender, heartfelt vocal from James Carr. When A Man Needs A Woman was released in December 1978, it reached thirty-three on the US Billboard 100 and sixteen on the US R&B charts. Just like 1966, 1967 had been a good year for James Carr who had enjoyed seven consecutive hit singles.
James Carr was, by then, one of Quinton Claunch’s most successful signings for Goldwax Records. What must have made James Carr’s success even sweeter was that Stax had rejected the chance to sign him. However, tragedy had struck during 1967, and Stax’s most successful male vocalist Otis Redding, had died in a plane crash. Within Memphis’ close knit musical community the death of Otis Redding was mourned.
By 1976, Stax which was enjoying one of the most fruitful periods its history and had a strong roster. This included several male vocalists, including William Bell, who had a handful of minor hit singles to his name, and Johnny Taylor who had signed to Stax in 1966. Neither were regarded as being of the standard of James Carr though.
During the first half of 1968, James Carr had released his sophomore album A Man Needs A Woman on both sides of the Atlantic. However, when Goldwax Records released A Man Needs A Woman disaster struck, and the album failed to trouble the charts. This was a disappointment for James Carr and Quinton Claunch. Especially after seven consecutive hit singles. Quinton Claunch was hoping that this was a just blip.
It wasn’t until June 1968 that James Carr returned with a new single Life Turned Her That Way. It was a poignant ballad from James Carr’s sophomore album A Man Needs A Woman. Sadly, Life Turned Her That Way failed to chart, and James Carr didn’t enjoy his eighth consecutive hit single.
With his sophomore album A Man Needs A Woman and the single Life Turned Her That Way falling to chart, it was a worrying time for James Carr, and Quinton Claunch the owner of Goldwax Records. However, he still believed in James Carr, and in October 1968 Freedom Train was released as a single, and it reached thirty-nine in the US R&B charts. James Carr was back with his eighth hit single.
Five months later, and James Carr returned with a new single To Love Somebody which was written by the Gibb brothers, who were better known as the Bee Gees. When To Love Somebody was released in March 1969, it reached forty-four in the US R&B charts. This was James Carr’s ninth, and sadly, final hit single.
By then, music was changing, and soul music was no longer as popular as it had been. The exceptions were some of the music being released by the Motown soul factory, and artists like Aretha Franklin. However, other genres had overtaken soul in the popularity stakes and artists like James Carr was no longer as popular as they had once been.
Nothing more was heard of James Carr until he released Everybody Needs Somebody in December 1969. Sadly, the single failed to chart, and proved an inauspicious end to James Carr’s time at Goldwax Records.
Life After Goldwax Records.
Little did James Carr realise that he had enjoyed the most successful period of his recording career, and never again would he scale the same heights. That was despite James Carr signing to Atlantic Records after his departure from Goldwax Records. However, when Hold On was released in July 1971, it failed to chart and James Carr left Atlantic Records having just released one single.
Two years later, reissues of two of James Carr’s singes were released on the Flashback label. Neither The Dark End Of The Street which was released in 1973, nor A Man Needs A Woman troubled the charts. It looked as if James Carr was yesterday’s man.
Nearly four years passed before James Carr released Let Me Be Right (Don’t Want To Be Wrong) on the Memphis based River City label in 1977. By then, disco was flavour of the month and neither Southern Soul, nor soul in general, were no longer as popular.
Despite that, James Carr released a new album Freedom Train in 1977. It bore the Goldwax Records name and was released in conjunction with Vivid Sound. However, the album was only released in Japan and available as an import. Soul fans in America and Britain missed out on Freedom Train, where James Carr rolled back the years on several tracks.
A year after the release of Freedom Train, James Carr returned in 1978 with Oriental Live And Living. It was James Carr’s first live album, and again, was only released in Japan where he was still popular.
Nothing more was heard of James Carr, until Ace Records released Take Me To The Limit in 1991. By then, James Carr wasn’t in good health, but showed more than a few glimpses of his old magic. It was a similar case when Ace Records released the aptly titled Soul Survivor in 1993. The Soul Survivor showed further glimpses of why he was regarded as a true soul great on what was his swan-song.
Sadly, James Carr died of lung cancer in a nursing home in Memphis, Tennessee, on January the ‘7th’ 2001, aged just fifty-eight. Life had been tough for James Carr after freezing on stage during a tour of Japan in 1979. In his later years, he lived with his sister, and bravely battled the bipolar disorder that he had suffered from for much of his life. Sometimes, he required hospitalization, but for much of the final years of his life, soul great James Carr lived quietly with his sister. Music was his past, and was the legacy that he left after his death in 2001.
James Carr left behind a rich musical legacy after his death in 2001, including the ten singles and two albums that he released for Quinton Claunch’s Goldwax Records. That was where James Carr released the best music of his career including singles of the quality of You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up, Pouring Water On A Drowning Man and Dark Side Of The Street. On each song, James Carr breathes life, meaning and emotion into the lyrics. Sometimes, it sounds as if James Carr had lived and survived the lyrics so realistic is his impassioned, emotive and deeply soulful vocals. They’re a reminder and feature the late, great James Carr in his musical prime.
The Goldwax Records’ years were also the most successful period of James Carr’s career. Sadly, James Carr’s Goldwax Records’ years lasted just five years between 1964 and 1969, and saw him enjoy nine hit singles. His most successful single was the timeless Southern Soul classic Dark Side Of The Street, which redefined Southern Soul and is part of James Carr’s rich musical legacy. Dark Side Of The Street is also one reason why James Carr is regarded by many critics and soul aficionados as the undoubtably greatest Southern Soul singer
James Carr-Undoubtably The Greatest Southern Soul Singer.
CLEAR LIGHT-A CASE OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
Clear Light-A Case Of What Might Have Been.
Elektra records had come a long way by the sixties, and was home to everyone from folk singers Judy Collins and Josh White to Phil Ochs and Tim Buckley, right through to psychedelic pioneers Love and The Doors, to Detroit based rockers like MC5 and The Stooges and Bread who would become one of the label’s most successful bands in the seventies. By then, Elektra had come a long way since it was founded in a college dorm in 1950.
That was where the Elektra Records story began in 1950, when Jac Holman and Paul Rickol were students at the prestigious and exclusive St. John’s College, in Santa Fe. They decided to form a record label, and agreed to invest $300 each into their new business venture. A year later Elektra Records was ready to release its album.
This was New Songs, a classical album featuring Georgianna Bannister and John Gruen, which was released as a limited edition in March 1951. However, when the album sold only a few copies this was an inauspicious start to the Elektra Records story.
Despite this setback, Elektra Records would thrive during the fifties and early sixties, and was at the forefront of the folk revival. They signed Ed McCurdy, Oscar Brand, Judy Collins, Phil Ochs and Tom Paxton. These artists brought commercial success and critical acclaim the way of Elektra Records. However, by 1964, Elektra Records was ready to diversify.
By then, Jac Holman had been analysing the classical music market and spotted a gap that was waiting to be filled. None of the major labels had realised that there was room for a new classical budget label, and before long Jac Holman launched Nonesuch Records. It was a huge success, and before long, other labels launched similar ventures. However, Nonesuch Records was by far the market leader. Buoyed by this success, Elektra Records decided to enter the pop music market.
Elektra Records entered into a joint venture with Survey Music, and founded a new label Bounty Records. However, it wasn’t a particularly successful venture, and ultimately floundered and folded. The only thing Elektra Records gained from Bounty Records was The Paul Butterfield Band, which they fell heir to. This would play an important part in Elektra Records future.
With the psychedelic era unfolding before their eyes, Elektra Records decided to sign some of the genre’s most promising up-and-coming acts. Soon, The Doors a San Francisco based band had signed to Elektra Records. They were soon joined by another new band from Los Angeles, Love. However, they weren’t the only band from L.A. who would soon call Elektra Records home.
By 1967, so would Clear Light, another group from the City Of Angels. They were a relatively new group and had only been together since early 1966.
That was when Los Angeles’ based Michael Ney advertised for a guitarist for a pickup band he was organising. One of the first people to answer the advert was Clyde Edgar “Robbie” Robinson, who was already a stalwart of the local music scene.
In the early sixties, Robbie began performing as Robbie The Werewolf. He even released an album Live At The Whaleback in 1964. Then Robbie and his wife formed a duet, and sung on the local folk circuit. That was until Barbara Robison was asked to join the folk rock group The Ashes, who in 1966 became The Peanut Butter Conspiracy. With his wife now a member of a band, Robbie was looking for a new group.
As he set off for the audition, Robbie wondered if Michael Ney’s new group was where his future lay? When he arrived at the audition, and introduced himself to Michael Ney, and straight away, the two men got on. Everything it seemed was going well. That was until Robbie failed the audition. At least Robbie came away having made a new friend, Michael Ney.
Just like Robbie, Michael Ney wasn’t a newcomer to music. For a while, he had been Tito Puente’s percussionist, and then had played in a series of bands in Hollywood. However, recently he had been looking at forming a new band whilst living alone in L.A.
When Robbie and Barbara Robison heard that Michael was living alone, they insisted that he move into their small, apartment on Manhattan Beach. There wasn’t much room for three adults and the Robison’s young child. However, everyone got on well, and soon, Robbie and Michael Ney were making plans to form a new band.
This time, there were no adverts placed looking for musicians. Instead, Robbie and Michael Ney went in search of the best musicians. The place to find them was the Hollywood and Sunset Strip clubs, and night after night, the two friends went in search of musicians for their new band. That was where Robbie and Michael Ney would eventually meet two musicians from Phoenix, Arizona.
When Robbie and Michael Ney began their search for band members, Bob Seal and Dallas Taylor were still playing in Phoenix. However, Dallas had played in L.A. before, but it had been a messy experience, literally.
Having answered an advert, drummer Dallas Taylor had travelled to L.A. for an audition. He landed the gig, and his new band were scheduled to open for The Mothers Of Invention. By then, Dallas Taylor had just had an appendectomy, and rather than tell his new band mates this, decided to play at the Shrine Auditorium. He played with such energy and enthusiasm, that his stitches burst. Dallas Taylor ended the gig with blood seeping through his burst stitches. Given the pain he was having to endure, Dallas Taylor wasn’t at his best, and was replaced as drummer. That was how he ended up back home in Phoenix. However, Dallas Taylor convinced Bob Seal to head to L.A.
Bob Seal and Dallas Taylor arrived in Los Angeles around September 1966, and straight away, began looking for fellow musical travellers. It was at a Peanut Butter Conspiracy concert, that Bob Seal and Dallas Taylor began talking to the band’s bassist Alan Brackett. Eventually, Bob Seal and Dallas Taylor asked Alan if he knew any musicians looking to form a band? Fortunately, Alan Brackett did, and introduced them to Robbie.
When the three men began talking, Robbie explained that he and Michael Ney were writing songs together, and explained what they were trying to achieve. It looked like Robbie and Michael Ney had found the musicians they were looking for. There was a problem though.
Both Bob Seal and Dallas Taylor were homeless and had no idea where they were going to spend the night after they finished talking to Robbie. He invited them to stay at the small Manhattan Beach apartment.
By then, the hippie era was in full swing, and communal living was becoming the norm. It certainly was at the Robison’s house, and they had been joined by Michael Ley, Bob Seal and Dallas Taylor. This allowed the nascent band to write, practise and jam.
As the musicians jammed over a couple of days, Michael Ney and Dallas Taylor quickly realised that two drummers were better than one. It gave the band a unique sound where power and fluidity reigned. Along with Bob Seal’s guitar, the as yet unnamed band’s sound was being honed. However, they still needed more musicians, and a name.
One thing the band need was a vocalist, and Barbara Robison was everyone’s first choice. She declined, so Wanda Watkins a friend of the Peanut Butter Conspiracy was recruited. All that the group now needed was a name.
This came about when one of the group passed road sign saying Garnerfield Sanitarium. At last, the group had a name. However, still the lineup wasn’t complete.
Despite this, Garnerfield Sanitarium were playing weekend live at various clubs in Manhattan Beach. It was at one of these shows, that a young, aspiring songwriter approached them. He was Wolfgang Dios, who already was already signed to a publishing company. Wolfgang Dios was so impressed with Garnerfield Sanitarium, that he hooked them up with his publishing company.
The publishing company was owned by a former professional boxer and aspiring songwriter, Bud Mathias. He was formerly the Arizona Lightweight Champion between 1951 and 1954. Now he was a musical entrepreneur, who was involved in songwriting, recording and publishing. There was, it seemed, no end to Bud Mathias’ talents.
After his boxing career was over, Bud Mathias was looking four a new career. He decided to get involved in music. That was despite having no experience in the music industry. However, Bud Mathias had written Runnin’ Wild which was recorded by Brenton Wood. Bud Mathias had also formed the publishing company Little Giant Music which published and administered Wolfgang Dios’ songs. When Bud Mathias met Garnerfield Sanitarium, he thought the band had potential.
There was a but though, Garnerfield Sanitarium still needed a decent bassist. As luck should have it, the musical entrepreneur just happened to know a bassist, Doug Lubahn, a former ski instructor.
When Mamma Cass first met Doug Lubahn in Aspen, Colorado, he was a ski instructor during the day, and played in a nightclub band at night. Mamma Cass thought Doug had potential, so encouraged him to move to L.A.
Things hadn’t gone well for Doug Lubahn, and for a while he was homeless, and had no option but to sleep on L.A.’s streets. However, by the time he joined Garnerfield Sanitarium, Doug Lubahn’s luck was changing.
After meeting the band, Doug Lubahn moved into the Robison’s Manhattan Beach apartment. By then, space was at a premium. This was the end for Barbara Robison. For some time the Robison’s marriage has been on shaky ground. She and her baby Scotty Robison, moved into Peanut Butter Conspiracy’s house in Silver Lake. Meanwhile, Manhattan Beach apartment became Garnerfield Sanitarium’s headquarters.
By then, the new lineup of Garnerfield Sanitarium had realised that the band’s name wasn’t right. After some debate, it was thought the name was “too long” and “not cool enough.” It was then that Alan Brackett suggested Brain Drain. This however, wasn’t the only change.
After a band meeting, it was announced that Wanda Watkins was no longer Brian Drain’s vocalist. However, before long, Wanda Watkins was back with a new band. Bud Mathias had recruited Wanda Watkins into Joint Effort. By then, Brain Drain had gone up in the world.
Brian Drain was now playing clubs around Hollywood, and were taking to the stage at Pandora’s Box, The Witch and The Hullabaloo. At these clubs, Brain Drain were a proving a popular draw. Given their newfound success, Brian Drain decided to record a couple of tracks.
For Brain Drain’s first ever recording session, they decided to record just two songs. This included the Wolfgang Dios composition Black Roses, which was joined Me which was
penned by new bassist Doug Lubahn and Brain Drain’s manager Bud Mathias. Once the two songs were recorded, Bud Mathias decided to swing by Elektra Records’ West Coast office with an acetate of Brain Drain’s new recording.
Bud Mathias had timed his run perfectly, as the receptionist at Elektra Records was out having lunch, and had left the door unlocked. As Bud Mathias walked in, A&R man Billy Jones was about to head out for lunch. However, Bud Mathias managed to get Billy Jones to listen to the Brian Drain acetate. He liked the recording and agreed to send it to Jac Holman at Elektra Records’ headquarters.
Over the next couple of days, the members of Brian Drain waited for news from Elektra Records. When it came, it was good news. Jac Holman liked the recording, and wanted Brain Drain to sign to Elektra Records.
In early January 1967, Brain Drain were about to sign to one of the major labels. It was then that Bud Mathias inexperience caught up with. He had never got Brian Drain to sign a management contract with him. Bud Mathias was a worried man.
He had every right to be. At Elektra Records, staff producer Paul Rothchild was talking with Brain Drain. He had just produced The Doors’ recently released eponymous debut album, and had previously, had worked with Love. This gave Paul kudos in the eyes of Brain Drain. Paul Rothchild had a propositions for Brain Drain.
This was that Paul Rothchild become Brain Drain’s new manager. Paul Rothchild pointed out that they needed someone with music industry experience managing Brain Drain. Given his track record with The Doors, and especially Love, Brain Drain soon agreed. Bud Mathias was history, and left ruing his inexperience. He had lost a band that had just signed to a major label by forgetting to get a management agreement signed.
With Paul Rothchild managing Brain Drain, Elektra Records records rented an apartment for the band to live in. Their new home was situated in Franklin Avenue, and was once home to comedian W.C. Fields. Soon, it became known as the Light House.
The name came about, because in March 1967, Brain Drain had changed their name to Clear Light. The newly named band were also well on their way to transforming the faded grandeur of the Light into a rehearsal cum living space. Soon, Clear Light would be joined by The Doors, and the two Elektra Records’ bands would jam into the early hours, as they prepared to record new albums.
In The Doors’ case, they were preparing to record their sophomore album Strange Days. Their eponymous debut album had been released on January the ‘4th’ 1967, and reached number two on the US Billboard 200. The Doors was well on its way to selling four million copies. Would lightning strike twice when Clear Light released their debut album?
Clear Light entered the studio with producer Paul Rothchild for the first time in the spring of 1967. The band recorded several songs, which they hoped would find their way onto their debut album. However, when producer Paul Rothchild listened to the recordings, he wasn’t happy with the results.
The problem Paul Rothchild felt, was that the band needed a vocalist who could make his presence felt. All the successful bands had a distinctive vocalist. That was what producer Paul Rothchild felt Clear Light were lacking. Despite this, the members of Clear Light were about to become movie stars.
Meanwhile, Clear Light were asked to feature in Theodore J. Flicker’s film The President’s Analyst, where the band would play themselves in a nightclub scene. However, when it came time for Clear Light to play She’s Ready To Be Free, vocalist Robbie was unwell, and was replaced by Barry McGuire. While his delivery was perfectly acceptable, it was no match for Robbie’s recent recording.
After the filming of The President’s Analyst, Paul Rothchild began the search a replacement vocalist. Eventually, Paul Rothchild found the vocalist he was looking for…Cliff De Young.
At first, Cliff De Young seemed to be in the wrong movie. While the rest of Clear Light looked like, and adopted the hippie lifestyle, Cliff De Young was preppy looking by comparison. It was an unlikely match, when the aspiring actor, singer and songwriter joined Clear Light as. However, Cliff De Young possessed the distinctive vocal that Clear Light. Paul Rothchild realised this, and so did Robbie Robinson.
He didn’t make things difficult for the rest of Clear Light. Robbie resigned from Clear Light, and Cliff De Young replaced him. Now all Clear Light needed was a new guitarist.
Several guitarists were auditioned, including Doug Hastings of The Daily Flash. He had previously stood in for Neil Young in Buffalo Springfield, but despite his pedigree, Doug Hastings didn’t get the gig. Instead, Ralph Schuckett, who had played in various bands on Hollywood Strip and Topanga Canyon won the day. Soon, the new lineup of Clear Light were heading on a seventeen day residency in New York.
At their first gig in New York, new recruit Ralph Schuckett earned his Clear Light stripes. He wasn’t impressed by the crowd’s response and lack of enthusiasm and started chiding the audience, becoming more and more angry. By then, the venue manager was racing across the stage, and sacked Clear Light on the spot. His parting words were “you’ll never work in this town again.” How wrong he was.
The next day, Steve Paul phoned Clear Light and booked them to play at Scene East, which was a much more prestigious venue. By the time Clear Light took to the stage word of Ralph’s rant had spread like wildfire. Suddenly, everyone wanted to hear Clear Light, and this resulted in Clear Light enjoying a longer stay in the Big Apple. This also allowed Clear Light to hone their sound and songs, and by the time they returned to L.A. they were ready to finish recording their debut album.
For their eponymous debut album, the members of Clear Light had written nine new songs. They would later augment these songs with two cover versions. Clear Light penned Black Roses with Wolfgang Dios; and A Child’s Smile with Michael Ney. Doug Lubahn wrote Sand, Think Again and Night Sounds Loud. Bob Seal penned With All In Mind, They Who Have Nothing and How Many Days Have Passed. Clear Light’s new vocalist Cliff De Young cowrote The Ballad Of Freddie and Larry with keyboardist Ralph Schuckett. These nine songs would be recorded at one of the Hollywood’s top studios.
Before recording of Clear Light began at Sunset Sound Recorders, the newly named band had made their L.A. live debut. This took place at L.A.’s first love-in on Easter Sunday. Clear Light quickly won over what was an appreciative audience. Buoyed by the success of their live debut, Clear Light were ready to record their eponymous debut album.
When Clear Light arrived at Sunset Sound Recorders, they were met by their manager and producer Paul Rothchild. He was now one of the hottest producers in America, having just finished producing The Doors’ Strange Days. Joining Paul Rothchild in the studio was Elektra Records cofounder Jac Holman. He was the recording and production supervisor. As Paul Rothchild and Jac Holman watched on, Clear Light prepared to record their eponymous debut album.
By then, Clear Light’s lineup included a rhythm section of bassist Doug Lubahn, guitarist Bob Seal and drummers Dallas Taylor and Michael Ney who added percussion. They were joined by Ralph Schuckett, who switched between organ, piano and celesta. Cliff De Young add vocals on nine tracks, while Bob Seal takes charge of vocals on Black Roses and his composition All In Mind. With Paul Rothchild producing Clear Light, surely the album would soon be recorded?
With the addition of keyboardist Ralph Schuckett and new vocalist Cliff De Young, Clear Light could concentrate on completing their debut album. However, producer Paul Rothchild decided that songs recorded before Ralph Schuckett and Cliff De Young joined Clear Light, should be rerecorded. This meant the sessions would take longer. There was no other option though. Paul Rothchild saw the early versions as just work in progress. They just weren’t good enough to make the album. This was disappointing for Clear Light. However, the extra work was worthwhile.
When the songs were rerecorded, and keyboards and new vocals added, some of the songs took on new life and meaning. It was a total transformation, and much more representative of the new Clear Light. Gradually, Paul Rothchild was moulding Clear Light, and began to steer them in a new direction.
With nine songs recorded, Paul Rothchild decided that to complete the album, Clear Light should record two songs by members of Elektra Records’ family. The songs he had chosen were Greg Copeland and Steve Noonan’s Street Singer and Tom Paxton’s Mr. Blue. These two songs Paul Rothchild felt, would be ideal for Cliff De Young’s “Hamlet on acid delivery.” This would prove true. However, by then, Clear Light were beginning to resent Paul Rothchild.
Members of Clear Light felt that their manager and producer was becoming too controlling. He was also a perfectionist, which was no bad thing. However, the band tired of Paul Rothchild’s constant changing things. It was as if he was on a search for sonic perfection. Given the success Paul Rothchild had enjoyed with Love, The Doors and The Paul Butterfield Band, most bands would’ve been willing to listen and learn. Not Clear Light who decided to rebel.
Eventually, something snapped in Clear Light and they began to rebel. They felt Paul Rothchild was too controlling of the band. This may have worked with other bands, including Love, The Doors and The Paul Butterfield Band. However, the members of Clear Light had a rebellious streak, and didn’t take kindly to being constantly told what to do. This wasn’t the only thing the drove a wedge between Clear Light and Paul Rothchild.
By then, guitarist Bob Seals the oldest member of Clear Light was questioning the wisdom of having their producer as a manager. When he spoke out, Bob Seals claims he was singled out for criticism by Paul Rothchild. He remembers doing a guitar overdub on a song he had written. Meanwhile, Neil Young and some big name musicians were watching in the control room. By then, Bob Seals was wound up like a spring. When he stumbled over the guitar part, he claims Paul Rothchild said through the intercom: “you know, there are ten thousand guitar players in this town that can do this track if you can’t.” For Bob Seals this was a crushing blow. It was just as well that the album was almost completed.
When Clear Light was completed, the relationship between Clear Light and Paul Rothchild had sunk to a new low. Elektra Records had scheduled the release of Clear Light for October 1967. However, there was another problem.
Elektra Records had hired William S. Harvey to shoot the album cover. By then, Robbie Robinson was still a member of Clear Light. However, Elektra Records got round this by describing the former founder member as the band’s “guru” Robbie wasn’t on the photos in the inner sleeve. They feature the new lineup of Clear Spot, and does the instructions “in order to appreciate the spectacular double drumming of Clear Light, play at high volume.”
Whether critics followed these instruction isn’t known. What’s known, is that the reviews of Clear Light were positive on an album of carefully crafted music that veered between folk rock to heavy psychedelia. Producer Paul Rothchild brought the best out of Clear Light on their eponymous debut album, which later became a psychedelic classic.
Clear Light was an album that showcased the two talented vocalists. Bob Seal who provided the folk rock compositions was Clear Light’s secret weapon when he added the lead vocals on Black Roses and With All In Mind. Maybe if Clear Light had looked closer to home, then Bob Seal would’ve solved their vocalist problem? However, Cliff De Young vocal on Street Singer was dramatic and lysergic and was perfectly described as“Hamlet on acid delivery.” Then on Mr. Blue Cliff Young’s vocal was, dramatic, theatrical and menacing, before becoming manic and unhinged on The Ballad Of Freddie and Larry is manic and unhinged. Cliff Young it seems is taking a trip, as Clear Light waltz their way through the song. Doug Lubahn three contributions see Clear Light disappear further down the psychedelic rabbit hole. Sand, Think Again and Night Sounds Loud are prime cuts of heavy psychedelia and are lysergic and trippy. These tracks on Clear Light are a reminder of the golden age of psychedelia.
Following the release of Clear Light, the band embarked on a second tour of the East Coast in December 1967. Clear Light had just released Black Roses as a single, with She’s Ready To Be Free on the flip side.
When Clear Light arrived in New York, they started auditioning new guitarists. Little did Bob Seal realise that he was about to be replaced. His bandmates had stabbed him in the back. They wanted someone less outspoken, someone who would tow the party line. Eventually, Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar won the day.A heartbroken Bob Seal left, and headed to Sausalito, where he began a new life as a bassist. However, Bob Seal had the last laugh.
The new guitarist needed time to learn the band’s songs, and this meant that Clear Light were unable to play live or record. Some of the members of Clear Light picked up some session work to tide them over. However, by the end of February 1968, the latest lineup of Clear Light opened for Jefferson Airplane. Meanwhile, Night Sounds Loud became Clear Light’s third single in Britain. Things seemed to be going well for Clear Light.
They even got as far as beginning work on their sophomore album. However, the loss of Bob Seal had hit Clear Light hard, and they were no longer the same band. Cliff De Young realised this, and left the band in June 1969. This was perfect timing, as the rest of Clear Light had been looking for a new vocalist.
Dave Palmer who went on to join Steely Dan was first choice. When this didn’t work out, Duane Allman was approached, and talks took place. However, nothing came of it, and by September 1968, Clear Light split-up.
Looking back, the Clear Light story is one of what might have been. If Clear Light had continued to work with Paul Rothchild, what heights might they have reached? Would Clear Light have followed in the footsteps of their label mates and jamming partners The Doors? After all Paul Rothchild,had an enviable track record.
Paul Rothchild produced everyone from Tim Buckley to Love, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Fred Neil and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Part of his recipe for success was he was a perfectionist, who was constantly looking to improve the slightest detail. This worked and got results with many bands. However, Clear Light felt stifled, and rebelled.
This was a great shame. Clear Light were a talented band, who could’ve should’ve reached greater heights. However, by the end of the recording of Clear Light, their partnership with Paul Rothchild was all but over. Over the next eleven months, Clear Light seemed to implode. Guitarist Bob Seal, who had played an important part in the sound and success of Clear Light was betrayed, when his band mates started auditioning for a new guitarist. This backfired, and Clear Light were never the same tight unit. Their answer was to replace vocalist Cliff De Young. However, he beat them to it, and left Clear Spot. By then, the game was up for Clear Spot, and by September 1968 this talented and versatile band called time on their career.
Sadly, just over two years after Michael Ney first met Robbie Robinson, the adventure was over for Clear Light. A lot had happened since then. The lineup and name had changed several times, managers had come and gone, and Clear Light had recorded a stonewall psychedelic classic. Sadly, nearly fifty years after Clear Light called time on their career, they’re still one of music’s best kept secrets. However, Clear Light’s music is appreciated by discerning few musical connoisseurs who have discovered this psychedelic classic, which was recording by a group who should’ve gone on to reach heights. Sadly, for Clear Light, theirs is A Story Of What Might Have Been?
Clear Light-A Case Of What Might Have Been.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE DOORS
The Life and Times Of The Doors.
By 1972, The Doors were history after the tragic death of their charismatic frontman Jim Morrison, who had died on the 3rd July 1971. The Lizard King became the latest entrant into the twenty-seven club, where he joined Brian Jones, Janis Joplin, Alan Wilson and Jimi Hendrix. This meant that The Doors’ career ended at the top and their fans memories of them were never tarnished.
The Doors were never going to grow old together and they would forever be the band that featured on their final album L.A. Woman. Never would they age. Nor would they make a series of comebacks or reunions. There would never be any third-rate albums released. No way. The Doors career ended whilst they were at the top with a classic album. What saddened their fans is that The Doors’ career ended in tragic circumstances. However, their many fans still have their musical memories.
These memories included a sextet of critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums. Between 1967s The Doors and 1971s L.A. Woman, The Doors only ever released six albums. Their debut album, The Doors was certified platinum five times over. After that, four of the next five albums were certified platinum and one double platinum. That wasn’t all.
1970 saw The Doors’ release Absolutely Live. It was certified gold. The same year, they released their first compilation, 13. Released in January 1970, it was certified platinum. Then six months of the tragic loss of Jim Morrison, a second Doors’ compilation was released, Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine. It was a fitting tribute to one of rock’s greatest ever groups, The Doors, whose career began in 1965.
It was in 1965, that The Doors were formed in Los Angeles. The Doors had taken their name from Aldous Huxley’s seminal book The Doors Of Perception.They were a quartet lead by the charismatic vocalist Jim Morrison.
Jim Morrison was more than a singer, he was a lyricist and poet. He was a free spirit, charismatic, enigmatic and wildly unpredictable. Life was for living, and Jim Morrison lived a thousand lives in twenty-seven years. However, The Doors weren’t a one man band.
No. The Doors’ success was down to the four members of The Doors. This included drummer John Densmore, guitarist Robby Krieger and keyboardist Ray Manzarek. Together, they were about to enjoy the kind of commercial success and critical acclaim that they’d only dreamed of.
The Doors got their break in 1966. That was when they signed to Elektra Records. It was the first label to spot the potential in psychedelic rock. Before long. Elektra Records started signing up a whole host of psychedelic rock bands. Among the most successful were Love and The Doors, who released their debut album in January 1967.
The Doors.
Recording of what became The Doors, took place between the 24th and 31st August 1966. Six months later, on 4th January 1967, The Doors was released. It would become one of most influential albums The Doors released. So much so, it’s worthy of being referred to as a classic. Gradually, The Doors reached number two in the US Billboard 200 and was certified platinum five times over. Across the world, from Canada through Europe and into the UK, The Doors was critically acclaimed and commercially successful. In the UK it was certified platinum twice, while it was certified platinum five times over in France. This was helped by the commercial success of Light My Fire.
On its release Light My Fire, reached number one on the US Billboard 100 charts. It was the second single released from The Doors. Break On Through (To the Other Side) was the first single, but wasn’t a commercial success. Both singles featured on the 1972 compilation Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine. So did the haunting The End. It would go on to become a Doors’ classic. So would several songs from The Doors’ sophomore album Strange Days.
Strange Days.
Eight months later, The Doors returned with Strange Days, their sophomore album. It was released to the same widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. Released on 25th September 1967, Strange Days was hailed a heavy, psychedelic classic, after it reached number three in the US Billboard 200 charts. This resulted in Strange Days being certified platinum. Eventually, nine million copies of Strange Days were released. No wonder. Look at the psychedelic delights of Strange Days.
Strange Days featured some of the most psychedelic songs The Doors ever released. Among them were Strange Days, Love Me Two Times, When The Music’s Over and the moody, haunting People Are Strange. These tracks would feature on the 1972 compilation Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine. Two of these tracks, People Are Strange and Love Me Two Times were released as singles.
Both People Are Strange and Love Me Two Times reached the top thirty in the US Billboard 100, with People Are Strange proving the most successful, reaching number twelve. This proved that The Doors weren’t a one trick pony. No. The Doors were one of the heaviest, psychedelic rock bands of the sixties, lead by the charismatic Lizard King. Critics wondered what direction The Doors’ music would head?
Waiting For The Sun.
July 1968 saw The Doors release their third album Waiting for the Sun. Just like Strange Days, many of the songs had been written before The Doors signed their first recording deal. The Doors matured early as songwriters, and had enough material for several albums of material. This included Waiting for the Sun.
Waiting for the Sun. became The Doors’ first number one album. This gave the The Doors’ their second platinum album. Just like their two previous albums, Waiting for the Sun was a huge success worldwide. Whether it was Europe, Britain or North America, The Doors were providing the soundtrack to a generation’s life.
This included the two singles which were released from Waiting for the Sun. The first single was The Unknown Soldier, which was Jim Morrison’s reaction to the Vietnam War. A poignant, dramatic anti-war song, The Unknown Soldier gave voice to the frustration and anger a generation felt. Instantly, The Doors became the voice of a generation. This showed another side of The Doors’ music. Very different was the second single from Waiting for the Sun, Hello I Love You. It’s best described as two minutes of perfect pop. A timeless anthem, Hello I Love You gave The Doors a number one single. However, Hello I Love You doesn’t feature on Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine.
Instead, the compilers choose two hidden gems from Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine. They’re Love Street and Five To One. Love Street started life as a poem and became a baroque pop song. Five To One saw Jim Morrison drawing inspiration from the ninth century hymn and bedtime rhyme Now the Day is Over. By eschewing the obvious, when compiling Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine, it became one of the most captivating compilations of The Doors’ music ever released. What tracks from The Doors’ fourth album The Soft Parade.
The Soft Parade.
Never before had a year passed before The Doors’ released an album. That’s until they released The Soft Parade. It was released on 21st July 1969. Gone was the stripped down, understated sound of their first three albums. Instead, The Doors decided to add strings and horns. Some fans and critics didn’t welcome this change of sound. They also had a problem with the lyrics.
For some fans, The Soft Parade’s lyrics were formulaic. They felt that The Doors were following a formula when it came to writing lyrics. Given this was their fourth album, fans and critics felt that The Doors sound had to change. Despite this, The Soft Parade was a commercial success.
Released on 21st July 1969, The Soft Parade reached number six in the US Billboard 200 charts. This was The Doors’ least successful album. However, it still was certified platinum. This success continued with the lead single.
Who Scared You was released in 1968, as a taster of The Soft Parade. It reached number three in the US Billboard 100. The other three singles, Wishful Sinful, All The People and Runnin’ Blue all charted, but failed to crack the top thirty in the US Billboard 10. None of the singles feature Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine.
Instead, Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine features Who Scared You and Shaman’s Blue. Who Scared You was the B-Side to Wishful Sinful, Shaman’s Blues, with its laid-back, lysergic sound, epitomises the late-sixties and is one of the forgotten highlights of The Soft Parade, which marked a change in The Doors’ music. What next for The Doors?
Morrison Hotel.
As a new decade dawned, little did The Doors know that they’d only release two more studio albums. The first of these two albums was Morrison Hotel, which saw The Doors change direction again
For their fourth album The Soft Parade, The Doors changed direction. This didn’t please critics and fans. So, on on Morrison Hotel, The Doors returned to their trademark sound and combined it with a bluesy hue. Recording took place during August 1966, March 1968 and November 1969. The result was a fusion of psychedelia and blues rock. It proved popular with critics and music lovers.
Released on 9th February 1970, Morrison Hotel, which is often referred to as Hard Rock Café, after the title of the first side of the album, reached number four in the Us Billboard 200. This resulted in Morrison Hotel being certified platinum. Over the Atlantic, Morrison Hotel was certified gold. That was a familiar story. Throughout the world, Morrison Hotel was both commercially successful and critically acclaimed. The Doors were back, despite Morrison Hotel not featuring a hit single.
You Make Me Real was the only single released from Morrison Hotel. It stalled at just number fifty in the US Billboard 100. Maybe that’s why You Make Me Real doesn’t feature on Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine. Roadhouse Blues the B-side to You Make Me Real features on Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine. So does The Spy, Maggie McGill and Ship Of Fools. They feature The Doors at the peak of their powers, when they were one of the biggest and best bands of the late-sixties. Absolutely Live The Doors first live album, is proof of this.
Absolutely Live.
Just five months after the release of Morrison Hotel, The Doors released their first live album, Absolutely Live. It was a tantalising taste of The Doors live. This was a double album that had been compiled from The Doors’ tour. Absolutely Live is one of the best live albums you could hope to hear. Featuring The Lizard King at his most charismatic, he struts his way through some of The Door’ best known songs. It’s no surprise that Absolutely Live was a huge commercial success.
Released on 20th July 1970, Absolutely Live reached number eight in the US Billboard 200. It was certified gold. The same year, The Doors released their first compilation, 13 and the commercial success kept on coming.
13.
Released in November 1970, 13 featured some of greatest music The Doors released between 1967 and 1967. So, it’s no surprise that it reached number twenty-five in the US Billboard 200. This resulted in 13 being certified platinum. It seemed The Doors could do no wrong.
L.A. Woman.
L.A. Woman proved to be the last album released during Jim Morrison’s lifetime. It was released on 19th April 1971. Three months after the release of L.A. Woman, The Lizard King was dead. His swan-song was L.A. Woman.
Just like Morrison Hotel, L.A. Woman saw The Doors combine blues rock and psychedelia. There was a difference though. Longtime Doors’ producer Paul Rothschild had been replaced. In his place, Bruce Botnick co-produced L.A. Woman with The Doors, which marked another appearance from Jim Morrison’s alter ego, the blues veteran.
At this point in his life, Jim Morrison was heavily Influenced by legendary blues singers like Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. This influence began on Morrison Hotel, and continued on L.A. Woman.
Recording of L.A. Woman began at The Doors workshop, in Los Angeles. After that, much of L.A. Woman was recorded live. The recording took just two months. Between December 1970 and January 1971 ten tracks were recorded. Only a few overdubs were added. So essentially, L.A. Woman is a live album. It was also critically acclaimed and commercially successful.
Released on April 19th 1971, L.A. Woman reached number eight in the US Billboard 200. This resulted in L.A. Woman being certified double platinum. Across the world, L.A. Woman sold in vast quantities. Even more so, three months later when The Doors’ charismatic frontman Jim Morrison had died on the 3rd July 1971. Before that, there was still the small matter of two top twenty singles.
They were L.A. Woman and Love Her Madly. L.A. Woman reached number eleven in the US Billboard 100. Riders In The Storm, a true Doors’ classic then reached number fourteen in the US Billboard 100. This marked the end of an era. Never again, would the original lineup of The Doors release another album. So, it’s fitting that four tracks from L.A. Woman feature on Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine.
A quartet of tracks that feature on feature on Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine include the anthemic L.A. Woman, the single Love Her Madly and its B-Side (You Need Meat) Don’t Go No Further). The other track is The Wasp (Texas Radio & The Big Beat). Just like the other tracks, it shows what The Doors were capable of. They were one of the most exciting, innovative and pioneering band of the late-sixties. Their music is timeless and remains some of the finest rock music ever recorded. However, the question we’ll never know the answer to, is what further greatness The Doors might have achieved?
One Voice.
One can only speculate the direction that The Doors’ music might have headed? They did release one further album, One Voice. Released in October 1971, it reached just number thirty-one in the US Billboard 100. Without the charismatic Lizard King’s vocals, The Doors weren’t the same band, the band that features on the second compilation they released Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine, which was originally released in January 1972.
Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine.
On it release in January 1972, Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine reached number fifty-five in the US Billboard 200. It was certified gold and is a captivating compilation of one of the greatest bands in musical history. One of the reasons for this, is the choice of music on Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine, which was a double album.
Rather than just make Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine a greatest hits album, the compiler digs deeper. B-Sides, rarities and album tracks are included. The result is a fascinating overview of one of the most innovative and pioneering bands in musical history. Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine was a fitting tribute to The Lizard King. On its release, Weird Scenes From Inside The Gold Mine was certified gold. This meant that in the space of five years, The Doors had sold over thirteen-million albums.
Over five years, The Doors released six studio albums, one live album and one compilation. They sold over thirteen million copies in America alone. Across the world, The Doors were one of the biggest selling bands of the late-sixties and early seventies. There’s a reason for this. The Doors pushed musical boundaries to their limits, and sometimes, beyond. Their music was ambitious, groundbreaking and genre-melting as well as ambitious and innovative. The Doors are one of he greatest groups of all time and release several classic albums.
This included their debut album The Doors, and their sophomore album Strange Days, plus Waiting for the Sun, Morrison Hotel and L.A. Woman, which tragically, proved to be The Doors’ swan-song. These albums showcase one of the greatest groups of the sixties and early seventies. Sadly, their time at the top was cut tragically shot.
Never again, would the original lineup of The Doors set foot in a recording studio. As a result, The Doors’ career ended at the top. Our memories of them were never tarnished. The Doors never got to grow old together. Instead, they would forever be the band that featured on their final album L.A. Woman. Never would they age. Nor would they make a series of comebacks or reunions. Instead, The Doors will forever remain one of the most important, innovative, influential and successful groups in musical history,
The Life and Times Of The Doors.
MARIANNE FAITHFUL’S DECCA YEARS.
Marianne Faithful’s Decca Years.
By March 1964, it was apparent that pop music wasn’t just a passing fad. The Beatles were a global phenomenon, and the British Invasion of the American charts had just begun. Britain was a musical powerhouse, that the world envied. Despite this, many labels weren’t resting on their laurels.
Record companies in Britain were constantly on the search for ‘the next big thing.’ Surely they reasoned, there was another Fab Four somewhere in Britain. It was all a matter of finding them. Some labels put more effort into this than others.
Decca Records had an enviable network of A&R executives and talent scouts across Britain. Their finger was on the pulse of the local music scene. Night after night, talent scouts headed out to local pubs and clubs, where they listened to new bands and singers. Promising artists were signed to contracts, before other labels even had a chance to hear them. Helping Decca Records add to their already enviable roster, were various producers and music ‘impresarios.’
They were the trusted ears of some record companies. This included the Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham. He was by 1964, was managing the second biggest band in the world. The Rolling Stones only rivals were The Beatles. So when Andrew Loog Oldham recommended a new, unknown artist to Decca Records, they took notice.
The artist Andrew Loog Oldham was unlike any he had come across. Even her background was unlike that of any artist he had encountered. The eighteen year old former convent girl, was the daughter of an Austrian aristocrat and a former British Army officer, who was now a professor of psychology and Italian literature at Bedford College of London University. They had met in Vienna, and were living in Hampstead when Marianne Faithful was born on 29th December 1946. However, this would soon change.
The Faithful family had to move to Ormskirk in Lancashire, while her father finished his doctorate at Liverpool University. Later, the Faithful family lived at the commune and institution for social research in Braziers Park, a Grade II listed building at Ipsden, Oxfordshire. This must have seemed an idyllic place to grow up. However, when Marianne was six, her parents divorced.
For Marianne the Reading years weren’t exactly happy ones. She lived with her mother in Milman Road, Reading, which she refers to as the “Reading Gaol.” No wonder. It was a far cry from the early years of her life.
Now, money was tight, and Marianne and her mother were reduced to living in suburbia. To make matters worse, Marianne suffered from tuberculosis; and she had to become a subsidised pupil at St Joseph’s Convent School where she was a weekly boarder. It was at school, that Marianne Faithful first took to the stage.
It wasn’t as a singer though. Instead, she was part of the school’s Progress Theatre group. Little did anyone realise, that when Marianne Faithful left St Joseph’s Convent School, she spend much of her life on the stage. Before that, Marianne Faithful escaped the drudgery and boredom of suburban Reading.
Very different was London’s social scene, which Marianne Faithful threw herself into. It was as if she was making up for the Reading years. London was different from small-town Reading. Marianne enjoyed the constant round of parties, record launches and gallery openings. She even travelled to Cambridge to attend a University ball, where she met her future husband John Dunbar. By then, Marianne was regular in London’s folk circuit.
For some time, Marianne Faithful had been playing coffee shops, including Cafe Au Lait and Shades. Her career was in its infancy, but through John Dunbar, Marianne Faithful met Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon. They were enjoying a successful career. Not as successful as the two men Peter Asher introduced Marianne Faithful to at a party in March 1964.
Marianne Faithful went along to a party with John Dunbar in March 1964. That was where she was introduced to the leaders of the two biggest groups in the world. First Marianne met Paul McCartney, and then she was introduced to Mick Jagger. Little did she realise the effect this meeting would have on her career.
Through Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithful was introduced to Andrew Loog Oldham. Straight away, he signed Marianne Faithful to Decca Records. Soon, work began on Marianne’s debut single.
For Marianne Faithful’s debut single, As Tears Go By, which was penned by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards was chosen. It was produced by Mike Leander, and released in the summer of 1964. As Tears Go By reached number nine in Britain; twenty-two in the US Billboard 100 and thirty-five in Australia. The eighteen year old had enjoyed a hit single on three continents. However, the followup single wasn’t as successful.
Having chosen to cover a Jagger-Richards song for her debut single, Marianne Faithful decided to cover Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ In The Wind for her sophomore single. When it was released later in 1965, it failed to chart on both sides of the Atlantic. Surely Marianne Faithful wasn’t a one hit wonder?
Decca Records didn’t think so, and decided that Marianne Faithful should begin work on not just one album, but two albums.
Come My Way.
It was a case of striking while the iron was hot. Many artists weren’t didn’t enjoy a long shelf life. So as soon as they had a single under their belt, they were sent into the studio to record an album. Decca Records decided that Marianne Faithful should record two quite different albums, Come My Way and Marianne Faithful. Of the two albums, Come My Way would only be released in Britain.
For Come My Way, Marianne Faithful chose fourteen tracks. Many of the tracks were traditional songs. This included Come My Way, Jaberwoc and Spanish Is The Loving Tongue, Fare Thee Well, Down In The Salley Garden, Full Fathom Five and Bells Of Freedom. Other tracks included Lee Hayes’ Lonesome Traveller and Ian Tyson’s Four Strong Winds. These songs were recorded at IBC Studio, London with producer Tony Calder.
On Come My Way, Marianne Faithful concentrated purely on folk music. This was what Marianne had been singing up until then. She sang and played her acoustic guitar against John Mark’s spartan arrangements. This would prove successful when Come My Way was released.
It wasn’t until 15th April 1965 that Marianne Faithful released Come My Way. The album was well received by critics, and reached number twelve in Britain. However, Come My Way wasn’t released in America. Instead, Marianne Faithful’s eponymous sophomore was released on both sides of the Atlantic the same day as Come My Way.
Marianne Faithful.
Marianne Faithful was recorded at the same time as Come My Way, and would be released in America and Britain. However, Marianne Faithful was a very different album to Come My Way. Gone was the folk sound of Marianne’s debut album. It was replaced by pop, chanson and ye-ye. Already, Marianne was showing that she was a versatile singer.
For Marianne Faithful, fourteen pop covers had been chosen. This included Jackie DeShannon’s Come and Stay With Me; Bacharach and David’s If I Never Get to Love You; Tony Hatch’s Downtown; Jagger and Richards’ As Tears Go By; Jackie DeShannon and Jimmy Page’s In My Time of Sorrow; and Lennon and MCartney’s I’m A Loser. Marianne Faithful also made her songwriting debut, cowriting Time Takes Time with Barry Fantoni. These songs were recorded in two London studios.
At Lansdowne Studios and Decca No. 2 Studio, London, Marianne Faithful recorded another fourteen songs with producer Tony Calder. This time, a band accompanied Marianne, as she flitted between musical genres. Then Plaisir D’Amour became one of the first songs that Marianne would record in French. The London born chanteuse was about to become one of the ye-ye girls, while enjoying commercial success on both sides of the Atlantic.
Just like Come My Way, Marianne Faithful was released on 15th April 1965. Reviews of the album were positive, with critics remarking that some of the song’s were perfectly suited to Marianne Faithful. She brought life and meaning to the songs. So it wasn’t a surprise that Marianne Faithful reached fifteen in Britain, and twelve in the US Billboard 200. This wasn’t the end to the success.
Come And Stay With Me was released as a single from Marianne Faithful. It reached number four in Britain, and twenty-six in the US Billboard 100. Then This Little Bird was released later in 1965, and reached number six in Britain, and thirty-two in the US Billboard 100. For Marianne, this was a fairytale. A year after signing to Decca Records, she was a star on both sides of the Atlantic.
Less than a month after the release of Come My Way and Marianne Faithful, Marianne married John Dunbar on the 6th of May 1965, in Cambridge. After the wedding, the pair lived in a flat in Belgravia, in London. What looked like a fairytale continued.
Go Away From My World.
Although newly married, and expecting her first child, Marianne Faithful had to record a new American album. It featured twelve tracks, which were a mixture of traditional songs and cover versions.
Among the traditional songs were Come My Way, Mary Ann, Scarborough Fair and North Country Maid. Cover versions included Lennon and McCartney’s Yesterday and Tom Paxton’s The Last Thing On My Mind. Marianne also decided to cover Francis McPeake’s Wild Mountain Thyme and Cyril Tawney’s Sally Free and Easy. These songs were produced by Mike Leader, and scheduled for release in November 1965.
Reviews of Go Away From My World were mainly positive. However, looking back with the benefit of hindsight, it’s an album that’s appealing to everyone. There’s songs for people who like folk and pop music; while Marianne Faithful had been a much more pop oriented album. Maybe Go Away From My World fell between two stools?
After the success of Marianne Faithful in America, Go Away From My World reached a disappointing eighty-one on the US Billboard 200. The only crumb of comfort was that when Summer Nights was released as a single, it reached number ten in Britain and number twenty-four in the US Billboard 100. Then Marianne’s cover of Yesterday reached number thirty-six in Britain. Her last single from Go Away From My World was the title-track, which reached a lowly eighty-nine in the US Billboard 100. Little did Marianne know, that Go Away From My World would be her last American hit. That would’ve been the least of her worries.
In December 1965, Marianne Faithful left her husband of seventh months, and went to live with the Rolling Stones’ frontman Mick Jagger. Little did Marianne realise this decision would change her life, and people’s perception of her forever more. That was still to come. Before that, Marianne Faithful began work on her next album North Country Maid.
North Country Maid.
As 1966 got underway, Marianne Faithful and Mick Jagger through themselves headfirst into swinging London’s social scene. They epitomised swinging London, and were seen at the smartest parties. However, Marianne had an album to record.
North Country Maid would become Marianne Faithful’s third British album. However, six of the songs had featured on the now ironically titled American album Go Away From My World. This included traditional songs like Scarborough Fair; How Should I Your True Love and North Country Maid. The other tracks included Cyril Tawney’s Sally Free and Easy; Jon Mark’s Lullabye and Francis McPeake’s Wild Mountain Thyme. This left Marianne to record six new songs.
They were a mixture of traditional song and cover versions. The traditional songs included Cockleshells; She Moved Through The Fair and How Should I Your True Love Know. Other tracks included covers of Tom Paxton’s Last Thing On My Mind; Ewan McColl’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Donavon’s Sunny Goodge Street. These tracks were recorded with producer Mike Leander.
When the recording the six songs began, Marianne Faithful was joined by guitarists Big Jim Sullivan and Jon Marks. He had worked on all of Marianne’s albums, arranging the tracks. Joining them in the studio was an up-and-coming engineer, Gus Dudgeon. Soon, the six songs took shape, and the release of North Country Maid was scheduled for spring 1966.
Before the release of North Country Maid on 1st of April 1966, critics had their say on Marianne Faithful’s third album. The consensus was, that North Country Maid was the finest album of her nascent career. That however, was no surprise.
Great care had gone into choosing the twelve songs that became North Country Maid. These songs seem tailor made for Marianne, as she flits seamlessly between musical genres. Although primarily an album of folk music, blues, country, acid folk and even pop can be heard on North Country Maid. It’s the perfect showcase for Marianne’s versatility as a singer.
Playing an important part in the success of North Country Maid, were Mick Taylor and Jon Mark’s arrangements. Jon Mark and Big Jim Sullivan accompany Marianne on arrangements that although they’re mostly understated and spartan, allow Marianne’s vocal to take centre-stage; She’s equally comfortable singing traditional songs and cover versions on North Country Maid, which was by far, the best album of Marianne Faithful’s career.
Despite that, North Country Maid failed to chart on its release on 1st April 1966. For Marianne Faithful this was a huge blow. Her two previous albums had sold well in Britain, and she had enjoyed several hit singles. However, the warning signs were there when Go Away From My World failed to chart. This made Marianne’s next album a crucial one.
Love In A Mist.
For her fourth British studio album, Love In A Mist Marianne Faithful decided to change tack. It was a case of needs must. Not only had her career stalled, but acoustic folk music was no longer as popular. Even Bob Dylan had plugged in, and gone electric in 1966. So Marianne decided to reinvent herself on Love In A Mist.
She had started to reinvent herself on her American album, Faithful Forever. It was released in September 1966, but failed to chart. Despite this, half of the tracks that featured on Faithful Forever, found their way onto Love In A Mist. Along with the other seven songs, a total of fourteen tracks found their way onto Love In The Mist.
Among the tracks on Love In The Mist were a trio of tracks from Donovan, In the Night Time, Young Girl Blues and Good Guy. Marianne covered Jackie DeShannon’s You Can’t Go Where the Roses Go and With You In Mind. She also covered Tim Hardin’s Don’t Make Promises and Reason To Believe. Other tracks included Lennon and McCartney’s Yesterday; John D. Loudermilk’s; This Little Bird; Bob Lind’s Counting and Bernstein and Sondheim’s I Have A Love. Ne Me Quitte Pas and Coquillages allowed Marianne to show her versatility on a couple chanson songs. Love In The Mist was shaping up to be her most eclectic album.
With seven tracks to record, Marianne entered the studio with a band. This was a first. They played on Love In The Mist, but took care not to overpower Marianne’s vocal. It veers between elegiac and ethereal, to melancholy and wistful. Sometimes it’s hopeful, but often it sounds worldweary. Marianne it seemed, had lived some of the lyrics. On several tracks, there’s a return to the understated sound of previous albums. However, Mike Leander decided to orchestrate parts of Love In The Mist. He even added subtle horns on several tracks. They work well, and should’ve played an important part in the reinvention of Marianne Faithful.
Sadly, by the time Love In The Mist was released, Marianne had been embroiled in scandal. Her decision to befriend the Rolling Stones had backfired on her badly. This could be traced back to 1965, when she left husband John Dunbar in December, and moved in with Mick Jagger not long after this. By 1965, Marianne had befriended another member of the Rolling Stones’ inner circle…Anita Pallenberg.
Marianne and Anita became friends in 1965. Soon, they were smoking marijuana together. Then in 1966, Marianne decided to take her son to stay with Anita and Brian Jones. By then, Marianne was a familiar face with Mick Jagger at swinging London’s smartest and wildest parties. So some time with Anita and Brian Jones would allow to spend some time with friends. The time passed off without incident. If only the same could be said of the events of 12th February 1967.
By then, it was less than a month before Marianne Faithful would release her fourth album. On Sunday 12th February 1967, she was relaxing with members of the Rolling Stones’ inner circle at Redlands, Keith Richards country estate. That night, the Sussex police raided Redlands looking for drugs. The claimed to have been tipped off that a drug were being consumed on the premises When they entered Redlands, they discovered Marianne covered by just a fur rug. This would come back to haunt Marianne.
After a search of Redlands, various tablets and substances, including amphetamine and cannabis were discovered. This lead to the arrest of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. They were charged, and were facing imprisonment. However, as the story became front page news, so did the details of how the police discovered Marianne. This shocked many little Englanders, who viewed not just Mick Jagger and Keith Richards with distaste, but Marianne Faithful too.
Suddenly, the press were raking over her private life, serving up every salacious piece of petty gossip for the titillation of the little people in their two up, two downs. They stood in judgment of Marianne, who was about to release a new album.
Just over three weeks later, Marianne Faithful released her fourth album, Love In A Mist on the 2nd of March 1967. Despite the quality of the music on Love In A Mist, the album never came close to troubling the charts. Whether the unwanted publicity affected sales of Love In A Mist is a matter of speculation? Following the release of Love In A Mist, Decca Records and Marianne Faithful parted company. Marianne’s Decca Records ‘ swan-song was her most underrated albums.
Love In A Mist is a genre hopping album were Marianne Faithful flits between folk, chanson and pop to country, acid folk and baroque pop. It’s a captivating roller coaster of emotion. However, sadness, melancholy and hurt feature throughout Love In A Mist. Sadly, very few people heard Love In A Mist, which makerked the end of Marianne Faithful’s career at Decca Records. It would be a long time before she reached these heights again.
Indeed, it wasn’t until 1975 that Marianne Faithful released another album Dreamin’ My Dreams. By then, Marianne Faithful had been to hell and was still on the way back. The last eight years had taken their toll.
In 1968, Marianne Faithful suffered a miscarriage. At the time, she was struggling with a cocaine addiction. For Marianne it was a huge blow. However, she was a survivor, and would be back.
In 1970, her relationship with Mick Jagger was over, and she lost custody of her son. This lead to Marianne Faithful trying to commit suicide. Over the next few years, Marianne battled anorexia nervosa and heroin addiction. Things got so bad that for two years, Marianne was homeless in London. Mike Leander found Marianne living in the streets of London in, and tried to revive her career. However, Marianne’s addictions and problems made recording an album impossible.
During the early seventies to mid seventies, Marianne Faithful made just a few public appearances. Many critics thought that Marianne Faithful’s career was over. Some feared the worst. It was a far cry from 1964, when her star was in the ascendancy and she was the brightest star in the London music scene. However, in 1975. Marianne returned with a new album.
Dreamin’ My Dreams was released in 1975, and reached number one in Ireland. It was a start, and a step in the right direction.
When Broken English was released in 1979. the comeback of Marianne Faithful was complete. The album featured her now husky voice. Drink and drugs had taken their toll. This didn’t stop Broken English being released to critical acclaim, and selling over a million copies worldwide. Since then Marianne Faithful, who is now seventy-eight, has rebuilt her life and is one of music’s true survivors whose Decca years are regarded of the highlight of a long and eventful life and career.
Marianne Faithful’s Decca Years.
ALICE COOPER’S WARNER BROS YEARS 1969-1983.
Alice Cooper’s Warner Bros Years 1969-1983.
It was in Detroit, Michigan, on February 4th 1948, Vincent Damon Furnier was born, and he would go on to become one of the biggest names in music, after changing his name to Alice Cooper in 1968. After that, Alice Cooper’s career has spanned five decades and twenty-six studio albums. This includes the fifteen albums released on Warner Bros. between 1969 and 1983. During the first fourteen years of Alice Cooper’s sometimes controversial career, he released some of the best music of his long and eventful career. However, when Vincent Damon Furnier was growing up, very few people could’ve foreseen that he would forge a career as a rock star.
Growing up as Vincent Damon Furnier life was very different. Vincent Damon Furnier grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where his father was a minister in the Church of Jesus Christ. When Vincent was eleven, he was already participating in church life. This was short-lived, and only lasted until Vincent was twelve.
By then, he was attending Nankin Mills Jr. High School, and was suffering from a variety of illnesses. This resulted in the Vincent’s father moving the family to Phoenix, Arizona.
Having moved from Detroit to Phoenix, Vincent attended Cortez High School in North Phoenix. After leaving high school, Vincent attended Glendale Community College, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. By then, Vincent’s musical career was well underway. It began in 1964, when Vincent and the members of the school’s cross-country team, formed a group The Earwigs.
They entered the annual high school talent show. The Earwigs performance saw the mime to various Beatles’ songs. Somehow, this was enough for The Earwigs to win the first prize. This was enough to whet Vincent’s musical appetite. Soon, The Earwigs were renamed as The Spiders. The newly formed group’s lineup featured Vincent on vocals; lead guitarist Glen Buxton, rhythm guitar John Tatum, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer John Speer. Mostly, The Spiders played cover versions of songs by British Invasion bands. This included The Beatles, The Who, Rolling Stones and The Kinks. Soon, though, The Spiders’ thoughts turned to recording their debut single.
Why Don’t You Love Me was recorded in 1965, and became The Spiders’ debut single. For the recording of Why Don’t You Love Me, Vincent had to learn the harmonica. On the flip side was a cover of Hitch Hike, which had given Marvin Gaye a hit. The single was then released on Mascot Records, which was owned by local music impresario Jack Curtis. He was a concert promoter, owned the Stage 7 club, where The Spiders had a residency. Things were going well for The Spiders, who were set to graduate high school in 1966. Having all graduated in 1966, change was on the horizon.
Michael Bruce replaced rhythm guitarist John Tatum. The new recruit played on The Spiders’ sophomore single Don’t Blow Your Mind. Although this was one of the first songs The Spiders had penned themselves, it went on to reach number one locally. By 1967, The Spiders’ star was in the ascendancy.
They were travelling as far afield as Los Angeles, to play live. It was around this time that The Spiders changed their name to Nazz, and released Wonder Who’s Lovin’ Her Now? On the B-Side was a song that would reappear later, Lay Down and Die, Goodbye. It would become an Alice Cooper favourite. Before that, drummer John Speer was replaced by Michael Speer, and Nazz relocated.
Like many bands before them, Nazz decided to move to L.A. From he birth of rock ’n’ roll, bands always moved to where the record companies, recording studios and prestigious clubs were. Nazz were no different, and decided moved to L.A. where they hoped they could attract the attention of a record company. However, there was a problem. Word got back to the members of Nazz, that Todd Rundgren had a also a band called Nazz. It had been around longer, so the members of Nazz had to come up with a new name. This was when Alice Cooper was born.
Many myths surround the naming of Alice Cooper. However, the most plausible was, that Alice Cooper was the name of a character in an American television series Mayberry R.F.D. It was shown on CBS, one of the biggest television networks. So in homage to Mayberry R.F.D., Nazz became Alice Cooper. So did Vincent Damon Furnier. The twenty-one year old singer, songwriter and musician saw the potential in adopting a persona. That persona, allowed him to portray various “characters.” This varied from album to album. However, with Vincent’s sense of theatre, drama, flamboyance and showmanship, this would prove crucial not just to the success of the band Alice Cooper, but later, his solo career. Before that, Alice Cooper the band, attracted the attention of Frank Zappa.
Ironically, this came after a particularly disappointing gig. Alice Cooper only played ten minutes at the Cheetah club in Venice, California. That was enough for Alice Cooper to clear the room. That was a disaster. However, for Alice Cooper, every cloud had a silver lining. Shep Gordon, who managed various bands, approached Alice Cooper. He realised that Alice Cooper had potential, and it was just a matter of guiding them, and pointing them in the right direction. This included arranging an audition with Frank Zappa, who had just founded a new record label, Straight Records.
Being a new label, Frank Zappa’s Straight Records were looking to build up a roster of artists. So Shep Gordon arranged for Alice Cooper to audition at Straight Records. The time of the audition was seven o’clock. What the members of Alice Cooper didn’t realise, was that they were meant to arrive at Frank Zappa’s house at 7pm. Instead, they arrived at 7am. This could’ve proved disastrous, but didn’t. After hearing Alice Cooper’s brand of psychedelic rock, Frank Zappa offered the band a three album deal, which they accepted. Now Alice Cooper could begin work on their debut album, Pretties For You.
Pretties For You.
Now signed to Straight Records, the five members of Alice Cooper began recording what became Pretties For You. Producing the album, were producers Ian Underwood and Herb Cohen. They oversaw the recording of thirteen tracks, penned by the five members of Alice Cooper.
This included the rhythm section of drummer Neal Smith, bassist Dennis Dunaway and rhythm guitarist Michael Bruce. They were augmented by lead guitarist Glen Buxton and Alice Cooper on lead vocals. That’s apart from on Sing Low, Sweet Cheerio, which features Michael Bruce on lead vocal. Throughout the album, effects are used extensively. They add to what Alice Cooper saw as an ambitious and innovative album of psychedelia. Guiding Alice Cooper through the musical maze that was their debut album were producers Ian Underwood and Herb Cohen. However, it was more than an psychedelic album.
Pretties For You was an album that had obviously been influenced by Pink Floyd. Especially, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. However, psychedelia wasn’t the only influence on Pretties For You. There’s also a jazz influence, on Pretties For You, as Alice Cooper experiment with various time signatures. Avant garde and experimental music influenced Alice Cooper as they worked on their debut album.
These eclectic influences lead to criticism of Pretties For You. For some critics, Pretties For You was just too left-field an album. They didn’t understand the eclectic influences that had shaped the album. Nor did they understand the constant changes in tempo and time signatures. Reviews ranged from unfavourable to mixed. This didn’t augur well for the release of Pretties For You. June 1969 saw the release of Pretties For You. The album stalled at 193 in the US Billboard 200. This was disappointing for Alice Cooper, who were about to receive some unwelcome publicity.
On September 13th 1969, Alice Cooper were playing at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival. Mid-set, a chicken flew onto the stage. Alice Cooper thinking the chicken could fly, threw it off the stage. What happened next is unclear. Allegations were made that when the chicken was thrown off the stage, it was ripped to pieces. By the next day, newspapers were reporting that Alice Cooper had bitten the head off the chicken.
The next day, Frank Zappa phoned Alice Cooper to establish what exactly happened. Alice Cooper denied the story. Frank Zappa thinking that all publicity is good publicity, told him to admit to biting the head off the chicken and drinking its blood. This was the worst advice he could’ve given Alice Cooper. The story has haunted him, and has harmed his career. For many people, his name is synonymous with that story. Once the controversy had started to die down in 1969, Alice Cooper began work on their sophomore album Easy Action.
Easy Action.
Despite Alice Cooper’s newly acquired hell raising image, he was in fact, a very different person. The title to Alice Cooper’s sophomore album, Easy Action, came from a line in West Side Story. It featured nine new tracks, penned by the five members of Alice Cooper. No longer were all the tracks credited to the five members of the band. Now, it was every man for himself, as work began on Easy Action.
The nine tracks tracks that became Easy Action were recorded between late-1969 and early 1970. Producing Easy Action was David Briggs. The change of producer was meant to bring a change in fortune for Alice Cooper. That wasn’t to be. When critics heard Easy Action, they weren’t impressed. Reviews were far from flattering of what was a commercial type of psychedelia. Later, even members of the band weren’t impressed with Easy Action. Drummer Neal Smith felt it resembled the music was more like a: “TV or radio commercial.” Part of the blame lay at producer David Briggs’ door. Neal Smith remembers “he did not help with song arrangement or positive input in any way.” It’s not surprising that when Easy Action was released, it wasn’t a commercial success.
Easy Action was released in March 1970, and disappeared without trace. Alice Cooper’s sophomore album sunk faster than the Titanic. With just one album left on their contract with Frank Zappa’s Straight Records, Alice Cooper needed a break.
Love It to Death.
Even Frank Zappa seemed to be having his doubts about Alice Cooper. He decided that Alice Cooper released a single before releasing what became Love It to Death. The song chosen, was I’m Eighteen, which showcased Alice Cooper’s new, hard-rocking sound.
This was the third single Alice Cooper had released, but the first to chart. I’m Eighteen reached number twenty-one on the US Billboard 100. Alice Cooper got the green light to record their third album, Love It to Death.
For the recording of Love It To Death, a new production team of Jack Richardson and Bob Erzin were brought onboard. Bob Erzin had earned his stripes producing the hit single I’m Eighteen. Now he and Jack Richardson had to hone Alice Cooper’s new sound. The one-time freak psychedelic band had reinvented themselves as a swaggering, hard-rocking band. Elements of hard rock and heavy metal melted into one, on Love It To Death. Every member of Alice Cooper had played a part in writing the nine songs. Alice Cooper wrote Second Coming, and cowrote I’m Eighteen and Is It My Body with the rest of the band. These tracks, and the rest of the album were recorded at RCA Mid-American Recording Center, Chicago and scheduled for release on March 8th, 1971.
Before that, critics had their say on Love It To Death. They were won over by Alice Coopers, swaggering, aggressive and ballsy hard-rocking sound. They were a group reborn sonically and stylistically. Om Love It To Death’s album cover, Alice Cooper wore dresses and makeup. This would prove controversial in the conservative parts of America. That didn’t seem to affect album sales. When Love It To Death was released, it reached thirty-five in the US Billboard 200. Having sold one million copies, Love It To Death was certified platinum. Elsewhere, Love It To Death proved popular in Canada and Britain. Alice Cooper’s career was well underway.
Killer.
Having released Love It To Death on Straight Records in conjunction with Warner Bros., Alice Cooper’s three album deal with Frank Zappa was up. The members of Alice Cooper knew that to move to the next level, they needed the major label machine behind them. So they signed to Warner Bros. and began work on their fourth album, Killer.
Alice Cooper didn’t waste time before returning to the recording studio. They were keen to build on the success of Love It To Death. So Alice Cooper headed to RCA Studios, in Chicago to record eight new tracks with producer Bob Erzin.
Again, various members of Alice Cooper wrote or cowrote tracks. This included Alice Cooper, who cowrote five tracks. Among them, were ou Drive Me Nervous which Alice cowrote with Michael Bruce and producer Bob Erzin. He cowrote two tracks, and was quickly, becoming an important part of the Alice Cooper success story.
That success, if the critics were correct, would’ve ground to a halt. Many reviews of Killer were far from positive. Killer was seen as licking the cohesion of Love It To Death, and revisited the erratic sound of Alice Cooper’s first two albums. Robert Christgau had some strong words; referring the album as “surreal,” “theatrical,” and let us not forget “transvestite” trappings”. Adding to irony of Robert Christgau’s comments, are his comments about the weakness of Under My Wheels and Be My Love.
When the singles were chosen from Killer, Under My Wheels reached fifty-nine, before Be My Love surpassed this, reaching number forty-nine in the US Billboard 100. While neither single matched the success of I’m Eighteen, it was obvious that Alice Cooper were on the right road. Especially when Killer was released in November 1971, and reached twenty-one on the US Billboard 200. This was enough for Alice Cooper to receive their second platinum album. Could they make it three in a row?
School’s Out.
Alice Cooper arrived at The Record Plant, New York early in 1972. They were about to begin work on their fifth album in three years. By then, Alice Cooper and the rest of the band were just twenty-four. Success had come quickly, and they were living the rock ’n’ roll dream. The Record Plant was one of New York’s premier studios. However, Alice Cooper were well on their way to becoming one of America’s biggest bands. A lot depended on their fifth album, School’s Out.
For School’s Out, Alice Cooper played a bigger part in the songwriting process. He cowrote seven of the nine tracks. This included cowriting the anthemic School’s Out with the rest of the band; and My Stars with Bob Erzin. Again, Bob Erzin cowrote two tracks on what’s loosely described as Alice Cooper’s first concept album.
School’s Out dealt with school, and coming of age. The album opener was the future Alice Cooper classic, School’s Out. It would reach number two in the US Billboard 100, number three in Canada and number one in Britain. Since then, it’s been a staple of Alice Cooper’s live shows. However, when School’s Out was released in June 1972, nobody realised how popular the single and album would become.
When critics heard School’s Out, they realised that it wasn’t just an album hard rocking music. There was a hint of glam rock, like on Killer, and a nod to art rock. Essentially, Alice Cooper were spreading their wings stylistically. That didn’t seem to matter. Reviews of School’s Out ranged from mixed to favourable. Partly, that was because some critics looked down on the theatre, drama and showmanship of Alice Cooper, and their live shows. It was only later that critics would rethink their opinions on Alice Cooper. So with disappointing reviews preceding the release of School’s Out, there was no hint that Alice Cooper were about to release the most successful album of their career.
When School’s Out was released, the record vinyl was wrapped in a pair of paper pants. This must have seemed like a good idea at the time. However, it later transpired that the material the paper pants were made out of, were flammable. By then, School’s Out was racing up the charts.
June 1972 saw the release of School’s Out, which reached number two in the US Billboard 200. This resulted in the third platinum album of Alice Cooper’s career. Elsewhere, from Canada to Australia, Europe and Britain, School’s Out found its way into the top ten. Alice Cooper were now one of the biggest bands on planet rock.
Billion Dollar Babies.
Just two months after the release of School’s Out, Alice Cooper began work on their sixth album, Billion Dollar Babies. By then, Alice Cooper were touring School’s Out. So the album was recorded in studios on both sides of the Atlantic with Bob Erzin.
Three studios were used to record Billion Dollar Babies. Sessions took place at The Galecie Estate, Greenwich and The Record Plant, New York were the two American studios Billion Dollar Babies was recorded at. Other sessions took place at Morgan Studios, London. A total of ten songs were scheduled to be recorded for Billion Dollar Babies. Of these ten tracks, nine were cowritten by Alice Cooper. Again, Bob Erzin collaborated on two tracks and added keyboards as Alice Cooper celebrated their good fortune.
The album title, Billion Dollar Babies, was a result of the money coming Alice Cooper’s way. After four years releasing records, the members of Alice Cooper were very rich young men, and able to buy whatever they wanted. Suddenly, people who previously, wouldn’t have looked their way, wanted to know them. This included women who wanted to date them; and men wanted to befriend them, hoping some of their good fortune would come their way. However, there was also a darkness to Billion Dollar Babies.
During Billion Dollar Babies, Alice Cooper explored the sick perversions that some people have. The album titles hint at the darkness within Raped and Freezin’, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Sick Thing and I Love The Dead. Other themes included fear of dentists, horror and sexual harassment. This was all part and parcel of Alice Cooper’s most controversial album. How would critics respond to Billion Dollar Babies?
Ironically, Billion Dollar Babies received some of the best reviews of any Alice Cooper. Critically acclaimed described the reviews. The only criticism was that Billion Dollar Babies lacked an obvious single. That proved not to be the case.
Four singles were reeled from Billion Dollar Babies. Elected was the lead single in 1972, and reached number twenty-six on the US Billboard 100. Hello Hooray then reached thirty-five on the US Billboard 100 1973. No More Mr. Nice Guy reached number twenty-five on the US Billboard 100. The final single was Billion Dollar Babies, which reached number fifty-seven on the US Billboard 100. That didn’t matter though.
When Billion Dollar Babies was released on February 25th 1973, it reached number one in Britain and America. Billion Dollar Babies was certified platinum in America, and gold in Canada. Elsewhere, Billion Dollar Babies reached the top ten everywhere from Australia to Austria, Germany and Norway. In the Netherlands, Billion Dollar Babies reached number one. Alice Cooper had just enjoyed the most successful album of their career. Now they set about touring Billion Dollar Babies.
Following the release of Billion Dollar Babies, Alice Cooper embarked upon an ambitious tour of America. Alice Cooper were all set to play sixty-four dates in fifty-nine cities in ninety days. This tour was meant to gross over $20 million.
Alice Cooper played each night against a set that would put many Hollywood theatres to shame. Each night, between forty and fifty road crew arranged 26,000 pounds of equipment. The list of equipment ran to page after page. Despite this, the concert which veered towards theatre and horror show, grossed only $4 million. This was disappointing for Alice Cooper. Worse was to come. The followup, Muscle Of Love, would prove to be Alice Cooper’s swan-song.
Muscle Of Love.
Following the success of Billion Dollar Babies, Alice Cooper began work on the followup, Muscle Of Love. It marked a change of style and sound. Gone was the theatre of Billion Dollar Babies, to be replaced by a much more back to basics rock ’n’ roll sound of Muscle Of Love.
Recording of Muscle Of Love took place at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, The Record Plant, New York and The Cooper Mansion, Greenwich. That’s where the nine tracks were recorded. They were all cowritten by Alice Cooper. He was forming a successful songwriting partnership with Michael Bruce. They cowrote four songs, and cowrote another four with various songwriting partners. However,one man was missing, producer Bob Erzin.
For the first time since Easy Action, Bob Erzin was missing. The official line was, that he was recovering from an illness. However, later, Dennis Dunaway alleged that Michael Bruce had an argument with Bob Erzin when the producer refused to change the arrangement of Woman Machine. This argument lead to Bob Erzin splitting with Alice Cooper, and Jack Richardson and Jack Douglas replacing him. The result was a concept album, which was far from Alice Cooper’s finest hour.
Just like School’s Out, Muscle Of Love can be loosely described as a concept album. This time, the subject matter Alice Cooper claimed was ”urban sex habits”. Alice Cooper seemed to like to walk on the wild side, and shock conservative middle America. Critics were also shocked. Not at the subject matter, but the quality of the album.
Critics weren’t impressed by The Jack Richardson and Jack Douglas produced Muscle Of Love. Reviews ranged from the good, bad and indifferent. Only Creem gave Muscle Of Love a positive review. They seemed to see something nobody else did.
Muscle Of Love as a mixed bag was, and still is, one of the worst albums in Alice Cooper’s career. It’s down there with Alice Cooper’s sophomore album Easy Action. Neither Jack Richardson nor Jack Douglas were able to replace Bob Erzin. That became clear when Muscle Of Love was released on November 20th 1973.
On its release Muscle Of Love reached number ten on the US Billboard 200, and was certified gold. Elsewhere, Muscle Of Love reached number four in Canada, and was a minor hit in Australia and Britain. It was a disappointing way for the Alice Cooper story to end.
Members of Alice Cooper decided to put the band on hold. This allowed Alice Cooper to forge a career on television. Meanwhile, Alice Cooper’s Greatest Hits was released in August 1974, and reached number eight on the US Billboard 200. This stopped people forgetting about Alice Cooper. So did the release of the feature film Good To See You Again, Alice Cooper, which featured footage of the band live. However, by then Alice Cooper were history.
Alice Cooper said farewell during a South American tour, which took place during March and April 1974. One of the highlights of the tour was playing un front of 158,000 fans in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This wasn’t the end of the Alice Cooper story. Far from it.
Alice Cooper returned in 1975, having changed his name officially to Alice Cooper. This meant there were no legal problems for him using his former band’s name. He was now touring as a solo artist, using what was now regarded as his real name, Alice Cooper.
Alice Cooper-The Solo Years.
Welcome To My Nightmare.
Having now embarked upon a solo career, Alice Cooper brought back Bob Erzin. He had been badly missed on Muscle Of Love. He wasn’t just a producer, but a songwriter, keyboardist and confident.
On Welcome To My Nightmare, Bob Erzin cowrote six of the ten tracks with Alice Cooper. He worked with various songwriting partners, including singer, songwriter, musician and ‘musical impresario’ Kim Fowley. Another songwriting partner was Dick Wagner, of Lou Reed’s band.
Many members of Lou Reed’s band accompanied Alice Cooper on Welcome To My Nightmare. It was recorded at the Soundstage, Toronto and the Record Plant, Electric Lady and A&R Studios, New York during the second half of 1974 and early 1975. Once Welcome To My Nightmare was complete, Alice Cooper’s debut solo album was scheduled for release in March 1975.
Prior to the release of Welcome To My Nightmare, critics received a copy of Alice Cooper’s debut album. Just like some of Alice Cooper’s previous albums, it was a concept album. This time, it was a musical journey through the nightmares of a child called Steven. Critics however, weren’t over impressed, and reviews were mixed. One mistake was the horns that punctuated what was a fusion of heavy metal, art rock and classic rock. They were in the wrong movie. However, rescuing the album were Devil’s Food, The Black Widow, Department of Youth and Cold Ethyl. Maybe, this quartet of tracks could kick-start Alice Cooper’s solo career.
Only Woman Bleed was chosen as the lead single from Welcome To My Nightmare, and reached number twelve in the US Billboard 100. Then Department of Youth reached a lowly sixty-seven and Welcome to My Nightmare stalled at forty-five in the US Billboard 100. By then, Welcome to My Nightmare had reached number five in the US Billboard 200. This resulted in the album being certified platinum. Across the border, Welcome To My Nightmare was certified double platinum. Meanwhile, Welcome to My Nightmare was certified platinum in Britain. It looked like Alice Cooper was about to enjoy a long and successful solo career.
Alice Cooper Goes To Hell.
For his sophomore album, Alice Cooper returned to the story of Steven, which began on Welcome To My Nightmare. The next part of the story unfolded on Alice Cooper Goes to Hell.
For Alice Cooper Goes To Hell, eleven tracks were penned. Nine were written by Alice Cooper, Bob Erzin and guitarist Dick Wagner. I Never Cry was penned by Alice Cooper and Dick Wagner; while You Chasing Rainbows was a standard penned by Harry Carroll, Joseph McCarthy. These eleven tracks would be recorded in three studios.
Just like Welcome To My Nightmare, some of Alice Cooper Goes To Hell was recorded at Soundstage, Toronto and at Record Plant, New York. Other sessions took place on the West Coast, at RCA Recording Studios, Los Angeles. Accompanied by a tight, talented band of top session players, and Bob Orzin producing, Alice Cooper recorded his second solo album, Alice Cooper Goes To Hell. It was scheduled for release on June 25th 1976, with an ambitious tour following.
All wasn’t well in Alice Cooper’s personal life. He had been enjoying the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle too much. Now, Alice Cooper was a borderline alcoholic. He revealed this on I Never Cry, which was tantamount to a confession via a rock ballad. This was something Alice Cooper had some success with.
Only Women Bleed, the most successful single from his debut solo album, Welcome To My Nightmare, had been a ballad. He was hoping that lightning would strike twice, when I Never Cry was released as a single. Just like Only Women Bleed, it reached number twelve in the US Billboard 100. This augured well for the release of Alice Cooper Goes To Hell.
Much however, would depend on the critical reception to Alice Cooper Goes To Hell. Just like Welcome To My Nightmare, the reviews of Alice Cooper Goes To Hell were mixed. It seemed that Alice Cooper had struggled to release a cohesive album. Only Billion Dollar Babies was seen as a cohesive album from Alice Cooper. That had been when Alice was with the band. Three years had passed since the release of Billion Dollar Babies. The portents were there.
On the release of Alice Cooper Goes To Hell on June 25th 1976, the album stalled at twenty-seven on the US Billboard 200. It was certified gold. However, these were worrying times.
Especially when Alice Cooper was forced to cancel his 1976 Alice Cooper Goes To Hell tour. He was suffering from Anaemia. Was his lifestyle catching up on Alice Cooper?
Lace and Whiskey.
There was more than a hint that this was the case, in the title of Alice Cooper’s third solo album, Lace and Whiskey. It was a concept album with a difference. Gone was the darkness of previous albums. To replace it, Alice Cooper adopted the persona of heavy drinking, hard living, comedic P.I. Maurice Escargot. Alice Cooper even dresses as P.I. Maurice Escargot on the back of Lace and Whiskey’s album cover.
On the back of Lace and Whiskey was the track listing. There were ten tracks, including eight written by Alice Cooper, Dick Wagner and Bob Ezrin. You and Me was penned by Alice Cooper and Dick Wagner; while Charles Underwood wrote Ubangi Stomp. These ten tracks would be recorded in four studios.
Lace and Whiskey was recorded at Soundstage, Toronto, Record Plant, New York and at RCA Recording Studios, Los Angeles. Other sessions took place a the Producer’s Workshop in L.A. With many of the same top session players that played on Alice Cooper Goes To Hell, Bob Orzin got to work producing, Alice Cooper’s third solo album, Lace and Whiskey.
April 29, 1977 was when Lace and Whiskey would be released. However, by then, critics had quite rightly, torn Lace and Whiskey to shreds. Essentially, Lace and Whiskey was a rock album. However, sometimes, Alice Cooper seemed to flit between genres. This included on the easy listening ballad You and Me, and the disco tinged No More) Love at Your Convenience. Neither could be described as Alice Cooper’s finest moment. Indeed, Lace and Whiskey was the worst album of Alice Cooper’s solo career…so far.
The lead single from Lace and Whiskey was You and Me, which somehow, reached number nine in the US Billboard 100. Then Lace and Whiskey reached just forty-two in the US Billboard 200. There neither a platinum nor gold disc this time round. Despite this, Alice Cooper embarked on his King of the Silver Screen tour.
It started off in the summer of 1977, and saw Alice Cooper return to the theatre of previous tours. There were even commercials between some of the songs. So popular was the tour, that it returned in the summer of 1978, when it was renamed the School’s Out For Summer tour. By then, Alice Cooper had climbed into, and out a bottle.
From The Inside.
In 1978, Alice Cooper celebrated his thirtieth birthday. Over the last couple of years, he had been to hell and back. He spent time in a psychiatric hospital, in an attempt to cure his alcoholism. This experience he revisited on what would become his fourth solo album, From The Inside.
For From The Inside, there was a change in songwriting partnership. The lyrics to six songs were penned by Alice Cooper and Bernie Taupin; while Dick Wagner and Alice wrote the music. Alice cowrote the other four tracks with various songwriting partners, including Dick Wagner and David Foster who cowrote the title-track. One name missing, was Bob Erzin.
The man who had been at Alice Cooper’s side for the best years of his career was missing. The last time Bob was absent, had proved disastrous, when 1973s Muscle Of Love proved to be the Alice Cooper band’s swan-song. Bob Erzin’s replacement was David Foster. Could he fill the void left by Bob Erzin?
David Foster and Bernie Taupin weren’t the only new names. Guitarist Davey Johnstone and bassist Dee Murray had previously been members of Elton John’s band. They joined Alice Cooper’s band to record an album that veered between classic rock to heavy rock and a much more poppy sound. Then there was the power ballad How You Gonna See Me Now? It was later chosen would as the lead single, and reached number twelve in the US Billboard 100. Before that, critics had their say on From The Inside.
Reviews of From The Inside ranged from mixed to favourable. This was an improvement on the disastrous Lace and Whiskey. However, still, Alice Cooper hadn’t released an album that was cohesive. From The Inside was still a mixed bag of songs.
This became apparent when From The Inside was released in November 1978. It stalled at number sixty in the US Billboard 200. Then when From The Inside was released as a single, it failed to chart. For Alice Cooper, this was a disaster. Those within the music industry wondered if Alice Cooper’s career was at a crossroads?
Despite the musings of critics and industry insiders, Alice Cooper headed out on the Madhouse Rocks Tour, which followed the release of From The Inside. From February to April 1979, Alice Cooper toured America, hoping that this would improve sales of From The Inside. That wasn’t to be, and Alice Cooper wouldn’t release another album until 1980.
Flush The Fashion.
After the Madhouse Rocks Tour finished in April 1979, Alice Cooper’s thoughts turned to recording his next album. It was a time of change for Alice Cooper.
Not only did Flush The Fashion sees a stylistic change from Alice Cooper. His music veered from classic rock to hard rock and even new wave. This was a first, but showed that Alice Cooper was determined to move with the times. To help him do that, he brought onboard new songwriting partners.
Six of the ten tracks on Flush The Fashion were credited to Alice Cooper, Davey Johnstone and Fred Mandel. Alice Cooper also cowrote Dance Yourself to Death with Frank Crandall. Along with a small, tight band, featuring just four musicians, Alice Cooper recorded his first album of the eighties, Flush The Fashion. It was released on April 28th 1980.
By then, it had been a long time since Alice Cooper had enjoyed a successful album. Gold and platinum discs were a thing of the past. According to critics, that would be the case for the foreseeable future. Flush The Fashion was a decidedly average album, featuring the good, the bad and the mediocre. That became apparent when Flush The Fashion was released.
Before that, Clones (We’re All) was released as the lead single, but reached just forty in the US Billboard 100. Then Talk Talk failed to chart. When Flush The Fashion was released, it stalled at forty-four in the US Billboard 200. This was disappointing. However, a small crumb of comfort came when Flush The Fashion was certified gold in Canada. Maybe Alice Cooper’s luck was changing?
Special Forces.
By the time, Alice Cooper began recording Special Forces, he should’ve been buoyed by Flush The Fashion being certified gold in Canada. However, he was living a lie. Alice was in the throes of cocaine addiction. He was hopelessly addicted. So much so, that he recorded three albums, and can’t remember doing so. The first was Special Forces.
For the recording of Special Forces, Alice Cooper’s band had expanded to five. This included Duane Hitchings, who cowrote four songs with Alice. The pair also cowrote Vicious Rumours with two other members of the band, Erik Scott and Mike Pinera. In total, Alice Cooper cowrote nine of the ten tracks on Special Forces. The other track was a cover of Arthur Lee’s Love classic Seven and Seven Is. This track, and the rest Special Forces was produced by another new producer, Richard Podolor, who previously, had produced Three Dog Night and Stepponwolf. Could he rejuvenate Alice Cooper’s career.
The answer to that was no. Special Forces received mixed reviews. Stylistically, it was similar to Flush The Fashion, flitting between classic rock, hard rock and new wave. Just like Flush The Fashion, Special Forces was another decidedly average album. It was a long time since Alice Cooper had released an album that had critics reaching for superlatives. With each album, he seemed more like yesterday’s man. However, this wasn’t surprising.
Special Forces was the first of a trio of what Alice Cooper refers to as his “blackout albums.” So far in throes of addiction was Alice Cooper, that he can’t remember Special Forces. He probably can’t remember on The Tomorrow Show dressed in military fatigues. Alice Cooper looked gaunt, and a lot older than thirty-three. Viewers worried that this was a story without a happy ending.
When Special Forces was released in September 1981, it reached just 125 in the US Billboard 200. Elsewhere, Special Forces bombed. For Alice Cooper, and executives at Warner Bros., these were worrying times.
Despite that, Alice Cooper toured Special Forces. In Canada, Alice Cooper arrived onstage late. The Canadian audience, who had always been loyal to Alice Cooper, took umbrage. A riot ensued, and the show was cancelled. With sales slow and Alice Cooper’s asthma worsening, the tour finished in February 1982, and Alice Cooper didn’t tour again for four more years.
Zipper Catches Skin.
Following the end of his tour in February 1982, Alice Cooper began to think about what was his fourteenth album since 1969. Incredibly, he was only thirty-four. That was hard to believe. Alice Cooper looked ten years older. His lifestyle was catching up on him. It was also affecting his music. That had been apparent for a while. However, most of the time, Alice Cooper could remember recording an album. Special Forces was the first time that Alice Cooper recorded an album and can’t remember doing so. Zipper Catches Skin was the second in Alice Cooper’s “blackout” trilogy.
Stylistically, Zipper Catches Skin featured several changes in direction. Apart from the classic rock, hard rock and new wave of his last two albums, Alice Cooper added elements of pop punk and post punk. However, Alice Cooper had gotten to the post punk party late.
Other bands had pioneered the post punk sound from 1977 onwards. For Alice Cooper, however, post punk was new. He wanted to avoid the cliches that other post punk artists resorted to, on what would be lean, mean, stripped back songs.
Aiding and abetting Alice Cooper, were Billy Steele, Erik Scott and John Nazzinger. They penned Zorro’s Ascent. The Alice Cooper, John Nitzinger and Erik Scott songwriting team cowrote I Like Girls, Remarkably Insincere and Tag, You’re It. These songs were high on the sarcasm count. Make That Money (Scrooge’s Song and No Baloney Homosapiens was a track from the old songwriting partnership of Alice Cooper and Dick Wagner. They joined with Erik Scott to pen I Better Be Good and I’m Alive (That Was the Day My Dead Pet Returned to Save My Life). Along with a cover of Gary Osborn and Lalo Schifrin’s I Am The Future, these ten tracks became Zipper Catches Skin.
This time around, Alice Cooper’s band had expanded. Joining the rhythm section were four guitarists, a synth player, percussionist and backing vocalists. However, this was no ordinary band. They were tight, talented and determined to rejuvenate Alice Cooper’s career. That however, was easier said than done.
Midway through the recording of Zipper Catches Skin, Dick Wagner had enough. He didn’t like what he saw, and left. Dick described Zipper Catches Skin as an: “off to the races speedy album” and a “drug induced nightmare.” Many thought that he was exaggerating. However, he was later vindicated when the documentary Super Duper Alice Cooper was released and showed Alice Cooper smoking crack cocaine during the Zipper Catches Skin. No wonder Dick Wagner exited stage left. By then, Alice Cooper was coproducer of the second “blackout” album.
Zipper Catches Skin was being produced by Alice Cooper and Erik Scott; with Steve Tyrell producing I Am The Future. Despite this latest change in producer, still Alice Cooper wasn’t able to reach the heights of his debut album. Again, Zipper Catches Skin lacked cohesion, and was another mixed bag of songs. There were some good songs on the album. However, they were in the minority. This became apparent when Zipper Catches Skin released on August 25th 1982.
Despite Alice Cooper appearing on a television commercial for Zipper Catches Skin, it became the first album since Easy Action not to chart. Zipper Catches Skin was a long way from the days of million selling albums. Executives at Warner Bros. and critics wondered if these days were gone for good?
DaDa.
For Alice Cooper’s fifteenth album, Bob Erzin returned to try and reduce his old friend’s career. Six years had passed since the pair had worked together. Since then, Alice Cooper’s career had hit the buffers. Making a bad situation even worse, was that Alice Cooper had started drinking again. After several years sober, Alice Cooper had fallen off the wagon. He was showing no sign of climbing back onboard. This made the recording of DaDa hard work.
Despite seeing things that scared him away from the Zipper Catches Skin sessions, Dick Wagner returned. He collaborated with Alice Cooper and Bob Erzin on Former Lee Warmer, No Man’s Land, Scarlet and Sheba and Fresh Blood. The trio also cowrote Enough’s Enough, Dyslexia and I Love America with Graham Shaw. However, it was Bob Erzin who wrote the title track, which opened DaDa. Fittingly, Alice and Dick Wagner penned Pass The Gun Around, which closed DaDa. It was produced by Bob Erzin, who guided what was an experienced band through the recording of Alice Cooper’s fifteenth album, DaDa.
Just like many previous Alice Cooper album, DaDa is best described as a concept album of sorts. Thematically, DaDa is somewhat weak. It appears that the album’s central character Sonny, suffers from mental illness. This manifests itself in a personality disorder; and various personalities emerge through the album. Dada, which came complete with a Dadaist cover, was critics believed, a marginally better album than the two previous “blackout” albums. That was ironic.
Alice Cooper’s contract with Warner Bros. was almost at an end in 1983, when he released DaDa on September 28th 1983. It flitted between avant garde and experimental to classic rock, new wave and hard rock. However, Warner Bros., who had almost lost patience with Alice Cooper, didn’t seem to spend much promoting DaDa. This showed, when DaDa failed to chart. This was an ignominious end to Alice Cooper’s Warner Bros. years.
After fourteen years and fifteen albums, Alice Cooper’s Warner Bros. years were over. DaDa was the last album Alice Cooper released until 1986. During that three year sabbatical, Alice Cooper made every effort to get clean. This resulted in a brief resurgence in Alice Cooper’s career between 1986 and 1991. However, for many people, the best period of Alice Cooper’s career came between 1971s Love It To Death and 1973s Billion Dollar Babies. During that period, the four albums Alice Cooper released were all certified platinum in America. Even the Alice Cooper band’s swan-song, the rock ’n’ roll inspired Muscle Of Love was certified gold. Then when Alice Cooper embarked upon a solo career, things looked so promising.
1975s Welcome To My Nightmare was certified platinum, and Alice Cooper Goes To Hell was certified gold in America. These two albums were the finest albums of Alice Cooper’s Warner Bros. years. Other albums lack the quality of these albums. They’re mixed bags, ranging from the good, bad and indifferent. Even Alice Cooper’s trilogy of “blackout” albums feature some hidden gems. Even on his worst albums, there’s something worth hearing. It seems even in his darkest hour, Alice Cooper could produce something guaranteed to grab the listener’s attention. However, the best music of Alice Cooper’s career was released between 1971 and 1973 and includes a quartet of albums that includes Love It To Death, Killer, School’s Out and Billion Dollar Babies. They’re without doubt, the best of Alice Cooper’s Warner Bros. Years.
Alice Cooper’s Warner Bros Years 1969-1983.
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