Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,202 
|
Post by Confessor on Apr 14, 2017 5:26:18 GMT -5
Now I read one time somewhere years ago in one of those "exposé" style articles often based on the reminiscences of disgruntled ex-employees or whoever that the influence was so great that it pretty much amounted to the Stones ripping off Graham Parsons's musical ideas and making millions out of it. It was a long time ago and I probably shouldn't be spreading unfounded rumours like this, but the way I remember it, the story was that Parsons was hanging out with them quite a bit for a few weeks back in the late 60s and naively thought he and Richards were just having a good time jamming with their acoustic guitars and playing off each other, never dreaming that some of the stuff he was playing would make its way without credit or any hope of royalties onto a Stones album. The whole POV of the article was that he was totally taken advantage of by the unscrupulous, world-wise Richards and Jagger. I think Wild Horses was the particular song they emphasised, but that might have been just because it was such a huge hit. This is all from distant memories and I've probably got the whole thing hopelessly garbled, but have any of you Stones experts heard or read something along these lines? I so, any opinions? I don't think that this is really true...certainly not from the accounts I've read of Gram's time with the Stones by his biographers, or those of The Byrds and the Stones. From what I've read, Gram was definitely a bit of a sycophant and absolutely loved hobnobbing with a band as famous as the Rolling Stones -- to the point where, according to bassist Chris Hillman, he was more interested in hanging with the Stones than he was with reheasing with his own band, The Flying Burrito Brothers. His friendship with Keith Richards wasn't really a fleeting infatuation either. The pair first met in '68, while Gram was still with the Byrds, and when he left the group later that year, it was Richards' house in West Sussex that he retreated to. Discovering a mutual love of country music (about which Gram was by far the most knowledgeable of the two), the pair would spend hours playing old country songs on guitar and talking. They remained friends until Parsons' death in 1973. Parsons even ended up singing in the ensemble chorus of "Sweet Virginia" from the Stones' 1972 Exile on Main Street album. While it's true that Gram definitely influenced the Stone's forays into country rock in the late '60s and early' 70s, not least because he introduced Richards to a whole host of country artists that he had previously been unaware of, I don't beileve that constitutes the Stones ripping off his musical ideas and making millions from them. Influencing and inspiring a love of country music in both Richards and Mick Jagger, is not the same thing as the pair ripping the guy off. In fact, there's no doubt that Gram's friendship with the Stones, and Richards in particular, did his own career little harm. It certainly raised his profile within the music business (remember, Parsons was, during his lifetime, a pretty marginal figure on the L.A. music scene and really not a famous star in any way). He was also allowed by the Stones to release a version of the Jagger/Richards song "Wild Horses" before the Stones did. Parsons' version appeared on the Flying Burrito Brothers' second album Burrito Deluxe in April 1970, almost a year before the Stones themselves released the song. The Stones were not prone to giving their songs away to other artists, especially not all-time great songs like "Wild Horses", so the band certainly bestowed a big honour on him there. So, yeah, I think any exploitation of the friendship between Parsons and the Stones went both ways, which is not to say that Parsons and Richards weren't genuine friends, because I really think they were. I've certainly never read anything to suggest that the Stones actually stole musical ideas or songs from Parsons. |
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Apr 14, 2017 7:09:19 GMT -5
50 Years Ago Today-The Significant Albums Of April 1967Country Joe and the Fish: Electric Music for the Mind and Body (Vanguard)At first, Country Joe and the Fish were indie rockers. Three tracks on this trip-music classic, including the stoner's hymn "Bass Strings" and the drifting instrumental "Section 43," were initially cut by the Berkeley band for a 1966 EP on singer-songwriter Joe McDonald's agitprop label, Rag Baby. He started the Fish as a protest jug band (the name combines nods to Joseph Stalin and Mao Tse-tung) but here temporarily kept his left-wing zest in check. Flanked by the electric organ of David Cohen and Barry Melton's biting-treble guitar, McDonald spread with a preacher's zeal and spearing wit the local gospel of chemical travel and carnal freedom in "Flying High," "Happiness Is a Porpoise Mouth" and "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine." In fact, Vanguard insisted the Fish not include one of their most popular tunes, a McDonald zinger that later became a singalong pillar of the anti-war movement: "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag."  Howard Tate: Get It While You Can (Verve) Macon-born and Philadelphia-raised, Howard Tate never went Top Ten even on the soul charts but is remembered along with James Carr as the great lost soul man. "Ain't Nobody Home" became a B.B. King perennial, "Look at Granny Run Run" was the best thing to happen to senior sex till Levitra, and "Get It While You Can" was taken up as a showstopper by none other than Janis Joplin. The album didn't chart at all. But Tate had a supernal falsetto shriek to complement his rough howl, and writer-producer Jerry Ragovoy knew how to milk them both -- among other things, by adding two blues standards to his own sharp songs, which even for a guy who retired on "Piece of My Heart" got pretty peaky here. :format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-8923824-1471559197-4036.jpeg.jpg)
|
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Apr 15, 2017 20:14:58 GMT -5
Now I read one time somewhere years ago in one of those "exposé" style articles often based on the reminiscences of disgruntled ex-employees or whoever that the influence was so great that it pretty much amounted to the Stones ripping off Graham Parsons's musical ideas and making millions out of it. It was a long time ago and I probably shouldn't be spreading unfounded rumours like this, but the way I remember it, the story was that Parsons was hanging out with them quite a bit for a few weeks back in the late 60s and naively thought he and Richards were just having a good time jamming with their acoustic guitars and playing off each other, never dreaming that some of the stuff he was playing would make its way without credit or any hope of royalties onto a Stones album. The whole POV of the article was that he was totally taken advantage of by the unscrupulous, world-wise Richards and Jagger. I think Wild Horses was the particular song they emphasised, but that might have been just because it was such a huge hit. This is all from distant memories and I've probably got the whole thing hopelessly garbled, but have any of you Stones experts heard or read something along these lines? I so, any opinions? I don't think that this is really true...certainly not from the accounts I've read of Gram's time with the Stones by his biographers, or those of The Byrds and the Stones. From what I've read, Gram was definitely a bit of a sycophant and absolutely loved hobnobbing with a band as famous as the Rolling Stones -- to the point where, according to bassist Chris Hillman, he was more interested in hanging with the Stones than he was with reheasing with his own band, The Flying Burrito Brothers. His friendship with Keith Richards wasn't really a fleeting infatuation either. The pair first met in '68, while Gram was still with the Byrds, and when he left the group later that year, it was Richards' house in West Sussex that he retreated to. Discovering a mutual love of country music (about which Gram was by far the most knowledgeable of the two), the pair would spend hours playing old country songs on guitar and talking. They remained friends until Parsons' death in 1973. Parsons even ended up singing in the ensemble chorus of "Sweet Virginia" from the Stones' 1972 Exile on Main Street album. While it's true that Gram definitely influenced the Stone's forays into country rock in the late '60s and early' 70s, not least because he introduced Richards to a whole host of country artists that he had previously been unaware of, I don't beileve that constitutes the Stones ripping off his musical ideas and making millions from them. Influencing and inspiring a love of country music in both Richards and Mick Jagger, is not the same thing as the pair ripping the guy off. In fact, there's no doubt that Gram's friendship with the Stones, and Richards in particular, did his own career little harm. It certainly raised his profile within the music business (remember, Parsons was, during his lifetime, a pretty marginal figure on the L.A. music scene and really not a famous star in any way). He was also allowed by the Stones to release a version of the Jagger/Richards song "Wild Horses" before the Stones did. Parsons' version appeared on the Flying Burrito Brothers' second album Burrito Deluxe in April 1970, almost a year before the Stones themselves released the song. The Stones were not prone to giving their songs away to other artists, especially not all-time great songs like "Wild Horses", so the band certainly bestowed a big honour on him there. So, yeah, I think any exploitation of the friendship between Parsons and the Stones went both ways, which is not to say that Parsons and Richards weren't genuine friends, because I really think they were. I've certainly never read anything to suggest that the Stones actually stole musical ideas or songs from Parsons. Glad to hear it, and I feel guilty for spreading these scurrilous rumours! Wish I remembered where I read it, or who the source was. It might have been that book by an ex-bodyguard or hanger-on that came out in the 70s, I remember reading an excerpt from it in I believe an issue of Playboy; but it might have been something else altogether, can't say after all this time. |
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Apr 15, 2017 20:48:32 GMT -5
I like those Howard Tate songs. First time I ever heard of him, but all three of those were good.
And a little to my surprise, I like the Bass Strings track by Country Joe and the Fish. I say it's to my surprise because I think the only song I ever heard by them before was that Fixin to Die one, which I've always disliked the sound of musically, though I think the lyrics expressed an important idea or attitude and like the fact that a popular song back then could be so explicitly political.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Apr 16, 2017 20:19:02 GMT -5
Close Encounters Of The Musical Kind-Part 2 of Chapter 6 Volume 1
So, who did my cousin bring to our luncheon meeting a few years back. In my opinion, he's one of the most unappreciated and mostly forgotten gents of Rock "n Roll and yet his resume and experiences are astonishing. You are on the honor system not to google the name as I tell you his background and lets see if you can guess who I'm talking about
He was born and raised in New York City. A self taught guitarist who loved early rock he managed to get hired to do session work with a band named The Royal Teens. The Royal Teens had already had a Top 5 song in 1960 called "Who Wears Short Shorts" and needed help in the studios for their followup material. He was only 14 years old when he got that gig.
Working in the studios got him further work on other, forgettable sessions. But he made many connections as time went on and began to partner with Bob Brass and Irwin Levine in songwriting. Together they wrote "This Diamond Ring" performed by Jerry Lewis' son Gary Lewis and his band The Playboys. It wound up as the #1 song for February 1965
He subsequently moved to Greenwich Village and hobnobbed with the folk/rock crowd. He got to meet Bob Dylan and was invited to a recording session. He tried to get permission to play his guitar during the session but the regular guitarist, Mike Bloomfield was leagues better. He then asked if he could play the organ but again was denied by the recording engineer, Tom Wilson. Wilson took a break for awhile and while he was gone, our hero went back to the organ and played as Dylan ran through one of his songs. On the playback, Dylan said "Turn up that organ louder and let's do it again". It was the first time he played the organ professionally and now it's a classic- Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone"
He was now on tour with Dylan as part of his electric band. His relationship with Dylan lasted decades and he even produced his New Morning Album in 1970.Offers to play on other recording were overwhelming.He chose to join The Blues Project in 1965 as their keyboardist and stayed for 2 + years and 3 albums.The Blues Project was a urban blues/proto-psychedelic/jam band with members including Danny Kalb,Steve Katz and Roy Blumenfeld. He left the Blues Project right before their appearance at the Monterrey Festival.
He wanted to try his hand on another form of Rock-incorporating horns. He founded Blood, Sweat and Tears and and was the leader for their debut album Child Is Father To The Man. It was critically acclaimed, played on progressive rock FM radio but not a huge seller. During the recording of the followup album, creative differences drove him to quit. The band hired singer David Clayton-Thomas and that 2nd album was a HUGE hit, #1 for 2 months with 3 Top 5 singles. So it goes.
Instead our man continued to work for Columbia Records. In 1968 he teamed up with Stephen Stills and Mike Bloomfield for the classic album Super Session.It peaked at #12 and is highly regarded.He played on Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland album. He played keyboards for the classic Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want". He played keyboards for The Who on "Behind Blue Eyes"-the alternate version. He played for BB King, Cream,Alice Cooper, Tom Petty, Joe Cocker and on and on.He also had some solo albums
In 1972 he moved to Atlanta, Georgia. There he discovered and signed Lynyrd Skynyrd, produced and performed their first 3 albums including "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird".
In 1975 he produced the debut album for The Tubes. in 1970 he did the music soundtrack for the movie The Landlord . He did the music for the TV show Crime Story. He played on and arranged three tracks on George Harrison's SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND album, performing with the remaining Beatles, Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr on the No. 1 single "All Those Years Ago."
He's written a biography, became West Coast Director of A&R for PolyGram Records, where he was instrumental in signing Richard Thompson. He still performs live in clubs, releases solo albums occasionally and has taught songwriting and music production classes in Boston.
Part 3 and most likely the final part coming next
.
|
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Apr 16, 2017 20:31:43 GMT -5
Quite a track record, whoever it is. What a resumé! I don't know who it is, and if it's the only name that comes to mind as a wild guess (based on the Dylan connection) I never knew he did all that other stuff.
|
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,202
|
Post by Confessor on Apr 17, 2017 3:52:14 GMT -5
I know exactly who this is. I sussed it when you said about the organ playing during the Dylan session -- that's a very famous story. Fantastic that you got to meet this guy, Ish...the man's a dude.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Apr 17, 2017 15:25:31 GMT -5
Close Encounters of The Musical yada yada yada The cow is telling me to stop milking this and mooooove on. So the great reveal is unveiled Al Kooper as he is now  Al Kooper as he was then  From the abbreviate bio I posted, Al Kooper is considered by many as Rock's Zelig or Forrest Gump, somehow being involved in many key moments of the genre's 1960's history. Why this man is not yet in the Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame is a travesty. Part of it might be due to his tell-all book that surely rankled some feathers- Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'N' Roll Survivor .Kooper and my cousin both worked for Polydor Records during the 1980's and remained friends leading him to join us for lunch in Manhattan a few years back. He's a funny guy, very sarcastic about his music experiences and most of the conversation was between those two, catching up on what had transpired the last few years. Some name-dropping occurred, for example some Cyndi Lauper stories and lots of cussing about managers, executives and agents. I made it a point to compliment Al Kooper on some of his early solo work I enjoyed in the early 1970's but otherwise kept my yap shut and enjoyed the moment. This also gives me a chance to post some of Al Kooper's significant work. Let's start with that #1 song hehelped write when he was 18 years old for Jerry Lewis' son- This Diamond RingHere's 2 songs from that first Blood,Sweat & Tears album-both written by Al as well as the lead vocal and keyboards From the Super Session album with Stephen Stills and Mike Bloomfield.One side of the LP had Stills, the other side had Bloomfield. They did not play together.Maybe the finest version of Donovan's Season Of The Witch with Stills on guitar From the Mike Bloomfield side- Albert's (Kooper)ShuffleA real favorite song of mine from Al Kooper's 1970 solo album. The title track Brand New Day
|
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,202
|
Post by Confessor on Apr 17, 2017 16:09:14 GMT -5
I love that Kooper/Bloomfield/Stills Super Session album. It's a great late night listen.
|
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Apr 19, 2017 19:03:37 GMT -5
I had no idea Al Kooper had anything to do with Blood, Sweat, & Tears, or any of that other stuff apart from being an important session player on some of those classic Dylan albums (wasn't he on Blonde on Blonde?) but I've been meaning to listen to some of his solo albums because I did hear somewhere they were good. haven't had chance to listen to any of the youtube videos Ish posted yet, but will get to them later tonight, hopefully.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Apr 19, 2017 20:35:35 GMT -5
I had no idea Al Kooper had anything to do with Blood, Sweat, & Tears, or any of that other stuff apart from being an important session player on some of those classic Dylan albums (wasn't he on Blonde on Blonde?) but I've been meaning to listen to some of his solo albums because I did hear somewhere they were good. haven't had chance to listen to any of the youtube videos Ish posted yet, but will get to them later tonight, hopefully. The only solo Kooper album I ever owned was his 1970 LP Easy Does It that contains the song I posted "Brand New Day". His solo albums afterwards were not promoted nor played much on the radio stations and he fell off my radar. When CDs came out, I bought Rare And Well Done, a 2CD set. it's a combination of a greatest hits package and unreleased recordings. It's a great compilation spanning his career Last year I found in the library a live 2CD set titled Rekooperation. Former members of BS&T and The Blues Project back him up as well as an appearance by John Sebastian. Very Good. I see Amazon has a deluxe version with a 3rd CD. Otherwise, I consider the Super Session and the 1st BS&T- Child Is Father To The Man album as essentials to a classic rock library. And omething from The Blues Project is worth having as well |
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Apr 20, 2017 10:58:39 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Apr 20, 2017 14:17:46 GMT -5
50 Years Ago Today-Week 3 April 1967
Frank and Nancy Sinatra's "Somethin' Stupid" continues it's reign at the top of the charts. Rumors are now circulating about mob influence in keeping this record at #1. Claims of strong-arm tactics forcing AM stations to play this song every 15 minutes are circulating. Jukeboxes are found containing only this song as a choice to be played. Senator Bobby Kennedy vows to investigate. More about this later
All this does not prevent Nancy Sinatra releasing her own single, Love Eyes, which this week finds it at the #15 slot. Some say that the hypnotic stare of her video contains the subconscious suggestion "Buy another copy of Somethin' Stupid"
1967 was the year of The Buckinghams. They were an American pop group even though they took the name of the English palace guards. In fact, another American pop group, The Royal Guardsmen, known for their Snoopy vs The Red Baron records, took offense over the Buckingham's name and the behind-the-scenes battles between these groups are the stuff of legend. The Buckingham's already had a #1 song that past January with "Kind Of A Drag". This followup will peak at #6 and they would have 3 more Top 20 songs before the year was over
Now comes one of my favorite songs from 1967. The Easybeats were the first Australian rock band to have an international hit. "Friday On My Mind" sold one million copies . They were already popular in their home country and now the group, fronted by lead singer Stevie Wright, had the opportunity to be superstars. Unfortunately their record company chose a song called "Who'll Be The One" as the next single over the bands objections. They felt the song was rather weak. They were proved right as the song failed to chart outside Australia. The drummer for the Easybeats quit and the group soldiered on in obscurity besides down under.
Look for a special edition of 50 Years Ago Today spotlighting Friday On My Mind
From an American perspective, The Dave Clark Five were the chief rivals to The Beatles in 1964. They hit the American charts one step behind the Fab Four and had 7 Top 20 hits that year (Wow). In 1965 they slowed to 4 Top 20 songs but had a #1 with "Over And Over". They began to falter by 1966 with just 2 breaking the top 20 and this song from April 1967 would be their last gasp attaining that lofty position. And it was a remake of a 1959 hit by Marv Johnson
Another original British Invasion band hit hard times. The Animals, with lead singer Eric Burdon were a fantastic and authentic blues/rock group and quite popular on both sides of the ocean. However, even with multiple successful recordings (House Of The Rising Sun, We Got To Get Out Of This Place, It's My Life et al), bad management left the band members broke. The group splintered and Eric Burdon formed a new band (Eric Burdon And The Animals) downplaying the blues and tilting towards the psychedelic sounds. "When I Was Young was the new incarnation's first single which would peak in the States at #15
|
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Apr 21, 2017 16:11:54 GMT -5
Music trivia question
Whose 1st album released was a "live" album?
That must be a pretty rare occurrence. I found one instance. A British group called Badger from the first half of the 1970's. Lead by Tony Kaye after he left the group Yes, they were a progressive rock group and their first album was a live performance. Never heard it but I found their 2nd and only other album, a studio recording from 1974 called White Lady. Badger had gone through a membership change, Tony Kaye was still there along with the ex-Steeler's Wheels guitarist and new vocalist, R&B singer Jackie Lomax. Progressive rock was now axed and instead they were a pop R&B group. Jeff Beck played lead guitar on the album title song that was also their only single.
|
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Apr 21, 2017 16:29:35 GMT -5
Love, love, love Friday on my Mind. What a great single, the tune, the energy, the way it builds to the chorus, everything. I don't remember it from the 60s, but Bowie and the Spiders did a really nice cover of it on Pin-Ups in the early 70s, which is where I first heard it, like I imagine a lot of people around my age or a bit younger.
Never cared for the Buckinghams for some reason, even though it's the kind of pleasant 60s pop I usually enjoy. But their material always felt a bit drab to me, the hooks weren't that catchy, nothing about it really grabbed me, though I don't hate it so much I'd make an effort to turn off the radio.
Nancy Sinatra OTOH I've always liked: the sound of her voice, the way she looked, the way she dressed and carried herself, everything. She usually had good material, too, thanks to people like Lee Hazelwood - and her Bond theme was one of the very best in my book, right up there with Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, etc. I even like Something Stupid: not her greatest single but I think it's a cute novelty song. Of course hearing it as a small kid, it probably made an impression on me that's lasted.
I love the Animals' earlier music but I'm not a huge fan of their flower-power stuff, though I can listen to it when I'm in the mood. When I was Young is something of an exception to that rule, though: I think it's a bit closer to the earlier stuff than Warm San Francisco Night, and so on. If they'd sped it up just a shade and had a slightly different arrangement (Alan Price's keyboards, for instance) I don't think it would sound too out of place alongside their earlier classics like Don't Let me be Misunderstood or It's My Life.
|
|
