While Jesse Ed Davis' legacy has finally started to see the light of recognition, there is still a long way to go in establishing his rightful place in the pantheon of rock and roll legends. The Kiowa guitarist's career encompassed work with everyone from Conway Twitty to John Lee Hooker to Bob Dylan, and his time served in the original Taj Mahal band would be highly influential on up-and-coming guitar slingers like Duane Allman (he being the inspiration for the latter's taking up bottleneck-style guitar in the first place). Davis never really managed to establish himself as a [...]
The life history of the woman born Dorothy Veronica Langan reads like an archetypal Hollywood biopic and is well enough documented elsewhere as to need no repetition here; a fine account can be found in Paul Pelletier's booklet notes to the current twofer CD of which Mythical Kings And Iguanas is a part. Suffice to say that her father's abuse and the breakup of her marriage to André Previn were just the two most high-profile of the stream of life experiences that coloured this woman's approach to songwriting. Put these together with her poetic talent, her extensive career [...]
Elton John - Amoreena OK, this is the third time I've posted this song, but it's that good. And we haven't heard this version from 11/17/70. Note to self - live more like a lusty flower in '12.
Most folk who remember "Long" John Baldry at all recall only his chart-topping single of 1967, the maudlin crooner ballad "Let The Heartaches Begin". But if the mettle of a performer is measured by the affection and respect of his fellow professionals and their willingness to participate in his art, then this album is a testament to a musician who'd been an industry favourite from his earliest days as the original vocalist and occasional guitarist with Alexis Korner's pioneering Blues Incorporated. To proffer just two examples, the virtually unknown Baldry was an invited guest on the Fabs' 1964 international TV [...]
There are several ways for songs to establish their authority. Some come crashing through your bedroom window with blasts of guitars and cymbals, while others simply walking into the room with a look that says the nonsense will now cease . Here's one from the latter category. Meanwhile, I know it's a little early to start thinking about Christmas parties. But if yours doesn't include this tune, it's not worth attending. Willie Colón - La Murga
Son Cats - O'Dell / 1971 7" When I first heard this split I wrote tot he band and said it felt like 1970's rock had come back and smacked me in the face. It's a good smack, but it's hard and you damn well whats his you. Son Cat is a psychedelic garage-rock group hailing from Portland, OR. The vocals remind me of the Beatles in the late 60's early 70's especially on "O'Dell." Alex Reed Wilson howls and rips on the guitar and Jasmine Dreame Wagner thrashes the drums. The split was recorded [...]
That's right, Curtis Mayfield, showing us all how it's done. The first two tracks from 19712s Roots : Curtis Mayfield: Get Down Curtis Mayfield: Keep On Keeping On Filed under: Music , R&B Tagged: 1971 , Curtis Mayfield , Get Down , Keep On Keeping On , Roots , soul
You know a recording of a particular show from an artist whose fans are internet savvy is rare when you can't even find a setlist on the internet. Forty years ago yesterday, Frank Zappa and a version of the Mothers of Invention that featured Flo & Eddie (Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan) pulled into the legendary Carnegie Hall in New York City for a pair of shows that were recorded for a future release on Warner Bros. No one realized at the time that "future release" meant 40 years later as Frank Zappa - Carnegie Hall, a four-CD live album [...]
Cowboy was a country-rock group usually remembered for their associations (Allman Brothers and Eric Clapton) rather than the fine body of music they produced in the early 70s. 52ll Getcha Ten was Cowboy's second LP, released by the Capricorn label in 1972. Never released on cd, this is arguably Cowboy's finest moment and indeed one of the best forgotten country-rock albums from the late 60s/early 70s. It's worth mentioning that one of Cowboy's key members, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tommy Talton was formerly in the great Florida garage rock group We The People. Scott Boyer, Cowboy's other [...]
During the post-production of Dennis Hopper's surreal and unjustly-forgotten South American anti-imperialist western, The Last Movie (which would prove disastrous for his career upon release, yet go on to become a cult classic and one of Hopper's own proudest achievements), the actor and director was the subject of a sort of loose, biographical documentary, filmed around his Taos, New Mexico home as he wandered the desert, got wasted, and philosophized about life (see tag line: "I'd rather die fighting than die getting fat"). American Dreamer would share in the fate of The Last [...]
During the post-production of Dennis Hopper's surreal and unjustly-forgotten South American anti-imperialist western, The Last Movie (which would prove disastrous for his career upon release, yet go on to become a cult classic and one of Hopper's own proudest achievements), the actor and director was the subject of a sort of loose, biographical documentary, filmed around his Taos, New Mexico home as he wandered the desert, got wasted, and philosophized about life (see tag line: "I'd rather die fighting than die getting fat"). American Dreamer would share in the fate of The Last [...]
los dug dug's - "lost in my world" (download) Los Dug Dug's were a Mexican heavy psych-rock band. They were mostly active throughout the 702s but released a few records toward the beginning of the 802s. This self-titled record, released in 1971 is by far the best I've heard from them. Their follow up to this, Smog (released in 1972) is worth a listen as well. buy
Anybody familiar with L.A. canyon-rock circa 1970 should be familiar with the name Chris Ethridge. Having more or less made his debut as the R&B-minded bass player with the Flying Burrito Brothers , the man soon went on to become one of Americana's most in-demand session players, serving with everyone from Phil Ochs to Ry Cooder to Judy Collins. There's a good chance that you can find him on more than one of your favorite records. A less recognized part of Ethridge's career, however, is his time served as a member of Hill, Barbata & [...]
Hot Chocolate - You Could've Been A Lady (scratchandsniff re-rub) A cursory glance through today's papers has led me to the following conclusion: it's time to party. Check the scratchandsniff soundcloud for more great edits and mixes.
Hot Chocolate - You Could've Been A Lady (scratchandsniff re-rub) A cursory glance through today's papers has led me to the following conclusion: it's time to party. Check the scratchandsniff soundcloud for more great edits and mixes.
Judee Sill's self-titled debut hit the shelves in 1971, the first release on David Geffen's Asylum Records. Unjustly lost amongst the sands of time, and out of print for many years until it's reissue a few years ago, Judee Sill is one-of-a-kind, an essential album, a defining example of West Coast canyon country, a hauntingly beautiful record by an extremely delicate soul and one of the 70's most talented singer-songwriters. Sill had been playing musical instruments of various kinds since her troubled childhood on the West Coast, which she spent dreaming of being a singer, a [...]
Rattles - You Can't Have Sunshine Everyday Thanks to Ted for peeling this one off in his now-legendary Turtle Dov mix. This song is a forerunner of Beck's Loser, and a descendant of the Hey Jude outro and (more remotely) Thus Spake Zarathustra*. On a side note, I'm liking these folks' sartorial decisions. *I am becoming increasingly convinced of a crackpot theory of my own devising, namely that the Hey Jude outro (Na, na, na, na-na-na na, etc.) was subconsciously influenced by R. Strauss's Thus Spake Zarathustra. Note that 2001: [...]
Best Songs Ever - Just me digging up rare, awesome or obscure tracks. Today it's the 10-minute guitar epic from George Clinton's Funkadelic ... "Maggot Brain" is the opening track off 1971's Maggot Brain . The titular song features no vocals--save for the eerie spoken introduction--and little more than a soft arpeggio and drum flourishes. The spotlight shines fully on Eddie Hazel's blistering guitar solo, rumored to have been inspired by an LSD-taking George Clinton telling Hazel during recording to imagine his mother had been murdered, [...]
Acid Folk is one of those musicological genre headings that had to be invented retrospectively because it didn't exist when the music it describes was extant in the late sixties. These days it's taken to cover the acoustic singer-songwriter individuals and combos who sprang from Dylan-inspired folk-pop roots, picked up psychedelic overtones and morphed into the complexity of prog-rock - which satisfyingly describes Keith Christmas's most creative period, up to and including Pigmy . Originally an Essex lad, Christmas was an undergrad at Bath University (coincidentally my own alma mater at around the same time, [...]
Ramases - Balloon If you're thinking, "Gee, that sounds like Lol Crème on lead guitar, moog synthesiser, and possibly background vocals," you are correct. Indeed, all four members of 10cc comprise the backing band here. (This was about a year before they recorded this .) The LP was reissued on vinyl somewhat recently by Mexican Summer .
The Rising Storm
Art Decade
Now you're at Songblague!
MusicVagabond
Ivy League Spins
Hidden Track
the bomarr blog
Citizen Insane
Conchord On Composing Music For Muppets
Watch: Trailer for Dave Grohl’s documentary, Sound City
Webcast: The Kills’ 10th anniversary concert
Childish Gambino - "Heartbeat" (Official Music Video)
Hardwell Bootleg Pack 2012
