Category Archives: #WhiteBoyBlues

ON THE TURNTABLE: January 20,1964- The Beatles “Meet The Beatles”

20 Sunday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, EdSullivan, Liverpool, Rock music, The Beatles, The Beatles on Sullivan, The British Invasion (1964-1966), The radio, Uncategorized

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ON THE TURNTABLE: January 20,1964- The Beatles “Meet The Beatles” is released in the US.

Some say it was the Assassination of our beloved President JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY which surrounded the Nation in a national funk that somehow brought THE BEATLES to stardom in the U.S. Some say we needed an escape, a diversion, and these four lads from Liverpool were the escape. Yet, I’m not buying it. My reasoning is simple. First,we, the American record buying public came a many months late to the BEATLES party, having not accepted their first few records when released stateside, these same records which were huge hits across the pond. Secondly, the time was ripe for a new (television) hero for the “youngsters” as Ed Sullivan would call us. The biggest show on TV at that time was the BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, a preposterous show which made a ratings killing week after week, and that show having their biggest week just prior to The Beatles first appearance. Americans were enamored with television. And Ed Sullivan was considered a religious experience every Sunday night. Like Sunday morning mass in a Catholic household, one couldn’t miss Sullivan on Sunday nights, it would be sinful.

So here goes my thesis:

Point ONE: Prior to Sullivan (one year before) The BEATLES had 3 releases in States, all which were misses, that is NO HITS, no charting…zero. Those records were

PLEASE PLEASE ME- February 1963(VEEJAY RECORDS)

FROM ME TO YOU-May 1963(VEEJAY RECORDS)

SHE LOVES YOU-September 1963(SWAN RECORDS)which has limited if any airplay.

In early November 1963 after Sullivan witnessed the impact of the lads in their home turf England,and how their audiences responded, BRIAN EPSTEIN,The BEATLES manager, persuades Mr. Sunday Night Television ED SULLIVAN to have THE BEATLES do three consecutive weekly performance on Sullivan’s top rated American CBS television show. Never before had any act accomplished three consecutive appearance on Sullivan, let alone an “unknown” act. CAPITOL RECORDS (US) smelling something good is happening picks up the BEATLES EMI option just as The CBS Morning News (Sullivan’s network) aired a segment on BEATLEMANIA, the morning of November 22, 1963,which they have ready to repeat it on their nationally syndicated CBS NIGHTLY NEWS. However, regular programming was cancelled as JFK was assassinated that day and THE BEATLES piece did NOT air that evening, happenstance. THE BEATLES and their manager become very anxious as they await their coming to America in a few months for three consecutive weeks no less without a hit record. This could mean a disaster for the band. Some in The Beatles camp and a few others considered cancelling.

The BEATLEMANIA segment was finally re-broadcast on CBS NIGHTLY NEWS the evening of December 10, 1963. Immediately airplay for THE BEATLES was requested on radio stations across the nation and CAPITOL RECORDS rushed out I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND, the boys newest single on December 26, 1963 which sold one million copies in the first ten days with one and one half million copies by three weeks time, just in time for the SULLIVAN appearance. THE BEATLES have the Number 1 hit in the land AND are appearing on one of the top rated television shows, for three consecutive weeks. BEATLEMANIA has arrived.

April 5,1964 BILLBOARD Magazine

#1: Can’t Buy Me Love (jumped 27 spots):THE BEATLES

#2: Twist And Shout:THE BEATLES

#3:She Loves You:THE BEATLES

#4:I Want To Hold Your Hand:THE BEATLES

#5:Please Please Me:THE BEATLES

 

 

 

 

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:THE DOORS/ LONNIE MACK- JANUARY 18,1970@ FELT FORUM

18 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, Madison Square Garden, Rock music, The Doors, Ticket Stubs, Vinyl Records

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TICKETS TORN IN HALF:THE DOORS/ LONNIE MACK- JANUARY 18,1970@ FELT FORUM

A few days shy of my 18th birthday and I’m feeling like a veteran rock n roller having attended a shit load of concerts.Yet,I was still a bit naive. The entire crew at work, even us part timers got a nice Christmas bonus which I spent on new slacks, cut perfectly for my skinny body, a nice pullover, a new jacket with almost matching boots, and two tickets to see one of my girlfriend’s favorite band THE DOORS, Sunday, January 18,1970 at The FELT FORUM, my second shot at seeing this legendary band.If I could have I would have begged off but didn’t. Again,as last year, the rants and poems by Morrison while the group played a pedestrian beat in the background made me think…ah, he (Morrison) is not that good.Yet the women in the crowd loved him, they actually roared with delight at his antics and his profanity. Lonnie Mack opened the show and was as good as last time I saw him. John Sebastian joined the Doors on harmonica for the opening tune ROADHOUSE BLUES. And my stroll around The Forum almost got me arrested. Good thing I am fast and the security guard fell on the stairs when he grabbed me.

It was a long night, with a late start to the show, and a missed train for a ride home, I was getting nervous knowing that I had classes in the morning, midterm exams.The sun was about to rise as our train pulled into town, arriving home a few minutes before my folks woke up for work. I went upstairs and set my alarm hoping against hope for some shuteye, but alas, no. Pop called up to me, “Time to get up, Mary”, his pet name for me because of my hair. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, got a cup of coffee and lit a smoke. As I exhaled I wondered ,“What the hell am I doing? That show was not worth it.” I took a shower, dressed and heading off to high school.

THE DOORS were a staple in my listening pleasure over the years.After hearing about this band from my older music loving neighbors I bought the “Light My Fire” single and the first album on their recommendation. Good stuff, I thought. To my surprise the second album “Strange Days” was purchased for me by my Dad after he saw an ad for its release in a record store window in Greenwich Village. Why he bought it for me I’ll never know but I liked that he did and I enjoyed the record.
While I was working as an intern in NYC (Summer 1968)I bought “Waiting For The Sun” which I thought was the start of the end, a downward spiral, for the group. Then, “The Soft Parade” which compared to the releases of the same period (a few weeks before Woodstock Festival) shows that THE DOORS were reaching for straws here…horns, etc …pop music, yuck.
So this is my introduction to THE DOORS, four albums worth of tunes before I see them live for the first time, January of 1969. While that show is their first attempt at arena rock it is considered to be one of their “shining moments” by their legions of die hards. I was just okay with it. Now, it’s my second shot and we find a drunken, bearded, and “slightly” overweight Morrison. Well,anyway, the musicians were great. The entire show has been released live, check it out…it will prove my point.

from pitchfork review.
The rest of the band is here to support the star, and it never lets him down: The Doors were a loose, groovy, and ferocious combo, here playing a setlist that sticks to rock and blues and skips all the winsome and folky stuff that cluttered up Waiting for the Sun and The Soft Parade. Organist Ray Manzarek played the hooks that turned songs like “Hello, I Love You” into pop hits, but here he’s focused on driving the rhythm section. Even his legendary solo on “Light My Fire” changes in concert from a melodic improvisation to a jam that climaxes in frustration, as you can hear him stabbing the keys with all ten fingers and wishing he had another ten besides. On the other hand, guitarist Robby Krieger is ferocious right from the riff of “Roadhouse Blues”, and he makes their cover of Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love” one of the best recordings the Doors ever made.

Twenty one dates after this night…july 3, 1971 and Mr.Mojo Risen is dead.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: January 16,1971- HOT TUNA/TAJ MAHAL/ BRETHREN @ FILLMORE EAST

16 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, BigBrotherHoldingCo., Fillmore East, Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane, Kevin Patrick, Rock music, Taj Mahal, Ticket Stubs, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records

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According to my friends I possess a somewhat eclectic taste in music and by my constantly seeking out new shows to attend, sometimes it is difficult to find an accompanist who would enjoy what I was going to see/listen to. This show was one of those nights. HOT TUNA (Jorma and Jack) was on a semi-official departure from JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, a band I was fascinated with.The last two times watching the Airplane, one night at Suffolk Community where there was more TUNA than AIRPLANE, and their last November Thanksgiving run at FILLMORE EAST when HOT TUNA did a complete set outshining the (newer) AIRPLANE, I was ready for this, HOT TUNA. Seems like most of my guy friends had plans or worse case scenario, had no interest in this particular show. So, a good friend, a woman accompanied me to FILLMORE EAST for HOT TUNA, TAJ MAHAL and BRETHEN. Brethren was a band out of New York, and a friend of mine knew one of the members so that connection made me pay close attention to what they were doing. They were alright, just alright, but somehow in the next few months they continued to pop up on the bills of other shows I attended. I learned to appreciate that band when I became familiar with their stuff.

TAJ MAHAL on the other hand was noteworthy from the git-go. He slipped out on stage, sat on a stool, and started to play a National Steel guitar. While slowly working through his repertoire other members of the band “appeared” without announcement of fanfare,  to the point were there were four tubas on the stage accompanying him. FOUR TUBAS. It was mind blowing. Besides Taj his band consisted of HOWARD JOHNSON on tuba (later to be musical director for SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE), JOHN HALL (later of ORLEANS fame and update NY politics) on guitar, JOHN SIMON, piano (producer of THE BAND’s “Music From Big Pink”, BIG BROTHER’S Cheap Thrills, BLOOD,SWEAT and TEARS “Child is the Father To The Man” and other recordings) and ROCKY DziDzournu on congas, a standout in my memory as  he was the cat who takes THE STONES’ “Sympathy For The Devil” to new heights, along with a host of other musicians, totaling ten players on stage.Great stuff . A month later, at the same venue TAJ MAHAL is back to record his live album.

To close out the night, Hot Tuna which was now ELECTRIC HOT TUNA was ear shattering loud, to say the least, and being seated second row on the left directly in front of a huge bank of speakers…LOUD.Will Scarlett on harp, the aforementioned JORMA KAUKONEN on guitar, JACK CASADY, my favorite bass player, SAMMY PIAZZA, a (adequate) drummer (I miss Spencer Dryden) and PAPA JOHN CREACH from the AIRPLANE on violin/fiddle. The boys were on fire. Overall, it was another great night at FILLMORE EAST, a truly great night.

Set list from TUNABASE.com

Fillmore East, New York, NY

Water Song

Been So Long

That’ll Never Happen No More

Keep On Truckin’

Trial By Fire

Sea Child

Milk Train

Feel So Good

Come Back Baby

Papa’s Jam *

TICKETS TORN IN HALF- Terry Reid @ Bitter End January 1974

15 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, TERRY REID, Ticket Stubs, Vinyl Records

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January 1974
Date unknown early 1974: TERRY REID at Bitter End: Terry was hiding for the last two years from Mickey Most, as was “most” of his roster of artists.After basing himself in California with the likes of David Lindley and Graham Nash, Terry returns with a new look, a new record company and a new collection of tunes. Using my limited connection at Atlantic I received two press passes for Terry Reid at The Bitter End. David Lindley was and is an amazing guitarist, anything with strings he can master,saw him with Jackson Browne at PHILHARMONIC HALL a few months ago and Terry was in great voice this night. At one point Terry dropped his slide which rolled out to my seat. After the show I picked the slide up, sought out a stage guy to return it. He said ,“Terry’s right back there”. Bingo, Terry answers the door and is most thankful. The pictures on Terry’s website from THE BITTER END gig, both on stage and backstage are mine.

Human Be-In:San Francisco- January 14, 1967

14 Monday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, Booker T. and The MG'S, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Bloomfield, Monterey Pop 67, Otis Redding, Rock music, rock music trivia, Scott McKensie, Summer Of Love, The Byrds, The Great Society, The Who, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records

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One event started what later became the SUMMER OF LOVE. Fifty-one years ago today, it was the celebration entitled “the HUMAN BE-IN” at Golden Gate Park in January of 67, an idea of MICHAEL BOWEN the avant-garde artist and co-founder of THE ORACLE, a premier “underground” newspaper which kicked off everything. This”Be-In”inspired the play HAIR: The American Tribal Love -Rock Musical by Rado and Ragni. Also, TIMOTHY LEARY asked the attendees to “turn on,tune in,drop out”.About 30,000 attended.

The mainstream media picked up the story, highlighting Tim Leary, the drugs (LSD and mushrooms), the clothing and the music. These photos and images were shown on the nightly news. TIME magazine ran a cover story on THE HIPPIES and even CBS NEWS had a special report that August.This influx of “flower children” arrived to the 25 square block area of San Francisco with the cross streets , the intersection of it all HAIGHT-ASHBURY.

With psychedelic music and drugs prevalent, one could only predict that the future of THE HAIGHT would not be so rosy or happy. Homelessness, drug abuse, poverty became rampant. The BEE GEES even wrote a song, MASSACHUSETTS, in response to what was happening in SAN FRANCISCO, a ditty about someone who lost the vision, the hope, and was homesick.

Yet, the SUMMER OF LOVE despite its misgivings gave us a great soundtrack for that time and for years to come: THE WHO, JIMI HENDRIX, BIG BROTHER and THE HOLDING COMPANY, COUNTRY JOE and THE FISH,THE ELECTRIC FLAG,QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE,STEVE MILLER,MOBY GRAPE,HUGH MASEKELA,THE BYRDS,LAURA NYRO,JEFFERSON AIRPLANE,BOOKER T and THE MG’s,OTIS REDDING, THE BLUES PROJECT,BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD and the organizers of Monterey Pop THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS.

Grace.

ON THE TURNTABLE: January 12, 1969-Led Zeppelin-LED ZEPPELIN aka Len Zefflin

12 Saturday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, Cream, Eric Clapton, Fillmore East, jazz-rock, Jeff Beck, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Rock music, rock music trivia, TERRY REID, The Stones, The Yardbirds, Ticket Stubs, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records

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WHATEVER BECAME OF LEN ZEFFLIN?

scan 3

Ah, the joys of being an opening act for a major rock band. Consider the following: you are four young men from England, traveling together for the first time as a new up and coming act. Since your band has been recently signed to a major record label, say, ATLANTIC RECORDS, it has been decided by shared management that you will tour with a label mate of some renown, The VANILLA FUDGE. It’s late 1968 and THE FUDGE is, well, still relying on their remake of THE SUPREMES “You Keep Me Hanging On” to put hineys in the seats. You meet up on the west coast for your scheduled romp across The States, 41 dates, with fees ranging from a low $320.00 to a high of $1500.00. At some point your band will leave THE FUDGE and finish the short tour opening for IRON BUTTERFLY of “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” fame.So, who or what is this band?

Ladies and Gentlemen…LEN ZEFFLIN. (cue applause). In short order,club owners will know how to spell the name for they will make some headlines, in one year’s time they will release two noteworthy albums, and in two years time they will be the biggest concert draw in America.

1968/1969:

For those who only know of the power and popularity of Led Zeppelin of latter days, let me take you back to a time before their very first album hit the stands.

Jimmy Page was one of the “three”, the triumvirate of rock guitarist gods who moseyed through a British band of some renown named THE YARDBIRDS. This band ,who legend states took their name from Charlie YARDBIRD Parker was somewhat known in the USA, but more popular in their homeland of Great Britain. Without giving the long history of the Yardbirds let’s just say they got a CRAWDADDY (a club) gig when the spot was vacated by THE ROLLING STONES, a band on the move. Eric Clapton was the YARDBIRDS guitarist at that time who became uncomfortable with the band veering away from it’s blues roots, heading into a pop direction. Clapton leaves and suggest Jimmy Page take his spot. Page was the “go to studio guitarist” at the time and didn’t want to vacate that profitable role, so PAGE suggested JEFF BECK who took the gig.

With BECK’s influence the YARDBIRDS moved toward a psychedelic route with fuzz tones, feedback, and overall guitar virtuosity. By 1966 JEFF BECK was voted Melody Maker’s GUITARIST OF THE YEAR.When the bass player drops out of The Yardbirds JIMMY PAGE steps in for a spell. When a new bassist is recruited PAGE stays on for a BECK/PAGE new dual guitar attack approach. Beck gets sick, misses a few gigs and ultimately leaves the band to Page.With the lead singer Keith Relf’s alcoholism and the band not having any more hits, as well as with the rise of CREAM and JIMI HENDRIX, soon most of The Yardbirds disappeared, leaving Jimmy Page with the name. To fulfill  some contractual commitments,with a new manager PETER GRANT on board, the band hits the road as THE NEW YARDBIRDS.

Page had recruited TERRY REID as vocalist but he, with a new MICKIE MOST contract, could not leave. Reid suggested a friend, ROBERT PLANT who brought along his drummer friend JOHN BONHAM. Page called his studio buddy JOHN PAUL JONES for bass and keyboards and after a short tour of Scandinavia, the NEW YARDBIRDS hit the studio to record what would become LED ZEPPELIN’s debut.

The album is released January 12,1969. Some of the tunes hit the New York FM airwaves after the band’s now legendary performance as the opening act for IRON BUTTERFLY at FILLMORE EAST January 31 and February 1, 1969, this being Led Zeppelin’s first US tour. Pete my buddy at Dubbings Electronics attended one of those shows that weekend. He raved about this new band who blew Iron Butterfly off the stage, leaving Iron Butterfly to play just one song, their hit IN A GADDA DA VIDA, and according to Pete, Led Zeppelin came back out due to the booing of Butterfly and the calls for “more” Zeppelin. I have never been able to verify that but Pete said it,so…it must be true.

A few days later while at work Pete asked me to join him to see LED ZEPPELIN at THE SCENE a club in Manhattan. With little provocation I agreed to go to the Wednesday night show. But alas, the shows were cancelled due to John Bonham’s son falling at home in England and Bonham was needed there. So, I made due by purchasing LED ZEPPELIN and listening to the debut album, over and over again.

January 12,1969: LED ZEPPELIN is released.I almost burnt that record out. It was on heavy rotation with JETHRO TULL’s “This Was” on my turntable.Geez, it was so good in early 1969, and is still a good listen today.Nothing like it at the time. Dump the cd, get the vinyl.

ON THE TURNTABLE- Best of 1969

11 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, Blind Faith, ColumbiaRecordClub, Creedence, CSNY, DYLAN, Elektra Records, Eric Clapton, Fillmore East, Fleetwood Mac, Grateful Dead, Hot Rats, Jefferson Airplane, Jethro Tull, Jimmy Page, Joe Cocker, Kevin Patrick, Led Zeppelin, Madison Square Garden, MC5, Neil Young, Ray Davies, Rock music, rock music trivia, Stooges, The Beatles, The Doors, The Grease Band, The KinKs, THE MOTHERS of INVENTION, The radio, The Stones, The Who, The Yardbirds, Ticket Stubs, Trap Set, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records, Woodstock, Zappa

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ON THE TURNTABLE -1969:

Putting out my BEST OF for this past year made me nostalgic in a way. So I dug out some listings from yesteryear and over the next few weeks I’ll post a few.My brother and I actual compiled lists of our favorite records but this listing is from most of the records I bought that year, in no particular order or preference.

It’s 1969 and my record collection was growing in leaps and bounds. Seems like the more money I had the more records I bought. However, my stereo was not what one would expect of a serious record collector.  I was using an old split speaker (in a case) record player propped up on my desk. But hey, the sucker did the job. That and my portable single speaker cassette player tucked along side my portable PANASONIC AM/FM stereo radio made up my “sound system”. I also had an AM/FM radio bedside. A friend had a huge stereo unit, one with humongous speakers,a turntable with a “stylus” no less, but alas he had virtually no records, always borrowing mine.

Records In My Rotation throughout that year included:

The debut album from LED ZEPPELIN “Led Zeppelin”, I bought this early on in the year after a recommendation from my work buddy, Pete, who saw this “unknown” band open for IRON BUTTERFLY. This album was amazing and it took me a few days to realize that this JIMMY PAGE was the same JIMMY PAGE from THE YARDBIRDS. Later, in the year after its release and after seeing the band live twice I copped LED ZEPPELIN II. Geez, these recordings were unique, and the band was …WOW.

THE BEATLES “Abbey Road” was and still is a hard listen for me, yet when it first was released I played it continuously, usually picking out a song or two before moving on to some other record .It was probably the Harrison tunes that I liked the most.

THE WHO “Tommy” is another difficult record to listen to all the way through, but that year I did see the band perform “Tommy” in its entirety twice, and I must say, live WHO was better than any record.

KING CRIMSON’S “In The Court Of The Crimson King”was/is a great record, one that for its time was truly original. This band blew me away when I saw them in the fall of 69, opening for FLEETWOOD MAC and JOE COCKER. After their 34 minute set, I bought the album the next payday. Speaking of FLEETWOOD MAC “Then Play On”( their 3rd album) drew me to see them live and I became a PETER GREEN fan that night. This collection showed the originals of the name sake take their blues influenced and mostly refurbished recordings a step further. I must have recited the opening of  “Oh, Well-Part 1” a million times to friends, to the point where I was annoying. I still am, say some. And JOE COCKER’s “With A Little Help From My Friends” which I grabbed in the early summer after hearing some of his tunes on the radio and before seeing him and THE GREASE BAND open for The AIRPLANE at FILLMORE EAST was a goodie, but again, live he was a trip.

Also, there was NEIL YOUNG’s masterpiece “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”, along with FRANK ZAPPA’s “Hot Rats” which help change my musical perspective and soon led me to CAPTAIN BEEFHEART  “Trout Mask Replica”.

Two debuts, one from CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH, a summer hit and Blind Faith’s one and only official release, which I thought was a mess, as was their show at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. “Nashville Skyline” by BOB DYLAN was a pleasant surprise, even my POP liked it, well, it had JOHNNY CASH on it.THE FLYING BURRITO BROS “Gilded Palace of Sin” was a good pick up and  ISAAC HAYES’ “Hot Buttered Soul” arrived unannounced when I did not respond in time to a record company selection deadline but boy was I glad I got that gem. CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY’s debut double set before they shortened their name to CHICAGO, and coincidentally was the only record I ever bought by them. JETHRO TULL’s “Stand Up” was a mainstay on the turntable along with the profane MC5’s “Kick Out The Jams” which was played on minimal volume as not to upset the parents. And then there was the profanity nestled in JEFFERSON AIRPLANE’s “Volunteers” another record which kept a low profile when played.

I practiced my drums listening to  THE GRATEFUL DEAD’s “Live Dead” but was not enthused with The DOORS “Soft Parade”, and

PINK FLOYD’s Ummagumma was, well, just listen to “Careful With That Axe ,Eugene” and wonder why my Mom would yell, “What is that? Please, no more.” She didn’t particularly enjoy THE STOOGES “The Stooges”, either, no matter how many times I played it. Speaking of Mom’s taste, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND “The Velvet Underground” was more to her liking as was THE KINKS “Arthur”.

JOHN MAYALL’s “Turning Point” was bought the same day as PHAROAH SANDER’s “Karma”, late 1969. Both late night incense burning albums.

and of course, THE ROLLING STONES Beggar’s Banquet which never left my turntable and the follow-up release Let It Bleed (see blog Oct. 20, 2018)

PROCUL HARUM’s “A Salty Dog” which was actually my kid brother’s record found it’s way into my room many a night, along with his SLY and The FAMILY STONE’s “Stand” and JANIS JOPLIN’s “I Got Dem Ole Kosmic Blues Again Mama” but not any of his CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL or his “Odessa” by THE BEE GEES. Just the red felt cover on that one turned my stomach. Continue reading →

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:Neil Young-Solo @Carnegie Hall-January 9,2014

09 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, Booker T. and The MG'S, Carnegie Hall, CSNY, Neil Young, Rock music, Ticket Stubs, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records

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January 9,2014: NEIL YOUNG Solo @ Carnegie Hall

Including stints with CSNY, Crazy Horse, Booker T and The MG’s, and solo I have seen Neil Young perform nine times and this was by far one of the best.Neil, his guitars, keyboards, harmonicas, and a slightly nasty attitude toward the audience members whom were yelling out requests, he was in a zone. Two sets with a slight intermission, and a few encores, while the tickets were expensive, they were worth every penny.

From Billboard: But the highlight of the evening was the sheer strength of the performances of the classic material. Young played versions of songs like “Only Love Can Break Your Heart,” “Ohio,” “Old Man,” “After the Gold Rush” and “Comes A Time” as powerfully and cleanly as you’ve ever heard him play those songs. Performances of 30 or 40-year old songs are rarely so breathtaking and compelling. The gravitas of the venue was a likely contributor to that feeling, but a room can’t carry an entire performance. The credit for that goes entirely to Neil Young, who, at age 68, still has an abundance of grit and fortitude. These songs are giants, and at Carnegie Hall, they were performed as such.

Set 1:

From Hank to Hendrix

Helpless (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song)

On the Way Home (Buffalo Springfield song)

Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Love in Mind

Birds

Mellow My Mind

Are You Ready for the Country

Someday

Changes (Phil Ochs cover)

Harvest

Old Man

Set 2:

Goin’ Back

A Man Needs a Maid

Ohio (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song)

Southern Man

Needle of Death (Bert Jansch cover)

The Needle and the Damage Done

Harvest Moon

Flying on the Ground Is Wrong (Buffalo Springfield song) After the Gold Rush

Journey Through the Past

Heart of Gold

Encore:

Comes a Time

Long May You Run (The Stills-Young Band song)

ON THE TURNTABLE: TOP 40 LPs of 1979: Courtesy of VILLAGE VOICE

08 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, 1965, ELVIS COSTELLO, heart broken, Kevin Patrick, Mersey Beat, MOTOWN, rock music trivia, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records

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ON THE TURNTABLE: TOP 40 LPs of 1979: Courtesy of VILLAGE VOICE

Every January since 1965 my brother, KEVIN PATRICK and I would exchange lists of our favorite albums of the year. We both had eclectic tastes for teens. He tried to steer me toward MOTOWN records while I dragged him through Anglophile and English blues related groups. After we secured each others lists we would search far and wide to find published lists to see which of us garnered more points in the standings, which we made up: 20 points for #1, one point for #20, etc. As time went on others joined our small collective of nut jobs. Twenty plus years ago a college friend of my brother’s started an organized group and actually publishes the sometimes embarrassing results , but all in good fun.

My kid brother passed away in February at age 64 after a long fight with cancer and cancer related heart issues. Seems the chemo of the 70’s slowly wore away the walls to his heart. Up until his last breath he was a true collector of all kinds of music, and his lists each year reflected it.This is my first year without his list.

Searching my archives I found how strange our 1979 listing had us in almost a virtual tie. The scoring criteria that year and for many other years was the work of Robert Christgau and his annual BEST OF. Thank you Bob for all the years of enjoyment,and I hope you are not offended that I publish it here.PS: My brother beat me out with THE SHOES and THE BUZZCOCKS. We both had THE CLASH and ELVIS COSTELLO in the top 3, a balancing act for our totals. Neither of us had AIR.

1. The Clash (Epic) 18. 2. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps (Reprise) 17. 3. Pere Ubu: Dub Housing (Chrysalis) 14. 4. Van Morrison: Into the Music (Warner Bros.) 11. 5. Air: Air Lore (Arista Novus) 11. 6. Graham Parker & the Rumour: Squeezing Out Sparks(Arista) 9. 7. The B-52s (Warner Bros.) 5. 8. Nick Lowe: Labour of Lust (Columbia) 5. 9. The Roches (Warner Bros.) 5. 10. Arthur Blythe: Lenox Avenue Breakdown (Columbia) 5.

11. Tom Verlaine (Elektra). 12. Donna Summer: Bad Girls (Casablanca). 13. Talking Heads: Fear of Music (Sire). 14. Wreckless Eric: The Whole Wide World (Stiff). 15. The Only Ones: Special View (Epic). 16. Shoes: Present Tense (Elektra). 17. James Monroe H.S. Presents Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band Goes to Washington (Elektra). 18. The Buzzcocks: Singles Going Steady (I.R.S.). 19. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Live Rust (Reprise). 20. Marianne Faithful: Broken English (Island).

21. Linton Kwesi Johnson: Forces of Victory (Mango). 22. Dave Edmunds: Repeat When Necessary (Swan Song). 23. Fashion: Product Perfect (I.R.S.). 24. James Brown: The Original Disco Man (Polydor). 25. Gary Numan & Tubeway Army: Replicas (Atco). 26. Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (Epic). 27. Culture: International Herb (Virgin Internatioal). 28. Chic: Good Times (Atlantic). 29. Millie Jackson: Live and Uncensored (Polydor). 30. Living Chicago Blues Volume 1 (Alligator).

31. Lene Lovich: Stateless (Stiff/Epic). 32. Tom Robinson Band: TRB Two (Harvest). 33. James Blood: Tales of Captain Black (Artists House). 34. Cory Daye: Cory and Me (New York International). 35. Mutiny: Mutiny on the Mamaship (Columbia). 36. Steel Pulse: Tribute to the Martyrs (Mango). 37. Blondie: Eat to the Beat (Chrysalis). 38. Roxy Music: Manifesto (Atlantic). 39. George Jones: My Very Special Guests (Epic). 40. Elvis Costello: Armed Forces (Columbia).

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: After The Springfield- Three Nights with CSN&Y

07 Monday Jan 2019

Posted by in #WhiteBoyBlues, CSNY, Fillmore East, FillmoreEast,BillGraham, Jones Beach, Neil Young, New York Dolls, POCO, Rock music, rock music trivia, The Byrds, The Hollies, The radio, Ticket Stubs, Uncategorized, Vinyl Records, Woodstock

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After Buffalo Springfield:CSN&Y

Winter was slowly turning into Spring of1967, while me as a 15 year old spent some afternoons watching “WHERE THE ACTION IS” with its usual cast of characters featuring the likes of PAUL REVERE and THE RAIDERS,DON and THE GOODTIMES,when the show’s host Dick Clark introduces a new group, BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD.Two night later the same band is on THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR. A few weeks hence, same guys (or so I thought at the time-see bass player arrested) wearing cowboy hats and fringed leather jackets were on HOLLYWOOD PALACE (verified by angelfire.com).Who are these guys? More importantly, Where do I get their music?

In short order I have their 45, “For What It’s Worth” b/w “Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It?”. Not enough, I needed more. So I hop on the bus to the neighboring TSS store which had a great record department. There I pick up a mono copy of the band’s first album but while at the register the guy behind the counter informed me this collection in hand did NOT have the “For What It’s Worth” single on it.He suggested I pick up the newer copies, the ones with “Newest Hit Single Included” sticker on it, to which I did.Looking back, as I vinyl record collector I wish I would have purchased the original copy, worth a few bucks today. Anyway,I digress, this is where my Neil Young, and in many parts Stills and Furay, story begins…I loved listening to the Buffalo Springfield, however short their time in the limelight was.

POST SPRINGFIELD:

SEPTEMBER 20,1969: CROSBY, STILLS, NASH and YOUNG/ LONNIE MACK @ FILLMORE EAST

During the Summer of 1969 I purchased 2 tickets to see CROSBY, STILLS and NASH who would be headlining a bill with COUNTRY JOE for the weekend of July 25/26 (3 weeks BEFORE Woodstock)at FILLMORE EAST.Great seats arrived. Their debut album was on heavy rotation on my turntable and needless to say I was excited to see them live.But as fate would have it, they cancelled.Then mid-August, a FILLMORE EAST ad in THE VILLAGE VOICE announced shows for September and October. BINGO, Crosby Stills and Nash were advertised but it included Neil Young a part of the group???“Seriously”, I thought, “no way they added NEIL YOUNG”!!! Oh, I must go. Great seats, fourth row center arrived.

Now, its’s a month after Woodstock and here they are, CSN&YOUNG. Ahhhhh… The opening act, Lonnie Mack was playing his legendary Flying V Gibson offering a very tasty, short and sweet set. Along with 2600 others I waited patiently as the crew prepared the equipment for the next act. A Hammond B-3, huge drum riser, plenty of different models and types of amps, racks of beautiful guitars, and more microphones then I ever saw graced the stage.Bill Graham did the intro and the band (CSN) seated on strolls, playing acoustic guitars kicked off with the album’s opening track, Suite:JudyBlue Eyes. After a few more tunes a bass player and drummer join in as did NEIL YOUNG. What was already a great show, a 10 out of 10, but once Neil Young plugged in he pushed the band into the stratosphere. The highlights of the night for me were Broken Arrow, Wooden Ships and the closer, Down By The River.

Set List:

SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES

BLACKBIRD (Beatles cover)

HELPLESSLY HOPING

GUINNEVERE

LADY OF THE ISLAND

GO BACK HOME

4+20

ON THE WAY HOME

BROKEN ARROW

I’VE LOVED HER SO LONG

YOU DON’T HAVE TO CRY

Second Set:

PRE-ROAD DOWNS

LONG TIME GONE

BLUEBIRD REVISITED

SEA OF MADNESS

WOODEN SHIPS

DOWN BY THE RIVER
Nine months later, a life time for an 18 year old in 1970: JUNE 7: CROSBY, STILLS, NASH and YOUNG

Earlier that spring Bill Graham announced the listing of shows booked for the remainder of the season. He also told the crowd that a new FILLMORE EAST sound system would be installed over the summer, as if this place needed a new one, already having the best system around.  One of the announced shows was a six night engagement featuring Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, no opening act, one show per night at 9PM. These tickets sold out in an unprecedented time. My SASE returned without tickets, a true first for me. I was disappointed but hey, I saw them once.

The Friday night of the CSNY run I attended my girlfriend’s senior prom. There at the table, the 8 of us, four couples, vowed to attend the next night’s show. Even if we did not get tickets we would stay outside listening to the music. Arriving early in hopes of scoring tickets we wandered around the famed venue in our attempt to get tickets. But to no avail. Our lady friends took it upon themselves to wait on line for “stand by” tickets. The show was scheduled for 9PM, and the box office usually released the “stand by” tickets about an hour before show time.  However, tonight was different as the woman in the ticket booth, after listening to our girl’s tale of woe took pity on them. The girls bought two tickets each, totaling eight tickets, all seated together in the fourth row center.

The CSNY show was recorded each night and the best performances from that week were compiled and released a few months later as FOUR WAY STREET. Our show started with solo sets from each performer doing a few of the classic tunes they were known for. KING MIDAS IN REVERSE, a HOLLIES classic was done by Nash. Stephen Stills did manic solo piano work on 49 BYE BYES, Crosby scored with TRIAD. But for me the highlight was acoustic Neil Young. Geez, what a great start to a show. And the band didn’t even do their collective electric set yet. It only got better.

Acoustic Set:

Suite:Judy Blues Eyes

Blackbird

On the Way Home

Teach Your Children

Tell Me Why

Triad

Guinnevere

Another Sleep Song

Man in the Mirror

Don’t Let It Bring You Down

The Loner

Cinnamon Girl

Down By The River

Black Queen

49 Bye-Byes

America’s Children

Love the One You’re With

Electric Set:

Pre-Road Downs

Long Time Gone

Helplessly Hoping

Southern Man

As I Come of Age

Ohio

Carry On

Encore:

Woodstock

Find the Cost of Freedom

36 Years Later:

I lost interest in CSN and/or CSNY as a collective unit early on, probably about the time I first saw the NEW YORK DOLLS. Somehow, guys sitting on a stool playing acoustic guitars made little sense to my rock n roll mind. Don’t get me wrong, I would go see Neil Young at the drop of a hat and did many times. Stills, once solo at a good show in Tramps, and Crosby once recently at City Winery NY, he still has the pipes. Nash showed up at the Steve Earle benefit last year, and well, best left unsaid. But 1970-2006 I had zero enthusiasm for the band(s)CSN/CSNY recorded or live. Then, my buddy’s wife bought a bank of 20 tickets expecting my bride and I would join the gang.

August 22, 2006: CSNY Freedom of Speech Tour @ Jones Beach

My notes are limited so I leave it to a review from VARIETY:

For the half of the 3½ hour show in which Young took the spotlight, you could believe that music may have the power to change events. He and a band that includes longtime Young collaborators Spooner Oldham and Ben Keith performed songs with a raggedy intensity that perfectly suits the material’s broadside emotions.

He opened the show with “Flags of Freedom,” a compassionate account of a family sending their son to fight in Iraq; they ended the second set with “Find the Cost of Freedom,” accompanied by thumbnail photos of the war’s 2,576 fatalities. He’s especially offended by the fact that President Bush has yet to attend a funeral of a fallen soldier (a fact twice mentioned on the “Living With War” news reports that run during his songs). With CSN adding their harmonies in place of the 100-voice choir on “War,” the new songs bristle with a righteous anger.

The other three never left their late ’60s/early ’70s comfort zone. You could argue that Nash’s “Military Madness” has some relevance today, but it’s hard to make that case for Crosby’s “Almost Cut My Hair” or Nash’s “Chicago” — for most people nowadays, the image of someone “bound and gagged” and “chained to a chair” does not bring up memories of Mayor Daley and the ’68 Democratic Convention. And closing the first set with “Deja Vu” only served to remind people that, yes, we all have heard this all before.

Their attitude turned protest into nothing more than a pose; it’s as if they believe that by replicating the sounds of ’60s protest, they’ll be able to ignite a similar movement today. Like one of the peace signs on their backdrop, the band is looking a little worse for wear. Nash’s voice is often strained, while Stills’ is ravaged. When he takes the lead, the results are sad to hear; unlike other singers whose voices have aged badly, he doesn’t seem to have figured out ways to get around it. On “Wounded World” and “Treetop Flyer,” he veers into Bob Dylan territory. Crosby, on the other hand, ignores all medical science, retaining his voice against all odds.

For all its faults, a show like CSNY’s brings up some intriguing questions about what protest music in the 21st century should sound like. In our more corporate time, in which record labels and radio stations tread lightly on controversial topics, perhaps only a band such as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, which no longer cares about radio airplay and has a loyal cadre of fans, can get away with calling for the president’s impeachment and project the lyrics of Young’s indictment onto giant video screens. They may be preaching to the choir, but it’s still good to hear.

Band: David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Spooner Oldham, Chad Cromwell, Rick Rosas, Ben Keith, Tom Bray. Reviewed July 31, 2006.

ME: Needless to say, the bill should have read NEIL YOUNG with…

Flags of Freedom

Carry On

Wooden Ships

Long Time Gone

Military Madness

After the Garden

Living With War

The Restless Consumer

Shock and Awe

Wounded World

Almost Cut My Hair

Immigration Man

Families

Déjà Vu

SET 2

Helplessly Hoping

Our House

Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Guinnevere

Milky Way Tonight

Treetop Flyer

Roger and Out

Southbound Train

Ole Man Trouble

Carry Me

Southern Cross

Find the Cost of Freedom

ENCORE

Let’s Impeach the President

For What It’s Worth

Chicago

Ohio

What Are Their Names

Rockin’ in the Free World

ENCORE

Teach Your Children