Archive for the ‘Warner Brothers’ Category
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
Listen: Stay With Me / Lorraine Ellison LorraineStay.mp3
I was thinking about my previous post (The Exciters) and a whole lot of Bert Burns details kept coming to mind, like one of his reportedly last songs, written with Jerry Ragovoy, being ‘Piece Of My Heart’. After being made super famous by Big Brother & The Holding Company, there really was no point in trying to compete with a re-recordings, although some did. Janis Joplin clearly had a definitive knowledge of the great RnB singers at that time. I remember her being interviewed by Dick Cavett and mentioning her favorite being Tina Turner. Neither he nor the silent audience knew who that was. She dug up and recorded greats by Garnet Mimms, Bobby Womack, Howard Tate and obviously Jerry Ragovoy (who wrote many of the aforementioned); undeniably making them hers.
There’s a cd compilation currently available, TIME IS ON MY SIDE – THE JERRY RAGOVOY STORY 1953-2003. I highly suggest getting a copy. It overviews an impressive array of styles, but mostly pure RnB. One of the songs it includes is ‘Stay With Me’ by Lorraine Ellison. Now oddly enough, I love her version even though I don’t love love love her voice. I like her an awful lot, but prefer a bit more husk. When combining her with Ragovoy’s songs though, it always works.
Now the following is a true story. If someone were to tell it to me, I wouldn’t believe them – it’s so far fetched. About 8 years ago, I went down to the village to meet Kate Hyman for lunch. She was looking at a small, really run down (needed gutting to be exact), brownstone and suggested we meet there (just off Carmine Street), have a look and go eat. I love looking at property and she knew it – so bang, we had a plan. A mutual friend, Glen Schiller, was the agent and he walked us through the then rotting, water damaged debris of a home – now renovated and clearly worth a fortune. I was a little timid about going up the stairs but followed along. There was literally nothing, and I mean nothing, in the building except a perfect, US promo copy of Lorraine Ellison’s ‘Stay With Me’ (the second issue – pictured at the top) propped against a bedroom wall. I know – you think I’m lying. I swear on my Mother’s life – this is true. I couldn’t believe it. There should have been a faint sound of ‘magic’ or ‘angels’ or ‘fairydust’ backgrounding my arm reaching down and chiming when as fingers met the sleeve, just in the movies.
This copy was mint. The sleeve factory fresh. What the fuck was this doing here? I asked Glen – he didn’t have a clue and said “Take it”. Well you only need to say that to me once. I did. So there you go – meant to be.
Tags: Big Brother & The Holding Company, Janis Joplin, Jerry Ragavoy, Lorraine Ellison
Posted in Bert Berns, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Dick Cavett, Ike & Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Jerry Ragovoy, Kate Hyman, Lorraine Ellison, The Exciters, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Listen: Wot! / Captain Sensible
Wot!
As Seymour Stein once loudly yelled down the hall to a certain snooty A&R guy, “Don’t lie to me you liar”.
The action never ended on that 21st floor of 75 Rockefeller Plaza, home to the Warner labels for decades. Our Medicine office was conveniently smack dab in the middle of a long hallway anchored on one end by the Warner/Reprise A&R staff and at the other, Seymour and the Sire staff. Duane and I had the best seats in the house.
And anyone who tells you they never liked The Damned is also a liar. Not mentioned as often as they should be, the band were easily an equal to The Sex Pistols when it comes to the UK punk crown. A tie.
Captain Sensible never could, never will, do any wrong. He’s hysterical, a fantastic entertainer, front man, side man, guitarist, bassist, songwriter and an all around good guy. He was a big friend of Joey Ramone’s, and it was The Damned who were the only UK band that flew themselves over from England to honor his life at Hammerstein Ballroom a month after he passed away. His Mom, brother and all his close friends never forgot.
Sometimes the good ones do get their just rewards. Who wasn’t pleased when Captain’s first solo single ‘Happy Talk’ topped the UK charts? Captain Sensible at #1! Yes.
The followup, ‘Wot!’, also a chart success, was even better. It was pure Sensible humor. Hearing it is seeing him in that two piece pink shag rug suit. Great records make you visualize the artist. Here’s the proof.
Listen: Glad It’s All Over / Captain Sensible
Glad
Two years later, when it was looking like the solo Captain Sensible moment had passed, ‘Glad It’s All Over’, with it’s mischievous Kid Creole & The Coconuts fake intro, barreled to a UK #6. Great song, great production, great news. Again, hats off to the Captain.
This was ’84 and towards the end of a six year run, late night weekly FM radio specialty show I co-hosted with Roger McCall. We both found ourselves to be so sick of the ghettoized midnight to 2 AM life sentence of a time slot that the WCMF programmers inflicted on music which should’ve been heard all day. And so we’d end every show with ‘Glad It’s All Over’. They were so in the dark, they never did catch on.
Tags: A&M, Captain Sensible, Duane Sherwood, Joey Ramone, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Reprise, Roger McCall, Seymour Stein, Sire, The Damned, The Medicine Label, The Sex Pistols, Warner Brothers, WCMF
Posted in A&M, Captain Sensible, Duane Sherwood, Joey Ramone, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Reprise, Roger McCall, Seymour Stein, Sire, The Damned, The Medicine Label, The Sex Pistols, Warner Brothers, WCMF | No Comments »
Saturday, February 13th, 2010
Listen: Pata Pata / Miriam Makeba
Pata Pata / Miriam Makeba
A traditional African song by a native artist becoming a US radio and chart hit (#12, 10/67)? Probably a first, definitely a last. Seriously, I can’t remember it ever happening again. Programmers with their false sense of knowing the public taste and dismissive musical arrogance were actually powerful all through the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s. Even after the industry coined the sound ‘world music’ and it became chic, off the US airwaves it was kept – maybe Paul Simon’s GRACELAND got some radio attention, but nowhere near matching the sales story. That’s as far as the door opened. And not ever again for a native artist. Did any pop, alternative or more pointedly, urban station play King Sunny Ade & His African Beats or Ladysmith Black Mambazo? Yeah right. So much for a melting pot and honoring heritage.
This, of course, before the gatekeepers lost that power and their stronghold was decimated. But all those years of musical censorship took it’s toll. Just look at the tastes of the average American. Yikes.
Released not long after The Dixie Cups ‘Iko Iko’ became a hit, both hooked me with the rhythm and ambience of drums, sticks, bongos – whatever. It all sounded pretty fascinating. ‘Pata Pata’ never struck me as out of place, or threateningly different, just a great single. I collected all the Reprise 7′s to follow, about 5-6 more. Who realized at the time that Jerry Ragovoy was involved in the Miriam Makeba story, not only as producer, but co-songwriter. True, he was in the studio with her while juggling sessions with Lorraine Ellison. How great is that?
Reprise, and parent company Warner Brothers, had a most seminal and diverse roster, beginning in the 60′s. All you need do is pull out any of the label’s album inner sleeves listing their currents to see. In fact, that diversity and standard continued for decades, all under Mo Ostin’s leadership. His taste in music, and instinct for executives goes a bit unheralded in the history books, but it was there and vastly important to a healthy underground music culture in America.
Tags: Jerry Ragovoy, King Sunny Ade & His African Beats, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lorraine Ellison, Miriam Makeba, Paul Simon, Reprise, The Dixie Cups, Warner Brothers
Posted in Jerry Ragovoy, Lorraine Ellison, Miriam Makeba, Mo Ostin, Reprise, The Dixie Cups, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Listen: Mighty Mighty / Earth Wind & Fire EWFMighty.mp3
During the summer of ’74 – summer ’75, I worked at Discount Records, then a northeastern chain, owned by CBS, and heavily stocked in catalog. Most record shops in those days carried lots of….records. This was a time when all the excitement happened right there in the store as opposed any of the other shops competing for the youth dollar.
Today it’s known as an Apple Store. Both had genius bars, well no, that’s a lie. Record shops had counters populated by genius record experts. Same difference.
There were a couple of co-workers who relentlessly hogged the turntable, seemingly for the sole purpose of playing Earth Wind & Fire’s newest album, OPEN OUR EYES. I cringed at it’s polish having preferred their previous two Warner Brothers albums. They were way less refined and more street dirty. After all, leader Maurice White had started his professional career in ’69 as a session drummer at Chess, eventually joining The Ramsey Lewis Trio. Then something happened, literally in mid song, I realized I absolutely loved ‘Mighty Mighty’. It was the last track on one of the sides as I recall, and had just been released as a single. How perfect. It’s been a staple ever since.
Listen: Drum Song / Earth Wind & Fire EWFDrum.mp3
So once my guard was down, I started noticing a bunch of things in there, like LA’s latin sound, which War had coined a year or two prior, sentimentally grabbing my attention via a first visit in ’73. Plus new to me, African beats. Miriam Makeba’s ‘Pata Pata’, shockingly a pop hit several years earlier, was my only exposure at that point. B side of ‘Mighty Mighty’ and album track, ‘Drum Song’ became a favorite even. I was officially a fan.
Listen: Kalimba Story / Earth Wind & Fire EWFKalimba.mp3
Was I happy when ‘Kalimba Story’ was released as a 7″. It was almost too good to be true, being my other favorite from the album. I’ve noticed kalimba on every record they’ve ever made, at least all the ones I know.
Listen: Sun Goddess / Ramsey Lewis And Earth Wind & Fire EWFSunGoddess.mp3
Full circle to ’75, when Maurice White reunites with Ramsey Lewis to record what would become a #1 Urban classic. These guys had really hit their stride.
Tags: CBS, Chess, Columbia, Earth Wind & Fire, Maurice White, Miriam Makeba, Ramsey Lewis, War, Warner Brothers
Posted in CBS, Chess, Columbia, Earth Wind & Fire, Maurice White, Miriam Makeba, Ramsey Lewis, War, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
Listen: Big Yellow Taxi / Joni Mitchell JoniBigYellowTaxi.mp3
When it came to folk, I stuck to the UK stuff. Even then, it was never high on my list. I did have a mad patch for Fairport Convention, especially around the time of FULL HOUSE and ANGEL DELIGHT. Plus there were moments when Lindisfarne or The Incredible String Band topped the list. As for the North American stuff, not so much. Songs here or there.
Warner Brothers started doing these double album samplers for $2 (including postage) around 1968, showcasing the spectrum of their varied roster. They had most of the good progressive acts, and one of the four sides was always skewed toward folk, including the likes of Pearls Before Swine, Tom Northcott, The Pentangle or Joni Mitchell. Often the songs were album tracks, but on this one occasion, ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ ended up a single. Despite my ambivalence toward female singer/songwriter voices in general (Joan Armatrading and Phranc excluded), I developed an unlikely attraction for Joni Mitchell’s. Her forays into other musical styles worked fine, better even, in my book.
Listen: Raised On Robbery / Joni Mitchell JoniRaisedOnRobbery.mp3
COURT AND SPARK was one of those albums that everyone loved. Like Carole King’s TAPESTRY, it was hard to find a non-believer. As a career step, she took that big one forward, proving her future would be long and respected. The album may be flawless.
‘Raised On Robbery’ got a lot of album rock play, but not much Top 40. Perfect. It proved her depth at a time when full length sales meant way more than the single. It was almost jazzy, who knew then it’s dixieland leanings would play out down the road as she took on Charles Mingus?
Listen: Help Me / Joni Mitchell JoniMitchellHelpMe.mp3
COURT AND SPARK gained such traction, and sold so well, there was no choice but for Top 40 to play the next single. ‘Help Me’ always sounded good over the air. I don’t believe I switched it off once. Deservedly, it climbed to #7 and became a staple for years.
Listen: Free Man In Paris / Joni Mitchell JoniParis.mp3
One night in the late 60′s both Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins played shows in Syracuse – at different venues. What were the promoters thinking? ‘Both Sides Now’, written by Joni and then a hit for Judy, lured me to attend the latter’s. I would say “mistake’, but to be fair, Judy Collins was great that night, mentioning her good friend was across town and thanking her for the hit.
Tags: Asylum, Carole King, Charles Mingus, Fairport Convention, Joan Armatrading, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Lindisfarne, Pearls Before Swine, Phranc, Reprise, The Incredible String Band, The Pentangle, Tom Northcott, Warner Brothers
Posted in Asylum, Carole King, Charles Mingus, Fairport Convention, Joan Armatrading, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Lindisfarne, Pearls Before Swine, Phranc, Reprise, The Incredible String Band, The Pentangle, Tom Northcott, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
Listen: Caught In A Dream / Alice Cooper AliceCooperCaught.mp3
I became pretty friendly with a couple of Syracuse University students, Fred Perry and Harry Fagenbaum, via their Sunday evening late night show on WAER, the student run radio station. It was as much a case of me finding them as them finding me.
I couldn’t sleep, it was late on a very cold Sunday night and despite school beckoning the next morning, I started fiddling with the wireless part of the TV/stereo/radio combination counsel, as much a piece of time period furniture as it was a media center. This was 1968, and I was so desperate to hear the new single by The Move, ‘Fire Brigade’, that I actually believed I’d find it on some far away radio station, beaming it’s way to me back when late night signals bounced to unlikely places. Lo and behold, I found my first ever college radio station, and was stunned. These two guys were playing some fantastic music: Ten Years After, John Mayall’s Bluesbreaker and The Kinks. I could not believe my luck.
Twenty minutes into the bliss, onto the air comes ‘Fire Brigade’ by The Move. Holy fucking shit. It was like I was possessed or something. Having tossed and turned, feeling frustrated to be growing up in a town and country where the radio stunk, I get out of bed and find what I was looking for. I know you’re thinking this is being exaggerated to make for better copy, but I swear, it’s true. Yes, be careful what you wish – it can be a little unsettling when it comes true.
So I made a low volume, long distance call to these DJ’s. Not only had I found a weekly oasis for my musical desires, they’d finally found a listener who wanted to hear the stuff. We agreed to meet up and talk English groups.
A year or so later, Harry became the Warner Brothers college rep, and would occasionally let me troll through his trunk full of promos, not anywhere near as often as I wanted, or as often as I’d have let him had the situation been reversed. Still, I was appreciative for the high.
One of those Saturday trunk scores included white label promos by Deep Purple ‘Strange Kind Of Woman’, John & Beverly Martyn ‘Road To Ruin’ and Alice Cooper ‘Caught In A Dream’, back when the name of the band, not the guy, was Alice Cooper. The Zappa partnership still seamed strong, with the WB label prominently including Frank’s Straight logo. Lots of good singles from Alice Cooper were still to come, but I think this one remains their best.
Tags: Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Frank Zappa, Fred Perry, Harry Fagenbaum, John & Beverly Martyn, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Straight Records, Ten Years After, The Kinks, The Move, WAER, Warner Brothers
Posted in Alice Cooper, Deep Purple, Frank Zappa, Fred Perry, Harry Fagenbaum, John & Beverly Martyn, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Straight Records, Ten Years After, The Kinks, The Move, WAER, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
Listen: What’s The Frequency Kenneth? / R.E.M. REMKenneth.mp3
It must be the mix that got me. The guitar is really loud – in a good way. Pete Buck’s a nice guy, hung with him on many an occasion, big record collector and music fan. But talk about a great single. Like the band or not – it’s hard to switch this one off when it hits the radio, which it did on my JetBlue flight the other day.
Are they the best airline or what, offering Sirius radio instead of the usual pre-programmed genre stations. I Sirius surf from takeoff to landing every last flight. If you don’t have Sirius radio, you are missing out. It’s like penance for the past 30 years of radio programming sins. Please God let it survive.
Tags: IRS, JetBlue, Pete Buck, R.E.M., Sirius, Warner Brothers
Posted in IRS, JetBlue, Pete Buck, R.E.M., Sirius, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
Listen: One Too Many Mornings / The Beau Brummels
One Too Many Mornings / The Beau Brummels
I’m guessing after a few big hits, then a few medium ones on Autumn Records, the label Sly Stone produced several sides for, the band happily migrated to Warner Brothers as part of the major’s buyout of Autumn’s catalog and roster. Although Autumn label mates The Mojo Men had a few singles that started promising chart wise, they nor any of the other acts did much business, no doubt ending in many a tear for The Vejtables, Great Society, the aforementioned Mojo Men and The Beau Brummels.
It’s really a shame, as most of those former Autumn artists via their new home at Warners, actually made some great sides.
‘One Too Many Mornings’ should have been, and almost was a hit. I heard it often, but stalled at #95 in Billboard. Their faux English band angle (they always looked like klutzes dressed as a UK band) had worn off by the time of this release, and they let their true calling, folk rock via The Everly Brothers shine through. I bet had The Byrds recorded this, it would have been a smash.
Tags: Autumn Records, Sly Stone, The Beau Brummels, The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, The Great Society, The Mojo Men, The Vejtables, Warner Brothers
Posted in Autumn Records, Sly Stone, The Beau Brummels, The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, The Great Society, The Mojo Men, The Vejtables, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Saturday, July 25th, 2009
Listen: Good Day Sunshine / Roy Redmond RoyRedmondGoodDay.mp3
Listen: That Old Time Feeling / Roy Redmond RoyRedmanThatOldTime.mp3
Part of the Loma Records roster in the mid 60′s, Roy Redmond’s path crossing with Jerry Ragovoy made perfect sense. He’d produced many acts for the label, almost like a house producer, most notably Lorraine Ellison. Warner Brothers, being the imprint’s parent label, obviously decided not to give them their own UK visibilty. To my knowledge, all those US Loma’s came out on WB over there, as with Roy Redmond’s.
Having recently gotten this as part of Tony King’s collection, it was the B side ‘That Old Time Feeling’ that drew me in based on the Ragovoy production. Plus it was co-written by Donnie Fritts, for years Kris Kristofferson’s keyboardist, having learned his craft at Muscle Shoals and with Rick Hall’s Fame Studios.
Until a few days ago, the A side ‘Good Day Sunshine’ was simply a repellant to my interest, being a most cheesy Beatles composition in an already crowded list. With ‘That Old Time Feeling’ being so good, I felt responsible to give it a spin. Wow. I should have trusted Jerry Ragovoy’s work way more. It’s terrific. Amongst the song’s many qualities – it sounds nothing like The Beatles original.
Tags: Donnie Fritts, Jerry Ragovoy, Loma, Lorraine Ellison, Muscle Shoals, Rick Hall, Roy Redmond, The Beatles, Tony King, Warner Brothers
Posted in Donnie Fritts, Jerry Ragovoy, Kris Kristofferson, Loma, Lorraine Ellison, Muscle Schoals, Rick Hall, Roy Redmond, The Beatles, Tony King, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
Listen: Truth Or Dare / Shirley Murdock ShirleyMurdock.mp3
Nothing like the sight and sound of Shirley Murdock making her way down the hallway at Elektra to visit Bob Krasnow – kitted out in high, high heels and tight, tight dress. She brought it to a whole new level. About twenty minutes after said sighting, my phone rang – Bob wanted me in his office. I couldn’t believe Bob had remembered my infatuation with her. By this time, they’d been joined by her producer, Roger Troutman, famous for his WB/Reprise band Zapp and his own solo hit, ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’. I was in heaven and Kras with that big smile on his face.
Her debut single ‘Truth Or Dare’ didn’t get the props it deserved, and admittedly the 80′s production dated fast, with a revival yet to be planned. But man, what a track.
Tags: Bob Krasnow, Elektra, Reprise, Roger Troutman, Shirley Murdock, Warner Brothers, Zapp
Posted in Bob Krasnow, Elektra, Reprise, Roger Troutman, Shirley Murdock, Warner Brothers, Zapp | No Comments »
Thursday, May 21st, 2009
Listen:  Wake Up Little Susie / The Everly Brothers EverlyWakeUp.mp3
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Listen:  Cathy’s Clown / The Everly Brothers EverlyCathy.mp3
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Listen: I’m Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail / The Everly Brothers EverlyJail.mp3
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Listen:  Don’t Let The Whole World Know / The Everly Brothers EverlyDontLet.mp3
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Talk about remembering your childhood. ‘Wake Up Little Susie’ precedes mine, but I still seem to remember this record being out. I’m guessing it was played for years after hitting #1 in ’57. I’m pretty sure my babysitting cousin Peggy would let the changer keep repeating it endlessly on my parents Living Stereo console, during which she would lock me in the bathroom, while she and her boyfriend made out (I’m guessing).ÂÂ
There’s something to be said about siblings, and how their voices are magic together. The McGuire Sisters, or Ray and Dave Davies – you’d think John and Exene were family members sometimes. I wonder what Ron and Russell would sound like if they sang together?
Here’s something interesting, for what sounds like the ultimate white pop music, both ‘Wake Up Little Suzie’ and ‘Cathy’s Clown’ scaled to the #1 spot on the pop AND the RnB charts. Can you believe that!!!
After the brothers bailed  for Warner Brothers in 1960, their original label, Cadence, continued to release the odd single in the hopes of grabbing another hit. One such 7″: ‘I’m Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail’ snuck out in August ’62. Not as wild as the title suggests, it’s nonetheless grown on me over the years. The record’s humble chart run and placing (6 weeks, #76) in Billboard being part of the attraction. I love a flop.
By ’63 the hits had pretty much dried up – and not surprisingly, the British Invasion crippled them as it did so many other clean cut late 50′s/early 60′s teen stars. They released a version of ‘Love Her’ in that year, only to be usurped by The Walker Brothers rendition. In fact, ‘Don’t Let The Whole World Know’, the B side to ‘You’re My Girl’ (#110, 2/65), is a total cross between The Walker Brothers and The Cramps, two acts everyone, even The Everly Brothers, wishes they were like.
Tags: Cadence, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, Sparks, The Cramps, The Everly Brothers, The Kinks, The McGuire Sisters, The Walker Brothers, Warner Brothers, X
Posted in Cadence, John Doe, Ray Davies, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, Sparks, The Cramps, The Everly Brothers, The Kinks, The McGuire Sisters, The Walker Brothers, Warner Brothers, X | No Comments »
Thursday, January 29th, 2009
Listen: Drowning In The Sea Of Love / The Section SectionDrowning.mp3
The Section were James Taylor’s backup band in the 70′s. They issued one album on Warner Brothers, with a freshly baked homemade pie on the cover. Despite the visual invitation, I paid no attention to it. Still knee deep being an Anglophile didn’t mix at all with these tasty, let’s go back to the country unkept musos.
Now I like the album. And despite it’s title, I really like the single from it, ‘Do The Meatball’. But here’s the question: are the above Section the same bunch? Sounds like they could be. ‘Drowning In A Sea Of Love’ is a super blue eyed soul version of the Joe Simon classic. I’m posting both to let you hear it – and hopefully to get the answer to my question. Email me at promocopy@nyc.rr.com
Posted in James Taylor, Joe Simon, RCA, The Section, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
Listen: Do We Still Do It / Slade SladeDoWeStill.mp3
I’m breaking my own rule here. The rule: this blog is only about 7″ singles. The rule breaker: ‘Do We Still Do It’, a track so good, so overlooked, so obvious a single. I can’t think of a better one – it’s always topped that list in my head. What was Warner Brothers thinking? At least ‘Do We Still Do It’ opened one side of STOMP YOUR HANDS, CLAP YOUR FEET, even if it was Side Two. This was Slade’s ‘hoping to break thru in The US’ LP. What a surprise, US radio wouldn’t play a band that dressed so colorfully and rocked so crazy. Really sorry about those pathetic US programers everyone. Still embarrassed by them. It took years, but they’re finally putting themselves out of business it seems. I heard today Clear Channel were firing 1500 radio people. Awe, aren’t you sad? Shouldn’t those 1500 stay employed so they can all play and say the same stuff day after day? How unfair, right?
Good riddance! Now flush the overpaid guys who forced the newly unemployed to play that tired stuff in the first place. No one’s listening – what part don’t you get? They say white men can’t dance. Similarly, when it comes to programming good radio, Americans can’t program – only the British can. Get over it.
I’d seen Slade one rainy night in fall ’73 at SUNY Fredonia. Corinne and I braved the back woods road to get to the gymnasium which I recall being pretty full. We elbowed our way right up front. Hey, we considered ourselves UK band fan royalty. I’d just come back from London, and fresh from my job of picking up empty pint glasses at the Marquee. So there.
Well Slade were way more powerful than ever expected. We loved the singles a lot, and the look – glam in general, but holy shit – this was ridiculous. The whole place went beserk. I mean, this had to have happened everywhere. Why didn’t they take off across the country? Baffling.
We left jaws dragging. Well, we didn’t exactly leave – we went to the only motel in town – and in the bar, there was Slade with their manager Chas Chandler. Now this was an unexpected treat. We had pot, they had stories. The next few hours were spent in Noddy’s room, talking to him and Chas (he had been in The Animals and brought Jimi Hendrix to England). All very recounted now, but not then. There was much I wanted him to tell, and he was only too happy in exchange for the good quality joints she was rolling. After a few hours, they were very stoned guys in a two horse town and the only female in sight was my girlfriend. So I figured – time to leave. Nice fellows though and a night to remember forever and ever and ever.
Posted in Chas Chandler, Glam, Jimi Hendrix, Slade, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Saturday, October 11th, 2008
Listen: Rock The Nation / Montrose
Rock The Nation / Montrose
Montrose. If it’s good it’s always good. You may remember a time in punkcentric ’77 when Montrose was a nasty word, representing the hard rock, metal hair band, LA Sunset Strip. A frozen in time culture when we were all teens and knew way more than those folks did. Yeah right. Like the reality of every musical movement, there were great things happening which we happily turned our nose to at the time. I secretly didn’t. Montrose was one. I went to LA for the 1st time in May ’73 at the invitation of Rich Fazekas, then promotion guy for United Artists. We’d stuck up a friendship (lasting until this day) as a result of him promoting their UK signings (The Move, Family. Hawkwind, Man, Help Yourself). This resulted in my self-serving position of playing them on my college station even though no one was probably listening, which was basically the situation for all of us in small towns acting as cities. Still it got me a relationship with Rich. So in May ’73, at his invitation, I schlepped to LA. Bless his heart, Rich introduced me to mexican food, took me to the Troubadour for a jaw dropping Tim Buckley show, we raided a publishing company with Greg Shaw that was dumping all their 7″ singles (I got many sick things like several copies of The Alan Price Set’s ‘I Put A Spell On You’) and took me to see The Pretty Things 1st US shows at the Whisky (which was the ultimate point of the trip originally). Somewhere in that 4 day blur, we went to Warner Brothers Studios to see Montrose making their 1st album. I vividly remember this song being recorded – but I’m not choosing to post it for nostogia or show off reasons – instead becuase it is so ‘the real thing’ and sounds it until this day – and in mono my friends, straight from my 7″. I hope you love it like I do. I never hear it anymore – not that I did then. Hopefully someone will discover it here and make Montrose some well deserved $.
Posted in Hawkwind, Montrose, Rich Fazekas, The Alan Price Set, The Move, The Pretty Things, Tim Buckley, United Artists, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
Friday, June 20th, 2008
Listen: Numbers / Kraftwerk
Numbers
If you don’t know about Kraftwerk then go away, do some research and start the first day of the rest of your life. But if you do, you may not know something pretty interesting: this was actually released as a single 27 years ago. 27 years ago!!! Were Bob Krasnow and Mo Ostin ahead of their time back at Warner Brothers then, or was the rest of society behind the times? The answer is simple. Here’s the US single only version.
Tags: Kraftwerk
Posted in Bob Krasnow, Kraftwerk, Mo Ostin, Warner Brothers | No Comments »
