Guitar player numbers his Les Paul’s like Pete. Singers have real talent. And they’re doing an Elvis song. Let me see, what else is interesting here…..
The Kids Are Alright
The Real Thing
I promise I’m not trying to turn this into a highbrow blog. Since I posted about an imposter earlier this week, I might as well post about the real deal. Probably the best female pianist ever, and better than a huge majority of males. And without a doubt the prettiest. Still as good as ever at age 79.
Give Jesus The Football
Sorry.
Follow-Up
Google has clearly marked me as a lush, as this popped up in my YouTube feed this a.m. I posted this guy’s video on overrated bourbons a while ago, so here’s the flipside. I haven’t tried everything he recommends, but he’s spot on for the one’s I’ve had.
The Jam’s 1977 Peel Sesssion
Good Lord, these guys were tight.
What was that name again?
Barreracudas… ? Ok
This song punches every one of my rocky dopamine receptors right in the pants. In a good way.
Sandinista Turns 40
Self-indulgent mess? Misunderstood masterpiece? I usually have an opinion on matters musical, but it’s now been forty years and I’m still not sure what to make of this album. Which may be the point. Or not.
Taking Hippies to School
You’ve all seen the Who’s legendary version of “My Generation” at the Monterey Pop Festival; it was in both the official MPF movie release and The Kids are Alright. Here’s a video of MPF outtakes with more songs from that set beginning at 1:12:52: “Substitute,” “Summertime Blues,” and “A Quick One.” AQO doesn’t quite have the knockout power of the Rock and Roll Circus version, but it’s still far better than most of what transpired at that festival. Scrolling through this and watching a little of each band reinforced what I already knew: San Francisco bands of that era could not play. Their amateurism is pretty staggering. The LA acts acquit themselves much better. But it took the Who, a Seattle guitarist backed by Brits, and Otis Redding backed by Memphis boys to really show how things are done.
The intro by vocal harmony popsters The Association is surpsringly bizarre.
If you’re truly bored, sample the LA bands, The Associaion, Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and Mamas & Papas Then sample the SF ones, Country Joe, Jefferson Airplane, and especially Big Brother and the Holding Company (Quicksilver Messenger Service actually sound OK). The LA bands were products of an established and highly competetive musical culture that thrived around a hit-making city. The SF bands were products of a new scene that revolved around getting fucked up and jamming. The difference shows. And even if you like Janis Joplin as a singer (I don’t), you can’t deny that Big Brother was an execrable band. Their incompetence is just jaw-dropping. I think she ditched them pretty quickly as her star rose. Good move.
Fun fact of the day: Country Joe was one of several bands unfortunate enough to get blown off the stage by an unkown opening band called Led Zeppelin on LZ’s first US tour. By the end of that tour CJ and various other headliners such as Iron Butterfly and Vanilla Fudge weren’t even bothering to show up.
Happy Birthday to Me and this Hero
Very entertaining Heroes era Bowie TV appearance.