Welcome to the RPM Record Club Seven Day Soundtrack, week ending Friday 14th April 2023....and another week of musical coincidences in RPM land, it seems. Listen now and see what I mean; over to...
"Listening pleasures this week have been pretty varied but I have played a fair bit o' blooze so here's three of 'em."
Grateful Dead- 'I'm a king bee' (from 'Birth of the Dead' double CD set released March 25th 2003. Rhino label)
"Initially part of the 12 CD 'The Golden Road 1965-1973' box set, thankfully somebody at Rhino took pity on the poorer end of 'Deadheads' (hope you're reading this Mr Fripp!!) and issued these early studio and live recordings as a stand alone 'mini-box'. Disc one encompasses their forays into the recording studios for the Autumn and Scorpio labels whilst disc two concentrates on the mid to late sixties live performances. The comprehensive sleeve notes state that the recording dates and locations for the live CD are unknown but Wiki sez July 16th 1966 at the Fillmore, and that seems more than probable as the Dead, in the live setting, were still little more than a blues/covers band at this time with only one band original composition included on the recordings. Rod McKernan (AKA Pigpen) turns in a strong (if sometimes wayward) vocal and harmonica performance, there's a sometimes tentative spiralling solo from Garcia and the usual monstrous bass from Phil Lesh but, despite that, this is still my favourite era of the Dead's music. It's just a pity the group never recorded a studio version for the debut album. I seem to remember when the debut was rereleased as a CD that it featured not only the 'original' album but also the 'uncut' takes too. At that time, being something of a 'vinyl snob' (no.... honest!!) I let that one slide by and I ain't seen on since."
Rising Sons- 'Baby, what you want me to do' (from 'Rising Sons, featuring Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder' LP initially released 1992. Columbia label. This from re-release 2001. Sundazed label)
"Columbia had a small treasure trove in early 1965, having signed The Byrds and, at the same time, another of LA's nascent folk rock groups, the Rising Sons. It seemed that, for a short while, LA's teens held their collective breath awaiting the outcome of which group would make the commercial breakthrough as both groups were incredibly popular in the city's nightclubs with the Byrds holding court at Ciro's Le Disc whilst, further down the Strip, the Rising Sons were packing them in at the Troubadour and Ash Grove. Columbia placed both groups under the direction of Terry Melcher but, perhaps due to the Sons forming a year later than the Byrds (1965 as compared to 1964), their time in the studio seems to have been less focused than the Byrds. Despite the presence of Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder, bassist Gary Marker remembered that "we were the problem, we had difficulties distilling our multiple musical agendas down to a product that would sell. We had no actual leader, no clear musical vision.... I think [Melcher] went out of his way to make us happy, within the scope of his knowledge. He tried just about everything he could, including (a) live, acoustic session". Perhaps Columbia's interest waned when 'Mr Tambourine Man' became a huge, worldwide hit and instructed Melcher to concentrate his efforts on the Byrds and his concurrent success with Paul Revere and the Raiders? Who knows? What's for certain is that, despite recording a whole album, plus alternate takes and a couple of extra tracks, the label withheld the Son's recordings and only belatedly released a lone single, 'Candy Man', in February 1966, by which time the group were on the point of disbanding. Of course, Cooder and Mahal are now renowned 'world music' icons but what happened to the rest? Well, their original drummer was Ed Cassidy who dropped out during the groups early stages when he injured his wrist playing a monumental version of "Statesboro Blues" with the band. He was replaced by Kevin Kelley in late 1965. Kelley later joined his cousin Chris Hillman's band... the Byrds, in time to play on their groundbreaking 'Sweetheart of the rodeo' album. Jesse Lee Kincaid studied guitar at California's Institute of Arts and has released several albums and a book but Marker, following a long career in many groups (including several stints with Captain Beefheart's Magic Band) passed away in 2015. Original drummer Ed Cassidy then formed the Red Roosters with his 14 year old stepson Randy California (just after he had been in Jimi's backing group in NYC) and then it was on to psychedelic pioneers Spirit."
Rolling Stones- 'Little by little' (initially b-side to 'Not fade away' single released 21st February 1964. Also on 'The Rolling Stones' LP released April 1964. Both releases Decca label)
"Very much an amalgamation of the Junior Wells/ Earl Hooker song of the same title and Jimmy Reeds 'Shame, shame, shame' the song was perhaps controversially credited as a 'Nanker/Phelge' composition. This was a catch-all credit for none Jagger/Richards songs, and this time it's Jagger, Richards and new best friend of manager Andrew Oldham, Phil Spector. The session for this song was held on the 4th February with Spector, Gene Pitney and the Stones 'sixth member' Ian Stewart sitting in on the recording and was released as the b-side to the groups third single just seventeen days later! This was perhaps the Stones most energetically authentic blues performance to date and is also a worthy side one closing track on their debut LP, an album which really established both the group and the blues at the forefront of the UK music scene. If only they were this basic and energetic nowadays!!!!"
"Hi RPMers, hope all is good with you all . Here's my 3 tunes."
Laughing Stock by Grandaddy -
Sun City Creeps by Woods -
"Here's my 3 for the week and best to everybody as always."
Simple Twist Of by Fate Bob Dylan - "We went to Geldeston Lock for Easter Sunday as they had a band on; Rumdog. The sun unexpectedly arrived and stayed - It was lovely to listen to music outside first time this year and they played their take on many covers including this one - a very passable version."
Copperhead Road by Steve Earle - "Rumdog also included a great version of this track which I hadn't heard for ages and I had it as an earworm for the next several days. During the whole couple of sessions a little boy who couldn't have been more than two or three decided he was going to be a drummer when he grew up. He assembled a small collection of things that would make a noise when hit and proceeded to accompany the band using a couple of bits of wood to lay down a beat. The bands drummer couldn't fail to notice and after several numbers took a pair of his sticks over to the lad following which the whole sizeable crowd applauded the gesture and the little boy who switched to the unfamiliar sticks and remained on beat for the whole afternoon. Brought a little tear to the eye!"
Wishing Well performed by Maggie Bell - "Lots of other good covers by Rumdog but from my weekly playlist here's a good version of this Free track by one of my 70's faves. Is anybody like me having to check to see if they've already sent a particular track in?"
"I've been going through several large boxes of Rock cassettes this week and already have a couple of tracks from one of them lined up for next week. Looking on ebay at current prices they are making, I'm really glad I held onto them! Here comes the sun again - Bye.... "
"Greetings RPMers; wishing you all the best of times."
But For You by Lucy Farrell -
Erupting Light by Hildur Guðnadóttir -
Haberdashery by Orbury Common -
"Cinderella was fantastic last week. Here are a couple of pieces from Prokofiev's score."
Cinderella's Departure for the Ball -
The Duet of the Prince and Cinderella -
"Hi RPMers, here are my three tracks for this week..."
Johnny Too Bad by The Slickers -
Young Mother by Curved Air -
Last Men On The Moon by The Stranglers -
"I’m still a bit of a dead head. Timeless grooviness...."
Deep, Wide And Frequent by Mickey Hart -
Embryonic Journey/Morning Dew performed by Tom Constanten -
Unbroken Chain by Phil Lesh -
"This week's choices are all from forthcoming albums due out soon, all of them very much on my radar."
I Hate Hate by Ian Hunter - "Mister Hunter is a sprightly 80, and can still do the business when it comes to rock'n'roll."
New York Comeback by Lucinda Williams - "A mere spring chicken compared to Mr. Hunter, Lucinda is approaching her 70th birthday, and has been recovering from a stroke. Her new album contains a tribute to Tom Petty, and two tracks featuring Bruce 'n' Patti on backing vox, including this one."
Slow Burn by Rose City Band - "Ripley Johnson comes over all psychedelic again."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diLeT1IaVRU
"Best regards to all RPMers."
"Been playing some old stuff....which led me on to something new...."
Intro for first choice....(no, not a bonus track.)
That Sunday Morning by Ian McMillan - "This poem is the opening track on Younger Than That Now, a Dylan tribute album recorded by various artists on the event of our Bob's 70th birthday. I came across it when it was being played over the in-store sound system of the York folk music shop, Red Cow Music, now unfortunately no longer with us."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiZL6UNAW_w
"It leads nicely into..."
Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands by Bob Dylan - "Blonde On Blonde has never been one of my favourite Dylan LPs...think I've said that before. Visions of Johanna is ruined by a full band backing; would have been perfect with just Dylan's acoustic guitar exactly like he performed it during the first half of his 1965 shows. This songs pretty good though, in my view....although some critics seem to think it a load of overblown cobblers......"
Someday by Steve Earle - "This is on Guitar Town, the first Steve Earle album I ever heard in about 1987, and was a song I always thought cleverly summed up a feeling and situation using minimal lyrics. Classic Earle."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgQeuBPhMck&list=PLAE6sL9nOAoJMXIPjaV7C-yBQZKibvf5N&index=6
Dead Flowers performed by Maren Morris - "Have any Stones and/or country music fans in RPM land come across Stoned Cold Country yet? Basically lots of country stars covering Rolling Stones songs....and enjoyable enough to last half a dozen or so listens. A Youtube link for Steve Earle performing Angie put me onto it. I know nothing about Maren Morris, but this is one of the top tracks on the whole album, I reckon."
'Til Next Time...