Original Cast - National Lampoon Lemmings (1973)

Starting on January 25, 1973, and running for 350 performances, National Lampoon magazine sponsored a comedy revue at the off-Broadway Village Gate nightclub in Greenwich Village. National Lampoon Lemmings featured sketch comedy in its first act, but its second act was given over to an elaborate satire of Woodstock that allowed for parodies of popular music figures of the day.
Future Saturday Night Live cast members John Belushi and Chevy Chase were featured, Belushi originating the Joe Cocker impersonation he would perform on television ("Lonely at the Bottom"), Chase turning in a wicked takeoff on John Denver ("Colorado"). But the biggest musical talent was Christopher Guest, who would go on to greater fame in This Is Spinal Tap. Guest co-wrote and sang cutting portraits of Bob Dylan ("Positively Wall Street") and James Taylor ("Highway Toes"). At a time when singer/songwriter music was all the rage, the sensitive types came in for special attention (there is also a song by "Freud, Marx, Engels, and Jung"), but the closing song was a general-purpose send-up of heavy metal by a fictional group called Megadeath. (Of course, later on there actually was a heavy metal band called Megadeth.) "Pizza Man," a girl group number, was amusing but seemed out of place, while the black music song "Papa Was a Running-Dog Lackey of the Bourgeoisie" targeted Motown and Curtis Mayfield.
Some of the comedy is dated, and the satire depends on familiarity with the Woodstock movie and biographical details of the artists' lives. Some of the material is also visual, and a video would better represent the show than this audio recording. But for rock & roll fans with a black sense of humor, it doesn't get much better than this, especially since a group of future comedy stars are glimpsed at the start of their careers.

Track listing

Side One
01. Stage Announcements  (Performed by John Belushi)  - 1:50
02. Lemmings Lament  (Lead vocal by Paul Jacobs as David Crosby); instruments and backup vocals
       by the cast; written by Paul Jacobs and Sean Kelly  - 3:09
03. Stage Announcements (Performed by John Belushi)  - 2:07
04. Positively Wall Street  (Lead vocal by Christopher Guest (as Bob Dylan); instruments and backup
       vocals by the cast; written by Paul Jacobs, Christopher Guest, and Sean Kelly  - 2:42
05. Weather Person  (Performed by Garry Goodrow  - 1:55
06. Pizza Man  (Lead vocal by Alice Playten (as Goldie Oldie); instruments and back-up vocals by the
       cast; written by Christopher Guest, Sean Kelly, and Tony Hendra  - 3:46
07. Stage Announcements  (Performed by John Belushi  - 0:58
08. Colorado (Lead vocal by Chevy Chase; instruments and backup vocals by the cast; written by
       Christopher Guest, Sean Kelly, and Tony Hendra  - 4:12
09. Richie Havens  (Performed by Christopher Guest as Richie Havens)  - 0:21
10. Crowd Rain Chant  (Performed by John Belushi)  - 1:00

Side Two
01. Stage Announcements  (Performed by John Belushi)  - 0:29
02. Papa Was a Running Dog Lackey of the Bourgeoisie  (Lead vocal by Paul Jacobs); instruments
       and backup vocals by the cast; written by Paul Jacobs and Tony Hendra  - 2:37
03. All-Star Dead Band  (Performed by John Belushi)  - 1:09
04. Stage Announcements  (Performed by John Belushi)  - 0:31
05. Highway Toes  (Lead vocal by Christopher Guest as James Taylor); instruments and backup
       vocals by the cast; written by Christopher Guest and Sean Kelly  - 2:41
06. Hell's Angel  (Performed by Chevy Chase)  - 2:19
07. Stage Announcements  (Performed by John Belushi)  - 0:19
08. Farmer Yassir  (Performed by Garry Goodrow)  - 2:16
09. Lonely at the Bottom  (Lead vocal by John Belushi as Joe Cocker); instruments and backupvocals
       by the cast; written by Paul Jacobs and John Belushi  - 5:47
10. Megagroupie  (Performed by Alice Playten)  - 1:20
11. Megadeath  (Lead vocal by John Belushi); instruments and backup vocals by the cast; written by
       Paul Jacobs and Sean Kelly  - 3:50

Notes
Genre:  Comedy, Parody, Rock, folk rock
Length:  45:18
Label:  Blue Thumb Records, MCA Records, Decca Broadway
Producer:  Tony Hendra

© 1973

Bakerandband - From Humble Oranges (1982)

Bakerband was one of many bands formed by ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker, along with guitarist Doug Brockie and bassist Karl Hill.
Ginger Baker, is an English drummer, best known as the founder of the rock band Cream.
A member also of Blind Faith, Hawkwind, and a number of other bands, including his own Ginger Baker's Air Force, he is known for his numerous associations with world music, mainly the use of African influences.
The album features a mix of rock / pop and blues , the trio is cohesive and powerful, but the vocals do not seen to quite come up to the level of quality of many of  his other projects.. just a great lost and found treasure..


Track listing

01.  The Eleventh Hour  - 3:12 
02.  Too Many Apples  - 3:34   
03.  It  - 3:02       
04.  Under The Sun  - 4:37        
05.  On The Road To Grandma's House  - 3:46        
06.  The Land Of Mordor  - 5:10       
07.  This Planet  - 3:26       
08.  Sore Head In The Morning Blues  - 5:43       
09.  Wasting Time  - 3:10       
10.  Lament   - 0:18      

Credits
Ginger Baker - Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals
Doug Brockie -  Guitar, Lead Vocals
Karl Hill - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Chris Gent - Tenor Saxophone

Notes
Recorded & Mixed at Idea Recording Studios, Milan
Mastered at Idea Transfer Milan.
Engineer – Pino Vicari, Steve James
Mastered By – Marco Inzadi
Producer – Steve James
Genre:  Blues Rock
Length: 36:00
Label: CGD Records

© 1982

Tinkerbells Fairydust - Tinkerbells Fairydust (1969)

Tinkerbells Fairydust was a British pop group in the late 1960s, who hailed from east London. They recorded three singles and one album for the Decca label.
Arguably the most valuable UK album in record collecting history, with copies known to have sold for £2,000! The LP was manufactured by Decca in 1969 but never issued. Sleeve-notes finally tells their story – these will also be appearing as a feature in Record Collector mag. Tinkerbell’s Fairydust were inspired by American Sunshine/ harmony pop, with shades of psychedelia on certain tra
Limited Edition of 450 official vinyl copies only worldwide. One of the rarest 60s UK psych pop albums. The band had a handful of 45s on Decca between 1967-68 and this album was set for release in 1969, but the LP was pulled at the last minute. Only a handful of finished copies with covers survived. Taken from the analogue masters. Original reproduction artwork for the LP.
This collection is for the fans of sunshine pop/last wave of the British invasion of the late 60s/early psychedelia - otherwise you might not appreciate it. "Tinkerbell's Fairydust" was one of these misfortunate, short-lived and extremely talented musicians from the 60s. Although the new music rebelled against the establishement (perhaps, too often in a childish way), its roots were still deep in the generally accepted standards of pre-war/post-war (but before TV-era) entertainment: vaudeville & music-hall. So, rock/pop of the 60s adopted vocal harmonies and unison singing (silly nasal whininh of British invasion, sweet and weak boyish voices etc, etc).
"Tinkebell's Farydust" vocal harmonies are flawless and extraordinary, and their performing is miles ahead of more successful contemporaries. "Tinkerbell" is influences by "Beach Boys" and "Four Seasons" ( let's say, it is inspired by sunshine pop/surf melodies), but drifts towards psychedelia too, and even prog-rock. On the other hand, some tracks are truly old-fashioned variety/music-hall standards (see below). So, it is a very cofusing and confused band; this re-issue is an anthology which covers its heritage almost completely, but musically is totally mixed-up too - that's why 4 stars only.
"Tinkerbell" was founded in the 60s by brothers Gerald and Charlie Wade from Essex, originally as a skiffle band for ballroom dances.
In 1963 it was re-Christened " The Ricochets", and after recruting Tommy Bishop as lead singer they became "Tommy Bishop's Ricochets". In 1965 they were gigging at US bases in Europe, and the same year the first deal with Decca was signed, resulting in the first single ("I Should Have Known" - bonus track on this CD).
Two years later the band was converted into "Rush", and played pleasant mix of surf and sunshine pop. At that time the band was noticed by well-established promoter Alan Eisenberg, who introduced them to (in)famous Don Arden - self-styled "Godfather" of show business. Arden, an illiterate self-taught ex-Jewish entertainer turned promoter/impressario, had embryonic (if any) knowledge/understanding of pop/rock, but considered new acts as his license to make fast and big bucks. The first act he signed was Gene Vincent, and at the beginning he was working mainly with US musicians (the British bands were just copycats to him - thus he missed on the Beatles). Don Arden just parted company with "Small Faces" (whom he tried hard to milk to death), and was looking for a substitute. 1967 was the year when the new music was born (Days of Future Passed (Reis), Revolver (Remastered), Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Remastered)), but as the whole world was getting entranced by psychedelia and progressive, Arden was hardly pushing "Tinkerbell" to be a "singles" band, and to squeeze fast as much as possible.
It explains really old-fashioned tunes in their repertoire, which suited better some old-timer crooner, than creative young musicians.

Track listing

01.  Twenty Ten  - 2:41 
02.  In My Magic Garden  - 2:35   
03.  Marjorine  - 2:46  
04.  (You Keep Me) Hangin' On  - 6:03   
05.  The Worst That Could Happen  - 3:21 
06.  Never My Love  - 2:47
07.  Lazy Day  - 2:58  
08.  Every Minute, Every Day  - 2:27   
09.  Whole World  - 3:06  
10.  They Didn't Believe Me  - 2:13  
11.  Happy  - 2:07  
12.  Sheila's Back In Town  - 2:20   
13.  Beck's Boogie  - 1:36

Credits
Stuart Attride - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Gerry Wade - bass, vocals
Steve Maher - guitar, vocals
Barry Creasy - drums, vocals
Chas Wade - drums, vocals
Eileen Woodman - Hammond organ, vocals
Dave Church - vocals
Pete Hole - guitar, vocals

Notes
Genre:  Psychedelic Rock
Length:  37:03
Label:  Decca Records

© 1969

Clive John - You Always Know Where You Stand With A Buzzard (1975)

Keyboardist, guitarist, and vocalist Clive John was most known for his stint in the Welsh progressive rock group Man from the late '60s through the mid-'70s (before that, he had been in the group from which Man evolved, the Bystanders). In late 1975 he released a little-known solo album, “You Always Know Where You Stand with a Buzzard”. Like much of what Man had done, it was eclectic, with dips into singer/songwriter rock, blues-rock, riffs with echoes of West Coast psychedelic bands, and Frank Zappa-like fusion and absurdism.
In the liner notes to a CD reissue of his solo 1975 album, even Clive John himself concedes that "I had no continuity of musical direction," adding, "I was trying out different things all the time." On You Always Know Where You Stand With a Buzzard, those things include lumpen blues-rock ("Visitin' the Duke"), slightly Quicksilver Messenger Service-Grateful Dead-Frank Zappa-influenced squiggly guitar lines ("Overflow," "Swansea Town"), an impenetrably absurdist spoken word track ("Ferret Interview"), and Zappa-influenced vocal fusion rock ("Hold Your Ferret Aloft").
The remnants of his Man days are heard in occasional careening guitar and keyboard lines. Like many solo albums from members of mid-level bands such as Man, it has a "getting all of these ideas I've built up out of my system" air.
And like many solo albums of that ilk, it was unfortunately pretty forgettable, the weirder items lined up uncomfortably against a mix of more standard-issue mid-'70s British album rock and singer/songwriterisms. It's never a good sign, for instance, when a song starts with the lyric "I ride up to London, just to see what I can see" (as "Visitin' the Duke" does).
[The 2004 CD reissue on Eclectic includes historical liner notes, and adds a brief coda that didn't make the original album.]
Clive John died in Swansea, Wales on August 24, 2011 after a lengthy struggle with emphysema.

Track listing

01. Out of My Tree  - 5:21
02. Brand 'X'  - 3:45
03. Summer Song  - 5:24
04. Swansea Town  - 3:48
05. Visitin' the Duke  - 6:02
06. Love to You  - 6:19
07. Overflow  - 5:08
08. Bust Again  - 4:37
09. Ferret Interview  - 1:38
10. Hold Your Ferret Aloft  - 6:01

Credits
Clive John - keyboards, guitarist, vocals
Andy Fairweather Low,
Phil Ryan, Martin Ace

Notes
Genre: Blues Rock
Length: 48:03
Label: United Artists Records

© 1975

Lightning - Lightning (1970)

Lightning was an American psychedelic rock band from Minneapolis, active from 1968 through 1971. The band was founded by guitarist Zippy Caplan and bassist Woody Woodrich. The band was very popular in Minnesota, mostly due to Caplan's fame playing with The Litter. The manager of radio station KDWB mistook the single "Of Paupers and Poets" for a song by Cream, giving valuable early airtime to the band. They also would perform a cover of the William Tell Overture.
Very good overall,But you get the feeling they are holding back .The hard rock music is all decent enough, but just seems as though it could have been better.
The inclusion of an inordinate amount of slower material does nothing to help the situation. But, nonetheless, their talent shines through. Eventually, the band broke up due to musical differences, especially between Woodrich and Caplan.
"White Lightning" was on ATCO Records, a division of Atlantic Records.

Track listing

01.  "Prelude To Opus IV"  (Stanhope, Woodrich)  - 4:06 
02.  "Hideaway"  (Stanhope, Woodrich)   4:00 
03.  "When A Man Could Be Free"  (Stanhope, Woodrich, Caplan)  - 4:26 
04.  "Madame Sunrise"  (Stanhope, Woodrich, Caplan)  - 6:00 
05.  "1930"  (Stanhope, Roberts, Caplan)  - 4:17 
06.  "Freedom (Is Life With Living)"  (Stanhope, Roberts, Woodrich)  - 5:48 
07.  "They've Got The Time"  (Stanhope, Woodrich)  - 5:51 
08.  "Riders In The Sky"  (Edwin H.Morris)  - 5:28

Credits
Vocals – Ronn Roberts
Rhythm Guitar – Tom "Zippy" Caplan
Bass Guitar – Woody Woodrich
Guitar – Ronn Roberts
Lead Guitar – Tom "Zippy" Caplan
Lead Vocals – Mick Stanhope
Percussion – Bernie Pershey, Mick Stanhope

Notes
Recorded At - Sound 80 Studios
Arranged By - Lightning
Arranged By [Additional String Arrangement Arp Synthesizer] - Herb Pilhofer
Artwork By [Cover Design] - John Hanson
Engineer [Chief Recording Engineer] - Tom Jung
Producer - Ira Heilicher, Lightning , Pat Rains
Genre - Psychedelic Rock
Length - 40:28
Label - P.I.P. Records

© 1970

Head West - Head West (1970)

"Head West" is a music album released in 1970 by the American band Head West, who were based in Paris, France. The band are best known today for their vocalist / guitarist Bob Welch, who went on to join Fleetwood Mac in 1971.Californian Bob Welch, better known for the wistful romanticism of such songs as "Sentimental Lady," with Fleetwood Mac, shattered any stereotyping by composing all of the hard-rocking tunes performed on the debut album by this short-lived power trio. His bandmates were former Jethro Tull bassist Glenn Cornick and former Nazz drummer Thom Mooney. After leaving Fleetwood Mac due to several uncertain years with the band's ever-changing personnel, Welch formed Paris, as well as playing on Bill Wyman's solo album, Stone Alone, in 1976. Paris' first, self-titled album sold modestly. The follow-up, released later in the year with Hunt Sales at the drum kit, did not.
When the new drummer fell ill, Welch pulled the plug late in 1976. With the help of musical friends Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood and Christine McVie, Welch got his smash hit the following year with French Kiss. It featured a hit remake of "Sentimental Lady, originally recorded for the Mac album Bare Trees back in 1972. "Ebony Eyes" and "Hot Love, Cold World" were other singles from the platinum album Welch wanted so badly and would not repeat. After Paris, Cornick left the music business for a decade, becoming sales manager with a food company.

Track listing

01.  "Head West"  (Welch, Moore, Hunt)  - 3:42
02.  "People"  (B. Hunt, W. Gray)  - 2:03
03.  "Hurry Up"  (Welch, Moore, Hunt)  - 2:29
04.  "Changes"  (Moore, Hunt)  - 2:53
05.  "Tired of Hangin' On"  (H. Moore)  - 5:48
06.  "Faces"  (Moore, Hunt)  - 2:57
07.  "Attention" (B. Hunt)  - 3:21
08.  "Czar"  (Welch, Hunt)  - 2:51
09.  "Someday"  (Welch)  - 3:08
10.  "Straight Down"  (H. Moore)  - 3:44
11.  "Starchild"  (Welch)  - 3:24
12.  "Costalarico"  (Welch, Moore, Hunt)  - 3:17
13.  "Victória"  - 3:39  (Bonus Track)

Credits
Bob Welch – Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Robert Hunt – Vocals, Organ
Henry Moore – Vocals, Drums, Percussion

Notes
Technician: Regis Lecorre
Genre: Jazz, Funk, Prog Rock
Produced At: Starchild Music
Length: 43:17
Label: Vogue Records

© 1970

Crosby & Nash - Crosby–Nash Live (1977)

“Crosby-Nash Live” is a 1977 album released by Crosby & Nash. It was remastered and re-released in 2000 with one previously unreleased recording ("Bittersweet"), and one previously unreleased recording and song ("King of the Mountain").
At the time of its original release in November of 1977, Live was a disappointment. As a single LP in the wake of “Wind on the Water” and “Whistling Down the Wire”, it seemed a backhanded insult to this duo, who had a lengthy and illustrious history (on the other hand, ABC Records, who released it, was virtually out of business at the time).
The music also seemed somewhat perfunctory, and the content offered almost no recent material, just an odd choice of older songs. The 2000-vintage CD fixed some of those problems, adding two key songs and improving Live in just about every way possible.
Remastered from the original tapes, the music now has a lot of presence, the vocals retaining their warmth while the electric playing of the duo's backing group, the Mighty Jitters featuring Danny Kortchmar on lead, David Lindley on slide guitar and violin, and a rhythm section of Tim Drummond and Russ Kunkel  is tight and muscular, and a lot closer to the listener. The improved sound makes it easier to appreciate the performances: "I Used to Be a King" is
 transformed into a soaring electric number ornamented by Craig Doerge's electronic keyboard playing on the break and a rousing, raw vocal performance by Graham Nash; similarly, Crosby's "Lee Shore" is given a fresh, punchier interpretation, miles from the ethereal studio rendition and perhaps not preferable to that version, but definitely different from it.
The CD also includes a haunting, previously unissued Crosby song, "King of the Mountain," a beautiful, angry, ironic poetic essay into the consequences of fame and isolation, with a towering, startlingly atonal performance by co-author Doerge at the piano, and one of Crosby's best vocal performances ever. "Fieldworker" has a bracing urgency and immediacy that the studio version could never match. "Simple Man" sounds stunningly intimate and personal here; Lindley's violin accompaniment to Nash's solo acoustic guitar lends it a special level of lyricism and poignancy; and Crosby's "Foolish Man" starts out smooth and cool, harmonized very subtly, and suddenly sprouts a jagged, soulful edge to his singing and a surprisingly elegant lead performance by Kortchmar, until the last verse, where singer and guitarist cut loose with a sound barrage that's electrifying. "Bittersweet," the other track new to the CD, a lean arrangement for piano and acoustic guitar behind a soaring vocal performance by Crosby and Nash. Only the nine-minute-plus version of "Déjà Vu" doesn't quite come off.
The annotation is highly informative, explaining the choice of certain tracks and the neglect of others, and putting the release in a historical context.

Track listing

01. "Immigration Man"  (Graham Nash)  - 3:40
02. "Lee Shore"  (David Crosby)  - 5:17
03. "I Used to Be a King"  (Graham Nash)  - 4:46
04. "King Of The Mountain"  (David Crosby)  - 6:33  (previously unreleased)
05. "Page 43"  (David Crosby)  - 3:44
06. "Fieldworker"  (Graham Nash)  - 3:26
07. "Simple Man"  (Graham Nash)  - 2:58
08. "Foolish Man"  (David Crosby)  - 4:41
09. "Bittersweet"  (David Crosby)  - 3:14)  (previously unreleased)
10. "Mama Lion"  (Graham Nash)  - 3:28
11. "Déjà Vu"  (David Crosby)  - 9:49

Credits
David Crosby - vocals, rhythm guitar
Graham Nash - vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
David Lindley - slide guitar, violin
Danny Kortchmar - lead guitars
Russell Kunkel - drums
Craig Doerge - pianos, synthesizer, melodica
Tim Drummond - bass
Remote Engineers - Ray Thompson and Don Gooch
Re-mix Engineers - Stephen Barncard and Don Gooch
Tracks 04 and 09 remixed by Stephen Barncard, Assisted by Sander De Jong
Engineer - Ray Thompson
Producer - David Crosby, Graham Nash, Don Gooch, Stephen Barncard
Reissue Produced by - Stephen Barncard and Mike Ragogna

Notes
Recorded: September 7, 1975 - September 11, 1976
Genre: Soft Rock
Length: 51:36
Label: ABC Records/MCA Records (1979)

© 1977

Sugarloaf feat. Jerry Corbetta - Don´t Call Us, We´ll Call You (1975)

Sugarloaf was an American rock band in the 1970s. The band, which originated in Denver, Colorado.
For most intents and purposes, Sugarloaf was finished after their 1973 album “I Got A Song” failed to generate any attention, but the band continued to push ahead, channeling their frustrations into the bubblegum sarcasm of “Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You.” The song became a fluke hit in 1975, prompting a re-release of “I Got a Song” under a new title borrowed from the hit, which also was prominently featured on the new release.
Of course, the fizzy pop of “Don’t Call Us” sounded very little like the rest of the earlier record, which itself wasn’t all that reminiscent of their percolating 1970 hit “Green Eyed Lady,” either. It was a curious mix of pompous neo-prog best heard on the charging instrumental “Myra, Myra” light hippie funk, and coolly trippy soft rock, all sounds redolent of the early ‘70s, but certainly not the epitome of it.
Which isn’t to say that lead singer/songwriter Jerry Corbetta couldn’t write in addition to the hits, he knocked off Billy Joel/Elton John’s Western fantasia quite well on “Colorado Jones” but this album tends to drift in and out of focus, making it a period piece.
The 1992 re-issue adds a host of worthwhile bonus tracks.

Track listing

01.  "I Got A Song"  (Bob Corso, Jerry Corbetta)  - 5:10
02.  "Myra"  (Jerry Corbetta)  - 5:11
03.  "Lay Me Down"  (Bob Corso, Jerry Corbetta)  - 6:42
04.  "Wild Child"  (Frank Slay, Jerry Corbetta)  - 4:01
05.  "Don't Call Us, We'll Call You"  (Jerry Corbetta, John Carter)  - 3:23
06.  "Looking For Some Fun"  (Jerry Corbetta, Ray Payne)  - 4:13
07.  "Round And Round"  (David Riordan)  - 3:47
08.  "We Could Fly So High"  (Bob Corso, Bob Webber, Jerry Corbetta, Robert M. Pickett)  - 3:57
09.  "Colorado Jones"  (J.C. Phillips, Jerry Corbetta)  - 4:09
10.  "I Got A Song (Reprise)"  (Bob Corso, Jerry Corbetta)  - 3:37
 
1992 re-issue bonus tracks 
11.  "Boogie Man" - 3:31  
12.  "Texas Two Lane" - 4:01  
13.  "Stars In Her Eyes" - 3:28  
14.  "Last Dance" - 2:25  

Credits
Vocals, Synthesizer, Piano, Organ, Calvinet – Jerry Corbetta
Bass Guitar – Bob Raymond
Drums – Myron Pollock
Guitar – Bob Webber
Arranged By [Background Vocals And Strings] – Richard Egizi
Producer – Frank Slay

Notes
Recorded at Applewood Studios, Golden, Colo.; Devonshire Recording Studio, No. Hollywood, CA; Hollywood Sound Recorders, Hollywood, CA
Genre: Blues Rock
Length: 
Label:  Polydor Records

© 1975

Chilli Willi And The Red Hot Peppers - Kings Of The Robot Rhythm (1972)

Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers were one of the main British pub rock groups of the early 1970s. Later managed by Jake Riviera, who first worked for the band as a roadie, they reached their peak as part of the "Naughty Rhythms Tour" of 1975, along with other stalwarts of the same scene, Dr. Feelgood and Kokomo, each band alternately headlining on different dates.
The band has its origins in a folk-rock duo formed by ex-Junior's Blues Band members Martin Stone and Philip C. Lithman. Lithman moved to San Francisco in the late 1960s, leaving Stone to play with Savoy Brown and Mighty Baby. The duo reunited in the early 1970s, recording “Kings of the Robot Rhythm” with vocalist Jo Ann Kelly and various members of Brinsley Schwarz. The album was released in 1972; the same year, the duo expanded, adding Paul "Dice Man" Bailey, Paul "Bassman" Riley, and Pete Thomas to the line-up.
During the next two years, Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers became a popular live act in Britain, and recorded two John Peel Sessions for BBC Radio 1, on 9 April 1973 and 25 July 1974. The band split in 1975, Thomas became the drummer for Elvis Costello's backing band, The Attractions; Riley played with Graham Parker; Bailey formed Bontemps Roulez; and Stone played with the Pink Fairies before quitting the music industry.
Lithman moved back to San Francisco where he began to work with his former associates, The Residents, under the name Snakefinger.

Track listing

01. "Living Out My Suitcase"  (Stone, Lithman)  - 4:50 
02. "The Ballad Of Chilli Willi"  (Stone, Lithman)  - 3:18 
03. "Window Pane"  (Stone, Lithman)  - 2:55 
04. "I'll Be Home"  (Stone, Lithman)  - 2:16 
05. "Nashville Rag"  (Lithman)  - 2:41 
06. "That's All Right Mamma"  (Lithman)  - 4:39 
07. "Drunken Sunken Red Neck Blues"  (Stone, Lithman)  - 2:32 
08. "Get Your Gauge Up Let Your Love Come Down"  (Stone, Lithman)  - 1:44 
09. "Happy You/Fiddle Dee"  (Stone, Lithman)  - 3:38 
10. "Astrella From The Astral Planet"  (Stone, Lithman)  - 2:23 
11. "Paper Mill"  (Lithman)  - 5:54 
12. "A Page In History"  (Stone, Lithman)  - 3:55 

Credits
Guitar, Bandura [Bandurra], Resonator Guitar [Dobro] – Martin Stone
Synthesizer [Ragtime Vcs3] – Dave "What Part Of The World Do You Come From Sweety" Vorhaus
Vocals – Jo Ann Kelly
Vocals, Guitar, Resonator Guitar [Dobro], Steel Guitar [Steel], Fiddle, Piano, Synthesizer [Vcs3], Mellotron, Performer [Banjolele] – Philip "Snake Finger" Lithman
Vocals, Piano – Bob Andrews
Bass – English John Fox
Bass, Vocals – Nick Lowe
Drums – Billy Rankin
Drums [Moroccan Hand Drums] – Barry Everitt
Engineer – Dave Vorhaus
Engineer [Cut] – John Smith 
Engineer [Mix] – Dave Humphries, Keith Allen
Producer – Ed Gimbo Da Bop

Notes
Genre:  Blues Folk, Pub Rock
Label:  Revelation Enterprises Ltd.
Length:  40:42

© 1972

Terence Trent D'Arby - Terence Trent D'Arby's Neither Fish Nor Flesh: A Soundtrack Of Love, Faith, Hope, And Destruction (1989)

“Neither Fish Nor Flesh: A Soundtrack of Love, Faith, Hope & Destruction” is the second album by the U.S. singer Terence Trent D'Arby, released in 1989 on Columbia Records. Following his highly successful 1987 debut album “Introducing The Hardline...”, the album was highly anticipated but was panned by many critics at the time as being overly indulgent, scattered with pretentious song titles, and unfocused.
Trouser Press wrote that "individually, most of the tracks have virtues; collectively, they add up to the most unfocused record in the history of western civilization. Weirdly intriguing but not at all good." Rolling Stone critic Mark Coleman said of D'Arby's effort "fails to establish him as a visionary pop godhead. It does, however, demonstrate convincingly that he’s far more than a mere legend in his own mind."
On the album commentary on his website, D'Arby (now known as Sananda Maitreya) claimed that the album's lack of commercial impact was due to his record company's "wholesale rejection of it" as well being hindered by German record producer Frank Farian who decided to release an album of his performances with funk band The Touch (from 1984) in Germany just weeks before Neither Fish Nor Flesh was due for release. Maitreya states that Neither Fish Nor Flesh was "the project that literally killed ‘TTD’, and from whose molten ashes, began the life of Sananda".
“Neither Fish nor Flesh” is a sprawling, overly ambitious work that incorporates Middle Eastern flavorings and even more of a gospel influence into his gritty mix of rock, R&B, and funk. Lyrically, d'Arby's pretensions run a bit wild, but the man does possess a voice that is a force to be reckoned with. Songs like the rousing, soulful "I'll Be Alright" and the sexy "To Know Someone Deeply Is to Know Someone Softly" are masterful. Other highlights include the breezy, Motown vibe of "Billy Don't Fall" (a song actually about AIDS) and the skeletal, fiery "This Side of Love." Neither Fish nor Flesh crashed upon release, but the album remains a compelling, if flawed, effort from a musician that is one of the more baffling unfulfilled talents of his time.

Track listing

01. "Declaration: Neither Fish Nor Flesh"  - 1:44
02. "I Have Faith in These Desolate Times"  - 4:14
03. "It Feels So Good to Love Someone Like You"  - 3:38
04. "To Know Someone Deeply Is to Know Someone Softly"  - 4:27
05. "I'll Be Alright"  - 5:57
06. "Billy Don't Fall"  - 4:21
07. "This Side of Love"  - 4:59
08. "Attracted to You"  - 4:01
09. "Roly Poly"  - 3:54
10. "You Will Pay Tomorrow"  - 4:54
11. "I Don't Want to Bring Your Gods Down"  - 6:19
12. "...And I Need to Be With Someone Tonight"  - 3:04

Credits
Terence Trent D'Arby - vocals, guitar, sitar, kazoo, saxophone, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, organ, keyboards, vibraphone, marimba, drums, cymbals, tambourine, timpani, hand claps, percussion, scratches
Christian Marsac - guitar, saxophone
Conor Brady, Pete Glenister - guitar
Helen Davies - harp
Wilfred Gibson, Ben Cruft, Alan Smale, Gavyn Wright - violin
Roger Chase, Chris Wellington, Neil Martin - viola
John Heley, Martin Loveday - cello
Mike Timothy - recorder, piano, Fender Rhodes piano
Richard Addison, Dave White - clarinet
Michael Jeans - oboe
Carl Geraghty - saxophone
Simon Clarke - alto saxophone
Richie Buckley, Tim Sanders - tenor saxophone
Stephen McDonnell, Roddy Lorimer, Dick Pearce, Paul Spong - trumpet
Jack Bayle - trombone
The Kick Horns - horns
Pete Wingfield - piano
Geoff Dunn - drums
Incredible E.G. O'Reilly - hand claps
Engineer – Tim Martin
Mastered By – Ian Cooper
Producer - Terence Trent D'Arby

Notes
All songs written and arranged by:  Terence Trent D'Arby
Genre:  R&B, Pop
Length:  51:24
Label:  Columbia Records

© 1989

J.J. Cale - Travel-Log (1989)

Cale's first album in six years finds him taking a more aggressive stance in terms of tempos and playing, although he remains a man with a profound sense of the groove and, especially as a singer, a minimalist. But as he says, "Shuffle or die."
When “TRAVEL LOG” appeared in 1989, it marked the end of the longest gap in J.J. Cale's recording career. While the songs are still relentlessly groove-driven, the album evidences a broadening of his approach in terms of production and arrangements. Some of the rhythms are layered with greater complexity and as always, Cale plays with some of the best-suited musicians available.
The talents of drummer Jim Keltner, guitarist James Burton, keyboardist Spooner Oldham, and bass player Tim Drummond, among others, contribute to the greatness of “TRAVEL LOG”. The album also boasts a great variety of musical genre explorations. From the dense "Shanghaid" to the spare and shuffling "Lady Luck," this is J.J. Cale painting his same basic songs with the broadest brush he could find.
If you listen to interviews, you'll see that JJ has grabbed what technology has allowed him to record directly himself, but retained much of his original songwriting approach, born in the age where you had to be under 3 minutes just to "get on wax".
On this album, you feel him stretch out a bit, though it's all JJ. Shanghaid and New Orleans have a bigger, more produced sound, while Lady Luck and End Of The Line have an intimate, almost casual sound that is really a breakthrough for JJ, whose best can often sound a bit distant. His guitar sound bounces around among the sounds of resonator, Stratocaster, and acoustic guitar.
Tijuana is a high point for me, full of Latin atmosphere and his laid back wit, nimble acoustic plucking and electric bell tones.
The album's title is apt, for Cale had clearly been taking in more than Oklahoma in the half-dozen years he'd been away from the studio.

Track listing

01.  "Shanghaid"  (Audie Ashworth, J.J. Cale)  - 2:37
02.  "Hold On Baby"  (J.J. Cale)  - 3:02
03.  "No Time"  (J.J. Cale)  - 3:13
04.  "Lady Luck"  (J.J. Cale)  - 2:41
05.  "Disadvantage"  (J.J. Cale, Drummond, Karstein, Lakeland, Oldham)  - 3:35
06.  "Lean on Me"  (J.J. Cale)  - 3:19
07.  "End of the Line"  (J.J. Cale)  - 3:09
08.  "New Orleans"  (J.J. Cale)  - 2:33
09.  "Tijuana"  (J.J. Cale)  - 3:54
10.  "That Kind of Thing"  (J.J. Cale)  - 2:18
11.  "Who' Talking"  (J.J. Cale, Drummond, Tarczon)  - 3:27
12.  "Change Your Mind"  (J.J. Cale)  - 2:26
13.  "Humdinger"  (J.J. Cale)  - 3:24
14.  "River Boat Song"  (J.J. Cale)  - 3:07

Credits
J.J. Cale - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Hoyt Axton - Vocals (Background)
James Burton - Guitar
Doug Belli - Bass
Tim Drummond - Bass
Jim Karstein - Percussion, Drums
Jay Mitthauer - Drums
Jim Keltner - Organ, Percussion, Drum
Christine Lakeland - Organ, Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Spooner Oldham - Keyboards
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – Al Capps, Al Capps Orchestra, The
Producer - J.J. Cale

Notes
Recorded between 1984 and 1989. At Capitol Studios, The Complex & Sound City, Los Angeles.
Genre: Blues, Americana, Tulsa Sound
Length: 42:06
Label: Silvertone/BMG

© 1989

The Traveling Wilburys - Traveling Wilburys Vol.1 (1988)

“The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1” is the debut album by the supergroup Traveling Wilburys and was recorded and released in 1988 to commercial success and critical acclaim.
There never was a supergroup more super than the Traveling Wilburys. They had Jeff Lynne, the leader of ELO; they had Roy Orbison, the best pop singer of the '60s; they had Tom Petty, the best roots rocker this side of Bruce Springsteen; they had a Beatle and Bob Dylan, for crying out loud! It's impossible to picture a supergroup with a stronger pedigree than that (all that's missing is a Rolling Stone), but in another sense it's hard to call the Wilburys a true supergroup, since they arrived nearly two decades after the all-star craze of the '70s peaked, and they never had the self-important air of nearly all the other supergroups. That, of course, was the key to their charm: they were a group of friends that fell together easily, almost effortlessly, to record a B-side for a single for George Harrison, then had such a good time they stuck around to record a full album, which became a hit upon its 1988 release.
Looking back, the group's success seems all the more remarkable because the first album is surely, even proudly, not a major statement. Even under the direction of Lynne, who seems incapable of not polishing a record till it gleams, it's loose and funny, even goofy.
It's clearly a lark, which makes the offhanded, casual virtuosity of some of the songs all the more affecting, particularly the two big hits, which are sunny and warm, partially because they wryly acknowledge the mileage on these rock & roll veterans.
"Handle with Care" and "End of the Line" are the two masterworks here, although Roy's showcase, "Not Alone Anymore" more grand and moving than anything on the Lynne-produced Mystery Girl comes close in the stature, but its stylized melodrama is a ringer here: it, along with Dylan's offhand heartbreak tune "Congratulations," is the only slow thing here, and the rest of the album just overspills with good vibes, whether it's Tom Petty's lite reggae of "Last Night," Jeff Lynne's excellent Jerry Lee Lewis update "Rattled," or Dylan's very funny "Dirty World," which is only slightly overshadowed by his very, very funny Springsteen swipe "Tweeter and the Monkey Man."
These high times keep The Traveling Wilburys fresh and fun years later, after Lynne's production becomes an emblem of the time instead of transcending it.

Track listing

01. "Handle with Care"  - 3:20
02. "Dirty World"  - 3:30
03. "Rattled" – -3:00
04. "Last Night"  - 3:48
05. "Not Alone Any More"  - 3:24
06. "Congratulations"  - 3:30
07. "Heading for the Light"  - 3:37
08. "Margarita"  - 3:15
09. "Tweeter and the Monkey Man"  - 5:30
10. "End of the Line"  - 3:30

2007 reissue bonus tracks
11."Maxine"  - 2:49
12."Like a Ship"  - 3:31

Credits
Nelson Wilbury (George Harrison) – vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, slide guitar, backing vocals
Otis Wilbury (Jeff Lynne) – vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Charlie T. Wilbury Jr (Tom Petty) – vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Lefty Wilbury (Roy Orbison) – vocals, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (except on "Tweeter and the Monkey Man")
Lucky Wilbury (Bob Dylan) – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, backing vocals
Additional personnelBuster Sidebury (Jim Keltner) – drums
Jim Horn – saxophones
Ray Cooper – percussion
Ian Wallace – tom-toms on "Handle with Care"
Michael Palin – album liner notes
Produced by Otis and Nelson Wilbury (Jeff Lynne and George Harrison)
Engineers – Bill Bottrell, Richard Dodd, Phil McDonald, Don Smith

Notes
All songs written by Traveling Wilburys.
Recorded: April–May 1988, FPSHOT, Lucky Studios and Dave Stewart Studios
Genre: Heartland Rock, Folk Rock
Length: 36:22
Label: Wilbury/Warner Bros. Records

© 1988

The Shirts - Inner Sleeve (1980)

The Shirts are a New York-based American power pop band, which was formed in 1975. Formed: 1971 in New York, NY, United States.
For the third album, Capitol Records made a deal with EMI in which the band would be signed solely to Capitol. Now under Capitol’s management rather than Thorne’s, recording went poorly and the resulting album, “Inner Sleeve” (1980), was not properly supported by the label, only 10,000 copies being pressed. It was a signal failure for the band, and although they continued playing for another two years, the large band (nine members at its height) had been reduced to four players, and essentially broke up in 1981.
History remembers the Shirts, perhaps unfairly, as one of the second-string bands on the CBGB/Max's Kansas City axis in the late 1970s, but unlike Tuff Darts, the Miamis, or the Laughing Dogs, the Shirts lasted long enough to cut three albums during their heyday, and though 1980s “Inner Sleeve” was a very different kettle of fish than their first two efforts, it was certainly an improvement over the eclectic but meandering Street Light Shine.
Mike Thorne, who had produced the Shirts' first two alums, was out of the picture, and while John Palladino and George Wadenius didn't bring much personality to these sessions, this is the most straightforward album the Shirts ever made, bringing the band's pop songcraft into tight focus and clearing away the pseudo-prog gingerbread that had cluttered the landscape of "Street Light Shine". the Shirts had been stripped down to a quintet by the time they went into the studio for "Inner Sleeve" (at one time there were nine musicians in the group) and the sessions sound like a band playing live with minimal fuss, though Annie Golden's lead vocals display a lot more gloss than before, as if someone on the project thought she had the potential to be the next Pat Benatar (thankfully, the Ronnie Spector influences of her best music still dominate).
And the pop side of the Shirts carries the day on Inner Sleeve, with "Time (Has Seen Me Lonely)," "Too Much Trouble," and "I Don't Wanna Know" ranking with their best would-be singles (and if "Pleasure Is the Pain" sounds a bit cheesy, it also sounds like the radio hit this band could have had if their label hadn't dropped the ball).
The Shirts lost their record deal and broke up within a year of “Inner Sleeve” arriving in stores, but though it represents a somewhat compromised vision of the band, with their artier gestures left behind, it also sounds sharp and compelling, proving this band had something to say right up to the end.

Track listing

01.  I'm Not One of Those  - 3:20
02.  One Last Chance  - 3:04
03.  Can't Get it Through My Head  - 3:54
04.  I've Had It  - 3:19
05.  I Don't Wanna Know  - 4:30
06.  Pleasure is the Pain  - 3:30
07.  As Long as the Laughter Lasts  - 3:24
08.  Too Much Trouble  - 3:02
09.  Hanging Around  - 3:41
10.  Small Talk  - 2:35
11.  Time (Has Seen Me Lonely)  - 2:48

Credits
Annie Golden - vocals
Ronald Ardito - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Arthur La Monica - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Producer – Georg Wadenius, John Palladino

Notes
Genre:  Pop, Rock
Playtime: 37:08
Label:  Capitol Records

© 1980

Eddie Rabbitt - Variations (1978)

Edward Thomas "Eddie" Rabbitt (November 27, 1941 – May 7, 1998) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. His career began as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after composing hits such as "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley in 1970 and "Pure Love" for Ronnie Milsap in 1974.
Later in the 1970s, Rabbitt helped to develop the crossover-influenced sound of country music prevalent in the 1980s with such hits as "Suspicions" and "Every Which Way but Loose." His duets "Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers)" and "You and I", with Juice Newton and Crystal Gayle respectively, later appeared on the soap operas Days of Our Lives and All My Children.
“Variations” was his fourth studio album and was released in 1978 under the Elektra Records label. The album produced three singles: "Hearts on Fire," which peaked at number two on the country charts, and two country number one hits: "You Don't Love Me Anymore," which also peaked at 18 on Adult Contemporary charts; and "I Just Want To Love You." "Kentucky Rain," a song co-written by the artist and originally recorded by Elvis Presley in 1970, was also included on the album.
Rabbitt's father, Thomas Rabbitt, plays Irish fiddle on "Song of Ireland."

Track listing

01. Hearts On Fire  (2:33) 
02. The Room At The Top Of The Stairs  (3:42) 
03. Crossin' The Mississippi  (2:54) 
04. Plain As The Pain On My Face  (2:21)
05. Hurtin' For You  (3:20) 
06. You Don't Love Me Anymore  (3:20) 
07. Kentucky Rain  (3:56) 
08. I Just Want To Love You  (4:10) 
09. Caroline  (3:12) 
10. Song Of Ireland  (4:31) 

Credits
Engineer – Gene Eichelberger
Engineer Assistant – Jimmy Stroud
Mastered By – Glenn Meadows, Mastertronics
Producer – David Malloy

Notes
Recorded at: Quadraphonic Studios, Nashville
Playtime: 34:33
Genre: Country, Pop
Label: Elektra Records

© 1978

Ray Charles - Ray Charles In L.A. (1964)

“Live in Concert” is a live album by Ray Charles released in 1965 by ABC-Paramount Records. The recording was made at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California in September, 1964 following a tour of Japan.
This classic 1964 recording by Ray Charles includes 12 vintage tracks performed to perfection. His voice is in great shape, and the recording by Wally Heider is a marvel for its day; all the instruments are placed nicely with Charles' voice out front where it belongs.
There's a slinky version of "Hallelujah I Love Her So," the musicians creating nice little changes behind Charles' soulful nuances.
The singer tells us Miss Lillian Ford of the Raelets "helps out" on "Don't Set Me Free"; it's a duet and a nice change of pace. Rick Ward's tacky liner notes fail to say who is backing up the singer at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, except for David "Fathead" Newman credited with the tenor solo on "Swing a Little Taste," the opening track. Not to be confused with the 1973 re-release Ray Charles Live, which is comprised of 1958 and 1959 concerts, this album is called Live in Concert, and is Charles in Los Angeles after a Japanese tour in 1964.
"What I'd Say" and a nice version of "Margie" are here, along with a six-minute take on "I Gotta Woman." For the finale he has the Ray Charles Choir come out to help close the show with a marching-band version of "Pop Goes the Weasel."
The 12 tracks are priceless Ray Charles, especially the reinvention of "You Don't Know Me," stirringly different from his timeless hit version but just as impressive. Excellent photos by Ray Hearne, especially the cover profile.
In 2011, the record was remastered and reissued on CD with new liner notes and previously unreleased tracks, extending the record to well over an hour's worth of music.

Track listing

01.  Swing A Little Taste   (4:11)
02.  I Gotta Woman   (6:00)
03.  Margie   (2:20)
04.  You Don´t Know Me   (3:03)
05.  Hide Nor Hair   (2:47)
06.  Baby Don´t You Cry   (2:36)
07.  Makin´ Whoopee   (5:56)
08.  Hallelujah I Love Her So   (3:23)
09.  Don´t Set Me Free    (3:08)
10.  What´d I Say   (4:36)
11.  Finale   (1:46)

Credits
Vocals – Ray Charles
Alto Saxophone – Bill Pearson, Hank Crawford
Backing Vocals – Raelets
Baritone Saxophone – Keg Johnson, Leroy Cooper
Bass – Edgar Willis
Drums – Wilbert Hogan
Flugelhorn – John Hunt
Flute – Bill Pearson
Guitar – Sonny Forriest
Organ – Ray Charles
Piano – Ray Charles
Tenor Saxophone – David "Fathead" Newman
Trombone – Henderson Chambers, James Herbert, Julian Priester
Trumpet – John Hunt, Oliver Beener, Phillip Guilbeau, Wallace Davenport

Notes
Recorded:  1964 September 20, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
Playtime:  39:52
Genre:  R&B Country Soul
Label:  ABC Records

© 1964

Sleepy LaBeef - Downhome Rockabilly (1979)

Sleepy LaBeef became the ultimate rockabilly survivor, his live performances retaining the same raw power as he approached his eighth decade that they had in the years when he was among the music's pioneers.
He was born Thomas Paulsley LaBeff in Smackover, AR. The 6'7" singer has heavily lidded eyes which make him appear half-asleep, hence his nickname.
He was raised on a melon farm and grew up hearing both country and blues music. LaBeef moved to Houston at age 18, working at several odd jobs before beginning to sing gospel music on local radio shows. Soon he was working with a band of his own at local bars, and he appeared on the Houston Jamboree and Louisiana Hayride radio programs. The new rockabilly style fit his blazing voice perfectly, and in the late '50s he recorded about a dozen sides in that style for various labels. His first single, "I'm Through," was released in 1957 on Starday. Sometimes he was billed as Tommy LaBeff or Sleepy LaBeff.
LaBeef moved to Nashville in 1964 and soon was signed to Columbia. In the 1960s he recorded mostly straight country music. His sixth single for the label, "Every Day," provided LaBeef with his chart debut in 1968, and after moving to Shelby Singleton's Plantation label in 1969, he hit the Top 20 with his version of "Blackland Farmer," Frankie Miller's heartfelt ode to the soil.
The late '60s also saw the towering baritone's film debut in the bizarre Southern drive-in horror musical The Exotic Ones; LaBeef played a swamp monster.

Track listing

01.  Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor  (2:17)
02.  Tore Up  (2:18)
03.  Flyin' Saucer Rock & Roll  (1:53)
04.  Red Hot  (3:04)
05.  I'm Ready If You're Willing  (2:35)
06.  I'm Coming Home  (1:46)
07.  I'm A One Woman Man  (1:35)
08.  Shot-Gun Boogie  (2:28)
09.  Rock & Roll Ruby  (2:18)
10.  Big Boss Man  (2:39)
11.  Boogie Woogie Country Girl  (2:29)
12.  Mystery Train  (1:47)
13.  Something On Your Mind   (3:50)
14.  Jack & Jill Boogie   (2:15)
15.  Blues Stay Away From Me  (3:44)

Credits
Engineer – Leroy Duncan
Executive Producer – Shelby S. Singleton Jr.
Liner Notes – Peter Guralnick
Photography By – Dennis Carney
Producer – John A. Singleton
Producer, Guitar, Vocals – Sleepy LaBeef*

Notes
Playing Time: 37:05
Genre: Rockabilly
Label: Charly Records

© 1979

Soundtrack - Performance (1970)

“Performance” is a 1970 soundtrack album to the film “Performance” by Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg. It features music from Randy Newman, Merry Clayton, Ry Cooder, Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie, The Last Poets and Mick Jagger.
A single from the album, "Memo from Turner" sung by Mick Jagger (b/w the instrumental "Natural Magic") was released in 1970 reaching #32 on the UK singles chart.
This soundtrack captures the various moods of a spacy film starring Mick Jagger as a reclusive rock star whose home is invaded by a fleeing gangster.
On the opening track, Randy Newman is driven hard by Ry Cooder's fierce slide guitar. If you listen closely, you can hear the laconic Newman almost crack up laughing as he rocks like never before or since. Other musical notables include Merry Clayton and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Veteran producer Jack Nitzsche wrote most of the tunes, a notable exception being "Memo From Turner," penned by Jagger and Keith Richards.
Listening to only the soundtrack, you miss the bizarre context of the movie, but this is one interesting listen.

Track listing

Side 1
1. "Randy Newman - Gone Dead Train" - 2:56
2. "Merry Clayton - Performance" - 1:49
3. "Ry Cooder - Get Away" - 2:09
4. "Ry Cooder - Powis Square - 2:25
5. "Jack Nitzsche - Rolls Royce and Acid" - 1:50
6. "Buffy Sainte-Marie - Dyed, Dead, Red" - 2:35
7. "Jack Nitzsche, Randy Newman - Harry Flowers" - 4:03

Side 2
1. "Mick Jagger, Keith Richards - Memo from Turner" - 4:08
2. "Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ry Cooder - Hashishin" - 3:39
3. "The Last Poets - Wake Up, Niggers" - 2:47
4. "Merry Clayton - Poor White Hound Dog" - 2:50
5. "Jack Nitzsche - Natural Magic" - 1:40
6. "Merry Clayton Singers - Turner's Murder" - 4:15

Credits
Original music by Jack Nitzsche
Conductor - Randy Newman
Singers - Mick Jagger, Merry Clayton, Buffy Sainte-Marie
Santur - Nasser Rastegar-Nejad
Moog synthesiser - Bernard Krause
Producer - Jack Nitzsche

Music performers
Ry Cooder - guitar
Amiya Dasgupta - sitar
Lowell George - guitar
Milt Holland - drums and percussion
Gene Parsons - drums and guitars
Russ Titelman - percussion
Bobby West - bass

Notes
Genre: Pop, Rock, Soundtrack
Length: 36:26
Label: Warner Bros. Records

© 1970

The Motels - Little Robbers (1983)

The Motels are a new wave band from the Los Angeles area best known for "Only the Lonely" and "Suddenly Last Summer," each of which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, in 1982 and 1983, respectively.
Producer Val Garay was now firmly in control of album and video production for the band and had also become their new manager, following the band's decision to dispense with their previous management company, Fritz Turner Management. In January 1983 The Motels appeared on Saturday Night Live.
The band returned to the recording studio in February 1983 and released the album Little Robbers later that same year. Again, session players were used extensively; on record, "The Motels" were Martha Davis and a revolving cast of musicians, although for live shows there was a definitive band, which now included accomplished musician Scott Thurston on additional keyboards & guitars.

“Little Robbers” spawned the hazy Sud. While on tour to promote the album, Martha fell ill with cancer and the tour was cancelled. "Tables Turned" is a beautiful rock ballad that Martha sings with the utmost seductive passion, yet she is able to turn around and rock out on the opening song for the album, "Where Do We Go From Here?"  The first single from the album, "Suddenly Last Summer", hit No. 1 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart and No. 9 on the Hot 100 in the United States.

Track listing

01. "Where Do We Go from Here (Nothing Sacred)"  (Martha Davis)  - 3:34
02. "Suddenly Last Summer"  (Davis)  - 3:46
03. "Isle of You"  (Davis, Kevin McCormick)  - 4:09
04. "Trust Me"  (Davis)  - 3:23
05. "Monday Shut Down"  (Davis, Steve Goldstein)  - 3:48
06. "Remember the Nights"  (Davis, Scott Thurston)  - 3:02
07. "Little Robbers"  (Davis)  - 3:56
08. "Into the Heartland"  (Davis, Bernie Taupin)  - 3:36
09. "Tables Turned"  (Davis, Michael Goodroe)  - 3:37
10. "Footsteps"  (Davis, Goldstein, Bill Wray)  - 3:44

The Motels
Martha Davis - Vocals, rhythm guitar
Guy Perry - Lead guitar
Marty Jourard - Keyboards, saxophone
Michael Goodroe - Bass
Brian Glascock - Drums, percussion
Scott Thurston - Keyboards, guitar

Additional personnel
Steve Goldstein
Craig Krampf
Craig Hull
Chris Page
F. Bob Getter
Waddy Wachtel
Jerry Peterson

Production
Produced and recorded by Val Garay
Assisted by Richard Bosworth
Mastered by Doug Sax
Art direction and design by Kosh and Ron Larson
Photography by Bob Blakeman

Notes
Release date: September 16, 1983
Recorded: February 14 – August 15, 1983
Genre: New Wave
Length: 36:35
© 1983

Label - Capitol Records

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (2014)

“Random Access Memories” is the fourth studio album by French electronic music duo Daft Punk. The album pays tribute to the late 1970s and early 1980s era of music in the United States, particularly the sounds that emerged from Los Angeles.
Unlike their previous studio albums, Daft Punk recruited session musicians to perform live instrumentation in professional recording locations, and limited the use of electronic instruments to drum machines, a custom-built modular synthesizer, and vintage vocoders. The album features collaborations with Giorgio Moroder, Panda Bear, Julian Casablancas, Todd Edwards, DJ Falcon, Chilly Gonzales, Nile Rodgers, Paul Williams, and Pharrell Williams.
When Daft Punk announced they were releasing a new album eight years after 2005's “Human After All”, fans were starved for new material. “The Tron: Legacy” score indulged the seminal dance duo's sci-fi fantasies but didn't offer much in the way of catchy songs, so when “Random Access Memories” extensive publicity campaign featured tantalizing clips of a new single, "Get Lucky," their fan base exploded. But when the album finally arrived, that hugely hyped single was buried far down its track list, emphasizing that most of these songs are very much not like "Get Lucky" or a lot of the pair's previous music, at least on the surface.
The album isn't much like 2010s EDM, either. Instead, Daft Punk separate themselves from most contemporary electronic music and how it's made, enlisting some of their biggest influences to help them get the sounds they needed without samples.
On Homework's "Teachers," they reverently name-checked a massive list of musicians and producers; here, they place themselves on equal footing with disco masterminds Giorgio Moroder and Nile Rodgers, referring to them as "collaborators." That could be self-aggrandizing, yet it's also strangely humble when they take a back seat to their co-stars, especially on one of RAM's definitive moments, "Giorgio by Moroder," where the producer shares his thoughts on making music with wild guitar and synth solos trailing behind him. Elsewhere, Daft Punk nod to their symbiotic relationship with indie on the lovely "Doin' It Right," which makes the most of Panda Bear's boyish vocals, and on the Julian Casablancas cameo "Instant Crush," which is only slightly more electronic than the Strokes' Comedown Machine. And of course, Pharrell Williams is the avatar of their dancefloor mastery on the sweaty disco of "Lose Yourself to Dance" as well as "Get Lucky," which is so suave that it couldn't help but be an instant classic, albeit a somewhat nostalgic one. Indeed, "memories" is the album's keyword: Daft Punk celebrate the late '70s and early '80s with lavish homages like "Give Life Back to Music" one of several terrific showcases for Rodgers and the spot-on soft rock of the Todd Edwards collaboration "Fragments of Time.
" More importantly, “Random Access Memories” taps into the wonder and excitement in that era's music. A particularly brilliant example is "Touch," where singer/songwriter Paul Williams conflates his work in Phantom of the Paradise and The Muppet Movie in the song's mystique, charm, and fragile yet unabashed emotions. Often, there's an almost gooey quality to the album; Daft Punk have never shied away from "uncool" influences or sentimentality, and both are on full display here. At first, it's hard to know what to make of all the fromage, but “Random Access Memories” reveals itself as the kind of grand, album rock statement that listeners of the '70s and '80s would have spent weeks or months dissecting and absorbing  the ambition of Steely Dan, Alan Parsons, and Pink Floyd are as vital to the album as any of the duo's collaborators. For the casual Daft Punk fan, this album might be harder to love than "Get Lucky" hinted; it might be too nostalgic, too overblown, a shirking of the group's duty to rescue dance music from the Young Turks who cropped up in their absence.
But “Random Access Memories” is also Daft Punk's most personal work, and richly rewarding for listeners willing to spend time with it.

Track listing

01. "Give Life Back to Music"  (Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, P.Jackson, Jr., N.Rodgers)  - 4:34
02. "The Game of Love"   (Bangalter, de Homem-Christo)  - 5:21
03. "Giorgio by Moroder"   (Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, Giorgio Moroder)  - 9:04
04. "Within"   (Bangalter, Jason "Chilly Gonzales" Beck, de Homem-Christo)  - 3:48
05. "Instant Crush" (feat. Julian Casablancas) (Bangalter, Julian Casablancas, de Homem-Christo)  - 5:37
06. "Lose Yourself to Dance" (feat. Pharrell Williams) (Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, N.Rodgers, P.Williams)  - 5:53
07. "Touch" (feat. Paul Williams) (Bangalter, Chris Caswell, de Homem-Christo, Paul Williams)  - 8:18
08. "Get Lucky" (feat. Pharrell Williams) (Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, Rodgers, P.Williams)  - 6:08
09. "Beyond"   (Bangalter, Caswell, de Homem-Christo, Paul Williams)  - 4:50
10. "Motherboard"   (Bangalter, de Homem-Christo)  - 5:41
11. "Fragments of Time" (feat. Todd Edwards) (Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, Todd Imperatrice)  - 4:39
12. "Doin' It Right"  (feat. Panda Bear) (Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, Noah Lennox)  - 4:11
13. "Contact"   (Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, Stéphane Quême, Garth Porter, Tony Mitchell, Daryl Braithwaite)  - 6:21

Credits
Daft Punk – vocals, modular synthesizer, keyboards, guitar, production, concept, art direction
Panda Bear – vocals
Julian Casablancas – vocals, lead guitar
Todd Edwards – vocals, co-production
DJ Falcon – modular synthesizer (with Daft Punk) and co-production
Chilly Gonzales – keyboards, piano
Giorgio Moroder – voice
Nile Rodgers – guitar
Paul Williams – vocals
Pharrell Williams – vocals
Additional musicians
Greg Leisz – pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar
Chris Caswell – keyboards, orchestration, arrangements
Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar
Nathan East – bass
James Genus – bass
John "J.R." Robinson – drums
Omar Hakim – drums
Quinn – percussion
Thomas Bloch – ondes Martenot, cristal baschet

Production
Bob Ludwig – mastering
Chab (Antoine Chabert) - mastering
Paul Hahn – management
Cédric Hervet – creative director, cover art
Warren Fu – cover art, illustrations
Mick Guzauski – recording, mixing engineer
Peter Franco – recording engineer
Florian Lagatta – recording engineer
David Lerner – digital audio engineer
Producer - Thomas Bangalter - Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo

Notes
Recorded 2008, 2010–2012; Paris (Gang Recording Studio), New York City (Electric Lady Studios), Los Angeles (Henson Recording Studios, Capitol Studios, Conway Recording Studios)
Genre: Disco, Electronic
Length: 74:24
Label: Daft Life/Columbia Records
 
© 2013

Gene Clark - No Other (1974)

“No Other” is the fourth solo studio album by Gene Clark. On release in late 1974 it was a critical and commercial failure; the studio time and cost being seen as excessive and indulgent. The record label, Asylum Records, did not promote the album, and by 1976 had deleted it from their catalog. Clark never recovered from the failure of the album
In late 1972, Clark was invited to join a reunion of the original Byrds line-up on Asylum Records. The resulting album was a showcase for Clark, who sang on two Neil Young covers and two original songs. By the strength of his contributions to the album, Clark was signed to Asylum as a solo artist by David Geffen.
While preparing to record, Clark briefly joined the backing group of former Byrds colleague Roger McGuinn; the two even shared a home together during the period in the Hollywood Hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. During an engagement at The Troubadour in Los Angeles with McGuinn, he introduced a song that would remain in his repertoire for the rest of his career, "Silver Raven"; it would be recorded in an arrangement featuring Jesse Ed Davis and L.A. session player Danny Kortchmar on “No Other”. Of the song's composition, Clark said in a 1976 interview:
There are no edges on “No Other”, even in its rockier tracks such as "Strength of Strings," which echoes Neil Young's "Cowgirl in the Sand" melodically, but its bridge is pure mystic Eastern harmony, complete with slide guitar wizardry. The shimmering dark textures of "Silver Raven," where Clark's falsetto vocal is kissed by synth and muted basslines and extended by a chorus that could have come off CSNY's Déjà Vu, is one of the most heartbreakingly blissed-out country-folk songs in recorded music history.
 "From a Silver Phial," as haunting and beautiful as it is, is one of the strangest songs Clark ever wrote, given its anti-drug references (especially considering this is one of the more coked-out records to come from L.A. during the era). The final two cuts, "The True One" and "Lady of the North" (co-written with Doug Dillard), are the only two pieces on the disc that mirror back with accuracy where Clark had come from, but even these, as they wind around the listener, are far bigger than mere country-rock tunes, and they offer glissando passages of pedal steel and ostinato piano that create narrative movement in the lyrics.

Track listing

01. "Life's Greatest Fool"   (Gene Clark)  - 4:44
02. "Silver Raven"   (Gene Clark)  - 4:53
03. "No Other"   (Gene Clark)  - 5:08
04. "Strength of Strings"   (Gene Clark)  - 6:31
05. "From a Silver Phial"   (Gene Clark)  - 3:40
06. "Some Misunderstanding"   (Gene Clark)  - 8:09
07. "The True One"   (Gene Clark)  - 3:58
08. "Lady of the North"   (Gene Clark, Doug Dillard)  - 6:04

Credits
Gene Clark - guitar, vocals
Chris Hillman - mandolin
Jesse Ed Davis - guitar
Stephen Bruton - guitar
Bill Cuomo - organ
Craig Doerge - keyboards
Howard "Buzz" Feiten - guitar
Danny Kortchmar - guitar
Russ Kunkel - drums
Joe Lala - percussion
Ted Machell - cello
Jerry McGee - guitar
Lee Sklar - bass
Butch Trucks - drums
Michael Utley - keyboards
Richard Greene, Beryl Marriott - violin
Sherlie Matthews, Cindy Bullens, Ronnie Barron, Clydie King, Claudia Lennear, Venetta Fields, Timothy B. Schmit, Carlena Williams - background vocals
Producer - Thomas Jefferson Kaye

Notes
Recorded at Spring 1974 at The Village Recorder, West Los Angeles
Genre: Psychedelic rock, Folk rock, Country rock
Length: 43:01
Label: Asylum Records

© 1974