I recall those halcyon days of pulsating hard rock in 1968 pounded out by the band Blue Cheer. I must admit that I could only tolerate so much of their sound at a time. It’s interesting what the mind rejects but the universe accepts.
Looking back on what Blue Cheer established has helped me to appreciate their role in the annals of rock music. Sprung from the loins of the psychedelic era in San Farncisco, the band is said to have been named after a street brand of LSD and promoted by renowned LSD chemist and former Grateful Dead patron, Owsley Stanley.
Blue Cheer clearly established heavy metal way before it had a moniker.
Vincebus Eruptum, Blue Cheer’s landmark 1968 debut, is widely regarded as ground zero of the heavy metal explosion. The album, featuring the classic Blue Cheer lineup of guitarist Leigh Stephens, bassist/vocalist Dickie Peterson and drummer Paul Whaley, includes the trio’s mind-melting reading of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” which became a Top 20 single.
I was watching the VH1 Classic channel today on cable. The series Metal Evolution produced and hosted by Sam Dunn, metalhead turned anthropologist produced lots of interesting video and interview footage.
My favorite interlude today was the episode ”Early Metal U.S.” which focused on Detroit, Michigan’s influence on metal music, in particular the significance of Alice Cooper.
Alice Cooper was signed by Frank Zappa for his Straight Records label. They produced surreal, experimental rock theater set against one of the tightest sounding rock bands ever. The band consisted of of Vincent Furnier (Alice Cooper) on vocals and harmonica, lead guitarist Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce on rhythm guitar, Dennis Dunaway on bass guitar and drummer Neal Smith. They were a monster of a band you immediately respected.
The recording that set me on my ear with Alice Cooper was Love It To Death. The hit, “I’m Eighteen” epitomized the dichotomy of being at 18 years old, both a boy and a man. I liked the irreverence of the cover photo where Alice Cooper stuck his thumb through the front of his pants to resemble a cock. The album played through so well you ended up loving it to death every time you played it. My second favorite song was the “Ballad of Dwight Frye“, being a melodrama film fan, I thought it was so cool that a band would perform a song about an actor who spent much of his life in an insane asylum. If you contrast Dwight Frye’s actual existence with the character, Renfield that he played in the Universal Studios class, Dracula, art imitated life. Who can forget that the hospital worker says, “He’s crazy” when asked about Renfield’s behavior at the asylum.
President Obama’s reelection team included Bruce Springsteen’s new single “We Take Care of Our Own” in the list of songs our President will use on the campaign trail.
Just the best song ever, Slash‘s opening guitar coda, Axl Rose‘s compelling vocal, is there any doubt why 36+ million people have listened to and viewed Guns and Roses‘s video, “Sweet Child O’ Mine“.
Yesterday would have been Janis Joplin‘s 69th birthday. Legacy Recordings took that opportunity to announce they will be repackaging a newly curated definitive two-disc edition of Joplin’s final studio album The Pearl Sessions. It contains newly discovered studio outtakes, live performances and other sonic rarities. It is due to be available on April 17, 2012.
The Pearl Sessions brings together, for the first time in one package, the original mono versions of the album’s 45s alongside the original LP tracks as well as the revelatory newly discovered alternate versions, outtakes and vocal takes of Pearl‘s classic tracks.
Disc One of The Pearl Sessions includes the original album as well as the original mono singles from the album.
Disc Two is a collection of behind-the-scenes recordings illuminating the Pearl sessions with highlights and insights revealed in candid studio dialogue, song demos and alternate takes including nine previously unissued tracks.
Columbia/Legacy Recordings recently announced the release of Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968, a previously unavailable live concert recording of Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin, recorded June 23, 1968 by legendary sound man Owsley Stanley, a/k/a “Bear,” who supervised the mastering of this release before his fatal car accident on March 12, 2011, in his adopted homeland of Australia. Dedicated to Bear, the album will be released on March 13, 2012, marking the one-year anniversary of his passing.
The Pearl Sessions Track List:
Disc One
The Pearl Album
Move Over
Cry Baby
A Woman Left Lonely
Half Moon
Buried Alive In The Blues
My Baby Me and Bobby McGee
Mercedes Benz
Trust Me
Get It While You Can
Bonus Tracks – The Mono Single Masters
Me and Bobby McGee
Half Moon
Cry Baby
Get It While You Can
Move Over
A Woman Left Lonely
Disc 2 – The Pearl Sessions & more…
Overheard in the Studio…
Get It While You Can (Take 3) (Previously unissued)
Overheard in the Studio…
Get It While You Can (Take 5) (Previously unissued)
Overheard in the Studio…
Move Over (Take 6) (Previously unissued)
Move Over (Take 13) (Previously unissued)
Move Over (Take 17) (Previously unissued)
Me and Bobby McGee (Demo version)
Me and Bobby McGee (Take 5 – Alternate – Previously unissued)
Cry Baby (Alternate version)
A Woman Left Lonely (Alternate vocal)
Overheard in the Studio…
My Baby (Alternate take) (Previously unissued)
Overheard in the Studio…
Get It While You Can (Take 3) (Previously unissued)
My Baby (Alternate take)
Pearl (Instrumental) – Full Tilt Boogie Band
Tell Mama (Live – June 28, 1970 – Toronto)
Can you feel the energy coming from Bruce Springsteen with a renewed vengeance this morning?
The first song from Bruce Springsteen’s new album, Wrecking Ball was released this a.m. on amazon.com*, “We Take Care of Our Own.” I picked it up from the Amazon Cloud. (Its also available for direct play on Spotify too
Here is the video of “We Take Care of Our Own” with lyrics.
Said longtime manager Jon Landau in a press release posted at brucespringsteen.net, “Bruce has dug down as deep as he can to come up with this vision of modern life. The lyrics tell a story you can’t hear anywhere else and the music is his most innovative in recent years. The writing is some of the best of his career and both veteran fans and those who are new to Bruce will find much to love on ‘Wrecking Ball.’ “
There will be a special edition of Wrecking Ball available on March 6th. It has two bonus tracks and exclusive artwork and photography.
Track listing:
We Take Care of Our Own
Easy Money
Shackled and Drawn
Jack of All Trades
Death to My Hometown
This Depression
Wrecking Ball
You’ve Got It
Rocky Ground
Land of Hope and Dreams
We Are Alive
Swallowed Up
American Land
Expect information about the Bruce Springsteen North America tour dates to take place soon. We’re eager to see Bruce and the E. Street Band again.
Rosemary and I attended the last show at Giants Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey by Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street band in 2009 . The ones before the Wrecking Ball. As a matter of fact we saw two shows that week, show #2 and show #5 that week.
Here is Wrecking Ball from the first night we attended (Friday October 2, 200), brings me to tears to see him give Clarence a kiss and start the show, so miss Clarence….
2102, The Year of The Doors is upon us. The 40th Anniversary of L.A. Woman is being celebrated in high fashion today, January 9th. The World Premiere of the first completely new and unreleased track by The Doors in 40 years, “She Smells So Nice” can be heard on Sound Cloud here.
This unique gem was found by co-producer Bruce Botnick when he was reviewing the L.A. Woman session tapes for the upcoming reissue.
The Doors L.A. Woman 40th Anniversary merchandise will start shipping on or about January 20th, 2012.
There will be a two CD re-issue of the original album, remastered, with an extra disc of bonus material. Disc two has previously unreleased alternate versions of songs featured on the original album along with studio chatter by the band from the recording sessions. Liner notes written by David Fricke, Sr. Editor of Rolling Stone magazine, and original album producer Bruce Botnick.
There will also be a DVD, Mr. Mojo Risin’: The Story of L.A. Woman. Eagle Rock Entertainment has created this documentary detailing how The Doors created their last studio album. Mr Mojo Risin’ goes into detail of how the album came about, its recording and what was happening to the band at the time. The story is told through new interviews with the three surviving Doors: Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore plus contributions from Jac Holzman, founder of their label, Elektra Records, Bill Siddons, their manager, Bruce Botnick, engineer and co-producer of the album and others associated with the Doors at this time. The show includes archive footage of the Doors performing both live and in the studio, classic photographs and new musical demonstrations from the Doors.
I watched the Pearl Jam Twentyrockumentary film last night. My goal was to absorb as much as I could about the evolution of Pearl Jam. The film exceeded my expectations as I experienced a total immersion with Pearl Jam.
I have a long time respect for Cameron Crowe as a rock music journalist, film director, producer, and screenwriter. I have relished his unique music journalism ever since I first encountered his articles in Rolling Stone Magazine in 1973. His passion for the culture of music is infectious as it is enlightening. My favorite music film of his is the semi-autobiographical movie, Almost Famous.
Cameron Crowe has put his best foot forward with Pearl Jam Twenty. His role as a long time fan and advocate presents a polished dimension one rarely witnesses in a rockumentary. His insight into the artistry of Pearl Jam takes the viewer far and wide in its global view of Pearl Jam live. He also zooms in on the details of each band member so we learn about the sum of the parts known as Pearl Jam.
I must also give credit to the members of Pearl Jam and their team who pieced together lots of personal film and memorabilia to underscore the strength of a twenty year partnership.
I am impressed with the magnetism Pearl Jam exudes. Most notably this is represented in the identity of Eddie Vedder. We learn of his beginnings as a surfer in Southern California who soon mounts the waves of grunge rock success in Seattle. I had no idea Eddie Vedder was such a risk taker launching himself way above the stage into the waiting audience to catch and break his fall below. We see what heights and depths Pearl Jam assumed in their first 10 years of the 20 year journey.
I gained a strong appreciation for Pearl Jam’s commitment to their fans by taking on the Ticketmaster monopoly. I love their activism and dedication to their beliefs in the integrity of music and their fans.
Pearl Jam Twenty increases my need to see them live some day soon, hopefully when they announce their 2012 North America tour plans. The film elevates their live performances in correlation to my want to witness their incredible energy and sound.
Last night Van Halen played at Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village for 250 people. I applaud them for igniting such a major excitement buzz for their 2o12 tour and their forthcoming album A Different Kind of Truth. The NY Times article, “Van Halen Delivers Big Nostalgia on a Small Stage” by James McKinley Jr. proved to be an insightful read for those of us who were curious about last night’s event.
Photograph by Charles Sykes/Associated Press
I’m setting my sights on trying to get tickets for the Mohegan Sun March 3rd concert. Live Nation is handling the tour so I will need to use my account with them to purchase seats. I like that Kool & The Gang will be the opening act.
I received an email yesterday from Interscope Records simply entitled, “Van Halen – The Future”. I interpret it to mean that Van Halen will have a brand new album that they will be highlighting with a tour. The tour tickets start selling January 10th. The hint is to stay tuned on January 10th for more details about where they will be playing.
I’m in, aren’t you? Eddie Van Halen plays the bitch-ingest guitar I have ever seen live. Would love to catch him with Alex, Wolfgang and David Lee Roth. Worth trying to get tickets to see them.
Check out the dog on the stage as David Lee Roth dances by, he looks happy
Just the best song ever, 
Columbia/Legacy Recordings recently announced the release of 
2102, The Year of 
