A few good times in my life
October continues with an eclectic selection of chart singles, forgotten and remarkable songs that were released this week years ago.
1967: Jefferson Airplane
1973: David Essex
1968: Desmond Dekker & the Aces
1971: Isaac Hayes
1982: Marvin Gaye
1974: Harry Chapin
1988: Tracy Chapman
1969: Shocking Blue
1970: T. Rex
1977: Richard Hell & The Voidoids
1987: George Harrison
1963: Gerry and The Pacemakers (Apologies to everyone who can't stand LFC)
Another week, another journey into musical history.
Enjoy.
1965: Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
1972: Alice Cooper
1980: Joy Division
1983: Bananarama
Like the weeks before another eclectic mix of songs from times long gone by. Have a nice journey and good memories.
1967: Jefferson Airplane
1972: Tanya Tucker
1977: The Clash
1991: Jane's Addiction
1988: John Mellencamp
1970: Free
1992: The Cure
1984: The Style Council
1995: Prince & The Revolution
Grace Slick is 85 years old today and a good reason to listen to the music of Jefferson Airplane once again. Hardly any other band stands for peace, love and consciousness-expanding drugs as much as Jefferson Airplane. Together with the Grateful Dead, they spearheaded the hippie music that emerged in San Francisco in the mid-60's. However, internal disputes led to them disbanding after just a few years. Their fame is based on a handful of hits and appearances at the most famous festivals of their time.
For me, Jefferson Airplane are one of the few bands from the psychedelic era that I still enjoy listening to. That's because they wrote great songs, had perhaps one of the best guitarists of his time in Jorma Kaukonen and I just love Grace Slick's voice.
On 2400 Fulton Street, a very good compilation of their releases, their work is divided into four categories (Beginnings, Psychedelia, Revolution and Airplane Parts), which also corresponds to their sound and meaning.
Jefferson Airplane - Coming Back To Me
Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit
Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers (Live At Woodstock)
Jefferson Airplane - Martha
A few years ago Don Letts compiled Version Excursion for the LateNightTales series with reggae versions of well known songs. Prince Fatty & Shniece McManamin turned the White Rabbit into a wonderful Black Rabbit.
Let's have a trip today back into 1967 to San Francisco. The streets are filled with hippies and flower-power and psychedelic rock music reached it's peak. Of course I was too young to join these music and scene in these days but older friends introduced me to this in the early 70's. In these days I moved from glam rock and made first experiences in hard rock. Deep Purple was one of the most popular in these days and Child In Time was played all over. Years later I recognized, that the intro was stolen from Bombay Calling, a song from the debut album by It's A Beautiful Day. IABD were from San Francisco and more or less successful with their folky psychedelic sound. They were named as poor men's Jefferson Airplane was ihrer Musik in keinster Weise gerecht wurde. Während Jefferson Airplane which in no way did justice to their music. While Jefferson Airplane lived mainly from the voice of Grace Slick and the lead guitar of Jorma Kaukonen, IABD went the way of using the violin of David LaFlamme as lead instrument. The result was their biggest success White Bird, a trademark of their sound and an early blueprint of the upcoming prog-rock.
It's A Beautiful Day - White Bird
While I was looking for something else in the internet I found out that George Benson covered Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit more than 50 years ago. It was one the first albums he made for his new record label CTI Records. On this album he covered various songs by Mamas And Papas and Michel Legrand. The reviews was disappointed by the jazz guitarist and the road he took to included Spanish elements into his music. I always had an affection to Benson because he was one of those guitar players who could play without overstatement like rock musicians often do. Throughout the last decades I always find a way back to him and his moody tunes.
George Benson - White Rabbit
2022 was a year that changed almost everything. A megalomaniac autocrat started a war against Ukraine, the cost of living raised higher and higher and I see a lot of people not knowing how to pay the heating of their homes and their regular food. The medical system is closer to a meltdown before and we are also not willing to change into a climate-neutral future. So I used to ignore these bad news turning into listening to music.
The year is almost gone and like every year a lot of folks out there are going to a retrospective about this year in music. In my opinion it was a very good year in music. Many new bands appeared on the scene and also successful artists released new stuff. Looking back this year I didn't bought many physical copies and owned more digital copies than before. One reason is the price I have to pay for copies coming from Great Britain and the taxes are horrible because German dealers have to include the taxes into the final price.
So I am presenting a very subjective list of 22 albums that were released this year. Let's start with a few compilations.
Version Excursion released by Don Letts via Late Night Tales is a very own conglomeration of songs from the last decades many will know but not in a reggae-dub inspired versions. A compilation I always come back to.
Our good friend Drew introduced me to Flying Mojito Bros a California based band reworking the music of the early 70's in a very special way. I always had a fondness to Steely Dan but this version is a belter.
Fell From The Sun is a compilation built on the best of 1990 released songs and reworks. None of them is a mistake and brings back great moments in time.
Let's turn to the new albums of the year. Paul Osborne surprised me with his Project Gemini. The Children Of Scorpio is nothing more or less a homage to early 70's soundtracks with great wah-wah guitars and an accentuated bass drifting into a psychedelic space.
In 1971, now over 50 years ago, David Crosby released his first solo album. I found this again when I made safety copy on my external drive and I couldn't resist listening to it once again. This album is one of those from the early 70's that is still worth to listen from time to time not only for one that always liked his voice. It has this kind of westcoast sound based on blues and filled with great harmonies. As far as I know many artists from associated bands like Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead and CSN&Y supported him on this album. This is retro sound of course but I think there were less musicians today who are able to make records like these.
David Crosby - Music Is Love
David Crosby - Tamalpais High (At About 3)
