Into the late 1960's, pop and rock 'n' roll stars just couldn't sing other people's songs. Yes, all the greats still covered other artist's songs but it was a new day and the up and coming stars were both singers and songwriters. Harry Nilsson was one of the best. He could cover a tune as most of us first heard him on the radio in 1969 with the hit song, Everybody's Talkin' from the movie, Midnight Cowboy. Harry could also write songs with a range that put him in a very elite group of singer-songwriters by the early 1970's. But my god, the voice, this guy could sing as well as Bennett and Sinatra not only on ballads but rock 'n' roll tunes too.
Last week a couple of things happened that inspired this post. First off, Grooveshark was fatally speared as the sea of lawsuits by the BIG recording companies finally brought them down. And down they went, not to mention their parental scolding inspired apology statement on their former website. You could almost feel the tears - Please Please don't put us in jail! Kind of makes me think this will truly be the last (company-based) mp3 pirate of the free Internet. Almost makes you want to reminisce over the wild west days of Napster and Limewire. Anyway in 2011, Grooveshark was a free and subscription music service on the Internet and it got me actively back into listening to music from the 60's and 70's. I tried free Internet radio and playing with streaming services like Spotify,but nobody beat Grooveshark for having rare older songs and also the ability to customize free streaming playlists for both my computers and smartphone. But as it sometimes goes with free apps, here today and gone tomorrow. Hey, but I'll be on the search and will report back once I find a (probably fee-based) music service with customized playlists to share. In the meantime, I'll happily embed here with the deep pockets of Google's YouTube to share 40+ year old songs with you.
It's kind of been a Ringo couple of weeks for me. Got tickets to see Ringo and his All-Starr Band October 2nd in Paso Robles with VIP seating, oh boy living the high life! With that, I received in the mail a Ringo t-shirt that I'm wearing as I write this and also a Ringo canvas bag and poster that I have on my office wall. I was never in the The Beatles Fan Club or saw them live, but now, I finally get to see a Beatle!
So what's been playing in my head all week, It Don't Come Easy written and produced by George with Ringo assisting in 1970. George was so kind to his dear friend that he gave the song and all writing credits to Ringo. It got me thinking, these guys had been through so much together as struggling to famous musicians that their friendship could never be shaken . As the Beatles were now broken as a group in 1970, George and Ringo would just continue to be the great friends they were, bonded forever. It Don't Come Easy was released as a Ringo single in 1971 by Apple Records and went to #4 in the UK and US single charts. The song gave Ringo an identity outside The Beatles and kick-started his solo career. And George, just giving and being the great friend he was to Ringo.
With a Little Help from My Friends from the first verse and song written by John and Paul for their buddy Ringo, it's often the ongoing impression many have of Richard Starkey. Part self-made fool and Beatles manufactured court jester, Ringo is still to this day often maligned as the weak link in the best band in the world. I just heard someone on TV the other day say something about every group or family having a "Ringo." This is just old crap and time to lay to rest the tired bit about Ringo as the lovable but inferior one. To me, Ringo is such an inspiration for overcoming sickness and adversity in childhood to becoming the definitive rock and roll drummer of all time, and yes, still very lovable.
recommended that we see the Mob Museum located in the historic federal courthouse and U.S Post Office building. It was fantastic! You've got to do this on your next visit here as it will not disappoint. By the way if you're ever in Memphis, you must also see the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Hotel (site of Martin Luther King's assassination). For Boomers, both museums let you travel through our parents and our own generation's history either directly experienced or connected through conversation, books, news, television and the movies. You get little mental flashbacks of yes I remember that and lots of new info too. I didn't realize for example that the Beatles were scheduled to play at the Sahara Hotel on their 1964 tour, but with the overwhelming response the two shows had to be moved to the Las Vegas Convention Center to hold at least 8,000 screaming fans. The mafia ruled the town back then with a lot of other interesting people who made this place America's playground. It got me thinking about being born in the 1950's. We landed right in the middle of the 20th century and I think it gives many of us an unique perspective on life. For example, we know a lot of things about The Great Depression and World War II even though we weren't there. We know who Moms Mably was and are interested in Frank Sinatra (see new HBO documentary) and the Rat Pack all the while streaming new digital music to our smartphones. We experienced the middle and end of the industrial age, created the digital age and will carry that probably to some middle stage before we check out. I just hope this perspective can be valued a little more as we get older because we have something to share to young people about our times here. We were good listeners.
Second up, we got to see Fleetwood Mac at the MGM Grand. A simply fabulous show by the same people who formed the 1975 - present lineup of the band: Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and the wonderful Christine McVie. (Mary Kit, pal Mark Hunter and I saw the band way back in 1975 at the old Balboa Stadium in San Diego with Heart, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Rod Stewart on the same bill.) Anyway, Christine is back touring with the band after a 16 year absence and makes them complete. Mary Kit and I just saw them in December in San Diego (40 years later) when they started their tour and they even seemed more energized this time while doing this long tour together. Stevie said this was their 78th show of the tour and they just had the place rockin', lots of smiling from the band and the crowd was in a very singalong groove. With that I leave you some YouTube videos from the recent April shows, and as the band says, "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow." Or as Frank would say, "Vegas baby." So get online, check out who's playing when and where and start planning that Vegas trip soon!
Last week, I like many people had to stop for a moment when hearing the news that Joni Mitchell was found unconscious in her home and taken to the hospital. Joni means so much to so many people and is one of a small group of artist's that transcend her time of popularity in the 1970's. Her lyrics and music speak to young and old and we all carry her songs with us, all the time. Her friends have created a hashtag, #WeLoveYouJoni and if you can, give her a message using the hashtag through your Facebook or Twitter account. Here is the site where of all these messages can be viewed by her and you too.
Spring in Southern California, the weather starts to warm up in the 70's and low 80's and the alligator lizards start to appear. I first see them on my trail run as they bask in the sun on the dirt edge and scurry off in the brush as my Clydesdale running style announces my presence. Then, they start to appear as little guys on my front walkway and also on the patio in the backyard, just sunning it up. Now the little ones never hang out by the front or back screen door, but the big ones, 8"-12" inches with their impressive tails, want to come in the house. They lay right at the foot of the door, frustrated that they can't find a way in.
Rainy Days and Mondays (1971) by the Carpenters always assaulted the senses of my crowd growing up in the 60's and 70's as most of us linked the brother and sister duo with the Lawrence Welk view of the world. Well last night and this morning, it has been raining in Southern California, and that SONG just creeped back into my head, "Raining days and Mondays always get me down." Bummer! Just please disregard that as I'm going to try to keep this blog upbeat and a way to start your week. So if you live in So Cal you know that rain is a very good thing after four straight years of drought. Let's all hope we can keep getting some more of the wet stuff coming our way!
Tomorrow is the 13th anniversary of my heart attack and it is something that I have quietly celebrated with my wife Mary Kit every year since. Sometimes we go out to dinner on February 17th and I guess that is ironic in that Mary Kit and I never celebrate Valentine's Day which is just a few days before. I feel that Valentine's Day with the heart symbols, flowers, chocolates, dinner and cards is kind of a Hallmark holiday. Mary Kit woke up this morning and told me that she loves me and I would say that we say, "I love you" everyday to each other. I like to think we celebrate the spirit of Valentine's Day everyday and in my own way, I celebrate my life this time of year as reminder that each day is a gift. We all need to work on our health and be there for the people we love and our music will always there for us, to keep us young at heart. |
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In 2000, even though I didn't know it, T Bone Burnett had entered my musical radar through the Coen brother's film, O Brother, Where Art Thou? I loved that movie and the music just jumped out and grabbed a lot of people, including me. I started listening to Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch, as I had similarly gotten turned on to people like Jesse Winchester and Shawn Colvin over the years, by my longtime friend Mark Hunter. Mark, a fantastic musician himself (see his band The Waits), was the first person to introduce me to the term Americana music. It inspired me to start listening to people like John Prine, Leo Kottke and EmmyLou Harris again after many years. But now, there is a great new generation of Americana artists' that are making their way to the airwaves, through no small feat of the master collaborator himself, T Bone Burnett. |
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This week's post is inspired by my daughter-in-law's Twitter post @kimzebor from Mashable's That '60s show: What American high school students dressed like in 1969, Oct. 1969 Hippie high school, When students (and teachers) turned on, tuned in, and dropped classes by Chris Wild, Retronaut. Once seeing these images, My own time machine started reeling in the years back when I started Santa Maria High School in September, 1969 as a freshman. In the fourth picture down, (shown here on the right) is an image which includes a MG (Model A) sports car in the background similar to my '57 MGA and first car, purchased when I was a junior. What a time!
I thought of this song last week on my 35th anniversary as a teacher. Wake up Everybody is the 1975 album
It would be most fitting to start off my first post with links to Grooveshark featuring the Mama's and the Papa's 1966 album, If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears and the hit single, Monday Monday that is the inspiration for this blog and the era of my musical roots. Happy Monday everyone!