Small Faces in My Psychedelic Haze

Sometimes when I hear some of that delectable psychedelic rock from the UK in the 1960s, I get so excited. Seriously. I get excited when I think about the boundless efforts of all of those mid 60s UK groups. The drugs may have been part fuel, but imagination and creativity drove these bands to write some of the most interesting and captivating music in years. For near 3 years this music ruled the charts in the UK and made serious impressions on the USA and Canada, especially. To name just a few - The Moody Blues, The Yardbirds, The Animals, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, Amen Corner, The Who, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich and of course, The Small Faces.

I just recently got a SHM Digital Remaster set of the original Small Faces albums from Japan in the coveted Mini LP Papersleeve. All the original albums - Small Faces, In The Beginning, Small Faces (Immediate), Ogden Nut Gone Flake, In Memoriam and Autumn Stone. Each CD came with bonus tracks featuring alternative mixes, B-Sides, US singles and some other Small Faces nuggets.

One of the finest inclusions was the stereo version of "Sha La La La Lee" tucked onto the end of There Are But Four Small Faces.

Still my favorite has to be Ogden's Nut Gone Flake and the previously aforementioned There Are But Four Small Faces. Those two albums alone are worth their weight in Gold. Every time I hear "Lazy Sunday" a big smile comes across my face. It is just such a good and refreshing sounding song. I have included an old 1967 youtube clip of the band performing that song below.

If you have any inclination to explore and discover the psychedelic music offered up from England in the 1960s, then an obvious and vital group to begin with would be the Small Faces. Enjoy!

Can I Get You A Caw-fee?

I will keep this short as I just got home from a spectacular gig and it is almost 2 am. This was a gig that I have waited 36 years to see. I never had the chance to see the New York Dolls in the beginning back in 1973/74 (I was living in Nova Scotia at the time) and I could not make their show 2 years ago during their "comeback" tour. Now that they have a new album out, Cause I Said So, they wrapped up their North American tour in Toronto with a 2 hour Rock N' Roll party. Yes, the show was a neat mix of old and new, and yes, the new material it pretty damn good. But for the sake of the new and uninitiated, when it comes to the New York Dolls, their sometimes under appreciated legacy and gift comes down to their first 2 albums from 1973 and 1974, respectively, New York Dolls and Too Much, Too Soon.

Their story is of Rock N' Roll legend. Just read their bio on line and it is a mixed up tale of excess, fast times, success and disappointment plagued with drug addiction and death. Their initial image was one that shocked and rocked the western world. That image and their music set the tone for many things to come - 70s Punk & New Wave, 80s Heavy Metal and 90s "Alternative" Rock. From Kiss to Blondie to Def Leppard to Hanoi Rocks to Guns n' Roses to Aerosmith to The Pixies and so much more, the New York Dolls have left their distinct Brooklyn imprint on the music world.

Again, for the uninitiated, check out from their first self titled album - "Personality Crisis", "Trash", "Lonely Planet Boy", "Pills" (written by Bo Diddley) , "Private World", "Bad Girl" and "Lookin' For A Kiss". From Too Much Too Soon - the obvious gems are "Who Are The Mystery Girls", "Babylon", "Puss And Boots" and "Chatterbox".

Now all you have to do is pick out the purse to match the pumps, apply some lipstick and get set to Rock N' Roll! What could be more fun in the urban jungle!

Hats Off To Roy Harper!

Who? Roy Harper! One of the most talented and idiosyncratic musicians/songwriters ever. Roy Harper was also responsible for initiating and helping to set up the series of free concerts held in London's Hyde Park starting in 1968. In fact, today marks the day when the 1st Hyde Park Free Concert was held. Appearing on the bill that day 41 years ago - Roy Harper, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd (both of these bands had been around for less than a year as professional recording rock bands).

It may take tolerant and trained ears to listen to any of Roy's solo albums from the late 60s and the 1970s. Harper's debut in 1967, Sophisticated Beggar, is a unique and interesting collection of songs. Good enough that it also caught the ears of Jimmy Page & Robert Plant of the newly formed Led Zeppelin. By 1970, they had recorded the song "Hats Off To Roy Harper" for their own album Led Zeppelin III. Harper was the toast of London's music elite by the end of the 60s. Harper's relationship with Pink Floyd lead to his signing with EMI's Harvest label and by 1971 had released the brilliant Stormcock.

No doubt, though, his biggest claim to fame, was in 1975 when he was invited by Pink Floyd down to Abbey Road studios to record the lead vocals on what would become one of the Floyd's most memorable songs "Have A Cigar" from their album Wish You Were Here Harper's vocals successfully implants a hard image of the rock n' roll business mover & shaker. The greasy, insincere tone to his vocals suggests exactly what the lyrics portray about the business side of music. Even back in 1975, long before I became employed in the music business for a major label, Harper's vocals aptly conveyed the image to me as a young lad. It was almost like I knew what to expect later on. Great song. Hats Off to Roy Harper! www.royharper.com

Album Of The Week - "The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars"

Yes, I am aware that this album has been reviewed countless thousands of times since 1972. Yes, I am aware that this album is a quintessential album of the 1970s catalog of Rock recordings. Yes, I am aware of how much this album influenced countless teenagers with their fashion sense during the 1970s and long after. Yes, I am aware how much this album is revered as a "coming out" album for the singer and his sexual orientation and how much that influenced many gays in the Western world (being gay wasn't exactly socially accepted to any degree in 1972). Yes, I am aware that this album represents the entire Glam scene in the early 1970s UK. Yes, I am aware of all this and more.

So, after all that, how much detail and critical review do I need to convey when choosing The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars by David Bowie as my "Album Of The Week"?

Well, not a lot, but some interesting info about the album, might help spark some younger music fans' interest enough to want to check out this fantastic album.

Most of us are already aware that the album was introduced to the world this very same week back in 1972 (37 years ago). David Bowie had already began recording music in a somewhat similar fashion over the previous 2 years. 1971's Hunky Dory and 1970s The Man Who Sold The World differed from each other but both laid the blueprint for Ziggy.

Then there was everything else that was going on around Bowie at the time. For one thing, Marc Bolan and T.Rex were the #1 game in town and the leader of the Glam movement. It wasn't hard to see that Bowie borrowed from Bolan. Also, the world was also being gleaned on future shock ideals and fiction with movies like "2001:A Space Odyssey" and "A Clockwork Orange" (it was also only 3 years since the Nasa Moonwalk). Bowie has always admitted that throughout his career, he "borrowed" from others, which enabled him to achieve the legendary notoriety of being Rock music's true "chameleon".

On Ziggy Stardust, songs such as "Starman", "Lady Stardust", "Soul Love", "Five Years" and "Rock N' Roll Suicide" reflected more of Bowie's love of American Folk and Soul music, with the songs revolving around the 12 string acoustic Bowie wrote most of the songs on and blasts of strings and horns that peppered each song and helped build on the emotional strings they easily tugged the listener with.

Mix all of that with Mick Ronson (may he rest in peace) and his distinct sounding Gibson guitar's illustrious power chords and the result was some pretty captivating and moving songs. Things heated up some more on the title track (the concept story unfolded in this song), "Suffragette City" (originally intended for fellow Glam band Mott The Hoople), "Star" (An ode to the life of a Rock N' Roll star) and "Hang Onto Yourself", which constitute the harder and raucous sounding songs on the album.

What always enthralled me and captivated me about the album was the immense influence and imprint that Mick Ronson left on the album. He was Bowie's right hand man, his lead guitarist and chief arranger of the string and horn sections. I always felt that without Ronson, Ziggy Stardust would never have been as good as it turned out to be.

Sometime, if you get the chance, the SACD Surround Sound version of Ziggy Stardust is wildly entertaining, for with the audio separation, Ronson's guitar just comes to life, as do the strings and horns. Some SACD enthusiasts has panned the SACD version of this album complaining that it too compressed sounding, but I heartily disagree. Sometime just check out the drums and harp evolve slowly in the intro of "Five Years". The lead guitar in is so totally electrifying. The background vocals and double tracked vocals on "Moonage Daydream""Soul Love" and "It Ain't Easy" are so much more upfront and in your face. I really like the SACD Surround Sound version.

The original production, by former producer Ken Scott (who went on to produce such other 1970s Rock classics such as Crime Of The Century and Crisis? What Crisis? by Supertramp), was (for me) the only weak link. Perhaps it was the original studio where Ziggy Stardust was recorded (Regent Studios now no longer in use and converted into a supermarket I think). For one thing, compare the sound of Ziggy Stardust to his followup Aladdin Sane. The difference is quite stark and Aladdin Sane always sounded better to my ears. The sound on Ziggy didn't even match up to the better sound Ken Scott achieved with Supertramp. Something about Ziggy Stardust album sounded thin to me. Maybe that is why I enjoy the SACD version so much more. The 1998 24 Bit Digital Remastering did help the album's sound considerably, but original LPs and early CD versions sounded "thin" for my liking. The only factor that made up for all of that was the incredibly strong songs that ere on the album. The album was, is and always will be one of my favorite and most personable albums I ever listened to and owned a copy of.

BTW - Plenty of cover versions exist out there of songs from the Ziggy Stardust album. One of the most popular and infamous is the Bauhaus version of the song "Ziggy Stardust". I did just hear for the first time, as well, a cover of the song "Ziggy Stardust" by the UK psychedelic surf band The Thurston Lava Tube. I believe you can hear it on youtube.com

Of course, nothing can compare to some of the original live performances in 1972 and 1973 when Bowie was at his full Glam regalia and fashion. Check this out from the D.A. Pennebaker film shot at Bowie's Hammersmith Odeon concert in 1973, performing "Moonage Daydream"...

Gemacht in Deutschland

Gemacht in Deutschland. Some of the BEST music from the Europe of the 1970s was made in Germany. Being a self confessed Krautrock enthusiast, the spectrum of bands to talk about is ultimately too diverse, as is their music (I'll post other Krautrock favorites in the future). For all of the genres that have been documented and declared, Krautrock is one of the most diverse of all. The range of styles and sounds ranges from the fluid synthesized sounds of Tangerine Dream to the Musicique Concrete inspired sounds of Can to the highly electronic experimentation of Manny Neumauier of Guru Guru, Klaus Dinger & Neu! or Rolph & Florian of Kraftwerk. I truly enjoy all of this music and I continue to seek out more. One such Krautrock band that I have admired the most were the one band that had more directly in common with the Western "hippie" counter culture than any of the other Krautrock acts of the time.

Amon Düül II's commune lifestyle and musical integration almost collapsed under its' own weight, and then ultimately re-surface as 2 separate bands under the near same name, Amon Düüll and Amon Düül II. The latter went on to more international critical acclaim and cult status, while the former version disbanded after just a few records. Their various recording including Phallus Dei, Yet, Carnival In Babylon and Wolf City, all display such large canvasses of sounds, wild arrangements and near transcendental passages and jams. Some of the music was LSD fueled and other times their music bore influences of western styles ranging from country to rock n roll to the blues, mixed with their own European inspired experimentation. Wildly psychedlic album covers graced each release.

However, American acceptance and success eluded them. A short lived deal with Atlantic Records sub label Atco (Home of Genesis in USA), delivered their highly regarded yet most misunderstood album Made In Germany.

Originally it was a double album when released in Germany in 1975, but in North America it was issued as a single LP and less songs. Only recently, thanks to SPV Records in germany, has the original sprawling double LP of music made it way onto compact disc.

For this album, and unlike previous releases, the band reached back into their own Germanic roots for theme and style. The German LP cover picture had the bands dressed in 18th & 19th century bavarian costumes.

Made In Germany is an essential album for any AD II fan and one that deserves investiagtion for any young or old music fan that digs Space Rock from the 1970s. Less deranged sounding than their English counterparts Hawkwind and not as "commercial"sounding as Pink Floyd, Amon Düül II found an interesting median sound that, for me, was every bit as enjoyable.

Since there are near 20 tracks spanning this double LP, I'd like to highlight just a few and leave the rest to those who are adventurous to challenge their tastes in Rock music.

My favorite tracks, off the top, include the surf rock-ish number with the sluggish rhythm - the beautiful instrumental "La Krautoma". The dreamy vocals of "Ludwig" and the spacey "Blue Grotto" are exceptional highlights of the record, as is the temptingly imaginative "Loosey Girls". Lastly, I would be obliged to mention the violin flavored "Dreams" with its incessant beat driving it. These tracks alone are worthy of any "Best Of" compilation and guarantee a much more expansive journey when you listen to the entire album.

I loved this album went it first came out in 1975 and it still ranks as one of my more listened to Amon Düül II albums. I found this clip on youtube from another fan. It includes "La Krautoma". Enjoy.

Iggy's NEW "Preliminaires"

Wow. The new album by Iggy Pop is much better than I expected and not at all what I expected. Maybe that is what has been so appealing to me since I received the Limited Edition Virgin France version this week (It comes with a Limited Edition 7" single).

The first single and video "King Of The Dogs", was a post here near a couple of weeks ago. If you have not yet seen the interactive video, check it out on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/iggypop

My favorite tracks so far - "Les Feuilles Mortes", "Nice To Be Dead" (One of the more uptempo songs), "Party Time", "I Want To Go To The Beach", "Spanish Coast"

This is NOT like any other Iggy Pop album. It sounds NOTHING like The Stooges or any of Iggy's previous solo recordings. Preliminaires sounds like it is completely free of any restrictions - personal or professional. It sounds like it is an unabashed expression of passion. It croons. It weeps. It is bold. It is confident sounding. It is spectacular! June 9th is the street date. Buy it. Check it Out.

You will NOT be disappointed.

Album Of The Week - "For Your Pleasure"

So many times, we armchair critics of music often label 'this' album a "Masterpiece" and 'that' album a "Masterpiece". Most often it is justifiably warranted and sometimes it is just a strong personal opinion. There have been many, many times I have considered a particular album a masterpiece and then find my opinion is shared by just a few others. We've all been there.

My 'Album Of The Week' choice here, Roxy Music's For Your Pleasure, falls neatly in between. I have heard from many people how much they love this album and consider it, as well, a masterpiece. Then again, I have encountered a number of those people who simply "do not get it". What a pity for them.

March, 1973. Possibly, a moment and time that marks what might have been the apex of the Glam Rock movement in Great Britain during the early 1970s.

Roxy Music had just blasted onto the scene the year earlier with their eponymous titled debut album, Roxy Music. They had already spent the better part of the past year on the UK singles charts with "Virginia Plain". Yes, while they did not pay their dues like other bands, becoming instant stars, I think we were better off for it. No one was a virtuoso by any stretch at this point but this did not hold them back from creating interesting, groundbreaking music.

Roxy Music was a band that gelled in chemistry and the result was spell binding music. Of course, Rock history and legend has firmly documented the fact that there was a growing ego clash between lead singer Bryan Ferry and keyboardist Brian Eno, who happened to be capturing a lot of the spotlight in the UK Music press as well (More on him in future logs). Unfortunately (or fortunately), For Your Pleasure would the final Roxy Music album to feature Brian Eno.

To begin with the album artwork was classic 1970s and one of their best, featuring model Amanda Lear holding back the sleek, black panther in front of the long black limousine with Ferry standing, smiling, with the passenger door open. The inside photo of the band is, yet another, calssic shot, with each member sporting their best Glam fashion attire (Eno is the BEST looking) and each member strumming a guitar of choice. Inside and out, the cover art was simply...dreamy.

The album opens with the UK Top 10 single "Do The Strand", a jumpy driven number that makes for a perfect opening song. The next 4 songs are the defining tracks for the album. "Beauty Queen" - I have always loved the lyrics in this song and the way Ferry sings lines like "Oooh the way you look/Makes my starry eyes shiver" and "Your swimming pool eyes/In sea breezes they flutter".

Track 3, "Strictly Confidential" , is a very good song but such depressing content. It breaks my heart just listening to it, the same way the song "Chance Meeting" does/did from their first album. "Editions Of You" is another song that struts much in the same vein as "Do The Strand". Energetic, with a corruptive backbeat courtesy of drummer Paul Thompson (the rivet in the band) and the bridge features all the members with their respective mini solos , one after another (Eno steals the spotlight on this one again).

Now before, I come to the final song on Side 1, I just wanted to mention the final three songs from Side 2 - "The Bogus Man", "Grey Lagoons" and"For Your Pleasure". Apparently, they are left over songs from the first album, but no less better than the more recent songs from Side 1.

On the "The Bogus Man" there is the 9:15 constant beat and if you listen carefully, mixed into the background rhythm is Ferry quietly making the constant sound into the microphone... "chicka". Of course it is looped, but the finality of the song gives one the impression he has been doing this for near 9 minutes straight, as the song gracefully closes with just him making this repeated sound until finally he gasps for breath a couple of times. Great stuff.

"Grey Lagoons" and then the title track, "For Your Pleasure" are both really good songs, however they are both appropriately placed at the very end of the album.

So, now I go back to the last song on Side 1. This is the epic song that virtually every original Roxy Music fan adores. I have never met anyone who claimed to be a fan of this album, make anything less than a gushing, bold statement about the sheer beauty of this song. It is truly a "Masterpiece" of a song. A fan favorite and a show stopper live. In part, the lyrics speak of opulent lifestyle excesses and also, perverted love. No one, other than Bryan Ferry, has made a love song about a vinyl inflatable female doll more exotic, more inviting and more psychotically romantic. The song opens with the brooding church organ and guitar of Phil Manzanera, both treated by Eno. This continues for what seems like an endless cycle but really for just over 3 minutes, all the while Ferry laments words of sexual frustration and the sheer boredom of a decadent lifestyle. This frustration has its own moments of tenseness thanks to the flavored bursts of Andy MacKay's saxophone and more of Manzanera's warped sounding guitar. Then, at 3:07, the unforgettable line "I blew up your body/ But you blew my mind" is delivered as the band stops playing for an instance. Immediately, the band comes crashing back in highlighted by the psychotic guitar solo of Phil Manzanera, Eno on Organ and Paul Thompson's thundering drums (complimented by some studio phasing). This intensity continues to fade out, only to rise again in the reprise that closes Side 1.

In every dream home a heartache
And every step I take
Takes me further from heaven
Is there a heaven'
I`d like to think so
Standards of living
They're rising daily
But home oh sweet home
It's only a saying
From bell push to faucet
In smart town apartment
The cottage is pretty
The main house a palace
Penthouse perfection
But what goes on
What to do there
Better pray there
Open plan living
Bungalow ranch style
All of its comforts
Seem so essential
I bought you mail order
My plain wrapper baby
Your skin is like vinyl
The perfect companion
You float my new pool
De luxe and delightful
Inflatable doll
My role is to serve you
Disposable darling
Can't throw you away now
Immortal and life size
My breath is inside you
I'll dress you up daily
And keep you till death sighs
Inflatable doll
Lover ungrateful
I blew up your body
But you blew my mind
Oh Those Heartaches
Dreamhome Heartaches

For any younger readers of this blog, if you TRULY want to hear something spectacularly different that ANYTHING you have heard in your short life, then PLEASE check out Roxy MusicFor You Pleasure. You will not be disappointed.