By the latter half of the 70s, Neil Young had put his ditch days behind him, had Zuma'd up and down the California coast with Crazy Horse, and seemed pretty damn content with recording a string of laid back, though pretty inoffensive country rock LPs. Young's short run with The Ducks in the late summer of 1977 was all at once strange anomaly, a high water mark and a signpost marking a change of course. Comprised of Young, Moby Grape vocalist Bob Mosely, "Hey Hey, My My" co-author Jeff Blackburn and sometime session man Johnny Craviotto, The Ducks were quite possibly the most popular townie bar band of all time, as Young's contractual obligations with Crazy Horse specified he could only tour with them, forcing The Ducks to play all of their 22 gigs within the Santa Cruz city limits. Loaded with songwriters, the band's setlists were comprised of original material, a few tunes from each member's back catalog and a handful of covers. The shows were tight, Young seemed to enjoy his supporting role, and, in the beginning, the crowds were enthusiastic if a little awed at their strange fortune. After a few weeks the hordes of out of towners hoping to hear some classic Neil Young tunes grew exponentially, and with its secret out, Young left the group less than two months after its first gig. And though a mobile recording rig was often spotted outside the club for most of the shows, this unofficial, surprisingly clear fan recording is the only aural evidence in circulation.
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Sunday
Neil Young and the Ducks
Live at the Catalyst, August 22, 1977
By the latter half of the 70s, Neil Young had put his ditch days behind him, had Zuma'd up and down the California coast with Crazy Horse, and seemed pretty damn content with recording a string of laid back, though pretty inoffensive country rock LPs. Young's short run with The Ducks in the late summer of 1977 was all at once strange anomaly, a high water mark and a signpost marking a change of course. Comprised of Young, Moby Grape vocalist Bob Mosely, "Hey Hey, My My" co-author Jeff Blackburn and sometime session man Johnny Craviotto, The Ducks were quite possibly the most popular townie bar band of all time, as Young's contractual obligations with Crazy Horse specified he could only tour with them, forcing The Ducks to play all of their 22 gigs within the Santa Cruz city limits. Loaded with songwriters, the band's setlists were comprised of original material, a few tunes from each member's back catalog and a handful of covers. The shows were tight, Young seemed to enjoy his supporting role, and, in the beginning, the crowds were enthusiastic if a little awed at their strange fortune. After a few weeks the hordes of out of towners hoping to hear some classic Neil Young tunes grew exponentially, and with its secret out, Young left the group less than two months after its first gig. And though a mobile recording rig was often spotted outside the club for most of the shows, this unofficial, surprisingly clear fan recording is the only aural evidence in circulation.
By the latter half of the 70s, Neil Young had put his ditch days behind him, had Zuma'd up and down the California coast with Crazy Horse, and seemed pretty damn content with recording a string of laid back, though pretty inoffensive country rock LPs. Young's short run with The Ducks in the late summer of 1977 was all at once strange anomaly, a high water mark and a signpost marking a change of course. Comprised of Young, Moby Grape vocalist Bob Mosely, "Hey Hey, My My" co-author Jeff Blackburn and sometime session man Johnny Craviotto, The Ducks were quite possibly the most popular townie bar band of all time, as Young's contractual obligations with Crazy Horse specified he could only tour with them, forcing The Ducks to play all of their 22 gigs within the Santa Cruz city limits. Loaded with songwriters, the band's setlists were comprised of original material, a few tunes from each member's back catalog and a handful of covers. The shows were tight, Young seemed to enjoy his supporting role, and, in the beginning, the crowds were enthusiastic if a little awed at their strange fortune. After a few weeks the hordes of out of towners hoping to hear some classic Neil Young tunes grew exponentially, and with its secret out, Young left the group less than two months after its first gig. And though a mobile recording rig was often spotted outside the club for most of the shows, this unofficial, surprisingly clear fan recording is the only aural evidence in circulation.
Wednesday
Beau Brummels
Bradley's Barn - 1968
Although it was beat out by the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo by a couple of months in being the first true country rock LP, Bradley's Barn is arguably the superior album in the breadth and depth of the original songs hidden inside its pastoral sleeve. Relatively unknown beyond their association with the mid 60s San Francisco psychedelic folk scene, the Beau Brummels’ first hit "Laugh, laugh" was recorded by Sly Stone (then Sly Stewart) in 1964, but thanks to poor marketing, promotion, and the fact that the Byrds basically did the same thing they were doing, only slightly better, the band toiled in relative obscurity until the release of their phenomenal Triangle LP in 67. It's follow up, Bradley's Barn, paired the band (now down to two original members, Sal Valentino and Ron Elliott) with a slew of Nashville hired guns to create a loose, richly layered collection of mostly original material that leads the way more towards the backwoods stuff The Band were laying down with Dylan around the very same time rather than the Bakersfield country rock mashup the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers were dishing out. Criminally overlooked since it was released, the LP is a testament to the astonishing writing and vocal prowess of Elliott and Velentino respectively, and the soaring heights they could reach when everything fell into place. It certainly did here.
Although it was beat out by the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo by a couple of months in being the first true country rock LP, Bradley's Barn is arguably the superior album in the breadth and depth of the original songs hidden inside its pastoral sleeve. Relatively unknown beyond their association with the mid 60s San Francisco psychedelic folk scene, the Beau Brummels’ first hit "Laugh, laugh" was recorded by Sly Stone (then Sly Stewart) in 1964, but thanks to poor marketing, promotion, and the fact that the Byrds basically did the same thing they were doing, only slightly better, the band toiled in relative obscurity until the release of their phenomenal Triangle LP in 67. It's follow up, Bradley's Barn, paired the band (now down to two original members, Sal Valentino and Ron Elliott) with a slew of Nashville hired guns to create a loose, richly layered collection of mostly original material that leads the way more towards the backwoods stuff The Band were laying down with Dylan around the very same time rather than the Bakersfield country rock mashup the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers were dishing out. Criminally overlooked since it was released, the LP is a testament to the astonishing writing and vocal prowess of Elliott and Velentino respectively, and the soaring heights they could reach when everything fell into place. It certainly did here. Friday
The Beach Boys
20/20 - 1968
The Beach Boys' 20th and final LP under their original Capitol contract was one that felt much like the odds n' sods collection that it was at the time of its release. Thankfully, the passage of time has worked in the band's favor, and 20/20 is now looked upon fondly as the LP that forecasted the band's early 70s reinvention and the emergence of Carl and Dennis Wilson as the driving forces behind it. 20/20 is notable for containing a couple of tracks from the aborted SMiLe project (what was to be the album's opener "Our Prayer" and the bizarre "Cabin Essence") as well as "Never Learn Not to Love" a composition by none other than Charles Manson. Here's the lowdown, straight from Wikipedia:
Before the album commenced recording, Dennis had befriended a struggling musician named Charles Manson and decided to help him in the music industry by recording his song "Cease To Exist" for the Beach Boys, under the new title Never Learn Not to Love. Manson explicitly told Wilson that the words were not to be altered, though he could do what he liked with the music (in the event, the basic melody was largely unchanged). When "Never Learn Not to Love" was first released by the Beach Boys as a B-side in late 1968, and credited solely to Dennis Wilson - with altered lyrics and a new bridge - Manson threatened Wilson with murder. According to Brian's collaborator, Van Dyke Parks, when Manson once showed up to make good on his threat, Dennis beat him up.
All told, 20/20 is a fantastic, fun album. The highlights are numerous, but my favorites include the Phil Spector-penned "I Can Hear Music" wrapped in a warm blanket of sunny California, and Brian's prophetic "Time to Get Alone", his sole contribution to the album.
The Beach Boys' 20th and final LP under their original Capitol contract was one that felt much like the odds n' sods collection that it was at the time of its release. Thankfully, the passage of time has worked in the band's favor, and 20/20 is now looked upon fondly as the LP that forecasted the band's early 70s reinvention and the emergence of Carl and Dennis Wilson as the driving forces behind it. 20/20 is notable for containing a couple of tracks from the aborted SMiLe project (what was to be the album's opener "Our Prayer" and the bizarre "Cabin Essence") as well as "Never Learn Not to Love" a composition by none other than Charles Manson. Here's the lowdown, straight from Wikipedia:Before the album commenced recording, Dennis had befriended a struggling musician named Charles Manson and decided to help him in the music industry by recording his song "Cease To Exist" for the Beach Boys, under the new title Never Learn Not to Love. Manson explicitly told Wilson that the words were not to be altered, though he could do what he liked with the music (in the event, the basic melody was largely unchanged). When "Never Learn Not to Love" was first released by the Beach Boys as a B-side in late 1968, and credited solely to Dennis Wilson - with altered lyrics and a new bridge - Manson threatened Wilson with murder. According to Brian's collaborator, Van Dyke Parks, when Manson once showed up to make good on his threat, Dennis beat him up.
All told, 20/20 is a fantastic, fun album. The highlights are numerous, but my favorites include the Phil Spector-penned "I Can Hear Music" wrapped in a warm blanket of sunny California, and Brian's prophetic "Time to Get Alone", his sole contribution to the album.
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