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| April 19, 2024, 10:21:23 PM |
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Non Smiley Smile Stuff / General Music Discussion / Re: Elvis Presley
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on: July 16, 2023, 01:58:11 AM
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Well, there's obviously a big difference between doing a month full of one nighters all over the country and doing an engagement at a luxurious hotel with your own suite. Yet there is no question about the change in Elvis and his mood (as it shows on the outside). Even his stage performance was changing. In late '71 he was still moving all over the stage while this was not the case for '72 (except for Polk Salad Annie). Also his voice took a big change in '72 and I wonder if it had anything to do with the drugs he took. A change in the voice of course is a natural event but the difference between '70/'71 and '72 is quite big. I guess his changed mood and overall appearance could easily be linked to his drug use. Maybe new stuff that he didn't take before. Who knows.
Of course the separation also took it's toll. That would leave no one untouched and especially not a person who wasn't used to anyone telling him no.
1972 shows Elvis imo at the beginnig of a downward spill. Almost like in that year the drugs won against his body and psyche. This is quite fascinating to watch on On Tour. Someone on a german messageboard once said that he finds this movie so cool is because it finally shows Elvis as a typical rock star with all the clichés: pale, drugged up, constantly on the move, sweaty, only there to give the next show. I kinda agree with that.
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: December 1964
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on: July 15, 2023, 02:17:41 AM
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Well my website is sort of that-though only up to 1973 beachboysgigs.com
Your website is quite easily one of the best sites in the whole web regarding the Beach Boys. It's excellent work and I hope you know how much it is appreciated. |
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Non Smiley Smile Stuff / General Music Discussion / Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos
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on: June 05, 2023, 11:26:00 AM
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Written In Their Soul: THE STAX SONGWRITER DEMOS (Official Trailer) Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos brings together 146 demos from the Stax Records vaults highlighting the strength of songwriting talent at the legendary label. Including 140 tracks that have never been heard before, this collection combines both songwriter demos and in some cases, full blown arrangement into a 7-CD set.
The first three discs contain demos by the Stax songwriters that were recorded and released by Stax artists on one of the Stax family of labels (Stax, Volt, Enterprise, We Produce, Koko, Respect, etc.). The fourth disc contains demos by the Stax songwriters that were recorded and released on record labels OTHER than the Stax family of labels (Atlantic, Decca, Hi, Chimneyville, etc.). The final three discs contain demos by the Stax songwriters that were never released anywhere.
Including songs from legendary songwriters such as William Bell, Steve Cropper, Eddie Floyd, Bettye Crutcher and many more this collection includes unheard versions of some of Soul, and music’s, most well-known songs. The collection is packaged in a 7x7 boxset which includes a new essay written by Stax's original Director of Publicity Deanie Parker and GRAMMY-winning writer Robert Gordon, archival photos and an intro by multi-GRAMMY award winning compilation producer Cheryl Pawelski.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yCPPEvWFogThe Secret Sound of StaxThe rediscovery of demos performed by the songwriters of the legendary Memphis recording studio reveals a hidden history of soul.https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/06/05/the-secret-sound-of-stax?fbclid=IwAR0lFdpzZiowhj7gOQjEFHhcT8z9DcTWluTUf7JMGLXIOyRcI7msnyNdJXA
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Al Jardine - 2023 Tour Thread (Plus Archived 2018-2022)
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on: June 04, 2023, 02:36:25 AM
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Someone posted audio of an Al Jardine show from 2012: Hey everyone. Here's an Al Jardine solo show that was preformed only weeks prior to the 50th anniversary tour. Al has a great band, and they play a pretty good variety of songs here. Enjoy!
SETLIST (incomplete?):
1. I Can Hear Music
2. Heroes and Villains
3. California Dreamin'
4. California Saga
5. Sail On Sailor
6. Looking At Tomorrow
7. A Postcard From California
8. Don't Fight The Sea
9. Honkin' Down The Highway
10. Drivin'
11. Wild Honey
12. God Only Knows
13. Sloop John B
14. Wouldn't It Be Nice
15. Good Vibrations
16. Help Me Rhonda
17. Surfin' USA
BAND:
Al Jardine - guitar, vocals
Billy Hinsche - keyboards, vocals
Ed Carter - bass, vocals
Bobby Figueroa - drums, vocals
Matt Jardine - vocals
Adam Jardine - vocals
Tom Jacob - keyboards
Jared Dally - ?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfEw_r1BhsE |
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Non Smiley Smile Stuff / General Music Discussion / Re: Sam C. Phillips/Sun Records - thread
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on: May 24, 2023, 04:04:27 AM
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It’s interesting that many people formed a strong view of the artists in this period. Seems like a lot of celebrity fans of Elvis like John Lennon did not like the backing singers and strings and wanted Elvis to just sing rock and roll with his two or three piece band again. I remember George Harrison saying that in the Anthology video.
Yes, that's something I thought about from time to time as well. It's like people like John Lennon and Paul McCartney wouldn't let Elvis grow musically yet at the same time they where demanding that the audience would let them go on from "I want to hold your hand" to their current music. It's a little hypocritical but yet it's what some fans felt and in the end the Beatles were fans just as the next guy. Unfortunately though, many people listen to what Lennon said and think that it has more authority than their own opinion just because it comes from a Beatle, which has led to a lot of the beatiful music Elvis made after 1960 being totally under appreciated. To tell you the truth - and I won't go further into this at this point because it would probably need a lengthy demonstration - the main problem I see with this attitude to Elvis' later recordings is the labeling of "Rock'n'Roll" of his music (and that of his peers for that matter) and the stereotyped thinking of the audience. Elvis of course didn't play Rock and Roll, he played music his own way (so did Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Carl Perkins a.s.o.) which would then be called "Rock and Roll" and would evolve into a category with a somewhat particular range. This is of course totally anachronistic and does not describe the way Elvis and the other guys looked at their own music (at least not initially) but it's the way the fans, including the Beatles and others, up to this day look at the early 'Rock and Rollers'. You could argue that while Elvis wanted to make music, the Beatles (and other acts like the Stones etc.) wanted to play "Rock and Roll" (I hope it is clear what I mean, I'd need more time to come up with a better way to phrase this sufficiently). And although "Rock and Roll" is considered to be the ultimate "there are no boundaries"-style of music, this attitude actually limits that music in very harsh ways, so much so that you are not allowed to appreciate the beauty of Elvis' "It's now or never" if you're a Rock'n'Roller, although in Elvis' own eyes there was no difference between that song and "Hound Dog" because it is just the same natural way he made music - both come from the same inner source as "That's alright". In more recent years I actually find myself wondering more and more if that short periode of time when people like Elvis got their start and before that label "Rock and Roll" crushed everything to death, and of course the way some of these acts continued to make music throughout their carreers may have been the only time when "Rock and Roll" was actually what people to this day like to claim it is but actually isn't. And thinking about this makes me appreciate Sam Phillips all the more because as I understand it, this way of looking at music without any categories was just what he did. |
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Non Smiley Smile Stuff / General Music Discussion / Re: Sam C. Phillips/Sun Records - thread
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on: May 13, 2023, 02:57:46 AM
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In the case of Cash, he wanted to record gospel music, and Sam didn't feel he could sell gospel. Sun was a great place for these guys to start, but of course by moving to the major labels, there were bigger budgets to support them, which meant we got gospel albums from Elvis and John; concept albums like Bitter Tears; Orbison (and later) Presley using orchestras on their records; I think it was all for the best.
Well, Cash also did record Gospel songs at Sun. It was just that - as you said - there was no way in Sam's eyes to sell enough units of an whole album of that material. And he very well may have been right with that. Sun had to be careful what they put out as albums. They were an independent label after all. I agree with you that in the end it was for the best for all these great artists to go to another label because had they all stayed on Sun I don't think there was a way for Sam to fill the demand for each of the respective artist's product. All in all, Sun was still a one-man-operation. |
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Scott Totten and John Cowsill depart Beach Boys band
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on: May 10, 2023, 09:30:34 AM
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There's video floating around of the new guys in Mike's band. While it has been apparent for some time what Mike is aiming at when he adds/replaces members, it's very clear here in my opinion that he's swapping members out for younger members.
The new drummer appears to be one of those players that plays a really low-to-the-ground kit on a high stool, so it kind of looks like he's playing a kid's drum set, or that he's standing while playing.
I'm seeing some YouTube comments and comments in other places that truly seem to think Totten and Cowsill just retired. C'mon people. This isn't rocket science. When two guys are gone at the *exact same time*, that's doesn't sound like an organic decision to retire. As with the vast, vast majority of backing band changes over the years, I don't believe this was a voluntary exit.
I'm guessing that getting younger guys at a cheaper price hit two of the main goals that could have motivated Mike in this decision.
All just my opinion of course....
Are Scott Totten and John Cowsill that much older than some of the newer additions (their replacements, the bassist, and the saxophonist), though? I don’t mean to doubt your expertise, HeyJude, but I really doubt Scott would have given Mike such a pleasant Facebook post if he and Cowsill were canned. I just FB friended Scott; while I don’t plan to ask him about this, I have to say I am tempted.  I saw the video you're referring to from May. Looks like the new guitar player on the opposite side of the stage don't know who he is. Would be nice if they were announced as to who they were and what their backgrounds were but knowing Mike love we may or may not get that. And PS I have to continue to say after all these years I still don't care for Christian love voice it sounds extremely Bland and toneless
I’ll have to look around for this video. Not anymore: University of St Thomas Beach Boy Concert, 6 May 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xztUf5-DFBg |
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Non Smiley Smile Stuff / General Music Discussion / Re: Sam C. Phillips/Sun Records - thread
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on: May 10, 2023, 09:27:43 AM
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Well, there's truth to that. But you could argue that being able to be critical of your "boss" is a sign of a good working relationship. That aside, I don't think that there are a lot of musicians who are not critical of their record companies, so it's nothing that special imo. Sam certainly had his vision and was eager to make sure it was followed through, that's why - as he said - he never was gonna be a one-artist-label. I wouldn't talk of "restrictions" though, to be honest. If anything I guess Sun was quite unrestricted.
But a couple of things I would disagree with: Certainly Elvis wanted backing singers in the long term but during his time on Sun I don't think that was ever something that was considered. Sam didn't have a problem with using backing singers if you look at other artists when the song needed it (or if he let Jack Clement produce - which unfortuantely made for some very dated recordings by Johnny Cash).
Also, yes Elvis wanted to sing ballads, but Sam did let him record them because he "didn't have the heart to stop him". You can be sure though that after "That's allright" Elvis' mind was set on Rock and Roll, because he not only loved it but he saw that that was what had the potential to make him a star.
Roy and Sam didn't really see eye-to-eye and that frustrated Orbison. I believe he mentioned that Sam couldn't tell him what he wanted and that he himself didn't understand what Sam was trying to tell him. Only later he understood. But Roy also said that he enjoyed the time at Sun for the experience he got in the studio and at the recording process.
Basically I believe that most of the problems anyone had with Phillips was related to money.
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