No not really he was dressed in white a psychedelic yogi just seemed perverse and funny (in a good way).
At his best, he was fantastic. Mellow Yellow and the first third of Gift are remarkably restrained for the time--full of quiet poise. Lovely singing, too.
I wonder if Mr Leitch hurt his own popularity with the whole hippie image seeming a bit exaggerated at times, perhaps to the point of seeming to be contrived. I haven't heard many of his albums, but what I have heard I didn't care for. I like the hits and a few other songs of his, and I see the talent involved but I just didn't get much out of most of it.
All I really know are the singles, but I like most of them; only Mellow Yellow doesn't really cut it. The acoustic version of Catch the Wind is the best IMHO. Wear Your Love Like Heaven might be the most underrated. I was always indifferent to Sunshine Superman but it has grown on me in the last couple of decades.
Not many songwriters have been covered by the Animals, the Airplane, Vanilla Fudge, and the Allman Brothers. And throw in Judy Collins. In order: Hey Gyp Fat Angel Season of the Witch There is a Mountain Sunny Goodge Street Who else? Major artist
Well Mickie Most stopped working with him around 1970 because of his outrageous demands in the studio and live concerts, but went to work with again on CW..Donovan's last chart hit album.
The only one of the 70s records I have never seen. Or been able to afford. http://www.popsike.com/php/quicksea...sortord=&pagenum=1&incldescr=&currsel=&thumbs=
Picked this up mint 10.00 bucks uk dawn for a song about 10 years ago( sans lovely poster, pity). Absolutely essential folk pop daintys.
Catch the Wind is a brilliant composition regardless of acoustic only or acoustic/rock ending (I prefer the rocked out ending version). He had an icon of a Father to live up to and I don't think he quite succeeded in that regard, but he's still a 60s icon to me. Just not a household word icon.
I've *always* loved "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" LP. Been listening a lot lately to the Sundazed mono reissue - sounds wonderful!
Atlantis is an Iconic hit single. I remember it being my favorite song about the time I was collecting those Apple Beatles singles, Get Back and Ballad of J/Y. I was only 9 years old.
There was a live mail order album titled "25 Years Live" which had a very prime period sound, and performance quality. Five Stars on that one too.
I saw that performance, but my in memory it was on the Smothers Brothers show that I saw him in the white robe. That performance was mentioned in Lillian Roxon's Rock Encyclopedia.
When it comes on the radio, I'm singing super loud about wanting to be "way down below the ocean" and I'm on a watery acid trip and in a Martin Scorsese all at the same time.
