John Phillips solo (post Mamas & Papas)

I've just listened to the John Phillips debut solo album - John the Wolfking of L.A. (remaster with 8 bonus tracks) and had a great time with it. I probably never listened to it in the last almost 40 years and forgot how good it was.

The Country-Rock, singer-songwriter approach, which was quite different from his work with M&P still sounds fresh and presents him as a superb songwriter and sensitive vocalist.

And of course that sound of the late 1960s - nothings sounds like that any more...

 

I think Mississippi's a great song -- a long-time favorite -- but I haven't heard the rest.

 

That was the single from this album, but the rest of it is great as well.

 

All the love in the world for John! I've been researching him in depth and talking with his family and friends for some time now.

Here's a few links to great info and discussions...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=83367538038&ref=mf

http://www.casselliot.com/forum/

http://groups.google.com/group/the-mamas-and-the-papas-in-depth-?hl=en&pli=1

http://papajohnphillips.com/

 

Allegations aside, I really liked Phillips 66 and Pay Pack and Follow, and play both more than Wolf King. Was the version of "Me and My Uncle" on '66 the first time John actually released his own version of this song?

 

My favorite track on the Wolfking of La reissue is the instrumental bonus track--"Larry, Hal, Joe & Me" (keyboards, drums, bass, guitar).

I also like the "Drum" song too.

As for the single "Mississippi"......so so. It's not a bad tune but the overly- loud female backing singers ruin it for me.

From the unreleased 2nd solo album, the track "Chinatown" is the standout to me, "Mr Blue" is good, but some tracks have serious audio problems.

"Paypack and Follow" is solid all the way through. I've only heard the remix though, which got released first, then later on, they apparently found the original 70s mix of it.

 

There is a version of "Me And My Uncle", with completely different lyrics (same music) on the previously unreleased til recently 2nd solo album, the title track, "Jack Of Diamonds".

 

I'm confused. How many solo, legit CDs of his material are available? Are any duplicating material even if done as a different version?

 

There's the original 1970 "Wolfking Of L.A." album which was the only solo album released while he was alive.

There's the posthumous "Jack Of Diamonds" CD which collected work he did for Columbia in the early seventies. A single was released but the album was scrapped. This disc also has a couple of his tracks from the film Brewster McCloud.

Then there's two different versions available of the album he did with Jagger & Richards: "Pay Pack & Follow" which was remixed and "Pussycat" which was the original mix that was only recently discovered. (In terms of quality PP&F is much better, Pussycat has horrible sound quality and sounds like poor cassette dub, but I prefer it over PP&F) Most of the songs on the two different discs are the same, only with different mixes in different quality.

There was a disc just released a month or so ago of John's demos from his failed Broadway musical Man On The Moon (a.k.a. Space) Most of the tracks are demos but there's some audience recordings from a performance and a few cuts from the LP re did with his ex-wife Gen Waite. As a die-hard Phillips fan, this disc is something I've been hoping for for years and it sure delivers. But I would only recommend it to the die-hards.

Lastly there's his last LP which he was working on up till he passed "Phillips 66."

Those are all of the full-length John albums that have been issued. I'm pretty sure they are all in print and available on CD, most were released by Varese. Wolfking had a vinyl re-issue which isn't bad but it's nowhere as sweet as the original Warlok/Dunhill pressing.

 

KimiAndRitz, thanks. I have a couple of those. After enjoying the Mamas and Papas it took me awhile to enjoy his solo voice but I'm glad I made the effort. I'll check the others.

 

That's too bad, when I heard that the original mix had been found, I was hoping it was going to be good. What did they actually use as the source tape for Pussycat?

 

Here's a more recent release from the John Phillips collection:

http://www.amazon.com/Andy-Warhol-Presents-Man-Moon/dp/B002BW7A5S


Has anyone heard this yet? I liked Pussycat & Jack of Diamonds but haven't gotten round to getting this one yet.

I'm a big fan of 'Wolfking' though, love that album

Edit: Didn't read Kimi's post first. Is the new one accessible or is it a drunken mess?

 

I'm not sure. The inner CD tray picture is of a master tape box for the first side. I'll have to take it out and get a look at it when I get home.

Pussycat sounds like a flat transfer from tape, with plenty of hiss and all. But it sounds muddy and it has to be a few generations in, but that's just my guess. The sound quality prevents the disc from being 100% enjoyable, but I prefer the mixes on it way more than the ones on Pay Pack & Follow. The bonus tracks sound much better and aren't bad either.

 

I'm somewhat biased, I love all the guy's solo work. (Except for the final "66" album...I can't even make it through that one.)

It's mostly guitar demos of very short little songs. A few of them were actually put on "Jack Of Diamonds" (Penthouse Of Your Mind, Stepping To The Stars.)

I would only recommend it to the real hardcore fans and those who like to own complete discographies. But I really dig it a lot. Didn't really think much of it the first couple listens, but it really grew on me.

There's also enhanced CD-Rom data on the disc with LOADS of pics/press/info on the original ill-fated Broadway show. The original script, playbill, pics, a couple rehearsal videos. Even if you don't care for the tunes, the CD-Rom material is worth the price of admission, IMHO.

 

Forgot to mention that last night I read in one of the articles regarding the latest scandal that the next posthumous JP release will be the unreleased album he recorded with the "New" Mamas & Papas. (The release had been in the works before recent events.)

There was some footage of them in the studio in the "Straight Shooter" and I've always hoped some of that stuff would get released.

I'm looking forward to hearing the recordings of the New Ms & Ps.

 

I saw this group (John, Denny, McKenzie & Spanky MacFarlane) and they were absolutely great. Pretty sure they were doing something that wound up as "Kokomo."

PS: the recent revelations should not be too shocking to anyone who read Phillips own book "Papa John." No specific reference to you-know-what there, but he freely admitted he was all kinds of mess.

 

Wolfking Of LA is an interesting album. The songs are excellent but John's voice is not.

 

I might buy these albums eventually. I already have "Pay, Pack and Follow" and "Philips 66". Incidentally, The Mamas and The Papas (with Scott Mackenzie and two unknown female singers) performed in my home town in 1995 and I got John's autograph in his book "Papa John".

At the end of the "Straight Shooter" documentary, a new line-up of the band is recording "Zulu Warrior". Has that version ever been released?

P.S.: I should have carefully read the previous posts for the answer.

 

There is, of course, his legendary unreleased album "My Baby's So Fine (She Blows My Mind)."

 

Not gonna touch that one! I'm tempted though.. : )

 

+1, deal with the music.

 

I'll never hear "She's Just 14" (off Pay Pack/Pussycats) the same way again, although I had suspected who might be the inspiration for that song at the time it was released. Having read the "Papa John" book years earlier...

 

Yes. It was not the first time he recorded it, but it was his first recording of it to be released.

 

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b145943_ickpapa_john_phillips_lost_track_about.html