The Rising Storm, Calm Before The Storm 1967 • original mono CD Sundazed • 2017 reissue upc : 090771632326 originally issued as a privately-pressed LP on the Remnant label, 500 copies only, making it one stupidly rare and expensive record. only three times has it been reissued in collector's editions on vinyl; in 1983 on the EVA label, in 1992 on Stanton Park Records, and most recently in 2017 on Sundazed Music. I hardly ever listen to mid-60s garage-punk anymore, but this one is an absolute gem ! The CD version is great.
The 03:26-4:38 segment of "Scrape, scrape, scrape" is beyond belief. I've just listened to it thirteen times in a row
The earliest 1970 Hendrix available (recorded at the Fillmore East on 12/31/69-1/1/70). Two shows by our beloved rocking teenage combo from San Francisco announced for the following two days.
Whenever I see you share something from Robyn Hitchcock I think that’s someone else I should check out. What would you recommend as an introductory album? Looks like there a bunch on Spotify I could sample.
Every time I put this on I wonder why I don't play it more. It is a great record that is not killed off (mostly) by those early 80s-production kinks, has nice arrangements, and Joe's plays the everyman of ballads, tough gritty blues and is more than in fine voice here. Although the voice is what makes the lp, (he nails it on Seven Days) I've recently paid more attention to the band, and to a man, the playing is solid... the guitarists and drummer gets some good licks in. The keyboardist get a few cheesy synth lines too, but not in a overwhelming way. All brought to you by Sly and Robbie, Adrian Belew, and Robert Palmer/Jimmy Cliff on backing vocals.
I'd go with The Soft Boys (a band he led from 1976 -1980) classic album Underwater Moonlight. Alternatively, for a more acoustic Robyn Hitchcock, try I Often Dream of Trains or Eye. Be sure also to check out the Jonathan Demme (RIP) filmed live acoustic concert Storefront Hitchcock.
A nice sounding show from the Convention Center in Dallas, Nov 1976 w/ Eric Clapton hosting. Sign Language and Hello Old Friend are included from the material on his new release at the time... a studio favorite for me. The No Reason To Cry Tour... and the show is pretty accomplished.
For Robyn Hitchcock, I'd recommend starting with The Soft Boys' Underwater Moonlight, Globe of Frogs, Gotta Let This Hen Out (a great live one). The GD covered a track from Globe of Frogs with Suzanne Vega on 9/24/88, even. I happened to be listening to Belle and Sebastian earlier today myself, The Life Pursuit, really enjoyable album. Tonight, listened to Devadip Carlos Santana's 1980 album, The Swing of Delight. I bought a NM (per the sticker - and it's still true) copy of this for $4.99 back in 1991 or 1992 and probably only played it twice if even that much, just didn't do it completely for me at the time. Tonight dug it out for the first time since then, and really enjoyed it. Herbie Hancock plays on the whole album. Wayne Shorter and Tony Williams play on much of it. Carlos rips. It's almost all instrumental, has a bit of 1980 gloss, but is really quite fantastic. Sticking with '80s guitar-based jazz fusion-ish music, Allan Holdsworth's Metal Fatigue playing now. First listen, picked this up about a year ago in the used vinyl bins.
I have to listen to this one. I don't like any post-1974 Santana, but that one sounds promising. Something in the music of Holdsworth just doesn't make it for me. He was an extraordinary musician, but I still feel something's missing. Incidentally, he was one of Frank Zappa's favorite guitar players.
Well, there you have it; no consensus. Although everything Rob and NOAC said is great, you can't go wrong. But on reflection, I think Black Snake Diamond Röle is probably the ideal place to start.
