I Recently got into the work of Bruce Wayne Campbell, better known as Jobriath, or Cole Berlin. I know he’s still disliked by some even today but I find his story and music fascinating, especially his album with his group Pidgeon from 1969, and his debut album as Jobriath from 1973. To me, he was an intense, bright talent that sadly burned out way to soon. Such a tragic end to a performer who was destined for more. The thing that speaks to me most I think is his work as “Cole Berlin”, also known during this time as “Bryce Campbell”. Here’s a recoding and a bit of an interview of him performing “Sunday Brunch” that was gonna be in a play he was writing. This video was part of a documentary about the people who lived at the Hotel Chelsea. I’m fact he loved there for a time, at the top. Just stunningly beautiful piano playing and voice. Wow. He really had chops on the piano, he coulda been one of the greats! This thread is really an appreciation thread for this underrated artist. Do you dig any of his work?
Edited version of “Sunday Brunch” with the interview cut out of the middle. How I wish we had more recordings of him from this time...
I love the 2 albums he did as Jobriath, but was definitely a victim of the incompetence and lousy treatment by his manager/lover Jerry Brandt. There's a documentary (the name of which I can't recall) that gets into some of the story, and there was an excellent article (in Mojo I believe) that went deep into his story. That he wound up basically homeless, earning a living as a hustler, and dying of AIDS is just a sad sad end for someone who really was quite talented (ignore the Bowie comparison, they're superficial and off base) and brave for his time. At least the albums are available for those curious enough to hear them.
Probably is best album. His work on the keys is incredible and I didn’t know he could play guitar like that either! He gets pretty heavy on this record. He’s the only one listed as playing guitar on this LP so it surely must be him. Brilliant.
Yes “Jobriath A.D.”! I watched that Doc. It’s a great one that really tells you the full, tragic story. Overhype really did help kill his career
Brandt was an old school hustler kind of manager, he also ran The Electric Circus on St. Marls Place.
If his first album and gigs had come around 1975, and he didn't have that insane amount of hype, he might have done much better.
I think he would have fit right in with the early CBGB scene, he had an excellent guitarist in Steve Love and would have easily won over the 1975 crowd.
I’m aware of it but haven’t heard it as I’m not into Moz, and I’m worried he’ll ruin a great song. Is it any good?
I have his two Elektra albums. The songs are overproduced and underdeveloped. You can sense the talent, but it feels like it needs more seasoning. It also seemed like the albums lacked a consistent style -- is it disco, is it cabaret, is it rock? (I understand that an album doesn't need to have a consistent style, and that some artists can easily switch from style to style with grace and ease. But when you're a new singer on the scene, the public is going to be much more skeptical of you if you're not consistent.) Then again, I'm probably the wrong demographic for this stuff. I only bought the albums because they featured Peter Frampton and John Paul Jones as guest stars.
The CBGB scene in 1975 was a real melting pot of styles, and I think his music would have been embraced by an audience that was open for anything. But from the start, his whole thing was about the theatrical presentation and the music got kind of secondary. He might not have taken to his show being stripped down to something that would have flown at CBGB, but the music would have been no problem with that crowd. At least I like to think so.
I dig this performance man, what a song. I really like the harpsichord (at least the one used on the studio track). Forgive my ignorance but what does CBGB stand for?
Give that Pidegon album up there^ a shot, it’s much different from his later work and you might dig it!
I was interested in knowing more about JPJ's contribution so I started this thread last year: Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones ... and Jobriath there's also this (closed) thread Jobriath ?
The full name was actually CBGB/OMFUG which stood for Country, Bluegrass, Blues and Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers .
I did some research on JPJ's involvement many years ago but didn't come up with much. Some fans believe that Jones played on the more "commercial" songs on Creatures Of The Street (e.g., "Liten Up"). I suspect that Jones may have played on the orchestral tracks (e.g., "What A Pretty", "Gone Tomorrow"), which were recorded in the fall of 1973 at Olympic Studios -- Zep was on a break at the time so it certainly would fit into Jones' schedule.
