Frank Zappa Song By Song Thread (1966-96)*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Zoot Marimba, Aug 21, 2018.

  1. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    John Mayall, USA Union:
    [​IMG]


    Hey, it's John Mayall! This is USA Union, released in 1970 on Polydor. Produced by Mayall himself, the album's lineup is consists of Mayall on vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar, Sugarcane on violin, Harvey "The Snake" Mandel from Canned Heat on guitars, and fellow Canned Heat/John Mayall alumni Larry "The Mole" Taylor on bass. Aside from the first track, the album deals with Mayall's then romance with Nancy Throckmorton, who also took some of the photos seen in the gatefold.
    Man, what a cool album. I remember seeing no drummer listed (the Gypsys had no home, U.S.A. Union has no drums), and wondering how that would work. The answer is that it creates the feeling of jamming around the campfire, or even bluegrass, just four musicians hanging out and sort of playing off each other. It’s amazing how much of an impact drums or the lack of drums can have on the sound, and the record has a very intimate feel that it would likely lose with drums there. And on top of that, everybody is delivering quality performances, and the songs themselves prove to be very strong.
    I give this a very enthusiastic recommendation, it’s an awesome record.
     
  2. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Fiddler On The Rock:
    [​IMG]

    From keepin on driving to a fiddler on the rock, this album was released in 1971 on MPS and is produced once again by Joachim Berendt.
    Besides Sugarcane on violin and vocals, we have Harvey Mandel back on lead guitar as well as the Mole on bass and Paul Lagos on drums.
    As implied by the title, the album is more rocking compared to the previous record, and by God does it smoke. “Eleanor Rigby”, what Sugarcane and company do with it is fantastic, Sugarcane’s voice capturing the pathos of the lyrics while his violin reflects the sadness, the rage, the grief at seeing this old woman die and nobody caring. Mole’s bass rumbles throughout, real nasty and stinky as I love my bass to be. Mandel, his leads sweet and tangy as always, and Lagos rips the skins to pieces.
    Listening to this album, God was Sugarcane amazing. Thank you Frank for introducing me to this immense talent.
    Get this bad boy, it’s an awesome record.
     
  3. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    T. Rex, Electric Warrior:
    [​IMG]

    Time to revisit these titans of Glam Rock. This is T. Rex’s Electric Warrior, released September 24, 1971 on Cube. Produced by Tony Visconti, this marks the band’s second full length studio album (sixth if you count their time as psych folk duo Tyrannosaurus Rex) and the band’s full immersion into what would come to be known as Glam Rock. Besides the classic lineup of Marc Bolan on lead vocals/guitar, Steve Currie on bass, Bill Legend on drums/tambourine, and Mickey Finn on congas/bongos (some bongo fury, if you will)/backing vocals, T. Rex is aided by our very own Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan on backing vocals, Ian MacDonald of King Crimson fame on saxophone, jazz trumpeter Burt Collins on flugelhorn, and Rick Wakeman of Yes (meaning that both of Bill Bruford’s bands are represented in these credits) performing keyboards on “Get It On (Bang A Gong)”.
    I knew “Get It On” of course, but when I found this album, man, it just felt good. There were hooks a plenty, the grooves were so addictive, Marc’s vocal delivery and melodies managed to be whimsical without being twee, and his lyrics colorful and vivid, psychedelic without being dopey. Since Mark and Howard’s presence is why we’re discussing this album, they really manage to capture the playfulness of Bolan’s writing in their performances. They blend in so perfectly that you can just enjoy the album on its own, yet if you want to pick them out, you can still do so.
    I seriously can’t understand why this wouldn’t catch on in the States. Then again, we seemed to have a real bug up our ass about feminine looking men, because really, songs like “20th Century Boy” and “Ride A White Swan” were as good or better than what was popular in the States around that same era. No matter, this band was great, this album rules, it is an essential addition to the collection of any rock or pop lover.
     
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  4. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    Agreed. Some T Rex albums were a little hit and miss, but Electric Warrior and The Slider were top notch
     
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  5. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Maxayn, Maxayn:
    [​IMG]


    We now come to Maxayn, a soul group formed by former Ikette Maxayn Parker and her husband and keyboardist Andre Lewis. The band was rounded out by guitarist/bassist Marlo Henderson and drummer Emry Thomas. The self titled debut, released in 1972 on Capricorn, was produced by Lewis and Jack Adams and features additional contributions by guitarist/tenor saxophonist/percussionist Hank Redd, guitarist Hoschel Wright, drummers Fred Allen and Jimmy Maher, bassist Billy Rich, and alto saxophonist/flautist Stemsy Hunter.
    I will say Maxayne clearly has some pipes, and the musicians backing here are a very solid group of players. The material isn’t necessarily earth shattering, but it’s nonetheless a very respectable slice of 70s funk/soul. I can give it a solid recommendation; if you’re into this kind of music, then it’s a solid addition to the collection.
     
  6. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Nolan Porter, Nolan:
    [​IMG]

    One more visit to Mr Nolan Porter with Nolan, released May 15, 1972 on ABC. Produced by Gabriel Mekler, the album features support by the Blackberries (Clydie King, Venetta Fields, and Sherlie Matthews) on backing vocals, guitarists Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Lowell George, and Ron Elliott, keyboardists Bill Payne and Clarence McDonald, saxophonist Charles Owens, trumpeter Oscar Brashear, saxophonist and percussionist Tony Elisalda, bassists Roy Estrada and Ray Puhlman, and drummers Jim Gordon, Jimmy Carl Black, and Richie Hayward (which gives us five Zappa alumni on this record-Black, Estrada, Gordon, Lowell, and Watson; correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that’s most we’ve had so far).
    Once again, Porter proves to be a very strong soul singer, his performances showing great energy and passion throughout. In addition, the musicians give extremely strong backing, ranging from funk to reggae to smooth soul. Other than the tracks identified as being Jim Gordon ("Work It Out In the Morning", "Oh Baby", "If Only I Could Be Sure", ""Singer Man"), I'm generally not quite sure which tracks are Jimmy and which are Richie, but nevertheless, Jimmy and/or Richie provide(s) a fantastic back beat. Roy also delivers some sweet funky lines throughout the record, enough to make you go "really Roy? You HAAAAD to be a kiddie diddler." Not sure if I mentioned it before, but "Keep On Keeping On"'s guitar riff would later be quoted in Joy Division's "Interzone".
    Generally, I can give this a very strong recommendation.

    Oh, and a little trivia tidbit for those that don't know: Nolan is currently married to Frank's sister Candy.
     
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  7. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    Interesting! So is one of them responsible for the glaring f-up on "Get It On"? I always assumed it was a female backup singer but you can never tell.
     
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  8. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Which f up are you thinking about?
     
  9. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    Someone sings an extra "get it on" when no one else does; I assume it was a f up that was kept on the record for the lulz.
     
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  10. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Domenic Troiano, Domenic Troiano:
    [​IMG]


    Here's a hidden gem by Canadian guitarist Domenic Troiano, who some here might know from The Guess Who or James Gang. Released in 1972 on Mercury, the album was produced by Troiano and Keith Olsen, the latter of whom would go on to produced Fleetwood Mac, Foreigner, Scorpions, Ozzy, and the Grateful Dead among many others. The lineup on here is Troiano on lead vocals/guitar/arrangements, our very own Bunk and Buzz Gardner (Bunk on tenor sax and Buzz on trumpet), Hugh Sullivan on piano and organ, William Smith on organ and backing vocals, Red Rhodes on steel guitar, Jay Cantrelli on tenor saxophone, Lonnie Shetter on clarinet and baritone saxophone, Prakash John Clarinet on bass and backing vocals, Tessie Calderone on percssion, Roy Kenner on percussion and backing vocals, and Penti Glann on drums.
    I knew Troiano a bit from James Gang, and while the albums he played on weren’t that great, I knew he was a good guitar player. Going into this record, I was pleasantly surprised. If you’re either a James Gang/Guess Who or a fan of Americanic rock, this definitely worth a spin or two, doing a nice job of blending the blues, soul, and roots music. Generally, not one that you need, but a solid addition to your record collection.
     
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  11. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Nicholas Greenwood, Cold Cuts:
    [​IMG]


    Meet Nicholas Greenwood, former bassist for The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown before striking out on his own in 1970. After a year or so with the band Kahn-
    [​IMG]
    -Yes, so after that band wrapped up, Greenwood decided to finally make a solo album of his own. Said album is Cold Cuts, released in 1972 on Kingdom and produced by Greenwood and Marc Chase. Besides Greenwood on lead vocals and bass, the lineup consists of Bunk on wind instruments, Bryn Haworth and Chris Pritchard on guitars, Dick Heninghem on keyboards, The Teardrops on backing vocals, Eric Peachey on drums, and Janet Lakatos, Margaret Immerman, Margaret Shipman, and Nils Oliver on strings.
    Once again, I didn’t expect much from this record, but wow, it’s really good. Though Greenwood’s bass playing was obviously going to be good, he also shows himself to be a very strong vocalist-colorful, passionate, even powerful at times, with a dash of Mr Arthur Brown himself at times. The songwriting is top notch as well, consistently engaging throughout. Of course, the musicians are superb as well, with Heninghem and Peachey as particular standouts. And if you’re going in as a Zappa/Mothers fan, don’t you worry ‘bout a thing, because Bunk does some excellent wind work throughout the album, perfectly complimenting the other musicians as he always does. And Haworth and Pritchard show themselves to be pretty darn good guitar slingers.
    This is an excellent addition to any prog lover’s collection, and should definitely be looked into.
     
  12. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Some Time In New York City:
    [​IMG]


    Ohmyga, a Beatle!
    This is John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Some Time In New York City, released June 12th (in the U.S.)/September 15th (U.K.), 1972 on Apple. Produced by Lennon, Ono, and Spector, the album's content was more politically charged than Lennon's previous albums, in addition to see him and Ono backed by Elephant's Memory (consisting of saxophonist/flutist Stan Bronstein, guitarist Wayne "Tex" Gabriel, pianist John La Boosca, keyboardist Adam Ippolito, bassist Gary Van Scyoc, and Richard Frank Jr.). Though their politically charged songs make up Side One, Side Two is split between a 1969 benefit performed by the duo with various musician friends* and a 1971 performance with Frank Zappa and The Mothers at The Fillmore. The later would prove controversial due to Mark and Howard's vocals being mixed out as well as John and Yoko claiming credit and copyright for "King Kong", which they would rename "Jamrag". In addition, despite the inital agreement between Lennon and Zappa that each could release the performance on their, the latter would not be able to legally do so until 1992, when Frank released his own mix of the performance on Playground Psychotics.
    Upon release, the album received scathing reviews, with many criticizing the album for its perceived shallowness.
    I haven’t heard this album in years, and revisiting it now.... it's not as bad as I remembered. It's not good, mind you, it runs way too long and the lyrics, as much as Lennon and Ono meant well, do often come off as shallow and preachy. That being said, there are some songs that are actually pretty cool like "Woman Is The N----- Of the World" and "The Luck Of the Irish", and "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Even Elephant's Memory, while far from the most precise band that John could have worked with, have a cool, raucous rock and roll feel to them. As far as the Yoko songs, I actually dig "Sister O Sister", sort of like a warped girl group song and I dig it. The 1969 jam is so so, I'm sure the players enjoyed themselves, but it's a very lacking listening experience.
    However, the Zappa tracks are easily the highlight. John gives a strong passionate performance, and let's face it, even Frank's mid to lower tier groups were still better than most.

    Do I recommend it? Ehhhhh, maybe bits and pieces, but as an album, not really.
     
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  13. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    So far, I have all albums left to cover catalogued:
    1. John Mayall, USA Union (Sugarcane) [1970]
    2. Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Sugarcane (Sugarcane) [1970]
    3. Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Keep on Driving (Sugarcane) [1971]
    4. Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Fiddler On The Rock (Sugarcane) [1971]
    5. Nolan Porter, No Apologies (Lowell George, Roy Estrada, Jimmy Carl Black) [1971]
    6. Bob Smith, The Visit (Don Preston) [1971]
    7. T. Rex, Electric Warrior (Mark Volman, Howard Kaylan) [1971]
    8. Maxayn, Maxayn (Andre Lewis) [1972]
    9. Nolan Porter, Nolan (George, Estrada, Black) [1972]
    10. Domenic Troiano, Domenic Troiano (Bunk Gardner, Buzz Gardner) [1972]
    11. Nicholas Greenwood, Cold Cuts (Bunk) [1972]
    12. John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sometime In New York City (Live Jam/tracks 3-6 featuring Frank, Mark and Howard, Ian, Don Preston, Bob Harris #1, Jim Pons, Dunbar) [1972]
    13. T. Rex, The Slider (Mark And Howard) [1972]
    14. Pure Food & Drug Act, Choice Cuts (Sugarcane) [1972]
    15. New Violin Summit (Sugarcane, Ponty) [1972]
    16. Roxy Music, Stranded (Jobson) [1973]
    17. Buddy Miles, Chapter VII (Lewis) [1973]
    18. Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Listen (Lewis) [1973]
    19. Maxayn, Mindful (Lewis) [1973]
    20. Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Sugar Cane’s Got the Blues (Sugarcane) [1973]
    21. Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Keyzop (Sugarcane) [1973]
    22. Mick Ronson, Slaughter on 10th Avenue (Dunbar) [1974]
    23. Roxy Music, Country Life (Jobson) [1974]
    24. Howdy Moon, self titled album (Lowell George, Roy Estrada) [1974]
    25. Luis Gasca, Born to Love You [1974]
    26. Billy Cobham, Crosswinds (George Duke) [1974]
    27. Maxayn, Bail Out For Fun! (Lewis) [1974]
    28. Roger McGuinn, Peace on You (Mark And Howard) [1974]
    29. Dave Mason, Dave Mason (Sal Marquez) [1974]
    30. Herbie Mann, London Underground (Dunbar) [1974]
    31. Freddie Hubbard, High Energy (Ian Underwood) [1974]
    32. Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Cup Full Of Dreams (Sugarcane) [1974]
    33. Don “Sugarcane” Harris, I’m On Your Case (Sugarcane) [1974]
    34. Junior Hanson, Magic Dragon (Lewis)
    35. Roxy Music, Siren (Jobson) [1975]
    36. Jean-Luc Ponty, Aurora (Ponty, Tom Fowler) [1975]
    37. Freddie Hubbard, Liquid Love (Ian) [1975]
    38. Billy Cobham, A Funky Thide Of Sings (Walt Fowler) [1975]
    39. Down And Dirty Duck Soundtrack (Preston, Mark Volman, Howard Kaylan, Pons, Dunbar) [1975]
    40. Mick Ronson, Play, Don’t Worry (Dunbar) [1975]
    41. Nils Lofgren, self titled (Dunbar) [1975]
    42. Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Key Stop (Sugarcane) [1975]
    43. Mallard, Mallard (Art Tripp) [1975]
    44. Journey, Look Into The Future (Dunbar) [1976]
    45. Jean-Luc Ponty, Aurora (Ponty, T. Fowler) [1976]
    46. Roxy Music, Viva! [1976]
    47. Spirit, Farther Along (Ian) [1976]
    48. Jean-Luc Ponty, Imaginary Voyage (Ponty, T.Fowler, Allan Zavod) [1976]
    49. Grand Funk, Good Singin, Good Playin (Produced by Zappa) [1976]
    50. Billy Cobham, Life & Times (Duke, Zavod) [1976]
    51. Air Pocket, Fly On (T. Fowler, Bruce Fowler, W. Fowler, Thompson) [1976]
    52. Stephen Stills, Illegal Stills (Mark And Howard) [1976]
    53. Ian Hunter, All American Space Boy (Dunbar) [1976]
    54. Flo and Eddie, Moving Targets (Mark, Howard, Ian) [1976]
    55. T. Rex, Futuristic Dragon (Mark and Howard) [1976]
    56. Nils Lofgren, Cry Tough (Dunbar) [1976]
    57. Carmen MacRae, Can’t Hide Love (Ian) [1976]
    58. Sammy Hagar, Nine On A Ten Scale (Dunbar) [1976]
    59. Alphonso Johnson, Moonshadow (Ian) [1976]
    60. Marathon Man Soundtrack (Ian) [1976]
    61. George Duke, Liberated Fantasies (Duke, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Ruth) [1976]
    62. Jean-Luc Ponty, Live in Hamburg (Ponty) [1976]
    63. Jean-Luc Ponty, Imaginary Voyage (Ponty, T. Fowler) [1976]
    64. Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Flashin’ Time (Sugarcane) [1976]
    65. Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band, Bat Chain Puller (Beefheart, Denny Walley) [1976]
    66. Seals & Croft, Sudan Village (Ralph Humphrey) [1976]
    67. Chunk, Ernie, & Novi, Chunk, Ernie, & Novi (Ian) [1977]
    68. George Duke, From Me to You (Duke, Glenn Ferris) [1977]
    69. Demon Seeds Soundtrack (Ian) [1977]
    70. Journey, Next (Dunbar) [1977]
    71. Jean-Luc Ponty, Enigmatic Ocean (Ponty, Zavod) [1977]
    72. Little Feat, Time Loves A Hero (Lowell) [1977]
    73. Genesis, Seconds Out (Thompson) [1977]
    74. Quincy, Jones, Roots (Ian) [1977]
    75. Mandré, Mandré (Lewis) [1977]
    76. Alphonso Johnson, Spellbound (Thompson) [1977]
    77. Journey, Infinity (Dunbar) [1978]
    78. U.K., self titled (Eddie Jobson) [1978]
    79. Lynda Carter*, Portrait (Humphrey) (*yes, the same one who played Wonder Woman) [1978]
    80. George Duke, Reach For It (Duke) [1978]
    81. George Duke, Don't Let Go (Duke) [1978]
    82. The Brecker Brothers, Heavy Metal Be-Bop (Bozzio) [1978]
    83. Jean-Luc Ponty, Cosmic Messenger (Ponty, Zavod) [1978]
    84. Billy Cobham, Inner Conflicts (Duke, Ruth Underwood) [1978]
    85. Steve Hackett, Please Don’t Touch (T.Fowler, Chester Thompson) [1978]
    86. David Bowie, Stage (Adrian Belew) [1978]
    87. Alice Cooper, From the Inside (Mark And Howard) [1978]
    88. Ambrosia, Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled (Ian, Ruth) [1978]
    89. Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela, Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela (Ian) [1978]
    90. Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band, Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (Beefheart, B.Fowler, Tripp) [1978]
    91. Lao Schifrin, Gypsy (Ian) [1978]
    92. Barbara Streisand, Songbird (Ian) [1978]
    93. Little Feat, Waiting For Columbus (Lowell) [1978]
    94. Mandré, Mandré Two (Lewis) [1978]
    95. Karen Alexander, Voyager (Humphrey) [1978]
    96. U.K., Danger Money (Jobson, Terry Bozzio) [1979]
    97. Jean-Luc Ponty, Live (Ponty, Zavod) [1979]
    98. David Bowie, Lodger (Belew) [1979]
    99. Big Sonny and the Lo Boys, In Heat (Black) [1979]
    100. Apocalypse Now Soundtrack (Preston) [1979]
    101. The Residents, Eskimo (Preston) [1979]
    102. Jefferson Starship, Freedom at Point Zero (Dunbar) [1979]
    103. Lowell George, Thanks, I’ll Eat It Here (Lowell) [1979]
    104. Peggy Lee, Close Enough For Love (Ian) [1979]
    105. Little Feat, Down On The Farm (Lowell) [1979]
    106. George Duke, Follow the Rainbow (Duke, Nappy) [1979]
    107. George Duke, Master Of The Game (Duke, Nappy) [1979]
    108. Tony Banks, A Curious Feeling (Thompson) [1979]
    109. Jean-Luc Ponty, A Taste for Passion (Ponty, Zavod) [1979]
    110. Freddie Hubbard, The Love Connection (Thompson) [1979]
    111. Lalo Schifrin, No One Home (Ian) [1979]
    112. The Warriors Soundtrack (Ian) [1979]
    113. Mandré, M3000 (Lewis) [1979]
    114. Ray Pizzi, The Love Letter (Humphrey) [1979]
    115. Leroy Hutson, Unforgettable (Thompson) [1979]
    116. David Pritchard, City Dreams (Thompson) [1979]
     
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  14. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    I can certainly hear the riff, but did Joy Division consciously lift it from this tune?
     
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  15. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    I remember reading the part in Goldman's Lennon biography where he was completely intimidated by the prospect of playing with Zappa. Honestly, Yoko's shrieking ruins the whole thing for me. Same with side two of the Live Peace concert. Jesus Christ what an insufferable voice.
     
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  16. CassetteDek

    CassetteDek social distancing since 1979

    Location:
    Chicago
    Hey I’m finding this thread extremely late in the game but just wanted to say bravo so far!

    That Cold Cuts album cover is definitely filed under “how did they actually go to print with that?”
     
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  17. CassetteDek

    CassetteDek social distancing since 1979

    Location:
    Chicago
    Speaking as a Beatles fan, Sometime in NYC is a bore, despite being a total mess often. One of the worst entries in Beatledom. Woman is the N***** is a great track though.

    Anyone know why Mark & Howard’s vocals were mixed out? I’d never heard that.
     
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  18. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    One of them had some improvised lyrics in "Scumbag" with jokes at Yoko's expense that were mixed out of STINYC (but audible on Playground Psychotics).
     
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  19. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Thanks for the compliments!

    As far as the Cold Cuts cover, yeah, not the most enticing cover? Now Fiddler On The Rock with the melon? Yes, but that album!
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2020
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  20. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    Yep. And yet, Mark, Howard, and John were all on Moon’s solo album together (then again, John and Yoko were separated at the time).
     
  21. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    T. Rex, The Slider:
    [​IMG]


    Now for T. Rex’s other masterpiece! Thank you Mark and Howard for giving me a chance to talk about both records! This was released July 21, 1972 on T.REX/Reprise and produced by Tony Visconti, who also handled string arrangements on the album.
    It’s funny, I never paid a ton of attention to the backing vocals, but now that I know it’s Mark and Howard and know to look for them, wow! They really do come through loud and clear, and you know what? They’re perfect for these songs, as on the previous album.
    I can understand that some songs might be a little too whimsical for American audiences, but stuff like “The Slider” and “Baby Boomerang” seems perfect for American rock fans jamming to bands like Nazareth or Aerosmith. It’s very hard to pick between this and Electric Warrior for my favorite T.Rex album. If forced, I’d go with this one on the strength of songwriting. And beyond that, the band is awesome as always. I know Mickey Finn gets some flack for his musicianship, but T.Rex is not virtuoso music, it’s rock and roll baby. To me, Mickey is the Motorhead of T.Rex; while Motorhead was clearly not a Bunk or an Ian, but he added a sense of cool and swagger to the group, and that’s what Mickey does on percussion along with Bill Legend and Steve Currie, the grooves were just so stinky and so tasty, and Marc’s guitar just oozes cool in its attack. Visconti’s production strikes the perfect balance of letting every instrument shine and stand out clearly, but the soul and the balls remain.
    Damn shame that almost all of them are gone, but their legacy lives on, and though it shouldn’t have taken long, I was certainly to see the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame recognize them; of this years inductees, they were the only one that surprised me, as I thought their lack of success in America as well as almost every member being dead would hurt them. Well, I was wrong and was happy to be wrong.
    This album is an all time classic and I can’t recommend it enough.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2020
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  22. CassetteDek

    CassetteDek social distancing since 1979

    Location:
    Chicago
    Billy Cox is a criminally underrated bassist. So much love for his playing in Band of Gypsys. Just had to put that out there.
     
  23. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group Thread Starter

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    He is a fine bassist, that's for sure. Not to take anything away from Noel, who did great holding down the fort for Jimi and Mitch, but man, Billy Cox had such an impeccable groove.
     
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  24. StarThrower62

    StarThrower62 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Syracuse, NY
    Cool list of albums! I'm a big Johnny "Guitar" Watson fan, as well as Sugarcane Harris, and George Duke. I'll have to check eBay and discogs for a couple more Harris titles. I have the live record, and one MPS studio album. But I could go for some more.
     
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  25. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    This has some great songs on it, but fails to be a great album.
     
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