A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Jeff Beck - "Girl From Mill Valley/Rice Pudding" 1969
A "Two for Tuesday" - from the Jeff Beck Group album "Beck-Ola". One of my favorite albums ...
"Girl From Mill Valley" is a Nicky Hopkins tune and performance; "Rice Pudding" is a group effort (with pre-Rolling Stones Ron Wood on bass). Although Rod Stewart performed the vocals on this album, both cuts are instrumentals of different styles.
"Laugh, Laugh" was the first "hit single" of the 1960s to come out of San Francisco in response to the onslaught of the British Invasion.
Laugh, LaughJust A Little
An early "psychedelic era" San Francisco band, their early work was produced by Sly Stone - before he became Sly Stone. Laugh, Laugh was released in late 1964 and achieved it's highest level in February 1965. One of the promotion events for Laugh, Laugh was an appearance on The Flintstones as the Beau Brummelstones. Just A Little was the follow-up hit, released in April 1965 and hit its highest ranking in June 1965, becoming the Beau Brummels' highest rated tune.
The Beau Brummelstones
Although the band released other compositions, none achieved the status of these two songs. The band underwent personnel changes in 1965 due to medical conditions and military induction; the band finally fell apart in 1969.
A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Dale Ann Bradley East Kentucky Morning 1997
It's where I am if all goes to plan.
East Kentucky Morning is Dale Ann Bradley's first hit. She's been awarded the Female Bluegrass Vocalist six times. Born in Bell County in the SE corner of Kentucky (Cumberland Gap region) as the daughter of a coal-miner Baptist minister. The album of the same name was released in 1997.
A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Fleetwood Mac "Black Magic Woman" 1968
Back in the dark ages - before fame and fortune struck - there was a band called "Fleetwood Mac". Formed in 1967 and named for the drummer - Mick Fleetwood - and the bass player - John McVie, they formed a British blues band.
Peter Green was the guitar player that replaced Eric Clapton in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers whose members also included Fleetwood and McVie. After a bit of swapping musicians, the three joined together to form Fleetwood Mac. One of their first pieces was "Black Magic Woman", first released as a single, then included on 1969's compilation album, "English Rose".
Santana recorded the song in 1970 and was such a success that few people realize that the tune is from early Fleetwood Mac - few people at that time knew of Fleetwood Mac; their huge success came in the summer of 1975 release of the (2nd) self-titled album.
Over the years, only Mick Fleetwood and John McVie have been consistent members of the band. Christine Perfect started playing with the band on their second album in 1968 (and married John McVie the same year) but was not a "member" until the 5th album, "Future Games" when Peter Green left the band.
Just as a side note, I prefer more of the earlier releases than later: "Then Play On", "Kiln House", "Future Games", "Bare Trees", and ... both "Fleetwood Mac" albums.
A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Lanterna - "Silent Hills" 1995
More the name used by Henry Frayne for a project than a "group", Silent Hills was one of his first compositions. Henry is from Champaign, Illinois and was once associated with the University of Illinois. He has since retired from the university and now concentrates on music.
A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Hawkwind - Orgone Accumulator
Seems last week's selection was substandard so I'll try something a bit different this week.
Orgone: "a pseudoscientific concept variously described as an esoteric energy or hypothetical universal life force" Orgone Accumulator: a device invented by Wilhelm Reich in the 1930s to collect and concentrate life energy.
Off Hawkwind's 1973 live album "Space Ritual"
Called "cosmic rock"; a bit harder in nature than psychedelia. Well - maybe a lot harder. Crank it up and dance like nobody's sober ...
Some comments: - They're not THAT bad, but definitely an acquired taste kind of band. - Weird and not on my playlist, but if you're driving down the road and it comes on, you can change the station. - It's not exactly "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" - They were an acid biker thing back in the day, and you can see why. I like a blast of it now and again. - OK - it's just me, but both "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" and "Orgone Accumulater" are among my favorites.
And I have to agree with the last comment ... and I have more Hawkwind selections for the future playlist :)
A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Gregory Alan Isakov "The Stable Song" 2007
Born in South Africa (1979), raised in Philadelphia, living in Boulder, he is the owner and operator of Starling Farm in Boulder County, Colorado, described as "a six-acre farm focused on small-scale, bio-intensive market gardening". Many of his works are available on Utube.
"The Stable Song" is one of Isakov's most popular works.
remember when our songs were just like prayers like gospel hymns that you called in the air come down come down sweet reverence, unto my simple house and ring…
A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Artemas "I Like The Way You Kiss Me" 2024
Not everything I have is from the 20th century ... I'm with it - I even have a "smart" phone ... (I think I can find it).
Not so obscure, the tune was written by Artemas Diamandis, an Englishman with a Greek name and hit the Top 10 in Europe and Top 20 in the US. I forget where I first heard it.
The associated video is not to my taste but I like the tune.
A sample of some obscure - and maybe not obscure - tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today's selection: Dandy Warhols "You Were The Last High" 2003
A band from Portland, OR first formed in 1994 as a group of friends who "needed music to drink to". Apparently, the band is still active, with 3 of the original 4 members and a newer drummer.
One of my "newer" selections ... more than 20 years old? Oh my.
