L to R: Lars Lindberg (bass), Lars Kjellén (guitar, vocals) Jack Fjellgren (drums), Klas Fjellgren (guitar) and Patrick Hammarsten (keyboards). |
Turning the Tide
An array of photos and writings from the past to sometime near now.
Saturday, April 13, 2024
Daytonas-Ready Set Go!
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Tetsuko-Curl
Ladies First
The album opens in a big way with the seemingly detached trio coming together quickly in musical confluence. “Holy Girl, Tetsuko'' sprints out with a verse that echoes “Summer Means Fun” by Bruce and Terry before bursting into a top-of-the-world melody that could be a theme to a Japanese TV show. “15000th Time” is a floor shifting new wave number topped off with a chorus that seems actually inspired by “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper. One of their most daring numbers “Permanent,” is pulled off by their finesse along with the telepathy they have established by playing together for 25 years. It's almost Zappa-esque in its amorphous shape shifting and interludes of wooziness fastened by keyboard lines evocative of "Pop Goes the World" by Men Without Hats. It rates up there with “End of Philosophy” from their 2013 candy guitar ep or Ambassador アンバサダー from 2021's Perfect in terms of the band successfully stretching out.
Sunday, March 03, 2024
Alex Chilton-Ocean Club ‘77 & More
Like Lou Reed (1942-2013), listeners are still trying to wrap their heads around the music and myths of American legend Alex Chilton (1950-2010). Both went through a myriad of artistic changes and phases in their career. One started in a cult famous band (the Velvet Underground) and transformed into a bigger solo star during the classic rock era. In contrast, Alex Chilton started right from the top with the enduring 1967 hit “The Letter.” After forming the critically acclaimed, but marketplace flops Big Star, he worked along the periphery as a solo performer, provocateur and producer of bands like the Cramps and the Royal Pendletons. While Alex and Lou’s career trajectories went in opposite directions, a majority of their music continues to not only endure, but somehow reveal additional layers of depth with each passing year. Lou Reed (as a person and performer) could be said to be a face changer (Bian Lian 變臉), while Alex Chlton seemed to be just enigmatic Chilton.
Alex was said to be petulant, mercurial and frustrating like a child, but also capable of numemous moments of brilliance and near genius. When he rose to the occasion and played up to his abilities, Chilton could overflow with joyous inspiration as he sang to his devoted audience and transfigured the moment like adult-child Brian Wilson. Appearance-wise Chilton was as handsome as Dennis Wilson and he could look so debonair like a soul deep and professorial Southern gentleman. Other times, he would wear shabby plain white t-shirts like the New York City cab driver he once was.
Alex Chilton & Dennis Wilson-1968 Beach Boys/Box Tops tour. |
It has taken me almost 50 years to finally get into his untamed and unvarnished solo sides after growing up with the Box Tops on oldies radio and the requisite discovery of Big Star during my college years in the early '90s. I recall going to Tower Records in Chicago, which yielded Big Star's #1 Record/Radio City two-fer on CD and a copy of the revelatory Memphis ‘zine Wipe Out! Guide for Goners no. 6 besides being blown away seeing rack after rack of Ventures reissues from Japan.
Off the Cuff
While many will say he squandered some of his immense talents, Chilton seemed to relish in venturing far off the musical rails and defying most expectations. However, he could quickly snap into the alignment when necessary due to those aforementioned talents and/or when it was necessary to make some money (as he would candidly admit in interviews about the Box Tops and Big Stars reunions). Still he seemed to have never left his wilderness years and appeared content to play music from time to time and flip channels between Walker, Texas Ranger and college basketball. This was the same artist who collaborated with photographer William Eggleston and created spiritual pop with Chris Bell! An any rate, it was all a part of what made Alex who he was along with his refreshing “Take It or Leave It" attitude.
Nevertheless, the spotty studio albums along with a protracted jumble of odds & ends from labels from all over the world continued to surface year after year. It was understandable when a friend declared, “I don’t go out of my way to seek out Alex Chilton solo albums, I let them come to me.” Still, Like Flies on Sherbert is a compelling stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll record and sounds nothing like 1980 (and 1980 was a pretty good year for music in general.) I would say age, additional exposure to music and hopefully some more wisdom regarding the human condition does certainly lead to the understanding and enjoyment of Chilton’s perennial messiness. By the way, you can hear the influence of the title track on Freezing Hands’ “High Diver!” found on their Empty the Tank album from 2023.
Electricity by Candlelight NYC 2/13/97 is Chilton’s own Beach Boys’ Party! moment that has him “preaching to the choir” with three Beach Boys numbers (“Wouldn't It Be Nice,” “Surfer Girl,” “Solar System”) who return the mutual love in return. You can hear the communion in the room by the sound of overflowing applause during this stretch of the show. (Remember that Chilton’s Box Tops toured with Beach Boys in 1967-68 and the Beach Boys’ own live 1967 cover of “The Letter” can be heard on Sunshine Tomorrow.) It was the right place at the right time as Chilton was in his impromptu comfort zone and electrifying as Reddy Kilowatts. This all-covers and acoustic recording is highly recommended when it comes to capturing absolute Alex and an overall majestic performance.
Alex also expressed his devotion to the Beach Boys after his remarkable April 1996 set with Teenage Fanclub in their Glasgow hometown when he thanks Carl, Dennis and Brian…and inexplicably Gene Krupa. With being the master of the straight-foward, endearing and catchy pure-pop song, Alex was embraced and adored by the shambolic Scottish pop scene. Teenage Fanclub and Alex Chilton made for quite a combination in the realm of guitar-driven pop. “Telstar” and “Have I the Right,” “Free Again” and “Patti Girl” by ‘60s Ohio kiddie band Garry and the Hornets were all part of the stellar set-list that night.
Chilton’s taste in music was undeniably Grade-A. Over the years, his expansive “human jukebox” repertoire ranged freely from the most unvarnished R&B, country shuffles, ‘70s soul and snotty garage punk of the Seeds to cosmopolitan classics like “Volaré,” “The Girl From Ipanema” along with the warmth of the Beach Boys. While sometimes criticized for “relying” heavily on covers, Alex was generously sharing his discoveries, recognizing the unsung and tapping his vast talents with his interpretations. In other words, his tastes were too universal and his passion too strong to be contained and listeners are all the better for it.
20 years earlier, Alex was seemingly in another one of his murky and makeshift phases of his life that lead to the gritty Ocean Club ‘77 performance. The February night show has Chilton fronting a trio with backing vocals & bass from Chris Stamey and Lloyd Fonoroff on drums. The Lower Manhattan Ocean Club was a bar, restaurant, and performance venue operated by Max's Kansas City owner Mickey Ruskin and was commonly known as simply, "The Ocean Club." The New York-area seemed to be a place where Chilton thrived as a live performer as evidenced from the raspy voiced performance of “The Letter” at The Bitter End* (*actually a soundstage in New Jersey) where he seemed to tap into his inner-Jim Morrison to his cover of “Duke of Earl” at Coney Island High in 1998 where you can detect his influence on Ted Leo.
In the Ocean Club ‘77 liner notes, Michael Hurtt articulately conveys the “crossroads” both New York City and Chilton were at in 1977. Hurtt writes that Chilton's particular stint in the city is crucial for “Revealing a hitherto unheard middle ground between pop perfection and rock ‘n’ roll iconoclasm.” On this night, Alex was generous with the Big Star songs that were then of recent vintage. At the time, “September Gurls,” “In the Street,”, “Back of a Car” “O My Soul” and “Way Out West” had yet to achieve their full exalted status. After a snarling and coiling version of the Seeds’ “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine," the trio unfolds “The Letter” which is reconfigured in a hard, heavy manner bordering on deconstruction.
Friday, January 19, 2024
Human Switchboard-Who's Landing in My Hangar?
Worth the Excitement
Casting Their Spell
Live video footage shows their conviction and compassion for what they did as Myrna Marcarian is beyond convincing with her strident vocals and arresting keyboard playing. She is indeed a colorful focal point who brought in an advanced pop awareness and humane presence that clashed and converged with the street level sensibility of Bob and the sparks and shards flying off his guitar. He certainly knew his way around the guitar and the interplay with Marcarian’s Farfisa organ is an essential element to their amalgamated sound. Live footage also reveals drummer Ron Metz played in a similar rangy fashion as John Dugan of Chisel.Ripple Effect
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Sunday, December 17, 2023
Doré L.A. Soul Sides / Doré L.A. Soul Sides 2
The rise of the Doré label coincided with Los Angeles’ ascent as an epicenter in the U.S. recording industry. Along with Era, Del-Fi, GNP Crescendo, Dot, Specialty and Imperial, Doré was part of the scrappy, enterprising and vibrant Los Angeles independent rock ‘n’ roll scene before the major labels (RCA Victor, Columbia, Capitol, Warner Bros.) became truly established and entrenched on the West Coast.
Lewis Bedell’s Doré Records started as a subsidiary of Era Records in 1958. In the shadows of the Capitol Records tower, Doré operated in the heart of Hollywood at Sunset & Vine. In its early stages, the label was known for its numerous pop, doo wop and novelty flops. However, a fortuitous turn of events occurred with the arrival of Phil Spector with his group the Teddy Bears to the label. “To Know Him is to Love Him” was Spector’s breakthrough that went on to become a worldwide hit and an enduring classic. Doré was also the launchpad label for Jan & Dean. In addition, both Lew Adler (Dunhill & Ode Records) and Herb Albert (A&M Records) began their legendary music industry careers at Doré. By the mid-sixties, Lew had the foresight to detect that soul music was the only style that could withstand the onslaught of the British Invasion and the Beatles.
Lew Bedell-1969 |
The collection opens with the lush and lavish “It Only Hurts for a Little While” by the Whispers, which was recorded at Gold Star Studios with the booming sonics bolstered by such session giants as Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco and Jules Wechter. “Baby’s Gone Away” by the Superbs features Eleanor Greene on lead vocals, who would later become known as Eleanor May after her marriage to Los Angeles Angels baseball pitcher Rudy May. Sweet, smooth and spacious vocal harmonies come to the fore on this 1965 single. Eleanor was also involved with the Shade of Jade whose ”Why Does It Feel So Right (Doing Wrong)” sounds like it should have been a 1968 hit as well as almost foreshadowing 1971’s “Mr. Big Stuff” by Jean Knight.
“Family Man” by Slim & the Twilight might be a blatant rip off of “Mother-In-Law” by the Ernie-K-Doe, but it’s also from the pen of Russ Regan who had a legendary career in the music industry starting in promotions with Motown before later presiding over Uni Records. “Family Man” would also have been an apt cover in the age of Peter Zaremba's Love Delegation.
The Superbs appear again with “On a Day When It's Raining.” It’s an easy going atmospheric record that showcases their effervescent vocal group harmony. The Natural Resources were sort of a Doré supergroup and also the label’s entry in the domain of the late ‘60s psychedelic pop-soul to compete with the likes of the 5th Dimension, Friends of Distinction, Rotary Connection. In the early ‘70s, the Natural Resources would record under the name of Natural Resources Unpolluted with a sound that went deeper into the funk a la Sly Stone & the Family Stone.
Pinnacles of Mid-Sixties Soul The liner notes reveal “The Winds Kept Laughing“ by Betty and the Chevelles was augmented by members of the Cascades (of "Rhythm of the Falling Rain” fame). It starts off guitar driven and ramshackle before a surprise turn into sweeping 1964 production pop with a musical bed that evokes “The Lonely Surfer” by Jack Nitzsche from the previous year. The Vel-Vettes’ dramatic 1966 number “You Really Never Know Until It’s Over” follows and is a charming example of the late girl-group sound on the subtle, yet soulful side.
“Gone With the Wind Is My Love” by Rita and the Tiaras contains all the de rigueur elements to make it a classic of the Northern Soul scene. The belting vocals of jazz singer Rita Graham combined with a captivating backing track by the Tiaras lifts this one over the top. Little Johnny Hamilton & the Creators’ “Oh How I Love You” is another stomper blaring with horns and bursting with building energy. In my imagination, I can also hear this covered by the Action and ? and the Mysterians. Further, prepare yourself for an instrumental break on par with Ramsey Lewis.
I was surprised that I hadn't previously heard “We Together Baby” by Smokey & the Bears until this compilation. This thrilling 1967 instrumental is a direct lift of “Louie Louie” blended with “Soul Finger” by the Bar-Kays to whip up an entirely new creation. Hearing the yearning “I Want You” with its spare guitar grandeur by Dee Torres on WFMU’s Cool Blue Flame is what initially drew me to further explore the Doré Records story beyond my Jan & Dean records. The timeless, mysterious and otherworldly song defies categorisation, while also aptly described on YouTube as an “excellent barrio ballad.” The glimmering guitar triplets flicker like candles over swells of organ to cast a sublime atmosphere.
“I Cry Only Once a Day Now” by the Puffs is a 1966 update of a 1962 Lew Bedell composition and is done in classic girl-group fashion. The Superbs continue their role as soft soul serenaders on the second volume with “Goddess of Love.” Bobby Swayne handles the lead vocals on this sunlit soul-pop crossover.
While Doré’s main focus was decidedly on the soul side during the ‘60s, it surprisingly also released some garage & psychedelic records in the mid to late ‘60s. Records from this surprising phase can be heard on the Blow My Mind! The Doré-Era-Mira Punk and Psych Legacy compilation. By the ‘70s, Dore was primarily known as a comedy label and in a way it was a return to form as Lew Bendell started in the entertainment industry as a stand-up comedian. Comedy albums by Hudson & Landy are easy to catch in the used bargain bins here in the West. I bought Hangin’ in There for a buck because it was supposedly recorded at the Pomona National Golf and Country Club. I ended up releasing it back to Goodwill as their '70s humor (which dates quickly) did not do it for me.
Lew Bedell is said to be one of the good guys in the recording industry of the mid-century. He was willing to give musical aspirants a chance to transcend the quotidian and possibly achieve their artistic dreams. Bedell did indeed create a conducive atmosphere for the many who recorded for Doré. These records endure today because they express the wide-open possibilities of Los Angeles. Additionaly, they retain a gritty street level and small label essence now championed by archival labels like Now-Again and Numero Group and embraced by subsequent generations of listeners. These two volumes showcase the remarkable range of the label’s soul releases. Most of all, these records are still breaking through like the sun over the California coast.
The Creators from Compton who backed Little Johnny Hamilton |