What I Got for Xmas: Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left on Vinyl <<>> A Look at 60s/70s British Folk - Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, and John Martyn

This one needs no explanation or link.  Nick Drake’s Five Leaves Left (1969 Island Records) is an indispensable classic. And I am happy to say I now have it on Vinyl, and it’s in great condition! It’s the 1973 American release on Island’s subsidiary, Antilles Records. (Now If I could just track down Pink Moon for an affordable price, if that’s even possible...) 

Unlike the stripped down Pink Moon (1972 Island Records), N. Drake’s debut recording has a variety of instruments accompanying his folk compositions; In fact, bass player Danny Thompson of the legendary folk group Pentangle plays on almost every track. That seems appropriate considering Pentangle, a folk supergroup, featured 2 artists that were important influences for Nick Drake; they were Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, of course.  

Pentangle - 1968

Nick Drake, the mentioned members of Pentangle, along with artists such as John Martyn and Ralph McTell - they were the major figures of the 60s British folk revival movement.  Unlike Nick Drake, however, most of the above mentioned artists get little attention from later generations of music enthusiasts, so here’s my present to you:

Selections of Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, and John Martyn

Bert Jansch was a Scottish folk musician that was a founding member of Pentangle and a major influence on later players such as Nick Drake.  He had a prolific solo recording career as well, and his influence continues to impact recording artists today.  I think of Fleet Foxes, for instance; some of their songs recall Jansch’s baroque-style approach to folk composition. Seminal figures such as Neil Young have even cited Jansch’s virtuoso guitar playing as an influence and source for inspiration. Jimmy Page should have been more forthcoming about his common source of influence when reworking Jansch’s take on the traditional song, “Down by Blackwaterside,” and renaming it “Black Mountain Side.”  The song was the 2nd track of side B of Zeppelin’s masterpiece self-titled debut (released 1969; Antlantic/Polydor), and Page learned the song indirectly through Jansch’s known performance of the tune.  Bert Jansch recorded his version of the song on his third full length, Jack Orion (1966 Transatlantic Records).  Here’s a video of him playing the song live (watch his finger action on the neck... it’s insane...:

He’s an amazing player.... unreal at times. It’s not an overstatement to list his name with legends like Hendrix and Robert Johnson.  Now here’s the derivative Zeppelin version, “Black Mountain Side”:

Page claimed all writing credits for the song in the liner notes of the first album; he didn’t even acknowledge the song’s “traditional” origin - nor did he mention Jansch’s name, of course, and that’s too bad.  Jansch recorded over 20 albums, and sadly, he passed this last October (RIP).  His music is essential for all guitar players, folk enthusiasts, and those interested in the roots of Nick Drake.

Bert Jansch recorded and released his solo debut, Bert Jansch (Transatlantic Records), in 1965.  It’s an album that makes its way onto many lists of essential folk records.  Some of the highlights (for me) are the songs, “Needles of Death” and “Courting Blues.”  Here’s the song “Courting Blues”:

Definitely check out the entire self-titled debut. [Some other early classics to search for and check out are the above mentioned Jack Orion (1966 Transatlantic) and his sixth album Birthday Blues (1969 Transatlantic - it's linked below...).]

Bert Jansch's self-titled debut

One of my favorite albums by Bert Jansch is the 1971 release Rosemary Lane, his seventh full length recorded at his country home over the latter months of 1970.  In fact, I think my favorite Jansch song of all time is the tune “Reynardine”:

Such beautiful sounding chords in that arrangement.  Now watch him play the song live in his later years:

He really is an amazing player.  Check out the entire album; it’s perfect for a rainy afternoon...

**couldn’t get the link to work on this one, sorry...**

Here’s another classic album, Birthday Blues (1969 Transatlantic), instead:

Jansch's Birthday Blues

John Renbourn

John Renbourn is an English folk musician that emerged out of the same folk revival scene as Bert Jansch.  As mentioned before, he too was a member of Pentangle, and he has released many many solo albums over the years as well.  I remember reading a description of Renbourn in the liner notes of a retrospective greatest hits album that characterized him as the J. J. Cale of Britain.  I can hear that at times, for sure, but he also picks the guitar much like Jansch.  An album like Faro Annie (1971 Transatlantic Records) fits the liner notes comparison perhaps.  For instance, here’s his version of the traditional “Kokomo Blues”:

That song has got the J. J. Cale-like vibe going on; it’s subdued, chilled out bluesy folk-rock at its best. But if you listen closely, you here some mean, traditional folk-picking on the guitar track; Renbourn definitely remained in the realm of traditional folk more so than Mr. Cale.  

John Renbourn & Bert Jansch live

He also recorded some great collaborative albums with Bert Jansch, outside the namesake of the successful Pentangle.  Here’s the opening track of their album Bert and John (1969 Transatlantic Records); it’s called “East Wind”:

Talk about some fanstastic guitar picking. Definitely check out both albums entirely:

John Renbourn's Faro Annie 

Bert and John

John Martyn was another major figure of the British folk revival as well as a good friend of Nick Drake.  He too recorded over 20 solo albums before his career ended with his death in 2009 (RIP). John Martyn started as a folk singer with very similar qualities and sensibilities as his aforementioned friend.  Martyn continued to develop after the early 70s in a way that many of us lament, however.  His recording career seems to fall victim to the cheesy production innovations of the late 70s and early 80s.  As one friend said, he starts to sound like “yuppy dad guitar music” sometime after his most influential release, Solid Air (1973 Island Records). Don't get me wrong though; hear me clearly. His early folk albums are classics, which showcase virtuoso guitar playing that may match that of Jansch’s mastery.  One of my favorite early releases is his sophomore album, The Tumbler (1968 Island Records).  Listen to his dynamic picking on the album's last track, “Seven Black Roses”; this one, however, must be heard (and watched) live, and you’ll see why...:

Wow... He almost makes it look easy... almost..... Check  out the album; it’s a folk classic:

John Martyn's The Tumbler

Another great one from the early years is the third full length, Stormbringer! (1970 Island/Warner Bros.), an album co-written and performed by John Martyn and his wife, Beverly Martyn.  Levon Helm of The Band played drums on the record as well; here’s the title track (with some film clip eye candy...):

 John Martyn's Stormbringer

Of course, his most famous release is his seminal sixth album, Solid Air (1973 Island Records).  The title track was a song dedicated to Nick Drake who would tragically overdose on antidepressants a year later.  Here’s the song, “Solid Air”:

I love the second song of the album; in fact, I used to cover the song frequently in a band many years ago.  The track is entitled “Over the Hill”:

Solid Air is an historically essential album, much like Five Leaves Left or Pink Moon. Definitely get a copy....

John Martyn's Solid Air

**(link webpage is in another language here; when on the page, just type the provided key code and click the green button on the bottom left...)

Enjoy the music and happy holidays!

Playlist for road trip to Houston: Mayo Thompson, Fever Tree, and Josefus - Installment #2 of Texas Psychedelia.

The wife and I are driving to Houston to see some family, and the playlist is set: start a little mellow with some strange sounds from Mayo Thompson, move on to the psychedelic rock of Fever Tree, and end with some Zeppelin-done-Houston-style rock’n’roll in the form of Josefus.

R. Rauschenberg - 1970

I’ve posted about Mayo Thompson before, but I mentioned his solo work as a mere side note to another story, namely that of the Houston band Red Crayola.  Mayo Thompson’s solo album deserves more attention, however.  He formed Red Crayola in 1966 with Frederick Barthelme, brother of writer Donald Barthelme.  The band could easily be considered Houston’s 13th Floor Elevators, and at times, they were even more “out there” than their Austin counterparts.  (See the linked post above for samples of their experimental “freak outs.”)  After Red Crayola’s first formation, Thompson recorded a solo album in Houston entitled Corky’s Debt to His Father (1970 Texas Revolution; re-released by Drag City...), and it was around this time that he relocated to NYC to work as assistant to the artist Robert Rauschenberg. (He later moved to London where he collaborated with many experimental music acts such as the previously posted Pere Ubu.)  Mayo Thompson’s solo album, however, is one of the greater personal testaments of the psychedelic age of musical experimentation. It stands with the other greats, such as Syd Barrett’s  The Madcap Laughs (1970 EMI) or Alexander “Skip” Spence’s Oar (1969 Columbia). I previously posted the 1st track of the album; here’s the 2nd song, “Oyster Thins”:

Mayo playing live

Corky's Debt to his Father is a very abstract, yet playful, folk-rock album.  The lyrics and musical compositions are like the soundtrack to the mindscape of a Dada poet.  The songs are meaningful, however, and there is great sincerity in Mayo Thompson’s voice and writing. The album isn't always folky; here’s a more rockin’ number, “Venus in the Morning”:

And one last song from Mayo’s solo work; this time from the 2nd side.  The song’s entitled “Fortune”:

Corky’s Debt to his Father may be my favorite work by Houston’s psychedelic guru; I definitely listen to it more than my Crayola records and more than his work with Pere Ubu.  Check out the whole album and listen straight through.

http://www.mediafire.com/?bkynmydmzib

Now Fever Tee was a psychedelic rock group from Houston, TX that played and recorded between the years 1966 to 1970.  The band had one successful hit, “San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native),” released on their self-titled album (1968 Uni Records/MCA):

Good ole Texas boys dreamin’ of the California bay! From what I understand, they did not write their own music; most of that was done by the couple, Scott & Vivian Holtzmann, so maybe they were the ones from San Francisco, dreaming of their summertime return... The music is pretty typical of its era. I do like the sustaining fuzz guitars... good for one’s ears.  Here’s the opening track of the debut, self-titled album (mentioned above); it’s called “Imitation Situation 1 - Where Do You Go”:

For some reason, the introductory “Imitation” part of the song is cut from this video, but you get the point, fun psychedelia that is not as compellingly unique as Thompson’s material but still good for what it is. Fever Tree released a total of four studio albums, but none of their later material seems to match the summer-of-love sound of the debut album. Definitely start with the first one.

http://www.mediafire.com/?mtn4ngdjyni

Another legend of Houston rock were the heavy metal innovators, Josefus.  They formed sometime before 1969; in other words, before there was ZZ Top there was Josefus; they were the Dixie South’s answer to the sounds of Sabbath and Zeppelin.  They recorded 3 albums before disbanding, and the second Lp, Dead Man (1970 Hookah), has recently been rereleased on Vinyl with the instructions on the back cover to play very, very loud.  Here’s the opening track, “Crazy Man”:

I definitely hear the inspiration of Plant here, and many people reiterate the derivative quality of Josefus’s sound.  To their credit, they were recording this material around the same time as the studio sessions for both I & II, so they cannot simply be explained away as a Led Zeppelin knock-off group of the 70s.  The guys were current, fresh, and somewhat ahead of the curve, for sure. The guitarist has nothing on Jimmy Page's chops, however.  Check out the magnum opus title track, “Dead Man”:

Now that was a jam.  If you like earlier-posted Pentagram, Led Zeppelin, and other early innovators of bluesy hard rock, check out Houston’s very own Josefus.  Now off to the town itself I go!!!

http://www.mediafire.com/?plhpacleda85xu8

Thanksgiving is a time for Family!!!

Well it’s Thanksgiving, and holidays are the times for the Family. I am speaking of the music, of course, and so I introduce you, my reader, to one of Swingin’ London’s forgotten about gems.

Family were an English rock band that formed in the mid-60s and played and recorded music until 1973. Their music varied quite extensively; all the following terms have been employed to characterize their sound: progressive rock, folk rock, psychedelia, jazz fusion, etc. Unlike most psyche groups, their instrumentation was not limited to guitars, keys, and drums; there were always a plethora of rotating musicians, and they made use of many unique sounds: strings, flutes, banjos, harps, vibes, etc. Unfortunately, their following never ventured far off the British isle; one of their American tours, for instance, was a complete

disaster. They were banned from Fillmore East after lead singer, Roger Chapman, allegedly tossed a mic stand at Bill Graham’s head during a chaotic concert performance. They were definitely well-known for their crazy concert antics, and some bands or artists were reportedly uneasy about sharing the bill with them. The band’s energy was not limited to the live arena; in their short career that did not even span a decade, they recorded 7 studio albums, almost all on the label Reprise. There were several live and best of compilations as well, making their discography pretty vast. I have not heard the entirety of their releases; some of their albums are pretty hard to find. (In fact, if anyone has their last release, It’s Only a Movie, released 1973 on United Artists, let me know...) A good place to start, however, is the beginning with their debut album, Music in a Doll’s House (1968 Reprise Records). Here’s a couple tracks from the earlier release (the 1st is called “Winter” and the latter “Peace of Mind”):

It’s good folky psychedelia; I love it, but one can sense that the band had yet to carve out clearly their distinct, stylistic mark in the world of popular 60s psychedelia. In fact, that doesn’t seem to happen until their 3rd full length, A Song for Me (1970 Reprise), their most commercially successful effort, which was recently re-released in 2007. It is this album that really begins to showcase their multi-instrumental compositions, and their sound begins to channel a wild, progressive form of psychedelic folk rock. Here’s one of the “bonus” tracks of the re-release; the song is called “No Mules Fool”:

I feel like one could easily fool a listener into thinking they’re hearing an obscure Cat Stevens track when playing that song. At least, I thought Cat Stevens when I first heard it. Family, as stated before, varied stylistically, so it’s not all Cat Stevens-esque. One of the most talked about elements of their sound was Roger Chapman’s unique vocals; sometimes critics described it as a violent, yet soulful, vibrato sound, and some reviewers even complained that his style risked being annoying. For example, listen to the opening song of the album, “Drowned in Wine”:

His vocals seem to imitate the sounds of a saxophone; it’s not for everybody, some are definitely put off by it. Songs like this one make me think, “Oh Wow, Jethro Tull could have been a lot cooler...” In fact, Jethro Tull has cited Family as an important influence. Here’s my favorite track from the album, “Song for Sinking Lovers”:

That’s some good psychedelic folk rock. The Family weren’t always pickin’ the acoustic, however. They could rock heavy in a way that would make Page and Plant proud. Check out the title track, “A Song for Me”:

That’s some heavy blues! Gotta love the Family, and no better time to do so than on Thanksgiving! Definitely check out the entirety of their albums:

music in a doll’s house: http://www.mediafire.com/?z2hmmvmwjnz

A Song for Me: http://www.mediafire.com/?ywmn0qmx0y0

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy the Family and feel free to comment. Peace.