Melodrama and pantomime (John Tavener) (LP 841 - 842)

John Tavener   The Whale (Vinyl and CD, Apple Records, 1970) *

John Tavener   Celtic Requiem (CD, Apple Records, 1974) *

Genre: Apple Records, Classical

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records 

Active compensatory factors: Ringo is responsible for this appearing on Apple Records. He must have genuinely liked it, because he re-released it on his own Ring 'O Records seven years later. Amazing.

If you like this sort of thing, like Ringo, then fair play to you but I have no taste for this modern classical music. I only own them because of my obsession with Apple Records (I don't have the same obsession for Ringo's label so I only own the one copy).

Note - there are no fab/gear selections I can find from these two albums.

Where do they all belong? Apple Records was an eclectic collection of artists - partly why we all love the idea of Apple but also a reason why the label lost money outside of The Beatles and their solo careers.

Bye bye love (The Everly Brothers) (LP 838- 840)

George Harrison  Living In The Material World (Vinyl, Apple Records, 1973) ****  

George Harrison   Dark Horse (Vinyl, Apple Records, 1974) *** 

George Harrison   Extra Texture (Vinyl, Apple Records, 1975) **   

Genre: Beatle pop/ rock

Places I remember: Imported Material World from the US, DJ Records (Otahuhu) for the other two.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)

Gear costume: Be Here Now; You

Active compensatory factors: It's a case of diminishing returns over these three albums - his last three for Apple Records.

Sadly, 1973 to 75 were roller coaster years in his personal and musical life - a series of crises in his relationships, spiritual wavering, that US tour, and setting up Dark Horse Records all coloured these albums.

I'm a big fan of LITMW - it touches on some important subjects and although both Dark Horse and Extra Texture are really well played and produced (by George), there is something about Material World that attracts me (like no other).

I'm also not averse to Dark Horse - both of these '73 to '74 albums show a human side to George, in that he could be hurt (and he could hurt others).

Extra Texture is not an album I feel much affection for, outside of the relatively upbeat single - You. The rest of the album lacks inspiration in my opinion and is too slickly Americanised for my taste. 

There's a real downer vibe to the album (even Dark Horse has singalongs after Pattie had finally had enough and left him for Ron Wood and then Eric Clapton).

The eaten apple core on the label sums up both the label that I adore and George's career in 1975 - both were at a low ebb.

Where do they all belong? Next up - his albums for Dark Horse Records. Of those six albums, there are four crackers and two duds coming - not a bad return for the years from 1976 to 2002.

Attics of my life (The Grateful Dead) (LP 836 - 837)

The Grateful Dead   Workingman's Dead (Vinyl, Warner Brothers Records, 1970) *****

The Grateful Dead   American Beauty (Vinyl, Warner Brothers Records, 1970) *****

Genre: San Franciscan pop/rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Uncle John's Band

Gear costume: Box Of rain

Active compensatory factors: I was a relative late comer to The Grateful Dead. Basically, it was after reading Ken Kesey and Tom Wolfe's books and collecting albums by Jefferson Airplane and David Crosby, that I decided to see what the fuss was all about.

Turns out the fuss was all about a whole lot of stuff! I started with the Europe '72 Tour album (coming next to Goo Goo) and then decided to go for some studio albums.

These two were both from 1970 and they are radically different from the weird drug fueled sixties albums in that they employ harmonies and what is now known as more natural Americana sounds than studio trickery.

Workingman's Dead came out first and American Beauty then refines and perfects the sound.

The other change was the type of song they were singing. Gone was the psychedelic experimentation and in was (relatively) clear-eyed observance from Jerry Garcia and lyricist Robert Hunter. This is the Dead that I love! 

Where do they all belong? A lot more Dead to come on both formats.

Keep on truckin' (Hot Tuna) (LP 834 - 835)

Hot Tuna   Double Dose (Vinyl, Grunt Records, 1978) ***** 

Hot Tuna   Splashdown (Vinyl, Relix Records, 1984) *** 

Genre: Grunt Records, San Francisco bands 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records for Double Dose; Real Groovy Records for Splashdown

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Talking 'Bout You

Gear costume: Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning 

Active compensatory factors: Double Dose is one of my favourite ever live double albums.

Side one is just Jorma on guitar and vocals. It's a brilliant start! He is on fire!!

Then the band comes out for the rest of the show and they are on fire as well!! Amazing versions of their staple live material. I don't care whether or not there are studio overdubs on his vocals - this is Hot Tuna at their live best!

The Relix album, Splashdown, is an FM broadcast from 1975. It is an excellent selection of acoustic Hot Tuna. Just Jack and Jorma on this one. 

Police Dog Blues' inclusion of live news of astronauts returning from space is a little off-putting in today's context.

Candyman contains an amazing bass solo from Jack.

Where do they all belong? More to come when we get around to the CDs again.

Simple man (Lynyrd Skynyrd) (LP 832 - 833)

Lynyrd Skynyrd   (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) (Vinyl, MCA Records, 1973) *****  

Lynyrd Skynyrd   Second Helping (Vinyl, MCA Records, 1974) *****  

Genre: Southern rock 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Gimme Three Steps

Gear costume: Free Bird 

Active compensatory factors: Al Kooper has a Midas touch and he doesn't disappoint on the boys' first two albums. 

By the way - no second album jitters here. It would have been understandable if there had been, as the debut album is their live set list, like many bands starting out.

Both albums are so assured! With the southern stance (Johnny Walker gets a mention on Poison Whiskey), triple guitar attack, and all the self-written songs - it's like they landed fully formed.

Ronnie's vocals suit the band perfectly too. Amazing presence for a 25-year-old.

Where do they all belong? In my humble opinion, these two are the peak studio albums (I don't own any more).

Been there done that (Tim Finn) (LP 831)

Tim Finn  Tim Finn (Vinyl, Capitol Records, 1989) ****  

Genre: NZ pop rock

Places I remember: Vinyl Countdown (new Plymouth)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: How'm I Gonna Sleep

Gear costume: Young Mountain

Active compensatory factors: This third outing is, for my money, Tim's best solo album. It escapes from the eighties production tropes and simplifies its approach to make it a really good adult pop album.

It went pretty much ignored in 1989 - certainly by me - it's only of late I've picked up on its charms thanks to amigo G Knowles' recommendation (K Simms' recommendation of Imaginary Kingdom from 2006 is also spot on).

Mitchell Froom produces and plays along with some crack sessioners like Jerry Marotta and Tony Levin and their easy musicianship is perfect for these emotionally raw songs.

Tim has a great voice and he sounds in full command throughout. Special mention to the cover too - superbly captures the sunny, thoughtful, stoic mood of the songs.

Where do they all belong? As I say - the wonderful Imaginary Kingdom and other Tim solo albums to come when I get back to the CD collection

Learn how to boogie (Asylum Choir) (LP 829 - 830)

Asylum Choir   Look Inside The Asylum Choir (Vinyl, Mercury Records, 1968) *** 

Asylum Choir  Asylum Choir II (Vinyl, Shelter Records, 1971) *** 

Genre: Pop/rock 

Places I remember: Vinyl Countdown and Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Ballad For A Soldier

Gear costume: Sweet Home Chicago

Active compensatory factors: Leon Russell's solo career started with these two Asylum Choir albums with Marc Benno. Prior to this he was a session musician appearing on a huge range of records.

The first look at Asylum Choir has them in a psychedelic setting, with a mixture of styles from pop/rock and ballads to barking mad sound collages. It's of its time, that's for sure.

What is clear though, is that Leon has a striking voice as early as 1968. Indian Style, Black Sheep Boogaloo close off each side and provide a sign of things to come.

The second album is much more assured in every department. Leon's vocals are much more prominent and demanding of attention. His songwriting has also come on in leaps and bounds. Plus, the playing is much more confident - so much so that side two starts with that tease about which intro to use on Straight Brother.

Where do they all belong? After/ during these albums Leon began his solo career in earnest with the first album (Leon Russell) under his own name appearing in 1970 (the second Asylum Choir album was held up for a few years and appeared after Leon Russell. Much more to come from Leon in the collection.