Where did I belong? (John Mayall) (LP 1084-1087)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers  Bare Wires (Vinyl, London Records, 1968) ****  

John Mayall  Blues From Laurel Canyon (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1968) ****  

John Mayall  Empty Rooms (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1970) ****  

John Mayall  USA Union (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1970) ****  

Genre: Blues rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Thinking Of My Woman (Empty Rooms) 

Gear costume: Took The Car (USA Union)

Active compensatory factors: Four more from John. All wonderfully of a high standard!

The first two are both albums from 1968. John retired the Bluesbreakers tag after Bare Wires in July and headed to America and smaller ensembles.

Bare Wires is a fine, more jazz infused than normal, sign off from the bigger band. Jon Hiseman on drums, Dick Heckstall-Smith on his trademark questing saxes, Mick Taylor on guitar, are joined by more sax from Chris Mercer, bassist Tony Reeves, Henry Lowther on cornet and violin, plus of course Mayall adds his vocals, assorted guitars, keyboards and harmonica. All adds up to a great sound. It's quite experimental and progressive sounding at times.

A visit to California prompted the title for his second album of '68, although Blues From Laurel Canyon was recorded in England with guest cameos from Mick Taylor and others, including Peter Green on First Time Alone.

The material is again quite autobiographical. John loves documenting his life via his songs. It's another excellent set from Mayall.

After The Turning Point, Mayall unusually retained the same players for Empty Rooms. So, still no drummer, and that helps produce a lighter, more fluid sound that sounds fresh 53 years later! 

USA Union is a second album documenting his romance with photographer Nancy Throckmorton (she took the cover portraits of both albums). In the early days he seems to have swapped romantic partners as much as he did band mates! Just sayin'. 

Anyway, USA Union retains the no drummer format after the Empty Rooms band broke up. The production on this one, by JM, is excellent - plenty of space around the different instruments. Larry Taylor continues on bass, with Don Harris on violin, and Harvey Mandel on guitar (another in the long line of superb guitarists who joined the Mayall bandwagon).

Where do they all belong? He's prolific (these four plus the live The Turning Point were all done in two years!) Much more to come the blues rock titan. Back To The Roots is next up.

Keep on sailing (Ian Matthews) (LP 1082-1083)

Ian Matthews  Valley Hi (Vinyl, Elektra Records, 1973) ****  

Ian Matthews  Stealin' Home (Vinyl, RTC Records, 1978) ***  

Genre: Country rock 

Places I remember: Amoeba Records (Hollywood) and Vinyl Countdown (New Plymouth)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: These Days (Valley Hi)

Gear costume: Shake It (Stealin' Home) 

Active compensatory factors: I have a thing for Matthews' Southern Comfort and I love The Monkees, so when I saw a copy of Valley Hi at Amoeba and noticed it was produced by Mike Nesmith, it was a no brainer.

It's great. Red Rhodes on steel and dobro! How could it not be great. Add in Ian's warm smooth vocals and Nez on guitar and ace production and it's a genuine gem from 1973.

Stealin' Home, featuring the near hit, Shake It, is an attempt at a more pop sound and it works well after a shakey opening track. Again Ian surrounds himself with quality musicians. This time Rick Kemp and Pete Wingfield are on board.

Where do they all belong? If I had an Americana section in my collection, I'd file this album there because Ian skirts expertly around country, folk, pop genres on these albums (especially Stealin' Home).

In heaven there is no beer (Clean Living) (LP 1081)

Clean Living  Clean Living (Vinyl, Vanguard Records, 1974) ***  

Genre: Country rock

Places I remember: Vinyl Countdown

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Congress Alley

Gear costume: It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 

Active compensatory factors: I'm very fond of country rock bands. They usually have a high degree of honesty, and their sound is often easy on the ear. 

That genre, and the fact that this came out in 1972 and was on the Vanguard label, made me ignore the terrible cover and take a punt (the same day I punted on Captain Matchbox actually).

It's okay. Nothing too special. The boys play well and are sincere (there are a couple of 'Jesus is my main man' type songs among this set), but it's all a teensy bit flat and uninspired. That's maybe a bit harsh because this is a pleasant album with some catchy songs played well.

Main vocalist Norman Schell has a smooth voice but it's not particularly distinctive.

The fact that this isn't on Spotify tells a story.

Where do they all belong? Sometimes punts work out, sometimes they don't part 25ish.

Jug band music (Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band) (LP 1080)

Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band  Wangaratta Wahine (Vinyl, Image Records, 1974) ** 

Genre: Folk rock

Places I remember: Vinyl Countdown

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Wangaratta Wahine

Gear costume: Your Feets To Big (sic) 

Active compensatory factors: (Almost) every country has one I guess: Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, Bulldogs Allstar Goodtime Band and Captain Matchbox Whoopie Band all take that jug band base and go silly with it with varying degrees of success.

I took a punt on Captain Matchbox because they appeared at Sunbury, plus this is from 1974, and the album has a Kiwi flavoured title (wahine means woman in Te Reo). Maybe back in 1974 I would have found this hilarious. No longer.

It just tries too hard to be wacky, really. Maybe the Aussies lapped this up amid the reefer haze of Sunbury. Who knows.

Where do they all belong? Sometimes punts turn out fine. Sometimes they don't. Anyway, it's found a home in the folk rock section.

Kumbaya (Joan Baez) (LP 1079)

Joan Baez  In Concert (Vinyl, HMV Records, 1962) ***

Genre: Folk 

Places I remember: Spellbound Wax Company (Gisborne)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Pretty Boy Floyd

Gear costume: House Carpenter

Active compensatory factors: This is an original NZ pressing from 1962, i.e. without the Part 1 title. It's also in mint condition - I take from this that folkies take good care of their records!

Given it's 1962, it's all very fresh and innocent. Kumbaya features a singalong and loads of music teachers were obviously listening as this became a go to at Royal Oak Primary School when I was there (1962 to 1968).

Joan's career was just getting off the ground and her voice is much more pure and fragile at this point. The audience sit quietly appreciating each song but also get her humour when it surfaces.

This isn't my favourite period of Joan, but I love holding an artifact like this from 1962 in my hand.

Where do they all belong? I continue to pick up her albums when I come across them. 

Hoedown (Emerson Lake and Palmer) (LP 1075-1078)

Emerson Lake & Palmer  Trilogy (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1972) *****

Emerson Lake & Palmer  Brain Salad Surgery (Vinyl, Manticore Records, 1973) *****

Emerson Lake & Palmer  Works Volume 1 (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1977) *** 

Emerson Lake & Palmer  Works Volume 2 (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1977) **

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records, Real Groovy Records, Taste Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: From The Beginning (Trilogy)

Gear costume: Fanfare For The Common Man (Works Vol 1)

Active compensatory factors: It's been a while since I started the journey through the Emerson Lake and Palmer canon. In fact, I had to check whether I'd covered these albums already or not. I hadn't, which was a mild surprise.

Trilogy is where my love for ELP began back in 1972. From The Beginning was played on the radio and the sound immediately hooked me.

When I bought the album my dad loved it too! That was a rarity back in the day. 

All this was strange. The guitars on From The Beginning hooked me but the keyboard bombast from Keith Emerson and the humour (The Sheriff) sealed the deal for me (and dad).

After borrowing a copy from a friend and taping it, Brain Salad Surgery was a non-brainer purchase in 1973 and I flogged it to death! All that humour again (someone get me a ladder) and guitars (Still...you Turn Me On) and kitchen sink keyboards from Keith plus the booming Palmerisms made this an album I have revisited often over the years.

Works Vol 1 was good in theory. After five albums in four years they had taken nearly four years off and came back with a different look. A double album, it has a side each by the individual members and then a side of ELP.

It's not a bad idea but it does result in three solo sides of varying quality and nothing to the standard of Trilogy or Brain Salad Surgery. The fourth side is a semi triumph thanks to Fanfare or maybe it just feels that way after the previous three sides.

Works Vol 2 is a single album and includes shorter material produced during the same time span. It's a grab bag of odds and sods and as such doesn't hold together as a coherent album.

Where do they all belong? A lot more to come as the late seventies and eighties take their toll.

Silent Night (Phil Spector) (LP 1074)

Various  Phil Spector's Christmas Album (Vinyl, Apple Records, 1972) ****  

Genre: Pop, Apple Records

Places I remember: NZ pressing from The Music Box (Hastings), US pressing from a swap with Noel Forth

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love

Gear costume: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Crystals

Active compensatory factors: Something of a Christmas classic, this is another weird one for Apple to put out as it was a retitled reissue of Phillies Records album A Christmas Gift For You from 1963.

Phil's size tens are all over these tracks and the final one has him doing a weird voice over. It's hard not to factor in the strangeness of Phil Spector while listening, but Darlene Love et al manage to do that each time via their sheer force of nature-ness.

I've used 'weird' a few times in this post, but it's an apposite adjective to use on this Christmas celebration.

Where do they all belong? That completes the Apple Records corner of my collection for both CDs and vinyl.

One day (at a time) (John Lennon) (LP 1073)

John Lennon  Mind Games (Vinyl and CD copies, Apple Records, 1973) *****  

Genre: Beatle pop, Apple Records

Places I remember: My first copy - a NZ pressing, came from DJ Records in Otahuhu, others have come from Chaldon Books and Records (UK pressings), JB Hi Fi and Real Groovy.
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Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Meat City

Gear costume: Tight A$

Active compensatory factors: I remember buying this (and Ringo) so clearly - sitting in the car in Otahuhu and poring over the album notes and images. I loved it before even getting it home.

I wasn't disappointed when I placed it on my Garrard SP25 Mk 3 turntable. In fact I loved it more than my other Lennon albums to that point (and I really loved each one). I'm not sure why - maybe the love songs, maybe the messages to Yoko, maybe the hard edge to Meat City (that single with Move Over Ms L on the B side is awesomeness personified).

At the time, I didn't know the details of his personal life and the breakup with Yoko. All seemed well on the strength of these love songs to her (Move Over Ms L excepted), plus the music papers (Sounds) concentrated on music back in the day and not celebrity gossip.

I know it's not regarded highly these days, but back in 1973 there was no other album that I loved more. Of all his albums this is the one where I seek out different pressings, even budget versions. In my world, there is something magical about Mind Games.

Where do they all belong? Walls And Bridges and Rock 'n' Roll up next.