What are you spinning?

Rockin'_Art_Lewis · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 119 Location: Gallup, NM.

This evening it's another Goodwill find, from earlier today. Ron Frangipani's Orchestra, "Rated X** For Excitement".
Frangipani has some serious rock & roll cred, courtesy of John Lennon, The Stones, Janis Joplin, etc.
The album has a definite bachelor pad vibe. If you remember the phenomenon that happened during the early '70's with rock fans aging and wondering whether they were too old for the whole scene, you can figure out what type of audience this record was going for.
Too hip for Mom and Dad, but a little tame for those wild high school kids.
Some great covers of "Venus" (Shocking Blue, not Frankie Avalon!) "Something" and "Cherry Hill Park".
After spinning this for the first time, I Googled Frangipani. (Who's now teaching music in New Jersey.) Found his e-mail and sent him a fan letter.

Peace!

-R.A.L.
_________________
The Watusi.....The Twist.......Eldorado?

Astrakhan · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 135 Location: nowhere, man

Presently, I am tucking into the new Pink Floyd Piper at the Gates of Dawn set, and revisiting some bootlegs from the period as well.
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What a shame Mary Jane caught a pain at the party!

Rockin'_Art_Lewis · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 119 Location: Gallup, NM.

The Zombies article on Perfect Sound Forever, had me reaching for "The Best Of The Zombies" on Music Club (MCCD 002)
Hadn't listened to this disc in ages, but Man, this is great stuff.
"I Don't Want To Know" is a lost classic! Very Beatlesque compared to their other material, with an incredibly good groove to it.
Very few "clunkers" on the disc, with a good amount of album tracks to illustrate the group's versatility.
Nice to find a cheapie comp that's this well done. Very Happy

Peace!

R.A.L.
_________________
The Watusi.....The Twist.......Eldorado?

Joe_Stax · Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:13 am Post subject:

Great pick from the Zombies, Raucous Art--they're by far one of the most overlooked bands of the 60's. Almost all of their originals are good, and most are excellent. I'm a little less thrilled by the early covers like Roadrunner; the Zombies had such a sound uniquely their own, that other people's songs always come off a little awkwardly (at least to my ears).
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One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz.

Joe_Stax · Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:19 am Post subject:

Tonight I'm digging deep into the Mekons. A little outside of my bailiwick, sure, but I got to see them last night (9/30) and they were INCREDIBLE!

So, this evening's music is the new album, Natural. The Mekons have been a lot of things over the years--punk, post-punk, avant, twisted country, punky reggae, pop, and now, at least for this record and tour, their sound is a kind of acoustic English roots sound.

It's an excellent album, and well worth exploring. A tip of the Stax chapeau to JG Sweeney for inviting me to the show and tuning me in to the Mekons.
_________________
One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz.

Astrakhan · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 135 Location: nowhere, man

Presently, I'm enjoying some late period Gene Clark. In 1986, he recorded an excellent country rock album with singer Carla Olson. It's a fine mix of original songs and well chosen covers, titled So Rebellious A Lover.

It's the only album the duo made, and Gene Clark's last recording. Which adds a certain sad beauty to a fine album.
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What a shame Mary Jane caught a pain at the party!

Joe_Stax · Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:02 am Post subject:

Hey! I have that one, too. It is a great record. It's a shame Gene Clark never got his due while he was alive. Since his passing, everybody's his friend...

I remember reading a really snotty review of the album in Creem way back then. The particulars are hazy, but I think their opinion was that it was only so-so at best. The clearest thing I remember was that they cut on Gene's vocal on the song Del Gato by calling him Del Pee-Pee. Even in my callow youth, I thought that was out of line. I mean, Gene Clark! The writer of all of the best originals for the Byrds!

Still, it would be few years before I heard the album properly, thanks to a cassette copy a friend gave me. It's too bad that there was never a follow up.
_________________
One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz.

Rockin'_Art_Lewis · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 119 Location: Gallup, NM.

Raucous Art?! I love it! Laughing

Muchas Gracias Senor Stax!

Peace!

R.A.L.
_________________
The Watusi.....The Twist.......Eldorado?

Joe_Stax · Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 2:11 am Post subject:

For the last couple of days, I've been in a psychedelic mood...Tomorrow has been in heavy rotation, along with the Rainbow Ffolly Sallies Fforth by...the Rainbow Ffolly.

If I didn't know for a fact that the RFf album came out in 1968, I'd swear that this was some post-moderne retro-psych artifact, like the stuff by the Dukes of Stratosphear (alias XTC). Get this: all of the songs on the album are linked by little spoken word interludes, mixed with snatches of what sounds like random radio shows. And I'm telling you, right after the first track, She's Alright, I think I heard a bit of George Carlin doing his hippy dippy weatherman bit!

How hip is that?!
_________________
One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz.

Astrakhan · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 135 Location: nowhere, man