alice's restaurant - original 1967 recording

It's never occurred to most of us here in the UK how much of a Thanksgiving Day tradition Arlo Guthrie's 'Alice's Restaurant' has been for a whole generation in the States.
And sure, it's not exactly going to be top of the list of listening for most kids these days given the original recording is 14+ minutes long. Who has the time to listen these days, right? And anyway who today relates to the songs main subject, being faced with conscription?
By 1967 it was a very real prospect for thousands of young people across the country as news coverage of Vietnam became a daily intrusion.
Today only the archive newsreels recalls the horror.. the horror. Some fled it. Some ducked it. Some were lucky. Some never came home. And many protested.
The gathering momentum of young and by then older voices in protest eventually mattered. It wasn't just them that that brought the end, it never is but they were active voices that did matter. The attitude, the songs, the fight for their freedom were all wrapped up in something undefinable but unanimous. The end of the war. Peace and freedom.
Few spoken records capture that young voice and social climate of 1967 better than Guthrie's rambling tale of Thanksgiving and conscription.
It might seem there's not a whole lot of reasons to be thankful these days but not having conscription is most certainly one of them.
Here's the original 60's recording from the album of the same name.

the richard thompson dynamic

A new release from Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention) is always a welcome sight. 'Acoustic Classics' are from his recent live shows covering his own compositions over 4 decades of work. Taking arrangements for a full band and stripping them bare he adds a new dimension to many of his classics. An inspirational guitarist and songwriter it's criminal negligence that the man still goes largely unnoticed or played on radio here in the UK except when they want to use an old Fairport track, which is rare enough in itself. Thompson's near unequaled reputation in folk music has left him unconsidered when compared to how other rock guitarists and songwriters of his generation are recognised .
Want to see why this is really dumb? How about his last years Electric Trio tour in the US. Here's a very good video taken in Iowa City by one of the audience (uploader 'bdball69') and with his typical good humour Thompson chats to the audience at this free concert, quite knowingly telling you "the story of my life" as it were.
"...to the classic power trio's of the 60's.. wish we could be that. Sometimes we even go so far as to play things like..um"
and as you'll hear proceeds to give you one mother of a reading of Creams "White Room".
With Taras Prodaniuk on bass/backing vocals and drummer Michael Jerome with a terrific rendition of Ginger Bakers instantly recognisable rhythm, when Thompson hits the wah and over drive pedal at 4.08 even Clapton would be hard pressed to improve on this solo.
Richard Thompson.. just a folk musician !
As one audience member describes "Two of the best shows I've ever seen have been in downtown Iowa City.. and this was one of them".

The new album is available from the Richard Thompson website

long beach convention : daisy house

More new groups are looking into rocks history to find their own sound. Why shouldn't they, confronted with the all consuming commercialisation that eats up and spits out manufactured pop and rock on an industrial scale there are more and more artists that want the freedom to explore and let their music breath.

Tatiana Hammond of Daisy House -
"The Sixties (and the folkies, also present in the Seventies). I love the sounds of the Sixties. I love the enthusiasm and the freedom they had to be playful and innovative that I hear in things like Sandy Denny and Joni Mitchell especially, but also in Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Merry Go Round, The Association, The Left Banke etc. I like the fact that experimentation was more ubiquitous in pop culture. Creativity and “weirdness” and “music for music sake” seemed to be more encouraged back then by record labels...
...I think that creativity is coming back today, though. I think there are a lot of people turning away from over-commodified music, and a renewed search for what feels more like “authentic art and expression.”
from an interview with Elizabeth Klisiewicz at BigTakeOver

Tatiana and her father Doug Hammond have just released an album that is about as good a set of folk rock songs you'll hear today. The influences are less a copy of the past more an atmosphere of an era. It's instantly recognisable if you're familier with Fairport Convention's Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson.

Doug Hammond -
"That was part of the appeal of using Fairport as a template; it felt fertile and abandoned by the world, at the same time, and it seemed to fit the global economic moment. Handmade music for a world that may or may not find itself using hand tools again
From an interview by Elizabeth Klisiewicz at BigTakeOver

The new recording 'Beaus And Arrows' was released last month. Beautifully produced tracks all with class arrangements. It's one of those rare albums that finishes as strongly as it starts. You can tell it's been a labour of love and respect for the genre.
The full lineup will give you an idea of the variation in the songs.

Tatiana Hammond: vocals
Doug Hammond: Guitar, bass, keys, vocals, string arrangements, Octave Mandolin, Dulcimer, Banjo etc...
Bill "Blaze" Price: Drums
Camilo Barahona: Fiddle

It's a bit special that on this July 4th an American duo from Long Beach, South California have been so influenced by music that was grown here in the UK some 50 years ago, because some 50 years ago it was happening completely the other way round.

Pick this gem of an album up at their Bandcamp page or from the widget below.

fruits de mer new releases

Fruits De Muir have just started sending out their new summer vinyl releases. Tor Peders, Craig Padilla and Tir na nOg are now available from their web site. Beautifully recorded and packaged as usual and all at excellent prices.
One of the finest independant labels around.

Tor Peders
The man from strangefish one returns with a double LP of kosmische/synthesiser sounds that recalls Klaus Schulze and the Sky label - 80+ minutes of inner space music, late-night listening, all previously-unreleased on vinyl or CD; colour vinyl, naturally Guaranteed horizontal listening pleasure

Craig Padilla
A brilliant instrumental classic psychedelic, progressive rock, even spacerock and surf rock album from a Swedish band which was only recorded a few years ago, but might have been lost forever - except we found it; it's like the best moments of your Vertigo/Charisma/Harvest collection! (includes a bonus 7”)

Tir na nOg Ireland's prog-folk/acid-folk legends are still creating magical music over 40 years after their first slbum was released by Chrysalis; they join Fruits de Mer with a four-track 7” featuring three spellbinding new songs and a unique cover of the Silver Apples’ 60s cult classic ‘I Have Known Love’ - colour vinyl, of course

Here's 'Sonar' - an excerpt from Craig Padilla's new double LP

arlo and the narcs

If Alro Guthrie ever had anyone to thank for his success, apart from the fans who bought his music, it would have to be the "narcs". He's spent a whole career telling funny stories and singing songs about his dealings with them, but as he says here "I'm good now" so obviously no further problems with the Officer's.
If anyone represented the freewheelin' hippy of the 60's it had to be Arlo. His classic song/narration of "Alice's Restaurent" was born out of a shared belief with a million kids held in the grip of the all too real possibility that at any time they could be sent to fight in Vietnam.
And if anyone views the American 60's heady idealism with a snear of ridicule and cynicism they should imagine themselves in a similar position.. the very real possibilty of army conscription. So when a million teenagers take their views and respond in all the visible and imagined ways for freedom from the establishment then the 60's hippy is not just born out of a trend, rather more, it could just have been your last party, and for many it was.

Quite how Arlo made it through the years to be still singing his songs and telling his stories completely unscathed by it all is no small miracle in itself. Maybe he was just one of the lucky ones. Whatever it was, the decades have passed and he's never sort out the spotlight or often appeared in the press. He's what you might call a tradtional troubadour.
And happiest in front if his audience. They still pack out to see him.
This is one of his funny rambling stories in which he thanks the narc's and then leads the band into "Coming into Los Angeles". A timeless tune and some sharp lead playing by his band. One such, is his son Abe playing the keytar (you'll get it when you see it) who plays it just like it has 6 strings. The film is probably taken around the late 80's.

the return of tir na nog

In the next few posts we're going to focus on the new upcoming albums from London's truly independent label, Fruits De Mer. No rubbish is guaranteed. They'll all be vinyl releases, 'cause that's what FDM do, and packaged in a wondrous way, 'cause they do that as well.
But before the albums are previewed here's the not so small matter of a new single from a couple of guys that have been going since the days of yore (60's) and sound as well if not better than ever before.
It certainly is a most welcome sighting of Tír na nÓg.
What's that?... you've never heard of them. Well that's because they have been hidden away in Ireland since the mid 70's with only a few gigs here and there since the 80's, mostly in Ireland. Until 2010 when some one had the good sense to get them to play a couple of gigs in the UK. From that they've made a speedy recovery to many more live performances collecting many a new fan on the way until here they are in 2014 teaming up in the best possible partnership, with a record on Fruits De Mer .
Sonny Condell and Leo O’Kelly are they that are Tir na nOg and during those long gone days were regular names around the college circuit and festivals. They toured with some of the big names in rock at the time (Tull, Procol Harum, The Who, Roxy Music) but more often seen in a folk line-up because.. well they're two guys with guitars right, and that's what your meant to do.
But there's much more to these guys than folk music. Their website is tirnanog-progfolk.com so they're obviously at ease with using that description. There's no doubt these two lads have a most remarkable sound. We say "lads" because you know what Tír na nÓg means? .... it's Gaelic for "land of eternal youth". What a great name. They fully deserve to still be around to befit that inspired title.

In this clip from the new single you'll hear the ageless roots of Irish music and yet a song craft that is born of that unmistakeable era, and one that many a young band would envy. The voices are rich and full of expression, the music is sonorous and timeless. It is a joy to hear. And all this short 1.34 clip does is make you long to hear more. But Keith at FDM is no mug, he wants you to buy this recording to hear the rest. Which surely we must.

Here's the business end - Coloured vinyl 7" (33rpm) four-tracker, including three new songs and a unique cover of the Silver Apples' 'I Have Known Love'. Price is £5.50 ( more information here.
Pre-ordering outside the UK, from Heyday Mail Order or Shiny Beast.

The duo will be gigging in the UK during May and June, playing old songs and tracks from their new EP. (see their website link above)
Now here is the superb clip from the song 'The Angelus'

neil young at the carnegie hall, 2014

The audiences for Neil Young's 4 nights at Carnegie Hall in early January were in for an unexpected treat. With just acoustic guitars and a set list picked from his earliest albums - Harvest, After the Gold Rush and songs from Buffalo Springfield it was a performance that no one could have expected. Young's as notoriously and gloriously difficult to predict as Dylan with live shows but this one must have brought a tear to the eye for many who could never have expected such a flood of songs from his past.
Young's voice and playing was in the finest form, he seemed relaxed and happy to be there on a stage that was barely lit. The songs poured forth.

"Many of the songs had been unplayed for years, and the performances were breathtaking. The ushers at Carnegie Hall were more vigilant than usual about cameras and were quick to shine a flashlight on anybody filming, but fans still managed to flood YouTube with videos."
ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE

And thanks to this video posted by Jersey Nola, (which is the best quality in picture and sound of all the clips out there so far), you can see him reach into the Crosby Stills Nash and Young days with a fantastic version of "Ohio" from the concert on the 9th January. A joy to behold.

david crosby interview on bbc radio. 2013

David Crosby was interviewed for BBC Radio 4 during his recent tour dates in the UK. Stories, books and press inteviews are legion and legend about the heady Californian days of CSN&Y so this was a rare chance for UK listeners to hear the words from the man himself.
The interview conducted by the enthusiastic John Wilson led off with some brief clips from his first solo album, 'If I Could Only Remember My Name' and the similarly enthusiastic Crosby cheerfully bantered on about recording, his guitar tuning, those vocal harmonies, the band, his personal loss, and the drugs during that revolutionary era. "I'd be humble if I knew how.."
He'll probably be delighted and somewhat amused to know the BBC have it on their website - "Available until : 12:00AM Thu, 1 Jan 2099".

There is a second part to the interview with questions from the audience and live songs which can be accessed from the Mastertapes interviews here.
Here's the 20 minute first part broadcast 2 days ago.

the cellar door

With Richard Wilson's latest album (below or here ) dowsing 70's rocks history he'll know doubt be listening intently to another part of that real history which is being brought to life again by way of Neil Young's original recordings made in November and December 1970 of his famous solo performances at The Cellar Door in Washington D.C.
Just an acoustic guitar and piano was all Young needed to work over songs from his previous days in Buffalo Springfield and songs from his then newly released and possibly his most successful solo album (in the UK for sure), 'After The Gold Rush'. 13 songs are included in the second of Young's Archive releases. Cleaned and clear, they are released on all formats including vinyl on December 10th. Find it at iTunes and Amazon etc.
Although it should be available from his own site there's no sign of it as yet, but then his web site is one crazy horse. Check that out here
And here's the trailer for The Cellar Door.

roy harper in from the cold

That 60's generation of musicians are just not quitting. Roy Harpers return with a new album after 13 years is being hailed all round, "a magnificent rejuvenation". (Uncut Magazine)
One of the original folk troubadours in the UK, Harper back then always had a loyal almost fanatical following with rarely a student room or flat without a copy of one of the early albums by this enigmatic and quiet man. In the late 60's his music had become inspirational to many including Jimmy Page who named a track after him for a Zeppelin album, and has more recently joined him on stage for one off appearances. On the new 'Myth & Man' album produced by the contemporary talent of Jonathan Wilson who also supports on banjo and mandolin, Harper is also joined by his old mate Pete Townshend.
For a man who rarely had the spotlight held on his music for more than brief appearances on the early 70's rock TV show The Old Grey Whistle Test, and then dropped out of sight for the best part of 20 years from the late 70's and mainly only resurfacing for the odd live performance and the occasional album, it's a tribute to Harper and his music that he's since found a whole new generation who've been influenced by his work and that has finally prompted his return to recording after 13 years.
Roy Harper, the perpetual outsider, is now at last in from the cold.
For the time being there are no preview tracks from 'Man & Myth available to stream (released September)... but there will be.
In the mean time here is a rare and excellent appearance, probably on Australian TV in 1986 with his track "One Man Rock 'n' Roll Band" from his classic 1971 album 'Stormcock'.

me and my kites

The new and first single is called 'The Band' the bands name is Me and My Kites. Just so there's no confusion from the get go you'll understand.
Me and My Kites are a new arrival in the psychedelic acid folk world and a convincing sound they make too. The visions of Syd Barret and Kevin Ayers approach to song writing lies at the heart of these Swedish dreamers and they play it with great skill and imagination. Check out their new albums Soundcloud tracks here and you'll understand exactly what we mean.

The new single on Fruits De Mer's drop of August 7" vinyl we're featuring this week is a good example of how good this folk combo are. Me and My Kites have produced a version of a UK lost classic of 1971 originally released by progressive folk rock band 'Fuscia', and to pay homage to one of their inspirations the B side is dedicated to Kevin Ayers called ''Like A Dream Back Then'' (see Soundcloud tracks).
Here's a clip of 'The Band' with guest singer Tony Durant the original lead singer with Fuscia.
Get over to Fruits De Mer here for the vinyl.

richie havens RIP

One of the truly great voices and solo performers of the 20th Century, Richie Havens passed away yesterday.
He'll always be remembered for his intense and captivating performance at the Woodstock festival ( > see post ) and over the following decades he continued to put his heart and soul in to all performances.
Always generous in encouraging and working with young performers, for a decade his website has carried chord charts, tuning and techniques he used for one of the most singularly individual styles of guitar playing ever seen. He hid nothing and shared all his experience.
The songs he chose to perform on over 30 albums throughout his career were chosen with care and meaning, from his own compositions to the one's he covered by other songwriters.
To see Richie Havens in concert was simply unforgettable, a force of nature.

Here he sings with the Groove Armada at the Brixton Academy, UK in 2007.

family reunion

Roger Chapman, Poli Palmer, Rob Townsend and Jim Cregan back together again as Family for the first time in 40 years are playing the Shepherds Bush 02 Arena on Friday and Saturday night (1st & 2nd Feb). Sadly guitarist Charlie Whitney, now living in Greece, won't be joining them which will be a little disappointing for the fans of this once extraordinary group, but look at it the other way it's a minor miracle any of them have survived to even do this reunion gig. The young Roger Chapman seemed on the verge of exploding at most gigs as it was.
Except for their old fans, Family have been largely over looked on retrospectives of their work over the years (not here we might add, see post ) but with the release of a box set a new appreciation of just how unusual this band was and also how innovative they were is being realised.

Released on 4th February as a 2.000 copy 14CD box set including all 8 original albums in mini card sleeves, a 2 CD of unissued alternative takes, 3 CD singles, a live CD from 1971, a 72 page book and numbered certificate signed by Roger Chapman.
Available from FamilyOnceUponATime.com

It's fare to say not all of their music successfully translated to record but playing live they stood in class of their own. A band not afraid to improvise and develop a song live can thrill an audience far beyond the predictability of note for note copies of hit albums.
Of course no one should expect a performance like the halcyon days of that young band but if their fans are out in force, and it looks like they are with Friday night as a sell out, the 02 Arena will definitely be on full rock.
So until a video does appear of the latest concerts have a look at Family as they were. Could be the Isle Of Wight 1970 or that year.
The song is "Good News Bad News". Not great picture, sound a bit wooly at times.. but it's pretty clear what power this band had led by Chapman's presence.

jake bugg

It seems the emergence of a new talent is chucked at us every day and within 12 months they're either mega stars or gone. Such is the world of the modern pop star. But here's an 18 year old from Nottingham with a guitar and a voice that will be most interesting to watch over the coming years.
Jake Bugg is mature way beyond his years in being able to summon a sound that sounds like it comes from the heart of New York's Greenwich Village in the 60's and you'll immediately recognise the tone of voice and song style. He's already been baptised into the tour world by supporting Noel Gallagher on his stretch of international gigs and begins his own nationwide UK tour in March 2013. You will hear more of Jake Bugg.
The debut album was released in October and has since gone to No 1.
Jake Bugg - “I’m keeping that X Factor shit off the top spot.”
Here's his single. Does it sound familier..?