david bowie RIP

 
Only a couple of weeks into the new year and the world has lost yet another of its iconic musicians. David Bowie passed away today only a couple of days after his 69th birthday and also the release of what is now his final album.

Sadly he is yet another cancer victim and passed away after battling with the condition for the last 18 months.

Bowie, who's career pushed the boundaries of music, art and the imagination has influenced so much in the way of music over the decades.The general opinion is that if you like music, Bowie has influenced you whether you know it or not!  Bowie was truly an original artist in every sense of the word, and for generations has been a leading figure in British popular music culture, the like of which we will probably never see again.

Famous for such songs as the Man Who Sold the World, Heroes and Ziggy Stardust, as a small boy in the 80's with an older sister I will always remember David Bowie's first influence on me. Here he is as the Goblin King...

andy fraser RIP

At just the age of 17 Andy Fraser had co-written with Paul Rodgers one of the most recognised songs of the 70's and what became one of rock's ever lasting anthems in Free's "All Right Now". A hit throughout the world and has to this day been used almost relentlessly in films, television and adverts. The song had somehow captured not only the zeitgeist of a generation but also the free spirit that rock and roll represented with it's catchy blues riff and simple lyrics. It was a rock song just waiting to happen in 1970.
Andy Fraser and Free had a successful album alongside that single but by 1971 things were most certainly not all right now with Fraser and Rodgers falling out and their prodigious and much admired lead guitarist Paul Kossoff going the way of many a young gun of the time and failing to get to grips with an ever mounting drug problem.
Free even briefly reformed in 1972 and released an album 'Free At Last' in an attempt to rehabilitate the ailing Kossoff but all amounted to little when he couldn't maintain his health to be able to tour with the group. Kossoff's sad demise came 3 years later with a heart attack for obvious reasons.
Andy Fraser did go on to attempt his own freedom with Sharks and The Andy Fraser Band to little effect so by 1975 had packed his bass for California where his song writing muse returned and in later years had success with songs covered by Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart, Robert Palmer and Chaka Khan.
He toured and recorded occasionally with his last recording made in 2005, but it'll always be the unforgettable hook of a song he co-wrote as a teenager that will always link him to rock and roll. "All right now, baby it's all right now".
So long Andy. (July 3rd 1952 - March 16 2015)

Here is Free at their peak at The Isle Wight Festival in 1970

edgar froese RIP

The sad news of Edgar Froese's death in January seemed to slip by quite unnoticed, sorry to say by us anyway. The founder, supremo and only constant member of Tangerine Dream died suddenly of a pulmonary embolism in Vienna on the 20th.
Froese was one of the renowned names of the late 60's and early 70's. Tangerine Dreams 1973 album 'Atem' was named as Album of the Year by British DJ John Peel and heard regularly on his night shows in the UK and which consequently led to them being one of Virgins Records early signings. Under Froese's direction the Tangerine Dream career path eventually produced an eye watering 100 plus albums, a number few artists can ever have reached in their lives.

'Phaedra', the second album and first for Virgin Records was a UK top 20 album hit and one of the first commercial albums to feature sequencers which came to define not only the band's own sound but a new era in music, not only for the record company, but what could be heard as the beginnings of Krautrock, also helped define the Berlin School of electronic music, and in later years what was to become new-age and electronic dance.
They were one of the first real world recognised names pioneering the use of the Moog synth and various electronic instruments, and Froese one of the few people who've have had such an influence on one particular genre of music and the many musicians who followed. (Steven Wilson, stated that Tangerine Dream was one of his influences to make his music, and often cites Zeit as his all-time favourite album).
"Since the 90s, Tangerine Dream have also recorded cover versions of Jimi Hendrix' Purple Haze (first on 220 Volt Live) and The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby, Back in the U.S.S.R., Tomorrow Never Knows, and Norwegian Wood. (The band name inspired by the line "tangerine trees and marmalade skies" from The Beatles' track "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".
WIKI ARTICLE).
All being prominent influences on the young Edgar Froese at the very start of his life in music and of which his legacy goes on to this day.
Here is "Zeit" (1972 ) and 16 minutes of another world.
So long Edgar.

freedom

In memory of the 12 people, 4 of who were artists, who died today in Paris.

"Ouverture du festival de Cannes 2008 avec la présence de Richie Havens qui avait fait l'ouverture du festival de Woodstock avec cette même chanson queqlues années auparavent : "Freedom"."

joe cocker RIP

Joe Cocker died yesterday (22nd December). With his raw soul and blues voice hewn from whisky and cigarettes, and a canny ear for arranging his covers of other peoples songs he was one of the few singers that could actually improve on the original. His famous cover version of The Beatles "A Little Help From My Friend" was recognised by the group at the time with even an advert taken out in the music press to say so. What had been a jolly music hall style Ringo song included on Sgt Pepper, Joe Cocker had turned it into a ravaged and brooding wail of soul and blues. McCartney was so impressed he was to thank him personally which led to them becoming life long friends.
His unforgettable and incendiary performance of the song at Woodstock gave him worldwide acclaim and deservingly so. No one had seen anyone quite like this before. You either couldn't take your eyes of his actions while pouring his guts out on the song or else he frightened the bejeezus out of you with his jerky entranced mannerisms, which it once did with an audience on an Ed Sullivan show. But however you saw his actions there was no denying Joe Cocker was an electrifying performer.

The following Mad Dogs And Englishmen tour of the States had him appearing at 65 dates in 57 days which along with the copious amounts of substances he'd ingested had simply fried him. He returned to his home town of Sheffield to recover. The album 'Mad Dogs And Englishmen' in 1970 had raced up the US charts but the wrecked Cocker was now living back at his parents house and waiting for the local bar to open. It was going to be a long haul back.

When he heard Ray Charles being interviewed on TV saying he thought Joe Cocker was one of the greatest living blues singers he knew of, it was enough to get him on his feet again. Inspired by the compliment he returned to touring America and Europe although still his addictions were taking hold and by 1973 there was the sad sight of him laying on stage "foetal" like incapable of performing.
Despite that alarming collapse and his unpredictability he came back again and continued to record more albums in the 1980's. Cocker had throughout always been seen as a good guy and many stuck by him in his darkest days. 10 years after the dope addled performance in Sheffield he returned to the stage there and began a new era of studio work with top songwriters queueing up to have him record their songs. The resulting success had also brought him peace of mind. The old habits were now kicked. He then married and bought a ranch in Colorado where he raised animals, grew his own food and opened a cafe.

Joe Cocker's wild days were now finally over. And although it would be fair to say his later albums were less than the firey soul of his early days no one could begrudge these better times for him. He never lost the authenticity and integrity he brought to a song. Always remembered in his prime for the shear power of his voice with those uncontrolled marionette like actions conducting the band or thrashing at his air guitar completely lost in the power of the music.
It was a rock and roll life in the large. So long Joe.

ian mclagan RIP

Ian Mclagan died yesterday (Dec 3rd) of a massive stroke age 69. The keyboard player for the Small Faces, The Faces, The Stones on occasions, along with his own bands was still playing and even expecting to be on stage the day he died. Living in Austin, Texas for the last years of his life, and still playing with his band in local bars and clubs in probably much the same way as he'd begun his young music life. Although the huge success in the UK and eventually the US with The Small Faces brought international fame it was one also of the cautionary tales a rock and pop musician could find themselves sucked into -

In 1965, he (McLagan) was hired, for the princely sum of £30 a week, to join Small Faces by their manager, Don Arden, replacing Jimmy Winston. Once the 'probation' period ended, his pay was reduced to £20 a week, which was what the other band members were getting. They never received more than that because Don Arden collected all the proceeds of their hard-earned work, and it wasn't until 1997 that they started receiving any royalties.
WIKI ARTICLE

His interview for the documentary - Small Faces : All Or Nothing 1965-1968 (The British Invasion Series) he explains much of the story behind the band without any signs of being too scarred by the whole Faces/Arden business.
When he's asked about which Small Faces song was his favourite. In that familiar affable London manner of his he replies -

"The Small Faces finest moment was when we cut Tin Soldier. I don't think we cut a better track, a better tune, a better performance from all of us. It's the best thing we ever did as a collective, as a band, song, everything."

And who can argue with that.. here's the video of 'Tin Soldier' with Steve Marriot in outrageous form, PP Arnold having real fun with the backing vocals and Mclagan's keyboard driving the song along with that 60's mod swagger.
As one YouTube commenter said "The happiest guy in Austin has left town".
So long Ian.

jack bruce RIP

Saturday's BBC radio midnight news led with the announcement that Jack Bruce had died. It had previously been put up on Sky's rolling ticker earlier in the day but outside of that there was nothing obvious on the passing of one of the UK's leading musicians. It seems when the rock and roller reaches a certain age his stock reduces considerably in news worthiness until reaching that dangerous age of 70 their death is expected anyway. And if in life you've been fortunate/unfortunate enough to claim your 15 minutes of fame then it's certain that on your demise that stock will be reduced to just the 15 seconds when it comes to announcing your lifetime achievements. Anything longer is usually determined by how much filthy lucre the taxman has been able to drain from you. In other words your commercial success is worth great respect. You might even get a knighthood if you've really sold big overseas.
And be sure, in just those 2 blitzing years of Cream's life, Ginger, Jack and Eric certainly shifted some units. 35 million of them to be precise. But despite this avalanche of sales the journey of Cream was going to be inevitably short lived. The chemistry between Ginger and Jack was nothing short of dangerous, on and off the stage and Eric has said many times he just had to stand back, mediate if possible, but in the main keep out of the way of likely flying fists, on or off the stage.
Maybe it was that explosive potential that made Cream what they were between 1966 and 68, maybe it was the letting loose out of musical frustration or the joy of the musical freedom that made them far less a pop group and more akin to a full blown improvising jazz combo. Rarely playing anything the same twice and joyously tearing into their biggest numbers. They were unpredictable, demanding and simply a mind blowing stage act. Go and watch Cream's 1968 Farewell Concert at the Albert Hall and see if any band today come close to the shear energy and power these three guys could put out.
The seated audience watched intently until during mid way through the bands hi-octane jams individuals could no longer contain themselves and burst into a frenzy of freak dancing as if posessed by another world entirely.
The later 2 reunion concerts were quite good because they were well seasoned veterans by then but also seemed more the result of agreed group therapy for them to even be performing together and hence lacked that violent confrontation the music had in the 60's.
Then the sound of Bruce's soaring and plaintiff vocals reaching notes barely possible for most rock singers and against the wall of sound that the band produced has rarely been heard or matched since. Many have tried but don't have the lung power or that wall. Either way those bands go their own way and producxe a less volatile end result. Today Muse go for a similar approach and many like what they hear, (very big on the continent), but Muse are not improvisers and risk takers. They produce' a show. Cream took a show apart.
And although Cream were full of blues they were really the first to be put in the record rack as 'progressive' music. Er.. that's not 'prog rock'.

Maybe it was that Jack Bruce was classically trained as a cellist that shaped his vocal style. The cello is not overly associated with the most cheerful of sounds, but a natural slow blues meloncholy. Just listen to Wheels Of Fire's "As You Said" to hear Bruce singing with his cello to get a better idea of where his songs have often begun.
And then there's that bass playing. His early years playing jazz double bass must have given those fingers the strength and dexterity to make an electric bass perform in the way Bruce could do. In Bruce's mitts the bass became virtually a lead instrument, inter playing with Baker's ever evolving kit playing and Clapton's weaving lead lines. This again is usually only heard with jazz players. For rock musicians in 1966, it was unheard of.
Even Hendrix payed deference to the bands style and songs in that famous LuLu show appearance in 1968 when halfway through 'Hey Joe' he unexpectedly announced he'd had enough of playing that and dedicated a version of "Sunshine Of Yor Love" to the band, sending presenter and TV crews into a tail spin.
Cream, although now ex-Cream had been recognised by all media circles as the first Super Group. An expression much bandied around in following years but rarely produced anything very "super" in the way of recordings. It was a time when a certain amount of freedom was being experienced for rock musicians, similar to how jazz groups had always seen their personal change over the years, reforming into new groups. But with rock musicians this was a new thing. The music press loved it, the rock audience less so.

After Cream's demise, Jack Bruce unlike Clapton and Baker persued countless other musical styles and never seemed bothered as to whether they gained commercial success or not. Although it's completely understandable that Clapton wanted the calmer waters of touring with Delaney and Bonnie before stepping back into his own group again.
Artistically Jack Bruce's many projects were fabulous explorations. His outstanding work on Carla Bley's 'Escalator Over The Hill' in the early 70's. Michael Mantler's setting of music to Samuel Beckett's words with the album 'The Answer'. Working with Tony Williams Lifetime again, not to mention his own considerable solo albums and his continuing partnership with his lyricist Pete Brown, who'd previously co-written "Sunshine Of Your Love" "White Room" etc.
Hugely respected amongst other musicians, some say Jack Bruce was the greatest electric bass player of all time. Certainly rock bass player.

It's really difficult to pick just one clip of Jack Bruce's music because he's made so much, and really good stuff too, but his first solo album 'Songs For A Taylor' was a milestone in an outstanding career and the one track from that solo album that seems to summarise his shear energy and aspiration to explore the most he could in music would have to be "Rope Ladder To The Moon", with Jack's soaring vocals, Pete Brown's amazing lyrics and of course that incredible bass playing.

So long Jack... you made a difference.

Ikey Owens RIP

A truly sad announcement today that Ikey Owens, the keyboardist with Jack White's band currently on tour, was found dead in his hotel room in Puebla, Mexico on Tuesday morning. Naturally remaining dates of the tour are cancelled. There is an on going investigation as to the cause.
Owens was undoubtedly one of the finest keyboard players around today. Here is a short clip of him taken on the tour this year explaining his keyboard set up. A good clip this as you get a chance to hear his easy manner of conversation. And below that a clip of one of his superb solo's during a Gustavo Carrasco recording session.
So long Ikey.. taken far too soon.

paul revere RIP

1967 Image: Associated Press/Associated Press.

So long to one of the names of 60's US beat groups, Paul Revere, who passed away on Saturday 4th October.
Hugely succesful in the States during the mid 60's beat boom, 'Paul Revere and the Raiders' first made their early R&B garage sound to their own home audience on the back of the British beat groups invasion in the previous year or so. Unusually given Revere was the headline name for the group he was the organist not the lead singer.
They appeared a flamboyant act on TV at the time dressed in uniforms of American Revolutionary War (presumably it was the British beat invasion being comically repelled)

"Playing on Revere's name, the group wore American Revolutionary War soldier uniforms and performed slapstick comedy and synchronized dance steps while the ponytailed Lindsay lip synced to their music. This farcical, cartoon-like image obscured the proto-hard rock sound their music often displayed.." WIKI ARTICLE

Apart from a couple of years in the mid seventies they played on to the present with a long list of musicians who came and went over the years. Revere himself still performing into his last year.

Here's one of the tracks "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone" from their first album "Midnight Ride."
With their visual puns and clowning they could easily have been the template for The Monkees and their manufactured production for the mainstream with this very song a year later. Otherwise not to be confused with 'Paul Revere and the Raiders' garage rock version.

glenn cornick RIP

It was somewhat belated news that one morning newspaper obit announced Jethro Tull bassist, Glenn Cornick, had passed away on August 28th.
If Jethro Tull had a golden moment it was surely with their second album 'Stand Up', where the band still in their early years captured a stand out performance on just their second LP.
Cornick had been an original member of Tull then being led by ace guitarist Mick Abrahams who were working over some driving blues rock around the small gigs and colleges with their first album 'This Was', it's notoriety due more to the cover photo of the group.
After the huge success in the UK with their single "Livin' In The Past " and an outrageous performance on Top Of The Pop's the music and image was an instant hit. Cornick being immediately recognisable with the head band and glasses and just as much an essential part of the bands rag bag persona.
By the second album 'Stand Up' in 1969 their sound was now a clever blend of blues and the new progressive rock surfacing in the UK and produced some genuinely fine musicianship delivered with at times fierce conviction. The rhythm section of Clive Bunkers and Glenn Cornick was particularly central to the quality of the sound.
With the inventive songwriting of Ian Anderson now elbowing Mick Abrahams from the band by "Stand Up" Jethro Tull were now hot news. In 1970 they were performing on the Sunday night at the 1970 Isle Of Wight Festival, by November that year and after finishing a successful tour of the US, Cornick was sacked. Rumours abound as to why but in truth no actual explanation was given. Not even to Glenn himself who remained mystified to the end. The last album he was to play on was Tull's third, 'Benefit' and given that it was released around the same year as his departure made it an equally odd move by the management or shall we say a true rock and roll bass player did not fit comfortably into the Anderson scheme of things.
Watch this great 4 minute video of the whole shabby affair. Glenn always was good value in interviews.

He went onto form 'Wild Turkey' and released 3 albums in the 70's without too much fuss but the band toured Stateside supporting Tull on some tour dates before calling it quits in the mid 70's. Wild Turkey did make it back one more time in the 90's and for the last time in 2000's recording two live albums with his old mates, one of which was Clive Bunker.
He died in Hilo, Hawaii of all places, that's along way to go for a guy from Barrow-in-Furness. Some journey.
Here's the Cornick pile-driving riff kicking off Tulls "A New Day Yesterday" from 'Stand Up'. And that album sleeve.

hendrix death 44 years ago

IT, counter culture newspaper of the 1960's. The issue came out 6 days after the official announcement on Friday 18 September 1970.
International Times. London. No. 88 Sep 24 - Oct 8, 1970:
Cover is a large photo of Hendrix with the caption "Jimi Hendrix, Born Seattle 1945, Died London 1970”;
Other news - Timothy Leary's Jailbreak; Charles Manson; Stan Lee centrespread; Adverts for Rod Stewart, Jimmy Campbell, Caravan and Black Sabbath.

And how it was reported in the States on the actual day. Along with the inaccuracies.

johnny winter gone

photo © Legacy

Only the other week we ran a post on the trials of reaching 70 years old in rock and roll and still touring. (post : a dangerous age for rock and roll) . Then if it wasn't sad enough to be given the news the Tommy Ramone had passed away last weekend, be it at the slightly earlier age of 66, we now have this mornings statement from Kid Logic Media that the legendary blues man Johnny Winter passed away last night in his hotel room in Zurich, Switzerland, age 70.

The Texas 'White Lightnin' as he was nicknamed, Johnny Winter was one of the most enigmatic and exciting live performers that blues and rock music has ever seen. Despite the many years of hard times in his life with him being stuck at the pointed end of serious drug addiction, mainly encouraged by his filth of a long time and exploitative manager, in the later years Johnny was rescued from an even earlier demise by his new found manager and guitarist, Paul Nelson who got him back to a drug free life and helping him relaunch his career. Maybe it was this second life with his music that Johnny found he could never abandon again as he toured consistently there after and for the last decade.
His early years in Mississippi Delta following in the footsteps of his blues heroes were spent dueling it out in the Southern blues clubs or what was then clumsily called 'the Chitlin' Circuit' and as equally daunting being the only white blues player. He sat in with legendary names Muddy Waters and BB King in sessions and held his own. BB King tells a story of him being brought on to play, (paraphrased) "some white kid?" "within minutes you knew he knew some stuff".

By the time Winter sprang his band on the 1969 Woodstock audience his performance was electrifying. This was a truly sensational guitarist and only equaled by Hendrix in the mastery of redefining what the blues was to a new generation already absorbing Clapton, Page, Beck etc.
His classic second LP release and double album 'Second Winter' was as much progressive blues as it was powerful rock, although he always saw himself as a blues man only, the sound of Winter's electric slide guitar and Texas drawl was as familer a sound as Hendrix's wah pedal by 1970.
There were performances that went down in rock history, The Fillmore East, The Albert Hall, even on television in early 70's 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' with the band playing "Jumping Jack Flash" live. From his early days to his last Johnny Winter has inspired generations of young guitarists to listen and explore blues playing for themselves.
Want to play some Johnny Winter blues on your guitar?

Here's some fine examples of his tunings in action - "Dallas" (open G), "Mean Town Blues" (open A), "Highway 61" from "Second Winter, "Mojo Boogie", "Stranger Blues" (open D), or the red hot version of "Highway 61" from "Captured Live", or "Let It Bleed" (open E).

And that is the greatest gift Johnny Winter leaves us.
So long Johnny.

Here's Dylan's masterpiece 'Highway 61 Revisited' in the hands of a master.

the last ramone

It's become a rather odd thing in the past few years that an obit for a musician should find it's way broadcast on the day by the BBC midnight news. It doesn't show up anywhere else in the news slots just the midnight news or maybe the hours after. Perhaps they think it's the time when those that might be interested in the passing of a musician might be listening to the radio. The night owl news.

So it was on Saturday night with the announcement that Tommy Ramone had died. And what a miserable thing it is to know that 3 of these lives were all ended with cancer as the cause. Dee Dee's death being from a heroine overdose in 2002.

And for those not aware of the other members deaths some years back, the sombre voiced BBC announcer informed us that Tommy was the last of the original members of the Ramones.
Damn it. There shouldn't be a time when there just isn't a Ramone anymore. It's like part of rock and roll has gone. Whether you were a long time fan of their music or not hardly anyone one could say they hadn't heard or known of the Ramones. They represented an image and sound of rock and roll that came from it's past and still perceived today. What is rock and roll without buzzing guitars, leather jackets and a snotty vocal.
It starts with a young Elvis in a biker jacket on a Harley Davison, to the Beatles in the Cavern Club and Hamburg, to the arrival of the Ramones themselves at The London Roundhouse in 1976, and where every young punk Londoner who was anyone packed the iconic venue and became immediately influenced by them and the sound and image of a new era in rock and roll. Now forward 4 decades to the Opening Ceremony of The Olympic Games in 2012 and you'll see the Arctic Monkeys play rock and roll in much the same way and dressed in leathers. You can similarly name anyone of hundreds between those decades. Sure it's different lyrics, and a different tune but the song remains the same.

The Ramones represented all of that like some cartoon characterisation of every rock and roll band you've ever wanted to see. Their songs were intelligent yet encapsulated like a graphic novel. Their sound was a wall of sound driven at relentless pace in 2 and 3 minute chunks with the only the shout of "1..2..3..4" between each number. Phil Spector wanted to produce them and they turned him down flat after a day or two in the studio with him. That's how great the Ramones were. Not even Lennon managed that one.

Tommy Ramone was a producer for them first and foremost before they realised he was also the only drummer to be able to stay the pace with them on kit. So through their classic years of 1974 until 78 Tommy held the drum stool and then went back to producing them after that. But he also always stayed a musician. In his latter years he played in a bluegrass-based folk duo called Uncle Monk of all things. Which sounds a might unexpected... from punk to blue grass? How does that work?
Maybe the resonance of the Ramone's early years playing at CBGB's (Country, Blue Grass and Blues) returned to Tommy in his later years.

Tommy :
"There are a lot of similarities between punk and old-time music. Both are home-brewed music as opposed to schooled, and both have an earthy energy. And anybody can pick up an instrument and start playing."
WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE

See that right there. It sort of sums up the Ramones.
Anybody can pick it up.. and thousands did. But no one ever sounded quite like the Ramones.

So long Tommy. You made a difference.

RAMONES - Live December 31st, 1977

rik mayall RIP

At 4pm this afternoon it was announced Rik Mayall had died. So far there has been no additional information of the causes. Rik was 56.
He'll forever be associated with the early 80's Comic Strip alternative comedy that exploded the image and ideas of traditional stand-up and one liner comedy routines that had existed for so long on television.
Mayall and his comedy partner Ade Edmondson first came to notice at London's Comedy Strip with a completely off the wall anarchistic comedy routine called The Dangerous Brothers and from there were picked up by Channel 4 television to produce the similarly anarchic 'The Young Ones', about a group of disparate and contrasting student characters, aptly named after the very safe early 60's pop hit by Cliff Richard. The final joke on that was they later produced their own send up of the song which also became a hit. One or two of them could actually play a bit.
Then after the huge success of the Young Ones, Mayall and Edmondson et al went on to produce a series of one off Comic Strip films taking the rise out of most of the 80's establishment and culture. It was only a matter of time before their ridiculous parodies turned to rock and roll when they made 'The Bad News Tour' (picture above, Rik Mayall on far right). A completely fictitious rock band, not unlike Spinal Tap in concept but done with their usual street anarchy style. If Spinal Tap had seen and parodied the 70's American and UK rock band culture then Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson and co hit the mark perfectly with their 1987 post punk rubbish rock band touring the country in a clapped out transit van.
Here is an extract from one of the Bad News Tour series. In it Bad News perform their version of Bohemian Rhapsody and then are filmed discussing their rubbish contract with Rik reading out the fine details to the confused band, followed by an hilarious on location promotional shoot.
RIP Rik Mayall. You'll be really missed.

the case of kurt cobain's death

On Saturday (5th April) it was the 20th year anniversary of the death of Kurt Cobain.
Since that fateful day of his suicide there's been a steady drip of the inevitable conspiracy theories that are de rigeur following a young man's death with such a high public profile. There are the usual fans, along with those that revel in such stories, living out a sort of self diagnosed analysis of the events and just like similar cases of early deaths in hugely popular artists , Hendrix, Morrison, Monroe etc etc, the list is long, the conclusion is of course that the great one was cold bloodily murdered by an assailant so devious and conspiratorial they had to be involved in an artists shady or subversive background. It all makes very good headlines, it all makes for irresistible gossip spreading.. "I told you so" remarks.
But rather unusually, in Kurt's case, a rather unprecedented step was taken there or about on March 20th by the investigating Police Force at the time in Seattle to reopen the original files of the rock icons suicide in anticipation of the upcoming 20th anniversary.

"Seattle Police Department Cold Case Detective Mike Ciesynski reviewed the case file in anticipation of media inquiries about Cobain’s death, and the many conspiracy theories surrounding the case."

And rather surprisingly Ciesynski did find something. There were four rolls of photos from the incident scene, never developed by the investigator. They'd originally assumed Kurt had committed suicide and “and already had Polaroids and photos from the medical examiner,” so it's assumed these extra rolls of film were unnecessary.
Although you would have thought even if it was just curiosity they'd have checked the rolls out anyway. Still, that's the way things turned out back in 1994.

What was even more surprising though, given that it was the fuzz actually doing this, they released a selection of these photographs on their website, which is here if you want to see more.
We've picked some (below) from this selection.
Most of them were of the "scene" and place where Kurt committed the deed. His garage. Not the usual sort of garage we might recognise though, well not for most of us, this looked more like an extension to the house with adjoining doors, nicely fitted benches but pretty sparse, and with good lighting. Maybe a lot of garages are like that in the States come to think of it.
Anyway along with photos of the scene, there were also close up shots of Kurt's dope stash, a small box with his doings in it, and a little more chillingly and very saddening is a close up of his arm, obviously he's laying prone on the floor, and on his arm is a hospital or medical tag.
For all his troubles Kurt had recently left a rehab centre. Kurt was very troubled you see, and always had been. There had been a period when the young child Kurt had been happy but it had long gone.
It's like his rise to rock stardom was to have been no more than a distraction during a couple of the early years with his music before his troubled mind returned.
One of the pictures is of the actual "suicide note". It had been pinned through with a Biro or pen and stuck in a plant pot or some such. Which looks a pretty definitive statement right there,.. you can imagine him right pissed off thinking "there you go.. stick that".
A fragile mind would have likely placed it in his pocket for it to be found later. A sort of private internalising.
This is only conjecture of course but there's a definite tetchy undercurrent of displeasure in him when he also writes as part of that note -

"Thank you all from the pit of my burning, nauseous stomach for your letters and concern during the past years. I'm too much of an erratic, moody baby! I don't have the passion anymore, and so remember, it's better to burn out than to fade away."

But it also seems this note is the basis of much of the conspiracy.

"Grant believes that it was actually a letter written by Cobain announcing his intent to leave Courtney Love, Seattle, and the music business. Grant believes that the few lines at the very bottom of the note, separate from the rest of it, are the only parts that sound like a suicide note. He believes that those lines are written in a style that varies from the rest of the letter, suggesting that they were written by someone other than Cobain".

'Grant' being a private detective working for Courtney Love.
Actually, its quite true in that if you look at the note you'll see the bottom few lines are addressed to Courtney and their child and are written in a larger printed style, added like an after thought and more haphazard than the rest of the note, which is long and almost squeezed onto the paper, like he didn't want this to end up with PTO at the bottom in finishing up his diatribe of dissatisfaction. He adds -

"Frances and Courtney, I'll be at your alter.
Please keep going Courtney, for Frances
. For her life, which will be so much happier without me.
I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!"

It's also fare to say not once does he mention he ever wants to leave Courtney and the family home. Plus the fact he ends with "I love you" hardly confirms that rumour.
Nah, what you got here is a guy who thoughtfully and intensely puts together his case of dissatisfaction with just about everything around him, finishes, gets himself numbed up and ready to make a final bit of checking.. "have I got the gun, is it loaded, OK anything else?.. Yeah got to tell her (Courtney) it's not her but me".
The rest of the note if you care to look is much more an impersonal address to the rest of the world, his fans and things in general pertaining to the music business.
There's a website that shows the note text, a scan of the note, and his death certificate here.
Oh yes and there's just one final observation in the Police photographs. Since when has it been good practice for Officer O'Malley (we'll call him that) to be posing with a sublime smile on his gob at the incident scene. You can just imagine it at the time , "Yeah take one of me by this bit of the rock stars nutty sculpture".
(Kurt had obviously made a sculpture from a wooden stool with more than 4 legs (ha), on it a note reads "NOW YOU HAVE MANY LEGS TO STAND ON".)
And likewise below that there's the nicely posed casualness of Plain Clothes Officer Dipstick. "Yeah now take one of me just going about my usual day business.. pretty cool eh".
No wonder they didn't develop these mugs.
Final words go to modern day Cold Case Detective Mike Ciesynski “It’s a suicide. This is a closed case.”
It's doubtful the conspiracy theorists will believe that! They rarely do.

CLICK PICTURES TO ENLARGE

RIP scott asheton

Co-founder and drummer of The Stooges, Scott Asheton died on Saturday 15th.
And with this news both Asheton brothers are now no longer with us. Ron died in 2009. Together the Asheton's were the heart and engine that powered one of the most recognised and raw rock bands there's ever been. With the combined sound of Ron's buzzsaw guitar and the hard driving power of Scott's drumming they virtually set the template for what was later to become punk rock. They'll be no others quite like the Asheton's.

Here's a great short video with Henry Rollins and then Iggy talking us through the backbone of the hugely influential 'Raw Power'. What Iggy will say here is really all you need to know about Scott and his brother's contribution.
So long Scott.

RIP bob casale (devo)

it's been a tough 6 months for Devo, now guitarist Bob Casale (Bob2) dies of 'sudden' heart failure (19 February) just months after bandmate Alan Myers (see post) succumbed to cancer.
Devo first formed when Gerry, Bob's brother, and Mark Mothersbaugh met as art students at the Kent State University, May 1970. That was the same month National Guards fired on anti-war protestors at the Kent State Campus killing 4 students, which could go to explain much about the groups outlook there after.
Here's part 5 of a series of very good interviews with Gerry Casale covering the bands history. The questions are a little difficult to hear but Gerry's answers are clear and real smart.. the rest of the series can be picked up on the Marsailmar channel and are well worth the time.
So long Bob.

RIP pete seeger 1919 – 2014

There is probably nothing more important to represent the life of folk singer Pete Seeger than this -

"his signature instrument, the 5-string banjo. The well-worn face of Seeger’s banjo decorated with the message, “This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.” The banjo head was donated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland in 2010. " New York Times

See this excellent New York Times obituary if you need to know why Pete Seeger was important to American music.

"Turn,Turn, Turn" is one of Pete Seeger's most well known songs made a hit in 1965 by The Byrds.

the darkest days 2013

In 2013 it seemed barely a month went by before we said goodbye to yet another of rocks leading performers. The year saw no less than 11 artists who had been making music from the 1960's on and helped shape the way rock was changing through that revolutionary decade and beyond. Mayer and Hanneman were musically active a decade later but they were no less important influences on their genre. They were all inspirational musicians and artists.
Collectively they have created countless hours of recorded music and performances that connected deeply to their audiences.
It's a sad loss indeed to lose all these artists in just 12 months. They are not replaceable, they were a result of the times they lived in and that reflected in the music they created. We will not see their like again.
These were the darkest days...

Kevin Ayers - (Soft Machine) see post

Alvin Lee - (Ten Years After) see post

Richie Havens - (Woodstock) see post

Jeff Hanneman - (Slayer) see post

Ray Manzerak - (The Doors) see post

Alan Myers - (Devo) see post

Mick Farren - (The Deviants) see post

George Duke - (Frank Zappa) see post

Allen Lanier - (Blue Oyster Cult) see post

Ronald Shannon Jackson - (Decoding Society) see post

Lou Reed (Velvet Underground) - see post

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lou reed RIP

Word has spread rapidly around the media world of the passing of one of rocks most enigmatic figures and originators of the early underground.
Lou Reeds beginnings with Velvet Underground was unusual in as much as he and they were associated in a bohemian world of Andy Warhol and art as it was in music, and it crossed boundaries of the arts for that reason. If mainstream success eluded the band it only added to the mystique of these 'modern artists'.

"The Velvet Underground were a commercial failure in the late 1960s, but the group has gained a considerable cult following in the years since its demise and has gone on to become one of the most widely cited and influential bands of the era". Wikipedia

His solo career from 1972 was wild, erratic, controversial and daring. On stage he could be a visually languid figure giving the appearance of complete boredom. You could see him as the first New York punk, and many more were to follow that style in later years.
In the early 70's concerts if there were signs of a little animated dance from him it was going to be a great gig, conversely standing statue like would usually mean his interest had waned giving to a tension in the atmosphere. This all added to the fun of seeing the guy perform live. Which Lou was going to turn up was always the question.
The retrospects, box sets, reissues, documentary's will follow. His story will unfold in greater detail.
Here is "Rock and Roll" with one of his really good bands live in 1984 at the Roskilde Festival, Denmark.
So long Lou.