The College Crowd Digs Me

HERE'S AN IDEA! "Steely Dan: More Than Just a Band" There are a few  Steely Dan documentaries out there.  But this one is especially entertaining without being a time-suck.  At 17 minutes, this doc does a nice job of taking us from the band's early “Do It Again” debut period and quickly touching on each album.  The gentleman doing the voiceover is pleasant with interesting observations and sincere enthusiasm. The Walter Becker/Donald Fagen duo was always like cosmic magnets...drawn together by unseen musical forces.  A pairing of minds searching for the lost chord.  Or some other type of perfection.  And their music made us feel smarter.  A touch more grown-up.  The music makes us want to tidy up the house for company.  And Steely Dan albums always make me want to drink some scotch whiskey.  All night long.  I never do, of course.  I'm just not that cool.  But I truly do have an unopened bottle of Glenfiddich 12-Year-Old collecting dust should the of

"The Inner Sounds Of The Id" - The Id (1967) “The Inner Sounds Of The Id” is a fantastic psych record that was, in many ways, ahead of its time. All the music was recorded before 1967, making for some really early trippage.  A stamped postcard for the psych music later to come.  Remember, this was months before “Sgt. Pepper”...when every band wanted studio time to try and join the psychedelic parade.  The opening track “The Rake” brings a wonderful off-beat weirdness to the cerebellum.  And the album closes with the darker 10 1/2 minute title track.   Along with the psych, "Inner Sounds..." offers up some tasty and a bit strange garage rock.  Interesting, for sure.  From needle drop to run-out, this is some pretty groovy stuff. The Id was never a “real” band, however.  They were just session musicians.  Wrecking Crew guys with guitarist Jerry Cole being the better-known of the bunch.  Cole was responsible for “The Animated Egg” psych album (I've nev

"It's like being in the right place at the right time."   ~ Alvin Taylor ~ As a very young teenager,  Alvin Taylor was already the drummer for the iconic Little Richard band that included Billy Preston and Jimi Hendrix .  (Let that sink in a minute.)  And if he had decided to put his sticks away forever after that stint, Alvin Taylor would still be way cooler than the rest of us.  Oh, but wait.  Taylor also provided some funky bottom for Billy Preston and Sly Stone .  Rolled thunder for The Eric Burdon Band .  And provided a different kind of bonza for Elton John and George Harrison .  But really, I'm cherry-picking here, because Alvin Taylor has left behind enough chilly-cool drumming to crack even the longest of heat indexes.   Alvin Taylor.   Go get you some. Alvin Taylor Interview -- July 2019 Alvin Taylor Casey Chambers:   Let's jump right into it.  Before getting hip to all the many artists you've been associated with, I fir

(a 20-minute jaunt) "We Will Shine" - Alvin Lee · Mylon LeFevre / "On the Road to Freedom" (1973) What a surprise to hear a song culled from this lesser-known album.  It was at Moose Antiques where I found this one.  I'd been walking around for an hour and didn't want to leave without buying something and saw this album propped by one of those black-iron kitty-cat doorstops on the floor.  It was a blind purchase apart from recognizing the name, Alvin Lee .  Nothing speed here, though.  Turned out to be a fine country-rock chill album.  A lot of familiar names hang out here.  George Harrison , Ron Wood . A few members of Traffic and other names I can't remember right now.  Go check it out.  Aged very well. "(I Know) I'm Losing You" - Rare Earth / “In Concert” (1971) Yep. Sirius played the entire 14-minute unedited live version.  Driving hard on the highway is a great way to experience this song.  I first heard this whil

"Stardancer" - Tom Rapp (1972) This was Tom Rapp's second solo album, but his  Pearls Before Swine  bandmates are in the studio on at least three of the songs.  The music is mostly atmospheric folk-psych bends with unique Tom Rapp flavor that Pearls Before Swine fans will recognize.  It's not all gold.  There are a couple of songs that really feel out of place and break the spell.  But overall,  this is an album that will get played.  Side one is definitely the stronger spin, but the opening title track on side two offers a very nice mind-haunting experience, too.  If you like Pearls Before Swine , you'll probably enjoy this.  "Stardancer" (back) Blue Thumb label Original record sleeve. "For The Dead In Space" - Tom Rapp / "Stardancer" (1972) TRACKS: A1  "Fourth Day of July" 4:55 A2  "For the Dead in Space" 4:05 A3  "Baptist" 5:00 A4  "Summer of '55&quo

"Keep The Faith" - Black Oak Arkansas (1972) If I had to confess a rock-n-roll album guilty pleasure.. "Keep The Faith” by the Black Oak Arkansas gang would be one of the first on my list.  I get it.  Jim 'Dandy' Mangrum and that “back-of-the-throat snarl” is a real tangled octopus.  But somehow, I've gotten over it and now welcome that voice as just being part of the whole batshit BOA experience.  It's crazy, but dang if they're not sincere about it.   And it's sometimes easy to forget, the bandmates backing frontman Jim Dandy can seriously fire up the grill.  Those guys handling the heavy hardware are probably one of the more under-appreciated musicians in rock.  I kind of dig early southern rock anyway.  And the fact that BOA  throws in a little dab of southern psych dust into the mix makes “Keep The Faith” all the crazy better. I like using Black Oak Arkansas when I have outside work to get done.  I can seriously get some outsid

"My Friend Dahmer" (I stumbled upon a good-sized box filled with a variety of graphic novels at an estate sale. No official count as I've just been pulling from the box when I find time to read one.  Afterward, I post the book and go from there.) "My Friend Dahmer" by Derf Backderf 2012 by Abrams Books 224 pages NO SPOILERS: Dahmer, of course, is Jeffrey Dahmer ...the serial killer responsible for 17 murders and having them for snacks.  But this isn't about that ugly period of his life. This is about the ugly school years prior to his mic drop.  This graphic novel is a fascinating story about Jeffrey Dahmer's school years as observed by one of his actual school mates, Derf Backderf .  It's a collection of memory snippets as remembered by the author.  Nothing really gory, but the creepy is very near the surface.  Backderf and a few of his “real” friends...would include Dahmer in their circle as almost comedy relief for their own en

"Easy Rider" (1969) I'm really glad I own this album, although I probably display it more than actually spin it.  As soundtracks go, the music is a perfect fit for the nomad counter-culture film.  Classic rockers like Steppenwolf and The Byrds and Jimi Hendrix Experience  are on here.  I actually picked up this album for the Electric Prunes contribution..." Kyrie Eleison”  ...which first appeared on their  "Mass in F Minor" album. ( My Electric Prunes Interview )   I love the biker/drug soundtracks that seemed to sprout wings during the late 60s.  And this is a fun one to own. The “Easy Rider” movie, by the way, was recently shown at the Wichita Orpheum which is always a cool place to hang.  For the small few who aren't hip, the film included...Peter   “I know what it's like to be dead”   Fonda.  Jack “Here's Johnny” Nicholson.  And Dennis "Don't get caught watchin' the paint dry"   Hopper...who also directed this

(a short jaunt) "Brainwashed" - George Harrison / "Brainwashed" (2002)  The last song on George Harrison's last album.  He rifles off verses in a rhyme cadence similar to the way Bob Dylan would stream-of-conscious an idea out. And the song ends with his familiar Middle Eastern chants.  Nothing preachy and not unpleasant.  I enjoyed all the sounds and vibes.  His son Dhani joins him.  And the way the song (album) fades out seems rather fitting.  George passed before the album was released but he did leave good instruction.  I enjoyed this song and now am curious about the rest of the album. "Permanent Waves" - The Kinks / "Misfits" (1978) The Kinks  are giving us a bit of a sneak-peak of the new wave phase to come.  It's another one of their "fashion songs" that Ray Davies loves to tongue-in-cheek.  In this case, "Permanent Waves" suggests getting yourself as quickly as possible to an Eric F