TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Big Brother & The Holding Company" - Big Brother & The Holding Company (1967)

"Big Brother & The Holding Company" - Big Brother & The Holding Company
(1967)

   This is the album notable for introducing Janis Joplin to the world during what would become known as the "Summer of Love."  Ears would never be the same.  Janis fronts on three or four tracks, and backup sings on the rest.  There's plenty of vocal interaction between the band members and it's an almond joy.  Having more of a Country Joe and Fish vibe than expected, Big Brother & The Holding Company's self-titled debut sounds like a band still working it all out.  The music is loose, and fun, with a little psych-trippage thrown in to boot.  A pretty good spin for what it is.

The biggest hang is all the songs are short.  I mean really short.  And that's too bad because a couple of tracks are just begging for a jam stretch and would have been more than welcome.  Nonetheless...it's cool listening to Janis take her first baby steps like a cat in the cradle unaware of what was lying in wait a little further down the road.

"Big Brother & The Holding Company" - Big Brother & The Holding Company
(back)

Favorites include:
"Call On Me"
"Light is Faster Than Sound"
"All is Loneliness"

I'd been keeping an eye open for an original pressing without "Featuring Janis Joplin" on the front cover.  Not rare by any means, but the album was always on the lam for me.  And it's a bit of a rush owning an album where Janis Joplin was just another player in the band.  No hyping on the album cover yet.  A young talented no-name gal who went on to become a legend.  The record is on Mainstream Records...blue with a microphone logo on the right side.  

Mainstream Records

Cat #
S/6099
SIDE A  DEADWAX
KY-504-1 AB 9-67 8-26-67  
SIDE B  DEADWAX
KY-505-1 AB 9-67 9-1-67 

"Call On Me" - Big Brother & The Holding Company / self-titled (1967)

TRACKS:
A1  "Bye Bye Baby" 2:29
A2  "Easy Rider" 2:24
A3  "Intruder" 2:27
A4  "Light Is Faster Than Sound" 2:27
A5  "Call On Me" 2:27
B1  "Women Is Losers" 2:00
B2  "Blindman" 1:59
B3  "Down on Me" 2:25
B4  "Caterpillar" 2:14
B5  "All Is Loneliness" 2:17

PERSONNEL:
James Gurley - guitar, vocals
Janis Joplin - vocals
Peter Albin - bass
Sam Andrew - guitar
David Getz - drums

Good stuff.

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Comments

Charlie Ricci said…
Thank you for posting this LP. Even though I was addicted to the rock of that era I had no idea Janis was just another member of the band on this one because the record avoided my ears. I'll check it out.
March 7, 2024 at 1:18 PM
Charlie Ricci said…
Thank you for posting about this LP. Even though I was addicted to the rock of that era I had no idea Janis was just another member of the band on this one because the record somehow avoided my ears. I'll check it out.
March 7, 2024 at 1:19 PM
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