How the “Nastiest Thing” One Musician Could Think Off Didn’t Become a Throw-Away

Once again, Dave from A Sound Day recently reached out to a bunch of fellow bloggers to invite their thoughts on the latest topic for his monthly recurring fun feature Turntable Talk. This time, his ask was to write about an instrumental we like a lot. Following is my humble contribution, which was first published on Dave’s blog on January 12.

While it’s safe to assume most of us had things we happily kissed goodbye or wish could get rid of once and for all when 2023 came to its close, it’s great to see when beloved things continue. In my mind, the latter include Turntable Talk, which remains one of the most fun blogging activities each month thanks to fellow blogger Dave who always comes up with great topics!

For Round 22, Dave asked us to forget about the words, if you will, and share some thoughts on an all-instrumental we dig. If you’re familiar with my music taste, you know how much I love vocals, especially when sung in perfect harmony. As such, you might think I may have a hard time finding an instrumental I really like. Well, not really.

In fact, I knew right away which tune I would write about. Then I thought, ‘well, perhaps not so fast!’ After all, there are multiple instrumentals I dig, such as Monty Norman’s James Bond Theme, The Shadows’ Apache, Fleetwood Mac’s Albatross and The Allman Brothers Band’s Jessica. Heck, even my favorite hard rock band Deep Purple penned a great instrumental titled April.

After I had thought about the above and a few additional instrumentals, I decided to go Brooklynite, cheerfully concluding ‘fuhgeddaboudit!’ So I went back to my initial pick, hoping nobody else will choose it: Green Onions by Booker T. & the M.G.’s.

Why Green Onions? Coz it’s a friggin’ awesome tune with a cool sound and a simple, yet infectious groove that makes you want to snip your fingers or engage other parts of your body to move along! Green Onions also is an instrumental with a nice background story.

Originally, the 12-bar blues with its distinct Hammond organ sound was composed by Booker T. Jones when he was 17. This was around 1961 and, as such, predated The M.G.s. At that time, remarkably, Jones already was a professional musician and had played baritone saxophone on the recording of Cause I Love You by Carla Thomas and Rufus Thomas – the first hit single for Satellite Records, which soon would become Stax Records.

The M.G.s who in addition to Jones (organ, piano, keyboards, guitar) originally featured Steve Cropper (guitar), Lewie Steinberg (bass) and Al Jackson Jr. (drums), came together in 1962. Serving as Stax’ house band, they played on countless recordings by the label’s artists, such as Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas and Rufus Thomas. And rockabilly singer and Sun Records recording artist Billy Lee Riley.

When on a Sunday in June 1962 Riley didn’t show up for a scheduled recording session, Booker T. & the M.G.s began jamming to a tune Jones initially had written on piano but felt it sounded better with a Hammond organ. Stax co-owner Jim Stewart liked what he heard and decided to record the track, Behave Yourself, with the idea to release it as a single. Once it was in the can, they needed a B-side. That’s when the magic happened.

Jones started playing his “old” composition on the Hammond. The other members of the M.G.’s began improvising to it. The end result was Green Onions, which initially was titled Funky Onions. However, Stewart’s sister and Stax label co-owner Estelle Axton (Stax = Stewart-Axton) felt Funky Onions sounded like swearing. Therefore, it was renamed Green Onions.

After they had recorded Green Onions, Cropper took a copy of the tune to Memphis radio station WLOK where he was friendly with morning DJ Rueben Washington. All Washington needed to hear was part of the track. He cut off the record that was on the air and started playing Green Onions several times. The phone lines lit up quickly and the rest is history.

Green Onions, which subsequently became the A-side of the single, peaked at no. 3 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 in late September 1962. The track also topped the R&B Singles chart for a combined (non-consecutive) four weeks.

About 17 years later, in December 1979, Green Onions entered the UK Singles Chart after it had been featured in Quadrophenia, a 1979 British drama film that was loosely based on The Who’s 1973 rock opera of the same name. Eventually, it peaked at number no. 7 in late January 1980 and stayed on the British chart for 12 consecutive weeks!

I’ll leave you with a few quotes related to Green Onions, as documented by Songfacts:

“If we released this as a record, what would you want to call it?” “Green Onions,” was Booker T. Jones’ reply. “Why ‘Green Onions'” Jim asked. Booker T: “Because that is the nastiest thing I can think of and it’s something you throw away.” – dialogue between Jim Stewart and Booker T. Jones

“‘Green Onions’ appears to be a simple song, but every time I play it, I have to pay attention. I have to remember, and school myself on how the notes go, because it’s just not as simple as it sounds.” – Booker T. Jones

“When you’re a successful songwriter, you might see your songs get in movies, cartoons, commercials. But I never knew that I would be a co-writer on a song for adult diapers (laughs). For four years ‘Green Onions’ was in a commercial for Depends. That song’s gone from adult diapers to pita chips and now it’s in a dog food commercial. As soon as they get through with it someone else will use it.” – Steve Cropper

Sources: Wikipedia; Songfacts; YouTube

Reliving the Live Music Experience

It’s safe to assume most music fans agree that seeing a beloved artist or band live is a special experience. In fact, to me, it’s the ultimate thrill! Nearly every time I go to a concert, big or small, I also get “the itch”, thinking perhaps I should have continued playing music actively. Even though my band days date back more than 30 years, I think I will always remain a musician at heart! As such, it felt right to take a look back on my live music experience in 2023.

Hopefully, it doesn’t come across as bragging when I say this year was really busy on the concert front. In fact, I was surprised myself when realizing how many shows I visited. I don’t know, I guess it just happened. Much of it was driven by spontaneous action. I will add that given high ticket prices, especially for prominent acts, I doubt I can keep up that pace next year. For now, let’s focus on some of my favorite concert moments of 2023.

Big ticket/prominent artists and bands I saw this year include Southern Avenue (review), Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band (review), The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band (review), Peter Frampton (review), The Doobie Brothers (review), James Taylor (review) and Los Lobos (review).

In the following, I’d like to let the music do the talking, or perhaps I should say writing. Going through old clips and pictures I took was a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy my little collage!

Southern Avenue/Don’t Give Up – SteelStax, Bethlehem, Pa., Sep 7

The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band/Ways and Means – Lizzie Rose Music Room, Tuckerton, N.J., Aug 17

Peter Frampton/Shine On – Wind Creek Event Center, Bethlehem, Pa., Jul 15

Los Lobos/Kiko and the Lavender Moon – Pollack Theatre, West Long Branch, N.J., Feb 24

Catching prominent music acts I love is great, but as in previous years, my live music experience wasn’t limited to them. Once again, I was also fortunate to see great tributes, such as Sugar Mountain (Neil Young), Who’s Next (The Who), Stiff Upper Lip (AC/DC) and Good Stuff (Steely Dan, Sting, Stevie Wonder & Gino Vannelli), as well as various other bands.

Luckily, a good deal of these “non-big ticket acts” were free and/or very affordable. I believe in supporting live music, but there’s only so much I can do. Otherwise, the hole in my wallet would even be bigger! Here’s a small sample. My apologies for not featuring everybody I saw!

Sugar Mountain/Like a Hurricane – Lizzie Rose Music Room, Sep 9

Who’s Next/Won’t Get Fooled Again – British Invasion Festival, Golden Nugget, Atlantic City, N.J., Jul 22

Stiff Upper Lip/It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) – Readington Brewery, Readington, N.J., June 9

Good Stuff/Deacon Blues – New Jersey Brewing Company, Mount Olive, N.J., Mar 31

There you have it. What’s in store for next year? Not much to report yet, except for two events I really hope will happen. First is seeing The Rolling Stones during their Hackney Diamonds Tour at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on May 23. I’m thrilled I was able to get a ticket I could pay for. Granted, I settled for the least expensive seat. But for a live music nut like me, being there means nearly everything!

I also look forward to Rock the Farm, the main annual fundraiser of the New Jersey nonprofit CFC Loud N Clear Foundation, featuring great tribute acts to raise funds for programs to prevent relapse after drug rehab. Due to bad weather, CFC made the tough but right call to postpone last year’s event until June 1, 2024. I love the idea of music for a cause and have attended this festival on the Jersey shore multiple times over the past six years. My review of Rock the Farm 2022 is here.

As for the rest of 2024, we’ll see. I guess I’ll take it one show at a time!

Alice Cooper Shares Tales From the Road on Hard-Charging New Album

Alice Cooper ain’t eighteen anymore, but the Godfather of Shock Rock surely still knows how to throw a good musical punch. All you young rock & roll cats out there, pay attention: Coop knows how it’s done, and chances are you could learn a thing or two. Last Friday (August 25), the 75-year-old rocker from Detroit, Mich. released his 22nd solo studio album, Road, vividly demonstrating he’s got plenty of gas left in the tank.

Road is a concept album revolving around touring tales. “It’s things that happen on the road,” Cooper told Louder in April prior to the album’s official announcement. “There’s a lot of humour in it. There’s a couple of heartbreakers, but it’s very guitar-driven because that’s what I look for in an album.” From traveling the world, playing louder than hell and harder than rock, a hot waitress in big boots [or was that a convenient typo to escape the morality police?], a stalking fan to the empty feeling when the tour is over, Road covers it all.

Recorded live-in-studio, Road features Coop’s touring band, guitarists Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henrikson and Nita Strauss, bassist Chuck Garric and drummer Glen Sobel. There are no overdubs except for Cooper’s vocals. “For Road, I wanted the band to be involved in the foundation of all the songs,” Cooper explained in a statement announcing the album. “I only see these guys when we’re on the road. So, I wanted them to be as tight as they are for the show but on all new material. When you have a band this good, I believe in showing it off, and this is my way of doing so.”

Alice Cooper and his touring band

Road was produced by longtime collaborator Bob Ezrin who has also worked with the likes of Lou Reed, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and Peter Gabriel. Ezrin also had an active part in writing the material, along with Cooper and various other writers. “I love writing the songs with Bob and the guys, and we really emphasize that the main instrument is gonna be guitar,” Cooper added during the above interview. “It’s not gonna drift off into any other land out there.” I’d say it’s time to check out some of the goodies!

Let’s start with I’m Alice, the opener nicely setting the mood for the album. It first appeared as the lead single when Cooper officially announced Road on June 14. I’m Alice/I’m the master of madness, the sultan of surprise/I’m Alice/So don’t be afraid, just look into my eyes, Cooper sings in his distinct raspy voice. Like most other tracks, I’m Alice is credited to multiple writers, which in this case include Cooper, Ezrin and Roxie, as well as “outsiders” Anders Fästader and Kee Marcello. To me, listening to this and the other tracks on the album feels as if time had stood still since the days of I’m Eighteen and School’s Out, Coop’s best-known songs he recorded with what was then-known as the band Alice Cooper.

All Over the World is another highlight, about taking a hard-charging rock show around the globe. Yes, the lyrics are a bit cliché, but does it really matter when the music is that great? We hit the stage with rage around 9 o’clock/We’re always louder than hell and we’re harder than rock/Rolled into England and China, Ukraine and Brazil/Slayed ’em in Sydney and Fargo, Zanzibar and Seville. The anthem-like song was co-written by Cooper, Ezrin and all five members of his touring band.

White Line Frankenstein (you just gotta love that title!), which I suspect will become a favorite of Coop’s live set, features prominent guitarist Tom Morello who among others is known for his tenures with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. He’s also co-credited as one of the writers, along with Cooper and Ezrin. White Line Frankenstein became the second upfront single on July 19. I’m a road rat, baby, I’m a rock ‘n’ rollin’ stone/They call me white line Frankenstein…I mean, who can argue with that?

On Rules of the Road, Coop dispenses some cynical advise to aspiring rock stars, such as, Before you even start to board/that private that you can’t afford/You gotta buy a mansion and a flashy car/In case you actually do become a star. He cheerfully adds, Rule number one – always get the money/Rule number two – remember to always get the money/And rule number three – never forget to remember to always get the money. Then his humor/cynicism turn a bit borderline, at least according to my taste, given how many talented artists became members of the creepy 27 Club: And if you follow these simple rules, by the age of 27, well…/You’re gonna die…Aha-ha-ha. The song is credited to Cooper, Ezrin and Wayne Kramer.

The final track I’d like to call out is 100 More Miles. IMHO, this song should have been the album’s closer instead of a cover of The Who’s Magic Bus, which isn’t a bad rendition but feels a bit out of place. While I’ve never been on a rock tour and, as such, don’t know the empty feeling that can overcome a performing artist when suddenly everything is over, I find the lyrics very relatable. Just finished up the final show/It’s really strange to me/I’ve got no place at all to be/Nobody’s yelling, “Hey man, it’s time to go”/Can’t seem to get from A to B/There’s no reality but my own.

If you dig what you’ve heard, I encourage you to check out the rest of the album. Here’s a Spotify link.

I think Road is a fun listening experience, celebrating rock & roll tours and happenings both on-stage and off-stage. That said, as a more casual Alice Cooper listener, I don’t feel I can make a well-informed comparison to other albums the man has released over his 50-year-plus recording career, counting his five albums with the original band Alice Cooper.

Guess what? Cooper is taking Road, well, on the road. My brother-in-law saw him in April this year at a rock festival in Florida and was impressed with the show, which features everything from guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood and a charming boa constrictor – in other words, it was classic Coop! I also witnessed him once, in New Jersey in August 2017, together with Edgar Winter and Deep Purple and thought he delivered a great set! In case you’re curious, Cooper’s current touring schedule is here.

Sources: Wikipedia; Alice Cooper website; Louder; YouTube; Spotify

The Sunday Six

It’s Sunday and I hope you’re in the mood to accompany me on another trip through space and time to explore the miraculous world of music. The magical time machine is all set to go, so hop on board and fasten your seatbelt.

Charles Mingus/Dizzy Moods

For our first stop today, I’ve set the time controls to November 1957. That’s when American upright jazz bassist, composer and bandleader Charles Mingus came out with Mingus Three. Unlike the title may suggest, this wasn’t his third album but rather a reflection of the trio format, a less common setting for Mingus who most often recorded and played with large ensembles. Dizzy Moods is one of his three original compositions on Mingus Three. He was backed by pianist Hampton Hawes and drummer Dannie Richmond. This is groovy stuff, so feel free to snip along!

Creamery Station/Crazy Night

From the past, we shall return to right back to the present and a cool six-piece group from Connecticut. Creamery Station, who have been around for four years, blend jam, blues, rock and bluegrass into what their website confidently guarantees is “a thrilling live experience you won’t be able to get enough of.” To my ears, they also sound pretty good on what is their third and latest album, Story to Tell, released on June 23. Here’s Crazy Night, a fun blues rock tune I previously considered for my weekly new music review – not really sure why it didn’t make the post at the time!

Art/Supernatural Fairy Tales

I hope you’re not afraid of things that you don’t understand. Our next stop takes us back to November 1967 and Supernatural Fairy Tales, the title cut of the only album by Art. Initially, the British band was known as The V.I.P.’s who had formed in 1963 out of an earlier group called The Ramrods. Seemingly, change was the main constant of the group. Art shortly dissolved after the album’s release, and their four members – Mike Harrison (vocals, piano), Luther Grosvenor (guitars, vocals), Greg Ridley (bass) and Mike Kellie (drums) – teamed up with American keyboarder and vocalist Gary Wright, best known for his mid-’70s hits Dream Weaver and Love Is Alive, to form rock band Spooky Tooth.

Steve Conn/River of Madness

Next, let’s pay a visit to the small central Louisiana city of Pineville, the home of Steve Conn, who his website notes has played piano, organ or accordion with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, Sonny Landreth and Albert King, among many others. He also writes his own music and to date has released five albums. His first, River of Madness, appeared in October 1995. Here’s the soulful title track featuring Landreth on slide guitar. Conn’s music sounds as rich and tasty as a Louisiana gumbo!

Climax Blues Band/Couldn’t It Right

Time for a stop-over in the ’70s with a groovy tune by Climax Blues Band I was reminded of the other day when I heard it on the radio. When the English blues rock band, which had come together in 1967, presented their nineth album Gold Plated to their record label RCA in 1976, they were told it lacked a hit, so they should try and write one. They did. Ironically titled Couldn’t Get It Right, it would become their biggest hit, climbing all the way to no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside the U.S. it reached no. 8 and no. 10 on the mainstream charts in Canada and the UK, respectively – another great groovy tune!

Pete Townshend/White City Fighting

Our upcoming sixth stop means we need to wrap up another music time travel journey. To do that let’s go to November 1985 and the fourth solo studio album by Pete Townshend. It’s probably my favorite by the British rock artist who of course is best known as co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of The Who. Off White City: A Novel, here’s the de facto title track, White City Fighting. It was penned by another famous guitarist, David Gilmour, of Pink Floyd fame, and originally intended for his second solo album About Face. At the time, he asked Townshend to write the lyrics. But he couldn’t relate to the words and ended up giving the song to Townshend who turn invited Gilmour to play guitar on it. It all worked out nicely!

Well, folks, that’s it for today, except of course for a Spotify playlist of the above tracks. As always, I hope there’s something there you dig and that you’ll be back for more. So long!

Sources: Wikipedia; Creamery Station website; Steve Conn website; YouTube; Spotify

Song Musings

It’s Wednesday and I hope this week has been kind to you so far. Once again, the time has come to take a closer look at another song I’ve only mentioned in passing or not covered at all to date.

One of my longtime favorite bands are The Who. Since I’ve already covered many of their popular songs, I decided to pick a tune that outside of fan circles is less widely known: Anyway Anyhow Anywhere.

More casual listeners, who are primarily familiar with classics like My Generation, Pinball Wizard and Won’t Get Fooled Again, probably find Anyway Anyhow Anywhere sounds a bit underwhelming. However, not only is it a pretty good early tune by the English rock band, but it also has some intriguing aspects.

To start with, the song that first appeared as a non-album single in the UK in May 1965 was co-written by guitarist Pete Townshend and lead vocalist Roger Daltrey. Most of the group’s tunes were solely penned by Townshend. Anyway Anyhow Anywhere also represents one of the first songs using guitar feedback. According to Wikipedia, it was the first to use the effect in the guitar solo.

The use of feedback throughout the song was crucial, Townshend stated. He explained The Who “were trying to achieve the sound which we get on the stage at present, all in a commercial song that will sell.” Speaking of live, here’s a great clip of the tune, captured in 2000 at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Anyway Anyhow Anywhere was the second single The Who released under that name and their third overall. The debut, Zoot Suit/I’m the Face appeared under their initial name The High Numbers. Anyway Anyhow Anywhere became their second top 10 single in the UK, reaching no. 10. It also made the top 40 in France, climbing to no. 38. But unlike its predecessor, I Can’t Explain, it missed the charts in the U.S. and in Australia. Anyway Anyhow Anywhere was subsequently included on the October 1971 singles compilation Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy.

In the liner notes of that album, Townshend recalled the following about the tune: Roger Daltrey helped a lot with the final arrangement and got half the credit. Something he does today for nothing, bless him. I was lying on my mattress on the floor listening to a Charlie Parker record when I thought up the title. (It’s usually title first with me.) I just felt the guy was so free when he was playing. He was a soul without a body, riding, flying, on music.

Listening to the compulsory Dizzy Gillespie solo after one by Bird was always a come-down, however clever Gillespie was. No one could follow Bird. Jimi Hendrix must have been his reincarnation, especially for guitar players. The freedom suggested by the title came restricted by the aggression of our tightly-defined image when I came to write the words. In fact, Daltrey was really a hard nut then, and he changes quite a few words himself to toughen the song up to suit his temperament. It is the most excitingly pig-headed of our songs. It’s blatant, proud and, dare I say it, sassy.

The studio recording was the first by The Who, which featured Nicky Hopkins on piano. At the time, Hopkins was a session musician. Widely considered to be one of the greatest studio pianists in the history of popular rock music, Hopkins worked with many other artists, particularly The Rolling Stones, playing on all of their studio albums from Between the Buttons (1967) through until Tattoo You (1981), except for Some Girls (1978).

Following are some additional insights by Songfacts:

Like many early songs by The Who, “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere” captures the band enjoying the unfettered freedom of youth: they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, wherever they want. Pete Townshend, who wrote the lyric, described it as “anti-middle age, anti-boss class, and anti-young marrieds.”

This was The Who’s second single, following “I Can’t Explain.” Their producer at the time was Shel Talmy, who could wrangle a lot of noise into something coherent. After “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere” was released, the group made their first album with Talmy: My Generation. The title track to that one was another feat of controlled chaos and a defining hit for the band, but The Who had their manager, Kit Lambert, produce their next one, breaking their contract with Talmy and setting off a legal battle that ended up giving Talmy royalties on every Who recording into 1971.

This contains one of the first uses of feedback on a record. The Who lead singer Roger Daltrey recalled to Uncut magazine October 2001: “We were doing this feedback stuff, even before that. We’d be doing blues songs and they’d turn into this freeform, feedbacky, jazzy noise. Pete was getting all these funny noises, banging his guitar against the speakers. Basically, the act that Hendrix is famous for came from Townshend, pre-‘I Can’t Explain.'”

“‘Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere’ was the first song when we attempted to get that noise onto a record and that was a good deal of time before Hendrix had even come to England,” Daltrey continued. “The American pressing plant sent it back thinking it was a mistake. We said, ‘No, this is the f—ing noise we want. CUT IT LOUD!'”

Sources: Wikipedia; Songfacts; YouTube

Musings of the Past

This installment of my recurring feature, in which I republish and sometimes update select content from the earlier days of the blog, was inspired by a recent post by Dave from A Sound Day about the ingenious Les Paul. The guitarist, songwriter and inventor is most famous for partnering with Gibson guitars and inventing the Gibson Les Paul, one of the most iconic electric guitars.

This post first appeared in July 2017 and has been slightly edited to better fit the current style of the blog.

The Hardware: Gibson Les Paul

Just like the Fender Stratocaster, Gibson’s Les Paul is one of the defining electric guitars

As Jim, who writes the excellent Music Enthusiast blog, pointed out a couple of weeks ago after I had published my post about the Fender Stratocaster, I could just as well have called the Gibson Les Paul the model that embodies the electric guitar. I couldn’t agree more; in fact, I had planned all along to do a post on the Les Paul as well, so let’s get to it!

Obviously, the legendary guitar is closely associated with American guitarist, songwriter and inventor Les Paul. The origins of the electric guitar that would bear his name date back to 1940 when Paul built the so-called “Log” at the Epiphone guitar factory. The crude instrument, which consisted of a 4″ × 4″ chunk of pine wood with strings and a pickup, was one of the first solid-body electric guitars. To improve the look, Paul took the wings of an Epiphone archtop body and added them to the pine body.

When Paul offered his idea to the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1941, they initially turned him down. That changed when rival Fender started marketing their  Esquire model in 1950, a solid-body electric guitar that later turned into the Broadcaster and eventually the Telecaster.

After Gibson Guitar president Ted McCarty realized the enthusiasm about the Esquire and the Broadcaster, he asked Paul to become a consultant to the company. In 1951, Paul, McCarty and his team started developing a solid-body. While apparently there are differing recollections who contributed what, the result was the first Gibson Les Paul, introduced in 1952. Paul used it for the first time in public in June that year during a live performance at the Paramount Theatre in New York.

The initial Les Paul featured a mahogany body and neck, two P-90 single coil pickups and a one-piece, trapeze-style bridge/tailpiece with strings fitted under a steel stop-bar. In 1953, a second Les Paul model called the Les Paul Custom was introduced. A more important development happened in 1957, when Gibson introduced humbucker pickups on the Les Pauls. According to Wikipedia, a humbucker is a double-coil pick-up to cancel out the interference picked up by single-coil pickups, i.e., bucking the hum.

While the Les Paul models were formidable instruments, they were pretty heavy, which is why initially they weren’t widely embraced by guitarists. As a result, in 1961, Gibson introduced the Gibson SG, a lighter solid-body guitar that became the company’s best-selling model of all time. The company also stopped producing the traditional Les Paul.

Initially, Gibson launched the SG as the new Gibson Les Paul. But since the model had been developed without Paul’s knowledge and he was unhappy with the design, he requested that his name be removed from the headstock. Gibson agreed and Paul remained as a consultant with the company. Personally, I’ve always found the SG is a really cool-looking guitar.

Ironically, a few years after production had been discontinued, Les Paul models started to become en vogue when guitarists like Keith Richards and Eric Clapton discovered and began using them. Other guitarists followed, such as Mike Bloomfield from the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia. Again reacting to popularity trends, Gibson reintroduced the Les Paul single cutaway guitar in July 1968. While there have been some tweaks over the years, the model remains in production to this day.

As indicated above, many guitarists have used Les Pauls. Following is a list of some of them.

Duane Allman

The legendary session musician and lead guitarist of The Allman Brothers Band has used various Les Paul models. Here’s a great clip of the band’s epic live performance of Whipping Post at the Fillmore East in 1970. I believe Allman was playing a 1957 Les Paul Goldtop.

Eric Clapton

While Clapton is better known for Fender Stratocaster guitars, he has also used Gibson models, including a 1960 sunburst Les Paul and a 1957 goldtop Les Paul Custom. In 2010, Gibson announced the Clapton 1960 Les Paul Standard signature model, also known as the “Beano Burst.” Here’s a clip of Clapton playing his 1960 Les Paul.

Jimmy Page

Page has used various Les Paul models, including from 1959 and 1973. He also owned a modified 1960 Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty,” which was stolen in 1970 and has never been found. Gibson has produced three Jimmy Page signature models. In this clip from Led Zeppelin’s live performance of We’re Gonna Groove at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1970, Page can be seen using a Les Paul.

Slash

Slash has used many different Les Paul models including his own custom shop Les Paul. Altogether, he has collaborated with Gibson on eight signature models. Here’s a clip of a 1988 Guns N’ Roses’ live performance of Sweet Child O’ Mine, featuring Slash on a Les Paul.

Joe Perry

The Aerosmith lead guitarist has used many Gibson guitar models, including various Les Pauls. Gibson has released two Joe Perry signature Les Pauls, the first in 1996, the second in 2004. The latter is known as the Boneyard Les Paul. In the following clip of a live performance of Toys In the Attic, Perry is playing the Boneyard.

Gary Moore

Moore played a Les Paul Standard. There were also two Gibson Gary Moore signature Les Pauls. Here’s the blues rocker and his Les Paul in action live with Walking By Myself.

Pete Townshend

Among other Gibson models, The Who guitarist used various customized Les Pauls from 1973 to 1979. In 2005, Gibson introduced three Townshend signature Les Paul Deluxe guitars, based on his heavily customized “#1” Wine Red 1976 Les Paul Deluxe, “#3” Gold top 1976, and “#9” Cherry Sunburst 1976. Here is a great clip of a 1978 live performance of Won’t Get Fooled Again, which became the closing scene of The Kids Are Alright rockumentary, in which Townshend plays one of his customized Les Pauls. Sadly, one of the most iconic moments in rock also captured the last performance of Keith Moon, who died in September that year.

Of course, this post would not be complete without a clip of the maestro himself, Les Paul. Not only does it show Paul perform one of his biggest hit singles, How High the Moon (1951), but he also demonstrates one of his inventions called Les Paulverizer – priceless! According to Wikipedia, the little device attached to his guitar allowed Paul to access pre-recorded layers of songs during live performance, so he could replicate his recorded sound on stage.

– END –

Originally, this post was published on July 22, 2017 as part of The Hardware, an irregular feature about well-known music gear. Since the most recent installment, about the Mellotron, dates back to July 2020, I guess by now, the series effectively could be called discontinued. That said, I don’t want to entirely rule out another installment, time permitting to put together these very research-intense posts.

Sources:  Wikipedia; Premier Guitar; YouTube

The Sunday Six

Sunday is fun day and I hope this weekend has been going well for you thus far. Perhaps to make it even better, once again, I’d like to invite you to join me on another trip through space and time to visit music of the past and the present century. The magical time machine is ready to take off so hop on board, fasten to seatbelt and off we go!

Stan Getz and João Gilberto/The Girl From Ipanema (feat. Astrud Gilberto)

Our first stop today is March 1964 and a timeless Brazilian jazz gem. Sadly, this pick isn’t coincidental. On Monday (June 5), Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer-songwriter Astrud Gilberto (born Astrud Evangelina Weinert) passed away at the age of 83. I think it’s safe to say she’s best remembers for her vocals on The Girl From Ipanema, which was first released in 1963. Subsequently, the tune also appeared on Getz/Gilberto, a studio album by American saxophonist Stan Getz and Brazilian guitarist João Gilberto, who married Astrud in late 1959. The Girl From Ipanema, which became a worldwide hit in the mid’60s and won a 1965 Grammy for Record of the Year, was written in 1962, with music by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Portuguese lyrics by Vinícius de Moraes. Norman Gimbel later penned English lyrics – an exceptionally beautiful tune!

Jonathan Wilson/Moses Pain

Next, we shall travel to the current century, more specifically to October 2013. That’s when singer-songwriter and producer Jonathan Wilson released a solo studio album titled Fanfare. Once again, I have to thank my longtime German music buddy who in late January recommended that I check out Wilson. I did and first featured him in a previous Sunday Six installment. Similar to Wilson’s previous album Gentle Spirit (September 2011), Fanfare included collaborations with various other artists. Moses Pain featured Mike Campbell (guitar) and Benmont Tench (piano), from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, as well as Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Josh Tillman and Jenny O. on backing vocals.

The Pretenders/My Baby

English-American rock band The Pretenders, who since their fifth studio album Packed! (1990) have been known as Pretenders, probably need no introduction. The group around frontwoman and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde, their only constant member over the decades, had a series of successful albums starting in the late ’70s to the mid-’90s. My Baby, written by Hynde, is a track off their fourth studio album Get Close, released in October 1986. Together with Don’t Get Me Wrong, My Baby holds the distinction of having been the band’s only no. 1 in the U.S. on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart – love this tune!

Eddie Cochran/Summertime Blues

Now the time has come to visit the ’50s and one of the early pioneers of rock & roll: Eddie Cochran. Not only did his songs capture teenage frustration and desire in the mid-1950s and early 1960s, but he also experimented with multitrack recording, distortion techniques and overdubbing, even on his earliest singles! Summertime Blues, which I knew first because of The Who’s dynamite rendition, is among Cockran’s best-known tunes. It also became his highest-charting single in the U.S. in 1958, peaking at no. 8 on the pop chart. It also became Cochran’s most successful single in the UK where it climbed to no. 18. What an infectious tune!

Blue Rodeo/Lost Together

How about paying a visit to the rodeo? No, not one where they ride bulls. I’m talking about Blue Rodeo, a Canadian country rock band I’ve come to dig. Formed in Toronto in 1984, Blue Rodeo, among others, have released 16 full-length studio albums to date. I reviewed their most recent, Many a Mile (December 2021), here and have also covered them on various other previous occasions. Lost Together is the terrific title track of their fourth studio album, which came out in August 1992. Like all other songs on the album, it was penned by the group’s co-founders Jim Cuddy (vocals, guitar) and Greg Keelor (vocals, guitar), who together with bassist Bazil Donovan remain the three original members in Blue Rodeo’s current line-up.

Deep Purple/Smoke On the Water

Canadian wildfires and resulting smoke have been very much in the news throughout the week, so in case you don’t love this final pick on this music trip you’ll have to forgive me. Having been impacted by hazy conditions that turned my neck of the woods into a post-apocalyptic-looking landscape, somehow, Smoke On the Water just came to me.

Undoubtedly a nightmare of every employee who works in a store selling electric guitars you can try out, Smoke On the Water, dare I say it, may well be the ultimate hard tune by what I still consider the ultimate hard rock band: Deep Purple. The must-learn tune for every electric guitarist with that iconic riff first appeared in March 1972 on the English group’s sixth studio album Machine Head. It also became the fourth single in May 1973 and arguably Purple’s signature song. Yes, Smoke On the Water hasn’t exactly suffered from obscurity, but to me, it still remains a hell of a tune! Like the six remaining tracks, it was credited to all members: Ian Gillan (vocals, harmonica), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Jon Lord (keyboards, Hammond organ), Roger Glover (bass) and Ian Paice – the best line-up this band ever had!

Last but least, here’s a Spotify playlist of the above goodies. So, wadda’ll think?

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube; Spotify

The Queen of Rock & Roll Has Left, But Her Music Will Reign Forever

By now it’s safe to assume folks have heard of Tina Turner’s passing yesterday (April 24) at age 83 at her home near Zurich, Switzerland. While neither a notification on Turner’s Facebook page nor a statement by her publicist provided the cause, she had been in poor health in recent years. Based on concerts in Germany and the U.S. in 1985 and 1993, respectively, the Queen of Rock & Roll was among the most energetic performers I’ve seen to date, together with Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and U2.

This post is all about celebrating Tina Turner’s music, which will stay with us. In case you are looking for a traditional obituary, you have plenty of other choices, such as The New York Times, CNN or Rolling Stone. My focus will be on six tunes from Turner’s 40-year-plus performing career, followed by a Spotify playlist of these and some additional songs.

River Deep – Mountain High (1966)

River Deep – Mountain High is one of my favorite tunes Tina Turner recorded with her then-husband Ike Turner as Ike & Tina Turner. Written by producer Phil Spector, together with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, River Deep – Mountain High was first released as a single in May 1966 as the title track of a studio album by Ike & Tina Turner. That album first appeared in the UK in September 1966 and three years later was also issued in the U.S.

Private Dancer (1984)

Private Dancer is the title track of Turner’s fifth solo and comeback album released in May 1984. The tune, penned by then-Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler, was one of multiple hit singles from what became Turner’s best-selling album with more than 12 million copies sold worldwide. It catapulted her to international stardom as a solo artist – eight years after she had fled from her abusive husband with just 36 cents and a Mobil card.

Proud Mary (1971)

Ike & Tina Turner’s version of Proud Mary is one of the best remakes I can think of. The song was written by John Fogerty who first recorded it with his band Creedence Clearwater Revival for their second studio album Bayou Country, released in January 1969. The tune also appeared as a single at the same time and became one of CCR’s biggest hits, climbing to no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ike and Tina Turner’s version, which was included on their 1970 studio album Workin’ Together, did nearly as well, peaking at no. 4 on the U.S. pop chart. Unlike CCR, it also won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group in 1972.

What You Get Is What You See (1986)

When it comes to Tina Turner’s solo career, I tend to favor her rock over her more pop-oriented songs. One tune in this context is What You Get Is What You See, off her sixth solo studio album Break Every Rule, which came out in September 1986. Turner’s follow-on to Private Dancer was another major internal chart and commercial success. What You Get Is What You See, co-written by Terry Bitten and Graham Lyle and produced by Bitten, also became the album’s third single in February 1987.

Acid Queen (1975)

Turner recorded Acid Queen as the title track of her second solo album released in August 1975. The tune was written by Pete Townshend and first appeared as The Acid Queen on The Who’s rock opera album Tommy from May 1969. A different recording of the song was also included on the March 1975 soundtrack album to the 1975 film Tommy, in which Turner starred as the Acid Queen. Her second solo album was inspired by that performance.

Nutbush City Limits (live) (1988)

The last track I’d like to highlight is a killer live version of Nutbush City Limits that was included on Turner’s first live solo album Tina Live in Europe. Notably, part of that album was recorded at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany on April 14, 1985 – one of the above-mentioned Tina Turner shows I attended! Written by Tina Turner, the semi-autobiographical tune about her rural hometown of Nutbush, Tenn. was the title track of a 1973 studio album by Ike & Tina Turner. It also became the duo’s most successful single and one of the last hits they released together.

Here’s the aforementioned Spotify playlist of the above and some additional tunes. The Queen of Rock & Roll sadly has left us, but her music will continue to reign!

Sources: Wikipedia; Tina Turner Facebook page; YouTube; Spotify

The Sunday Six

Happy Sunday morning, afternoon, or evening – in whichever time zone you are, I hope you’re doing great and are in the mood to join me on another journey to visit music of the past and the present century. This trip will have six stops in the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and 2008.

Shorty Rogers Quintet/Breezin’ Along in the Trades

Let’s start today’s journey by setting our music time machine to the year 1957. That’s when the Shorty Rogers Quintet released an album titled Wherever the Five Winds Blow. Born in 1924 Milton Rajonsky, Shorty Rogers was a trumpet and flugelhorn player who was instrumental in creating West Coast jazz. According to Wikipedia, this jazz style was developed in the 1950s in San Francisco and Los Angeles and is often viewed as a subgenre of cool jazz. Rajonsky who hailed from Great Barrington, Mass. started his career in the ’40s, working with Will Bradley, Red Norvo and Woody Herman. In the early ’50s, he played with Stan Kenton. In 1952, he released his debut as a bandleader, Modern Sounds, the first of many such albums that would appear over the next 40 years. Apart from playing as a sideman, Rajonsky also became a sought-after arranger of jazz music and beyond. Notable examples of the latter include The Monkees, e.g., Daydream Believer, and Bobbie Gentry’s first three albums. Rajonsky passed away from melanoma in November 1974 at the age of 70. Coming back to Wherever the Five Winds Blow, here’s Breezin’ Along in the Trades, a beautiful original composition. Shorty Rogers (trumpet) was backed by Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet, saxophone), Lou Levy (piano), Ralph Pena (bass) and Larry Bunker (drums).

The Jayhawks/Wichita

Our next stop takes us to September 1992 and Hollywood Town Hall, the third studio album by The Jayhawks. Since coming across them in August 2020, I’ve come to like this American alt. country and country rock band. Initially formed in Minneapolis in 1985, The Jayhawks originally featured Mark Olson (acoustic guitar, vocals), Gary Louris (electric guitar, vocals), Marc Perlman (bass) and Norm Rogers (drums). By the time Hollywood Town Hall was released, Rogers had been replaced by Ken Callahan. After four additional albums and more line-up changes, the group went on hiatus in 2004. They reemerged with a new formation in 2009, which still includes Louris and Pearlman, and have since released four additional albums, most recently July 2020’s XOXO. Hollywood Town Hall became the group’s first album that made the U.S. mainstream chart Billboard 200 (no. 192). Notably, it also climbed to no. 11 on the Top Heatseekers. Here’s the great Wichita, co-written by Olson, Louris and Pearlman.

The Who/I Can See For Miles

Time for a stopover in the ’60s to visit one of my all-time favorite bands. In December 1967, The Who released their third studio album The Who Sell Out. Primarily written by guitarist Pete Townshend with contributions from bassist John Entwistle and Thunderclap Newman vocalist Speedy Keen, the brilliant concept album includes a collection of songs interspersed with fake commercials and public service announcements. One of the tracks is I Can See For Miles, which also appeared separately as the lead single in October 1967. Townshend was convinced he had written a hit, yet the single “only” reached no. 10 in the UK. It did best in Canada, where it climbed to no. 8, and also charted slightly higher in the U.S., getting to no. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached the top 40 in New Zealand (no. 13), Australia (no. 20), The Netherlands (no. 28) and Germany (no. 37). Yet Townshend was disappointed. To me, it was the ultimate Who record, yet it didn’t sell,” he later commented. “I spat on the British record buyer.” While I wouldn’t call the tune’s chart performance terrible, I do agree with Townshend that I Can See For Miles is one of the gems by the British rockers.

John Mellencamp/Theo and Weird Henry

Let’s move on to the late ’80s. In May 1989, John Mellencamp released his 10th studio album Big Daddy, the last under the John Cougar Mellencamp name. Musically, the record continued his transition from heartland straight rocker to roots-oriented artist, which had begun with its predecessor The Lonesome Jubilee. Lyrically, it presents a collection of largely reflective songs. “Big Daddy was the best record I ever made,” Mellencamp told The Associated Press in December 1991 in the wake of his 11th studio album Whenever We Wanted. “Out of my agony came a couple of really beautiful songs. You can’t be 22 years old and had two dates and understand that album.” For context, the AP story also quoted Mellencamp as saying, “I had a daughter who grew up and I didn’t know who she was [I assume he referred to Michelle from his first marriage to Priscilla Esterline – CMM]. I was getting a divorce [from Victoria Granucci, his second wife – CMM] and I didn’t want one.” Big Daddy became best known for its lead single Pop Singer, which topped the charts in Canada and New Zealand and peaked at no. 8 in Australia. In the U.S., it surged to no. 2 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart and reached no. 15 on the Hot 100. Theo and Weird Henry, on the other hand, is a deep cut I love. It’s got more of a heartland rock vibe.

10cc/The Things We Do For Love

Our next stop takes us back again, to December 1976. That’s when British art pop band 10cc released The Things We Do For Love as a single. Co-written by guitarist Eric Stewart and bassist Graham Gouldman, who had founded the group with Lol Creme (guitar, keyboards) and Kevin Godley (drums) in July 1972, the tune was also included on their fifth studio album Deceptive Bends from May 1977. The Things We Do For Love placed in the top 10 singles charts in the UK (no. 5), Australia (no.) and the U.S. (no. 6). In Canada, it became their second no. 1 after I’m Not in Love, which had become 10cc’s breakthrough hit outside the UK in May 1975. I’ve liked the band’s often quirky songs since my teenage years. 10cc are still around as a touring act led by Gouldman and have been on the road for The Ultimate Greatest Hits Tour, which has upcoming gigs in The Netherlands before moving on to New Zealand and Australia in June. The current schedule is here.

The Hold Steady/Constructive Summer

And once again, we’re reaching the final stop of yet another music time travel trip, which takes us to the current century. In July 2008, The Hold Steady released their fourth studio album Stay Positive – kudos to fellow blogger Graham from Aphoristic Album Reviews who recently reminded me of the New York indie rock band by ranking their nine studio albums that have appeared to date. One of the albums he suggested I check out is Stay Positive. I did and voila! The Hold Steady first entered my radar screen in late March with their most recent studio release The Price of Progress. Formed in 2003, their current lineup includes co-founders Craig Finn (lead vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Galen Polivka (bass), along with Steve Selvidge (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Franz Nicolay (piano, keyboards, accordion, harmonica, backing vocals) and Bobby Drake (drums, percussion). Wikipedia  notes The Hold Steady are known for their “lyrically dense storytelling”, “classic rock influences” and “narrative-based songs [that] frequently address themes, such as drug addiction, religion and redemption, and often feature recurring characters within the city of Minneapolis.” Let’s wrap things up with Constructive Summer, the kickass opener of Stay Positive. Like all other tracks on the album, it was co-written by Finn and Kubler.

So where’s the bloody Spotify playlist? Ask and you shall receive!

Sources: Wikipedia; Associated Press/Bowling Green Daily News; 10cc website; YouTube; Spotify

The Sunday Six

It’s Sunday, folks, and I’d like to invite you to join me on another time-travel journey into the amazing world of music. For first-time visitors, our eclectic trip will include six stops in six different decades and involve music in different flavors. Are you with me? All aboard, buckle your seatbelt and let’s go!

Cindy Blackman Santana/Passage

Our first stop today is in May 1998 and some groovy jazz music by Cindy Blackman Santana (then still Cindy Blackman). I first came across this amazing drummer in 2014 while watching this clip of Lenny Kravitz, a longtime favorite artist. At first, I primarily paid attention to him before noticing this stunning African American lady on the drums. Then, as oftentimes happens, I was on to other music and “forgot” about Blackman until fellow blogger Lisa from Tao Talk prompted me to think of female artists in connection with her excellent Women Music March series. I already committed to pen a contribution for the 2024 run about Blackman who was introduced to the drums as a seven-year-old when she spotted a drum kit at a friend’s house and began playing. Soon thereafter, she joined the school band and persuaded her parents to get her toy drums. At age 11, she studied at Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Conn. and two years later started developing an interest in jazz after she had listened to Max Roach. She got her first professional drum kit at age 14 and subsequently moved to Boston to study Berklee College of Music. I just love everything about this story! In 1988, then-29-year-old Blackman released her debut album as a leader, Arcane, which mostly featured her own compositions. In 1993, she met Lenny Kravitz and was featured in the official video of his great hit single Are You Gonna Go My Way. Yep, she surely did and became his touring drummer for the next 18 years! In December 2010, she married that other famous guitarist, and they remain together to this day. Going back to May 1998, here’s Passage, an original Blackman composition from her studio album In the Now. Blackman was backed by top-notch jazz musicians, including saxophonist Ravi Coltrane (son of John Coltrane), Ron Carter (bass) and Jacky Terrasson (piano, Fender Rhodes).

Dr. Feelgood/Down At the Doctors

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like going to the doctor, though I’m pretty quick with unsolicited advice to friends, telling them they should go if something bugs them. Miraculously, my reluctance tends to vanish pretty quickly when the treatment is music, so let’s next travel to October 1978 for a shot of R&B. Our doctor are kickass British pub rockers Dr. Feelgood. Fittingly, the treatment is called Down At the Doctors, a great blues rocker penned by Mickey Jupp. They recorded it for their sixth studio album Private Practice, best known for Milk and Alcohol, which became the band’s best-performing single. Founded in 1971, Dr. Feelgood are still around as a touring act, though with none of the co-founders. That said, three of the current members – Gordon Russell (lead and slide guitars, backing vocals), Phil Mitchell (bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals) and Kevin Morris (drums, percussion, backing vocals) – first joined in 1983, a whopping 40 years ago! Lead vocalist and harmonica player Robert Kane has been with the group since 1999. Okay, let’s get some rock ‘n roll in the arm. While it’s not clear to me what happened to the eight bars on the piano, I know this: Down At the Doctors always makes me feel good!

Johnny Cash/Folsom Prison Blues

Charged up with a dose of R&B, let’s set our music time machine to October 1957 and the debut album by Johnny Cash. While for many years I essentially dismissed all country as hillbilly music, my obvious ignorance always had one exception. From the very first moment I heard Cash, I thought The Man in Black pretty much had the same coolness factor as early Elvis Presley. It also turned out the two artists started their recording career with producer Sam Phillips, founder of the legendary independent label Sun Records in Memphis, Tenn. Folsom Prison Blues, one of Cash’s best-known tunes, first appeared on Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar! Nearly 10 years later, the tune also became the de facto title track of his first live album At Folsom Prison. On the original studio recording, Cash (vocals, rhythm guitar) was backed by lead guitarist Luther Perkins and upright bassist Marshall Grant, who ended up serving in that capacity for 25 years. In 1960, drummer W. S. Holland joined, and Cash’s backing band became known as The Tennessee Three. Folsom Prison Blues is a great example of that magic Sun Studios rockabilly sound. It also features one of the greatest storytelling lyrics I can think of: When I was just a baby/My mama told me son/always be a good boy/don’t ever play with guns/But I shot a man in Reno/ just to watch him die/When I hear that whistle blowing/I hang my head and cry – this is poetry!

Paul McCartney/I Don’t Know

While I love visiting music dating back 30, 40 and even more years, let’s not forget the current century. My proposition is September 2018, which saw the release of Paul McCartney’s 17th solo album Egypt Station. Sure, it’s no Band On the Run, but I would still call it a remarkable late career accomplishment and Macca’s best album in many years. Let’s check out I Don’t Know. The beautiful piano-driven ballad also became Egypt Station’s lead single in June 2018. Clearly, Paul’s vocals are weathered, but they are a perfect match for the tune, so I wouldn’t want them to sound any different! Last June, Macca turned 80. I had the thrill to see him at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey just a couple of days prior to his big birthday. He still had a ball on that stage!

Gang of Four/Call Me Up

Our next stop takes us to 1982 and Call Me Up, a cool tune by English post-punk band Gang of Four. Frankly, I can’t quite remember how I came across that song, off their third studio album Songs of the Free. I suspect my streaming music provider served it up as a suggestion after I had listened to Televison’s excellent studio debut Marquee Moon. Obviously, there are some stylistic similarities. Like all other tracks on Songs of the Free, Call Me Up was co-written by the group’s Andrew Gill (guitar, vocals) and Jon King (vocals, melodica). Sara Lee (bass, backing vocals) and Hugo Burnham (drums, percussion) completed their lineup of the band, formed in Leeds in 1976. Along with co-founders King and Burham, Lee remains a Gang of Four member to this day. In October 2021, David Pajo officially was announced as having joined the group. This came in the wake of Gill’s untimely death in February 2020 at the age of 64.

The Kinks/Got My Feet On the Ground

I hate to say it, but all things must pass, and once again we’re reaching the final destination of yet another Sunday Six. Let’s wrap up this trip with one of my all-time favorite bands, The Kinks. Together with The Who, they are early pioneers of punk, who influenced punk bands like Ramones and The Clash. In particular, I dig their ’60s music, which is convenient since we haven’t visited that decade yet on this trip – something that simply cannot occur, as long as I operate the time machine! So here are The Kinks with Got My Feet On the Ground, a deeper but nevertheless great cut. Co-written by the oftentimes feuding brothers Ray Davies (lead vocals, guitars) and Dave Davies (vocals, electric guitar), the song is off the group’s sophomore album Kinda Kinks. It’s one of the tracks featuring Dave on lead vocals. While The Kinks never formally split, the combative brothers’ relationship further deteriorated after their final show in 1996. But, dare I say it, things seem to have improved more recently, with media reports suggesting they have been talking to each other. Inevitably, this brings up the question about a formal reunion. “Ray and I have spoken about it,” Dave Davies told British online paper The Independent in July 2022, adding, “It’s possible!” We shall see!

Sources: Wikipedia; The Independent; YouTube; Spotify