"EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS NOWHERE" was Neil Young's second solo album. Originally released in 1969, it marks the first appearance of Crazy Horse, a group formerly known as the Rockets. Rolling Stone Magazine's reviewer said of this association and the resulting recording that it "started a relationship that would change guitar rock forever and form the foundation of his career. If 'Neil Young' (the title of his first solo album) had an aura of careful subtlety bordering on tentativeness, 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' felt raw, rushed, energized. Indeed, Young dashed off the album's three central songs-'Cinnamon Girl,' 'Down by the River,' and 'Cowgirl in the Sand'-in a single fever-addled afternoon, and Young and the band play with an almost reckless disregard for prettiness, precision, clarity." If we could say it any better, we would be writing reviews for Rolling Stone. The part about writing in one fever-addled afternoon is not poetic license. We are not sure about "Cinnamon Girl," but in the liner notes for his "Decade" compilation, Neil Young does say that he wrote "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Down by the River" in bed with a 103 degree fever, surrounded by Crazy Horse, the bed covered with scraps of paper.
The album contains 4 songs other than the 3 already mentioned: "The Losing End," "Round and Round," Running Dry," and the title track. We think that every song is a winner, and that this one stands the test of time to become a true rock and roll classic. This is the album that first established the sound that eventually earned Mr. Young the title "Godfather of Grunge." Around the end of March this artist suffered from a serious health problem (brain aneurysm) which was said to have been treated successfully with a minimally invasive procedure. We hope for the best of health for this artist. He has given us a lot of pleasure over the years, while fighting for many worthwile causes. TO YOUR HEALTH, NEIL!
If you were a Rolling Stones fan, you knew from the opening notes of “Gimme Shelter” that LET IT BLEED would be a great album. Released in November of 1969, as the decade was drawing to a close, this was a turbulent record for turbulent times. Richard Nixon was president and the war in Viet Nam was dragging on. The “summer of love” was still a warm memory, and we had hope that we could build a better world. Three days of peace and music had added “Woodstock” to our lexicon, but Kent State and Watergate were not yet a part of our consciousness. We still had Janis, Jimi, and Jim, but not for much longer. Into this tumultuous atmosphere the “Stones” brought us a message of apocalypse and possible redemption, and we were hooked from those first notes.
The thunder from the guitars of Keith Richards and Bill Wyman seems to be more the progenitor than merely the harbinger of the storms and fire that Mick Jagger (backed by Richards and the powerful voice of Mary Clayton) sings about. Mr Jagger might actually be praying for our help when he sings: If I don't get some shelter, oh, I'm gonna fade away.” The music howls around him , and it seems the worst is possible. However, there is redemption here; for we learn that Love is just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away. It is a powerful intoduction to the newest “Stones” album. This duality is echoed to a lesser degree in the title track. “Let it Bleed” employs stark, somewhat discomforting imagery, but as the chorus says:”If you want it baby, you can lean on me.”
The darkest track on this record is undoubtedly “Midnight Rambler. This is a song that threatens danger and violence, offering it as something that will always be a part of us. Musically, this song highlights Mr. Jagger's often overlooked harmonica skills.
As a counterpoint to Midnight Rambler, the “Stones” chose to close this collection with the most openly philosophical song of their careers. “You Can't Always Get What You Want” is lushly produced using the London Bach Choir. The chorus to this song has become a rock and roll classic: “You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need.” In an age when self-expression was threatening to become self-absorption, they may have been offering us one last chance at salvation.
This recording also offers great advice on the cover: “ THIS RECORD SHOULD BE PLAYED LOUD.”
www.rollingstones.com
July 20th, 2005
MACHINE HEAD
Near the end of 1971, Deep Purple was ready to record a new album. The previous two releases, IN ROCK and FIREBALL, had been successful without bringing the widespread acclaim that launches a band into the top echelon of rock's elite. Always experimental, the members of Deep Purple had decided to record an album ouside the studio. The idea was to approximate the sound of a live show, and perhaps to even issue a double album, half live and half recorded in a live setting without the audience. It was also necessary to record outside their native England as a way of circumventing the restrictive tax laws.
The band had previously played at the casino in Montreux, Switzerland and felt that it suited their needs. A date was set for December, and the title MACHINE HEAD had already been chosen. When the band arrived in Montreux, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were playing an afternoon show at the casino. Band members were given front row seats by Claude Nobs, a local entrepeneur involved with the casino and the local jazz festival. At one point in the show an audience member fired a flare gun into the casino showroom's ceiling. This did not seem critical at first. Eventually, however, the show was stopped due to the realization that a fire was burning in the space between the casino's decorative bamboo ceiling and the true ceiling above that. The casino was evacuated as the ceiling fire rapidly became an inferno. With two weeks left to record an album for which almost no material was written, Deep Purple found themselves without a facility. They had leased the Rolling Stone's mobile recording studio, which had already arrived in Montreux. However, they needed a new venue since the casino had burned to the ground.
Despite his own problems with a ruined casino, Claude Nobs went to work seeking a new place for the band. He located an empty theater and Deep Purple went to work. The first night they managed to lay down a complete instrumental track with no ideas for lyrics. Only after finishing the song did they realize that their crew had been desperately holding the door against the local police. The theater was located in the center of town, and the band's music was keeping the local residents awake. Since they preferred to work at night (and what rock band doesn't) this location would now be unsuitable.
Again, Claude Nobs came through for them. The band now moved to the Grand Hotel, which was closed for the winter. Several more precious days were lost as workers were hired to make some modifications to the hotel. It was decided to record in the ground floor corridor. To improve acoustics, a temporary wall was constructed to seal off the corridor from the lobby. Mattresses from the hotel's rooms were used to line some of the corridor walls for the same purpose, as well as to hold in the heat provided by rented heaters. A few red lights were installed to create atmosphere, and the makeshift studio was ready. With little time left, the band began to lay down the tracks that became perhaps the greatest album of these heavy metal pioneers.
Two songs were ready to go. “Highway Star” was a souped up tribute to the ubiquitous car songs of the 1960's. This tune, along with “Lazy,” had been performed on Purple's last tour. Both were high energy romps that showcased the unique sound Deep Purple was developing. In the same vein, “Space Truckin'” was also purely for fun. With its nonsense sci-fi lyrics and pile-driver guitar riffs, this song seems to be an indulgence for both the band and the listener. There are also two mournful love songs included: “Maybe I'm A Leo” and “Never Before.” The lyrics at least are mournful, the music is pure rock. “Pictures of Home” is a tale of isolation inspired by the band's situation; that is, their recording in a deserted hotel surrounded by the overawing Alps. Making the best of what could have been a bad situation, Deep Purple scored their biggest hit ever by telling the story of the making of this album. Set to the music that they had recorded the first night in the theater at town center, “Smoke On The Water” became the song that brought them a huge worldwide following.
One of the attractions of Deep Purple is the sense that you are listening to an actual band of musicians rather than one star surrounded by a cast of supporting players. That is especially evident on this record. Ian Paice sets the tempo by attacking the drums with a ferocity that jump-starts every song, and Roger Glover is simply one of the finest bass players in the business. As a lead vocalist, Ian Gillan has the ability to scream or to croon the lyrics. He does both in equal measure here. The classical influence that Jon Lord brings to the keyboards is also an integral part of the Deep Purple sound. The fifth bandmember, Ritchie Blackmore, is known for his lightning fast speed on the guitar. However, unlike some lead players who seem to think that technical virtuosity is the goal, Blackmore realizes that it is all about the song and not the musician. He knows when to slow down and let the melody speak for itself.
The great news for fans is that in 1997 a two disc anniversary edition of MACHINE HEAD was released. The first disc contains the original album plus what may be the best song ever cut from an album. “When A Blind Man Cries” was released as a “b” side on the single “Never Before,” which the band believed to be the most commercial song on the album. “Never Before” tanked as a single, and so most fans never got to hear the bluesy “Blind Man.” Disc one is finished with quadrophonic mixes of two of the original songs. The second disc consists of Roger Glover's remixes of the original seven songs and “When A Blind Man Cries.” The remixes are top-notch, containing some solos that were not used on the original.
MACHINE HEAD was a milestone album for Deep Purple, and to some extent for heavy metal music. Sadly, it also began a decline in the relationships between the bandmates. They continued to make great music for a while, but slowly drifted apart as the pressures of fame, touring and money took their toll. Rock and roll fans should familiarize themselves with this fortunate melange of talent and circumstance.
Beginning with their self titled 1972 album, the Eagles had positioned themselves as one of the leading proponents of a bourgeoning new music genre: progressive country. Their follow-up album, 1973's Desperado, took things a step further by adding a western theme in what is considered to be one of the earliest concept albums. Unlike the Who's rock opera, Tommy,Desperado does not attempt to tell a cohesive story so much as recall a particular lifestyle from a bygone era. Each song stands alone very well, but they work together to tell the stories of cowboys and outlaws in the old west.
The album begins with “Doolin-Dalton,” which speaks about the choices we make that determine the paths of our lives. Should we be farmers or outlaws? The next two songs address the fact that such seemingly simple choices are complicated by human frailties. “Twenty-one” is about the ineffaceable sense of invincibility we possess as young adults. While childhood and old age may be spent coming to terms with death, our youth is spent denying that it can ever catch up with us. “Out of Control” churns with the restless, hormonal passions that so often lead us to make the wrong choices. Song number four, “Tequila Sunrise,” slows things down. This story of a cowboy longing for love and the “Dreams he planned to try” is “Doolin-Dalton's” opposite, and was the album's hit single. Next up was “Desperado.” Eschewing the guitar and banjo driven scores of the other songs, “Desperado” relies more on piano with an orchestral string arragement. Combined with the haunting lyrics and Henleys soulful vocals, this song has a beauty that has kept it a staple of both Eagles and Don Henley concerts. Returning to the outlaw theme, “Certain Kind of Fool” and “Outlaw Man” add the twin demons of desperation and isolation as motivating factors. These songs are separated by an instrumental version of “Doolin-Dalton.” “Saturday Night” again slows the pace with its story of nostalgic longing for old times, old loves. The idea of our lives being determined by the choices we make is hammered home by “Bitter Creek.” This song's opening lines, “Once I was young and so unsure, I'd try any ill to find a cure,” relate to all the darker motivations the earlier songs have alluded to. This Bernie Leadon penned song may be the most overlooked piece on the album, which is then appropriately closed out by a reprise made up of “Doolin-Dalton/Desperado.”
It was on this sophomore album that the Eagles first showed the perfection (they are the ultimate perfectionists with their music) in their harmonies that would become an Eagles trademark. It was also a breakout album for Don Henley, who had co-writing credits for all but three of the album's songs. Most of all, it was a landmark in the progressive country movement, showing that rock and country could be blended in a commercially successful album.
