January 15, 2007
Two score years gone by
.
While Archer struggles to remember the events of 1967 (and is possibly going off the deep end in the process), he also has me considering if we are living in the modern-day equivalent of that year. Among the many useless comparisons we could make is whether 2007 is up to snuff with 1967 in the realm of popular music. Such a comparison begs a question, also inspired by Mr. Archer's post, regarding which current group is seeking to top their Sgt. Pepper's-like masterwork with a follow up even half as good as Magical Mystery Tour (even if it was overly spiced by rather twee McCartney efforts and thus signaled the Beatles on their downslope).
What else did we have going on when I was two? Mind you, I have the musical tastes of people 15 years my senior, and in order to make this completely one-sided, I'm only going to offer my thoughts on MCMLXVII:
What did I miss?
.
While Archer struggles to remember the events of 1967 (and is possibly going off the deep end in the process), he also has me considering if we are living in the modern-day equivalent of that year. Among the many useless comparisons we could make is whether 2007 is up to snuff with 1967 in the realm of popular music. Such a comparison begs a question, also inspired by Mr. Archer's post, regarding which current group is seeking to top their Sgt. Pepper's-like masterwork with a follow up even half as good as Magical Mystery Tour (even if it was overly spiced by rather twee McCartney efforts and thus signaled the Beatles on their downslope).
What else did we have going on when I was two? Mind you, I have the musical tastes of people 15 years my senior, and in order to make this completely one-sided, I'm only going to offer my thoughts on MCMLXVII:
Jimi Hendrix gave us a double whammy with Are You Experienced? and Axis:Bold As Love (one of my absolute favorite rock albums).And so the answer to, "Is 2007 the new 1967?" is that there ain't ever gonna be another 1967, Jack.
Aretha Franklin hits her stride with her first Atlantic Records release, which included her best- known recording, Respect, and a respectful and powerful rendering of Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come (my favorite among Cooke's work). Digression: Aretha made good use of the famous Muscle Shoals rhythm section and backup singers, the latter which included a 19-year-old named Donna Jean Thatcher, who in three years would marry keyboardist Keith Godchaux and go on to join up with the Grateful Dead for about eight years (I had to give Donna her props).
The Doors put out their debut album as well as No. 2, Strange Days.
Traffic (a band that I could tell you more than you'd ever want to hear about over a couple of beers) debuts with their most excellent Mr. Fantasy.
Buffalo Springfield Again, that group's second album, is released.
Not to be outdone, The Byrds craft Younger Than Yesterday, one of their best.
Jefferson Airplane records Surrealistic Pillow, its first album with singer Grace Slick. It's not only one of JA's best, it's right up there with Sgt. Pepper's. Oh, this year they also put out the loosely-produced After Bathing At Baxter's, considered weird even in that weird time, but where Paul Kantner's songwriting really begins taking the band to its psychedelic zenith.
Cream makes a gallant effort to out-duke Hendrix with their fine Disraeli Gears. They go the full 15 but alas, the judges of rock history give the decision to Jimi.
Pete Townshend steers his group into its first concept album (sort of) The Who Sell Out. I've yet to acquire the re-release that has the full complement of the funny and phony commercials with which they interspersed the songs. The album cover has some silly visual swipes at the corporate world as well (e.g. Roger Daltrey bathing in a tub of Heinz Baked Beans).
The Rolling Stones, suffering through the latter daze of Brian Jones, cranked out three albums of no particular note (Between The Buttons, Flowers, Their Satanic Majesties Request) but which produced great songs like Ruby Tuesday, Out Of Time and 200 Light Years From Home.
The Mothers Of Invention released their second album, Absolutely Free, which includes several of my Zappa faves: Plastic People, Duke Of Prunes, Call Any Vegetable and Son Of Suzy Creamcheese.
Simon & Garfunkel record Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme.
What did I miss?
.
Labels: Damn I'm OLD, music
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"What else did we have going on when I was two?"
Well, there was this little thing going on called The Summer of Love.
I liking to think lately that we can take a page from that summer and apply it to the Summer of 2007 and beyond.
Well, there was this little thing going on called The Summer of Love.
I liking to think lately that we can take a page from that summer and apply it to the Summer of 2007 and beyond.
Absolutely Free was my introduction to Zappa. Still love it.
Pink Floyd's debut, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, was also released in 1967 if memory serves.
Pink Floyd's debut, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, was also released in 1967 if memory serves.
# posted by 
: January 15, 2007 10:18 AM
: January 15, 2007 10:18 AM
The music of 2007 doesn't stand up to 1987 -- which was dominated by such musical masters as Whitesnake, Poison, Def Leppard and Richard Marx -- let alone the unbelievably sublime artistry found in 1967.
1967? Im FAAAR to young for this discussion. I wasn't born until 1969 and the late 80's and early 90s was my favourite musical era (Guns n roses, Nirvana, Pearl jam etc).
Musically, 2007 does not look very promising so far but then 2006 was not anything to write home about either.
Musically, 2007 does not look very promising so far but then 2006 was not anything to write home about either.
# posted by : January 16, 2007 5:30 PM
: January 16, 2007 5:30 PM
Mark - by most accounts I've become familiar with, we'd be better with a page from the summer of 1966, before the Haight was overrun with poseurs and tourists. I think it was Phil Lesh who commented that the Dead's exodus to Marin County in early '68 "was one summer too late."
Joe - Count me as severely ashamed for missing Floyd's debut.
Archer - The Elevators eluded my otherwise keen psychedelic radar all the way up until 2000 when the film High Fidelity came out and I was completely enamored of its soundtrack (started my Beta Band jones it did). I probably heard You're Gonna Miss Me well before then and may have even seen the band's name on a copy of an old Fillmore poster, but damned if I knew that Janis almost joined 'em or that they birthed all those albums.
Kos - well said (did you see I elicited a comment from Archer? *I giddily prance about like a tit before composing myself*)
Lucy - Give it time, love. Ten years ago I never thought I'd be interested in discussing Benny Goodman, Hank Williams (SENIOR, by god!) or Tony Bennett with people my parent's age.
Joe - Count me as severely ashamed for missing Floyd's debut.
Archer - The Elevators eluded my otherwise keen psychedelic radar all the way up until 2000 when the film High Fidelity came out and I was completely enamored of its soundtrack (started my Beta Band jones it did). I probably heard You're Gonna Miss Me well before then and may have even seen the band's name on a copy of an old Fillmore poster, but damned if I knew that Janis almost joined 'em or that they birthed all those albums.
Kos - well said (did you see I elicited a comment from Archer? *I giddily prance about like a tit before composing myself*)
Lucy - Give it time, love. Ten years ago I never thought I'd be interested in discussing Benny Goodman, Hank Williams (SENIOR, by god!) or Tony Bennett with people my parent's age.
Perhaps, but officially, The Summer of Love is regarded s the summer of 1967:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_of_Love
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_of_Love
"... we'd be better with a page from the summer of 1966, before the Haight was overrun with poseurs and tourists.
"officially, The Summer of Love is regarded s the summer of 1967: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_of_Love"
"Officially" is counter to the counter-culture ideal. From Wikipedia article (my emphasis):
"During the Summer of Love, as many as 100,000 young people [...] flocked to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, [...] a popularized version of the hippie experience."
I'm thinkin' that that would be Mr. O' Tim's "overrun with poseurs and tourists" point.
-
"officially, The Summer of Love is regarded s the summer of 1967: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_of_Love"
"Officially" is counter to the counter-culture ideal. From Wikipedia article (my emphasis):
"During the Summer of Love, as many as 100,000 young people [...] flocked to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, [...] a popularized version of the hippie experience."
I'm thinkin' that that would be Mr. O' Tim's "overrun with poseurs and tourists" point.
-
I didn't mention it to SHAME, you, O'Timster, just throwin' in my 2 cents.
# posted by : January 17, 2007 10:06 AM
: January 17, 2007 10:06 AM
Mr. Joe the Troll said: "just throwin' in my 2 cents."
[blink!] This is a pay blog?! Never mind! I didn't make any comments! I never even read any--or yer post.
I don't owe you nuthin'! I ain't even here! Never been! [scampering away]
-
[blink!] This is a pay blog?! Never mind! I didn't make any comments! I never even read any--or yer post.
I don't owe you nuthin'! I ain't even here! Never been! [scampering away]
-
"(did you see I elicited a comment from Archer? *I giddily prance about like a tit before composing myself*)"
A prancing tit? Now that's what I call visual writing.
A prancing tit? Now that's what I call visual writing.
Lucy, you and I were born in the same year, so your age is no excuse. If you were into the music of the 90s, you gotta go back and listen to where that came from -- 60s and 70s rock.
Sylvia (re: poseurs and tourists) - 'xactly.
Joe - regardless of your intent (which I know was not malicious), I feel like it was a big boo-boo, a certain disgrace to my established rock snobbery (and mad Google skilz).
Sylvia (make yerself at home, BTW)- This is mos def NOT a pay blog, though if I bothered to have a SiteMeter I would undoubtedly cajole the thousands of my blog's lurkers into commenting as payment. Then I'd show that Great and Powerful Paula who's boss. Anyway, Joe pays me two cents a month to be his friend. I know that's cheap but we've been friends for a while, so think along the lines of rent control. Now if you'll excuse me I have a couple of half-gallon bottles to take to the Coinstar.
Joe - regardless of your intent (which I know was not malicious), I feel like it was a big boo-boo, a certain disgrace to my established rock snobbery (and mad Google skilz).
Sylvia (make yerself at home, BTW)- This is mos def NOT a pay blog, though if I bothered to have a SiteMeter I would undoubtedly cajole the thousands of my blog's lurkers into commenting as payment. Then I'd show that Great and Powerful Paula who's boss. Anyway, Joe pays me two cents a month to be his friend. I know that's cheap but we've been friends for a while, so think along the lines of rent control. Now if you'll excuse me I have a couple of half-gallon bottles to take to the Coinstar.
[defensive] 'Cause 207 of those times I was browsing, 'K?!
Besides [eyes well up with tiny tears], you, Miz Paula, sez to me, "Go get yer own blog!" [bitterly] So, I ran away and now I'm livin' under a bridge. [most sarcastic] Are ya happy now?!
Besides [eyes well up with tiny tears], you, Miz Paula, sez to me, "Go get yer own blog!" [bitterly] So, I ran away and now I'm livin' under a bridge. [most sarcastic] Are ya happy now?!
And she does incredible things with leftover goat! She's a miracle worker, I tell ya!
# posted by : January 18, 2007 6:09 PM
: January 18, 2007 6:09 PM
Mr. Joe the Troll said: "And she does incredible things with leftover goat! She's a miracle worker, I tell ya!"
[whispering] Mr. Joe! I don't want Miz Paula to know I'm hidin' out under your bridge! She ain't gonna feel sorry about that! [/whispering]
[loudly] Thanks, Mr. Joe! It was nice of you to visit me at the pitifully cold and lonely bridge underpass where I've been forced to live [sniffle].'Scuse. And, thanks for them goat meat scraps--I was awfully hungry... [sneaking a glance at Miz Paula to see if she's paying attention].
[whispering] Mr. Joe! I don't want Miz Paula to know I'm hidin' out under your bridge! She ain't gonna feel sorry about that! [/whispering]
[loudly] Thanks, Mr. Joe! It was nice of you to visit me at the pitifully cold and lonely bridge underpass where I've been forced to live [sniffle].'Scuse. And, thanks for them goat meat scraps--I was awfully hungry... [sneaking a glance at Miz Paula to see if she's paying attention].
Mr. O' Tim said: "make yerself at home [...] This is mos def NOT a pay blog"
Alrighty! Thenk yew! [dragging in Comfy Chair, ottoman, blankie, pillow, reading lamp, and cooler filled with Root Beer and tasty carrot sticks] So, what's for supper? Tonight Mr. O' Tim served... [blanch!] Curried Goat's Head, and suddenly I wasn't hungry.
[rifling through refrigerator] But, I am now! [dragging ladder over, scampering up, and peeking into freezer] What kinda ice-cream do ya have?
"Then I'd show that Great and Powerful Paula who's boss. "
YEAH! You show her! [glancing around] Ummm... she ain't here, is she?
Alrighty! Thenk yew! [dragging in Comfy Chair, ottoman, blankie, pillow, reading lamp, and cooler filled with Root Beer and tasty carrot sticks] So, what's for supper? Tonight Mr. O' Tim served... [blanch!] Curried Goat's Head, and suddenly I wasn't hungry.
[rifling through refrigerator] But, I am now! [dragging ladder over, scampering up, and peeking into freezer] What kinda ice-cream do ya have?
"Then I'd show that Great and Powerful Paula who's boss. "
YEAH! You show her! [glancing around] Ummm... she ain't here, is she?
"Tonight Mr. O' Tim served... [blanch!] Curried Goat's Head"
IMTS "Tonight Mr. Joe served... [blanch!] Curried Goat's Head..." Sorry, I'm still a tad woozy from the thought.
IMTS "Tonight Mr. Joe served... [blanch!] Curried Goat's Head..." Sorry, I'm still a tad woozy from the thought.
Oh, I though O'Tim made the curried goat head too..... I gave him the recipe. (He nagged and nagged, he did!)
# posted by : January 19, 2007 10:18 AM
: January 19, 2007 10:18 AM
Mr. Joe the Troll claimed: "O'Tim made the curried goat head too."
[suspicious] CONSPIRACY!
Y'all have aligned yerselves with Miz Paula with the intent of making me get my own blog! Yer all...mean! That's what y'all are! [bursting into tears and running out of room]
[a door slams] [twice, just because]
[suspicious] CONSPIRACY!
Y'all have aligned yerselves with Miz Paula with the intent of making me get my own blog! Yer all...mean! That's what y'all are! [bursting into tears and running out of room]
[a door slams] [twice, just because]
Boy, just because I thought O'Tim made a goat head? Kinda hypersensative, aintcha?
I never said you HAD to blog, anyway. I just said I'd read you if you did. So there.
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I never said you HAD to blog, anyway. I just said I'd read you if you did. So there.
# posted by : January 19, 2007 2:05 PM
: January 19, 2007 2:05 PM << Home
