Rock Evolution – The History of Rock & Roll - 1985 - (page 203)

Got to have some Pops and the family...

If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) - The Staples Singers

We need the mandatory Miles Davis alumni so this year I'm going with Keith Jarrett who released his epic Solo Concerts triple album. Each side of each album (bar the two track 5th side) is a single track of improvised music performed in either Bremen or Lausanne. Viewed as one of the great feats of improvisation. Don't know if or how the concerts are split up on Spotify but for brevity I've picked the first track off side 5.

Keith Jarrett - Lausanne Part 1 b

On Davis alumini can't have Jarrett and then ignore Herbie Hancock. 73's Headhunters was a classic too. Picking the 73 rewrite of one of his best known songs from 10 years earlier. Funked up with synths this time but pride of place goes to the beer bottles Bill Summers is blowing into.

Herbie Hancock - Watermelon Man (1973 version)

Finally, I was 8 years old and I loved this. A cover of the Guardsmen's original. In memory of the 80 men...

The Hotshots - Snoopy vs The Red Baron
That Keith Jarrett album is truly amazing.
 
That Keith Jarrett album is truly amazing.

On paper/in theory, I get the idea of what he did in those concerts but in practice especially given it's (a) a solo effort and (b) he doesn't even stay within a genre, I cannot really get my head round having the ability to do that. To have the facility to create, retain and manipulate that much in your head in real time is just an alien concept to me and my brain sort of defaults to thinking of it as pre-composed. I try to understand it in simplistic mechanical terms but I'm sure if you have a brain capable of doing this kind of stuff it feels nothing like that at all.
 
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Try the much maligned by some, The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.
I think this is a fantastic album and the pinnacle of Gabriel’s involvement, but the stage show that went with it is totally overblown and you can see why punk came along, I guess.
Overblown you say? Nothing wrong with a bit of Slipperman.

Slippermen:
"We, like you, have tasted love.
Don't be alarmed at what you see,
You yourself are just the same
As what you see in me."
Rael:
Me, like you? like that!

The most ridiculous thing about the whole LLDOB project was Gabriel (not long out of Charterhouse) playing Rael, a street wise Puerto Rican punk from NY.
Bizzarre.
 
Yes, Yes, Yes!

I love Red Dirt Girl it gives me goosebumps and once I play it i just cannot stop playing it. Thats it, im off to bed soon and the earphones will be on playing Red Dirt Girt. So jealous you're going to see her and Graham Nash Wow! I still can't believe Nash came from Salford to the Laurel Canyon.

Me and my best friend Lillian
And her blue tick hound dog Gideon
Sittin' on the front porch coolin' in the shade
Singin' every song the radio played
Waitin' for the Alabama sun to go down
Two red dirt girls in a red dirt town
Me and Lillian
Just across the line
And a little southeast of Meridian
Great album and I think I prefer it to Wrecking Ball.
 
OB1, what a great paean to 1973, love it!

Blockbuster was the first single I bought, so has a special place in my heart, thanks for including it.

Maybe my suggestion to add to your list is not the greatest song from that year, but I love the sentiment behind the simple lyrics!

We're an American band
We're an American band
We're comin' to your town
We'll help you party it down
We're an American band


We're an American Band - Grand Funk Railroad
 
OB1, what a great paean to 1973, love it!

Blockbuster was the first single I bought, so has a special place in my heart, thanks for including it.

Maybe my suggestion to add to your list is not the greatest song from that year, but I love the sentiment behind the simple lyrics!

We're an American band
We're an American band
We're comin' to your town
We'll help you party it down
We're an American band


We're an American Band - Grand Funk Railroad
I am glad you suggested this one: it’s on my other list.

Talking of GFR, I once had brunch sat at a table next to Mark Farner, who I had see perform the previous day on a multi-band bill in Nashville.
 
This is after all a history of music thread so its only fair to reflect on what was dominating the singles chart in 1973. In the UK, It was The Osmonds, Donnie, Little Jimmy, David Cassidy, Gary Glitter, Slade, David Essex, Wizzard, Sweet, Bowie. Spending more than 10 weeks in the top 10 were Dawn with Tie a yellow ribbon.. Alvin Stardust with My Koo ca Choo, Peters and Lee, Welcome Home and the New Seekers with You wont find another fool like me.

If I had to pick a single (and to be honest I disliked most of the above), lets go for Manfred Manns Earth Band - Joybringer

The US showed far better taste than us and I would pick for 1973 Roberta Flacks, Killing me softly with his song
 
This is after all a history of music thread so its only fair to reflect on what was dominating the singles chart in 1973. In the UK, It was The Osmonds, Donnie, Little Jimmy, David Cassidy, Gary Glitter, Slade, David Essex, Wizzard, Sweet, Bowie. Spending more than 10 weeks in the top 10 were Dawn with Tie a yellow ribbon.. Alvin Stardust with My Koo ca Choo, Peters and Lee, Welcome Home and the New Seekers with You wont find another fool like me.

If I had to pick a single (and to be honest I disliked most of the above), lets go for Manfred Manns Earth Band - Joybringer

The US showed far better taste than us and I would pick for 1973 Roberta Flacks, Killing me softly with his song
Back then I had a ‘party piece’ which was an impersonation of Peters and Lee. You can imagine it was very cruel and would probably be criminal now.
I saw them once performing in a club. They were worse than my imitation.
 
If we are talking 1973 then it cannot be allowed to pass without mentioning the superb rock movie 'Almost Famous'. Set in 1973 its a semi autobiographical film based on the young Cameron Crowe becoming a writer for Rolling Stone and follows his experience on the road with the fictional rock band Stillwater which is actually based on The Allman Brothers. With a star studded cast consisting of Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Patrick Fugit, Zooey Deschanel and Philip Seymour Hoffman and music by Nancy Wilson of Heart and backed wirh a soundtrack of absolute classic rock tracks with Led Zeppelin allowing their own music to be used in a film for the first time ever.

There is an excellent scene cut from the finished movie where the 15yr old William (the young Cameron Crowe) had to convince his Mother to let him go on tour and if you get chance to watch the American dvd version with the extras you can see the scene in full. You take your own copy of Stairway to Heaven, drop the needle in the groove and press play on the dvd and the scene perfectly synchs to your vinyl.

Peter Frampton makes an appearance and the film is littered with references to some of the memorable characters, of the time Lester Bangs, Frank Barsalona, Pennie Lane Trumbull, Pamela Des Barres and especially the Riot House scene (Hyatt House) is littered with scenes from the period.

The most iconic scene in the film takes part on the tour bus after Russel the guitar player had gone awol on a drug fuelled binge and returns to the band who at this point are at breaking point, the strains of the tour are taking its toll on relationships and it all appears to be breaking down and the young William just wants to go home as he realises he is it of his depth. One of the band begins to sing Elton Johns Tiny Dancer and one by one they all join in and the moment pulls everyone together. Gone is the hatred and the stress of the tour as they realise this is home. Dave Grohl pays homage to the scene on The Late Show where he admits to never having heard the song before but thanks Cameron Crowe for opening up a part of him he never knew. Crowe filmed the scene over and over and later admitted that the first take was perfect but he just wanted to indulge himself and live the moment over and over again.
 
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If we are talking 1973 then it cannot be allowed to pass without mentioning the superb rock movie 'Almost Famous'. Set in 1973 its a semi autobiographical film based on the young Cameron Crowe becoming a writer for Rolling Stone and follows his experience on the road with the fictional rock band Stillwater which is actually based on The Allman Brothers. With a star studded cast consisting of Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Patrick Fugit, Zooey Deschanel and Philip Seymour Hoffman and music by Nancy Wilson of Heart and backed wirh a soundtrack of absolute classic rock tracks with Led Zeppelin allowing their own music to be used in a film for the first time ever.

There is an excellent scene cut from the finished movie where the 15yr old William (the young Cameron Crowe) had to convince his Mother to let him go on tour and if you get chance to watch the American dvd version with the extras you can see the scene in full. You take your own copy of Stairway to Heaven, drop the needle in the groove and press play on the dvd and the scene perfectly synchs to your vinyl.

Peter Frampton makes an appearance and the film is littered with references to some of the memorable characters, of the time Lester Bangs, Frank Barsalona, Pennie Lane Trumbull, Pamela Des Barres and especially the Riot House scene (Hyatt House) is littered with scenes from the period.

The most iconic scene in the film takes part on the tour bus after Russel the guitar player had gone awol on a drug fuelled binge and returns to the band who at this point are at breaking point, the strains of the tour are taking its toll on relationships and it all appears to be breaking down and the young William just wants to go home as he realises he is it of his depth. One of the band begins to sing Elton Johns Tiny Dancer and one by one they all join in and the moment pulls everyone together. Gone is the hatred and the stress of the tour as they realise this is home. Dave Grohl pays homage to the scene on The Late Show where he admits to never having heard the song before but thanks Cameron Crowe for opening up a part of him he never knew. Crowe filmed the scene over and over and later admitted that the first take was perfect but he just wanted to indulge himself and live the moment over and over again.
Some things I didn’t know about the movie. Not seen it in ages but did go and see it on release. Well worth watching if you have not seen it.

Just remembered I do have a DVD of it which my wife was going to take to the charity shop along with a load of others; I’ve rescued it.
 
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Overblown you say? Nothing wrong with a bit of Slipperman.

Slippermen:
"We, like you, have tasted love.
Don't be alarmed at what you see,
You yourself are just the same
As what you see in me."
Rael:
Me, like you? like that!

The most ridiculous thing about the whole LLDOB project was Gabriel (not long out of Charterhouse) playing Rael, a street wise Puerto Rican punk from NY.
Bizzarre.
I love that album.
Street wise Puerto Rican punk!
I just love it right from the vitriolic start.
He spews venom right from the off, with the opening track. It’s punk before punk.
Love it.
 
Some things I didn’t about the movie. Not seen it in ages but did go and see it on release. Well worth watching if you have not seen it.

Just remembered I do have a DVD of it which my wife was going to take to the charity shop along with a load of others; I’ve rescued it.

Excellent, even better if it has the cut scene but if it doesn't here it is with Stairway played over it. The Counselor in this scene is Camerons actual real mother lol. Also most of his bedroom in the end bedroom scene with guitarist Russel was Camerons actual posters, bedding etc. Apparently he kept it all in storage for years.



And below the Dave Grohl live acoustic version of Tiny Dancer concentrating especially on the bus scene lol!

 
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If we are talking 1973 then it cannot be allowed to pass without mentioning the superb rock movie 'Almost Famous'.

The most iconic scene in the film takes part on the tour bus after Russel the guitar player had gone awol on a drug fuelled binge and returns to the band who at this point are at breaking point, the strains of the tour are taking its toll on relationships and it all appears to be breaking down and the young William just wants to go home as he realises he is it of his depth. One of the band begins to sing Elton Johns Tiny Dancer and one by one they all join in and the moment pulls everyone together. Gone is the hatred and the stress of the tour as they realise this is home. Dave Grohl pays homage to the scene on The Late Show where he admits to never having heard the song before but thanks Cameron Crowe for opening up a part of him he never knew. Crowe filmed the scene over and over and later admitted that the first take was perfect but he just wanted to indulge himself and live the moment over and over again.
Graet song from 1971, I'm sure someone nominated it. ;-)

 
I love that album.
Street wise Puerto Rican punk!
I just love it right from the vitriolic start.
He spews venom right from the off, with the opening track. It’s punk before punk.
Love it.
It’s not my favourite Genesis album although it contains some excellent stuff. I did see them do it live and if I had to choose a singer to play a streetwise Puerto Rican punk, I think Cilla would have been more authentic than PG.
 
Graet song from 1971, I'm sure someone nominated it. ;-)


Excellent, im coming to the thread late so trying to get to grips. I presume your doing a year by year assessment of rock music. Madman Across the Water is my favourite album by him, i don't care for too much else really although I do love thanks once again to the film Almost Famous his song Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters. So as a final connection to the film here's Heart and the Wilson sisters performing it live.

 
Excellent, im coming to the thread late so trying to get to grips. I presume your doing a year by year assessment of rock music.
Page 1 outlines it all, and I'm sure there are plenty of years to still claim the intro on.

I've had 2 years I didn't see coming, so feel free to claim one to Rob if you are so inclined, or step in if needed. Something tells me those opportunities will come again. ;-)
Madman Across the Water is my favourite album by him, i don't care for too much else really although I do love thanks once again to the film Almost Famous his song Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters. So as a final connection to the film here's Heart and the Wilson sisters performing it live.
That is one of my favourites, along with Tumbleweed Connection for its overall cohesiveness, which I nominated a lesser known, but still classic track of mine for the 1970 playlist, also found back in the pages here.
 
Excellent, even better if it has the cut scene but if it doesn't here it is with Stairway played over it. The Counselor in this scene is Camerons actual real mother lol. Also most of his bedroom in the end bedroom scene with guitarist Russel was Camerons actual posters, bedding etc. Apparently he kept it all in storage for years.



And below the Dave Grohl live acoustic version of Tiny Dancer concentrating especially on the bus scene lol!
That Stairway scene is brilliant. I can see why it got cut commercially but artistically, would have loved it to have been left in.

Frances McDormand BTW, what an actress,

Thanks for sharing.
 
It’s not my favourite Genesis album although it contains some excellent stuff. I did see them do it live and if I had to choose a singer to play a streetwise Puerto Rican punk, I think Cilla would have been more authentic than PG.
Only seen clips of the stage show and let’s just say, I’d rather listen to the double album with my own mind providing the visuals rather than have it ruined by OTT stage antics.
 
The album For Everyman is one of the classic singer/songwriter records of the era, and in my opinion one of Jackson Browne's masterpieces. His debut album was excellent, but on For Everyman the music and production caught up with the lyrics to create something special. The musicians and singers were extraordinary.

There were so many wonderful songs on the record including his version of Take It Easy (which I believe is far superior to The Eagles rendition), the rollicking rocking Red Neck Friend, the lovely I Thought I Was A Child, etc.

My choice for 1973 is a song Browne wrote when he was 16. It was first recorded by Nico in 1967 and later covered by Tom Rush, Gregg Allman, and many others. From the opening acoustic guitar thru David Lindley's haunting slide guitar closing, These Days was Jackson Browne at his melancholy introspective best.

These Days - Jackson Browne
 

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