CHRISTINE PERFECT McVIE: “Godspeed”

   Many moons ago I saw a “perfect” woman take the stage of FILLMORE EAST, something I was not expecting. At that moment I was a bit disappointed as a major shift of personnel for the band I wished to hear had drastically changed. A few weeks prior to this engagement I had purchased tickets to see (Peter Green’s) FLEETWOOD MAC and up until the days prior to that night I was wholly anticipating seeing one of my favorite guitarists and “his” band once again. Then, well…he disappears. On my turntable at the time was the album “Fleetwood Mac” aka “The Garbage Can Cover”. Back on November 22,1969 I experienced JOE COCKER with THE GREASE BAND, FLEETWOOD MAC (with Peter Green) and an opening act of KING CRIMSON at Fillmore East in New York City. This billing was a memorable one as CRIMSON blew the house down in the opening 35 minutes. Then, FLEETWOOD MAC topped it with its one hour plus set. While COCKER had the head bill he carried a severe liability. After FLEETWOOD MAC left the stage THE GREASE BAND was musically no match for either act. I was in awe of CRIMSON and MAC. I had to see FLEETWOOD MAC again.‘Black Magic Woman’, ‘Albatross‘, ‘Man of the World’, ‘Oh Well’ and ‘The Green Manalishi’ all rang in my head in great anticipation. But unbeknownst to me PETER GREEN left the band May 1970.

   TICKETS TORN IN HALF: August 29,1970: SAVOY BROWN/ FLEETWOOD MAC/ FAIRPORT CONVENTION@FILLMORE EAST. Back to Fillmore East for what would be one of my favorite shows for the summer of 70. This one featured Savoy Brown, Fleetwood Mac, and Fairport Convention all British acts sharing the bill. Fairport once had Sandy Denny who was not in the band any longer but still had Richard Thompson on guitar/vocals. Fleetwood Mac was missing Peter Green (the main attraction guitar/vocals)which was a huge disappointment to me but this newer FLEETWOOD MAC now had Christine Perfect (John McVie’s wife) on board full time (keyboards and vocals) and they did some KILN HOUSE stuff which rocked. Savoy Brown was Kim Simmonds but Chris Youlden (vocals) was no longer a member. Lonesome Dave did the voice and shades of FOGHAT were born.

   This new version of FLEETWOOD MAC, one of many more versions to come, had this new piano player, a singer who offered different styles of songs and rearrangements of older material AND she was a “looker” as was said at the time. As much as I was disappointed in not seeing PETER GREEN there was something about this new beginning to FLEETWOOD MAC that excited me.

   CHRISTINE PERFECT McVIE became a permanent member of the band. The BOB WELCH version was up next with “Future Games” and then “Bare Trees” both lps moving THE MAC further from their original blues based origin but closer to what the band would become. Then,“Penguin” the band added BOB WESTON (slide guitar) and (IMO horrendous) vocalist DAVE WALKER (from Savoy Brown #7). The “Mystery To Me” era, WALKER is fired so vocal duties are split between WELCH and CHRISTINE. Its release has the band back on heavy radio rotation. However, the drama known as FLEETWOOD MAC rears its ugly head again as MICK FLEETWOOD finds out that his beautiful wife JENNY BOYD (George Harrison’s sister in law) is having an affair with BOB WESTON, BOB is ultimately fired and the band cuts the tour short moving back to England.There, as a four piece they record “Heroes Are Hard To Find”, a beautiful collection of tunes sung perfectly by WELCH and CHRISTINE.

   Unfortunately, meanwhile back in the States…CLIFFORD DAVIS longtime manager of said FLEETWOOD MAC going back to their blues days (1967 in England) was upset with the band for cancelling the tour midway through. He decides to have FLEETWOOD MAC book a new tour of the U.S., a tour without any members of FLEETWOOD MAC participating. Unbeknown to the concert going public, we buy tickets.

   TICKETS TORN IN HALF: January 26,1974, Academy of Music- FLEETWOOD MAC/KISS/SILVERHEAD. I’m there for FLEETWOOD MAC. SILVERHEAD, well I had no idea who they were, still don’t. KISS was on a return performance from their debut at the same venue on New Years Eve. That night their set was cut short as Gene Simmons set his hair on fire.This night, KISS set the entire venue of 3000 on fire, not literally. A great show with lights, fire breathing, fully costumed performers and ear drum shattering loudness. Then, FLEETWOOD MAC appears. I notice MICK FLEETWOOD is not on the kit, No John McVie, No Christine…strange looks all around the crowd, “Who are these guys?”, guys playing instrumentals and no noticeable MAC tunes. Boos start, getting louder by the moment. An announcement is made that refund vouchers are available at the box office, to which I took my two. This was a bogus FLEETWOOD MAC, a band put together by the alleged owner (a past manager) of the “brand name” FLEETWOOD MAC. This “band” hit the road while the true members were sorting out problems with alcohol, drugs, relationships, etc. Immediately after this, the true band members grab the reins, moves to The States (were the touring money was), BOB WELCH leaves and FLEETWOOD MAC hire Buckingham and Nicks, the rest is history, or…

   The 10th album, recorded by the 10th lineup of the band in 8 years time, 1975’s FLEETWOOD MAC took one full year to finally run up to the top of the charts. February of 1977 “Rumours” is released, a true “pop” album. No shades of the original band of 67 existed any longer. However, CHRISTINE as a vocalists continues to shine. The album explodes, Number 1 for weeks/months at a time. 

   TICKETS TORN IN HALF: June 30, 1977- FLEETWOOD MAC @ Madison Square Garden. In my collection of memorabilia I saved John Rockwell’s NYTimes review of FLEETWOOD MAC’S “Rumours Tour” stop at Madison Square Garden, for what reason I don’t know. The show was great for its time but I longed for Peter Green’s FLEETWOOD MAC. This band was so much different. Overall I thought the show was pretty good.

(partial from Rockwell) FLEETWOOD MAC’s debut Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden—the first of two performances there—was a confirmation of its newly won status as this country’s most popular and best poprock band—except for, maybe the Eagles. And by and large it was a superior show to the group’s outing earlier this year at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, L.I. With one crucial exception.That exception was Stevie Nicks. Miss Nicks, along with Lindsey Buckingham, gave the three British veterans in the band the spark that lifted Fleetwood Mac into its current status. Miss Nicks composes wonderfully sinuous, mystically compelling songs, she is about as alluring a performer as rock can offer and, at her best, she sings with a huskily seductive individuality.

   But she had two problems Wednesday. The first and less important had to do with her onstage manner. Always a languorous wanderer as a performer, she pushed her lackadaisical loopiness too far. She managed to come in on cue and to remember her words, but at her worst she looked like a glamorous female equivalent of Joe Cocker, and in general her slack meanderings were more a cause for concern than for fascination.

   Far more serious was the state of her voice. Miss Nicks has nodes on her vocal chords, and her condition has worsened appreciably since the Nassau date only three months ago. The band canceled its sold‐out Syracuse concert Tuesday because of her throat, but it didn’t seem to help much.

   It was at this point in time that I gave up all hope that FLEETWOOD MAC would be the MAC I remembered, this was a very different ensemble. My taste did not lean toward a twirling, spinning woman dressed in black. I preferred the blonde playing piano and singing off to the side. RIP, CHRISTINE McVIE.

937 Days: (Part 2) TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND

Today’s Listening Pleasure: TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND “I Am The Moon”

   It was almost like landing on Mars or being in a bad dream where the everyone have left the arena except you. We arrived at the parking lot early expecting to wait for a spot but there were plenty of empty spaces. Got our train tickets and were directed to the track almost immediately catching an express to PENN STATION, 5 stops. Boarding an almost empty car, fifty-seven minutes later we arrived at our destination, an almost vacant train depot. I asked myself, “Is this really PENN STATION ?”. Heading over to the “taxi cue” which to my surprise had only a few folks in line, we got a ride to our first stop, THE EMERALD INN on 72nd Street. Funny to see the meter which added a $4.20 “congestion surcharge” fare as soon you hit the zone. Twenty bucks, tip included, and we arrive at the door.

   There we are greeted immediately by our server who promptly brought our drinks, while asking, “You going to the show?”. “You bet”, I responded. He then explains that he attended Friday’s gig of this “residency” at THE BEACON and how the entire band and crew celebrated Saturday night after the show, all closing THE INN at 4AM. His review was, “The band is on fire this tour”. I am more than excited now.

   Not tech savvy especially with E-tixs but with the assistance of the ticket taker at the door “we are in”. Over to the bar, we are greeted by a smiling server who completed our order. Took the stairs two levels up and saw that my usual Upper Tier seats were not what I ordered, we had Lower Tier which was not the view I expected. Lights dimmed and an announcement was made that a surprise guest would take the stage, “Ladies and Gentlemen, HOT TUNA” (acoustic Jack and Jorma). “Don’t You Leave Me Here”, “Hesitation Blues”, “Good Shepherd”, “and a few others before closing out with “San Francisco Bay Blues”.

NOTE: On October, 13 at 11:30 a.m. Jefferson Airplane will be honored with the 2,737th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Music. The star will be located at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard. Accepting the star on behalf of the band will be Grace Slick, Jack Casady, and Jorma Kaukonen.

   A long intermission occurred and I was getting antsy. This was TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND’s 50th gig at THE BEACON and was promised to be a special evening. It turned out to be special, however it was not the two long sets I was expecting, just one long amazing one.

   The band just released a four (4) set cd entitled “I Am The Moon” so they (tonight) selected songs to introduce to their live set, one in particular (Pasaquan) was a shining moment of Derek’s guitar mastery. “Turtle Blues” and “Don’t Think Twice” brought JORMA and JACK back to the spotlight. JACK’S solo was breathtaking. The set morphed into “Whipping Post” to thunderous applause. A 3 encore set closed out the evening.

   So, it has been 937 days since my last concert and this one was a doozy.

to be continued

Oh, Ye, gentle mistresses and most distinguished gentlemen, and others… The opinions and observations are solely my own views, and I take full responsibility for any errors of fact, not to mention any predictions that prove to be wildly inaccurate.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: February 18,1972- Billy Joel with Beefheart

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: February 18,1972- Billy Joel with Beefheart

What a strange year 1971 was with the MANSON trial and conviction, Lt. CALLEY found guilty and THE TROUBLES in IRELAND even more intense that before with THE BRITISH adding internment without trial to captured IRA members. Television had a new hit with ALL IN THE FAMILY while the MARLBORO MAN and cigarette ads in general were banned. The Allman Brothers record the LIVE album and a few months later help close out FILLMORE EAST for good. The STONES relocate to France to avoid taxes, while George Harrison is bringing attention to BANGLADESH when it declared its independence from Pakistan.

Just when I thought that 71 was as crazy as it could get along come BLOODY SUNDAY in Northern Ireland, Israeli athletes murdered in the summer Olympics, NIXON is re-elected in a landslide over George McGovern, and someone comes up with the idea which later becomes known as WATERGATE, all while AMERICAN PIE is played endlessly on the radio.

With FILLMORE EAST closed most mid range (those avoiding or not as popular to play at MSG) entertained the Rock N Roll crowds at the ACADEMY of MUSIC on 14th Street or at THE CAPITOL in Port Chester, NY.

On February 18, 1972 ,a Saturday night when it snowed like crazy but I drove my trusty VW to NYC to see the J. Geils Band/Capt. Beefheart/Billy Joel @ Academy of Music, the Late show. I took a friend of mine who to this day states, “BEEFHEART stole the show”. The J.GEILS BAND was the rising stars at this moment. The opening act, Billy Joel, did an imitation of one, JOE COCKER, as well as bad mouthing his own current album “Cold Spring Harbor”, stating it was mixed at “Mickey Mouse speed” or something to the effect. In 1972 Billy Joel was virtually a newcomer to the NY stages.Granted we had seen him many times as the organist of the Long Island band THE HASSELS, as well as he being a member of the ill fated ATTILA, a two piece heavy metal-ish organ drum outfit, which was horrible.Tonight at The Academy was different. According to my journal which I usually wrote in after a show, BILLY JOEL played piano, did a song or two from “CSH”, another song about playing piano in a bar in Los Angeles, a song about getting high, and finished with THE STONES “Honky Tonk Woman”. My BEEFHEART notes were far more extensive so I guess one can determine which band I was there to see.

Anyway, back to the good ole days…I liked the HASSLES as a local live band (66-67@ Hullabaloo) and I especially enjoyed their HAMMOND B-3 (Rascals like)sound. So when opportunity knocked while in the record department of TSS I grabbed their first album on UNITED ARTISTS RECORDS, along with their 45 RPM cover of SAM and DAVE’s “You Got Me Hummin” which is labeled incorrectly as “You’ve Got Me Hummin” (jive ass white suburban kids). The album includes “Every Step I Take (Every Move I Make)” a tune written by Billy Joel ( with a great drum part which I practiced routinely)and the band’s cover of TRAFFIC’s “Coloured Rain”, a so-so rendition Also, this being the fifteen minutes of fame for another Long Island phenomena VANILLA FUDGE, The HASSLES did “A Taste of Honey” ala The FUDGE but worse, as a matter of fact it is laugh out loud funny bad.

Their second LP “Hour Of The Wolf” was released in January of 69 but I passed on it as did most of the record buying public.The band subsequently breaks up and Billy Joel has a short career as the duo ATTILA with Jon Small, drummer from The Hassles. They regularly played the “family” owned ACTION HOUSE which is another story unto itself. Billy then disappears to Los Angeles as a lounge singer, Bill Martin, before returning in 1971 with “Cold Spring Harbor” his first solo endeavor on Family Production Records.

While this collection of tunes was making little or no noise on the charts, BILLY JOEL starts to hit the clubs where his live act gains the notice of Columbia records which after intense negotiations buys out his previous contract. Billy Joel prepares to record “Piano Man”, his major breakout. November 9, 1973 it is released.

So my story is: from February 18, 1972 until November 18, 1973 I saw Billy Joel only once and that being the opening act for J.Geils Band/Captain Beefheart. To present, since the release of “Piano Man” he has a shitload of album releases, singles on the charts,multiple marriages and divorces, made millions of dollars,and has a “residency” at Madison Square Garden which sells out the minute a new date is announced, and he is a local guy to boot…yet I only saw him once.And most of my friends love to see him…regularly.

PS: I still have “Cold Spring Harbor” and the only other album is “Piano Man”.I sold the single at a nice profit.

ON THE TURNTABLE:and the year was-1970

ON THE TURNTABLE: And the year was…1970
Every few weeks I post a review of the albums I listened to in a particular year. So today is one of those postings…AND THE YEAR WAS:1970

Strange freaking year for me.January of 1970 I just turned eighteen years old, awaiting graduation from high school, applying to colleges and possible facing the military draft. No matter what transpired the night before or what each morning brought upon us, we partied on.My job at the cassette factory recently closed so I had to find gainful employment to keep my obsession of attending live shows and buying recorded music. I found not one job but two; One working in a boat yard part time after school and full time on the weekends, as well as working evenings as a substitute cleaner/custodian in the local schools when called upon, which was regularly.That custodian gig paid off big time years later, but that’s another story altogether.I graduated high school in June, worked the summer, and headed off to college in September. There I immediately landed on the college radio station doing Friday night 11PM to Saturday 7 AM as well as an occasional afternoon show.

1970 Music: in no particular order or favor:

To me NEIL YOUNG’s third album “After The Gold Rush” (August 70)was better than CSNY’s (March 70)“Deja Vu” but not nearly as exciting as Neil’s “Everybody Knows…”. It’s 1970, so “…Gold Rush” is the perfect collection for the 8-track tape players we all installed in our cars. One copy of “Gold Rush” moved from one friend’s cars to other friends cars. Perfect “pot smoking music” was how it was once described.

After I and II the new LED ZEPPELIN album had to entitled “ III”.They are original…or maybe not, anyway “Immigrant Song” kicks it off, on from there it was electric, acoustic,electric back to acoustic. Cool stuff. The tune“Since I’ve Been Loving You” was copped directly from the obscure “Grape Jam”. Robert Plant was good friends with BOB MOSLEY of MOBY GRAPE so Zep stole from every one, being unscrupulous,unmerciful, but good.

VAN MORRISON’s “Moon Dance” was another staple on the ole turntable, as well as the new turntable/stereo which I had updated at this time. I now had an actual stereo system with true speaker separation… And loud,too.

THE WHO- “Live at Leeds” I bought this (vinyl), threw it on, cranked up the stereo and almost blew out the windows to my room.Simply said, it’s “DA ‘HO”…played it a 1000 times.

THE BEATLES “Let It Be” well… everyone bought this. No biggie here for me, I did buy it but hardly ever played it. I did buy the “Naked” version years later and must say I like the Naked better.

TRAFFIC: “John Barleycorn Must Die”-Summer of ’70, six songs, thirty five minutes, bravo. I was so glad BLIND FAITH was over and TRAFFIC together for another go round. This was a quite different TRAFFIC sound and another great tape to bring out with the boys on the corner.

Two from ELTON JOHN, “Elton John” and “Tumbleweed Connection”- After seeing ELTON JOHN (the trio) open for LEON RUSSELL @ Fillmore East, I was sold, this guy would be huge, but how huge I did not know.

BAND OF GYPSYS “Band of Gypsy’s”-I appreciated his uniqueness, his innovative approach but still was not a huge fan as were most of my friends. Don’t get me wrong, his first album was a gem, and “Electric Ladyland”, wow. Then I wanted to go to this FILLMORE EAST show, New Years Day 1970, even had tickets but that’s another story. After I got this album, I really regretted not going and had a higher appreciation of the artistry known as HENDRIX.

THE DOORS- “Morrison’s Hotel”, this is their fifth album. Their fourth sucked, horns and all. This was a “return to the blues” so said one reviewer. Which blues, I’ll never know. Better than “Soft Parade”, I’ll give you that.

CSNY “Deja Vu” Funny how I liked most of the tunes, except the Graham Nash ones. To this day, I still laugh at the words to “Our House”.With “Two cats in the yard”…”flowers in the vase”…yuck, this is rock and roll, Graham.

T.REX- “T.Rex”(1970 release) After reading about T. Rex and DAVID BOWIE in MELODY MAKER I contacted the record company and received a copy of the album for the radio station in January 1971. I took it home on the winter break and never brought it back.

DEREK and THE DOMINOS-“Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs” I saw the band at FILLMORE EAST in October before the album was released. November ,we get it at the radio station, and I throw it on in the lounge. “Little Wing” grabbed my attention, then that “Layla” tune was kinda special. We saw the band again in December at Suffolk Community College (another story), they never played “Layla” but we did on the station, constantly. During one of my overnighters I played the entire album along with the original version of some of the blues numbers.

THE GRATEFUL DEAD- “Workingman’s Dead” and “American Beauty” both were heavy rotation on my show and in my room.

MILES DAVIS: “Bitches Brew”- “Miles Runs The Voodoo Down” followed by DR JOHN’S “ Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya” can get one in a bit of controversy with the radio staff, especially when you are the new guy (me) and the offended party is the outgoing “thinks he is a big shot Assistant Program Director”, a guy who regularly plays a “Melanie Half Hour”. I still swear he removed “Bitches Brew” from the record library. Smart me, I’ll bring my own and play it again, just for fun.

Speaking of fun…THE STOOGES “Fun House” was not welcomed at my parent’s home nor at the radio station…no fun zone, I guess. Nor was the VELVET UNDERGROUND’s “Loaded” welcomed but I played “Sweet Jane”, “Who Loves The Sun” and “Rock & Roll” to no end. Throw in the MC5 “Back In The USA” and one can see why I was hosting a very late night radio show. rather than “the Breakfast Hour”.

And then there was THE KINKS “Lola Versus Powerman and The Money Go Round”, JETHRO TULL’S“Benefit”, VAN MORRISON’s “His Band and Street Choir” wonderful follow up to “Moon Dance”,
WOODSTOCK “TheSound Track, JOE COCKER’s“Mad Dogs and Englishmen”, ROD STEWART’s “Gasoline Alley,THE BEACH BOYS “Sunflower” and of course SPIRIT “Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus”.

Funny, by Spring of 71 I was in charge of the record library at the station, a true benefit for any record collector, AND was doing Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, with a weekend show… 16 hours total air time…AND NO HOLDS BARRED.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:(THE REAL and FAKE) FLEETWOOD MAC-Various Nights in Various Places with Various People

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:(THE REAL and FAKE) FLEETWOOD MAC-Various Nights in Various Places with Various People

(1968) I’m a sixteen year old, living across the street from a nineteen year old college student, a bohemian kinda guy who enjoyed music as much as I did. When he had time to be seen with a young punk we would (occasionally) engage in a conversation about the bands he saw. He told me about The LOVING SPOONFUL early on in their career, a little later THE AIRPLANE, and once he mentioned seeing FLEETWOOD MAC(December of 1968 @ Steve Paul’s THE SCENE ). This guy raved about the group, especially their singer/ guitarist. I jotted the name of the band in my trusty notebook thinking this is a band to be on the look out for. Then,I heard nothing about them for quite some time and no matter where I searched I could not find any of their recordings. A few months passed (early 69) when I found A Hard Road (February 1967 release date), the third John Mayall album (and the first to feature Peter Green who I still did not know was the singer/guitarist in question). “A Hard Road” was amazing, especially “The Stumble” which I thought would make the perfect “break song” for my band, “Another Kinda Love”, and …”The Supernatural”. Who is this guitarist?Peter Green? Who?

My kid brother was a THREE DOG NIGHT fan and a budding concert goer. Pop always said it was the double breasted suits, Beatle boots, and music which led him astray from the priesthood. So, with a few friends he attended a July 1969 show at THE (NYS) PAVILION in Queens, NY. On the bill was FLEETWOOD MAC.While my brother raved about how fantastic THREE DOG NIGHT’s performance was, he said little about FLEETWOOD MAC except to say I would like them. A few nights later my buddies (sans me) saw Ten Years After @ WOLLMAN RINK in Manhattan and lo and behold FLEETWOOD MAC opened. The guys loved both bands. For me it was another missed opportunity. But alas, a few weeks later I found “Then Play On” in the record store, also “Fleetwood Mac”, the one with the garbage can on the cover. I was mesmerized by the music, and now realized Peter Green from Mayall’s “A Hard Road” was the guitarist/singer in question.

Then, it was my turn,November 22,1969@Fillmore East, JOE COCKER and THE GREASE BAND headlining with FLEETWOOD MAC and KING CRIMSON as support bands; I saw Cocker in August, Crimson was unheard of (another story)…It was a Fleetwood Mac night to remember, at least for me. PETER GREEN was phenomenal as was the rest of the band. So,so good they were.My girlfriend thought they were not even close to Cocker’s Grease Band. What?I need to rethink girlfriends.

Two months later, Friday night, January 23, 1970 FLEETWOOD MAC is headlining locally (Island Park) at The Action House with Frost opening. Knowing I had QUICKSILVER tickets for the next night I only stayed for one, long fabulous set by THE MAC. Again, they did not disappoint and Peter Green was brilliant…”Black Magic Woman”,”The Supernatural”, “Albatross”,“The Green Manalishi”, “Rattlesnake Shake” (which went on for about 15 minutes),”Jumping at Shadows”,and “Shake Your Moneymaker”.Whew.

A few years ago I was discussing the merits of DUANE ALLMAN with a like minded spirit when the guy told me his remembrance of the JANIS JOPLIN/ GRATEFUL DEAD show at FILLMORE EAST February 11, 1970. JOPLIN was debuting her new band@ Fillmore East. At the late show the DEAD were doing their thing when they invited Duane Allman (Allman Bros. opened the show) AND Peter Green up to the stage for a jam.Peter was in town as Fleetwood Mac was opening for SLY and The FAMILY STONE at Madison Square Garden.Recently I listened to a decent recording of this event and, well, mind-blowing is all I can say.

After these performances (late 69 early 1970), I hear no more about FLEETWOOD MAC shows or recordings, which is strange as the summer schedule (Central Park,etc) was released and I expected their name to pop up. It appears the band had a few difficulties, one being the leader, PETER GREEN walked away (May 28,1970) leaving Fleetwood Mac (version #4) as Jeremy, Danny, John, and Mick. A #5 version appears (August 70-Feb 71) by adding CHRISTINE PERFECT (from CHICKEN SHACK) aka Christine McVie.

Late Summer, the FILLMORE EAST lineup is finally announced and there they are August 28-29, 1970 SAVOY BROWN/FLEETWOOD MAC/FAIRPORT CONVENTION. I send in my SASE for tickets
for what later would be one of my favorite shows of that summer despite some personnel changes and relationship problems in the bands and for me. I had two FAIRPORT CONVENTION albums and knew seeing them live would be unique. Unfortunately Sandy Denny (vocalist) had left the band but I became a huge fan of Richard Thompson (guitar/vocals) that night. Next up, Fleetwood Mac was missing Peter Green which was a huge disappointment for me, they/he were/was the reason I was there. But this newer FLEETWOOD MAC (version #5) now had Christine Perfect on keys /vocals and they introduced KILN HOUSE stuff which rocked. Quite a huge departure from the Peter Green stuff. Finally, Savoy Brown had no Chris Youlden on vocals. Lonesome Dave did the voice, and shades of FOGHAT were born. Despite the fact that all three bands were missing a key component, all were oh so good.
It appears (May 1970) Green left the band, suffering the early onset of mental illness thought to be the result of an unsolicited LSD experience in Munich, Germany.

FLEETWOOD MAC (#6) occurs February 15,1971 when Jeremy Spencer disappears the day the band hits Los Angeles, joining a cult known as THE CHILDREN of GOD, thereby denouncing his career, his band, his wife and two children.
“…given the news of Spencer’s action, the group called on Peter Green in London to rejoin them for the duration of the tour. After an hour on the phone, Green agreed – but only to finish out the tour, which ends in Long Island March 27th. Green, whose departure was partly attributable to his own devotion to Christianity, flew in on Friday, the 19th, to join the band in San Bernardino, California. He refused to talk about the Spencer case and emphasized only that the reunion with Fleetwood Mac is temporary.(Rolling Stone:March 18,1971)

Correction: His devotion was not to Christianity as Peter Green is actually Peter Greenbaum, of Jewish decent. Green did not like the music business, actually gave away all his money at one point.

I tired having worked a KinKs concert (March 26)getting to my room about 5AM but knew I had to solder on as PETER GREEN was in town playing with FLEETWOOD MAC/ EDGAR WINTER’s WHITE TRASH/TIN HOUSE March 26/27,1971@ Rockpile aka The Action House. Again, he did not disappoint,taking the band back to their roots of blues, beautifully played blues. And then he was gone, again

FLEETWOOD MAC(version 7) is now young DANNY KIRWAN (another soon to be rock n roll tragedy) and CHRISTINE McVIE’s band. “Future Games” (71) was Danny’s shining moment as lead guitarist with BOB WELCH added to the line up on rhythm. The blues were dropped from their repertoire. “Bare Trees” (72) is considered the lp which erases everything in the past, a true Kirwan masterpiece, to some. During the promotional tour Danny Kirwan was fired from Fleetwood Mac in the (fall of 1972). His alcoholism and increasing mental instability had made him a difficult bandmate and collaborator. Version 8 is Bob and Christine’s show and so on…they were a mess financially,had troubles with internal relationships and external relationships. They added members, dropped folks, changed management ,moved to LA, back to England,etc

January 26,1974, Academy of Music- FLEETWOOD MAC/KISS/SILVERHEAD. I’m there for FLEETWOOD MAC (not knowing who was still in the band). SILVERHEAD, well I had no idea who they were, still don’t. KISS was on a return performance from their debut at the same venue on New Years Eve. Their set was cut short as Gene Simmons set his hair on fire.(I saw Kiss twice at THE DAISY in Amityville the summer before but then KISS was not like this. Tonight, KISS set the entire venue of 3000 on fire. A great show, lights, fire breathing,fully costumed and ear drum shattering loud. Then, FLEETWOOD MAC appears. I notice MICK FLEETWOOD is not on the kit, No John McVie, No Christine…strange looks around the crowd, “who are these guys” playing instrumentals and no noticeable MAC tunes. Boos start, getting louder by the moment. An announcement is made that refund vouchers are available at the box office, to which I took my two. This was a bogus FM, a band put together by the owner (a past manager) of the “brand name” FLEETWOOD MAC, which hit the road while the true members were sorting out problems with alcohol, drugs, relationships, etc.Immediately after this, the true band grab the reins and hire Buckingham and Nicks, the rest is history.

To me,of all the guitar giants to emerge from the British blues boom Peter Green was perhaps the most naturally gifted. B.B.King famously said this about him: “He has the sweetest tone I ever heard; he was the only one who gave me the cold sweats.” That’s really is all you need to know about the man. Duane Allman acknowledged Green’s influence on him and the twin guitar approach of the Allman Brothers Band, And PETER GREEN penned “Black Magic Woman”.

ON THE TURNTABLE- Best of 1969

ON THE TURNTABLE -1969:

Putting out my BEST OF for this past year made me nostalgic in a way. So I dug out some listings from yesteryear and over the next few weeks I’ll post a few.My brother and I actual compiled lists of our favorite records but this listing is from most of the records I bought that year, in no particular order or preference.

It’s 1969 and my record collection was growing in leaps and bounds. Seems like the more money I had the more records I bought. However, my stereo was not what one would expect of a serious record collector.  I was using an old split speaker (in a case) record player propped up on my desk. But hey, the sucker did the job. That and my portable single speaker cassette player tucked along side my portable PANASONIC AM/FM stereo radio made up my “sound system”. I also had an AM/FM radio bedside. A friend had a huge stereo unit, one with humongous speakers,a turntable with a “stylus” no less, but alas he had virtually no records, always borrowing mine.

Records In My Rotation throughout that year included:

The debut album from LED ZEPPELIN “Led Zeppelin”, I bought this early on in the year after a recommendation from my work buddy, Pete, who saw this “unknown” band open for IRON BUTTERFLY. This album was amazing and it took me a few days to realize that this JIMMY PAGE was the same JIMMY PAGE from THE YARDBIRDS. Later, in the year after its release and after seeing the band live twice I copped LED ZEPPELIN II. Geez, these recordings were unique, and the band was …WOW.

THE BEATLES “Abbey Road” was and still is a hard listen for me, yet when it first was released I played it continuously, usually picking out a song or two before moving on to some other record .It was probably the Harrison tunes that I liked the most.

THE WHO “Tommy” is another difficult record to listen to all the way through, but that year I did see the band perform “Tommy” in its entirety twice, and I must say, live WHO was better than any record.

KING CRIMSON’S “In The Court Of The Crimson King”was/is a great record, one that for its time was truly original. This band blew me away when I saw them in the fall of 69, opening for FLEETWOOD MAC and JOE COCKER. After their 34 minute set, I bought the album the next payday. Speaking of FLEETWOOD MAC “Then Play On”( their 3rd album) drew me to see them live and I became a PETER GREEN fan that night. This collection showed the originals of the name sake take their blues influenced and mostly refurbished recordings a step further. I must have recited the opening of  “Oh, Well-Part 1” a million times to friends, to the point where I was annoying. I still am, say some. And JOE COCKER’s “With A Little Help From My Friends” which I grabbed in the early summer after hearing some of his tunes on the radio and before seeing him and THE GREASE BAND open for The AIRPLANE at FILLMORE EAST was a goodie, but again, live he was a trip.

Also, there was NEIL YOUNG’s masterpiece “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”, along with FRANK ZAPPA’s “Hot Rats” which help change my musical perspective and soon led me to CAPTAIN BEEFHEART  “Trout Mask Replica”.

Two debuts, one from CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH, a summer hit and Blind Faith’s one and only official release, which I thought was a mess, as was their show at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. “Nashville Skyline” by BOB DYLAN was a pleasant surprise, even my POP liked it, well, it had JOHNNY CASH on it.THE FLYING BURRITO BROS “Gilded Palace of Sin” was a good pick up and  ISAAC HAYES’ “Hot Buttered Soul” arrived unannounced when I did not respond in time to a record company selection deadline but boy was I glad I got that gem. CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY’s debut double set before they shortened their name to CHICAGO, and coincidentally was the only record I ever bought by them. JETHRO TULL’s “Stand Up” was a mainstay on the turntable along with the profane MC5’s “Kick Out The Jams” which was played on minimal volume as not to upset the parents. And then there was the profanity nestled in JEFFERSON AIRPLANE’s “Volunteers” another record which kept a low profile when played.

I practiced my drums listening to  THE GRATEFUL DEAD’s “Live Dead” but was not enthused with The DOORS “Soft Parade”, and

PINK FLOYD’s Ummagumma was, well, just listen to “Careful With That Axe ,Eugene” and wonder why my Mom would yell, “What is that? Please, no more.” She didn’t particularly enjoy THE STOOGES “The Stooges”, either, no matter how many times I played it. Speaking of Mom’s taste, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND “The Velvet Underground” was more to her liking as was THE KINKS “Arthur”.

JOHN MAYALL’s “Turning Point” was bought the same day as PHAROAH SANDER’s “Karma”, late 1969. Both late night incense burning albums.

and of course, THE ROLLING STONES Beggar’s Banquet which never left my turntable and the follow-up release Let It Bleed (see blog Oct. 20, 2018)

PROCUL HARUM’s “A Salty Dog” which was actually my kid brother’s record found it’s way into my room many a night, along with his SLY and The FAMILY STONE’s “Stand” and JANIS JOPLIN’s “I Got Dem Ole Kosmic Blues Again Mama” but not any of his CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL or his “Odessa” by THE BEE GEES. Just the red felt cover on that one turned my stomach.

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD: Chapter 33-HONKY TONKYING

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD: Chapter 33-HONKY TONKYING

We tried in vain to get STONES tickets for their (1969) MADISON SQUARE GARDEN performance. Skipping school the day tickets went on sale, I took the next train after my Dad’s train so as to not be caught, to Brooklyn and then by subway to my cousin’s house off of Church Ave. When I arrived I asked my aunt not to say anything about me being there to my mom, her sister, when the next spoke. She just smiled. The  box office was to open at 10AM, which it did and the shows were SOLD OUT in a manner of minutes. The remaining ticketless crowd, us included, became restless and angry.  Not too happy, my cousin and I walked across Seventh Avenue toward the Blarney Rock to get a beer (phony ID worked since summer of 68 on Wall Street but no one asks for proof) when we were confronted by a drunken “hard hat” who harassed us about long hair. It’s only noon and this dude is loaded. Sorry dude, wrong day, wrong guys, now you will find out that long haired kids who are pissed can fight. Down he went. Screw him. John left him crying in the street before putting a cigarette out on the guys forehead, all in front of a small crowd who did absolutely nothing, no lie, they just watched. After a few beers in THE ROCK  I was back on the train home before my folks knew I missed school. My aunt never told her sister.

However, The Rock Gods must have found redemption as a few night later before going to the FILLMORE EAST for a Joe Cocker Show, I hit the Garden Box Office and obtained eight (8) tickets at 5 bucks each for a newly announced afternoon matinee show of… The Rolling Stones, Ike and Tina Turner and Terry Reid@ MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, November 28, 1969, the day after Thanksgiving at 2PM. Hallelujah, I’m in.

Trouble seemed to pop up when I least expected it. Never having a curfew I was free to come and go as I pleased since I was 14 with one caveat, “Remember who you are, you carry our name”. In other words, “Don’t screw up”. One night, I had a slight verbal disagreement with my mom before going out with my friends to a house party. Mom was an obsessive cleaner and re-arranger of furniture. Me returning from the party about 2 AM, fully buzzed, quite intoxicated, and not knowing the kitchen table had been moved, bumped right into it, knocking over a chair with me falling to the floor. Lights on…Oh NOOOO. Mom was livid. She said Dad would deal with me. He came upstairs to my room, asking me if I was drinking, Yes I said, he said go to bed. That was it.

Mom not satisfied the next morning with my light sentence  announced….No shows for a while. WHAT? But THE STONES!!!!! “NO,” she said, “sell the tickets, you are not going”. So maybe The Rock Gods did not find me in good standing.

Eight tickets, four for my cousin as promised with the four remaining for me. Geez, I was distraught. Dad said privately that I should give it a few days for it to blow over. YESSSS, I thought. “But”,he added….”But, what?”,I questioned. “You need to take your sister and brother with you”. But DAD?

So my sister being all of 11 was going to see the Stones, my brother at 16 was ecstatic, my girlfriend was not happy as unbeknownst to me she had promised the other two tickets to “her” friends,WHAT? She didn’t even ask me, me the guy who bought the tickets.Yet life was still good, it’s The STONES man and I’m going . Oh yeah, I also had to cut my hair, short.

Terry Reid (third time for me) was killer as an opening act. Ike and Tina’s Revue was tight but should have been called Tina Turner’s Revue, Then the point I had anticipated, light dimmed and JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH.

Beggars Banquet :

The Best Album of 1969 even though it was released in December of 1968, BEGGAR’S BANQUET was my most played album of 1969. I got that record the moment it was released and it very rarely left my turntable for one full year. Side 1, Side 2, back to Side 1, and on and on. There are very few albums I can said that about, very few albums I listen to in its entirety without getting bored by a clunker or two. I was enamored by this collection of Stones tunes. The slick printed cover (American version which was completely different from the British cover), the photo spread inside, and the music. These songs were individually and collectively a great relief, a wonderful change in direction from the ROLLING STONES ’67 set of THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST, which I owned but never played all the way through. The only tunes I liked on TSMR were 2000 LIGHT YEARS FROM HOME and SHE’S A RAINBOW. The rest were rubbish.

Before SATANIC MAJESTIES I was stuck on BETWEEN THE BUTTONS(1967) (US version), especially side 1 which we played endlessly at my buddy George’s house.TSMR is/was nothing like BUTTONS. But then, BEGGAR’S BANQUET is released and with that a new STONES approach to the blues.The BB album was the real deal, and foreshadowed what would become of the STONES over the next few years and releases.  To my ears Beggar’s Banquet was a Keith album as Brian Jones due to “personal reasons” is limited here to slide guitar on NO EXPECTATIONS, a harmonica on PARACHUTE WOMAN, DEAR DOCTOR and PRODIGAL SON. It was the last ROLLING STONES album to be released during Brian Jones’ life.

Side One Track 1, SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL, just listen to the title before you put the needle down, WHAT? Sympathy for whom? Are you kidding me? Conga, screams, maracas, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and THE WORDS…PLEASE TO MEET YOU, seriously this is not Satanic Majesties at all. WOW.Then the voices, Get down,hit it, guitar riffs…six minutes plus of sheer ecstasy . I danced around my room so many times shaking imaginary maracas.

Track 2:NO EXPECTATIONS, Keith on acoustic, Brian in a semi-sober moment plays slide. Bill with a few bass thuds,I still play this tune on my guitar, “never in my sweet short life have I felt like this before”.

Track 3: DEAR DOCTOR, humorous to say the least..”Help me please Doctor I’m damaged”…“preserve it right there in that jar”. Sang this tune with like minded folks,we being very poor off keyed singers after a few cocktails.

Track 4:PARACHUTE WOMAN: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, some echo added to vocals, and Charlie beating it down, “join me for a ride”.

Track 5: JIGSAW PUZZLE: The drum beat is awesome, I played it thousands of time, Charlie was the man. “Me, I waiting so patiently, lying on the floor”.

SIDE TWO Track 1 STREET FIGHTING MAN: The guitar intro and then the drums…this was the tune revolutionaries were using as their theme song, well, pseudo- revolutionaries. Hey, it was a sign of the times.

Track 2: PRODIGAL SON: Not a Stones tune but a remake that they called their own.Charlie’s high hat work is exceptional, Mick’s vocals is a take on a blues man.

Track 3: STRAY CAT BLUES: This was sex, straight out.”I bet your mama don’t know you can scream like that”…

Track 4: FACTORY GIRL: I first thought this was the same riff from 2000 light years, but no. As I was working in a factory at the time this tune made so much sense.”Waiting for a factory girl…”

Track 5: SALT OF THE EARTH: This is the one that did it for me. Aren’t we all salt of the earth? and when the drums kick in….”Let’s drink to the uncounted heads”…these words made so much sense to me…and then the mention….  “A choice of cancer or polio”.

Salt Of The Earth

The Rolling Stones

Let’s drink to the hard working people

Let’s drink to the lowly of birth

Raise your glass to the good and the evil

Let’s drink to the salt of the earth

Say a prayer for the common foot soldier

Spare a thought for his back breaking work

Say a prayer for his wife and his children

Who burn the fires and who still till the earth

And when I search a faceless crowd

A swirling mass of gray and

Black and white

They don’t look real to me

In fact, they look so strange

Raise your glass to the hard working people

Let’s drink to the uncounted heads

Let’s think of the wavering millions

Who need leaders but get gamblers instead

Spare a thought for the stay-at-home voter

His empty eyes gaze at strange beauty shows

And a parade of the gray suited grafters

A choice of cancer or polio

And when I look in the faceless crowd

A swirling mass of grays and

Black and white

They don’t look real to me

Or don’t they look so strange

Let’s drink to the hard working people

Let’s think of the lowly of birth

Spare a thought for the rag taggy people

Let’s drink to the salt of the earth

Let’s drink to the hard working people

Let’s drink to the salt of the earth

Let’s drink to the two thousand million

Let’s think of the humble of birth

So, I’m stuck on the STONES, not really shouting it out but I do like their most recent stuff (1968) more than the Beatles or anyone else at this time. Then, LET IT BLEED is released …

LET IT BLEED December 1969, I have it before Christmas and bought another copy to give my girlfriend as part of her Christmas gift package.

SIDE ONE: Track 1; GIMME SHELTER, Merry Clayton, just a shout away.  Charlie hitting the cymbals, harp playing. fade out, nicely done.

Track 2: LOVE IN VAIN: another stolen tune, but one that everyone, including me plays.I saw FACES do this one night and after they finished Rod Stewart said, “I gave it a try but Mick owns it”.

Track 3:COUNTRY HONK: Didn’t make sense until you put it in perspective of HONKY TONK WOMAN. I really like this tune. Thanks Graham, I know this was you.

Track 4:LIVE WITH ME: Charlie lays it down, Bill bass lines are straight on, …“Don’t you think there is a place for you between the sheets”. What a great line but don’t try to use it. Bobby Keys nails this solo on sax, and I actually tried at the time of release to find out who this guy was.

SIDE 2: Track 1:LET IT BLEED:”There will always be a space in my parking lot”…No longer is music “I Wanna Hold your hand” we are now in a dirty, filthy basement, yeah man.

Track 2:MIDNIGHT RAMBLER: I had no idea what to make of this song, played it hundreds of times, trying to decipher what it was. THEN, I saw it live. My Lord. Now I knew. And about that moment I saw it live the ROLLING STONES became one of my all time favorite live bands.

Track 3:YOU GOT THE SILVER:It’s KEITH, say no more.The future of THE STONES.Brian is in there somewhere, so they say, but I don’t hear him.

Track 4:MONKEY MAN: A bit of Satantic Majesties kick off but then “all my friends are junkies” we are going down fast…I’m glad you are a monkey woman ,too”. Nicely, done.The guitars are intense.

Track 5: YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT: No words describe what I heard as a 17 year old male. The chorus, the horn, the acoustic guitar, Mick’s intro, “ but if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need”….are they talking to me?

It’s the STONES I played all of 1969, saw a few others bands, but 1969 was…THE STONES and I saw them.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:October 12,1970- ROCK RELICS AUCTION@Fillmore East

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:October 12,1970- ROCK RELICS AUCTION@Fillmore East This was a Rock RELICS Auction which was scheduled to have “Surprise Guests”.The Auction itself was a blast hosted by WNEW-FM Dj John Zacherle. A professional auctioneer monitored the bidding. Guitars, clothes, posters, drum heads, sticks, etc, etc were all auctioned off with the proceeds going to “candidates for peace”. Guest acts included Edgar Winter, Mongo Jerry, Elvin Bishop (with the Pointer Sisters) Jake and The Family Jewels, and David Rea.To this day I still have the program with all the prices the items sold for.

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD:CHAPTER 33-THE HOTEL DIPLOMAT:

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD:CHAPTER 33-THE HOTEL DIPLOMAT:

It is said that probably more than any other underground paper, RAT newspaper was in the “eye of the political hurricane”. These guys made news as much as they reported it. Later on in college I attempted to adopt some of their concepts, i.e., ad layout, stealing other papers headlines and cartoons without copyright approval, etc. into what we were printing but that is another story.

As it goes, RAT staff members were arrested in connection with a series of non-lethal bombings of corporate offices (banks) and military targets in late 1969. Money was needed for their defense as well as for the YOUNG LORDS, a group of Puerto Rican nationalists who RAT thought to be the newest, hippest of radical groups. So, a benefit concert was set for The Hotel Diplomat Ballroom, November 15, 1969.

Mostly everyone I knew was away for their “Senior Trip” to some upstate dude ranch. I was basically left alone for the weekend. The “CLASS OF 70” departed by bus Saturday upon the completion of a football game which was lost against our cross town rival. I attended a house party around the corner that evening. It was a zoo, and those in attendance mostly younger class mates were getting bombed. My buddy attended with me. After a bit of watching assholes make assholes of themselves, my buddy and I hit the road.

Out in front of the kids house my friend took out his pipe and lit up a piece of hash. Little did we notice the police car sitting about a hundred yards away. He was probably responding to a call by a neighbor due to the excessive noise at the party. At first I was sure he didn’t see us until he started moving the car towards us. I threw the pipe over a nearby fence and lit up a cigarette. The officer came over, opened his window and said ,“You boys are smart to go home. This will get ugly later” and he laughed. I was so nervous my hands shook. We smiled nervously and I went directly home where I found my mother finishing painting my bedroom walls which I had started that morning. I went to bed early, thinking…Whew.

So it’s now Sunday, my brother and I got up early and walked to the LIRR station to take the train into Brooklyn where we would meet up with my cousin.I was taking my brother to another rock n roll extravaganza as my cousin’s band was playing in a ballroom in Manhattan that evening. We arrived in Brooklyn in early afternoon and helped load the Ryder truck with equipment and a few cases of cold beer. When all was safely tucked in the truck we, the band, roadies, girlfriends and others got in the back of the truck and the door was slammed down shut. Away we go.

Stuck in traffic for what seemed like an eternity, the lead guitarist a bit intoxicated had to pee. No escape, no hope, he just peed himself. This RnR lifestyle was not what I expected it to be.

We hit our destination and searched for a place to buy him new pants, but BLUE LAWS (businesses closed on Sundays), limited our choices. Ultimately one of the girls found a pair of pants. Me, I found more beer.

The night was fun to say the least. Allen Ginsberg was chanting and running around in a toga with bells on his fingers, the speeches were political rants filled with profanities, my cousin’s band was hot doing two sets, and VIVA, a Warhol actress took a liking to me, drinking some of my beer and followed me to the bathroom when I had to pee.Oh, and there were TV cameras and reporters scattered around the hall.

It was very late or very early depending on how you look at things when my brother and I arrived home. Dad was seated in his usual chair at this ungodly hour with an ash tray filled with cigarette butts. I sensed this was not good, “Who died?” I thought. Dad while not taking his eyes off of me told my brother to go to bed. The INQUISITION began and lasted forever. Seems like the 10 O’Clock News, the one which asks the question every evening “DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR KIDS ARE?” had a feature tonight on RAT newspaper having a benefit for folks blowing up banks, Puerto Ricans Nationalists, no less. And we were the stars. Geez, he was so angry, oh, was he angry. He didn’t speak to me for days, he avoided me.

Going nearly five weeks without a show was tough. While working out some personal difficulties with my folks (HOTEL DIPLOMAT) I was doing extremely well in school while meeting more and more new “friends” and still pulling full time hours in the cassette factory when I saw the VILLAGE VOICE  ad: Joe Cocker November 22, 1969 at Fillmore East. The  bill also included (Peter Green’s) Fleetwood Mac and King Crimson who recently got some radio play. So, why not? Great seats arrived.

King Crimson opened the show and performed most of their amazing debut THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING (which I bought the very next week) followed by Peter Green’s FLEETWOOD MAC which was  simply outstanding. Greenie was playing the blues so sweetly and the band tight, so very, very tight. Peter Green became a guitar idol for me at that moment. Joe Cocker, and The Grease Band held their own, opening with HITCHCOCK RAILWAY from his second album, and threw in two Beatle tunes before closing with WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS. Having seen Cocker two times in as few months, I was not sure if I wanted to see him again for a while. But

FLEETWOOD MAC, yes I will be back.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:August 31,1996: HOUSE OF BLUES BARNBURNER TOUR featuring JOE COCKER, BUDDY GUY, THE RADIATORS,The FABULOUS T-BIRDS and THE GALES BROTHERS@Jones Beach,Wantagh,NY

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:August 31,1996: HOUSE OF BLUES BARNBURNER TOUR featuring JOE COCKER, BUDDY GUY, THE RADIATORS,The FABULOUS T-BIRDS and THE GALES BROTHERS@Jones Beach,Wantagh,NY

I really don’t know if it makes any sense but I was willing to sit through ALL the other bands AND stay for Joe Cocker, for a few songs, just to see BUDDY GUY again. The man is a show unto himself and well worth the price of admission. Story goes: a woman at work takes the morning off, arrives early to get a numbered bracelet to wait in a second holding area to purchase tickets for some/all of the tickets available for the summer series at Jones Beach. I give her my cash and with specific instructions,”only buy me tickets if they are on the floor AND real, real close”. Bingo, I’m in.

THE GALES BROTHERS opened in the late afternoon to a sparse crowd of about 300. What a shame as they were entertaining.The Fabulous Thunderbirds, this being 1996 many moons after Jimmie Vaughn and Duke Robillard, should rebrand as THE THUNDERBIRDS with KIM WILSON. THE RADIATORS are a funky, as in very funky, NEW ORLEANS ensemble that rocked the joint. The crowd was growing by the minute and with each song the applause got louder. The sun was going down as BUDDY GUY hit the stage and before he was done the place was standing and rockin’. Buddy made his venture out into the crowd and slipped pass me, an aisle seat about 14 rows back. He stopped, saw me nod, and played a few licks as if just for my enjoyment. WOW, he was great.

LATimes:August 1996:

“We’re going to make it so funky you can smell it,” the Chicago bluesman promised early on, standing in front of the logo of the tour’s sponsor, the House of Blues.

Guy showed himself a master of extremes, unafraid to bring the volume of his lead-playing to a level that was barely audible before returning to his ecstatic, tortured leads. If his set’s pacing was sometimes jarring, and perhaps too generous with solos from band members, it was always redeemed by the playing. Guy strolled deep into the crowd, posed for a snapshot and found a seat, all while playing a euphoric succession of mournful, inspirational notes.

After that, even an eccentric blues-pop shouter like headliner Joe Cocker was left in a compromised position. Cocker was at his best with the slowest material, ballads flavored with a touch of gospel, his vocals pushed to the edge of tears. This unlikely British ’60s hit maker was a frequent presence on the charts up through the late ’80s. Unfortunately for Cocker, the night’s best moments were overwhelmingly with the old hits, from his epic version of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” to the ’80s innuendo of “You Can Leave Your Hat On.”

AMEN to that, Brother.