Farewell Yellow Brick Road: Part Two

   He’s like everyone’s favorite uncle at the wedding, you know, the guy who’s been married twice, beat a substance abuse issue, loves to sing, moves from table to table entertaining everyone with family stories of the last 52 plus years. Lately, he has a tough time walking let alone dancing but he’ll give it a shot. Dressed to the nines, by night’s end his pants need to be adjusted and his shirt tail is hanging out, his glasses askew and every one knows it’s a piece but who cares, he’s up and going to sing every song we know, maybe a bit off key but hell, he’s gonna sing and play every song we know. No matter what we, his audience, are expected to join in, to have a great time, he’ll make sure of it.

   Sir Elton John aka Reg Dwight is currently on his FAREWELL TOUR which according to his original plans would last for approximately three years, give or take a few years as COVID threw us a few curves. This tour is giving him and his band enough time to circle the globe, visiting five continents while performing over 300 shows. This trek around the world is no easy task for any touring band but this act starring a 75 year old performer along with his entourage, well, they are not just any act, this is SIR ELTON JOHN, a beloved citizen of the entire world.

  It has been 52 years almost to the date when I first experienced ELTON JOHN. To me, Elton John is a phenomena, one I saw on his very first tour of the USA, November of 1970 at FILLMORE EAST. There that weekend for two nights, four shows he shared a bill with the headlining LEON RUSSELL. Needless to say, that night was amazing and I became a fan. On November 8 of 2018, during the FAREWELL: GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD TOUR, ELTON was performing at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, my 14th time seeing him in his 52 year career, and that’s not including the times he guested with other acts in the New York area.(The Beach Boys one time and Bonnie Raitt another).

   Tonight, November 20-21, while I experienced the entire performance of 23 songs on Disney +  I thought of how the years have slipped away, gracefully for the most part with a few slips. In 1970 this new act, Elton John, well by the end of his set I was standing and shouting for “more” along with the other 2600 plus folks. We were in total amazement. He was fantastic, performing on a grand piano accompanied by a bass player and a drummer, just a trio. Elton John literally lit up the stage (with a Mickey Mouse light attached to the front of his pants) while performing backward kicks ala Jerry Lee Lewis off of his piano. A few night previously he and band did a live radio concert on station WPLJ-FM  (I taped it) which the following year became the 11-17-70 release. ELTON Fillmore setlist: “CAN I PUT YOU ON”, “COUNTRY COMFORT”, “HONKY TONK WOMEN”, “BURN DOWN THE MISSION (this was a WOW moment)”,“MY BABY LEFT ME/GET BACK/GIVE PEACE A CHANCE”.

   (#2)April 10,1971: ELTON JOHN/ SEATRAIN/ WISHBONE ASH @ FILLMORE EAST. This was a three night engagement, two shows a night. Everyone I knew was scrambling for tickets so my two were priceless and the offers for at least one of my two were enticing. This weekend ELTON JOHN stole the hearts and souls of all non-believers. This trio’s (Elton, Nigel Olsson, Dee Murray) set produced numerous rounds of thunderous applause. He was on his way to stardom, no question. I arrived home as the sun was rising on Easter morn.Set List: Your Song, Sixty Years On, Border Song, Ballad of a Well Known Gun, Friends, Can I Put You On, Country Comfort, The King Must Die, Honky Tonk Women, Amoreena, My Father’s Gun, Indian Sunset, Talking Old Soldiers, Take Me To The Pilot, Burn Down The Mission Encore: My Baby Left Me/Get back 

 (#3)JUNE 10,1971: ELTON JOHN@ Carnegie Hall, the midnight show. A date stood me up, canceling out on me at the last minute. So I’m stuck with a very hard to come by ticket. A couple I knew were driving so I took advantage of their offer and set off for the friendly skies in their car. I met a guy I worked with from the college newspaper staff at the door who needed a ticket, I handed it to him while he told me about the BYRDS concert at Fillmore East the previous night when ELTON JOHN showed up unannounced to perform a short solo set. Tonight, inside Carnegie Hall, ELTON did an acoustic set first, just he and a piano. After a short intermission we were treated to an incredible electric set. Incredible, it truly was.  It was early morn with the sun rising as I slept in their Volkswagen heading home. SET LIST: From my notes: Opened with “Your Song” closed with” The King Must Die”.

NYT:(6/12/71)Elton John appeared Thursday and again last night before an impassioned audience at Carnegie Hall, in what must be the best‐produced rock concert there in a great long while. Mr. John—actually Reginald Dwight, he took his stage name from two British musicians, Elton Dean and John Baldry— played a long and beautiful concert divided into two parts. On Thursday, the first half saw him soloing at the piano, playing new songs and older ones that he felt weren’t suited for a rock band. “Your Song,” “Skyline Pigeon” and one that I seem to recall as titled “Old Soldiers” went down especially well. For the second half, he was joined by his regular accompanists, Nigel Olsson, drums: and Dee Murray, bass. They played “Country Comfort,” “Honky Tonk Women” and a stunning version of “The King Must Die.”The sound engineering was perfect, save for a slight tendency to lose Mr. John’s voice at the very loudest moments. Never have I heard such good sound from a rock band in Carnegie Hall. Mr. Olsson’s drums were amplified perfectly, and he gave a performance that was often beyond breathtaking. Elton John and his lyricist, Bernie Taupin, clearly are deserving of their popularity. Not everything they turn out is genius, as some quarters of the rock world seem to expect. But Elton John is good often enough to make close scrutiny a necessity.

 (#4)Oct 9,1972: ELTON JOHN “Larry Legs Smith Tour” with The Sutherland Bros and Quiver@ Nassau Coliseum, This is NOT the ELTON JOHN I saw the last few times in smaller venues. He is ready for the big time and big time shows. HONKY CHATEAU was released in the spring and became his first #1 album in the US. Set list from my notes, not all inclusive: “Your Song”, “Levon”, “Rocket Man”, “Can I Put You On”, “Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters”, “Country Comfort”, “Have Mercy On The Criminal, “Crocodile Rock”, “Take Me To The Pilot”. The band now included guitarist DAVEY JOHNSTONE and LARRY “Legs SMITH once a member of The Bonzo Dog Band.

JUNE14,1974: BEACH BOYS/ KIKI DEE @ NASSAU COLISEUM The HOLLAND TOUR w/ Elton John guesting on “Barbara Ann” and then Paul Simon  joins the Beach Boys doing “Fun, Fun, Fun”,both encores.

 (5)Nov 29,1974: ELTON JOHN @ MSG :Taking the train in we hear that JOHN LENNON guested with ELTON on I SAW HER STANDING THERE the previous evening. A WOW factor was added. We had pretty good box seats to the stage right, seated behind NEIL SEDAKA and his wife. Neil was a gentleman when we spoke, he started the conversation. Lights dim and FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND/LOVE LIES BLEEDING opens the show. Geez, that was amazingly good. CANDLE IN THE WIND brought out the cigarette lighters, BENNIE AND THE JETS, GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD, and then when he played LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS I thought, “here he comes” but no, JOHN LENNON did not perform that night.

(6)AUGUST 11,1976 ELTON JOHN@ Madison Square Garden with KIKI DEE. WPLJ-FM gave out buttons to the attendees of this seven night stand at THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS ARENA. The band consisted of the musicians playing on his last two endeavors  ROCK OF THE WESTIES and BLUE MOVES. They opened up with GROW SOME FUNK OF YOUR OWN, performed LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS, DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART with Kiki Dee, and closed with SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT (for Fighting) before  called back for YOUR SONG and PINBALL WIZARD. Well worth the price of admission.

   A few night later (August 18,1976) while we were at Wollman Rink in Central Park enjoying a concert by Muddy Waters and Bonnie Raitt, surprise….Elton John joins Bonnie to sing harmony on two tunes.

(7)Aug 7,1982: ELTON JOHN@ MSG. Quarterflash opens. Haven’t seen Elton since 1976 when he toured with his ROCK OF THE WESTIES band but this time Davey Johnston returns to the band, with Nigel on drums Dee on bass, etc. The quartet is all I need for this the last night of the tour and last of his 3 sold out nights at MSG. Elton opens with FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND/ LOVE LIES BLEEDING,ALL THE GIRLS LOVE ALICE, SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT, some new stuff, his tribute to JOHN LENNON, oldie but goodie WHERE TO NOW ST. PETER and plenty of hits before closing out with a medley of WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN GOIN ON/I SAW HER STANDING THERE/TWIST AND SHOUT. It’s well worth the night out.

 (8)OCT 14,1984: ELTON JOHN again at MSG (4 shows in 4 nights and then they play one a month later) He was so good last time out that we had to see him again.THE BREAKING HEARTS tour was the basic quartet with an additional keyboardist. TINY DANCER and LEVON opened the evening, the hits mixed with new stuff and of course YOUR SONG:Set list:Tiny Dancer, Levon, Lil ‘Frigerator, Rocket Man, Daniel, Restless, Candle in the Wind, The Bitch Is Back, Who Wears These Shoes, Sad Songs (Say So Much), Bennie And The Jets, Philadelphia Freedom, Blue Eyes, I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues, Kiss the Bride, One More Arrow, I’m Still Standing,Your Song, Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting with two Encores: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Crocodile Rock”

(9)Oct 18,1988 Elton John at MSG “REG STRIKES BACK” Tour featuring Davey Johnson as musical director and a whole new slew of musicians and singers. But the songs, especially early on in the set were amazing. Sixty Years On, I Need You to Turn To, The King Must Die, Burn Down The Mission, Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word, Have Mercy on the Criminal, Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Tiny Dancer, The Ballad of Danny Bailey, I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues, Philadelphia Freedom, The Bitch Is Back, Sad Songs (Say So Much), A Word in Spanish, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters 1&2, Daniel, Rocket Man, I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That, Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting), Your Song, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, I’m Still Standing.

(10)October 9,1992-ELTON JOHN “The One Tour”@Madison Square Garden . We are back four years later for one of his 7 scheduled shows at THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS ARENA.Two months ago Elton John played two nights to a sold out SHEA STADIUM, which we passed on. He is newly sober and basically using the same band as 1988.Set List: Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me,I’m Still Standing,I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues, Philadelphia Freedom, Burn Down The Mission, Tiny Dancer, Simple Life, The One, I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That, Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters [Parts one and Two], Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word, Daniel, The Last Song, Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Rocket Man, All The Girls Love Alice, Sad Songs (Say So Much), The Show Must Go On, Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting), The Bitch Is Back, Candle In The Wind, Your Song.

 (11)Oct 16,1999: ELTON @ MSG two sold out nights with ELTON JOHN/SOLO just he, bearded wearing a purple suit playing the piano. You know it is going to be a killer show when he opens with “Your Song” and then plays for almost 3 hours. (Video available on Youtube): Setlist: Your Song, Skyline Pigeon, The Greatest Discovery, Border Song, Harmony, Daniel, Honky Cat, Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer, Better Off Dead, Philadelphia Freedom, Elton’s Song, Sweet Painted Lady, I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues, Ticking, Carla-Etude, Tonight, Burn Down The Mission, The One, Blue Eyes, Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny), Take me to the Pilot,  Levon,  Crocodile Rock,  Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Circle of Life,  Bennie And The Jets,  Candle In The Wind.

(12)Nov 2, 2006: ELTON JOHN @ Nassau “Captain and The Kid Tour”, five years since our last visit, this time he’s with a full band. SET LIST: Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Bennie and the Jets, Philadelphia Freedom, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Believe, Tiny Dancer, I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues, Take Me To The Pilot, I Want Love, Someone Saved My Life Tonight, Postcards From Richard Nixon, Tinderbox, Blues Never Fade Away, The Bridge, The Captain and the Kid, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word, Rocket Man, Daniel, Levon, Crocodile Rock, The Bitch is Back, Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting), Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Your Song.

(13) (NYT)March 25,2007 ELTON JOHN:60 Years On The Birthday Celebration @ MSG: (NYT)Elton John celebrated his 60th birthday on stage Sunday March 25, making a record-breaking 60th appearance in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Wearing rose-tinted glasses and a black tail coat, the singer-songwriter performed more than 30 hit songs spanning more than four decades. He recalled two of his most memorable appearances at the storied Manhattan venue: a 1974 date in which John Lennon joined him on stage for the last time, and a performance following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Elton John’s longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin serenaded him with a chorus of “Happy Birthday,” accompanied by comedians Robin Williams and Whoopie Goldberg.

Elton ended his concert with his first hit single, “Your Song.” He has sold more than 200 million albums worldwide.

(14)Nov 8, 2018 ELTON JOHN “THE GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD FAREWELL TOUR” @ MSG:  It’s 11 years since we sat in his presence, tonight my wife’s birthday. A really strange night, packed, house, pre show dinner and drinks at Cafe 31, a walk in the rain around the arena as the usual entrance was closed off, finally at our seats as the house lights dim to “Benny and The Jets”. It is obvious that the soccer moms directly behind us would rather be chatting about their kids goals all freaking night. It was probably by the time “Tiny Dancer “ was played that I had had enough and told them “Shut the fuck up”, to some applause from members of our section of seats. But soon they forgot my warning and had to be reminded by a lady seated behind them.  By the end of the show the soccer mom’s greeted me with a “Fuck you, thanks for ruining our night” or something like that.

NOTE: In March COVID 19 hits and the tour is postponed for two years.

Set list: “Benny and the Jets”, “All The Girls Love Alice”,”I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues”, “Border Song”, Tiny Dancer”, “Philadelphia Freedom”, ”Indian Summer”, “Take Me to the Pilot”,  “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”,  “Levon”, “Candle In The Wind”, “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding”,  “Burn Down the Mission”, “Believe”, “Daniel”, “Sad Songs”, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”, ”The Bitch Is Back”, “I’m Still Standing”, “Crocodile Rock”, “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”, “Your Song”,  “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

 November 20, 2022:  So, tonight as we near midnight with no soccer mom’s chatting behind us, our seats are excellent, the price of admission is affordable, the bathrooms are clean, and the drinks are prepaid, we are home on our couch watching the Disney+ presentation of ELTON JOHN @ DODGER STADIUM. Yo Reg, “thanks for the memories and God bless”, I’m gonna miss you”…Set List:”Bennie and the Jets“, “Philadelphia Freedom“,”I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues“”Border Song“, “Tiny Dancer“, “Have Mercy on the Criminal“, “Rocket Man“, “Take Me to the Pilot“, “Someone Saved My Life Tonight“, “Levon“, “Candle in the Wind“, “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding“, “Burn Down the Mission“, “Sad Songs (Say So Much)“, “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word“, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me“, “The Bitch Is Back“, “I’m Still Standing“, “Crocodile Rock“, “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting“:Encore “Cold Heart (Pnau remix)“, “Your Song“, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road“.

“Days and Nights of My Misspent Youth”

“Days and Nights of My Misspent Youth” with a cast of knuckleheads, vagabonds, cronies, sidekicks, and compatriots…

I Never Knew That:

THE TURTLES recorded the single HAPPY TOGETHER (Dec 1966/Jan 1967) 

     (COLOURING THE PAST).Despite what the title implies, this is not a song about a couple in love. According to Gary Bonner, who wrote the song with Alan Gordon, the song is about unrequited love. Our desperate singer wants the girl to “imagine how the world could be so very fine,” proposing what would happen “if I should call you up.” The line in the fadeout, “How is the weather?” is when he realizes they will never be more than passing acquaintances, as he resorts to small talk to keep from bursting into tears.

(Me) Funny how that goes and so goes this…

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: June 3, 1971; FILLMORE EAST:My grandfather had another heart attack, his third, and was in a coma in a hospital in Brooklyn. My grandmother asked if I could visit him again. My parents and grandmother in the room encouraged me to hold his hand and speak to him, as if he could hear me. I gave it a shot, reluctantly. When I did his machines went crazy, his breathing increased, and my grandmother shouted, “He hears you”. I freaked and left the room. After speaking to my parents in the lobby I grabbed the subway to Manhattan for FRANK ZAPPA AND THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION at Fillmore East, late show. I had previously arranged a date with a woman from college who I was finally taking on an official date outside of campus. Tonight, I thought would be our great night out. We were to meet at the door at 11PM. My date never showed. In I went all by myself about 1 AM missing the opening acts. ZAPPA and The TURTLES were amazing (surprised us by playing “Happy Together” at the end.) Alas, my mood was horrible so after “Peaches”, one encore I left, headed home thereby missing  the subsequent encores which had JOHN LENNON and YOKO joining The Mothers. The next day I heard about the encore on the radio but I didn’t care. It was the first time I was ever stood up on a date and I never asked her out again… 

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:ZAPPA’s HALLOWEEN in New York.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:ZAPPA’s HALLOWEEN in New York.

First, there was a residency at the Garrick Theatre in 1967. I was a youngster but do remember the poster of their shows gracing many walls and telephone poles throughout lower Manhattan.(see attached). Then there were the “Mother’s Day” shows at Fillmore East, and finally the HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA’s. What a glorious time it was. Here’s what I wrote in my “music journal”, by date, not years, so pay attention.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: FRANK ZAPPA-OCTOBER 28,1978 at THE PALLADIUM  in New York. This is my fifth Zappa show and second for HALLOWEEN @The Palladium. It’s a tradition for ZAPPA, one which I needed to see again and my wife arranges a babysitter so she can come. It’s another fantastic ZAPPA extravaganza, long and of course with the mandatory audience participation. The HALLOWEEN dvd was recorded the night we were there. The only problem with sitting in the orchestra is that the tall ass mother…who sat in front of me had on a huge, round bunny head with large floppy ears costume, making my vision to the stage blocked quite a bit.

(discog.com)

Instruments Check

The Deathless Horsie

Intro / Band Introduction

Dancin’ Fool

Easy Meat

Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?

Keep It Greasey

The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing

City Of Tiny Lights

A Pound For A Brown (On The Bus)

Thirteen

NYC Audience

Bamboozled By Love

Sy Borg

Mo’s Vacation

Bobby Brown Goes Down

Prelude To “Packard Goose”

Packard Goose

Encore Intro

Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow

Nanook Rubs It

St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast

Father O’ Blivion

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:FRANK ZAPPA- October 29,1977:My fourth Zappa show and first HALLOWEEN experience@ The Palladium.This was an amazing spectacular performance. The band was tight, the audience loose and me mellow as can be. What a great night it was. We need to do this again,soon. Prior to the show while waiting on line to get in, I’m having a smoke and four drunken teens walk by. One said loudly “ Hey man, ain’t you the new teacher?” I looked him directly in the eye and said What?”, to which he restated the question. I said, “I’m not a teacher, man”. They left. The next Monday in school I saw the kid sitting on the radiator outside my class. I walked over and asked, “How was Zappa?”. He jumped up and said, “I knew it was you.”

FRANK ZAPPA and THE MOTHERS.

From zappa.com:

1.  10-29-77 Show 1 Start/Introductions  4:06

2.  Peaches En Regalia  2:42

3.  The Torture Never Stops  12:59

4.  Tryin’ To Grow A Chin  3:34

5.  City Of Tiny Lites  7:15

6.  Pound For A Brown  8:26

7.  Bobby Brown Goes Down  6:06

8.  Conehead (Instrumental)  5:50

9.  Flakes  3:53

10. Big Leg Emma  1:52

11. Envelopes  2:42

12. Terry’s Solo #3  3:51

13. Disco Boy  3:57

14. Lather  3:40

15. Wild Love  22:51

16. Titties N Beer  6:01

17. Audience Participation #3  2:42

18. The Black Page #2  3:05

19. Jones Crusher  2:53

20. Broken Hearts Are For Assholes  3:50

21. Punky’s Whips  9:18

22. Encore Audience #3  1:46

23. Dinah-Moe Humm  5:12

24. Camarillo Brillo  3:29

25. Muffin Man  5:09

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:October 31, 1980_FRANK ZAPPA@The Palladium This is my sixth Zappa show and third Halloween Palladium event. I did not write much in my journal after this but did note” CHUNGA’s REVENGE but no PEACHES. Another great ZAPPA show”.

(background)It must have been that GARRICK THEATRE poster that I saw while walking around Greenwich Village especially the one which lasted for years outside the movie theatre on 8th Street that piqued my interest in this strange looking ensemble known as THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION. Strange name also. Who or what are they?

It’s Spring of 1967, me a fifteen year old who most every Saturday when the weather was good was checking out the street art shows in and around THE VILLAGE with my art teacher, a Franciscan Nun. She was hip to what was happening, and years later left the order for a commune or something. Anyway back to the poster. We get off the subway and there it is. A few steps later there is another and another, and another. So on down the street. THE MOTHERS (written in bold) of Invention (not so bold) at THE GARRICK THEATRE Tuesday thru Sunday ,each poster with a photo of a man with a pronounced almost comical mustache and the heads of some other guys under his photo.

A few months later Back at school (September) a guy in one of my art classes brings in two albums: THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION- Freak Out and ABSOLUTELY FREE. Hey, that’s the poster, I thought. Who are these guys? I must admit my naive ears where not accepting what I was hearing. This isn’t rock music. WTF. I gave up early.

1969: I got an 8 track copy of CRUSIN’ WITH RUBIN AND THE JETS (released 1968) which never left my player for the longest time. It was a blast. This lead me to buy the album WE’RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY (released before R&TJ). October finds the HOT RATS album in the racks of the local record store and I’m sold on FRANK ZAPPA.A few months later CHUNGA’S REVENGE (1970) is joining my ever growing collection of vinyl. I need to see this band and soon.Until then add as many MOTHERS records to the pile.

I had every intention of seeing THE MOTHERS at their FILLMORE EAST performance November 13, 1970 but as I had tickets for TYA at MSG I missed it. It’s a long story.Geez, it would have been nice in more ways than one to see ZAPPA that night.

Now, I have two tickets for the late show June 1971.It’s never been the same as that night along with other nights changed my perception of live music. Even thought I left early AND missed John and Yoko with the MOTHERS, it WAS never the same. They were funny and musically sound. WOW

 

On The Shelf: IN SEARCH OF THE LOST CHORD- 1967 AND THE HIPPIE IDEA- DANNY GOLDBERG

On The Shelf: IN SEARCH OF THE LOST CHORD 1967 AND THE HIPPIE IDEA- DANNY GOLDBERG

Wow, name after name after…you get the idea. This document takes the reader behind the scenes for a comprehensive look at 1967 and as the title suggests, “the hippie idea”. The time line alone, for me, is the gem. Reagan is governor of California, the first Human Be-IN takes place, The first SUPER BOWL, Surrealistic Pillow is released,  the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour hits the air. The Fugs’  ED SANDERS is featured on the cover of LIFE in an issue about HAPPENINGS. “Penny Lane/ Strawberry Fields Forever” is released.Adam Clayton Powell, Jr is denied a seat in Congress, as LBJ announces the draft lottery, and on and on. Names, dates, places, all fully researched, many sources quoted. Needless to say the history buff in me loved every word. All 280 pages.

(A review)   1967 was the year of the release of the Beatles’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and of debut albums from the Doors, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin, among many others. 1967 was also the year of the Summer of Love; the year that millions of now-illegal LSD tabs flooded America; Muhammad Ali was convicted of avoiding the draft; Martin Luther King Jr. publicly opposed the war in Vietnam; Stokely Carmichael championed Black Power; Israel won the Six-Day War; and Che Guevara was murdered. It was the year that hundreds of thousands of protesters vainly attempted to levitate the Pentagon. It was the year the word “hippie” peaked and died, and the Yippies were born.

IN THE HOUSE: June 3, 1971:Frank Zappa and The Mothers @ FILLMORE EAST

IN THE HOUSE: JUNE 3, 1971- FRANK ZAPPA and THE MOTHERS @ FILLMORE EAST-The midnight performance and I was pissed as my date never showed at the door so I headed in all by myself about 1:00 AM missing the first two acts. THE MOTHERS aka ZAPPA and (The TURTLES) Flo and Eddie were amazing but after about two hours I left to catch the 3:05 AM train so I skipped the encore which was surprise guests John LENNON and YOKO joining The Mothers for a rant called “Scumbag”. Years later after hearing the tapes I am glad I took the train.

FRANK ZAPPA and THE MOTHERS

It must have been that GARRICK THEATRE poster that I saw while walking around Greenwich Village especially the one which lasted for years outside the movie theatre on 8th Street that piqued my interest in this strange looking ensemble known as THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION. Strange name also. Who or what are they?

It is Spring of 1967, me a fifteen year old who mostly every Saturday when the weather was good was checking out the street art shows in and around THE VILLAGE with my art teacher, a Franciscan Nun. She was hip to what was happening, and years later left the order for a commune or something. Anyway back to the poster. We get off the subway and there it is. A few steps later there is another and another, and another. So on down the street. THE MOTHERS (written in bold) of Invention (not so bold) at THE GARRICK THEATRE Tuesday thru Sunday ,each poster with a photo of a man with a pronounced almost comical mustache and the heads of some other guys under his photo.

A few months later, back at school (September) a guy in one of my art classes brings in two albums: THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION- Freak Out and ABSOLUTELY FREE. Hey, that’s the poster, I thought. Who are these guys? I must admit my naive ears where not accepting what I was hearing. This isn’t rock music. WTF. I gave up early.

1969: I got an 8 track copy of CRUSIN’ WITH RUBIN AND THE JETS (released 1968) which never left my player for the longest time. It was a blast. This lead me to buy the album WE’RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY (released before R&TJ). October finds the HOT RATS album in the racks of the local record store and I’m sold on FRANK ZAPPA. A few months later CHUNGA’S REVENGE (1970) is joining my ever growing collection of vinyl. I need to see this band and soon.Until I see them live I added many more MOTHERS records to my pile.

Then, I get two tickets for the late show June 1971.It’s never been the same as that night along with other nights changed my perception of live music. Even thought I left early AND missed John and Yoko “jamming” with the MOTHERS, it WAS never the same. They were funny and musically sound. WOW