Warner / Reprise “Loss Leaders”

12-10-09 Warner / Reprise “Loss Leaders”

LPx2 WARNER / REPRISE: 1969 SONGBOOK PRO 331

1969 28 TRK Compilation, promo

LPx2 WARNER / REPRISE: 1969 RECORD SHOW, THE PRO 336

1969 31 TRK Compilation, promo

LP WARNER / REPRISE: OCTOBER 10, 1969 PRO 351

1969 10 TRK Compilation, promo (not a mail-order title)

LPx2 WARNER / REPRISE: BIG BALL PRO 358

1970 30 TRK Compilation, promo

LPx3 WARNER / REPRISE: LOONEY TUNES PRO 423

1971 35 TRK Compilation, promo

LP WARNER / REPRISE: NON-DAIRY CREAMER PRO 443

1971 11 TRK Compilation, promo

LPx2 WARNER / REPRISE: HOT PLATTERS PRO 474

1971 22 TRK Compilation, promo

LPx2 WARNER / REPRISE: WHOLE BURBANK CATALOG PRO 512

1972 28 TRK Compilation, promo

LPx2 WARNER / REPRISE: BURBANK PRO 529

1972 25 TRK Compilation, promo

When writing about 1969, this set of records cannot be ignored. I probably found a flyer for “Songbook” and “Record Show” in a copy of Arlo Guthrie “Alice’s Restaurant”, around Christmas 1969. $2 for a double album seemed hard to believe, but it was true! And “Songbook” had the G.T.O.’s on the cover and you got to hear Wild Man Fisher, Frank Zappa, The Fugs, Jethro Tull and a host of other new-to-me things.

There are many more WB sampler LP’s than are listed here, but these are the ones I got at the time, waited for with baited breath etc. Fans of these albums know how much cool music is to be found therein. They often put odd little bits between tracks, too. And many (most) have stellar Stan Cornyn liner notes!

Except for “October 10, 1969”, they were all mail-order albums. I think that one was an early “In Store Promo”, sent to retail or radio, in hopes of some needle time. It was a good one, too – with Norman Greenbaum “Spirit In The Sky”, Frank Zappa “Peaches in Regalia”, Fleetwood Mac “Rattlesnake Shake” and some artists about which I know less – Levitt & McClure, Denny Brooks, The Fifth Avenue Band etc. (Yes, I have the Japanese WB/Reprise CD of The Fifth Avenue Band’s album in 2009!).

The best thing about these albums is that most of them are not expensive collectibles, 40 years hence. For some reason, “Looney Tunes” seems to go for a lot of money – either for the Looney Tunes cover or the otherwise unavailable Jimi Hendrix track! But all others can be had for $2 - $4 these days. Some of my friends were so enthusiastic, we generated CD-R’s of some of these titles! The music sounds great – but the overall packages were what made these titles ‘magical’.

The British also made great inexpensive sampler albums (such as “Nice Enough To Eat” on Island), but – for my money – these WB “Loss Leader” sampler LP’s are tops.

Procol Harum 45's

12-9-09 Procol Harum 45’s

Mostly in order:

WHITER SHADE OF PALE, A / LIME STREET BLUES DERAM UK DM 126

1967 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

HOMBURG / GOOD CAPTAIN CLACK A&M US AM-885

1968 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

QUITE RIGHTLY SO / IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF… A&M US AM-927

1968 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

BOREDOM / DEVIL CAME FROM KANSAS A&M US AM-1111

1969 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

SALTY DOG, A / LONG GONE GEEK POLYDOR DE 59293

1969 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

WHISKEY TRAIN / ABOUT TO DIE A&M US AM-1218

1970 2 TRKS no pic sleeve, promo

BROKEN BARRICADES / POWER FAILURE A&M US AM-1264

1971 2 TRKS no pic sleeve, promo; not a UK 45, I suspect

SIMPLE SISTER (EP) CHRYSALIS POR 6198 006

1971 3 TRKS with pic sleeve; not a UK 45, I suspect

CONQUISTADOR (Live) / LUSKUS DELPH (Live) CHRYSALIS UK CHS 2003

1972 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

ROBERT'S BOX / A RUM TALE CHRYSALIS UK CHS 2010

1973 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

GRAND HOTEL (Long) / (Short) CHRYSALIS US CHS 2013

1973 2 TRKS with pic sleeve, promo; not a UK 45, I suspect

SOUVENIR OF LONDON, A / TOUJOURS L'AMOUR CHRYSALIS UK CHS 2015

1973 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH / DRUNK AGAIN CHRYSALIS UK CHS 2032

1974 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

PANDORA'S BOX / PIPER'S TUNE, THE CHRYSALIS IT CHN 2073

1975 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

FINAL THRUST, THE / TAKING THE TIME CHRYSALIS UK CHS 2079

1975 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

WIZARD MAN / BACKGAMMON CHRYSALIS UK CHS 2138

1977 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

I do not have a strictly UK collection of Procol Harum 45’s; In fact, I don’t think all of these exist in England. I recently got the US “Whiskey Train” 45, which really surprised me – I didn’t know it existed! The US certainly originated some 45’s for PH! Interesting that the US A&M 45 for the live (hit) of “Conquistador” does not have the British B-Side of a live version of “Luskus Delph” – it has a track from the “In Concert” LP, “A Salty Dog”.

I’ve had the majority of these 45’s for many years. It was a joy to find them when I was young, as they almost always had ‘new information’ for me, whether it be a picture sleeve or a new B-Side. I have grown up with this music, and I love it. Until last Sunday, I had never seen a Procol Harum 45 for the “Home” LP, but “Whiskey Train” is just that. Amazing! And it’s an ‘edit’! 2:27!

45's @ Rockaway

12-8-09 45’s @ Rockaway!

Went through a ton of 45’s @ Rockaway Records in Los Angeles last Sunday – and I came away with…

10cc – DEAN AND I, UK RECORDS UK 7” w/B-side

10cc – WALL STREET SHUFFLE, UK RECORDS UK 7” w/B-Side

10cc – I’M NOT IN LOVE, MERCURY US 7” W/PS promo w/B-Side & promo sleeve

10cc – THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE, MERCURY US 7” promo w/B-Side

ACADEMICALS – TIME IS TIGHT, ELECTRIC UK 7”

AFRAID OF MICE – INTERCONTINENTAL, CHARISMA UK 7” W/PS

BARNES, RICHARD – COLDWATER MORNING, ISLAND/BRONZE UK 7”

BARRON-KNIGHTS – BACK IN TROUBLE AGAIN, EPIC UK 7” novelty

BARRON-KNIGHTS – LIVE IN TROUBLE, EPIC UK 7” novelty

BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS – I CAN'T QUIT HER, COLUMBIA US 7” promo; debut!

BUTTERSCOTCH – CAN'T YOU HEAR THE SONG, JAM UK 7”

CISCO KID, THE – GIRL FROM ROXYVILLE, ELECTRIC UK 7” Patrick Campbell-Lyons

DE PAUL, LYNSEY / BARRY BLUE – HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU FROM ME, JET UK 7”

DEEP PURPLE – STRANGE KIND OF WOMAN, HARVEST UK 7” w/B-Side

FERRY, BRYAN – HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL, ISLAND UK 7”

FERRY, BRYAN – LET'S STICK TOGETHER, ISLAND UK 7” w/B-Side

GLITTER, GARY – DOING ALL RIGHT WITH THE BOYS, BELL UK 7” w/B-Side

JONES, SPIKE – DOWN SOUTH, RCA US 7” promo, early 50’s

MIDDLETON, MAX / ROBERT AHWAI – SNAKE HIPS, HARVEST UK 7” promo

OLDFIELD, MIKE – FIVE MILES OUT, VIRGIN UK 7” pic disc

PITNEY, GENE – TRAIN OF THOUGHT, BRONZE UK 7”

PROCOL HARUM – WHISKEY TRAIN, A&M US 7” promo, A-side is edited!

QUATRO, SUZI – 48 CRASH, RAK UK 7” w/B-Side

QUATRO, SUZI – CAN THE CAN, RAK UK 7” w/B-Side

SEVILLE, DAVID & THE CHIPMUNKS – RAGTIME COWBOY JOE, U.A. UK 7” EP promo re-issue, late 70’s – in stereo!

SWEET, THE – BLOCKBUSTER, RCA UK 7” w/B-Side

T. REX – GET IT ON, FLY UK 7” 3 tracks, white lettering - w/B-Sides

WELCH, ED – MOON ROCK, U.A. UK 7” promo

WHO, THE – I CAN'T EXPLAIN, DECCA US 7” the earliest Who 45 I now have!

None of these were “expensive”, so it was great to add to my collections of The Who, Procol Harum, 10cc, classic Bryan Ferry, Mike Oldfield, Deep Purple etc. I still have a lot to learn in the “45 Universe”!

And I understand that Rockaway are doing a “Pop-Up Store” next weekend (at their regular location), so if you’re in L.A., check it out!

Time Machine: 1969 #5

12-7-09 Time Machine: 1969 #5

I have been ‘reading’ the Japanese magazine “Strange Days” for all of 2009. A regular feature of this magazine has been “Time Machine – 40 Years Ago” – listing many records released in 1969. Today we conclude my writing about the releases of 1969.

Strange Days 2009.11 lists “September 1969 Albums” as The Beatles “Abbey Road” (Apple UK PCS 7088), Donovan “Barabajagal” (Epic US BN 26481), Fleetwood Mac “Then Play On” (Reprise US RS 6368), Nick Drake “Five Leaves left” (Island UK ILPS 9105), Status Quo “Spare Parts (Pye UK NSPL 18301) and The Mothers Of Invention “Uncle Meat (Bizarre / Reprise 2MS 2024 double album).

I rode my bicycle to Wallach’s Music City and got “Abbey Road” the day it came out. I loved the Donovan album, especially “To Susan On The West Coast Waiting”. I heard Fleetwood Mac on a Warner / Reprise loss-leader sampler double album, and thought “Oh Well” was the bees knees. I saw Nick Drake albums in a catalogue of Island Records (UK), but I did not hear him for another few years. Status Who? I had already been a Frank Zappa fan for 3 or 4 years by 1969, so “Uncle Meat” was a natural for me, with it’s wonderful full-color booklet.

Strange Days 2009.12 lists “October 1969 Albums” as King Crimson “In The Court Of The Crimson King” (Island UK ILPS 9111), Led Zeppelin “Led Zeppelin II” (Atlantic UK 588 198), Free – self-titled album (Island ILPS 9104), The Kinks “Arthur” (Pye UK NSPL 18317), Flaming Youth “Ark 2” (Fontana UK STL 5533), John Mayall “The Turning Point” (Polydor UK 583 571), The Pentangle “Basket Of Light” (Transatlantic UK TRA 205) and Janis Joplin “I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again” (Columbia US KC 9913).

I hipped myself to King Crimson, finding an inexpensive used LP of “ITCOTCK” and buying it because of the cover, probably in 1970. Did I know it would change the way I looked at rock music? Yes, I got Led Zeppelin “II” when it was released, but…not quite sure why. How did I know to buy this album, then? I didn’t hear Free until “All Right Now”. The Kinks (like The Hollies) seemed to me to be a British 60’s “singles band” – I heard their stuff on Warner / Reprise samplers, but…The Who and Traffic and Family were my kind of British bands in ‘69. Believe it or not, I actually heard Flaming Youth on the FM radio, and went in search of “Ark 2” – and found it! (Probably in 1970 – probably before Phil Collins joined Genesis). I heard John Mayall “Room To Move” on the FM radio (and my brother talked about him, too) – so I got that one right away. The Pentangle were yet another band I was exposed to by the Warner / Reprise loss-leader sampler double LP’s, but I didn’t get this one at that time. Yes, I heard the debut Janis Joplin solo album, but I didn’t go for it. I wanted the loud psychedelic craziness of Big Brother & The Holding Company, not some R&B-infused band of session musicians!

Let’s hope that the 2010 issues of Strange Days continue with their “Time Machine” series! Again, I dedicate these 1969 album writings to my brother, Jim. He took me seriously and was honest with me. Thanks also to the patience of my dad, Harold.

1969

SAVOY BROWN – Train To Nowhere

JETHRO TULL – Look Into The Sun

TEN YEARS AFTER – Bad Scene

SPOOKY TOOTH – Better By You, Better By Me

BLIND FAITH – Had To Cry Today

BEE GEES – The First Of May

FAMILY – Summer ‘67

CREAM – Doing That Scrapyard Thing

MARY HOPKIN – Goodbye

JACKIE LOMAX – Sour Milk Sea

THE IVEYS – And Her Daddy’s A Millionaire

KING CRIMSON – I Talk To The Wind

PROCOL HARUM – The Milk of Human Kindness

THE BEATLES – Come Together

THE WHO – I’m Free

DONOVAN – To Susan On The West Coast Waiting

FLEETWOOD MAC – Oh Well

FRANK ZAPPA / THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION – The Air

SOFT MACHINE – As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still

This is the CD-R that I put together from these "Strange Days" Lists. Please let me know if you'd like to have a copy. Now, I am waiting on the January issue of "Strange Days" for me to continue the "Time Machine" series!

Raining in Los Angeles...

- Ron

Time Machine: 1969 #4

12-4-09 Time Machine: 1969 #4

I have been ‘reading’ the Japanese magazine “Strange Days” for all of 2009. A regular feature of this magazine has been “Time Machine – 40 Years Ago” – listing records all released in 1969.

Strange Days 2009.09 lists “July 1969 Albums” as Deep Purple “The Book Of Taliesyn” (Harvest UK SHVL 751), Pete Brown & The Battered Ornaments “A Meal You Can Shake Hands With In The Dark” (Harvest UK SHVL 752), Shirley & Dolly Collins “Anthems In Eden” (Harvest UK SHVL 754), Third Ear Band “Alchemy (Harvest UK SHVL 756), Edgar Broughton Band “Wasa Wasa” (Harvest UK SHVL 757), Pink Floyd “More” (Columbia UK SCX 6346), Yes – self-titled album (Atlantic UK 588 190), Jethro Tull “Stand Up” (Island/Chrysalis ILPS 9103) and The Iveys “Maybe Tomorrow” (Apple UK SAPCOR 8).

Harvest Records is in the house – yes, but I didn’t hear any of these in 1969 – it took until 1970 or so, when inexpensive US promo LP’s of these titles could be had. And we covered Pete Brown yesterday. I did not know Pink Floyd in 1969, it took Syd Barrett “The Madcap Laughs” to get me to go back and ‘discover’ P.F. I knew Jethro Tull from a Warner / Reprise loss-leader double sampler LP. I didn’t hear Yes for another year or two – and my introduction would’ve been “All Good People” on the FM radio. Didn’t even hear of or know The Iveys LP – they, of course, became Badfinger – but I still don’t think I’ve ever seen a real UK edition of The Iveys LP! I love The Iveys B-side “Her Daddy’s A Millionaire” (Apple 45) – but I didn’t get that for another 5 years!

Strange Days 2009.10 lists “August 1969 Albums” as Blind Faith – self-titled album (Polydor UK 583 059), Miles Davis “In A Silent Way” (CBS UK S 63630), The Nice – self-titled album (Immediate UK IMSP 026), Elvis Presley “From Elvis In Memphis” (RCA UK SF 8029), Ten Years After “Ssssh” (Deram SML 1052) and Canned Heat “Hallelujah” (Liberty LBS 83239).

Blind Faith had been written about and discussed, so I anticipated it vigorously. Miles Davis was definitely not on the screen for me in ’69. I don’t remember how I came to The Nice, but it certainly wasn’t with this particular album – can’t of heard ‘em until Emerson Lake & Palmer came along, a year or so into the future. Elvis Presley, to me, in 1969 was (and will always be) his “Shake Rattle & Roll” RCA EP from the 50’s. Was this the first TYA album that I got when it was new? Quite possibly… I had liked Canned Heat “Going Up The Country”, and indeed they got a good deal ‘more famous’ when Woodstock came along – and, yes, I knew who they were, but I was not buying Canned Heat LP’s in 1969. No way.

I distinctly remember writing to my brother and asking him what he thought about Blind Faith. Perhaps he thought this was unusual – his 11-year-old little brother writing to him about adult rock music? He answered me (he liked it) and he and I have always discussed music…ever since. I dedicate these lists of 1969 to my brother, Jim. He took my inquisitiveness seriously, and I began my life’s work (“music understanding”), thanks to him.

Time Machine: 1969 #3

12-3-09 Time Machine: 1969 #3

I have been ‘reading’ the Japanese magazine “Strange Days” for all of 2009. A regular feature of this magazine has been “Time Machine – 40 Years Ago” – listing records all released in 1969.

Strange Days 2009.07 lists “May 1969 Albums” as John Lennon & Yoko Ono “Unfinished Music No. 2 – Life With The Lions) (Zapple UK 01), George Harrison “Electronic Sound” (Zapple UK 02), Scaffold “L. The P.” (Parlophone UK PCS 7077), The Hollies “Sing Dylan” (Parlophone PCS 7078), Procol Harum “A Salty Dog” (Regal Zonophone UK SLRZ 1009), Tyrannosaurus Rex “Unicorn” (Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1007) and The Who “Tommy” (Track Record UK 613 013/14 double LP).

I loved Procol Harum and The Who. “Tommy” drove us all nuts, making me go back and find inexpensive mono LP’s of “Happy Jack” and “The Who Sell Out”. I actually bought these albums at the time “with my own money”. “A Salty Dog” by Procol Harum has not left my turntable for 40 years now. What are Keith Reid’s lyrics on about? A friend of mine bought these dodgy Beatles’ solo albums, so I stayed away. I didn’t hear Scaffold for another few years, but loved ‘em totally when I did. The Hollies were off my radar by 1969 – relegated to being a UK 60’s ‘singles band’. And I certainly saw the Tyrannosaurus Rex albums – US versions on Blue Thumb, but I did not hear Marc Bolan until “Electric Warrior” (1971) – like nearly everyone else on Earth.

Strange Days 2009.08 lists “June 1969 Albums” as Crosby Stills & Nash – self-titled album (Atlantic US SD 8229), Savoy Brown “Blue Matter” (Decca UK SKL 4994), Amen Corner “The National Welsh Coast Live Explosion Company” (Immediate UK IMSP 023), The Casuals “Hour World (Decca UK SKL-R 5001) and in their footnotes (but not on their list), they mention Pete Brown & The Battered Ornaments “A Meal You Can Shake Hands With In The Dark” (Harvest UK SHVL 752).

You couldn’t not hear Crosby Stills & Nash in 1969! The FM hippie radio was playing them, ‘everybody’ was talking about them in the rock press and hippie record stores – I knew Steve Stills from Buffalo Springfield and David Crosby from The Byrds – oh, and the guy from The Hollies. I definitely heard Savoy Brown on the FM radio – “Train To Nowhere”, without a doubt. I bought a 45 of it! Did not hear Amen Corner or The Casuals (I still don’t know much about The Casuals!). I saw the gorgeous Mal Dean covers of the Pete Brown albums on the innersleeves found in Harvest UK LP’s, so I knew I had to have ‘em – after all, Mr. Brown (who I now count as a friend of 20+ years) wrote lots of lyrics for the much-lamented Cream.

As I write briefly about these 1969 releases, I recognize that these are records still very much in my consciousness, present tense. You must hear The Scaffold! Yes, “Tommy” by The Who is over-rated, but the SACD of it sounds AMAZING. Procol Harum are one my top 5 British artists, and I recommend “A Salty Dog” to you unconditionally. For Pete Brown (& Piblokto!), please try and hear “Things May Come and Things May Go, But The Art School Dance Goes On Forever” (1970).

Time Machine: 1969 #2

12-2-09 Time Machine: 1969 #2

I have been ‘reading’ the Japanese magazine “Strange Days” for all of 2009. A regular feature of this magazine has been “Time Machine – 40 Years Ago” – listing records all released in 1969.

Strange Days 2009.05 lists “March 1969 Albums” as Colosseum “Those About To Die Salute You” (Fontana UK STL 5510), Cream “Goodbye” (Polydor UK 583 053), Led Zeppelin – self-titled album (Atlantic UK 588 171), The Bee Gees “Odessa” (Polydor UK 582 049/50 double LP), Spooky Tooth “Spooky Two” (Island UK ILPS 9098), Jackie Lomax “Is This What You Want” (Apple UK SAPCOR 6), Family “Family Entertainment” (Reprise UK RSLP 6340) and Scott Walker “Scott 3” (Philips UK SBL 7882).

I found out about Colosseum by 1970, as much of 1969 was spent lamenting the loss of Cream as a working band. I didn’t hear of Led Zeppelin until “Led Zeppelin II” came along. I certainly knew The Bee Gees! “First Of May” from “Odessa” was a big hit in my house. I had seen LP’s by Spooky Tooth in the hippie record store, but I did not hear them until “The Last Puff”. I tried the Jackie Lomax album because of it having 3 members of The Beatles on it – “Sour Milk Sea” is fantastic. I heard Family on a Warner / Reprise loss-leader sampler LP, so I knew them – I had found a cheap used copy of their 1968 debut album “Music In A Doll’s House”, which remains one of my all-time favorite albums. “Family Entertainment” isn’t too shabby, either! Never heard Scott Walker in 1969 – I did not particularly care for The Walker Brothers (or “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore”).

Strange Days 2009.06 lists “April 1969 Albums” as Brian Auger & The Trinity “Definitely What” (Marmalade UK 608 003), Grapefruit “Around Grapefruit” (Stateside UK SSL 5008), Kaleidoscope “Faintly Blowing” (Fontana UK STL 5491), Soft Machine “Volume 2” (Probe US CPLP 4505), The Moody Blues “On The Threshold Of A Dream” (Deram UK SML 1035), Roy Harper “Folkjokeopus” (Liberty UK LBS 83231) and Nazz (Todd Rundgren) – self-titled album (SCG UK 221 001).

At the time, I was really only familiar with The Moody Blues on this particular list. I didn’t like this album as well as “In Search Of The Lost Chord”. I think I knew that there was something distantly related to The Beatles about Grapefruit, but I didn’t hear it at all then. I knew nothing of Kaleidoscope or Brian Auger or Julie Driscoll in 1969. By the time of “Flat Baroque and Berserk” (a whole year into the future), I was a Roy Harper fan (thanks to a $1 of “Flat Baroque…”). I always saw the Nazz albums, but I never heard them.

In 2009, the big winner here is the Soft Machine LP, again, one of my all-time favorite albums by any artist. I truly didn’t hear them until “Third” (a year or so into the future), but I ravenously went in search of more Soft Machine once I got my teeth into that; “Volume Two” was what I found first. A bit much to consider being 11 years old and grooving to Soft Machine “Volume 2” – but if I would’ve been hip enough – I would’ve dug it, as I did when I did make it’s acquaintance.

Time Machine: 1969 #1

12-1-09 Time Machine: 1969 #1

I have been ‘reading’ the Japanese magazine “Strange Days” for all of 2009. A regular feature of this magazine has been “Time Machine – 40 Years Ago” – listing records all released in 1969. “Strange Days” experimented with a larger format magazine for the first few months of 2009, but with the April issue, they began this interesting column.

Well, I was awake and listening to rock music in 1969. Lots of possibilities for a young mind: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix…you could hear this music on the radio with some effort – my brother certainly had albums by these artists in our home.

Strange Days 2009.04 lists “February 1969 Albums” as The Fool – self-titled album (Mercury UK SMLC 20138), Mary Hopkin “Postcard” (Apple UK SAPCOR 5), Gun – self-titled album (CBS UK S 63552), The Beach Boys “20/20” (Capitol US ST-133), Ten Years After “Stonedhenge” (Deram UK SML 1029) and Procol Harum “Shine On Brightly” (Regal Zonophone UK SLRZ 1004).

The Fool were the Dutch hippie artists who famously designed the Apple Boutique in London for The Beatles. I never heard their album, but I remember seeing it – it looked way too hippy-dippy, even in 1969! I do not own this album.

Mary Hopkin became famous because of her association with The Beatles (and Apple Records). It’s true, “Those Were The Days” was a big hit – and it was played on the radio a lot back then. It was so popular that it was not uncommon to hear it being sung by someone unlikely (Andy Williams?) on TV. I always liked her single “Goodbye” a lot better. I own “Postcard” on LP, and I even have the original recording of “Those Were The Days” by Gene & Francesca (on their 1968 LP “Hello Love” on Tetragrammaton) – Gene Raskin was who wrote the song. I wonder how Paul McCartney heard it?

Gun was never on my radar back then. Too obscure! Later on, I was a big fan of Parrish & Gurvitz, but Adrian Gurvitz did not enter my picture at all in 1969! Same thing for The Beach Boys. If one was listening to Country Joe & The Fish or Spirit – a band like The Beach Boys was not required listening – then or now.

Ten Years After was definitely on my radar in ’69 – even before their glorious performance at Woodstock. Either my brother talked about them, or I saw how groovy their first 3 albums looked – but what song would I have heard on the radio back then? This is before TYA’s “Love Like A Man” (and “Cricklewood Green”).

Procol Harum is the big winner here. I love ‘em. “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” was a big hit on the radio; you could hear it anywhere. My brother had their debut album, which remains to this very day one of my all-time favorite albums. “Shine On Brightly” followed a year or so after their debut album. Hey, it’s in stereo! This album helped create new directories in my thinking about music. Serious rock music, this. But I love the sound of the collaboration of these British guys. And one member of the band just wrote lyrics!

- Ron

Time for me to rest a bit

11-25-09 Time for me to rest a bit

I am going to be taking a few days off from blogging at this time. There’s a bit of travel coming up, and I will return to regular daily posts on Tues. 12-1-09!

I always welcome suggestions for topics upon which to write. Lately, I’ve been trying to write the blogs right before I post them – not months in advance.

Lately I have been feeling like I have a lot of stuff; I’ve found some ‘want list items’ recently (like the 6CD Joe Cocker live set!). As usual, I never have any idea what will turn up in San Francisco / Berkeley, so I will advise if something neat walks down the pike. These days, there is a lot of stuff we get to do in SF bay area that isn’t record collecting – many great bookstores left there, some good shoe stores, extra nice restaurants, good friends / family etc.

But I will always take a look and see what’s on offer at the 2 x Amoeba stores up there. Heck, last Xmas / New Year’s – I found the Stump CD box in San Francisco!

I have been regularly going to San Francisco / East Bay / San Jose / Santa Cruz for about 30 years. I’ve seen many odd stores come and go; I’ve sold (& bought) at assorted swap meets up there. It’s another concentration of humans; humans mean “used CD’s / vinyl”. I sometimes get ‘tired’ of L.A.’s bounty – something different will be on offer in S.F.! But…what?

I miss Tower Records! It was always interesting to see what was going to be for sale in Mountain View, Berkeley, 2525 Jones St., Bascom Ave. – Bascom Ave is still good, with a great Streetlight and a Rasputin’s!

A big shout out to my S.F. / S.J. crew – Scott & Deb, Ruth & Ken! And my former S.F. / S.J. crew, Big Mark (!), Cameron! Both no longer in S.J., sadly. Still love to go to S.J., and it’s these men I have to thank for my knowledge and lore of Cupertino, Sunnyvale and El Camino Real in general. Whatever happened to that guy at Chimera in Palo Alto who used to hum tunelessly to the Velvet Underground…or Debussy? All hail Rex, “The Dedicated Record Collector”! Rex remembered that I wanted a Heinz LP for well over a decade!

So, I’m real ready to get on a plane and make it up north. Thanxgiving in Pacifica! Daiso @ Serramonte! Amoebas! Get me some 24SF’s (shoes)! Upper Playground in the house! Japan town mall! Kinokuniya stationery store! Aquarius! Medium Rare! Ti Couz! T. Rex BBQ in Berkeley! Vik’s, Berkeley Marina! Half Price Books! Down Home Music in El Cerrito!

Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks for reading while I drool. Coming next Tuesday: 1969!

- Ron