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