Anyday...there might be a better 40-year old song, but don't bet on it

This could be a Name This Record, but it is a concert review.   The photo above is the inside cover of Derek and the Dominoes - Layla and other Assorted Love Songs.  Produced by Tom Dowd, record at Miami's Critera Studios.  Besides Layla, there are some nuggets on this record.  One of them is called Anyday.  Keep in mind it was recorded in the summer of 1970, and released in November of that year.  That is over 40 years ago.  Getting around to the concert review - Clapton's heir apparent - yes, he is - Derek Trucks and his betrothed, Ms. Susan Tadeschi have finally formed a touring band, which cannot be labeled or described - a preeminent jam and swing band.  Their show piece number is Anyday.  The TTB band have carefully and lovingly unearthed this song - like archaeologists, and have breathed life into a grail-like dormant relic of generations past.  Beside what Dowd captured at to the Layla sessions, what Susan and Derek (Trucks) do with it - and vocalist Mike Mattison - is magic and must be commended.  Nancy and I saw Mike having dinner a block from the venure and decided to not bother him.  The TTB now are the rightful owners of this song, while even enducing master Eric himself to sing along from stage left at his 2007 Crossroads festival.   Derek has not only the DNA as Butch's nephew, but the reverence to give this songs the airing they deserve.  We heard Dereck serve up a tiny piece of "uncle" Duane's Little Martha on their intro to Midnight in Harlem.  And Derek wove the ABB's Blue Sky into the coda of Anyday.  Anyday.  Anyday now - more people will know what music was like 40 years ago.

Mott the Hoople - more than just some Young Dudes

Mott the Hoople...Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with R&B roots and were dominant in the early glam rock era of rock in the early to mid 1970s.  They did "All the Young Dudes," which was written by David Bowie.  It's on their 1972 album of the same name.   I have some very good friends who lived in (and now very close to) the town in England where parts of this band hailed from.  Mostly from known sources - "Mott The Hoople can be traced to two beat bands from a part of England called Herefordshire in the early 1960s.  The Soulents were from Ross-On-Wye, where I have been to on numerous occassions - and also boasted Pete Overend Watts on guitar, and Dale "Buffin" Griffin on drums.  The Buddies were also from Hereford, and featured Mick Ralphs on guitar and Stan Tippins on vocals.  By 1966, Ralphs, Tippins, and Watts (the latter now on bass) had come together in a band called The Doc Thomas Group, and soon secured a residency at a club in a resort town in Italy.  The group was offered a recording contract with the Italian label Dischi Interrecord, and released an eponymous album in January 1967.  By 1968, drummer Dale Griffin and organist Verden Allen had joined the band."

Roadmaster - really? Who the heck are they????

Here is what we know about Roadmaster, from comments I read attached to one of their youtube song clips.  They have a song you might had heard many years ago called Sweet Sweet Music, which sounds as if Jim Peterik wrote it.  It's very good - from that era. They also do a song called It's Doesn't Mean a Thing.  Roadmaster, is the noce great, one-time power group from Indianapolis in the 1970's.  They had a few catchy rock anthems and in their heyday apparently once blew away Aerosmith at December 1979 show at Market Square Arena.  One of the guys who started "Sunshine promotions" said if Roadmaster were on the "west coast," they would have been HUGE on a national level...but wrong place, wrong time - with too many similar groups (REO, Styx, Journey, Kansas, Surviror - then Huey Lewis/News) at the time.  Sad they were very good. I saw them no less than 20 times in concert.  And also "This was the best damn band ever to come out of Indy.  I have all their albums, and have seen them way more times than I can count.I was at this show and my ex and I are seen in the video in the crowd shots. Michael Reed came into the bar I work at about a month ago,he still is just as cool as ever, and to my amazement, he remembered me from all those years ago.I miss these guys, and I miss Mac,he's got heaven rockin' I'm sure.  The rest of the story of Roadmaster starts in the mid seventies in Indianapolis. They have a common sound.

Playing Possum with the all-time greatest: George "No-Show" Jones

George Jones...

George Jones - what more can be said.  The Possum.  The greatest country and western singer alive today.  This album is called George Jones - We Can Make It and it has a great nugget on it called Kiss an Angle Good Morning.  From 1972, on the Epic imprint.  He is revered for good reason.  I don't think I can put into words how great his song He Stopped Loving Her Today is.  With apologies to Steve Goodman , John Prine, and David Allan Coe, it might just be the most "perfect country and western song ever written."

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R2F9f2Cl6Y&feature=related

The song "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is from 1980, the lead single from his album, I Am What I Am.  The song was Jones first No. 1 single in six years at the time.  The melancholy (to say the least) song was written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman.

Rock and Roll Obituaries: Nickolas Ashford and Jerome Lieber...

Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1942 – August 22, 2011) and Jerome "Jerry" Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011).  Nick Ashford and Jerry Liber wrote some of the all-time great songs.

And one more...the other sides.

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo's Factory (actually Willy and Poor Boys)

Finally - a CCR Album.  I made the photo merge of the front and back covers.  And yes - they certainly did play at Woodstock.  They opened their set with the fantastic Born on the Bayou.  I read they were a bit bitter about what time - (2 am Sunday morning) they went on beause apparently The Dead "went over" their alotted time slot.  Really?  - with the rain and technical challenges - hard to imagine anything staying on schedule.  They (or only John Fogerty) were also upset that they thougth their performance was not their best - so the lobbied to NOT be in the movie.  But back to this record.  This is of course the album cover of their smash (many say their best) record, Cosmo's Factory.  But when I got the album home - inside the jacket was a different record.  I hate when that happens.  But that's OK.  The record (disc itself) is CCR's Willy and the Poor Boys...in Full Radical Stereo, on the Fantasy imprint (label).  It has great songs like Down on the Corner, Fortunate Son, and The Midnight Special.  So I can't be really that dissappointed.  Cosmo's has Travelin' Band, Lookin' Out my Back Door, Up Around the Bend, and Who'll Stop the Rain.

Name This Record: answer

No one took a guess.  But this is The Association's eponymous sixth album (# 32).  "It is an eclectic LP with songs in many different styles including rock, pop, blue-eyed soul, psychedelic, country and novelty, while still staying in the realm of sunshine rock and sunshine pop.  Although generally well received by the critics, it did not spawn any hit singles.  It was the last studio album featuring guitarist Russ Giguere, who left for a solo career in 1971."

Making an Exception; I bought a CD yesterday: 7th Heaven - fav local band

This goes against my better judgment (as if I have any), and also against my moderate Luddite (non-vandalism) tendencies to put something up here NOT in vinyl format, but I make an exception today - for 7th Heaven, a hard-working (they average 300 shows per year, over the past 15 years) local band that I've seen at least a dozen times.  Like last Thurs. night.  I saw them play (an every August gig for them) just over in Hinsdale in the village park for a free, bring your own chairs or blanket concert.  I always buy a T-shirt (got it signed!) and get their latest CD.  This one - called Pop Media - has 22 songs on it and was ten bucks.  It's in Nancy's car and it's really great.  Lead guitarist and founder Richard Hofherr added lead vocalist Keith Semple to the band a few years ago and the the reason I like them so much is: 1. They play live constantly and I can see them at dozens of local venues.  2. They write and play tons of great and catchy original songs (they have a 700-song, all original, CD compilation available!) 3. They do killer covers of newer and older hits.  But mostly (4th) because they invented a "30 Songs in 30 Minutes" medley as their showpiece.  They have 2 or 3 medlies.  Done live, these 30-minute medleys (they did one last night) are soundtracks of the eighties and the snappy arrangements are great, snippets of song fraqments flow perfectly into the next song.  And - all you really is fifty seconds of Loverboy's Lovin' Every Minute of It - right?  I'm not man, or machine, I'm just somethng in between...

Don McLean: Not Just Another Slice of Pie

Don McLean - Playin' Favorites.  Don assembles an all-star lineup of seesion men for this album.   I am not sure about the songs, but based on the album's title - I think they are all or mostly all covers of other people's songs.  For instance, he does Mule Skinner Blues by Jimmie Rodgers.  And I love Jerry Reed's versions of that song!  Getting back to who's on the record - I was shocked to see Tony Levin, Peter Gabriel's go-to bass man, on it.  Then I saw Chuck Leavell's name.  Wow - these are A-listers.  And Rick Marotta on drums.  Ah ha - but here just might be the Gabriel connection:  Rick's brother Jerry Marotta is "also a noted drummer and percussionist, and has recorded and toured with Peter Gabriel."  This record is from 1973, and was Don's 4th studio record - record at the Record Plant in New York.  And it was remixed at the Record Plant, in Sausalito, CA.  Check out a list of records made there - wow:  Songs in the Key of Life, Rumours, Sports, Centerfield, Load, and Re-load, and Supernatural - just to name a few.