Vinyl Musings
While The Rolling Stones 1967 release Flowers is hardly an unknown album, in their intimidatingly massive catalog, the album is an overlooked gem, if also a slight misfit in their discography. Much like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones early albums were issued with slightly altered tracklists, which stemmed from cultural differences between British and American… Continue reading Now Spinning: The Rolling Stones – Flowers
Once John Mayall's latest guitar hero departed for the Rolling Stones, Mayall risked sharing a legacy much like The Yardbirds: more famous for the guitarists he employed than his own talents, as Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor graduated from Mayall's blues school on their way to classic rock titans. But instead of fading… Continue reading Now Spinning: John Mayall – USA Union
The browning leaves and cooling temperatures of fall bring to mind The Band's famed self-titled'Brown Album' for me, which, along with Music From Big Pink and The Basement Tapes is widely considered a cornerstone of the rootsy and rural rock 'n' roll offshoot that has become known as Americana in the years since. Much like… Continue reading Now Spinning: James Talley
One of the first suggestions I'd offer to any collectors of old blues records - always buy Arhoolie Records releases. Arhoolie Records was formed by a young blues aficionado Chris Strachwitz, who traveled to Texas as a young man to record Lightnin' Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb and many more, beginning with simple field recordings. From those… Continue reading Now Spinning: Juke Boy Bonner
The world lost one of the very best lyrical poets last week with the death of Robert Hunter, principle lyricist for the Grateful Dead as Jerry Garcia's longtime songwriting partner. Though Hunter was fairly reclusive compared to the rest of the band, he was, apart from Garcia, the most quintessential member, combining folk imagery, strains… Continue reading Now Spinning: Robert Hunter – Tales of the Great Rum Runners
Gary U.S. Bonds threatened to fade into obscurity after a brief run of hits in the early '60s before Bruce Springsteen resuscitated Bonds' career twenty years after its heyday by pairing him with the E Street Band. The E Street Band was firing on all cylinders when they went into the studio with Bonds and… Continue reading Now Spinning: Gary U.S. Bonds – On The Line
Recorded live during the height of the San Francisco rock scene at the historic Fillmore West, this album captures the magical collaborative spirit that represents the best of the late sixties San Francisco scene. Starting with the front cover, no specific artist is credited, with all the musicians who performed listed along with concert photos… Continue reading Now Spinning: Live at Bill Graham’s Fillmore West
