The History of Rock, a Monthly Magazine That Reaps the Benefits of Their Extraordinary Journalism for the Reader Decades Later, One Year at a Time
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L 1 A MONTHLY TRIP THROUGH MUSIC'S GOLDEN YEARS THIS ISSUE:1969 STARRING... THE ROLLING STONES "It's going to blow your mind!" CROSBY, STILLS & NASH SIMON & GARFUNKEL THE BEATLES LED ZEPPELIN FRANK ZAPPA DAVID BOWIE THE WHO BOB DYLAN eo.ft - ink L, PLUS! LEE PERRY I B H CREE CE BEEFHE RT+NINA SIMONE 1969 No H NgWOMI WI PIK IM Melody Maker S BLAST ..'.7...,=1SUPUNIAN ION JONES ;. , ter_ Bard PUN FIRS1tintFaBil FROM 111111 TY SNOW Welcome to i AWORD MUCH in use this year is "heavy". It might apply to the weight of your take on the blues, as with Fleetwood Mac or Led Zeppelin. It might mean the originality of Jethro Tull or King Crimson. It might equally apply to an individual- to Eric Clapton, for example, The Beatles are the saints of the 1960s, and George Harrison an especially "heavy person". This year, heavy people flock together. Clapton and Steve Winwood join up in Blind Faith. Steve Marriott and Pete Frampton meet in Humble Pie. Crosby, Stills and Nash admit a new member, Neil Young. Supergroups, or more informal supersessions, serve as musical summit meetings for those who are reluctant to have theirwork tied down by the now antiquated notion of the "group". Trouble of one kind or another this year awaits the leading examples of this classic formation. Our cover stars The Rolling Stones this year part company with founder member Brian Jones. The Beatles, too, are changing - how, John Lennon wonders, can the group hope to contain three contributing writers? The Beatles diversification has become problematic. While 1968 began with their retreat with a spiritual advisor, the Maharishi, this year begins with their appointment of a heavyweight financial advisor, the American businessman Allen Klein. Their spiritual goals have been supplanted by the desire to resolve some intractable fiscal problems. Making sense of it all, (even providing a sounding board for increasingly media -aware stars), were the writers of the New Musical Express and Melody Maker. This is the world of The History Of Rock, a monthly magazine that reaps the benefits of their extraordinary journalism for the reader decades later, one year at a time. In the pages of this fifth issue, dedicated to 1969, you will find verbatim articles from frontline staffers, compiled into long and illuminating reads. Missed one? You can find out how to rectify that on page 144. What will still surprise the modern reader is the access to, and the sheer volume of, material supplied by the artists who are now the giants of popular culture. Now, a combination of wealth, fear and lifestyle would conspire to keep reporters at a rather greater length from the lives of musicians. At this stage, though, representatives from New Musical Express and Melody Maker are where it matters. Mutilating plastic dolls with John Lennon. Meeting a rail -thin David Bowie, hearing his views about skinheads. Preparing for the Hyde Park concert with Mick Jagger. Join them there.As Mick says: "It'll blowyour mind." HISTORY OF ROCK 19693 1969 $1 MONTH MON Contents News 3nBlind Faith Fairport 6The Beatles get anew member, lAr Eric Clapton joins forces 52Convention Allen Klein. We meet songwriter with Steve Winwood - but for an The folk-rock band Randy Newman and the group uncertain length of time. How will turn tragedy into Yes. A new menace- "new mods" he commit to a group, wonders triumph with a - are profiled. Clapton, when he can't even couple of classic commit to a hairstyle? albums. How long lbDylan can the band stay 12The man's Nashville sound 3aFleetwood Mac together, though? and his workwith Johnny Cash II Peter Green and band Melody explained by musicians and return from en eventful Frank Zapp Maker VEGAS producer Bob Johnston. American tour, and enjoy the 60and FORsI success of "Albatross". Captain Beefheart = Dusty Springfield Frank comes to London for JOHN The inside track on her 4n Small Faces/Humble Pie an inflammatory trip with the Hundr, 16 thousa new record Dusty In Memphis lAr Steve Marriott and Ronnie Mothers, and then afterwards dollars and its follow-up, recorded with Lane part ways, but as Marriott in the company of his new fora Gamble &Huff. puts it, "two good things" will signing, Captain Beefheart. come of the Small Faces split. give Singles His is Humble Pie. The Who 20Peter Sarstedt reviews 64Pete Townshend develops,their the singles, and the debut Led Letters explains and launches his long - Zeppelin album is reviewed. 45Pete Townshend leaps to talked -about rock opera, Tommy. side the defence of RayDavies, Spike "Some of the songs are bloody The Kinks Milligan on his "plastic guru" and hard," comments Roger Daltrey. of the 22Ray Davies defends his other correspondence. story. "Plastic Man" single and talks InSingles about downsizing from his vKeith Moon reviews the country pile to a terraced house. 46'Simon &Garfunkel win newwaxings ("Can I have that MM POLL WINNERS a Grammy for "The Boxer", while one?"). There are new albums bypage CONCEI we meet Jethro Tull and guitarist DrJohn and George Harrison. FESTIVAL HALL,LONDON, 9 four THIS SATURDAY. 13 2 The compelling pianist John Fahey. Mick Jagger heads SEE YOU T and singer brings her devastating to Australia to play iron -helmeted 70The Beatles presence to England. villain Ned Kelly. Ringo charms on his film set, while John Lennon enthuses in anAustralian hospital.An about Beatle creativity. "We could interviewwithAllen Klein: "I am Serge Gainsbourg put out a double album a month..." ruthless," the Stones/Beatles and Jane Birkin - page 118 manager confesses. 8nJanis Joplin uThe singer arrives in 9QLed Zeppelin London in a frazzled state, but puts JimmyPage and band take in an explosive performance with onAmerica, and triumph at her Kozmic Blues Band and gets Camegie Hall. theAlbert Hall dancing. "Ain't this all so silly?" Stones 104111311ingKeith Richards and Creedence Charlie Watts look back on Hyde 8 Clearwater Revival Park and forward to the release John Fogerty phones in from the of their new album. "Abetter play," USA, where he imagines his music ponders Charlie. taking place "In Louisiana, in 1807... before computers." n nntn n in onaiin U A coup by young 8fiRolling Stones promoters on the Isle Of Wight VBrian Jones has left The brings Bob Dylan to the UK Rolling Stones. Nonetheless, the mainland for the first time band prepare to play Hyde Park, since 1966. A "super -session"? with a new guitarist, MickTaylor. "Great," says Bob. "Great..." News Singles 94Brian Jones is dead. 116Mick Taylor reviews the Marianne Faithfull is recovering singles. Meanwhile, there are IffER - RIC CLAFT111 E III avo.. ..: 47 'w E WHIN nano (.1 ArkAri RT AT PM. 'HERE new albums from Fairport ftDavid Bwrir, Convention, Crosby, Stills & Nash 12wAvoyageinto and... The Beatles. outer space with the "Space Oddity" hitmaker. Arts News labs. Strong opinions. 118 BBC won't budge on There's more to this singer of their long and winding "Je T'Aime", and we get a trip inside than being good-looking, road. Are they drifting the walls of San Quentin prison in he explains. apart or simply four people too the company ofJohnny Cash. 13Aoiling Stones talented to remain in one place? "'In the wake of shows in "Do they buy it because it's worth 132Singles America, reported to have been it," wonders a self-questioning 122 Fira°sshb%gOit% Jimmy Page reviews selections chaotic, the band returns to the UK John Lennon. and The Hollies from releases new and old. to play live dates. Mick Jagger is not The harmonising trio gain a new Meanwhile, Eric Clapton amused by the crowd's reaction. 1 Letters member, Neil Young. In the UK, introduces Delaney& Bonnie, uJohn and Yoko respond the "He Ain't Heavy" hitma kers while a review of the new John to theMelody Makerreview of their can't stop talking about their Lennon and Yoko Ono album 138-he Beatles most recent album. And farewell, former colleague, Graham Nash. causes amusement to the artists. The band approaches the end Fairport Convention... On it Time Inc. (UK) Ltd, 8th Floor, Blue Fin Building, no Southwark St, London SE1 OSU I EDITOR John Mulvey, whose favourite song from 1969 isA Sailor's Life by Fairport Convention DEPUTY EDITOR John Robinson Can't Find My Way Home by Blind Faith ART EDITOR Lora Findlay Time And Love by Laura Nyro PRODUCTION EDITOR Mike Johnson Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud by David Bowie ART DIRECTOR Marc Jones Everybody's Talkin' by Harry Nilsson DESIGNER Gary Payne You Can't Always Get What You Want by The Rolling Stones PICTURE EDITOR Kimberly Kriete Girl From The North Country by Bob DylanCOVER PHOTO Alan Messer at Rex Features www.badcocksgallery.com THANKS TO Helen Spivak MARKETING Charlotte Treadaway SUBSCRIPTIONS Sonja Zeven PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Ed Beale MANAGING DIRECTOR Paul Williams COVERS PRINTED BY Polestar °recycle lime Inc. Wheatons TEXT PRINTED BY Polestar Chantry I WWW.UNCUT.CO.UK HISTORY OF ROCK 1969 I 5 minv000 MOTS MST W.I.. PI* 0.%1T 1969 ' momokol M um kb FLEETWOOD MAC, DUSTY SPRINGFIELD, BOB DYLAN AND MORE 8 6 I HISTORY OF ROC April28, mitiq: Allen Klein takes questionsfrom reporters with John and Yokoat the Apple off ices onSavile Row, London "The Beatles asked... Mr Klein accepted" MM FEB 8 ISUI1111g Stones manager Allen Klein takes on a new client... The Beatles. ROLLING STONES BUSINESS managerAllen Klein is to take over the business affairs of Apple, The Beatles' company. In a statement to MM on Monday, a spokesman said: "The Beatles have asked MrAllen Klein of New York to look into their affairs and Mr Klein has accepted." This means that Klein, the man who has steered The Rolling Stones to international success, is the secret businessman that The Beatles want to streamline their organisation and put it on an economic footing.