DOCSLIB.ORG

“Phil Spector Elevated the Pop Single to an Art Form.”

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
“Phil Spector Elevated the Pop Single to an Art Form.” SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM REVIEWS BOXHOLE SET VNobody’sARIOUS ARTISTS Daughter [Universal] Phil Spector Presents the Philles Album Collection [Phil Spector Records/Legacy] The first album released under the Hole moniker since 1998’s Celebrity Skin is really frontwoman Courtney Love’s Phil Spector was never about albums. Monaural 7-inch 45s ruled second solo album—co-founder, his world, and with them he elevated the pop single to an art form. songwriter and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson isn’t involved, Give Spector three minutes and he—with the help of his handpicked, nor is any other previous Hole member. So it’s Love and three world-class songwriters, engineers, vocalists and musicians—could ringers on 11 new songs—10tell a story for the ages. Nonetheless, Spector did release albums on his of which Love wrote with collaborators like Billy Corgan,own Philles Linda Perrylabel, and and new Phil Spector Presents the Philles Album Collection guitarist Micko Larkin. (Perry gets full credit on one tune, “Letter to God.”) aims to showcase those more extended visions for reconsideration. The Much of the riveting intensity of the group’s 1990s first six albums released Daniel Jackson by Philles between 1962 and ’64—three by the heyday appears to have left along with her former bandmates, but there areCrystals, fl ashes here one of bythe Bobsnarling B. Soxx andToo the often, Blue though, Jeans, the slower one bysongs the trip Ronettes her up. While and once fury Love deployed to such devastating effect back in the day. they were showcases for harrowing displays of naked emotion, She spits out her vocals awith collection vengeful disdain of hits on featuring“Skinny Little all ofLove the sounds above more and dispassionate more—were these in days. record-store The production Bitch,” overdriven guitarsracks roiling for atop the an taking,elastic bassline although that fewdoesn’t wanted help—the them songs at havethe time.an airless, Their sanded-down loss. While feel that speeds up as the song races toward a climatic pile-up at the doesn’t fi t with her visceral persona. Courtney Love’s tumultuous end. She shifts tempos andit’s attitude apparent on the Spector more contemplative didn’t alwayshistory utilizesuggests his that full she “Wall has a compellingof Sound” story arsenal to tell, and “Pacifi c Coast Highway,” taking stock as layers of acoustic and perhaps she does. It’s just not the one she’s telling on Nobody’s electric guitars chug alongon behind tracks her. he knew he would neverDaughter release. –Eric as R. Dantona single, several tucked-away gems can be found on each album. But the real reason for Phil-o-philes to COURT YARD HOUNDS A side project of new offering suggested that its creator was a few strides closer to get excited aboutDixie Chicks’this new Martie box craftingset—available something truly for monumental the first in timeboth musical on andCD—is social its terms. Court Yard Hounds Maguire and Emily This cold and private set isn’t it, although that’s probably due more to [Columbia] seventh disc, Robison,“Phil’s Court Flipsides.” Yard personal Spector circumstances delighted than anythingin crafting related oddlyto talent. titledWainwright Hounds delivers wrote All Days Are Nights while his mother, Kate McGarrigle, was B-sides for hismuch-anticipated singles (many nameddying of after cancer, friends and there and is a cohorts).quiet, complex –J. sadness Tamarkin even in its insight—both musical and personal—into the sisters who have less autobiographical material. There’s nothing here except piano for so long ceded center stage to Chicks singer Natalie Maines. and vocal, and Wainwright doesn’t project his words in the way Though steeped in familiar instrumentation, the album offers little we’ve come to expect from him. Instead of serenading the person of the barn-burning brashness that made the Chicks famous (save in the farthest corner of a packed theater, he’s singing to himself in perhaps the gutsy “Ain’t No Son”). Instead, its delicate folk-pop an otherwise empty room. –David Styburski prettiness perfectly suits Robison’s more-than-capable voice and the jumble of emotions, sunny and melancholy, that emerge in a song Ozomatli’s music has been called a collision cycle inspired by her 2008 divorce. Maguire’s weeping fi ddle and OZOMATLI of styles, a cultural mash-up, and a 20-car seamless harmonies are welcome as always, and her one turn on pileup of genres. It’s also some of the most lead vocals (“Gracefully”) is so warmly affecting that listeners may joyfully energetic music you’ll ever hear. On wish she stepped to the mic more often. Court Yard Hounds ably its fi fth album, the L.A.-based band stirs its “Phildemonstrates that,Spector whether with their fellow elevated Dixie Chick or without, the pop blend of salsa, ska, samba, funk, and hip-hop these ladies’ talent runs deep. –Katie Dodd in ways few groups could conceive. Imagine Fire Away tossing the English Beat, Herb Alpert and the For a dozen years, the [Mercer Street/Downtown] Tijuana Brass, Caetano Veloso, and Sly and singleRUFUS to anarrangements art on form.”Rufus the Family Stone into a magical blender and Wainwright’s albums got you get some sense of Ozomatli’s eclectic approach. High points WAINWRIGHT busier and his sometimes on their latest, Fire Away, include “Are You Ready?,” a horn-and- All Days Are Nights: Songs naughty, occasionally percussion-driven blast of salsa-fl avored ska; “Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah,” for Lulu angry declarations of gay an exultant Latin pop anthem fi tted with shrieking sax; and “Gay Vatos [Decca] pride got louder. Each in Love,” a rockabilly-tinged tune with a soaring chorus. Even when 70 MAY 2010 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 M MUSIC & MUSICIANS MAGAZINE M3_v10.indd 70 5/14/10 3:37 AM.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Heart of Rock and Soul by Dave Marsh
    The Heart of Rock and Soul by Dave Marsh 20 BE MY BABY, The Ronettes Produced by Phil Spector; written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich, and Jeff Barry Philles 116 1963 Billboard: #2 DA DOO RON RON, The Crystals Produced by Phil Spector; written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich, and Jeff Barry Philles 112 1963 Billboard: #3 CHRISTMAS (BABY PLEASE COME HOME), Darlene Love Produced by Phil Spector; written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich, and Jeff Barry Philles 119 1963 Did not make pop charts To hear folks talk, Phil Spector made music out of a solitary vision. But the evidence of his greatest hits insists that he was heavily dependent on a variety of assistance. Which makes sense: Record making is fundamentally collaborative. Spector associates like engineer Larry Levine, arranger Jack Nitzsche, and husband-wife songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich were simply indispensable to his teen-art concoctions. Besides them, every Spector track featured a dozen or more musicians. The constant standouts were' drummer Hal Blaine, one of the most inventive and prolific in rock history, and saxophonist Steve Douglas. Finally, there were vast differences among Spector's complement of singers. An important part of Spector's genius stemmed from his ability to recruit, organize, and provide leadership within such a musical community. Darlene Love (who also recorded for Spector with the Crystals and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans) ranks just beneath Aretha Franklin among female rock singers, and "Christmas" is her greatest record, though it was never a hit. (The track probably achieved its greatest notice in the mid-eighties, when it was used over the opening credits of Joe Dante's film, Gremlins.) Spector's Wall of Sound, with its continuously thundering horns and strings, never seemed more massive than it does here.
    [Show full text]
  • Leon Russell – Primary Wave Music
    ARTIST:TITLE:ALBUM:LABEL:CREDIT:YEAR:LeonThisCarneyTheW,P1972TightOutCarpentersAA&MWNow1973IfStopP1974LadyWill1975 SongI Were InRightO' Masquerade &AllBlueRussellRope The Thenfor Thata Stuff CarpenterYouWoodsWisp Jazz LEON RUSSELL facebook.com/LeonRussellMusic twitter.com/LeonRussell Imageyoutube.com/channel/UCb3- not found or type unknown mdatSwcnVkRAr3w9VBA leonrussell.com en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Russell open.spotify.com/artist/6r1Xmz7YUD4z0VRUoGm8XN The ultimate rock & roll session man, Leon Russell’s long and storied career included collaborations with a virtual who’s who of music icons spanning from Jerry Lee Lewis to Phil Spector to the Rolling Stones. A similar eclecticism and scope also surfaced in his solo work, which couched his charmingly gravelly voice in a rustic yet rich swamp pop fusion of country, blues, and gospel. Born Claude Russell Bridges on April 2, 1942, in Lawton, Oklahoma, he began studying classical piano at age three, a decade later adopting the trumpet and forming his first band. At 14, Russell lied about his age to land a gig at a Tulsa nightclub, playing behind Ronnie Hawkins & the Hawks before touring in support of Jerry Lee Lewis. Two years later, he settled in Los Angeles, studying guitar under the legendary James Burton and appearing on sessions with Dorsey Burnette and Glen Campbell. As a member of Spector’s renowned studio group, Russell played on many of the finest pop singles of the ’60s, also arranging classics like Ike & Tina Turner’s monumental “River Deep, Mountain High”; other hits bearing his input include the Byrds’ “Mr. Tambourine Man,” Gary Lewis & the Playboys’ “This Diamond Ring,” and Herb Alpert’s “A Taste of Honey.” In 1967, Russell built his own recording studio, teaming with guitarist Marc Benno to record the acclaimed Look Inside the Asylum Choir LP.
    [Show full text]
  • True Crime: Phil Spector's Real Defense Attorney Weighs in On
    PHOTO COURTESY: PHILIP V. CARUSO/HBO LINDA KENNEY BADEN AND ACTRESS HELEN MIRREN WHO PORTRAYED HER (PHOTO COURTESY: PHILIP V. CARUSO/HBO) 8 3 2 1 True Crime: Phil Spector’s Real Defense Attorney Weighs in on HBO Movie A Q&A with Linda Kenney Baden. How close does David Mamet’s film get? March 20, 2013 Catherine Green Crime 5 Comments The tagline for David Mamet’s film Phil Spector, which premieres this Sunday (March 24) on HBO, starts off by warning viewers who expect journalistic accuracy: “The truth is somewhere in the mix.” A fictionalized blending of events, the movie imagines what might have happened on the night when actress Lana Clarkson was shot dead inside Spector’s Alhambra mansion then follows Spector’s subsequent murder trials and the media circus surrounding them. How true to life is this account? Criminal defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden, whose work on Spector’s behalf in the 2007 trial forced the jury into deadlock, is cagey about the details. “I can’t confirm anything, because to confirm would be breaching the attorney-client privilege,” she says when asked about her impressions of the film, which stars Helen Mirren in a role based on Baden. “I think what David [Mamet] is doing, and what juries do, is they try to see what could have happened behind the scenes.” Could the defense team have gathered a focus group to gauge the sympathy factor in Spector’s case? Could they set up elaborate reenactments of what happens when you startle a woman with a gun in her mouth? Could they conduct blood splatter analysis to determine whether Spector’s white jacket could have been left nearly immaculate standing arm’s length from an explosive, fatal gunshot? “Sure,” Baden says.
    [Show full text]
  • Be My Baby”—The Ronettes (1963) Added to the National Registry: 2006 Essay by Cary O’Dell
    “Be My Baby”—The Ronettes (1963) Added to the National Registry: 2006 Essay by Cary O’Dell The Ronettes Original label Phil Spector Instantly infectious and memorable, “Be My Baby” has been described as the “Record of the Century” and the “greatest pop record ever made.” It was recorded by the Ronettes in 1963. It was written by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and was produced by Phil Spector. It was named to the National Recording Registry in 2006. The Ronettes were a group of girls from Spanish Harlem, sisters Veronica (“Ronnie”) and Estelle Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley. Before becoming a trio, the young women were a group of five joined by two other cousins, Elaine and Diane. (Sometimes they were also joined by their male cousin, Ira.) They sang together and perfected their harmonies at their grandmother’s house before branching out to play local dances and talent contests. Along with refining their line-up and sound, the girls also defined their look. In his biography of Phil Spector, author Mick Brown says of the group: The standard demeanor of girl groups of the day was one of demure innocence…But the Ronettes looked as if it was a Saturday night and they were cruising for trouble—figure- hugging dresses, hair piled into improbable beehives and lashings of mascara, which transformed the youthful high school girls into vamps. Today, the Ronettes are nearly as remembered for their look (which would later be largely carbon-copied by Amy Winehouse) as for their sound. After first being signed by and recording for the Colpix label (under the name Ronnie and the Relatives), the Ronettes came to the attention of Phil Spector who immediately took a liking to the group and especially to its de facto leader Ronnie.
    [Show full text]
  • The Phil Spector Christmas Album Various Artists First Appearance in Trade Magazines: November 9, 1963
    A Christmas Gift for You The Phil Spector Christmas Album Various Artists First appearance in trade magazines: November 9, 1963 Label TP1 – White label with black print Monarch test pressing with job number 6051. The test pressing did not pass quality standards. The album was issued with a new job number. Label 62sdj Mono Philles PHLP-4005 Promotional Copy – White label with black print East Coast West Coast Label 62s – Light Blue label with Phil Spector rim text Monarch pressing with job number 6070. Label 63m – Yellow and Red label with comma in rim text. “Thick” color bar. Black print; bold titles. Some copies of the side two label are missing the side designator; most copies have it. Label 63m – Yellow and Red label with comma in rim text. “Thick” color bar. Black print; thin, round titles. After Phil Spector stopped releasing records on the Philles label in 1972, he turned to Apple for the re- release of his Christmas album. George Harrison asked Clive Arrowsmith to photograph Phil for the album cover that was being designed by (John) Kosh. Photos © 1972 Clive Arrowsmith Among the mish-mash of “toys” on the back cover was a top hat (with its wrap- around band removed) that George brought to the session and which was (supposedly) worn by Mick Jagger. Another item among the goodies was a (British) copy of Fantastic Four #127 – cover-dated October 1972. Most famously, Phil was wearing three pinback buttons reading “Back to MONO.” He continued his pro-mono campaign for at least two years, and for some time John Lennon helped him promote mono records.
    [Show full text]
  • THE PASSION of PET SOUNDS Cuuinucd ¡R()Hi Pugc 4:5 by CHRIS MORRIS
    Here Today FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS AND PRODUCERS IN ¡HE MI11-10S, THE RELEASE Of "PET SOUNDS" WAS [IKE HAYING THE ODOR 10 A PITCH -BLACK ROOM SUDDENLY THROWN OPEN; LIGHT POURED IN THIRTY YEARS LATER, IT'S SIRE SHINING BRIGHI11 THE PASSION OF PET SOUNDS Cuuinucd ¡r()Hi pugc 4:5 BY CHRIS MORRIS Studios and immortalize his memories of the pom -pom girl who got away. In so doing, he preserved in popular song the qualities of regret n his provocative book "Ocean Of Sound" (Serpent's Tail, Speaking of such contemporaries and collaborators as Van Dyke that only post -adolescence can summon. encapsulating one of the 0 U.K.), English musician -musicologist David Toop writes, Parks and Randy Newman, Waronker adds, "Brian affected us most reluctant realizations of adulthood: all the youthful time in the "Ask musicians of a certain age a question: Who revolution- all...Brian was such a master of melody, and he got sounds that were world is somehow never enough. ized the recording studio? Invariably, the response will unprecedented. The Beatles did it, but not like he did it." "My father [Murry] used to go to pieces when he heard stuff like include the following names: Phil Spector, Joe Meek, Brian In 1995, former pupil Waronker worked with the master, Wilson, "'Caroline No,'" explained Brian's brother Dennis to this writer in the Wilson, Lee Perry." and Parks on the duo's Reprise collaboration "Orange Crate Art." spring of 1976. "See, a lot of people don't know it, but that song was Spector and Wilson, the Americans on this short list of sonic inno- Another aspiring young producer of the '60s, Russ Titelman, had about a girl that Brian was really in love with in high school.
    [Show full text]
  • Year 1963 Dean Martin LP
    Year 1963 Dean Martin LP “Dean “Tex” Martin – Country Style” 414 Martin, Dean Dean “Tex” Martin - Country Style Reprise R9-6061 (US) 1.1963 I’m so lonesome I could cry (piano) – Face in a crowd (piano) – Things (background piano) – Room full of roses (no piano) – I walk the line (no piano) – My heart cries for you (piano!!) – Any time (piano) – Shutters and boards (piano) – Blue, blue day (piano?) – Singing the blues (piano) – Hey, Good Lookin’ (no piano) – Ain’t gonna try anymore (piano!!!) – Lots of Leon all over! James Burton on guitar. Rec. date: Face in a crowd - Ain’t gonna try anymore - Shutters & Boards - Singing The Blues - Face In The Crowd - Dec. 20, 1962 The label states that the year of release was 1961!!?? - Arr. & cond. Don Costa – prod. Jimmy Bowen? Bobby “Blue” Bland – LP 645 Bland, Bobby Call On Me/That’s The Way Love Is Duke 360 (US) 2.1963 Leon background piano on both? Dean Martin LP “Dean “Tex” Martin – Rides Again” 543 Martin, Dean Dean “Tex” Martin - Rides Again Reprise R-6085 (US) 4.1963 I’m gonna change everything (no piano) – Candy kisses (piano!!) – Rockin’ alone (in an old rocking chair) (piano) – Just a little lovin’ (background piano) – I can’t help it (if I’m still in love with you) (piano) – My sugar’s gone (piano!!) – Corrine, Corrina (piano!) – Take good care of her (piano) – The middle of the night is my cryin’ time (piano!!) – From lover to loser (piano!) – Bouquet of roses (piano) – Second hand Rose (piano!!) – Lots of Leon all over! Arr.
    [Show full text]
  • Philles Records Singles Labels
    Philles Records Singles Labels 61 October, 1961 to June, 1962 Orange label with “Philles” at top 62c July, 1962 to September, 1962 Light Blue label with California address 62co August, 1962 Orange label with Philles logo at left and California address 62s September, 1962 to August, 1963 Light Blue label with Phil Spector rim text 62so December, 1962 Orange label with Philles logo at left and Spector rim text 63 August, 1963 to June, 1967 Yellow and Red label with no comma in rim text. Under the Philles logo is a thin horizontal line. 63m August, 1963 to June, 1967 Yellow and Red label with comma in rim text. Under the Philles logo is the old-style “thick” color bar. PHILLES Singles 1st Appearances in Billboard Single Date Nature of Appearance Monarch #s Monarch Date 100 30Oc61 Review 40661? 101 03Mr62 Review -- 102 03Mr62 Review 42170 103 19My62 Review 43082 104 09Jn62 Review Not Known 105 21Jl62 Review 43952 106 25Ag62 Review 44463 107 27Oc62 Review 45209 108 12Ja63 Debut 45783 109 22De62 Review Not Known 110 26Ja63 Review 46137/46309 111dj -- -- -- 111 23Mr63 Top Tips 46914/47111 112 13Ap63 Review 47441/2 113 18My63 Review Not Known 114 29Jn63 Review 47530/1 115 03Ag63 Review 48977/48810 116 17Ag63 Review 48779/48810-X 117 05Oc63 Review 49689-X/49420 118 14De63 Review 50590/50566 119 04Ja64 Review 50710/? 119X 18Ja64 Review 50773/? 120 04Ap64 Debut 51641/2 121 13Jn64 Review 52861/702 122 04Jl64 Review 52836/988 123 08Ag64 Programming Specials 52990/? 123 (2) 17Oc64 Review 54128/394 124 28Nv64 Bottom 50 Potential
    [Show full text]
  • 1234 Intro: (4 Measures)
    BE MY BABY-Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector 4/4 1…2…1234 Intro: (4 measures) The night we met I knew I needed you so, and if I had the chance, I'd never let you go So won't you say you love me, I'll make you so proud of me We'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go, so won't you, please, (Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby (My one and only baby) Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby) Be my baby now, Whoa-oh-oh-oh I'll make you happy, baby, just wait and see, for every kiss you give me, I'll give you three Oh, since the day I saw you, I have been waiting for you You know I will adore you 'til eternity, so won't you, please, p.2. Be My Baby (Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby (My one and only baby) Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby) Be my baby now, Whoa-oh-oh-oh Interlude: So, come on and please, (Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby (My one and only baby) Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby) Be my baby now, Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh BE MY BABY-Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector 4/4 1…2…1234 Intro: F (4 measures) F Gm C7 F Gm C7 The night we met I knew I needed you so, and if I had the chance, I'd never let you go A7 D7 So won't you say you love me, I'll make you so proud of me G7 C7 F We'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go, so won't you, please, Dm (Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby (My one and only baby) Bb C7 Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby) Be my baby now, Whoa-oh-oh-oh F Gm C7 F Gm C7 I'll make you happy, baby, just wait and see, for every kiss you give me, I'll give you three A7 D7 Oh, since the day I saw you, I have been waiting for you G7 C7 F You know I will adore you 'til eternity, so won't you, please, Dm (Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby (My one and only baby) Bb C7 Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby) Be my baby now, Whoa-oh-oh-oh Interlude: F Gm C7 F Gm C7 F Dm So, come on and please, (Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby Bb (My one and only baby) Say you'll be my darlin' C7 F (Be my, be my baby) Be my baby now, Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh .
    [Show full text]
  • January 1983
    VOL. 7 NO. 1 Cover Photo by William Coupon FEATURES PETER ERSKINE Over the past dozen years, Peter Erskine has continued to live up to the promise he showed back when he was the youngest person ever accepted at a Stan Kenton summer band camp. Here, Peter discusses how each phase in his career—including his recent departure from Weather Re- port to join Steps, and his first solo album—have brought him closer to being the kind of musician he wants to be. by Rick Mattingly 8 CHESTER THOMPSON Playing with Frank Zappa requires a special kind of drummer; playing with Weather Report takes a different type; playing for Genesis has yet another set of require- Photo by Joost Leijen ments. That Chester Thompson has been able to handle Photo by Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve all three situations says a lot about his versatility and abil- ity, which he comments on in this MD exclusive. by Stanley Hall 14 MD FORUM: Audio Engineers—on Miking & Recording Drums: Part II by Mark Z. Stevens 18 JIM GORDON One of the true legends of rock drumming, Jim Gor- don began his studio career playing extra percussion parts beside such master drummers as Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer, and he began his touring career with the Everly Brothers. Gordon talks about how he went on to play and record with some of the biggest names in rock, while giving insights into the professional and personal aspects of his life. by Scott Fish 22 INSIDE THE WORLD OF DRUM CORPS by Jay A.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Music 262: Rock Music, History and Social Analysis, Beach Boys
    Music 262: Rock Music, History and Social Analysis, Beach Boys [Music Playing on Piano] [Brian Ward]: So we have this group from America that comes out of surf rock and they also borrow from some jazz vocal traditions and they really are America’s answer to The Beatles. Because they came around at the same time The Beatles hit the market. Both of these groups are symbiotic. They have this sympathetic relationship. They feed off of each other and they compete with each other, The Beatles and The Beach Boys. The result of that is all this great music. Let’s talk about The Beach Boys for a minute. It’s really a family affair. We have these brothers: Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson. They have their cousin, Mike Love and their neighbor Alan Jardine who plays drums. Their songs are about the beach, paradise, cars, hot rods, California girls. So there’s this theme of California in all of their music and this lifestyle and that’s where they’re from. Their music is a combination of this jazz group called The Four Freshmen. It was a jazz vocal group that sang in really close four part harmony. Brian Wilson just loved this group and he pattern The Beach Boys’ vocal harmonies after this jazz group called The Four Freshmen. Another big part of their music is this surf style that was around them as they were developing as a band. So they adopted this surf style of rock n’ roll, of guitar driven instrumental rock. So you combine these two things, these beautiful four part harmonies with the surf rock and you get The Beach Boys.
    [Show full text]
  • "Fame" Constituted the Final, Leading-Edge Moment of His Pop
    American Graffiti to Showaddywaddy, the first BACK ON NEW YORK'S East "Fame" constituted the final, `revival' period-that of early rock'n'roll -had begun. Side, Lennon began work on the Phil Spector would produce, while Dr John, Leon October '74 release, WalIsAnd leading-edge moment of his Russell, Steve Cropper and Jim Kelmer were among Bridges, an album he later disowned, pop-rock career, a diamond-hard those along for the musical ride. perhaps depressed and embarrassed Unfortunately, the party carried on into the by the period in his life that inspired paean to the futility of celebrity recording studio, with Courvoisier poured it. Yet it's among his better late abundantly down the necks of the gathered albums, an improvement at the very least on the promises to behave himself would hold good. musicians, as well as all over the control board in an plodding ennui of Mind Games. "Whatever Gets You "Our separation was a failure," Lennon announced incident that hastened the ejection of the Wrecking Through The Night" is the album's standout, a duet to the world. Crew from the studios by A&M. As the sessions with glam man of the moment Elton John. Vivacious The same year found Lennon collaborating with moved on to LA's Record Plant, Lennon's behaviour and infectious, dominated by the unholy blast of another rock superstar. Along with Carlos Alomar, improved but Spector's worsened- at one point, in a Bobby Keyes' sax, it's been taken as a sort of golden around whose funky riff the track was built, Lennon fit of tyrannical pique in the studio, he fired a gun pop memorial to his roistering days in LA.
    [Show full text]