“Its already written that today will be one to remember
The feelings the same as being outside of the law”
– “Had to Cry Today,” by Blind Faith off of their album Blind Faith
Could the lyrics make anymore sense!
Lyric of the Day #14: Blind Faith “Had to Cry Today”
10 JunSong of the Day #14: Blind Faith: “Can’t Find My Way Home”
10 Jun
Another Then and Now: Clapton and Winwood (with band) Then
Later on today (8 pm est) Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood will embark on a 14 date U.S. tour beginning with their debut show in the Izod Center in New Jersey. I shall be attending this show at 8 pm tonight with family and friends and we are psyched. Excuse my slang but I am quite excited to see two of rock and roll’s best musicians at their finest. I have seen Clapton two times before but the addition of Winwood can only make the concert better. In honor of this tour today shall be focused on, you guessed it, Clapton and Winwood, and after the concert a review of the concert will find its way on the site quickly (after I regain my composure after the show)
Where better to start than with the beginning. In 1965 and 1966 producer Joe Boyd wanted to celebrate the opening of the London office for Elektra records with some noticeable British talent. Paul Jones, Manfred Mann’s singer, suggested putting together an all-star line-up and so the first purposeful supergroup was formed. A supergroup that consisted of members of the Spencer Davis Group (consisting of one Steve Winwood and Pete York), Manfred Mann (Paul Jones and Jack Bruce) and Mr. Eric Clapton. Long story short, they recorded a few amazing blues hits under the great name of Powerhouse and then left to do their own material destined to meet and play again. Okay that was corny but it is true. For this is where Clapton met Jack Bruce and with Ginger Baker they formed the famous supergroup Cream. Winwood went back to the Spencer Davis Group for another year and kept in contact with Clapton who came calling soon.
Now the rest may get a little confusing but music history is quite interesting. Plus connections are fun and there are a lot of them here. Here we shall learn of the connection of Clapton and Winwood 40 years ago and their forming of their own supergroup Blind Faith. First let us start with Clapton. Cream made a lot of money, a true powerhouse (ha ha). Yet, come 1968 Eric Clapton had virtually become band mediator as Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce constantly argued with each other. Also, Clapton did not enjoy the contrived blues that he had been forced to play and wished to expand his music horizons (same reason why he left The Yardbirds). Steve Winwood was running into similar problems over in the Spencer Davis Group where he longed to experiment with the music they were playing. After his request to diversify music was denied by his band mates he decided to leave and form Traffic. Traffic temporarily split in 1969 and Winwood started to jam with Clapton in Clapton’s basement in Surrey, England, eventually deciding to form Blind Faith.
Here is where it gets a little confusing. They needed a drummer and Ginger Baker was available after the break-up of Cream. He sat in for a few sessions and Steve Winwood wanted to make him a final member. Clapton questioned the move because he just broke up with Cream a few weeks prior. A resounding Awkward! Winwood convinced Clapton because Baker is pretty proficient at the drums and Baker became the drummer. Now they just needed a bassist. Now it gets more complicated. Both Winwood and Clapton wanted Rick Grech who they had both jammed with before. One problem. Grech, and his band Family, was set to embark on a U.S. tour with Ten Years After. He agreed to perform with Family until they could find a suitable bassist to replace him but he became unreliable. At the first show in the Fillmore East he was so disoriented he could barely play. Let us just say he quickly found his way into the Blind Faith line-up and finally Blind Faith was born.
Cool shot of Blind Faith at Hyde Park
Now that we know a long winded history let us get to some material. Here comes the song of the day and my Blind Faith favorite, “Can’t Find My Way Home.” It may be the pleasant acoustic guitar, Winwood’s beautiful falsetto, the lyrics, “And I am wasted and I can’t find my way home.” Something about the three minute sixteen second song is just so enticing and inviting and I am looking forward to hearing it, among other classics, tonight. Please keep the history alive and continue listening to these amazing blues hits. Blind Faith may have only been around for one album but because of the music genius provided on the album they sure made quite an impact.
Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Now
1910 Fruitgum Company: 60’s Band of the Week #2
9 Jun
Cymbalism (ha ha ha ha)
Band: 1910 Fruitgum Company
Origin: Linden, New Jersey
Genre: Bubblegum Pop
Founded: 1965- (off and on with different members since 1965)
Original Line-Up:
– Rhythm Guitar/Vocals: Frank Jeckell
– Organ/Vocals: Mark Gutkowski
– Bass Guitar/Vocals: Steve Mortkowitz
– Drums/Vocals: Floyd Marcus
– Lead Guitar/Vocals: Pat Karwan
Name: The band’s name apparently came from a candy wrapper that Frank Jeckell, Rhythm Guitarist and Vocalist, came across in his attic.
Like This
Bubblegum Pop Explanation and Disclaimer: In the late 1960’s to the early 1970’s a genre of music best known as Bubblegum Pop grew in popularity as its complete foil Psychedelic Rock also made its way to the ears of the youth. Last week we covered 13th Floor Elevators who provided a start to Psychedelic rock and a pleasing musical genre to older teens. The acid that went along with the music sure did not hurt its success. An odd and terrible analogy can be made to best describe Bubblegum Pop and Psychedelic Rock. Just as they say Marijuana is the “gateway drug” to harder drugs like acid, Bubblegum Pop, targeting pre-teen, bubble gum chewing, listeners was the initial catchy rock sound that led to harder, more complicated sounds like Psychedelic Rock.
This bubble gum chewing reason is what sparked the title of the genre in the first place. Pioneer producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz who formed Super K Productions, the main assembly line for Bubblegum pop music, coined the term while chewing gum and mulling over the target audience for their brand of contrived and marketable music. They structured the analogy (not like mine above) that the music is like bubble gum music. Neil Bogart, at Buddah Records, soaked up this profitable idea and Bubblegum Pop was born.
Now, just because the music is fake and manufactured does not mean that is not worth a listen. The music, at its best, is quite catchy and upbeat with sing-a-long choruses, danceable beats, riffs and hooks, and hidden sexual themes (had to put that in there. It is class Disney, Mickey Mouse, technique. See South Park). This is where 1910 Fruitgum Company comes in. One must understand even while bands may be not playing the greatest, most noteworthy, type of music, they can still at the top of what they do. The 1910 Fruitgum Company, along with other bands like The Ohio Express and The Lemon Pipers, were at the top of the Bubblegum heap.
Then
History: Now on to some rich, bubble-blowing history. The band was formed by Frank Jeckell in New Jersey and was originally known as Jeckell and The Hydes. Quite a convenient name. They were found by Buddah Records and under the instruction of the producers of Super K started playing this new Bubblegum Pop sound. Interestingly enough, they found immediate and noteworthy success.
Their first hit was “Simon Says,” written by Elliot Chiprut, and while it was originally hated by the entire band, Frank Jeckell persuaded the band to record it and while in recording the entire band worked together in tweaking the song and eventually coming to model the song after “Wooly Bully” by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. You may know “Wooly Bully” from such movies as “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Full Metal Jacket.” That is an interesting list of movies. The song hit #4 and was a huge success.
After the success of “Simon Says,” the band went on tour opening for such acts like The Beach Boys. They hit amazing success again with “1-2-3 Red Light,” which is painfully catchy.
Eventually the group was replaced by Super K producers and different musicians appear for the bands final two albums. This, of course, just comes to show you that money is a driving force. Producers Kasenetz and Katz wanted more profit and abandoned the bubblegum sound for more blues psychedelia which was popular in 1969.
Best Song: Let us just skip the five album discography and focus simply on the singles that did best for the group. Their best song is “Simon Says,” which played perfectly to the Bubblegum Pop sound. The song’s hook is a string of “ba ba ba ba’s.” The riff is a simple chord progression played both on guitar and organ and it inevitably will put a smile on any face. It encompasses all that a Bubblegum Pop song needs to have. Simplicity mixed with innocent, pop-filled sounds.
Fun Facts:
Did you know:
– The Ramones have cited 1910 Fruitgum Company as a major influence.
– “1-2-3 Red Light,” was often covered by a band named The Artistics at the Rhode Island School of Design. The Artistics later became known as the new-wave band The Talking Heads.
– They are still touring with some originals. Check them out if you are in the area. Their Site: http://www.1910fruitgumcompany.com/index.html
Now
Special Shout out to Jonathan Gatarz Unofficial 1910 Fruitgum Company Blog, and always helpful Wikipedia Information.
Lyric of the Day #13: The Dandy Warhols
9 Jun Some interesting lyrics today from The Dandy Warhols. Celebrating thirteen lyrics we shall sample lyrics from the mainly hummed instrumental “Sleep” from Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia which cemented The Dandy Warhols as one of the better Indie Rock bands. 
“Well I could sleep forever
but it’s of her I dream
if I could sleep forever
I could forget about everything”
– The Dandy Warhols, “Sleep,” off of Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia
Song of the Day #13: “My Love,” Paul McCartney and Wings
9 Jun
Sticking with Paul McCartney, on this date in 1973, Paul McCartney hit #1 on the charts with “My Love,” recorded with his Wings on their 1973 album Red Rose Speedway. The Beatles were finished and all were off embarking on solo careers. While Paul McCartney was pouring his heart into love songs, Ringo Starr was off recording songs like a cover of the fantastically titled, “No No Song,” where a recovering drug addict refuses drugs. Don’t you just love contrast. But, I kid, the song is actually quite catchy and so is Paul McCartney’s touching hit which sat #1 on the chart for most of June. Only a year later “Band on the Run,” also by flying Paul McCartney hit #1 in June. The man likes June.
And wait, because I enjoy useless knowledge, guess who followed Paul as #1 on the Billboard top 100. I’ll give you a clue. His initials are GH and he was a Beatle. Okay pretty revealing clue. With, “Give Me Love,” George Harrison followed Paul. And, wait just one second I got you one more. Following George was the late great Billy Preston with his hit, “Will it Go Round in Circles.”
Preston, known as the fifth Beatle, was given joint credit for the official Beatles-sanctioned release of “Get Back,” the only one to ever hold this honor. For all Beatles nuts reading this and going no no (I do not want the drugs) Matt you are wrong the Beatles backed for Tony Sheridan when they were new and in Hamburg. Yes, you are correct imaginary Beatles fans that are questioning me. Yet, these were unsanctioned reissues. My head is spinning with titles. Just understand he worked with The Beatles with the recording of the penultimate album Let it Be and The Beatles final release Abbey Road. Whether or not Let it Be is the penultimate album or not is also debated but simply I do not think it really matters. Whatever it may be, Billy Preston followed George who followed Paul all in 1973 with #1 hits and this is, in my opinion, an awesome coincidence.
Just for the heck of it I would like to mention that later in 1973 Ringo hit #1 with “Photograph.” Can’t leave Ringo out.
Don't you just love the internet. An awesome photo with The Beatles and Billy Preston in the studio
Check out Paul’s “My Love”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN4ZDjFGUB0
Check out Billy Preston’s afro on The Midnight Special and “Will it Go Round in Circles:” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yiYbCJitvQ
Check out George Harrisons “Give Me Love” and a nice tribute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RChR5DKgY_Y
The Music Court 