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EXILE ON MAIN ST, BLACK CROWES, AND THE CULT

IT WAS ON THIS DATE IN 1972 THE ROLLING STONES RELEASED THEIR 10TH STUDIO ALBUM ‘EXILE ON MAIN ST.’ AT THE TIME OF RELEASE, THE DOUBLE ALBUM WAS RIPPED TO SHREDS BY THE CRITICS AND WAS THE VICTIM OF HARSH REVIEWS AND POOR SALES. OVER THE YEARS IT’S NOW CONSIDERED SOME OF THE STONES BEST WORK. THE RECORD ONLY PRODUCED ONE TOP TWENTY HIT ‘TUMBLING DICE’, HOWEVER IT WAS FULL OF GREAT ALBUM TRACKS INCLUDING ‘RIP THIS JOINT’ AND A RARE SONG WITH KEITH RICHARDS SINGING LEAD VOCALS ‘HAPPY’.  THE STONES RECORDED THIS ALBUM IN A MUSTY BASEMENT AT A VILLA IN FRANCE. KEITH RICHARDS RENTED THE VILLA SO THE ROLLING STONES COULD AVOID PAYING TAXES IN ENGLAND. THE BAND WOULD SLEEP ALL DAY AND RECORD ALL NIGHT WITH WHOEVER SHOWED UP. THE SESSIONS WERE LOOSE AND UNORGANIZED, AND THE PERSONNEL ON THE SONGS VARIED ON WHO WAS PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE RECORDING. FOR INSTANCE, ON ‘TUMBLING DICE’ MICK JAGGER AND KEITH RICHARDS PLAYED GUITAR, AND MICK TAYLOR, ORDINARILY THE LEAD GUITARIST PLAYED BASS. DEPENDING ON EVERYONE’S LEVEL OF INTOXICATION AND WHAT FRIENDS WANDERED INTO THE RECORDING STUDIO TO JAM WITH THE BAND THE SONGS AND ALBUM CROSSED MANY STYLES AND GENRES. RUMOR HAS IT THIS IS ONE OF KEITH RICHARDS FAVORITE STONES SONGS. HERE’S A LIVE VERSION OF ‘TUMBLING DICE’

 

EIGHT YEARS AGO THE BLACK CROWES RELEASED THEIR SECOND ALBUM ‘THE SOUTHERN HARMONY AND MUSICAL COMPANION’. IT HIT #1 ON THE BILLBOARD TOP ALBUMS CHART AND SPAWNED 4 HIT SINGLES  ‘STING ME’ ‘HOTEL ILLNESS’ ‘THORN IN MY PRIDE’ AND ‘REMEDY.’ ALL 4 TRACKS HIT NUMBER ONE ON THE ALBUM-ROCK SINGLES CHART (PREVIOUSLY SET BY TOM PETTY IN 1989,WITH 3). HERE’S REMEDY ( NUMBER ONE FOR 12 WEEKS ) 

PLUS, HAPPY 58TH BIRTHDAY WISHES TO THE CULT’S BILLY DUFFY . HERE’S THE GUITARIST FROM A CONCERT CIRCA 1987 PERFORMING ‘SHE SELLS SANCTUARY’

BILLY DUFFY PHOTO  Alberto Cabello

 

 

 

BEATLES OUTTAKES, RUSH AND BILLY IDOL CONCERT MEMORIES

TWENTY THREE YEARS AGO RUSH ROCKED SHORELINE AMPHITHEATER . IT WAS THE BAND’S ‘TEST FOR ECHO’ TOUR AND ACCORDING TO THE GROUP’S WEBSITE:  “The Test For Echo tour was the band’s first tour without an opening act, and was billed as “An Evening With Rush.” The tour kicked off October 19, 1996 at the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, New York and culminated on July 4, 1997 at the Corel Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. This was the only concert tour in which Rush played the song “2112” in its entirety.”

HERE’S RUSH WITH THE ENTIRE SHOW IN THEIR HOMETOWN OF TORONTO, CANADA

AND ON THIS DATE IN 1987 BILLY IDOL PLAYED THE COW PALACE. HERE’S THE ENTIRE BILLY IDOL SET (AUDIO ONLY)

AND ON THIS DATE IN IN 1970 THE BEATLES RELEASED THEIR FINAL SINGLE TOGETHER AS A GROUP ‘THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD’ . THE SONG ACTUALLY STARTED OUT AS A SIMPLE MCCARTNEY BALLAD, WRITTEN AT A TIME WHEN THE CRACKS IN THE BEATLES WERE GETTING DEEP. A DEMO WAS RECORDED FOR THE ‘WHITE ALBUM’ SESSIONS BUT WAS TAKEN NO FURTHER. HOWEVER, BY 1970 THE GROUP WAS BREAKING UP AND PHIL SPECTOR WAS BROUGHT IN TO GO THROUGH THE TAPES AND PRODUCE AN ALBUM (AGAINST MCCARTNEY’S WISHES). ON THIS SONG, SPECTOR TOOK OUT MOST OF THE INSTRUMENTS FROM THE BAND, AND LAYERED IN INSTRUMENTS TO “FILL OUT THE SOUND”. AS A MATTER OF FACT, SPECTOR HAD THE HARRISON AND RINGO PARTS REMOVED FROM THE SONG, SO THEY DON’T APPEAR ON THE TRACK AT ALL. PLUS, THIS IS THE ONLY BEATLES SONG TO FEATURE JOHN LENNON ON BASS. HE NORMALLY PLAYED RHYTHM GUITAR. EVEN THOUGH MCCARTNEY WROTE THE SONG, HE WASN’T THERE WHEN SPECTOR PRODUCED IT. WHEN MACA HEARD THE RESULTS, HE MADE IT CLEAR HE HATED WHAT SPECTOR DID TO HIS SONG, AND TRIED TO GET THE ORIGINAL VERSION WHICH WAS MIXED BY ENGINEER GLYN JOHNS ON THE ALBUM. THE BAND WAS FALLING APART, AND HARRISON AND LENNON SUPPORTED SPECTOR. WTF !!! PAUL MCCARTNEY HAS NOT CHANGED HIS STANCE OVER THE YEARS, AND STILL BELIEVES SPECTOR BUTCHERED HIS SONG. MCCARTNEY ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO BLOCK THE RELEASE OF THIS  SONG IN THE UK, BUT COULD NOT PREVENT IT’S RELEASE IN THE US WHERE IT TOPPED THE CHARTS FOR 2 WEEKS.  

THE SONG ACTUALLY TOOK 19 TAKES IN THE STUDIO TO GET THE FINAL VERSION. THIS IS A FASCINATING COMPILATION OF AUDIO OUTTAKES OF THE BEATLES WORKING ON THE SONG IN THE STUDIO   

HERE’S VIDEO OF MCCARTNEY  IN THE STUDIO WITH THE BEATLES

AND FINALLY HERE’S THE STRIPPED DOWN ‘NAKED’ VERSION MCCARTNEY HAD IN MIND WHEN HE RECORDED THE SONG

billy idol photo-best photo man ever Jim Sheehan https://www.facebook.com/jimmyosheehan/
rush photo-Mary

PINK FLOYD, BONO, ERIC CLAPTON, DAVE MASON

ON THIS DATE IN 1977 PINK FLOYD PLAYED THEIR SECOND SHOW IN TWO NIGHTS AT THE OAKLAND COLISEUM. IT WAS PART OF THE ‘ANIMALS’ TOUR. HERE’S SOME INCREDIBLE LIVE AUDIO FROM THE MAY 9TH SHOW.

FORTY SIX YEARS AGO ERIC CLAPTON RECORDED THE SONG ‘I SHOT THE SHERIFF’. THE SONG WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN AND RECORDED BY BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS IN 1973. CLAPTON HEARD IT WHEN HIS BAND MEMBERS BROUGHT MARLEY’S ALBUM TO CLAPTON TO GIVE IT A LISTEN, AND THEY HAD TO BEG HIM TO RECORD A VERSION OF THE SONG. THE SONG TURNED INTO ONE OF CLAPTON’S BIGGEST SOLO HITS, BECOMING THE ONLY SONG OF HIS SOLO CAREER TO HIT NUMBER ONE ON THE CHARTS. CLAPTON’S VERSION WAS ALSO THE BIGGEST SELLING VERSION OF THE SONG, AND IN 2003 WAS INDUCTED INTO THE GRAMMY HALL OF FAME. THIS IS A FANTASTIC LIVE VERSION FROM CLAPTON FROM A TV APPEARANCE IN 1977

 

IN THE BIRTHDAY DEPARTMENT, IT’S PAUL DAVID HEWSON’S BIRTHDAY, BUT HE’S BETTER KNOWN BY HIS STAGE NAME BONO. THE LEAD SINGER OF U2 TURNS 60. LET’S CELEBRATE WITH THE SOUTHPARK BONO AND GIVE ME A ‘YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH’

HERE’S A BAD-ASS SONG FROM U2 

AND TODAY ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME MEMBER DAVE MASON TURNS 74. MASON WAS VOTED INTO THE HALL AS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP ‘TRAFFIC’ AND IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS SOLO HIT ‘WE JUST DISAGREE’

HERE’S MASON PERFORMING HIS BIGGEST HIT ON “THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL” CIRCA 1978

 

photo thanks-https://www.wolfgangs.com    and  –U2start

 

THE GUESS WHO ‘AMERICAN WOMAN’ 

LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-MAY 9, 2019…ON THIS DAY IN 1970, THE GUESS WHO (MY FAVORITE BAND GROWING UP, THEY ARE FROM MY HOMETOWN OF WINNIPEG CANADA) HIT # 1 ON THE CHARTS WITH AMERICAN WOMAN. THE ALBUM WAS A FREAKIN’ MONSTER OF A RECORD. THIS WAS THE 6TH STUDIO ALBUM FROM THE GROUP, AND WAS THE FINAL RECORD TO FEATURE GUITARIST RANDY BACHMAN. THE RECORD STAYED ON THE CHARTS FOR OVER A YEAR. THE ALBUM FEATURED 3 HIT SINGLES, AND SOLD OVER 20 MILLION COPIES.  AT THE TIME OF THE RELEASE IT WAS AVAILABLE AS AN ALBUM OR QUADRAPHONIC 8 TRACK. IT WASN’T RELEASED AS A CD UNTIL 1998 !!! WHY THE RUSH !

QUICK NOTE, IN 1970 THE GUESS WHO OUTSOLD BOTH THE BEATLES AND THE ROLLING STONES.

 

 

 

WHEN G N’R PLAYED THE WARFIELD

LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-MAY 9, 2020…IT WAS 29 YEARS AGO, MAY 9TH, 1991 AND CONCERT GOERS GOT TO SEE GUNS N’ ROSES IN A CLUB SETTING WHEN THE BAND ROCKED A SHOW AT THE WARFIELD. IT WAS ONE HELL OF A SHOW!

HERE WAS THE SETLIST:

  • Pretty Tied UP

  • Bad Obsession

  • Dust N’ Bones

  • Double Talkin’ Jive

  • Civil War

  • It’s So Easy

  • Speak Softly Love (Love Theme From The Godfather)
    Slash Guitar Solo

  • Dead Horse

  • Matt Sorum Drum Solo

  • Slash Guitar Solo

  • Out Ta Get Me

  • Live and Let Die

  • Patience

  • Perfect Crime
  • Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
    Encore:
  • Estranged

  • Welcome to the Jungle

  • Sweet Child O’ Mine

  • Play Video

  • Paradise City

IT WAS A KICK-ASS SHOW. HERE’S A LIVE VERSION OF ‘KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR’

 

 

 

print available @ wolfgangs vault- https://www.wolfgangs.com

URBAN DICTIONARY FRIENDSHIP WIENER

Here’s one of Lamont and Tonelli favorite features, an Urban Dictionary reading from Seth Rogen.

LET IT BE

LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-MAY 8, 2020…ON THIS DATE 50 YEARS AGO IT WAS THE END OF AN ERA FOR THE BEATLES, WITH THE RELEASE OF THEIR FINAL STUDIO ALBUM ‘LET IT BE’. 

THE ALBUM WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO BE CALLED ‘GET BACK’ AND IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THE GROUP’S FINAL RECORD . THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT FOR THE ‘GET BACK ALBUM’ WAS THE BAND WAS GOING TO RECORD IT IN FRONT OF A LIVE TV AUDIENCE, WITH ANOTHER TV SPECIAL SHOWING THE GROUP PRACTICING THE SONGS IN A STUDIO. IT WAS GOING TO BE THE BEATLES GETTING BACK TO THEIR ROOTS PLAYING LIVE MUSIC INSTEAD OF BUSTING THEIR BALLS IN THE STUDIO LIKE THEY DID ON ‘THE WHITE ALBUM’. HOWEVER SOMETHING WENT HORRIBLY WRONG. WHEN THEY WERE PUTTING THE ALBUM TOGETHER, GEORGE HARRISON WALKED OUT OF THE SESSIONS.  WHEN HE RETURNED, THEY DROPPED THE LIVE ANGLE, AND DECIDED TO USE THE TV FOOTAGE AS THEIR LAST MOVIE. WHILE THE MOVIE WAS BEING EDITED, THE BEATLES RECORDED AND RELEASED ‘ABBEY ROAD’, AND THEN THEY BROKE UP !!

WHAT TO DO , THEY STILL HAD THIS ALBUM, AND EVENTUALLY PHIL SPECTOR WAS GIVEN THE TAPES AND ASKED TO PRODUCE THE PROJECT.  THE ALBUM WAS RELEASED MONTHS AFTER THE BEATLES BROKE UP, AND IT WAS DECIDED ‘LET IT BE’ WAS A MORE APPROPRIATE NAME FOR THE RECORD THAT ‘GET BACK’.  AT THE TIME OF ITS RELEASE, THE ALBUM ‘LET IT BE’ HAD THE LARGEST INITIAL SALES IN U.S. RECORD HISTORY WITH 3.7 MILLION ADVANCE ORDERS.  

HERE’S THE GROUP WORKING ON ‘LET IT BE’ IN THE STUDIO 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALEX VAN HALEN   

LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-MAY 8, 2020…A BIG SHOUT OUT TODAY TO BIRTHDAY BOY ALEX VAN HALEN. ALEX WAS BORN IN 1953, SO IF MY MATH IS CORRECT, THAT PUTS HIM AT 67 YEARS OLD !! HERE’S A FULL VAN HALEN CONCERT FROM THE “RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW” TOUR FROM 1993.

 

 

(photo thanks Jimmy O’Sheehan Photography https://www.facebook.com/jimmyosheehan/ )

A CORONA VIRUS SURVIVOR

Listen to Lamont and Tonelli’s interview with Rick Singer below.

Below is Rick Singer’s blog “Reflections Of A COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Donor

By Rick Singer, guest blogger and COVID-19 convalescent plasma donor

I know we’re all feeling it. I know we’re all cooped up, messed up and uptight.

But I am also painfully aware that, as worn out as we all are during the biggest human crisis of our lifetimes, there are very real strides being taken, in often quiet but countless ways, for the health and wellbeing of everyone we love.

I was able to partake in a small (though still rare) way today. And I think if we all can start finding ways to contribute toward something positive, odds improve exponentially that we start to shake off the mental wear ‘n tear … and start putting more of ourselves, our lives back in the “feeling good” column.

With a major assist from one of the greatest health science institutions in the world, I was just such a participant today. And they may have acted appreciative and like I was doing them a big favor, but I wouldn’t have even been there if it weren’t for the brilliant minds and endless labors from so many incredible doctors, nurses, scientists and medical technicians.

A few weeks ago, I started hearing about programs at Stanford Blood Center (SBC), here in Palo Alto, where COVID-19 “survivor” plasma was being collected, rare as it was in this country still, to help directly with transfusions for very sick COVID-19 patients, and for the study of potential antibody solutions.

When I started feeling much better and recovering from COVID-19, I called my doctors and asked if my hospital had begun such a program yet, and was told no … but would I kindly continue researching and maybe work with SBC? So I did. But just as the tasks for consents and approvals and questionnaires and test proofs (online, mind you) were just starting to feel SO overwhelming on top of all the other business and personal day-to-day matters I needed to wade through, I received another call.

This time, about a week after my initial call, it was another doctor from my hospital, a higher-up in their Pathology Department, who was now heading such a program. She called and started pitching ME! How, if I had indeed survived COVID-19, how important my plasma might be now, how I could possibly save numerous lives with it and aid in research! You’re pitching me now!? Hell yeah, I’m in! What do we do!?

Well, coincidentally, my hospital had just started partnering with SBC to get the needed convalescent plasma for its patients. So now I had a ride right to the penthouse! I was hammered with a couple dozen verbal questions immediately, from two doctors from each institution; then I was set up with a new COVID-19 test to confirm I was indeed negative; and then they set me up on SBC’s “Convalescent Blood Task Force” portal… so I could answer five more pages of questions and further understand what criteria I had to meet to give up some of this desperately needed plasma.

Well, I took the retest last week … and came up negative for COVID-19! Big news for ALL of us really, as it scientifically shows we can contract and then eventually SUBTRACT this virus.

And today at 11:30 a.m., I sat in a donation chair, hooked up to a very fancy piece of medical machinery that draws my blood out, sorts what it needs of my plasma and then pumps back into my body my red blood cells and platelets! Blinding me with SCIENCE! The machine is called apheresis; it’s a centrifuge process.

Bethany, the humorous, jovial, brilliant Scottish/Irish technician, stayed with me the whole time, and we laughed and told COVID-19 jokes as my body gave up the 825ml of plasma today that she said could help up to four people. And this kind of “survivor” plasma is still so rare, this clinic is only presently operating three days a week, and I was only one of seven people they’d draw from all day. Oof.

First, my plasma goes to a lab, and if my antibodies show really good signs? They “beg” me again to come back next week and give it up again for their plasma program.

And I will, if that’s the case.

It’s just… I know it has been such a hard few weeks for everyone. We’re on edge, we’re still in unknown territories and we just want to have our lives back.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that, as life-affirming as the Tiger King has been for many, and Animal Crossing for others; and as tired as we are of staring at the same four walls and the same unkempt hairstyles; some scientist, some doctor, some nurse, some student and some technician is tirelessly working, this very second, on solutions that will help all of us!

Keep that in mind when you lay that worried head on your pillow tonight. You are not alone… and you are loved.

Follow Lamont and Tonelli here.

ON THE SCENE RE-OPENINGS

More than half of the states have started reopening, including many that have not met White House guidelines on when to do so. The big question now is whether the numbers of coronavirus cases and deaths will surge. And around the nation, nervous news crews are braving the crowds for their reports.