Recent 6 & 12 string acoustic guitar work from a Boston artist now living in Japan
“Go hear the band
Oh, clap your hands
Go tell your friends
Here comes the guitar man
Guitar
Been hurt getting down
Word’s getting ‘round
Love that sound
Come from the guitar town
Guitar
The man, he burns bright
Standing in the spotlight
Wait every night
To take guitar out
One more guitar
Go hear the band
Oh, clap your hands
Go tell your friends
Here comes the guitar man
Guitar”
I have only learned about the music of Lal Waterson is the last two years or so. She is a singularly original part of one of the most high flying, steady, reinventing folk music families, in the history of Britain. Having been captivated by the electrification of the genre, as epitomized by the likes of Fairport Convention, I was quite spellbound when hearing Ms. Waterson and her brother Mike’s 1972 record “Bright Phoebus.” A work diverse, gravitating between elation and darkness, united by serious songsmithing. The songs are beautifully augmented by the guitar work of Richard Thompson.
I was about to take a shower the other day and for no godforsaken reason this song popped into my head and I wondered who did it. Using you know what, I found it and was struck by its lovely and lonely cocktail intimacy and weary late night atmosphere. The Kingston Trio singer Bob Crane pictured in the middle below handles this foray into romantic waters !
“Sandwiched among gigs at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, the Baltimore Civic Center and the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, the Jefferson Airplane with Hot Tuna opening rocked the crowd at this otherwise sleepy small catholic college on the west side of Worcester.
Formed in 1965, as one of the first rock bands to elevate the San Francisco sound, the band as pictured above had a very successful run of five albums:
1967 – Surrealistic Pillow
1967 – After Bathing at Baxter’s
1968 – Crown of Creation
1969 – Bless Its Pointed Little Head
1969 – Volunteers
At Assumption the group consisted of:
Grace Slick – vocals, keyboards
Marty Balin – vocals, rhythm guitar
Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar, vocals
Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals
Jack Casady – bass
Joey Covington – drums (replaced Spencer Dryden one month prior)
A set list for the show doesn’t exist, but the list from the next night at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester may be a close approximation.
The Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil
White Rabbit
3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds
Wooden Ships
Come Back Baby
Fat Angel
Emergency
Have You Seen the Saucers?
Good Shepherd
We Can Be Together > Volunteers, Up or Down > You Wear Your Dresses Too Short
I recall the band being in great form. Looking at their concert listings from 1967, they performed about 160 concerts just in that year. They were busy. The list below is the performers at the 1967 Monterey Pop Music Festival:
The Who / Steve Miller Band / The Animals / Simon & Garfunkel / Buffalo Springfield / Grateful Dead / Booker T. & The MG’s / Canned Heat / Big Brother And The Holding Company / the Association / Ravi Shankar / Hugh Masekela / Johnny Rivers / Quicksilver Messenger Service / Moby Grape / Al Kooper / Janis Joplin / Otis Redding / Electric Flag / Jefferson Airplane / The Blues Project / The Jimi Hendrix Experience / The Byrds / The Mamas and the Papas / Laura Nyro / The Butterfield Blues Band / Lou Rawls / Country Joe & The Fish / Paupers / The Group With No Name
This college freshman will never forget the aroma of weed in the auditorium or the heart pounding rhythms the band produced. Did I and many others in the audience have a crush on Grace Slick. Sure thing.
Somebody To Love
When the truth is found to be lies
And all the joy within you dies
Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love
Love, love
When the garden flowers
Baby, are dead, yes and
Your mind, your mind is so full of red
Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love
Your eyes, I say your eyes may look like his
Yeah but in your head, baby
I’m afraid you don’t know where it is
Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love
Tears are running
They’re all running down your breast
And your friends, baby
They treat you like a guest
Don’t you want somebody to love?
Don’t you need somebody to love?
Wouldn’t you love somebody to love?
You better find somebody to love”
Tom Waits turned 73 this week. After his second record “The Heart of Saturday Night,” was released in 1974 I thought he should put his career up on blocks and open a gas station.. He could never hope to make anything that good ever again. Welcome to the world of Mr. Wrong. A kingpin of song, acting, comedy and miscelaneous whimsy who continues reinventing the possibilities of the American imagination. Witness “Come On Up To The. House,” Women Sing Waits, from 2019 wherein a bevy of female artists explore the laboratory of Mr. Waits balladery.
“when you’re the opening acts for large groups, sometimes you feel like a rectal thermometer.”
“There’s a place I know where the train goes slow
Where the sinner can be washed in the blood of the lamb
There’s a river by the trestle down by sinner’s grove
Down where the willow and the dogwood grow
You can hear the whistle, you can hear the bell
From the halls of heaven to the gates of hell
And there’s room for the forsaken if you’re there on time
You’ll be washed of all your sins and all of your crimes
If you’re down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there where the train goes slow
There’s a golden moon that shines up through the mist
And I know that your name can be on that list
There’s no eye for an eye, there’s no tooth for a tooth
I saw Judas Iscariot carrying John Wilkes Booth
He was down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
He was down there where the train goes slow
If you’ve lost all your hope, if you’ve lost all your faith
I know you can be cared for and I know you can be safe
And all the shamefuls and all of the whores
And even the soldier who pierced the side of the Lord
Is down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there where the train goes slow
Well, I’ve never asked forgiveness and I’ve never said a prayer
Never given of myself, never truly cared
I’ve left the ones who loved me and I’m still raising Cain
I’ve taken the low road and if you’ve done the same
Meet me down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there where the train goes slow
Meet me down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there where the train goes slo”