| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Merlyn Merlot |
Posted - 01/07/2006 : 09:20:38
Music Greats Show Their Love For Arthur Lee
Dave Gil de Rubio 06/30/2006 4:24 pm
http://www.longislandpress.com/?cp=145&show=article&a_id=8993
There was one point during Robert PlantÕs headlining performance at the Doing It For Love: Benefit Concert for Arthur Lee where the legendary Led Zeppelin frontman surveyed the adoring crowd. Right before launching into LoveÕs quasi-psychedelic, rock-raveup version of ÒHey Joe,Ó Plant slyly smiled and recalled seeing the band perform it at LondonÕs Speakeasy along with Roy Harper as both were inhaling Òthe fumes of success.Ó And while the legendary vocalist may have been alluding to something more illicit, show promoter Steve Weitzman was aiming for monetary success in raising funds to cover the medical expenses of the Love frontman, whoÕd been recently diagnosed with leukemia. To that end, a number of LeeÕs musical admirers, including Plant, Ian Hunter, Ryan Adams, Yo La Tengo, Nils Lofgren, Garland Jeffreys and last-minute participant Gavin DeGraw, rallied together at the Beacon Theatre.
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In the pantheon of legendary groups to emerge out of Los Angeles in the late Ô60s, Love often gets lost amid better-known names like The Doors and Buffalo Springfield. Playing a mix of orchestral pop, folk-rock, blues and jazz, Love only achieved cult success in the three years the original lineup was together. Being one of rockÕs first integrated groups was also a millstone around the bandÕs neck, as they were prevented from playing many of the same venues in the Deep South that their peers were able to during this turbulent era of riots and civil rights battles. Over the years, albums like Da Capo and Forever Changes were constantly being lauded by critics, and while Love never attained the status of a Velvet Underground, they enjoyed a loyal fanbase on the West Coast and in Europe that included a young Plant, who specifically flew over to New York City to participate during a few days break between dates of his European tour.
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While veteran DJ and the eveningÕs MC Ken Dashow kept saying the organizers were making it up as the evening went on, the end result somehow gelled together despite the haphazard nature endemic to these kinds of shows. Kicking off the evening was Flashy Python & the Body Snatchers, a sextet led by Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The varying set lengths found Ounsworth and company playing a fifteen-minute mŽlange of countrified rock that featured wailing harmonica and an Emmitt Rhodes-meets-Nashville Skyline-era Dylan that yielded the Byrdsian jangle of LoveÕs baroque-pop nugget ÒAlways See Your Face.Ó Clad in black with a matching porkpie hat, Garland Jeffreys led his Coney Island Playboys through a quarter-hour set that included his forthcoming single, ÒIÕm Alive,Ó a stomper with a quasi-psychedelic slide-guitar-drenched bridge and his anti-racist anthem ÒHail Hail Rock ÔN Roll.Ó One of the eveningÕs few glitches came following JefffreysÕ hit interpretation of Ò96 Tears.Ó While clutching a red tome during his version of the Bacharach/David song ÒMy Little Red Book,Ó which Love had successfully covered at the onset of its history, Jeffreys ended up singing an abbreviated a cappella version of the song while his band inexplicably cleared the stage.Ê
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And while other artistsÑlike Nils Lofgren, whose exuberant version of ÒAlone Again OrÓ was one of many highlightsÑdipped into the Love canon, many performers opted to go their own way. Ryan Adams, who performed with his Cardinals, sheepishly admitted he wouldnÕt be doing any of Arthur LeeÕs songs due to his Òlimited repertoire.Ó Instead, Adams served up the kind of gorgeous, Americana-stoked sound heÕs been cultivating on his last few records, conjuring up images of Neil YoungÕs more country side and The Flying Burrito Brothers. Opening with ÒA Kiss Before I Go,Ó the North Carolina native went as far back as his 2000 debut Heartbreaker for ÒShakedown On 9th Street.Ó The 10-minute long jam at the center of ÒWhat Sin Replaces LoveÓ was borderline self-indulgent, but the Harvest-era vibe of ÒMagnolia MountainÓ provided a nice counterpoint in highlighting AdamsÕ sweeter side.
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Led by Bongos guitarist James Mastro, Ian HunterÕs Rant stayed busy as sidemen for Lofgren as well as the former Mott the Hoople singer and PlantÕs later set. With his blonde curls falling around his trademark shades, Hunter dipped into the canon of his former group and early solo career for a set that included ÒOnce Bitten, Twice Shy,Ó ÒAll the Way to MemphisÓ and ÒAll the Young Dudes,Ó with the late Mick RonsonÕs kids Jesse and Lisa providing harmonies.
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Just past midnight, Robert Plant took the stage with the Rant Band, opening with ÒIn the Evening.Ó Sporting a goatee but looking considerably fitter than musicians half his age, Plant seemed genuinely pleased as he performed a Love-heavy set with a few Zeppelin songs sprinkled in. After opening with ÒIn the Evening,Ó the legendary frontman made frequent mention of Arthur Lee and his groupÕs influence on him as a budding musician, and even went as far as to have the bandÕs guitarist, Johnny Echols (whoÕd performed his own brief set earlier in the evening) to join him on LoveÕs ÒOld Man.Ó Strapping on an acoustic guitar, Plant made a call for Ian Hunter to join him on Buffalo SpringfieldÕs ÒFor What ItÕs WorthÓ and while Hunter missed his cue, he did make it out for a duet on The Everly Brothers classic ÒWhen Will I Be Loved?Ó By the time Plant had gotten through a cover of Ò7 and 7 IsÓ that brought to mind Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd with its theremin-soaked nuance, and encored with ÒThank You,Ó the hour was well past one. And though the medical outcome for Arthur Lee is still unresolved, at least for a few hours, one of rock ÔnÕ rollÕs more unsung talents was accorded the kind of respect deserving of LoveÕs all-too-brief time in the sun.
For more information about donating funds to defray Arthur LeeÕs medical costs, please visit www.thelovesociety.com
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| 1 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| barbinberkeley |
Posted - 28/08/2007 : 07:52:33
Way to go, Percy! |
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