| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| John9 |
Posted - 21/08/2009 : 01:20:20
In his excellent musical/spoken memoir entitled West Coast Revelation, John York (of The Byrds)tells of the time he arrived (during 1965) in Los Angeles from New York and how Love were one of the first bands to make an impression on him. He mentions especially John Echols' double neck guitar and how it was the first one anyone had ever seen. He goes on to explain the 'Renaissance Spirit' that pervaded the city at that time and how it must all have been similar to Liverpool a couple of years before. He prefaces all this with a wonderfully poignant song entitled Flower Girls:
"The flower girls have all grown up and their blonde hair turned to grey
But the flower girls are all still alive in a dream of yesterday" |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| rocker |
Posted - 25/08/2009 : 22:24:21
.."those were the best of times"..
And if it wasn't for a LA gal I probably wouldn't have know about Love. I think about her fondly. She kept me in touch with that scene out there. |
| LeeRob |
Posted - 25/08/2009 : 20:11:30
Allan, Ha! Good sharing. All those good memories from the days of fresh experience. Great!
Hey rocker, don't trip on the philo thing, it's rather interesting. Here's a thought: I think that Forever Changes would have had as much influence on me even without the lyrics. But, that's just me.
All misspellings are purposeful... |
| rocker |
Posted - 25/08/2009 : 17:19:20
allan...so did you come across John Philips and the gang singing "Twelve-Thirty"..great song btw...NY wasn't exactly nirvana to them!... |
| Allan |
Posted - 25/08/2009 : 16:00:48
I have mentioned here that I lived in Laurel Canyon from May until November in 1970. I know it was somewhat after the heyday of the magical times, but the magic was still there in Laurel Canyon. I lived right next door to Carole King and used to hear her play piano and sing "Child of Mine" to her daughter. I lived at 8865 Wonderland.
And I've often mentioned that I used to see individuals from the Mothers of Invention at that little food store on the foot of the Canyon (The Country Store) where they would be buying $.50 cent bottles of Ripple wine, coming outside and declaring 'the Breakfast of Champions', then chugging the rot gut at 10 in the morning.
I would often go to the top of Wonderland, which was known as Lookout point, and meeting people from all over the country who were just hanging out. I remember being turned on to some 'shrooms' from some guys from Denver...and we tripped out all day up there. Perfect strangers yet brothers of the generation. I was living around the corner from where Michael and Kenny were sharing a flat.
Those seemed to be the best of times
Allan |
| rocker |
Posted - 25/08/2009 : 15:54:16
leerob/lk et al..You know I have to say something about all that "change of scene" and all who influenced it. I think what I take away from all that especially with FC and where the band stood is that those things taught me about integrity. Maybe this is off the path a bit and I know I'm getting into philosophy but when FC was done it certainly was another view of what happens when change appears. Some good some bad. One thing I learned from Arthur and the band is to never ever "put yourself on". Well that's me and what I got out from all that revolution, evolution bit back when. Sounds funny but FC isn't just a record it's almost like it gives you an idea of how to live a life..and with some integrity. |
| lemonade kid |
Posted - 24/08/2009 : 23:47:54
Right, LeeRob. Change was in the air, without actually saying we are gonna change things.
It just was..."there's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear...."
....to take Stills' classic lines out of context. Magic was so in the air you could taste it. I'm not sure it will or can happen again. The music "machine" is so powerful, but at least as the technology grows and new artists can put their music out there without any of the industry behind them....
You meet kids that seem just like we were....long hair, mellow, turning on , tuning out...but they are listening to OUR music.....that gives me hope.
I'll be heading DownEast again, LeeRob.....someday soon. 
____________________________________________________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity;
and I'm not sure about the universe. --Albert Einstein |
| LeeRob |
Posted - 24/08/2009 : 23:13:07
Where is the dynamic end-point of this 60's-70s energy today, I wonder? Is it dying with us baby boomers. I know the Renaissance of free spirit and music continues anew with each generation acknowledging an inner pull towards "free expression," or whatever one can call that state of other-worldly sense which competes with the edges of the shell that society places us in. But might the 60's energy still exist in some pure form - intact in the people whose philosophy carried it forward? Ha! The lost tribe. I personally feel that LOVE grabbed that energy at the dynamic point, and expressed it without explaining it, nor even purporting it as a way of life, as other L.A. bands of that era seemed to do. That is why, WE, the LOVE minded refer to it as the "scene," LOVE was the happening, the now. I think their music and poetry grabbed the moment, in a kind of (forgive me) acid-awareness of the moment -- without all the chatter about what we could do to save the world through "the movement," etc. Take Forever Changes for example, it touches all of the vibes in the air, adds extremely object-sense musicianship without needing a "follow-up," to finish the statement. While other bands of the era expanded their expression by going on tours and becoming stars, changing genres and clinging to images, LOVE DID MUSIC, and shed the rest - it did not fit. I've lost my point. . . I don't "talk," very often. I'll just let it fly as it is.
Bobf, lk and rocker, Griffith Park I missed, sadly. I was in an air force hospital with scarlet fever on way to Nam; my orders were cancelled - I didn't go. I love places east of California; I found Maine of the 60's-70's to encompass all the best of the vibes I found in California parts without the commercial hype that set in during the influx that drove many of us "into the hills". Peace
All misspellings are purposeful... |
| rocker |
Posted - 24/08/2009 : 14:23:50
You know from my perspective here in the East that whole shift to the West just was a modern day follow up to that old adage "Go West, young man!!". Of course, the "West" in American lore was a place where dreams could get started and you can have a "new beginning". We saw it in music as in other areas of culture. I have this image of LA and SF as some kind of great black hole and where moths were attracted to that great fiery light out there. Everybody wanted to be where the like-minded were. It was a cauldron of creativity man. And we certainly got what we got and even more than we asked for!... |
| lemonade kid |
Posted - 23/08/2009 : 23:30:44
Hi LeeRob........been a while...... I wasn't lucky (or old enough) to hit LA/SF at the peak!
I had some vet friends that went your route too.......peace love and THE MUSIC...after they got out of the military.
I had a student deferment and a very high lottery number. I don't envy you (Nam?)...but I love ya for doing what you had to do. We won't get into the merits of that whole conflict....
The "traveling" Vietnam Memorial Wall came to the Herbert Hoover Library National Park here.
I said the same to the vets there manning the wall to help loved ones find their fallen soldiers.
As I walked along the wall, reading the 56,000 + names, I really didn't expect it--but I couldn't hold back the tears.
Thank god for LA and SF and the whole peace/love flower-power-to-the-people movement....I think that, more than anything else, saved this country.
____________________________________________________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity;
and I'm not sure about the universe. --Albert Einstein |
| bob f. |
Posted - 23/08/2009 : 06:28:07
Hi,LeeRob ! the scene on The Strip, and Griffith Park (Love-ins)
were two places for hanging out and tripping in public in L.A.
The Renaissance Spirit even gave some color to the more conservative San Fernando Valley where the Valley Music Theater hosted great concerts! there was no escaping the Renaissance. it was a free-flow THRIVING, a rebirth from darkness, as in all Renaissances.
...what the world needs now... |
| LeeRob |
Posted - 23/08/2009 : 04:17:48
This is an interesting discussion. I stayed in Los Angeles right after I got out of the service in '65. I moved back there to live for a year or so in '66. Coming out of the Marines was like coming from another planet anyway, but, I remember feeling the high in the air. LOVE was all there was; big, beautiful, kick-ass LOVE. They were everywhere and still aloof somehow. Da Capo was the ONLY album I played. Most of what I experienced that would be of any interest to this conversation was, like the Strip on warm nights where everyone was pretty groovy, and the girls had big, happy smiles. The grass was very good, the music had a lot of bass in it, haha, like Lou Rawls was kickin' it back then too. I moved to Haight next and felt the same charge in the air up there, but it was more subtle; L.A. was already flying. When I saw LOVE at the Hullabaloo it was a swirling mass of sound, and I stood up and had great delusions of grandeur about how cool I was being there. It was hot to see Arthur Lee doing his thing. We all give the band members equal due for their individual, musical energy given to the band, but Arthur was the one you watched most of the time. It's too bad the L. A. of those days was so far separated from Haight Ashbury, it would have been a trip to take in both scenes on a regular basis.
All misspellings are purposeful... |
| caryne |
Posted - 23/08/2009 : 00:29:03
quote:
Originally posted by lemonade kid
Right...I'm aware of "world music's" definition in the world....but what is it really? Latin, African, Asian.....everything has to have a label for people to feel comfortable. Right...it's all music of the World. They were thinking that there is "Western" music, which Europe is also lumped into, and the rest of the World--Eastern/Asian/SOuthern Hemisphere music I guess. But Western Music is not a part of the world, I guess...All pretty silly. When Paul Simon was labeled as finally doing "World Music" it sounded like latin/South American fusion to me......what could have been more "World Music" than Lennon's Imagine"??!!
Imagine there's no countries.....
____________________________________________________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity;
and I'm not sure about the universe. --Albert Einstein
That's ok, I agree with you, 'world music' is a daft term as all music is of the world!! That's until there is some 'Martian Music' of course!! |
| lemonade kid |
Posted - 22/08/2009 : 20:38:10
Right...I'm aware of "world music's" definition in the world....but what is it really? Latin, African, Asian.....everything has to have a label for people to feel comfortable. Right...it's all music of the World. They were thinking that there is "Western" music, which Europe is also lumped into, and the rest of the World--Eastern/Asian/SOuthern Hemisphere music I guess. But Western Music is not a part of the world, I guess...All pretty silly. When Paul Simon was labeled as finally doing "World Music" it sounded like latin/South American fusion to me......what could have been more "World Music" than Lennon's Imagine"??!!
Imagine there's no countries.....
____________________________________________________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity;
and I'm not sure about the universe. --Albert Einstein |
| caryne |
Posted - 22/08/2009 : 20:20:25
quote:
Originally posted by lemonade kid
quote:
Originally posted by bob f.
 there was the San Fransisco sound! and it can't be explained.
but...you know it! the only way to understand the 60s renaissance in L.A.,San Francisco, is to recall your experience. it was all good and
stoned-out cool FUN! no.... i'm not talking about today's stupid "rave"
"DJ"- "techno"- computor "music"!
it was about The MUSIC! THAT'S RIGHT! heart and soul!!! with some special effects!!!!
...what the world needs now...
When I pull a record from my collection, I really don't think ...hmmmm......LA vs SF band. The whole sixties scene WORLDWIDE was phenomenal. Whether it's Love/Byrds, Beatles?Stones, Fever Tree/Airplane, Kinks?Yardbrds, Buffalo Springfiled/Blues MaGoos, Animals/PrettyThings......how can we pick the greatest "home" for our 60's music? They always talk about the advent of "World Music" in the 70's and 80's.....what could be more music-of-the-world than Arthur, John & Paul, Dylan, Grace, Janis, Jim, Jimi, Country Joe, Neil & Steven, Roger & Gene.......
____________________________________________________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity;
and I'm not sure about the universe. --Albert Einstein
I always thought 'World Music' was a pretty daft term as all music is from the 'World'!! However, the term, of course, referred to music that was 'non-western' as, prior to the, so-called, 'World Music' boom, most of the music listened to in the 'Western' world was from the 'Western' world, including all those bands/acts you listed |
| lemonade kid |
Posted - 22/08/2009 : 17:59:09
quote:
Originally posted by bob f.
there was the San Fransisco sound! and it can't be explained.
but...you know it! the only way to understand the 60s renaissance in L.A.,San Francisco, is to recall your experience. it was all good and
stoned-out cool FUN! no.... i'm not talking about today's stupid "rave"
"DJ"- "techno"- computor "music"!
it was about The MUSIC! THAT'S RIGHT! heart and soul!!! with some special effects!!!!
...what the world needs now...
When I pull a record from my collection, I really don't think ...hmmmm......LA vs SF band. The whole sixties scene WORLDWIDE was phenomenal. Whether it's Love/Byrds, Beatles?Stones, Fever Tree/Airplane, Kinks?Yardbrds, Buffalo Springfiled/Blues MaGoos, Animals/PrettyThings......how can we pick the greatest "home" for our 60's music? They always talk about the advent of "World Music" in the 70's and 80's.....what could be more music-of-the-world than Arthur, John & Paul, Dylan, Grace, Janis, Jim, Jimi, Country Joe, Neil & Steven, Roger & Gene.......
____________________________________________________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity;
and I'm not sure about the universe. --Albert Einstein |
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