| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| mikeb |
Posted - 03/10/2005 : 15:19:46
From Uncut just dropped through my letter box:
Love leader's lost
Arthur Lee is sacked from his own band for being "too spannered"
Love have sacked their leader, frontman and founder member Arthur Lee. Defending this extraordinary decision, the musicians claim that Lee had become a liability, and that fan support has encouraged them to carry on as The Love Band.
Lee, chief architect of the band's 1967 psychedelic masterpiece Forever Changes, is accused by the band of a serious loss of motivation. Lee has not yet responded to Love's official statement, which alleges a "steady decline" in his mental and physical health. The statement does pay tribute to an "awesome talent" and an "amazing performer", backing up the sentiments of lead guitarist Mike Randle that when Lee left prison in December 2001- having served almost half of a 12 year sentence for a firearms violation - he was a"wonderful loving man".
Manager Glenn Povey, who has also dropped Lee as a client, says the problems began last year with dates in Portugal and Spain. Lee was "just too spannered" to get on a plane, Povey says and missed a gig in Portugal.
"Then in Spain," says Povey, "he wasn't playing his guitar, he wasn't singing and he was rambling between songs. Love were playing to something like 10,000 people and there were 500 left by the end of the show. It was pathetic, just dreadful. The crunch came prior to our UK tour this July. We had two warm-up shows in San Francisco, and Arthur was again just sitting onstage doing nothing. He was in a dreadful mess. To see that deterioration is heartbreaking. He was clearly not coming back to Planet Earth."
Lee ducked out of the British dates at the last minute, and Love carried on without him, obliged to offer discounts and refunds at every venue.
Mike Randle tells Uncut he believes the rot set in when Love started work in the studio last year on new material. "The stuff that Arthur was coming up with stunk. S-T-U-N-K. He would say 'This is better than Forever Changes.' I'd say, 'Man, you're ****ing crazy."
Randle continues: "Anywhere there's peace and happiness, it's not cool with him [Arthur]. Misery loves company. That should be a T-shirt with his picture on it."
The Love Band are working on new material which they hope to release early next year, with American, European and UK dates to follow.
Arthur Lee is reportedly opening a club in LA, and was unavailable for comment as Uncut went to press.
Large fairly recent picture of Arthur above the article: Brother Lee Love: the cosmic cowboy has been fired from his own band.
The Love Band picture bottom left.
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| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MikeP |
Posted - 12/10/2005 : 00:33:33
I hope that a better environment leads to better compositions, and that there's nobody who can play the bagpipes there (PLEASE!)
Forever Changes > Funky Chuggings? |
| astrolobe33 |
Posted - 11/10/2005 : 17:45:02
I agree with johnbhoy's post above... and to quote a certain aphorism,
it's always safe to say:
"Things are not as bad as they seem.
They are worse than that.
They are also better than that."
------------------------Fripp
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| johnbhoy |
Posted - 11/10/2005 : 17:20:20
Well I've been reading all the great debates from a reasonable distance as I thought I was being victimised for adopting what I considered to be a neutral and balanced viewpoint when the break-up was revealed. BL doing their thing, AL taking sanctuary in Memphis and JE working on Gethsemane gives them and us the space we currently need. I look forward to some more wonderful music from what I hope might be varied combos of these very talented musicians.
Lisbon 1967 |
| waxburn |
Posted - 09/10/2005 : 19:45:46
quote:
Originally posted by jazmaan
Well said Johnny. There are two sides to every story and you have presented both of them without taking sides. The truth is that even without the latest disasters, Arthur hadn't been happy with his musical direction for a long time. He played me some demos he made recently without BL and they were nothing like the classic Love - they had more of an R&B feel. I liked them, but they wouldn't have been right for BL.
I want to add something to Johnny's quotations of Arthur. I asked Arthur many times in recent weeks if he wanted me to present his side of the breakup online. He always declined except for these last words he said to me just as he was leaving for Memphis:
"I want everybody to know that I've got nothing against those boys. I wish them well. This wasn't about them. It was between me and Glenn Povey."
Funky demos . Tell Arthur to put them out( anyone who may claim to have written them speak now or be forever silent ).
Jazmaan , who does Arthur have in mind to record this material?
The Memphis crowd?  |
| ruxprncd |
Posted - 09/10/2005 : 03:02:01
Jazmaan, the R&B direction sounds cool. Any idea if Arthur plans to record 'proper' versions of any of his early 90's tunes like Thats The Way It Goes and LA Coloca? I 'love' the acoustic versions of those - don't know if the melodies are ripoffs but they are insanely catchy! |
| Old_Man |
Posted - 08/10/2005 : 22:26:02
Thanks for that jazmaan. |
| jazmaan |
Posted - 08/10/2005 : 18:42:45
Well said Johnny. There are two sides to every story and you have presented both of them without taking sides. The truth is that even without the latest disasters, Arthur hadn't been happy with his musical direction for a long time. He played me some demos he made recently without BL and they were nothing like the classic Love - they had more of an R&B feel. I liked them, but they wouldn't have been right for BL.
I want to add something to Johnny's quotations of Arthur. I asked Arthur many times in recent weeks if he wanted me to present his side of the breakup online. He always declined except for these last words he said to me just as he was leaving for Memphis:
"I want everybody to know that I've got nothing against those boys. I wish them well. This wasn't about them. It was between me and Glenn Povey." |
| Old_Man |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 22:22:14
Well said Johnny! |
| ocfan |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 18:37:43
quote:
Originally posted by Allan
Johnny-you are a class act...all the way. I hope the very best for you 
Allan
Ditto. Though I'm sorry to hear you won't be playing with Mike and the guys, I wish you and Arthur the best. No one wanted the division that happened on this board. Most wanted Arthur well physically and mentally and it turned into a either for or against attitude. No one can sing like Arthur, and BL is just the most incredible band of musicians. I fell in love with Forever Changes many, many years ago.
Didn't get to see LOVE until Arthur and the guys played the House of Blues in Anaheim and I was just blown away.
Mike has always been a gentlemen and Johnny you appear to be the same. I'm still hoping to see you guys jam together once again. You earned my respect by voicing Arthurs opinion without negating MR's painful but honest tale of what has transpired. Indeed you have walked a tightrope gracefully without a fall.
I wish you all continued success and I can still hope for a local gig with you and BL can't I?
Cheryl |
| Allan |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 13:25:25
Johnny-you are a class act...all the way. I hope the very best for you
Allan |
| longtimelovefan |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 06:33:06
i just wanted to say thank you, john echols (and arthur, if you ever read these posts), for giving me so much pleasure through your music. i have been a fan since around 1965/6 when i was in 8th grade in los angeles at emerson jr. high. i can't tell you how much love's music has meant to me! and probably unlike most people on this site, i think love's first album might really be the very best, and stands the test of time better than any other. fits in with today's sound STILL! so a big THANK YOU!!!
all my best,
richard b., a LONGTIMElovefan
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| waxburn |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 02:49:41
[quote]Originally posted by johnnylovejoy
Thank you one and all, for your understanding! This has been a "trying" period for all of us! let me say this; LOVE was never about the "cult of personality" that some Well intentioned folks, seem bent on making us!
LOVE was a group and I emphasize "GROUP"of five uniquely talented individuals,who were never told what, or how too play, but given the freedom, earned through ability, too improvise and experiment, in order too create a body of work that has become TIMELESS
Let's take time and reflect, on What's transpired, these last couple of month's! No (one) of us is at fault! Yet we all, must share some of the blame, for what did occur! Instead of talking with each other, as the "friend's" we have become, we began "sniping" and "name calling" and talking around one another! That's the quickest way, too lose "friendship's" Please let us all respond, and be the kind of people that personify the name LOVE and let's LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND FORGIVE! :Johnny Echols
Love and forgivenss, that is what its all about,
(tho, some AL/JE shows and cd wouln't hurt either  |
| ruxprncd |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 02:34:28
Wonderfully put, Johnny.
On another note: I can't wait to hear Gethsemane! |
| johnnylovejoy |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 01:38:59
Thank you one and all, for your understanding! This has been a "trying" period for all of us! let me say this; LOVE was never about the "cult of personality" that some Well intentioned folks, seem bent on making us!
LOVE was a group and I emphasize "GROUP"of five uniquely talented individuals,who were never told what, or how too play, but given the freedom, earned through ability, too improvise and experiment, in order too create a body of work that has become TIMELESS
Let's take time and reflect, on What's transpired, these last couple of month's! No (one) of us is at fault! Yet we all, must share some of the blame, for what did occur! Instead of talking with each other, as the "friend's" we have become, we began "sniping" and "name calling" and talking around one another! That's the quickest way, too lose "friendship's" Please let us all respond, and be the kind of people that personify the name LOVE and let's LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND FORGIVE! :Johnny Echols
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| kdion11 |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 01:01:04
Thanks Mike P for putting this so eloquently. I hope the message has been received by the people who tried so hard to divide this board into two camps. Strange, there have been no posts, now that Johnny has spoken. I truly hope the mainstays of this group will now return.
Love surely should be in the rock and roll hall of fame. If someone tells me how to vote, I'll be there.
Cheryl
Alas, though I think they (LOVE) should be in there, they will probably never make it. It seems that Arthur has indeed alienated WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE in the industry who could vote to put him there. Buddy Miles is in the same boat.
KD
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