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sometimesmylifeissoeerie
Fourth Love
198 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 23:01:50
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Actually, Bridget St. John did get some airplay back in 1970 in NY. My sister bought her first LP back then and she used to play this song over and over, probably in an altered state of consciousness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd61MHaAoLY&feature=related
Her buddy Nick Drake was the one that got absolutely no air play in the US back then. |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 23:52:21
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DORY PREVIN.....(thanks for the reminder Rick)
The New Enzyme Detergent Demise of Ali MacGraw (1971) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d_jdhGLcu4
Dory Previn, née Dorothy Veronica Langan[1] (born October 22, 1925 or 1929[2]), is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter and poet.
Going Home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL0g0Ef4iKY&feature=related
During the late 1950s and 1960s she was a lyricist for motion picture songs, and with her first husband André Previn received several Academy Award nominations. In the 1970s, after their divorce, she released six albums of original songs and an acclaimed live album. Dory Previn's lyrics from this period are characterised by their originality, their irony, and their honesty in dealing with her troubled personal life, as well as more generally about relationships, sexuality, religion and psychology. She has continued to work since then as a writer of song lyrics and prose.
This about her marriage to Andre Previn......
In 1968 André Previn had fully transitioned from composing film scores to conducting symphony orchestras, most notably the London Symphony Orchestra. While in London he began an affair with the then 24-year-old actress Mia Farrow who was working on the film A Dandy in Aspic.[10] In the spring of 1969 Dory discovered that Farrow had become pregnant, compelling her to separate from her husband. Their divorce became final in July 1970 - André Previn subsequently married Farrow.[4] This betrayal led to Dory being institutionalised again, where she was treated with electroconvulsive therapy.[11] The treatment seemed to change her outlook as a songwriter, making her more introspective. She subsequently expressed her feelings regarding Farrow, and the end of her marriage in the song "Beware of Young Girls," featured on her 1970 album On My Way to Where, featuring some acerbic, amusing and insightful lyrics, as can be seen in the excerpts below:
"Beware of young girls who come to your door, Wistful and pale, twenty and four, Delivering daisies with delicate hands. Beware of young girls, too often they crave, To cry at a wedding...and dance on a grave."
"She was my friend, my friend, my friend. She was invited to my house, oh yes she was, And although she knew my love was true, and no ordinary thing, She admired my wedding ring, she admired my wedding ring."
"We were friends, oh yes we were, And she just took him from my life, oh yes she did. So young and vain, she brought me pain, but I'm wise enough to say, She will leave him one thoughtless day, she'll just leave him and go away, oh yes."
Beware Of Young Girls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaFLlq8woYo
Mythical Kings and Iguanas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVy5hAZ8Pdw&feature=related
Stone For Bessie Smith http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwl6pUKZRZ8&feature=related
_____________________________________________ Sometimes I have good luck... & write better than I can. -Hemmingway |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 13/09/2011 00:09:39 |
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harvey
Fourth Love
United Kingdom
155 Posts |
Posted - 15/09/2011 : 15:37:43
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I did the sound for Bridget St John in the 1970's using my PA system at the local college. Just a small gathering but she seemed terribly nervous, before the show she told me that she had a guest going to appear and would need another pair of microphones but she wanted it to be a surprise so she wanted the microphones off to the side until she introduced him. As I had to be in the small audience at the mixer I arranged for the Social secretary who had booked her to put the mics onstage when she asked him to. She went on and after the first number she asked if everybody could hear her and they all said 'yes' but she seemed unconvinced and asked me to turn the sound level up. She went on and kept looking at me, when she came to announce the 'surprise ' guest she said ' I would like to introduce (I cannot remember who he was) but as there are no microphones I can't', and glared pointedly at me. Then the soc sec woke up and bought the microphones on but the booms were folded down so before he could position them she said 'why are they like that he isn't a bullfrog you know'.( I think she had a song about bullfrogs).Great evening!? Harvey the Roadie |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 15/09/2011 : 18:40:10
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quote: Originally posted by harvey
I did the sound for Bridget St John in the 1970's using my PA system at the local college. Just a small gathering but she seemed terribly nervous, before the show she told me that she had a guest going to appear and would need another pair of microphones but she wanted it to be a surprise so she wanted the microphones off to the side until she introduced him. As I had to be in the small audience at the mixer I arranged for the Social secretary who had booked her to put the mics onstage when she asked him to. She went on and after the first number she asked if everybody could hear her and they all said 'yes' but she seemed unconvinced and asked me to turn the sound level up. She went on and kept looking at me, when she came to announce the 'surprise ' guest she said ' I would like to introduce (I cannot remember who he was) but as there are no microphones I can't', and glared pointedly at me. Then the soc sec woke up and bought the microphones on but the booms were folded down so before he could position them she said 'why are they like that he isn't a bullfrog you know'.( I think she had a song about bullfrogs).Great evening!? Harvey the Roadie
Nice memories, Harv.
_____________________________________________ Sometimes I have good luck... & write better than I can. -Hemmingway |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 17/09/2011 : 21:19:40
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Very LOST, as her lone 1970 LP was never released until recently.
Susan Christie (she also happens to be Lou Christie's sister)
Paint A Lady https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh-zGhblZLE
Susan Christie is an American singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She had a minor hit with the novelty song "I Love Onions". The track, which peaked at #63 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1966, is described as having a sound reminiscent of the 1930s, with Christie's "breathy" vocal backed by a chorus of kazoo players and male backup singers.
Signed to Columbia Records, Christie recorded an album in 1970, Paint a Lady. Described as "psychedelic folk music", the album went unreleased by Columbia, which considered it to be non-commercial, and Christie was dropped from the label. The album, of which only three vinyl copies were ever pressed, languished in obscurity until 2006, when Manchester-based DJ Andy Votel received a copy and brought the album renewed attention and a CD release. SPIN magazine described the album as "funky free folk" filled with "[b]rilliantly original songs" and Christie as a "dark, strange songbird".
Christie participated in the 2008 "Lost Ladies of Folk" project spearheaded by Votel and his spouse, recording artist Jane Weaver, performing in concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London and appearing on the compilation album Bearded Ladies.[2] In 2010 Christie appeared as a guest artist on Weaver's album The Fallen By Watch Bird.
Christie is the sister of singer-songwriter Lou Christie.
Echo In Your Mind http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wirA1NEB0uA&feature=related
Rainy Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68hL87sJ74E&NR=1
If you like, the whole album is there for a listen...
_____________________________________________ Sometimes I have good luck... & write better than I can. -Hemmingway |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 06/08/2013 14:12:21 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2011 : 01:40:02
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Some really fine folk from ALICIA MAY--"Skinnydipping In The Flowers"
A rare private pressing from 1976
Summer Days http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mam6em8rNBA
"Skinnydipping In The Flowers" is the sole album by US Psychedelic Folk artist "Alicia May" from 1976.Track Listing
01. Borderline (3:58) 02. Summer Days (3:13) 03. The Prism Song (3:26) 04. Love Jig #1 (1:59) 05. Forest Of Dreams (2:04) 06. Dearly Beloved (3:29) 07. Carry Me Home (3:26) 08. End Of The Sky (2:12) 09. By And By (2:39) 10. My Favorite Stream (3:24) 11. Liza (2:32) 12. Kindred Spirits (1:35)
Additional Info.
Genre: Psychedelic Folk/Folk Year: 1976 Country: USA Label: Golden Anchor Records Catalogue Number: GA-777 Bit Rate: 256 Kbps Size: 49 MB Format: Zip Duration: 33:57 Also Known As: Alicia May Corey (Birth Name) Covers: Front Contributor: XNDER
...for a d/l...enjoy. From a very fine site....rare & oop records.
www.raremp3.co.uk
http://www.easy-share.com/1916771787/ALICIA%20MAY%20-%201976%20-%20SKINNYDIPPING%20IN%20THE%20FLOWERS.zip
_____________________________________________ Sometimes I have good luck... & write better than I can. -Hemmingway |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 23/09/2011 01:50:44 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2011 : 22:15:40
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EVIE SANDS
The amazing Evie Sands........... Evie Sands (aka "The best singer you never heard of..."...such a cruel twist of fate that she isn't as famous as so many that had less than half of her talent.)
On Johnny Cash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajZ-IeY9mnA&feature=related
Evie Sands is a Brooklyn-born singer, songwriter and guitarist, whose career began as a young teenager in the mid-1960s. After several close calls throughout the rest of the decade, and a thoroughly hard time at the hands of the record industry, she eventually saw chart action in 1969, before mostly forgoing live performance in 1979 to concentrate on writing and production. She experienced a fashionable, Brit-led surge in cult popularity beginning in the 1990s and returned to live performance in mid-1998. Sands is still actively recording and performing today.
Evie Sands was born in Brooklyn, New York, to music-loving parents, and fulfilled sooner than expected her mother's intuition that "this baby will come out singing", cutting her first singles by her mid-teens: "The Roll / My Dog" (ABC 10458/1963), "Danny Boy" "I Love You So" /"I Was Moved". (Gold 215/ 1964). In 1965 Sands signed to the Blue Cat label of legendary Red Bird Records; she toured with Red Bird star act the Shangri-Las and began a lasting collaboration with the producer/composers Chip Taylor and Al Gorgoni with the release of the single "Take Me For a Little While" (written by Trade Martin). Prior to its release, a test pressing of Sands' recording was stolen by a Chicago-based producer, who shopped it to established Chess Records recording artist Jackie Ross, who was coming off the major pop/soul hit "Selfish One". Ross — who was unaware of the duplicity involved, and who left Chess shortly afterwards — and her producers loved the song, and recorded, pressed and released the record within 48 hours, beating Sands' version to the street by a week. Backed by the marketing and promotional muscle of Chess Records, and with Ross' name attached, this version unsurprisingly received the lion's share of airplay. The subsequent legal struggle set back Sands' young career before it had had a chance to get started. By the time Chess withdrew the Ross single from the marketplace, Sands' version would only break through in the few cities (like Los Angeles) that had thus far stayed 'on the fence', waiting to see which version to play.
Sands' follow-up single, "I Can't Let Go", was lost amidst the post "Take Me" chaos, leaving Brit invaders The Hollies clear to score a hit cover in the spring of 1966. That same year, Sands debuted on Cameo-Parkway Records and would continue the pattern of songs introduced by Sands becoming successful for other artists, when in 1967, Sands' latest single, the Chip Taylor-penned "Angel of the Morning", got caught up in label's business problems. Despite the single being one of the most-requested radio songs wherever played, and the initial 10,000 copies selling out, the label's pending bankruptcy aborted the record's potential success; a few months later, the unknown Merrilee Rush would score a Top Ten single with the song. Sands' last single release on Cameo-Parkway was "Billy Sunshine" in January 1968, the tracking reaching Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart before Cameo's demise.
In 1969 Sands scored with the A&M single "Any Way That You Want Me", a Chip Taylor composition previously recorded by both the American Breed and the Troggs in 1966. A No. 1 hit in Birmingham, Alabama, Sands' "Anyway That You Want Me" also reached the Top Ten or better in Columbus, Ohio, Houston, Texas, San Diego, California, and a number of other cities; it reached No. 53 Billboard Hot 100, tying Don Ho's "Tiny Bubbles" for longevity among 1960s singles failing to reach that chart's top 50 (at 17 weeks), and eventual sales are estimated at 500,000 units. Sands' debut album, also named Any Way That You Want Me, was released on A&M in 1970, several months after the single had peaked. Evie made her recorded debut as a songwriter on the album with "It's This I Am" - covered years later by Beck and Beth Orton, respectively.
A Sands album to be produced by Val Garay for Buddah Records was announced in March 1971 but did not come to fruition: rather the 1975 release Estate of Mind on the Capitol Records Haven label ended Sands' five-year absence from recording. Produced by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, the album marked Sands' continuing as a songwriter, also collaborating with Richard Germinaro and veteran songwriter Ben Weisman. Two tracks from the album, Lambert and Potter's "You Brought The Woman Out Of Me" and the Sands-Weisman-Germinaro collaboration "I Love Makin' Love To You", both approached major hit status. They wound up peaking at No. 50, with Sands would see the latter included on the ButterFly album by Barbra Streisand. Several other Sands songs from the "Estate of Mind" album were also covered by a number of artists, including Dionne Warwick, Dobie Gray, Dusty Springfield, Frankie Valli, Gladys Knight, Arthur Prysock, The Manhattans, Cher/Greg Allman, Jose Feliciano and Phyllis Hyman.
After a final 1976 single release on Haven: a remake of "The Way You Do the Things You Do", Sands next release was on RCA who issued the album Suspended Animation - produced by Sands and Michael Stewart - in the spring of 1979; Sands had actually begun working with co-producer Michael Stewart in May 1977. The album's musicians included Toto members David Hungate, Steve Lukather and Greg Phillinganes and also Lee Ritenour and Buzz Feiten and the vocalists backing Sands included Toto frontman Bobby Kimball, Bill Champlin of Chicago and - on the track "Lady of the Night" - Dusty Springfield. Despite its prestigious personnel Suspended Animation didn't make a real chart impact for its single releases and Sands focused mostly on writing and production in the music business for almost twenty years. As with her previous album, a few of the songs were covered by several artists, including Helen Reddy, Linda Clfford, June Pointer, The Weather Girls and Shirley Bassey. Karen Carpenter recorded two songs for her solo album, but they remained unreleased.
In late 1996, Sands went to see Chip Taylor perform at a club gig and he invited her onstage to perform with him. Despite not having kept actively in touch through the previous years, the experience was so successful that the two re-ignited their collaboration - along with Al Gorgoni, resulting in the critically acclaimed Women In Prison LP, which was released in 1999 (and again in 2000) on Taylor's Train Wreck records. A more rootsy project than the blue-eyed soul of her late 1960s-70s output, the album consisted of various Sands-Taylor-Gorgoni originals, including a duet with Lucinda Williams on the track "Cool Blues Story". Several tracks fared well on UK/Euro indie charts. After the reconnection with Taylor, Sands returned to performing in 1998. Sands and Taylor did some shows in the UK and Europe when the album was released, including London, Glasgow, Brussels and several dates in Holland.
Evie's earlier albums have recently been made available on CD. Suspended Animation, Any Way That You Want Me, and Estate of Mind were first reissued in Japan in 2001 and 2003. Any Way... and Estate... were reissued again in September 2005 and June 2006 respectively, on the Cherry Red sublabel Rev-Ola in the United Kingdom. Evie can currently be found performing her own solo material as well as performing as the lead guitar player in eclectic Los Angeles based group, Adam Marsland's Chaos Band. Her most recent recorded appearance is on that band's 2007 live CD Long Promised Road: Songs of Dennis and Carl Wilson, on which she sings several lead vocals, including the first-ever released recording of Dennis Wilson's "Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again." She also did extensive vocal and guitar work on Marsland's 2009 double CD Go West, including lead vocals on one track.
Artists who have recorded versions of Evie Sands' songs include Barbra Streisand, Gladys Knight, Karen Carpenter, Arthur Prysock, Juice Newton, Linda Ronstadt, and Dusty Springfield, who went on record citing Sands as "my favourite female singer" and in fact recorded backing vocals on "Lady of the Night", a cut from Sands' Suspended Animation LP. She also has a popular following, and huge respect, amongst Northern Soul fans. Similarly to Springfield, who underwent a British-led return to popularity in the late-1980s, Sands saw a burgeoning cult following build around her when a new wave of pre-grunge British indie bands sang her praises and recorded her songs. Amongst these were Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits, and Spiritualized, whose first single was a version of "Any Way That You Want Me". Later on, Belle and Sebastian also declared themselves fans, performing with Evie on her first trip to Europe, whilst she was promoting the Women In Prison album.
Some of Sands' songs have become hit singles in their cover versions, most notably "I Can't Let Go" (The Hollies in 1966 and Linda Ronstadt in 1980) and "Angel of the Morning" (Merrilee Rush in 1968 and Juice Newton in 1981).
Karen Carpenter recorded a version of "I Love Makin' Love to You" in 1980 with producer Phil Ramone intended for her solo debut album; however, the song did not make the final cut for the album (perhaps due to the song's suggestive lyrics), and the album was not released until well after Carpenter's death. In the Karen Carpenter biography Little Girl Blue by Randy L. Schmidt, Evie Sands is quoted as saying she liked Carpenter's version: "When I heard Karen was going to cover it, I imagined her take on it would be similar to mine or closer to the mellow Barbra Streisand version. It turned out to be a perfect blend of both." (Little Girl Blue, p. 203) The track has since surfaced on the Internet and can be downloaded on YouTube, though it still has yet to be released on an album.
In more recent years, Peter Kember, aka Sonic Boom, from the band Spacemen 3, from whose ashes rose Jason Pierce's Spiritualized, also included Sands' original of "I Can't Let Go" on the Spacelines album, which compiled a varied selection of his favourite songs and influences. He even admits to lifting the middle eight of the song for his own "How You Satisfy Me" for his Spectrum project. Both Beck and Beth Orton have covered Sands' "It's This I Am I Find".
The Curse of Evie Sands, indeed......pity.....if you've never heard her, you should.....really.
And, on that note...........Ms. Evie Sands. Enjoy! :)
A Woman's Work Is Never Done Angel Of The Morning Any Way That You Want Me Billy Sunshine But You Know I Love You Carolina In My Mind Close Your Eyes, Cross Your Fingers Crazy Annie I Can't Let Go I Love Makin' Love To You I Was Moved I'll Hold Out My Hand I'll Never Be Alone Again It Makes Me Laugh It's this I am Keep my lovelight burning Lady of the Night Love In The Afternoon Maybe Tomorrow One Fine Summer Morning One Thing On My Mind Picture Me Gone Run Home to Your Mama Shadow Of The Evening Take It or Leave It Take Me For A Little While (version 1) 1965 Take Me For A Little While 1969 The Roll Until It's Time For You To Go Yesterday Cant Hurt Me You Can Do It You've Got Me Uptight
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UI124HRH
http://planetbarberella.blogspot.com/2011/08/amazing-evie-sands.html for a bunch of youtube plays
Shindig 1965 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzleOI8W4yQ&feature=related Angel In The Morning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq6kh_37bvs&feature=related
_____________________________________________ Don't you know there ain't no devil, There's just god when he's drunk.
-Tom Waits |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 13/10/2011 22:21:03 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 28/12/2011 : 18:42:06
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Shawn Colvin.. a great talent and musician.
"Shotgun Down The Avalanche" (with Alison Krauss) live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlf_F1lVen0
Shawn Colvin (born January 10, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter and musician.
Colvin began working in the music scene in earnest in the late 1970s, first in Austin, Texas and then nationally. She moved to New York City in 1980, where she became involved with the Fast Folk cooperative in Greenwich Village.[1]
She met music partner John Leventhal during this time; Leventhal became Colvin's producer on several albums. Colvin often lends her talent to contemporaries in the music business; she can be heard singing the backing vocals on the Suzanne Vega hit, "Luka". Vega returned the favor, singing backup on Colvin's "Diamond In The Rough", from her debut album, Steady On. Early in their careers, Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter formed a friendship that led to their frequently guesting on one-another's recordings: Colvin lent her vocals to Carpenter's 1992 recordings "The Hard Way" and "Come On Come On", and Mary Chapin returned the favor on Colvin's "Climb On a Back That's Strong", from Colvin's Fat City album. She also contributed in the studio and onstage to several Bruce Hornsby songs.
Colvin spent a short time in 1987-1988 with the North Carolina-based experimental string band the Red Clay Ramblers.
In 1988, Colvin was asked to perform a "trio" concert with fellow folk singer/songwriters Cheryl Wheeler and Mary Chapin Carpenter. The three performed two consecutive nights to critical acclaim at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. During these performances, Colvin performed several songs which appeared on her first two albums. The performances were recorded at the soundboard, but they were never released officially.[citation needed]
Colvin also has connections with singer/songwriters Julie Miller and Buddy Miller. Shawn became involved musically with the Millers when all three were working in Austin in the late 1970s/early '80s. Shawn provided backing vocals on Julie's first three solo albums (now out of print) released in 1990, 1991 and 1993.
Colvin's first several albums did not sell in substantial numbers, although she won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Recording for her debut album, Steady On (1990). After several albums of original work, Colvin released Cover Girl, a collection of cover versions. During this period, she also toured as Richard Thompson's opening act and back-up singer. She also sang "I Don't Want to Live on The Moon" with Ernie on Sesame Street, Ernie sang when Colvin said "hi" to him.
Colvin experienced breakthrough success with A Few Small Repairs in October 1996. The single "Sunny Came Home" reached the US Top Ten, and won Grammy Awards for Song and Record of the Year. She has released several subsequent albums which were nominated for Grammys, and she has also released a greatest hits album and a collection of Christmas music.
Colvin was the guest vocal artist on the Lisa Loeb single "Falling in Love". She performed at various Lilith Fair music festivals. Colvin's song "Nothin' on Me" served as the theme song to the Brooke Shields situation comedy Suddenly Susan. She also has been featured on the live music show Austin City Limits and played at the 2003 Austin City Limits Music Festival. She appeared in a 2001 tribute to Joni Mitchell that was broadcast on TNT.
Colvin appeared on The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (Bobfest) - October 16, 1992, at the Madison Square Garden, NYC. She performed "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" with Rosanne Cash and Mary-Chapin Carpenter. She was part of the group of artists who performed "Knockin' On Heaven's Door." Both performances (including a picture of her) can be found on "Bob Dylan - The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration" (Columbia 4740000 2)
Colvin appeared on Live from Abbey Road, which aired on Channel 4 in the UK and the Sundance Channel in the USA. Her live session recorded at Abbey Road Studios was shown on an episode with Nerina Pallot, The Zutons and Ray LaMontagne.
Colvin has recorded "Hold On To The Good Things" in 2002 that was played during the ending credits of Stuart Little 2. She also recorded "A Great Big World" which was played in The Little Bear Movie.
In 2007, Colvin released a single titled "Crazy", a cover of the Gnarls Barkley song.
Colvin released a 15-song Live collection on June 23, 2009 on Nonesuch [1]. The album was recorded live in San Francisco during a three-night stint at Yoshi's in July 2008. -wiki
* Grammy Awards o 1991: Best Contemporary Folk Album — Steady On o 1998: Record of the Year — "Sunny Came Home" o 1998: Song of the Year — "Sunny Came Home"
* Grammy Nominations o 1994: Best Contemporary Folk Recording — Fat City o 1994: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance — "I Don't Know Why" o 1995: Best Contemporary Folk Album — Cover Girl o 1997: Best Pop Album — A Few Small Repairs o 1997: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance — "Get Out of This House" o 1998: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance — "Sunny Came Home" o 2009: Best Contemporary Folk Recording - "Shawn Colvin Live"
"Sunny Come Home" http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=irR7MyAyFz4
__________________________________
I'm just dead, I'm not gone. -Jim Dickinson |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 28/12/2011 18:52:53 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 28/12/2011 : 19:34:48
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Regina Spektor
Regina Ilyinichna Spektor ( born February 18, 1980) is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.
Intro/On The Radio...live in London http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=0XshG3NVx3o
Spektor was born in Moscow, USSR in 1980 to a musical Russian Jewish family. Her father, Ilya Spektor, is a photographer and amateur violinist. Her mother, Bella Spektor, was a music professor in a Russian college of music and now teaches at a public elementary school in Mount Vernon, New York.[1] She has a brother Barry (Bear), who was featured in track 7, "* * *", or "Whisper", of her 2004 album, Soviet Kitsch.
She learned how to play piano by practising on a Petrof upright that was given to her mother by her grandfather.[2] She was also exposed to the music of rock and roll bands such as The Beatles, Queen, and The Moody Blues by her father, who obtained such recordings in Eastern Europe and traded cassettes with friends in the Soviet Union.[1] The family left the Soviet Union in 1989, when Regina was nine and a half, during the period of Perestroika, when Soviet citizens were permitted to emigrate. Regina had to leave her piano behind.[3] The seriousness of her piano studies led her parents to consider not leaving the USSR, but they finally decided to emigrate, due to the ethnic and political discrimination that Jews faced.[4] Spektor is fluent in Russian and reads Hebrew, and has since paid tribute to her Russian heritage, quoting the poem February by the famous Russian poet Boris Pasternak in her song Après Moi, and stating “I’m very connected to the language and the culture.”[5]
Traveling first to Austria and then Italy, the family was admitted to the United States as refugees with the assistance of HIAS (the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) and settled in The Bronx, where Spektor graduated from the SAR Academy, a Jewish day middle school in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. She then attended high school for two years at the Frisch School, a yeshiva in Paramus, New Jersey, but transferred to a public school, Fair Lawn High School, in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where she finished the last two years of her high school education.[6]
Beginnings as a songwriter
In New York, Spektor studied classical piano with Sonia Vargas, a professor at the Manhattan School of Music, until she was 17; Spektor's father had met Vargas through her husband, violinist Samuel Marder.[7] Although the family had been unable to bring their piano from Russia, Spektor found a piano on which to play in the basement of her synagogue, and also practiced on tabletops and other hard surfaces.
Spektor was originally interested only in classical music, but later became interested in hip hop, rock and punk as well.[1] Although she had always made up songs around the house, Spektor first became interested in more formal songwriting during a visit to Israel with the Nesiya Institute in her teenage years when she attracted attention from the other children on the trip for the songs she made up while hiking and realized she had an aptitude for songwriting.[4]
Following this trip, she was exposed to the work of Joni Mitchell, Ani DiFranco, and other singer-songwriters, which encouraged her belief that she could create her own songs.[4] She wrote her first a cappella songs around the age of 16 and her first songs for voice and piano when she was nearly 18.[1]
Spektor completed the four-year studio composition program of the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College within three years, graduating with honors in 2001. Around this time, she also worked briefly at a butterfly farm in Luck, Wisconsin,[9] and studied in Tottenham, ( a suburb of London) for one semester[citation needed].
She gradually achieved recognition through performances in the anti-folk scene in downtown New York City, often as a duo with drummer Anders Griffen, and most importantly at the East Village's Sidewalk Cafe, but also at the Living Room, Tonic, Fez, the Knitting Factory, and CB's Gallery.[citation needed] She also performed at local colleges (such as Sarah Lawrence College) with other musicians, including the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players. She sold self-published CDs at her performances during this period: 11:11 (2001) and Songs (2002). In 2004, she signed a contract with Warner Brothers' record label Sire Records to publish and distribute her third album Soviet Kitsch, originally self-released in 2003.
Style
Regina Spektor in concert, April 2007.
Spektor has said that she has created a great number of songs,[10] but that she rarely writes any of them down. She has also stated that she never aspired to write songs herself, but songs seem to just flow to her.[11] Spektor's songs are not usually autobiographical, but rather are based on scenarios and characters drawn from her imagination.[4][12] Her songs show influences from folk,[13][14] punk, rock, Jewish,[12][15] Russian,[12] hip hop,[13][16][17] jazz,[13][16] and classical music.[12][16] Spektor has said that she works hard to ensure that each of her songs has its own musical style, rather than trying to develop a distinctive style for her music as a whole.[11]
Spektor has a broad vocal range and uses the full extent of it. She also explores a variety of different and somewhat unorthodox vocal techniques, such as verses composed entirely of buzzing noises made with the lips and beatbox-style flourishes in the middle of ballads, and also makes use of such unusual musical techniques as using a drum stick to tap rhythms on the body of the piano or chair.[4][18] Part of her style also results from the exaggeration of certain aspects of vocalization, most notably the glottal stop, which is prominent in the single "Fidelity". She also uses a strong New York accent on some words, which she has said is due to her love of New York and its culture.[1]
Her lyrics are equally eclectic, often taking the form of abstract narratives or first-person character studies, similar to short stories or vignettes put to song.[1][18] Spektor usually sings in English, though she sometimes includes a few words or verses of Latin, Russian, French, and other languages in her songs. She also plays with pronunciations, which she said on a NPR interview to be a remnant of her early years when she listened to pop in English without understanding the lyrics. Some of Spektor's lyrics include literary allusions,[4] such as to F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway in "Poor Little Rich Boy", The Little Prince in "Baobabs", Virginia Woolf and Margaret Atwood in "Paris", Ezra Pound and William Shakespeare in "Pound of Flesh", Shakespeare's Hamlet in "The Virgin Queen", Boris Pasternak in "Après Moi", Samson and Delilah in "Samson", and Oedipus the King in "Oedipus", Billie Holiday in "Lady" and Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome in "2.99 cent blues". She alludes to The Beatles and Paul McCartney in the song "Edit". She also used a line from Joni Mitchell's California in her song "The Devil Came to Bethlehem". Recurring themes and topics in Spektor's lyrics include love, death, religion (particularly Biblical and Jewish references), city life (particularly New York references), and certain key phrases have been known to recur in different songs by Spektor, such as references to gravediggers, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the name "Mary Ann". Spektor's use of satire is evident in "Wasteside," which refers to The Twelve Chairs, the classic satirical novel by the Soviet authors Ilf and Petrov, and describes the town in which people are born, get their hair cut, and then are sent to the cemetery.
In Spektor's early albums, many of her tracks had a very dry vocal production, with very little reverb or delay added. However, Spektor's more recent albums, particularly Begin to Hope, have put more emphasis into song production and have relied more on traditional pop and rock instruments.[3] Spektor says the records that most impact her are those of "bands whose music is really involved",[19] specifically naming The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Radiohead, Tom Waits, and Frédéric Chopin as primary influences.[19][20]
In her songs, "Eet", "Us" and "Après Moi" the titular sounds are used as the focal point throughout. (In "Dance Anthem of the 80's", the sound "eet" is also used often, on words such as "meat", "street", and "eat").
Performances
Regina Spektor at her first performance in Tel Aviv, Israel on March 3, 2007
Spektor's first nationwide tour was accompanying The Strokes as the opening act on their 2003–2004 Room on Fire tour, during which she and the band performed and recorded "Modern Girls & Old Fashion Men". Kings of Leon were the second opening act on that tour, and they invited Regina to open for them on their own European tour right after The Strokes tour. In June 2005, Spektor was the opening act for the English piano rock band Keane on their North American tour, during which she performed at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2005.[21] During her 2006 headlining tour in support of the Begin to Hope album, Spektor sold out a performance at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, and two shows at Town Hall Theater in New York City on September 27 and September 28, 2006.[22]
Spektor has appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (once), Late Night with Conan O'Brien (three times), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (twice), Jimmy Kimmel Live (twice), Last Call with Carson Daly (five times), Late Show with David Letterman (twice), Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (twice), CBS News Sunday Morning, Good Morning America (twice), Australia's Rove Live, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (twice).[23] On October 10, 2009 she performed on Saturday Night Live.
Since January 2005, Spektor has performed on a bright red Baldwin baby grand piano.[24] At the present time she uses exclusively Steinway & Sons pianos. She plays a seafoam Epiphone Wildkat archtop hollow-body electric guitar.[25]
Although she generally only performs original material, Spektor occasionally performs covers. Most famous of these covers were her performances of songs by Leonard Cohen and Madonna, for the 2nd Annual Jewish Music & Heritage Festival at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.[4] In 2006 and 2007, Spektor embarked on a headlining tour of the U.S. and Europe, selling out numerous clubs and theaters. She covered John Lennon's "Real Love" at the performance arts center of her alma mater, State University of New York at Purchase, on March 28, 2007, at a benefit concert for the Conservatory of Music.[26] In 2007, Spektor recorded "Real Love" for the Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur CD, which was released in June of that year. She recorded a version of the song for Triple J's Like a Version radio segment which was shown on jTV. Regina Spektor performing in Brighton on October 26, 2006.
On March 8, 2007, Spektor appeared on the British ITV network's Loose Women, promoting and performing "Fidelity" live, and on April 20, 2007, she performed on the Late Show with David Letterman. On Saturday, April 28, 2007, she appeared at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. On Friday, May 18, 2007, she appeared on BBC1's Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. On June 16, 2007, she performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival and later performed at the 2007 Lollapalooza on August 4, 2007 and Virgin Festival on August 5, 2007 in Baltimore, Maryland. On September 16, 2007, she performed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival and recorded a set for the Austin City Limits TV show the following day. She performed acoustic at the Bridge School Benefit at Shoreline Amphitheatre on October 27 and October 28, 2007.
On November 14, 2007, at her concert at Ryman Auditorium, in Nashville, it was announced that Spektor collapsed during the sound check and was taken to a local emergency room. According to the statement given to the audience, Spektor was fine, but doctors said that she could not perform that night. It was later reported that the cause of the collapse was an inner ear infection which caused intense vertigo. The show was initially rescheduled for December 6, 2007,[27] but the date was once again rescheduled, and the concert finally occurred on February 29, 2008.[28] After her initial collapse in Nashville, she was able to perform in concerts at Mountain Stage on November 18, 2007,[29][citation needed] and at Duke University on November 19, 2007.[30]
In conjunction with the release of her 2009 album Far, Spektor was headlining at Serpentine Sessions, a series of concerts London's Hyde Park on June 29, 2009. Other European performances in 2009 include Glastonbury Festival, Hultsfred Festival, Oxegen 2009, T in the Park, Paradiso (Amsterdam), Latitude Festival, and Rock Werchter. Spektor has invited Brooklyn-based rock band Jupiter One to open concerts on her 2009 North American tour. As a part of that tour, on October 14, 2009 Spektor headlined a concert at the Radio City Music Hall in NYC.
On July 7, 2010, Regina performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland.[31] Her cellist, Dan Cho, drowned the day before while swimming in Lake Geneva near the Chillon Castle.[32][33] She was described as distraught, shaken, and in tears and took several breaks to regain her composure.[34] [edit] Media coverage Spektor performing at the Hammerstein Ballroom on October 16, 2007 Regina Spektor performing in the West London Synagogue, February 2007.
Since 2005, Spektor's music has been used in various television programs and commercials. In late 2005 "Us" (from Soviet Kitsch) was used in a commercial as part of the What Do You Want To Watch? series for the United Kingdom's British Sky Broadcasting. The advert features a clip from a documentary on skateboarder Danny Way. In the summer of 2006, a clip from "Us" was used for the teaser website for Microsoft's Zune project at ComingZune.com, as well as for a promotional campaign for MtvU. The same track is used by Dutch telecom company KPN in a commercial. "Somedays" was used in a 2005 episode of CSI: NY and "Samson" was used in a 2006 episode of the same series. "On the Radio" was used in an episode of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. "Field Below" was used in a 2006 episode titled "The Last Word" of CBS's Criminal Minds. "Fidelity" has also been used in an episode of Grey's Anatomy titled "Six Days, Part 2", Veronica Mars titled "Wichita Linebacker", Brothers & Sisters titled "Sexual Politics", during the end credits of Love and Other Drugs, and in the Brazilian telenovela A Favorita. "Better" is currently being used in a commercial for XM Satellite Radio, an episode of "How I Met Your Mother", and the popular film My Sister's Keeper. Her song "Music Box" is currently being used in a commercial for JC Penney. Spektor also sang the title song "Little Boxes" of Showtime's television series Weeds in the episode "Mile Deep and a Foot Wide" (2006) and her "Ghost of Corporate Future" was used both at the beginning and end of the episode.[35] On January 21, 2007, she was featured on CBS News Sunday Morning.[11]
Spektor received increased attention in 2006 when her video for "Fidelity" was viewed over 200,000 times in two days on YouTube. On Sirius Radio's Left of Center channel, her single "Fidelity" was voted by listeners as the #1 song of 2006. Towards the end of 2006, VH1 showcased her as part of their "You Oughta Know: Artists on the Rise" featurettes: they played clips from the "Fidelity" music video and showed parts of an interview with Spektor during commercial breaks on the channel.[36] Spektor was recently named #3 on VH1's Top Artists Charts.
Peter Gabriel recorded a version of "Après Moi" on his 2010 release Scratch My Back.
In Australia, Spektor's music has rapidly gained popularity in mainstream culture primarily due to Begin to Hope being played on the nation-wide radio station Triple J, where it eventually became a feature album. Prior to Begin to Hope, Spektor had only a small following in Australia in comparison to the US and Europe.
Spektor reached #33 on Blender magazine's top 100 of 2006 and was also listed as one of the "Hottest Women of...Rock!".[37] "Fidelity" was also used in a 2007 television commercial in New Zealand advertising Yahoo!Xtra, a new partnership between Yahoo! and Telecom's Xtra ISP. Also in 2007, the mobile phone company Vodafone used her lyric, "Come into my world..." from the track, "Hotel Song" on Begin to Hope, in an extensive TV advertising campaign in the UK and Ireland.
On October 1, 2007, Spektor's new video for "Better" was released on VH1 and YouTube, where it was viewed more than 100,000 times within the first 24 hours. "Fidelity" was used in the trailer for the film 27 Dresses, released on October 3, 2007.[38]
Her song "The Call" appeared prominently in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,[39] as part of the film's finale sequence. Spektor's song "Better" was used in the movie My Sister's Keeper, loosely based on the novel of the same name by Jodi Picoult. A section of "That Time" was featured in the film In Bruges. Additionally, "Us" and "Hero" are both featured on the soundtrack for the film (500) Days of Summer. Spin magazine profiled Spektor in their July 2009 issue, where she discussed her just-released album Far. The story was released in their digital edition that month, as well.[40] In August 2009, the song "Two Birds" was used in the 2009 Fall Campaign of the Polish TV station TVN. Also Regina's song "Eet" debuted on the show 90210 in April 2010.
On September 16, 2009, it was announced that Spektor would write the music for the musical Beauty, a modern adaptation of the Grimms' fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, which is set to open during the 2011–12 Broadway season.[41]
In May 2010, Spektor performed for President Obama and his wife Michelle along with hundreds of other guests at the White House reception in honor of Jewish Heritage Month. She sang "Us" and "The Sword & the Pen," receiving a standing ovation begun by Michelle Obama.
The song "Human of the Year" featured prominently in the trailer and first episode of the 2011 HBO series Enlightened.
Philanthropy
In 2007, she covered John Lennon's "Real Love" for Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. The following year, she participated in Songs for Tibet, an initiative to support the human rights situation in Tibet and the 14th Dalai Lama. The album was issued on August 5, 2008, via iTunes and on August 19 in music stores around the world.[42] On January 22, 2009, Spektor performed at the third annual Roe On The Rocks gig at the Bowery Ballroom to raise money for Planned Parenthood New York City.[43] Also, continuing with her support for Tibet, Regina Spektor played for Tibet House's annual concert at Carnegie Hall on February 26, 2010. Less than one month later, on March 23, 2010, Spektor gave a concert at the Fillmore at Irving Plaza in New York City to raise funds for the work of Doctors Without Borders in Haiti. Also, on April 27, she released a cover of Radiohead's song "No Surprises" with all proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders to help the earthquake victims in Haiti and Chile.
Discography Main article: Regina Spektor discography
* 2001: 11:11 * 2002: Songs * 2004: Soviet Kitsch * 2006: Begin to Hope * 2009: Far * 2012: What We Saw From The Cheap Seats
Eet...live in London http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmfZDt8wvcs&feature=fvwrel
Samson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LziZhCX-bBM&feature=related
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I'm just dead, I'm not gone. -Jim Dickinson |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 28/12/2011 19:42:50 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2012 : 21:02:25
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SHELAGH McDONALD
I've shared her music before but she is worth another visit...beautiful voice and songwriter...in the Sandy Denny & Jacqui M. heights for me.
Waiting For The Wind To Rise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PWU15C0uqM&feature=related
Shelagh McDonald (born 1948) is a Scottish folk singer, song-writer and guitarist who released two albums before her abrupt and mysterious disappearance in 1971.[1] On her albums, she was backed up by many notables within the English folk-rock scene, including Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks, Danny Thompson, Keith Tippett, Keith Christmas, the Fotheringay rhythm section, as well as Ian Whiteman, Roger Powell and Michael Evans, then members of Mighty Baby.
On 23 June 2005, by which time McDonald's albums had been reissued on CD, an article by Charles Donovan appeared in The Independent,[2] the first high profile piece about McDonald's disappearance. This prompted copycat features in local papers, the Glasgow Herald and the Scottish Daily Mail. It was the latter of these that caught the eye of McDonald herself. In November 2005, McDonald turned up in the offices of the Scottish Daily Mail and told them her story. She retreated from public life after a bad LSD trip left her paranoid and hallucinating, with a ruined voice. Living with her parents and working privately in Edinburgh, she met and married bookseller Gordon Farquhar; together, they lived a nomadic lifestyle in north Britain, living on welfare benefits and moving from house to house, and later tent to tent.[1]
As of 2005, McDonald says her voice has improved and she is again interested in music, and the renewed interest in her work by the public surprised and gratified her.[1] Since then, however, nothing more has been heard of her.
BACK FROM THE WILDERNESS
By Grace Macaskill. © Scottish Daily Mail 19th November 2005
SHE WAS SET TO BE A SCOTS JONI MITCHELL BUT VANISHED INEXPLICABLY. NOW AT LAST, SHE EXPLAINS THE MYSTERY
It was a mystery that baffled the world of music. One minute, Shelagh McDonald was on the cusp of stardom - the next, there was no sign of the young woman's whimsical songs and haunting voice that had taken the early 1970's folk scene by storm. Fans had loved her bewitching live performances, while critics hailed her distinctive style. Record company bosses watched in delight as her albums flew off the shelves. Could this be the new Joni Mitchell, they all asked?
But, just as Shelagh's fame was starting to spread, inexplicably the 24 year old turned tail and fled - and for the next 30 years, the world heard nothing of her fate. Even her friends did not know why or where she had gone, or even if she was still alive. Her record company was left wondering if she would ever return to the stage or the recording studio. To the public at large, Shelagh was all but forgotten, until earlier this year, when her albums were re-released. Suddenly, there was a flurry of renewed interest in her mysterious disappearance. The Scottish Daily Mail told the intriguing tale of the elfin faced Scottish folk singer who had disappeared on the brink of fame. So completely had she vanished from the world that her elderly parents had gone to their graves not knowing what had become of her. But now we can shed new light on this riddle. After reading the article about her life, Shelagh ended three decades of self imposed obscurity and walked into our office to tell her story. She could have had money and fame as a musician - but a bad experience with drugs left her psychologically scarred. Running away from society she embraced a nomadic and bohemian lifestyle, wandering the country and living in a tent. Now 57, she told us "I know I may have hurt a lot of people by just disappearing, but my simple life is so much better and I am happier than ever before. I loved life in London but I had to leave. I had signed a record contract and was really happy with the way life was going, but then everything turned upside down.
Three decades later: Shelagh McDonald, 57, pictured with her partner Gordon Farquhar, is still recognisable as the elfin-faced folk singer, far left, who had a bad experience with the drug LSD and vanished from the scene in 1972, leaving only her records behind.
Shelagh's story sheds an uneasy light over the heady music scene of the early 1970s. Like so many from the same era, she experimented with drugs - and paid an appalling price after they left her paranoid and psychologically battered. Born in 1948, she had enjoyed a prosperous, middle class upbringing in the Edinburgh suburbs. Her father ran a publishing business while her mother kept house. At school, Shelagh discovered a talent and passion for music and, as soon as she was old enough, she left Scotland for Bristol, lured by the city's burgeoning folk scene. Things moved quickly for the strikingly beautiful young woman and, as her reputation as a singer and songwriter grew, she was championed by a manager who recognised her rare talent and moved her to London. She regularly pulled in crowds at the famous Troubadour club and mingled with legendary performers such as Nick Drake, the recently rediscovered folk singer whose celebrity fans include actor Brad Pitt. Within months she signed a record deal. Although her first album, simply titled Shelagh McDonald, received only a lukewarm response, her second release, Stargazer, was a big hit. The young Scot seemed destined for fame, with growing legions of fans, and was feted by music magazines such as Melody Maker and NME, which said her voice blended "the melancholy of Sandy Denny with the birdsong of Joan Baez". Critics and fans warmed to the sensitive, hippy lyrics of songs such as Sweet Sunlight, Road to Paradise and City's Cry.
But, just as Shelagh's career looked set to take off, her life began to falter. A relationship turned sour, she found herself living in a rough area of London and, most damaging of all, she began experimenting with drugs. Her fragile and sensitive personality could not cope with the psychedelic onslaught of the cannabis and LSD so readily available in the folk scene. "Everybody was experimenting with drugs," she recalls. "But in April 1972 I took a trip that turned my world upside down. I thought it would be out of my system within 12 hours, but three weeks later I was still hallucinating. "It wasn't the kind of colourful hallucination you normally got with LSD - this was horrific. I was walking around the shops and looking at people who had no eyes or features, their faces were just blank. "It went on for so long, I just forgot to eat and was just skin and bone. I was all over the place and didn't seem to know what I was doing or where to turn to. "Suddenly, I had to get out. My disappearance wasn't at all conscious. It was a coping mechanism - self-preservation." Without a word to her friends or manager, she travelled north to her parents' new home in Glasgow and hid from the drug induced demons that haunted her. As time passed, the psychological scars began to heal. But her singing voice was unaccountably ruined. She says: "I sounded like a cat being strangled. I was so sad. I suddenly found I had lost my place in the musical world I had loved. I had lost my talent." She sought relief in the normality of suburban life, living with her parents and working nine-to-five in a Glasgow department store. In 1981, she met and fell in love with bookshop owner Gordon Farquhar, who helped rekindle her hippy idealism.
Despite the disapproval of her parents, the pair began to drift away from society. Sometimes in Scotland, sometimes abroad, they adopted an almost nomadic lifestyle, living on benefits and moving from house to house around the country. Eventually, swayed by their flower-power ideals and back-to-nature philosophy, they gave up living in houses and took to travelling the country with a tent. It was the ultimate withdrawal from society. "For years we have enjoyed travelling around the Scottish islands and mainland, setting up tent wherever we can," says Shelagh. "I love the lifestyle - it keeps me close to nature and defines me mentally and physically. People may think it strange, but I am genuinely happy after all this time. I suppose I couldn't totally shake off my hippy roots." She never renewed contact with her former friends and associates on the music scene, and gradually lost contact even with her family. She says "It just became more and more difficult to call home and eventually I just lost touch. After that, I was scared to call them - too much had happened and too much time had passed between us." But, while Shelagh was doing her best to forget about her life as a musician, the music scene never forgot her. Her albums were still selling and still bringing in a profit for her record company. A royalties cheque for thousands of pounds was waiting her her, if only she had thought to collect it. But, when her albums were re-released earlier this year, she remained oblivious to the renewed interest in her career and life. She only learned her parents had died when she read her own story in the Scottish Daily Mail. "It was a great shock to me," she says. "People must think I am cold for never getting back in touch with my parents, but our family are Christian Scientists and I know my mother and father would have understood. I still believe they are with me in spirit and that not even death can part us." When Shelagh walked into our office last week, she looked fit and healthy. The dark, flowing hair of her youth was cut short and laced with grey streaks, and the fresh face that stared out from her album covers was now lined and wrinkled. Yet her eyes still sparkled. Remarkably, she also revealed that the singing voice that won her so many fans has returned, and she is once again writing songs. She said "The happier I have become over the years, the more my voice has improved. I am writing songs and I enjoy music again. I don't know if I would have been so popular had I not had the experience I did and disappeared. Perhaps my music would have just burned out."
Now it's very strange to hear my albums are enjoying a revival - I don't even have a copy of my original, and haven't heard it since the 1970's. I was amazed to find out people were still talking about me after all this time. I've just come forward now to let everyone know I'm safe and well." The Scottish Daily Mail reunited Shelagh by telephone with her one-time boyfriend Keith Christmas, who had been a 20 year old long-haired musician when they first met in the late 1960's. He was astounded to discover Shelagh had turned up, after years of wondering what happened to her. Mr. Christmas, who once supported The Who on tour, said "It's fantastic to know she is well after all this time and that she is enjoying music again. I couldn't believe it when I heard her voice on the phone - I recognised it straight away. "Shelagh was one of the great, promising artists of our era and it's sad that she didn't go on to fulfil her potential, but I am just glad to know she is happy and healthy." So what now? Will she return to the music industry and try to reclaim the career that she was forced to abandon all those years ago? Only time will tell. Last night, a spokesman for Sanctuary Records, which has re-released Shelagh's work, said "Her work is still enjoyed by many people and we would be interested to hear any new music. She was a truly talented artist who was destined to release more music. It is a shame she decided to leave the music scene."
STARGAZER http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMusN39Acx0
Keep on listening...and enjoy the beauty.....
Live London 1971-- d/l this OOP rarity http://www.filestube.com/source.html?token=15ea9fac69669ec603e9
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I'm just dead, I'm not gone. -Jim Dickinson |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2012 : 01:13:58
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Shelagh McDonald...new album? Haven't seen it, anyone? ....
Clips from her demos of her lost album...has it been released?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sXORpRnZAk
Track List of the unrealised Shelagh's third album, in an interview years ago Shelagh said that she had problems in her particular life because she was drug user and become an obscure artist all over this years until now with this album, demos of the unrealised 1972's album, after 'Stargazer' she stops forever...? No!! I hope that she come back very soon now that she was rediscovered like Vashti Bunyan and Linda Perhacs.
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers- -thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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anthonxytel
First Love
5 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2012 : 09:38:33
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quote:
.... "Skinnydipping In The Flowers" is the sole album by US Psychedelic Folk artist "Alicia May" from 1976.Track Listing ...
I really love this song but have totally forgotten it for a while now. Thanks for the reminder. Somehow this songs gets me in a good mood and I am looking forward to spring and summer when it will be warm outside. I think I will now order flowers through Serenata ( http://www.serenataflowers.com/ ) in order to at least have some feeling of spring in my flat.
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2012 : 20:07:49
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quote: Originally posted by anthonxytel
quote:
.... "Skinnydipping In The Flowers" is the sole album by US Psychedelic Folk artist "Alicia May" from 1976.Track Listing ...
I really love this song but have totally forgotten it for a while now. Thanks for the reminder. Somehow this songs gets me in a good mood and I am looking forward to spring and summer when it will be warm outside. I think I will now order flowers through Serenata ( http://www.serenataflowers.com/ ) in order to at least have some feeling of spring in my flat.
Thanks for reminding me of Alicia...I posted it but haven't listened to her in ages.
Time to get mellow.
HAPPYY SPRING!
One can hear the whole album here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M19iQSe3_M&feature=related
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers- -thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 20/07/2012 : 20:28:05
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Cathy LeSurf
Cathy Lesurf, born 1953, is a British folk music singer-songwriter who was brought up in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.[1] She has been a member of bands in the 1970s such as Oyster Ceilidh Band, Fiddler's Dram, and The Albion Band.[1][2][3] She released a solo album, Surface, in 1985.[4] She created and ran the World in 1 County festival from 2002 to 2007.[5] In November 2009, she released the solo single "This Christmas",[1] which was written by her husband, David Wilson.[6]
WOLFE from the Albion Band's "Light Shining"...briliant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH9C2GIVOZM
And this catchy number from her days in Fiddler's Dram--live. Day Trip To Bangor..to honor the two Bangor's...England's & Maine's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zi4bn-1NME&feature=related
Who remember's seeing this o the telly in the UK?
This youtube comment needs interpreting for those like me that don't Brit-speak !!
There's a big flaw in Steve Wright sneering at old TOTP clips being naff(?). That being, who's the gormless twat wearing deeeley boppers(?) and introducing a lot of these bands? oh, its you Steve isn't it.
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HIGH ALL THE TIME... -Mad River http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0PCzH-K1hg
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Edited by - lemonade kid on 20/07/2012 20:33:17 |
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