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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 15/05/2011 : 19:26:56
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Either way you spell it, this 60's Kansas group had some great chops...but hard to define on the whole, so instead of placing them in the Rockabilly section...or the garage band section ...or the psych subject...they got their own!
They started as folk, then a garage style band, did some Buddy Holly rockabilly material and then went on to create some of the finest examples of psychedelic rock ever recorded...
The Blue Things (also known as The Bluethings) were a folk-rock and, later, psychedelic band from Hays, Kansas that existed from 1964 to 1968, recording one LP and several singles for RCA Records in '66 and '67. The RCA recordings remain their best-known material, although they had previously released singles through Ruff Records, a tiny Texas label. Today the Blue Things are remembered as one of the best bands to come out of the Midwest in the 60's, although they were unheard of outside of the Midwest in their brief lifespan, and remain largely unheard to this day....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Things
The following single, while repeating the chart action of the band's previous RCA single, at least gained the band some notoriety. The A-side, "Doll House," sympathetically told the story of a prostitute, and criticized the role of a "Doll House" (read: brothel) in society. Although it was a bold statement at the time, the single stiffed when Time Magazine did a feature on supposedly-obscene lyrics in rock music, citing "Doll House" as an example. The B-side, "Man on the Street," took a similar social-critique theme. It is interesting to note that while the two sides were wholly representative of the Blue Things now fully-formed "folk-rock" sound ("Doll House" remaining one of their signature tunes), both songs were from outside sources: "Doll House" was penned by little-known country songwriter Marge Barton, and "Man on the Street" by equally-obscure rockabilly artist Ronnie Self. The LP "Listen and See" was released shortly after the Doll House single from June 1966. While this album was popular with Blue Things fans, by the time it came out the band had moved past the folk rock/Merseybeat sound, that RCA favored, to a more psychedelic sound. For a group that was always defining the cutting edge for bands on the plains, music didn't stand still for the Blue Things. The Blue Things' January 1967 Nashville session and last with Val Stecklein produced one of the finest examples of psychedelia ever--"Orange Rooftop Of Your Mind" b/w "One Hour Cleaners". Both sides were written by Val & Mike, with Richard helping write "One Hour Cleaners". Bobby Day's backward countdown on "One Hour Cleaners" is his only recorded vocal. In May, 1967 Stecklein left for a solo career, signed with Dot Records and released an album, "Grey Life" in 1968. The remaining members moved to California and continued to perform concerts, also signed with Dot Records and toured for 14 months before disbanding entirely.
YOU CAN'T SAY WE NEVER TRIED http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AUnoLYI930&feature=related
DOLL"S HOUSE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3DmB4bwBnM
The orange rooftops of your mind.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiurXNZUOsg&feature=related
YOU CAN LIVE IN OUR TREE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pJkacGHCn8&feature=related
THE CONY ISLAND OF YOUR MIND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsbLgRgG0b8&feature=related
One Hour Cleaners...nice Beatlesque psych http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxJhce_uTx8
So I have The Blue Things Story CD...pretty good stuff all round!
_____________________________________________ Everyday I want get on my camel and ride! |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 16/05/2011 17:08:21 |
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captain america and billy
Old Love
907 Posts |
Posted - 16/05/2011 : 15:49:54
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Pleasant embodiment of all the ingredients necessary to satisfy all the young ears of the time inexhaustably hungry for American takes on British Invasion influences.Hey,are these guys on any of those "Nuggets" compilations that collect 60's unnderground and forgotten gems? |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 16/05/2011 : 17:09:18
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Likely....
_____________________________________________ Everyday I want get on my camel and ride! |
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captain america and billy
Old Love
907 Posts |
Posted - 17/05/2011 : 15:59:22
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I'm assusming that "camel and ride' thing is from a song lyric?Almost sounds like some kind of catchy kitschy ad slogan.I DO kind of dig it,though! |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 17/05/2011 : 20:22:12
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quote: Originally posted by captain america and billy
I'm assusming that "camel and ride' thing is from a song lyric?Almost sounds like some kind of catchy kitschy ad slogan.I DO kind of dig it,though!
"Love Having You Around"
Everyday I want to fly my kite, and every day I wanna get on my camel and ride!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow6JWVmc0tA
_____________________________________________ Everyday I wanna get on my camel and ride! |
Edited by - lemonade kid on 17/05/2011 20:23:13 |
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captain america and billy
Old Love
907 Posts |
Posted - 18/05/2011 : 15:54:54
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Thorughly enjoyed Stevie's "Songs in the Key of Life" and it did indeed make me curious aoubt his other two Grammy winning lps "Innervisions" and "Fullfilligness' First Finale",but I never DID get around to them.This posting certainly inspires completetion of the notion.Stevie's feel for pure unmitigated funk is certainly unparalleled by few.That reminds me.What's your take on George Clinton and Parliament.Sounds to me as though these reords are also worthy of serious investigation.Until I saw them on PBS's "History of Rock and Roll" series,I had heard a couple of the tunes but didn't know who they were and didn't realize how much of an impact they had industry innovation at the time in the 70's.Both Stevie and Parliament bring Sly and the Family Stone to Mind.They had a FEW entries on the Rolling stone albums list. |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9876 Posts |
Posted - 18/05/2011 : 19:51:58
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quote: Originally posted by captain america and billy
Thorughly enjoyed Stevie's "Songs in the Key of Life" and it did indeed make me curious aoubt his other two Grammy winning lps "Innervisions" and "Fullfilligness' First Finale",but I never DID get around to them.This posting certainly inspires completetion of the notion.Stevie's feel for pure unmitigated funk is certainly unparalleled by few.That reminds me.What's your take on George Clinton and Parliament.Sounds to me as though these reords are also worthy of serious investigation.Until I saw them on PBS's "History of Rock and Roll" series,I had heard a couple of the tunes but didn't know who they were and didn't realize how much of an impact they had industry innovation at the time in the 70's.Both Stevie and Parliament bring Sly and the Family Stone to Mind.They had a FEW entries on the Rolling stone albums list.
Stevie's Triumvirate is Inner visions/Talking book/Songs In The Key Of Life...considered his CLASSIC period.
Big Brother http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJV-ExBT7DU
Golden Lady..Innervisions....my favorite all round!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA6OCGLCUec
Higher Ground...really INNERVISIONS is a must HAVE, Capt' ..BACK ME UP GUYS!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wZ3ZG_Wams&feature=related
_____________________________________________ Everyday I wanna get on my camel and ride! |
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captain america and billy
Old Love
907 Posts |
Posted - 19/05/2011 : 15:30:44
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About that Grammy reference mentioned in my Stebie Wonder rave.I don't usually place a hell of a lot of confidence in the committees selections as don't countless others.When I was 13,I saw the Academy inexplicabbly hand the record and album for the year" and trophies to ephemeral middle of the road band Toto for "Roseanna" and "Toto IV" respectively.YECCHH!!The latter was winner of Paul McCArtney's much better "Tug of War" and probably countless other superior works not eeven nominated.I completely gave up on the awards when Celine DIonne won the highly coveed best album honor in the nineties,I think either 94 or 96.However,there WAS a time when maybe there was a LITTLE controversey here and there,but in the case of Mr. Wonder's spectacular cross cultural masterpieces,they DID show serious consideration for real DESEVING winners.Unlike record of the year for 1964.Nominated:the Beatles groundbreaking and culture shattering "I Want to Hold Your Hand".And the winner was..."The Girl From Ipanema" by Stan Getz and Gil Gilberto.And nowadays,nothing but unmitigated staunch commercialism to satisfy the advertisers. |
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