Along with a few other Forest denizens I recently turned two score years old, which apparently makes you reflect the fuck on your life and your entry into the world and what was going down at that point—if only to stave off the answer to the question at the other end of the spectrum. Suddenly you adore all of the soft rock of your youth. You hope it's just a short-lived phase, but you just don't know. The questions begin: "Are my Wings clipped? Is my America disappearing? Is my Steely resolve to be Grateful that I'm not Dead done, Dan?"I think I'm going to pull out of it, but it's going to take a lot of Slayer and Jesus Lizard on the other end of this tunnel.
I've absolutely been obsessed with Spirit lately; they have been carrying me through the darker parts of the tunnel. I've long loved 1970 musically and Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus is quite a stunning window into the psych-country-prog-metal-jazz-soul that encompasses the spirit of Spirit. I'm sure you are familiar with "I've Got a Line On You" and "Nature's Way", but their entire catalog bears investigating if you like what you hear here and are not already deep with the Spirit. I find this album to be pretty flawless other than the Kenny Logginsesque parts of "Animal Zoo", which mar an otherwise excellent tune. Randy California was definitely fond of studio chicanery, so cue this up on some cans and enjoy the details. "Love Has Found A Way" is a fine mindfuck and seems to be pretty advanced production-wise for the time. David Briggs is twisting the knobs and your mind on this one, as he did for Neil Young, Nick Cave, Alice Cooper and Royal Trux.
Apologies for becoming pedestrian, predictable and sappy in old age. Just to prove that I'm intolerable and cranky I think I'm going to keep harping on 1970 for a bit with a flurry of posts. Wait until you see the next one...it's a doooooozy. Quite frightening actually, at least initially, but please, stay with me.
Come bask in the heavenly Spirit
[Note: Trax 13-16 are bonuses from the 1996 reissue where this stems from. "Soldier" is intended to be the twelfth and final dream in the original release.]
4 comments:
Now that's a post! Not necessarily the subject, but the post itself.
Props!
Arlopop
Just not finding self too angry lately. Blame the high end Jimmy Cliff, yoga, grain based diet, parenthood, calm fatigue... Whatevs... Been on pilgrimage to find things that make self feel nice, ok with calamity... "to live now as human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."
$2.50 for a Jimmy Cliff Tape???!!
Soft rock renegades, indeed.
I truly foresee a pendulum swing back to Throbbing Gristle before all is said and done...
Beyond sad sack soul-searching, Spirit truly is worthy of perusal if you don't own the entirety of their catalog. Henning played their first album for me a few years back and let's just say he had me at "Fresh Garbage". I vowed to check out all of their releases in order (because I'm a dork). It's amazing how one can have used CDs arrive at your doorstep for $5-6 dollars--delivered! (Please don't hate me local record store proprietors)
Be sure to check Randy California's bio, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_California
Hendrix gave him his California surname, he lived in an appt. complex with Walter Becker, Dr. Demento produced the first Spirit demo and Jimmy Page ripped California off for the Stairway to Heaven riff. No evidence to actually prove that last one, but listen to the tune, which came out two years before Stairway after Led Zep had opened for Spirit in 1968 on their first US tour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czfI66yQUkk
hmmmmmm. Hard to patent a riff, but that's a little too close for comfort.
Sardonicus is a true classic; lucky enough to see the late Mr. California and band way back. Thanks
Post a Comment