Friday, May 29, 2009

Syd Barrett - Crazy Diamond (BOX SET) (IMPORT) (LIMITED EDITION)


Ουδείς ξέρει την κατάληψη των Pink Floyd αν ο Μπάρετ παρέμενε μέλος. Ουδείς γνωρίζει την μουσική τους πορεία αν και θα συμφωνήσετε πως αποκλείεται να είχαν γίνει τόσο διάσημοι με τον Μπάρετ. Στην περίπτωση βέβαια που συνέχιζαν στο ίδιο μουσικό στυλ όπως στα 60ς.
Θα έχετε διαβάσει το περιστατικό την ώρα της ηχογράφησης του Shine on You Crazy Diamond και την εμφάνιση του Μπάρετ που κατά μία άποψη δεν έγινε αντιληπτή διότι δεν τον γνώρισε κανένας στο χάλι που ήταν. Κατά τα άλλα το κομμάτι αφορούσε αυτόν? Δεν το πιστέυω, απλά το συνδύασαν με την εμφάνισή του για να μην γίνουν τελείως ρόμπα. Αυτή είναι η άποψή μου.
Κάτι που με στεναχωρούσε και με στεναχωρεί ακόμα είναι όταν ακούς από μερικούς που προσπαθούν να έχουν άποψη για τα πάντα, να σε ρωτούν ακούς Pink Floyd? Βέβαια στο μπαράκι που κάνω το κέφι μου δεν με ρωτάνε αν ακούω αλλά αν έχω κανένα κομμάτι τους. Όταν βέβαια βάζω και τους ενημερώνω ότι τώρα παίζει Pink Floyd αφενός μεν μπερδεύονται αφετέρου δεν τους αρέσει αλλά ντρέπονται να το πουν.
Θα θυμάστε ότι κάποτε ήρθαν στην πατρίδα μας οι Floyd και όπως πολλοί άλλοι είχα την πρόθεση να πάω. Όταν όμως διάβασα δήλωσή τους που έλεγε «μόνο όσοι πληρώσουν εισιτήριο θα μας δουν» τους σιχάθηκα και φυσικά δεν πήγα. Και ο Τζον Μάγιαλ είχε έρθει κάποτε στο Λυκαβητο και έβαζε τους υπεύθυνους να βγάλουν ανακοίνωση για να προσέχει ο κόσμος που κατέβαινε από τα βράχια μην πέσει και σκοτωθεί.
Το θέμα όμως είναι ο Μπάρετ και η μουσική του. Όσοι δεν έχουν αυτή την τριλογία των ηχογραφήσεων του ας την κατεβάσουν. Δεν ξέρω αν κυκλοφορεί στο νετ διότι δεν είχα χρόνο να δω. Γενικά έχω πιεστεί πολύ από χρόνο καθώς προσπαθώ να κάνω επιτέλους την μετακόμιση σε ενάμιση μήνα.
Να είστε όλοι καλά και ευχαριστώ για την συμμετοχή σας.

ALBUMS:
1 THE MADCAP LAUGHS (Harvest SHVL 765) 1970 SC 40
2 BARRETT (Harvest SHSP 4007) 1970 SC -
NB: (1) and (2) reissued by Harvest as a double set (SHDW 404) in 1974 and on CD in 1987. Also of interest is Opel (Harvest SHSP 4126) 1988, a collection of outtakes from 1968-1970, or better still Crazy Diamond (EMI SYD BOX1) 1992, which contains his two official albums, the Opel collection and bonus tracks of alternate versions of his songs. The Peel Session (Strange Fruit SFPSCD 043) 1995 includes versions of Terrapin, Gigolo Aunt, Baby Lemonade and Effervescent Elephant and the non-album cut Two Of A Kind, written by Pink Floyd's Rick Wright, all originally taped for a John Peel session in February 1970. (1), (2) and (3) also reissued on CD (Harvest 7243 8 25906 2 1, 28907 2 0 and 28908 2 9 respectively) 1994.

45:
1 Octopus/Golden Hair (Harvest HAR 5009) 1969

Born in Cambridge in January 1946 his real name was Roger Keith Barrett. As most of you will know he was a founder-member of Pink Floyd and the creative force behind the band on their first album. He wrote or co-wrote all but one track on their classic Piper At The Gates Of Dawn album. He also wrote both sides of their first two hit singles, Arnold Layne and See Emily Play and their third 45, Apples And Oranges. All of these recordings are essential artefacts of British psychedelia.
Sadly by early 1968 Barrett's excessive intake of hallucinogenic drugs led to a mental imbalance and a nervous breakdown and in April of that year he'd become such a liability that the band were forced to replace him with Dave Gilmour.
Since then his recordings have been confined to two albums and one 45. On both albums he was assisted by various members of Pink Floyd - half of the first one was completed in just two days. The Madcap Laughs is generally considered to be his finest solo album. There are many golden nuggets here including Terrapin, Octopus and Golden Hair. He's also backed by The Soft Machine on No Good Trying. Roger Waters and Dave Gilmour, who encouraged him to record the album, guested on it. They also guested on his next effort Barrett along with Jerry Shirley, then drummer with Humble Pie. The problem was that by now he'd lost any enthusiasm he may have had for recording and much of the album had to be filled with demos. Dominoes and Baby Lemonade were the better moments on what was a relatively disappointing album.
Opel is a collection of outtakes from the 1968-70 period. This is really aimed at Barrett fans who possess the rest of his back catalogue and it certainly has its moments which include the haunting title track which kicks off the set, Birdy Hop, Milky Way and Word Song.
Terrapin was also included on Harvest's Picnic (Dble LP) compilation. More recently, Baby Lemonade seems very out of place on the CD compilation, The Age Of Enlightenment - Prog Rock, Vol. One; Octopus appears on Harvest Heritage - 20 Greats (LP); and Golden Hair on Psychedelia At Abbey Road (CD).
Ever since 1970 he's spent most of his life shut away in Cambridge. He surfaced when Pink Floyd were mixing Shine On You Crazy Diamond, a tribute to him which appeared on their Wish You Were Here album. He is a true legend.
Crazy Diamond (BOX SET) (IMPORT) (LIMITED EDITION)


Label: Harvest, Harvest
Catalog#: 0777 7 81412 2 8, SYD BOX 1
Format: 3 x CDBox Set
Country: UK
Released: 1993
Genre: Rock
Style: Acoustic, Space Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Ballad
Credits: Artwork By [Illustrations] - Alan Rogers Lyrics By - James Joyce (tracks: 1-8, 1-19, 3-4) , Syd Barrett (tracks: 1-1 to 1-7, 1-9 to 1-18, 2-1 to 3-3, 3-5 to 3-10, 3-12 to 3-18, 3-20) Mixed By - Gareth Cousins (tracks: 1-14 to 1-19, 2-13 to 2-19, 3-15 to 3-20) Music By - Syd Barrett Other [Syd Barrett Story] - Brian Hogg Producer - David Gilmour (tracks: 1-5, 1-7 to 1-12, 1-14, 1-18, 2-1 to 2-19) , Malcolm Jones (tracks: 1-1 to 1-4, 1-6, 1-13, 1-15 to 1-17, 3-1, 3-2, 3-8) , Pete Jenner* (tracks: 1-13, 1-19, 3-2, 3-8, 3-11, 3-14, 3-18, 3-19) , Roger Waters (tracks: 1-5, 1-9 to 1-12, 1-18, 3-12) , Syd Barrett (tracks: 1-7, 1-8, 1-14, 3-4)
Notes: Picture discs. The box set includes the two original albums The Madcap Laughs and Barrett, the rarities collection Opel, 19 bonus tracks of alternative versions and previously unreleased takes, and a 24-page color booklet with Syd Barrett story, photos and early Pink Floyd ads and playbills.

Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs

Tracks:
1 Terrapin (5:04)
2 No Good Trying (3:26)
3 Love You (2:30)
4 No Man's Land (3:03)
5 Dark Globe (2:02)
6 Here I Go (3:11)
7 Octopus (3:47)
8 Golden Hair (1:59)
9 Long Gone (2:50)
10 She Took A Long Cold Look (1:55)
11 Feel (2:17)
12 If It's In You (2:26)
13 Late Night (3:11)
Bonus Tracks
14 Octopus (Takes 1 &2) (3:09)
15 It's No Good Trying (Take 5) (6:22)
16 Love You (Take 1) (2:28)
17 Love You (Take 3) (2:11)
18 She Took A Long Cold Look At Me (Take 4) (2:44)
19 Golden Hair (Take 5) (2:28)
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Περι εκλογών ο λόγος


"Το της πόλεως όλης ήθος ομοιούται τοις άρχουσιν" είπε ο αξεπέραστος Ισοκράτης
δηλαδή
"το ήθος των πολιτών γίνεται όμοιο με το ήθος των αρχόντων τους"
και επίσης
"Τας πόλεις απόλλυσθαι, όταν μη δύνωνται τους φαύλους από των σπουδαίων διακρίνειν" είπε επίσης ο μέγας Αντισθένης
δηλαδή
"χάνονται οι πόλεις όταν δεν μπορούν να ξεχωρίσουν τους φαύλους από τους έντιμους".

Δυστυχώς φτάσαμε στα ίδια μετά από τόσα χρόνια. Υπάρχει καμία διαφωνία?Υπάρχει ελπίδα?

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The 7th Seal - Reflections (1967)


Η μετεξέλιξη των The English Muffins είναι αυτή που έχουμε εδώ. Ευχάριστες εκτελέσεις από αυτά τα κολεγιόπαιδα από το Bridgewater College και το Eastern Mennonite College, ως επί το πλείστον διασκευές, αλλά κατά την άποψή μου καλά παιγμένες. Ας μην περάσει απαρατήρητο.

Personnel:
WILLIAM CRAUN drms A
MARC FARLEY bs, vcls A
DANNY LEGGE gtr A
ED "SHRED" SCHROEDER ld gtr, vcls A B C
LARRY TRAITOR vcls A
BOB ALTIC organ B
STEVE HALE vcls B C
BRUCE PETERSON drms B C
STEVE UPDIKE bs B C
RICHARD PRICE organ C

ALBUM:
1(A) REFLECTIONS (Justice JLP - 0) 1999
45:
1(B) People Grow On You/The Day Before Love (Gama 45-676) Apr. 1968
NB: (1) credited to "The 7th Seal".

The quintet, attending college in Bridgewater, Virginia were previously known as The English Muffins. Their album, a limited edition of 400, is taken from tapes for an unreleased Justice LP recorded in Winston-Salem, NC in 1967. Whilst many on the Justice label suffer from a dearth of originals and a similar selection of cover material, several originals are included here, which occupy minor-mood introspective garage-ballad territory. Well I Know is a fine example and their reworking of It's My Pride, from their English Muffins repertoire, is very Zombiesque in the vocal arrangements. Proud Reflections is a moody jangler. The dark horse and arguably the best track is Make Your Bed, a low-key folk-punker that ends surprisingly in a crescendo of drums and feedback.
Of the covers, Till The End Of The Day and Mister You're A Better Man Than I are above-par with searing lead guitar. Soulful aspirations are aired in Midnight Hour and the Rascals' Come On Up, whereas blues reign in the near five-minute finale I've Got A Mind To Give Up Livin'.
Numerous photos and an insert with the band's history complete a welcome release, certainly one of the most interesting and rewarding from the Justice stable.
By April 1968 and the Gama 45, Schroeder was the sole survivor of the LP line-up. Organist Bob Altic had been an early member of the English Muffins; he was replaced soon after the 45 by Richard Price. People Grow On You is great psych with whispering vox at the beginning and end (sans music) and nice guitar work. The flip, composed by Steve Hale, is a ballad - OK but nothing exceptional.
(Max Waller/Frank Uhle/Brent Hosier)

Tracks
Side One
1. Sympathy
2. Midnight Hour
3. Till the End of the Day
4. Mr. You're a Better man Than I
5. Mustang Sally
6. Well I Know
7. It's My Pride
8. Come on Up
9. Proud Reflections
10. Make Your Bed
11. I've Got a Mind to Give Up Livin'

The English Muffins - Leave Or Stay (1966)

Αναφέρω αυτό το γκρουπάκι διότι όπως θα δείτε παραπάνω μετεξελίχθησαν ως The 7th Seventh Seal, οπότε καλό είναι να έχουμε μία άποψη για την παρουσία τους. Βρήκα το ένα κομμάτι από το μοναδικό single που κυκλοφόρησαν, υποθέτοντας ότι η πίσω πλευρά είναι το κομμάτι (It's My Pride) που μπήκε στην συλλεκτική κυκλοφορία της Justice, το οποίο είναι μεν μελαγχολικό αλλά πανέμορφο.

Personnel:
WILLIAM CRAUN drms A
MARC FARLEY bs, vcls A
DANNY LEGGE gtr A
ED "SHRED" SCHROEDER ld gtr, vcls A
LARRY TRAITOR vcls A

45:
1 Leave Or Stay/It's My Pride (Gama 702) 1966

A quintet who were at college in Bridgewater, Virginia but have tended to be regarded as a Washington, DC band. This was reinforced by the inclusion of their fuzz-fest Leave Or Stay on the Signed, D.C. (LP) compilation.
By 1967 they'd been rechristened as The Seventh Seal and journeyed forth to Winston-Salem, NC to record what turned out to be an unreleased LP for the Justice label. It was eventually released as a limited edition in 1999 - Reflections (Justice JLP-0).
The English Muffins on B.T. Puppy was another outfit - an all-girl group - which puts a totally different complexion on the name!
(Max Waller)

Track:
The English Muffins - Leave Or Stay
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Monday, May 18, 2009

Mystic Siva - Mystic Siva (1970)


Μπήκαμε σε περίοδο εξετάσεων, έπεσε πολύ «δουλειά» και χάθηκα. Οι μαθητές όπως πάντα αγκομαχούν, βαριούνται, αγχώνονται και κουράζονται ενώ οι δάσκαλοί τους προσπαθούν είτε να τους περάσουν είτε να τους κόψουν. Άλλοι κατηγορούνται ως «μαθητοπατέρες» και άλλοι παρουσιάζονται ως οι αδέκαστοι προστάτες του νόμου.
Δυστυχώς το σινάφι μας έχει κάθε καρυδιάς καρύδι. Να ξέρετε πως υπάρχει ακόμα εκείνη η κατηγορία των καθηγητών που περιμένουν τις εξετάσεις για να λύσουν όλα τα υπαρξιακά τους προβλήματα, έχοντας την ευκαιρία να ασκήσουν εξουσία ζωής και θανάτου. Αυτά. Καλή επιτυχία στους νέους μας και καλό είναι να ανοίγουν και κανένα βιβλίο όχι μόνο όταν έρχονται τα ζόρια των εξετάσεων. Φταίμε εμείς, οι γονείς, τα σχολεία, τα βιβλία, το σύστημα αλλά και ένα μικρούλι μερίδιο ευθύνης έχουν και οι μαθητές. Όλοι δυστυχώς είμαστε συμμέτοχοι στο χάλι των σχολείων μας.

Personnel:
MARK HECKERT organ, vcls A
DAVE MASCARIN drms, ld vcls A
AL TOZZI gtr A
ART THIENEL bs, vcls A
ALBUM:
1(A) THE MYSTIC SIVA (V.0. 19713) 1972
NB: (1) counterfeited on vinyl in the eighties and on CD (Anthology Ant 16.11) 1994. Reissued officially on CD (World In Sound WIS-1002) 2001 and vinyl in a deluxe gatefold cover (World In Sound RFR 002).

This outfit from Michigan produced an excellent psych-rock album, which comes in an amazing sleeve and is as rare as hell. The Gathering Of The Tribe, Vol. 4 (LP) compilation features three tracks, Supernatural Mind, Keeper The Keys and Spinning A Spell, which demonstrate the band's superb guitar work

Tracks:
01 - Keeper Of The Keys
02 - And When You Go
03 - Eyes Have Seen Me
04 - Come On Closer
05 - Sunshine Is Too Long
06 - Spinning A Spell
07 - Supernatural Mind
08 - Find Out Why
09 - Magic Luv
10 - Touch The Sky
11 - In A Room

Monday, May 04, 2009