She Has Funny Cars

From Surrealistic Pillow, Jefferson Airplane's first album after Grace Slick joined the band.  It remains their finest.

Change Is Now

From The Byrds, one of my favorite bands in the 60s.  I still like the band and their music, but wanted to write about the lyrics in this song; how they relate to their times and today.

Here are the full lyrics.  Wait a minute!  Don't forget to enjoy the music - the drone bass, Roger McGuinn's guitar solo which sounds like it was beamed in from outer space, the (unusual for the time) country music interlude, and the harmonies.

Change is now, change is now
Things that seemed to be solid are not
All is now, all is now
The time that we have to live

 

Gather all that we can
Keep in harmony with love's sweet plan

 

Truth is real, truth is real
That which is not real does not exist
In and out roundabout
Dance to the day when fear it is gone

 

Gather all that we can
Keep in harmony with love's sweet plan

 

Change is now, change is now
Things that seemed to be solid are not
In and out roundabout
Dance to the day when fear it is gone
Fear it is gone

What does it mean?

Let's set the context.  The Notorious Byrd Brothers album was released in January 1968 and recorded in the second half of 1967, just after the birth of hippiedom during The Summer of Love, and its lyrics reflect that sensibility.

Change is now, change is now
Things that seemed to be solid are not
All is now, all is now
The time that we have to live

There was a sense we had entered a new era.  Not me, them.  I was about to turn 17 and though my hair grew longer in the late 60s and I loved the music, I never considered myself a hippie.  The old paradigm was gone ("things that seemed to be solid are not").  Everything was up for grabs ("all is now").    There is no past we need to know about, nothing to learn from experience, it's in our hands to create a New World. 

Gather all that we can
Keep in harmony with love's sweet plan

Everybody is welcome.  Get on the Love Train.  If we simply love each other, all will be well.  No more details needed.  Did I mention there's nothing to learn from the past?

Truth is real, truth is real
That which is not real does not exist
In and out roundabout
Dance to the day when fear it is gone

That first line is very intriguing.  Notice they don't say "science is real" or "I believe in science" (that would also have been harder to rhyme) that ridiculous slogan of the past few years.  It is "Truth" that is real.  There is a reality so maybe everything is not up for grabs.  And the truth they are referring to is not necessarily a materialistic or scientific one, in fact since they're hippies it probably isn't.  It's likely a spiritual truth, a truth that man cannot just create, though they would hesitate to specifically call Christian or Jewish.  Of course, as Tom Holland points out in Dominion, whether they acknowledge it or not, the Christian worldview which permeates our civilization, is the springboard for that truth. 

 

"That which is not real does not exist" tells us that reality and belief may be separate, reminding me of Philip K Dick's notion that "reality is that which still exists when you stop believing in it".   The phrase is also contra to the creed of today's New Racists who believe that the manipulation of language can, in and of itself, create a new reality.  It's why belief is so essential for the NRs, and any deviation is such a threat it requires expulsion and branding as a heretic.  The hippies, in contrast, were content with folks "doing their own thing"; there was no cult from which one could be expelled.

 

Dancing was very important to the hippies.  It was an individual rite, or sometimes a group rite, but not something for couples to do.  It was liberating and the act of dancing could bring about change.  And the most important change needed was drive fear away, so that love could fill the world.  It was a simple view and seemingly easy to accomplish, a perspective that Elvis Costello, the noted foreign policy realist, rejected in 1977 when he told us "fear is here to stay, love is here for a visit".

The phrase "fear it is gone" is repeated three times during the song.  One of the reasons I didn't care for the hippie ethos at the time was the simple mindedness required, the deliberate avoidance of deep thinking, a mindset that allowed naive people to be easily manipulated by charismatic figures with evil intent.

Or maybe I'm reading too much into the lyrics and it was just all about the drugs.

 

In any event, the placid dream of peace and love ended quickly.  The milk of human kindness had curdled by August of 1968 when Jefferson Airplane released its fourth album, Crown of Creation, with the title song's mixture of narcissism, self-righteousness, and intolerance:

In loyalty to their kind

They cannot tolerate our minds

In loyalty to our kind

We cannot tolerate their obstruction!

A sentiment that would fit well in 2023 America.

Things deteriorated quickly in the late 1960s and early 70s.  A year after Crown of Creation, the Airplane were preaching revolution, and the Black Panthers and Weathermen were rolling.  Peace and love were over.  The difference between that period and now was that the revolutionaries were mostly rejected by the institutions, though they were able to grab a beach head in academia which they would exploit over the next few decades.  Today, people with those more revolutionary, intolerant, and violent beliefs are the ones running the institutions.  We've gone from "Don't Trust The Man" to "Trust Authority and You're Fired If You Don't". It's why today is a much more dangerous time.  For my reflections and personal experience with that earlier period read The Company You Keep.

Somebody To Love

Grace Slick, isolated vocal from the Jefferson Airplane's big hit during 1967's Summer of Love.  Grace had remarkable vocal power.  On a completely different plane is Jim Carrey's weird rendition of the same song in the creepy film The Cable Guy.  Harmonies from Marty Balin and Paul Kantner.

Rockin' The 70s

1970s that is.  A continuation of my post on concerts I attended during the 1970s.  I'm certain I'm forgetting some from this decade.

May 23, 1970
Jefferson Airplane
U of Wisconsin Field House
Madison WI

From the date, this is probably the last thing I did in Madison before leaving.  I spent my freshman year of college (1969-70) at the University of Wisconsin and then decided to drop out.

We sat in the bleachers in the field house for an afternoon show.  The school year had been disrupted by demonstrations, strikes, and violence, and then collapsed in the wake of the Cambodia invasion and Kent State, so it was appropriate that it ended with the Jefferson Airplane in its peak craziness phase playing songs from the overwrought Volunteers album.  

October 13, 1970

Chicago

Capitol Theatre

Port Chester, NY 

Back when the band was hard rocking.  Good show.

1970 or 71
The Kinks
Wesleyan University
Middletown CT

As readers know I am a yuuge Kinks fan.  My dim recollection is this was a typically shambolic Kinks show - they were probably drunk - in a gym where we sat in the floor. That's all I got for you.

June 26, 1971
Allman Brother Band
J Geils Band
Albert King
Fillmore East
East Village
Manhattan NY

Last night of the Fillmore East.  Amazing show.  Went to hear J Geils and Albert King (who were wonderful) but came out a fan of the Allman Brothers who were astonishing - they hit the trifecta with Hot 'Lanta, Whipping Post, and most of all, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed.  Here's my full recollection. As I left the first show that night I walked past the future Mrs THC who was in line for the second show.

July 1971

Jethro Tull

Capitol Theatre

Port Chester, NY 

The Aqualung tour.  Great show.  Ian Anderson whirling and hopping around.  Will always remember Martin Barre's sizzling guitar on Aqualung.

1971 or 72
Chick Correa
Clark University
Worcester MA

Held in a lounge area on campus.  Was not familiar with the pianist at the time but really enjoyed it.  

1971 or 72
Jesse Colin Young
Clark University
Worcester MA

One of the most underrated bands of the 60s was The Youngbloods, founded by Jesse Colin Young, who did one of the best, and least known, songs of the 60s - Darkness, Darkness. By the early 70s, Jesse embarked on a solo career.  The man had a gorgeous voice.

1972 or 73
John Lee Hooker
Sir Morgan's Cove
Worcester MA

The legendary king of the one chord boogie (for more read this THC post).  Great show.  The man was an intimidating presence.

The venue was a small club in Worcester, where acts usually played for 4 or 5 nights in a row.  In another incarnation, after Sir Morgan's moved down the street and changed its name, it was where The Rolling Stones launched their 1981 US tour with a surprise tune up.

(Yep, this is the place)

July 1972
The Rolling Stones
Stevie Wonder
Madison Square Garden
Manhattan NY

The Exile On Main St tour.  In the balcony for this sold-out show.  At the time I liked Stevie Wonder but was not a true fan.  Today, I am and have a lot of his music in my iTunes library.  The Stones were good, not great.  Towards the end of the show they turned the lights on in the Garden and the crowd went nuts for the rest of the concert.

August 1972
The Kinks
Dr Hook & The Medicine Show
Berkeley Community Theater
Berkeley CA

Another Kinks show I don't remember well except they did a lot of material from their fine Muswell Hillbillies record.  Dr Hook & The Medicine Show were best known for On The Cover Of Rolling Stone and the execrable Sylvia's Mother.

1972 or 1973
James Cotton Blues Band
Sir Morgan's Cove
Worcester MA

I also saw at least one other, perhaps two shows at the Cove; pretty certain one was Les McCann, and the other may have been Muddy Waters.

Cotton, who passed in 2017, was one of the finest harmonica players, and a talented singer and songwriter.  Here he is.

UPDATE:  It wasn't exactly a rock concert but I recently vaguely remembered attending a Marlene Dietrich concert with my mother, who loved Dietrich, in the early 1970s that was held in the Danbury, CT area.  A little research revealed Dietrich played a week of shows at the Candlewood Playhouse in New Fairfield, CT in July 1974.  I was left with the impression of watching a fading diva (Marlene was 73 at the time) do her thing for an adoring audience.  Dietrich retired from performing the following year.

Fall 1974
Al Stewart
Orpheum Theater
Boston MA

Stewart performed the historical songs from his Past, Present, and Future album.  The emotional highlight was Road To Moscow, his epic song of the Eastern Front in World War Two (and the subject of one of THC longest posts, The Annotated Roads To Moscow), backed by a three part screen spanning most of the stage showing scenes from that conflict, capped by projecting a photo across all the screens of Alexander Solzhenitysn as former soldier, imprisoned in the Gulag; a climax given added poignancy with the publishing of The Gulag Archipelago in December 1973 and Solzhenitsyn's expulsion from the Soviet Union the following February.

The Orpheum was the big rock concert hall in Boston, where established acts came to perform.

December 9, 1974
Genesis
Orpheum Theater
Boston MA

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway tour, the last before Peter Gabriel left, leading eventually to the band's superb prog rock drummer, Phil Collins, becoming its front man for the recharged and more pop oriented Genesis of the 1980s.  I was a fan of early Genesis except did not care for the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.  Bizarre show with Gabriel wearing his odd costumes; the highlight came at the end - The Musical Box from the 1971 Nursery Cryme album - watch and behold the glory and absurdity of peak prog rock!  Here ya go, and don't miss the last three minutes.

1975-78
Jonathan Edwards
Multiple venues in Boston area

From 1975 to 1978 I lived in Maynard, MA and two of my roommates were full time musicians.  One had just started as pianist and arranger for Jonathan Edwards.  Edwards had one big hit, Sunshine, in 1971, but remained a popular live act, particularly in New England.  I saw Jonathan and the band play several times and they put on a great show.  Unfortunately, I can't find any video from this time period.  Kenny White was, and is, an incredibly talented pianist.  He went on to a two decade career arranging and producing commercials, many of which you will remember, and for the last 15 years has pursued a solo career and is currently opening for Stephen Stills and Judy Collins on their tour. Jonathan is also the link connecting me with Elvis Costello (for more see below).

Sometime between 1975 and 1978
BB King
Worcester MA

What a pleasure listening to that man play and sing.  There were better guitarists but no one ever had a sweeter tone.

February 20, 1975
Roxy Music
Orpheum Theater
Boston MA

One of my favorite 70s band.  Wild and loopy stuff.  By the end of the decade their shtick became boring.  To sample the work of Bryan Ferry and the gang try Do The Strand, A Song For Europe, and In Every Dream Home A Heartache. 

1976 or 1977
NRBQ
Cambridge MA

The New Rhythm and Blues Quartet.  A regional Northeast favorite for many years, featuring Al Anderson on lead guitar.   Raucous and fun.  This was the best I could find on YouTube but doesn't really capture their full power.

December 9 or 10, 1977
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
ParadiseClub
Boston MA

You can read how I learned about Elvis, and that first show here.  He was electrifying.

Just came across this audio of the December 9 show.  This is not exactly the playlist we heard so I think we were there on the 10th.  He played every song listed but at least one other, (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea.  To understand what it was like, listen to the last two songs, Lipstick Vogue and Watching The Detectives, starting at 31:40, though the audio understates how loud The Attractions were that night.

The Paradise Club opened on September 22, 1977 and was up Commonwealth Avenue, just beyond Boston U.  Seating a few hundred (my recollection is less than 500) it was where bands on their first US tours often played.

May 4, 1978

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Mink DeVille

Nick Lowe & Rockpile

Orpheum Theater

Boston MA

On the heels of This Year's Model, Elvis and the band were quickly back in Boston playing a much bigger venue.  Another show filled with tension and excitement.  Elvis was beginning to master how to control large audiences.  Nick Lowe was good.  Mink DeVille was not.

June 18, 1978
The Jam
Lyceum Ballroom
London UK

There were two other forgettable bands on the bill for this show headlined by The Jam, who I already knew from In The City.  Concert was sold out.  We stood at back for entire show.

I had arrived in Europe in late May, not returning until the end of September, and spending time in France, UK, Italy, and Greece.  The future Mrs THC was in Paris.  Had a friend living in London and went to see him and another U.S. friend who came over and the three of us went to the Lyceum.

Summer 1978
Doc Watson
Paris France

I fell in love with Doc's voice and guitar playing a few years before by listening to Will The Circle Be Unbroken.  His warm speaking and singing voice enveloped the listener.  Seeing him live was a similar experience.   His son, Merle, played with him.  Can't find information on the location.  We ended up seated next to some French guys my age who were learning to play baseball under the tutelage of an American coach.  A few days later I met up with them at the Bois de Boulogne to play some ball.

February 23, 1979
Dire Straits
Paradise Club
Boston MA

In the fall of 1978 I heard songs by two new bands that immediately captured me.  The first, Roxanne by The Police, the second, Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits.  When Mark Knopfler's band came to Boston for the first show on its first US tour I had to see them.

March 29, 1979
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Squeeze
Orpheum Theater
Boston MA

The acoustics were lousy for this concert,  so it's the only of the eight times seeing Elvis I left disappointed.  Too bad, because Squeeze were on the bill and did not impress me since could not hear them well, though I later became a fan.  Elvis would totally redeem himself with a masterful performance upon returning to the Orpheum in 1981. 

[ADDED: I mixed this up.  Squeeze opened the 1981 show.  Elvis was good but did not meet the high expectations set by his first two shows.]

Summer/Fall 1979 (?)
Boomtown Rats
Paradise Club
Boston MA

Uncertain about the time here, could have been in '80.  An Irish Band, fronted by Bob Geldorf.  Their only hit in the US was I Don't Like Mondays, but I preferred Rat Trap, their attempt at a Bruce Springsteen anthem.

1973-79
The Boston Bands

During this period I saw a lot of fine local acts in Cambridge and Boston bars, like the Pousette Dart Band and Zamcheck, but remember most The Estes Boys, a popular country rock band, because my other roommate musician, Eli Nelson, played pedal steel in the group.  Went to many of their gigs, many of them at Jonathan Swift's, a bar in Harvard Square, at one of which I sat with Red Sox pitcher, Bill "Spaceman" Lee, who was very funny, and very hammered.  This is what the Estes Boys sounded like.  Eli went on to play pedal steel on tour with Mickey Gilley's Urban Cowboy Band.

Rockin' The 60s

1960s that is.

Before forgetting more about those years, I'll attempt to reconstruct the bands I saw in concert during that decade.  I have the nagging feeling a few are missing.

March 1966
The Byrds
White Plains, NY

My favorite American rock band of the 65-66 period.  This was just after Turn, Turn, Turn became a #1 hit.  My dad took me to the show (thanks dad!). The auditorium was less than 1/2 full, and The Byrds played for only about 30 minutes, which was the norm back then.  How things would change within the next three years!

June 10, 1966
Soundblast '66
Ray Charles
Stevie Wonder
The Beach Boys
The Byrds
The Gentrys
The Marvelettes
The McCoys
Yankee Stadium, NY

Sounds like a great show, doesn't it?  Well, it wasn't.  Only about 10,000 in attendance and each act played 3 or 4 songs with long breaks in between.  I remember Stevie Wonder performing Bob Dylan's Blowing In The Wind and Uptight. I could swear I previously wrote a post devoted to this show but can't find it.

For you young 'uns, The Gentrys were one-hit wonders selling a million copies of Keep on Dancing in late 1965.  The McCoys had a giant #1 with Hang On Sloopy in '65.  Their lead guitarist was Rick Derringer who went on to have a big solo career (Rock n Roll Hoochie Koo) and become a session guitarist for, among others, Steely Dan (he plays the solo on Chain Lightning).  The Marvelettes were a Motown girl singing troupe that had a monster smash in the early 60s with Please, Mr Postman and then a string of minor hits - at the time of Soundblast '66 they were charting with Don't Mess With Bill.

 June 30, 1966
The Lovin' Spoonful
Brien McMahon High School
Norwalk CT

My mother was vice-chair of the Norwalk Democratic Party Committee at the time and they were seeking to raise funds.  I can't remember if she asked me, or I suggested, a rock concert.  I do know I was the one who suggested The Lovin' Spoonful who had a couple of Top Ten hits.  By the time of the concert, in the high school gym, Summer In The City was #1.  If memory serves the party made $900 on the show, not bad for the time.

February 26, 1967
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels 
Brien McMahon High School
Norwalk CT 

Not well remembered today, Ryder & The Wheels were an outstanding rock n soul band with a series of hits from 1965 to 1967 - Jenny Take A Ride, Devil With A Blue Dress, Sock It To Me Baby, and Little Latin Lupe Lu.  Dynamic show at my high school.

August 1967
Neil Diamond
Jake Holmes
The Bitter End
Greenwich Village, Manhattan

I was a fan of Jake Holmes and have written previously about this and the next show on the list.  Holmes was terrific and early Neil Diamond was very good.  Led Zeppelin (specifically, Jimmy Page) lifted Dazed and Confused from Jake.

September 1967
Van Morrison
Jake Holmes
The Bitter End
Greenwich Village, Manhattan

See above, except that Van Morrison was unbearably horrible.

October 10, 1967
The Doors
Danbury High School
Danbury CT

Held in the high school auditorium.  The Doors were booked after release of their first album but before Light My Fire became a huge hit in the summer of 1967.  Sold-out show.  Though tame by their latter standards it was still pretty wild for high school kids in 1967.  I found this recording of the show on YouTube.  Sound quality is poor but gives a flavor for the brooding power of Jim Morrison and the band.

Early 1968
Cream
Staples High School
Westport, CT

A half-full auditorium to see Cream tour in support of its recently released Disraeli Gears album.  They opened with Tales of Brave Ulysses.  When they hit the first chord, fuses blew and the auditorium went dark.  After restoring power, the concert went well.  Those boys could play!

August 6, 1968
The Doors
JFK Stadium, Bridgeport CT

The 1967 version of The Doors was crisp and powerful.  By 1968 the rot had sunk in.  An obviously stoned Jim Morrison was incoherent during the first part of the concert.  He abruptly snapped out of it in the later stages but the show paled in comparison to what we saw the prior year.

Late November 1968
Jefferson Airplane
Buddy Guy
Fillmore East
East Village, Manhattan

What a showman Buddy Guy was, playing guitar behind his back as he came off the stage and walked down the aisle.  Based on their albums was a fan of Jefferson Airplane but liked them even better live.  A much heavier sound in concert driven by Jack Cassidy's bass (see this prior THC post to hear what they sounded like at the Fillmore). 

February 1969

Blood, Sweat & Tears

Darien High School (CT)

 

This was as BST was becoming hugely popular after replacing lead singer Al Kooper with David Clayton-Thomas and releasing its second album a couple of months before. Clayton-Thomas was a much, much better vocalist than Kooper but Al was much superior as songwriter, arranger ,and visionary and band never recaptured the magic of its first album, Child Is Father To The Man.  I remember the concert as okay, but nothing special.

Spring 1969

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap

Brien McMahon High School

Norwalk CT

Our senior class was raising money for our prom.  In the fall of 1968 I'd spoken with the William Morris Agency about booking The Who for their planned tour but it was postponed (if you're wondering it cost $6500 to book The Who for a concert) and eventually we settled on Gary Puckett who'd had several monster hits.  Of course, as sophisticated seniors we weren't big fans but the sophomore and junior girls loved him.  He played in our gym and when he sang Young Girl we had to link our arms together to protect Gary and the band from being overrun by the surging girls.  The song would probably have difficulty getting airplay today; actually Gary might be arrested today.

May 17, 1969
The Who
Sweetwater
It's A Beautiful Day
Fillmore East
East Village, Manhattan

The Who came to America in May 1969 in support of their new album Tommy, which broke them as a big act worldwide.  This was the second of a three night stint at the Fillmore East.  One of the best shows I've ever seen.  They opened with some of their older material, then ripped right through the entire Tommy album, and then started a wrap up.  It was astonishing, Keith Moon in constant motion on the drumkit, looking like he had no bones in his arms, Townshend windmilling on the guitar, and Entwhistle's thundering bass.

As the band and the audience grew more frenzied we noticed smoke in the theater.  Some type of announcement was made to exit the place but we ignored it.  Then we saw a guy in a suit wander onto the stage, grab a microphone and started to talk.  Roger Daltrey pinned his arms back and Townshend walked over, all the while continuing to play his guitar, and kicked the guy in the privates.  Actually, it sounds better when Roger Daltrey tells it, which he does in his recently released autobiography, Thanks A Lot Mr Kibblewhite:

" . . . this bloke jumped up onto the stage and grabbed the microphone off me.  I grabbed it back and told him to fuck off, but he kept struggling.  As we were wrestling with it, I noticed Pete crossing the stage toward us, doing a Chuck Berry duck walk.  Perfectly on beat, he kicked the bloke in the balls, then I grabbed the mic, and we finished the song." 

The next thing I remember dozens of New York City policemen flooded down the two aisles, the side doors flew open, and they pushed us out along each row and onto the street.

It turned out the building next door caught fire and they were worried about the Fillmore catching fire.  We didn't care.

Daltrey and Townshend were arrested for assaulting the guy who grabbed the mic, who turned out to be a plainclothes police officer.  

Of the opening acts, I preferred It's A Beautiful Day.  To listen to their best song see this THC post.

June 1969
Rhinoceros
Brien McMahon High School
Norwalk CT

The band that played our senior prom.  Take a listen.  Not bad, eh?


 

August 1969
Woodstock (2nd Day)
Country Joe McDonald
Santana
John Sebastian
The Incredible String Band
Canned Heat
Mountain
The Grateful Dead
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Janis Joplin
Sly & The Family Stone
The Who
Jefferson Airplane
Bethel, NY

First time I'd heard Santana and Soul Sacrifice immediately stood out (love Carlos Santana's guitar tone and Michael Shrieve was a helluva drummer).  UPDATE: Here is full version of the Woodstock performance including Shrieve's entire drum solo] The closing acts from Creedence on were phenomenal.  Show started at 2pm on Saturday and ended shortly after dawn on Sunday.  Let's end with Sparks from The Who.

Today

Marty Balin, who passed away on Thursday, was, along with Grace Slick, one of the lead singers for  Jefferson Airplane, a band I liked before they became a parody of themselves.  I saw them in '68 at Fillmore East, at Woodstock in '69, and at the U of Wisconsin in '70.  Marty could really deliver a ballad.  This is Today from Surrealistic Pillow (1967).

It's No Secret

The Jefferson Airplane was the biggest San Francisco band from 1967 though 1970 (the Grateful Dead became popular later, though never with THC).  The Airplane was one of THC's favorites at the time but he has to admit that much of their music has not aged well.  In 1969-70 he saw them play three times and was surprised at how much heavier (and better) they sounded compared to their recordings.

One of those times was in February 1969 at the Fillmore East in New York City.  The prior November the Airplane had played several shows there which were recorded and released as part of a live album, Bless Its Pointed Little Head (that's bassist Jack Casady on the cover).  This is It's No Secret with lead vocal by Marty Balin (the composer), harmonies from Grace Slick, lead guitar by Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Kantner on rhythm guitar, Spencer Dryden on drums with Casady's bass, which was thundering in concert, driving the whole thing.