Vertigo Records, in the era of the ‘Vertigo Swirl,’ is legendary- from its unique ‘swirl’ label, to its eclectic mix of artists, strong musical talent and extremely high production values, to the ‘art’ of the album jackets and the clever album packaging. My introduction to the label came late-this UK label carried the work of some famed artists, like Black Sabbath, but so many of its records- and some of the most desirable ones in my estimation, musically, were recorded by bands like Cressida, May Blitz, Patto, Affinity and Gracious, which are hardly household names. Even fewer... Read More
From the Editor
Mel Brooks was once asked what the hardest part was to film making: “Punching all those little holes on the sides,” was his answer. Putting a fresh round of material together for this site is easier and more fun than you’d imagine, but it requires time (and some hole punching). Although my original intention was to do constant updates to the content here, I’m now on pace to publish at more leisurely intervals with periodic updates in between. The latest issue features: an interview with Olav Wyper, the creator of Vertigo Records. This label fascinates me for a variety of... Read More
Sir Doug and the Genuine Texas Cosmic Groove
Doug Sahm is one of those unheralded musicians whose public recognition is generally based on a few old pop hits, but whose range of talent mixed Beatle-esque tunefulness with Tex-Mex sensibility. He was a child when he played with Hank Williams, Sr. and did the rhythm and blues circuit in the 1950’s. As the Sir Douglas Quintet, he joined the British Invasion to chart with “She’s About a Mover,” with a band that was more south of the border than Liverpool and later, struck again with the hit “Mendocino.” You’ve probably heard these songs at some point in your life, but Sahm... Read More
Forgotten and Worth Finding
__________________________________ SPIRIT TWELVE DREAMS OF DR. SARDONICUS, Epic E 30267 or KE 30267 (yellow or orange ‘target’ label) A time capsule of brilliant psychedelia, short tuneful tracks, including “Nature’s Way” and “StreetWorm” featuring Randy California. California, so nicknamed by Jimi Hendrix, was invited by Hendrix to travel to England to start a new band. Randy’s mom nixed that plan (Randy was only 15 at the time). Hendrix formed the Experience, and the rest is history. California formed Spirit with his stepfather, Ed... Read More
A Visit to the Library of Congress Audiovisual Preservation Facility
I’m listening to Les Paul in 1948. His tone is big, rich, and woody- with added percussive accents when he slaps the body of the guitar. What I’m hearing is vivid, real and alive- in a room thousands of miles and more than half a century away from the garage where these recordings were made. We sit in a studio that looks like a cross between an old time record mastering suite and something from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. There is nobody else in the room but the preservation engineer. Nearby stands a library cart full of old discs, each one holding a single track, or... Read More
Exploring Island Records (Pink Label and Pink Rim)
Island Records in the late 60’s had an incredibly rich catalog, musically, along with amazing sonics. We will be getting some in-depth insights into the early days of the label and exploring some of the many wonderful records that appeared during the the golden (pink label) era. Stay tuned! ... Read More
Hellfire: The Jerry Lee Lewis Story, (Tosches, Nick)
There is a great endorsement that appears on the back cover of one of Ben McIntyre’s books about WWII; it reads, simply, “The best book ever written.” This book, by Nick Tosches, may actually come close. Written in a schizophrenic style which alternates between a straight narrative and the hellfire and brimstone voice of religious guilt and condemnation, Jerry Lee Lewis is reconstructed in this book as one of the first great rock and roll stars- screaming drunk, waving a handgun, at the front gates of Graceland, yelling for Elvis to come out; one-upping Chuck Berry, who... Read More
Amina Claudia Meyers, Salutes Bessie Smith
When I heard this record by jazz pianist, composer and singer Amina Claudine Meyers on the radio back in the early 80’s in NY, I wrote down the title and went to Tower Records on Broadway and bought it. It is not something I play often but I do come back to it when I want to hear what a real piano sounds like. The record has a spare, underproduced quality, Ms. Meyers can wail with the best of them, but her piano work is superb; she captures a sort of forgotten sound- of a big instrument being played at full tilt with majesty and power, but singing in a mournful voice. The vocals... Read More
Taste, On the Boards
Rory Gallagher is another legendary guitarist whose playing is recognized not just for his skill, but for his ability to play inside of the song: – no boring, self- indulgent solos, or mind-bending exercises of guitar wizardry, this guy was musical! The album, from his band Taste, captures one of many high points in Gallagher’s career. Songs range from beefy rockers, like “What’s Going On” to lilting folk ballads (“If the Day Was Any Longer”). The tunes stay with you; the musicianship is something you can go back to again and again and hear... Read More
Cleaning and Archival Standards of Care
My visit to the Audiovisual Conservation facilities of the U.S. Library of Congress was prompted by a desire to learn about the steps a first class archival facility uses to preserve and store recorded media, in particular, vinyl records. There is a wealth of products available to the consumer for record care and cleaning, but very little concrete information about the processes or their effectiveness, apart from what is supplied by the various product manufacturers; most of what I learned was based on personal experience, experimenting with different cleaning methods, machines and... Read More