Kansas: Point of Know Return

TV Thursdays always are a particular challenge for me as I must find a song (usually from a commercial) that is available online and fits my rigid criteria. Not that I have any rigid criteria for inclusion on this site; it just is fitting that I have some rhetoric to trick, er, present to my viewing public that indicates a great deal of scrutiny occurs with my daily choices. Therefore, there is scientific reasoning that explains why a particular song is chosen on any given day. Now with that out of the way, may I interest you in some ocean front property in Arizona?

Today's inspiration came directly from my 13 year old who, when seeing the latest commercial for State Farm Insurance, exclaimed that the guy in the car singing (badly at that) and playing air drums could have been me. The featured song was the title cut from Kansas’ “Point of Know Return” album.

While I am flattered that she would notice the similarities, I am a little put-off that she thinks I sing that badly. I don’t think so, but be that as it may, I can see myself doing this very same thing. Therefore, she has her dear old dad pegged fairly well. I might even be tempted to do this in an effort to embarrass both of my kids in the first place.

Today’s Commercial Inspiration

Fathers (and middle-aged men in general) get a bad rap, especially from their teenage daughters. Somehow, we are stuck in some sort of vortex or another dimension. Our teenagers cannot understand when we might like some of the same things (including music) that they do. This alone has the power to render any particular item as being ceremonially un-cool. While today’s selection is not one either of my girls would listen to on any given day, it does indicate that dear old dad is not quite ready for the geriatric walker circuit either.

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Kansas is one of those groups that fits into the prog rock sub-genre of rock and roll. From the first time I heard them on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert in 1974, I admired their sound. They had dual keyboards – reminiscent of Procul Harum, yet the added dimension of Robbie Steinhardt’s violin created a very unique signature for this band that comes from, uh, you guessed it – Kansas.

It took four albums for Kansas to hit the mainstream and “Leftoverture,” their number one selling album, produced the classic single “Carry on Wayward Son,” which is often misidentified by the hoi polloi because the lyrics state “Carry on MY Wayward Son.” This song just missed the top ten by placing eleventh on Billboard’s Hot 100.

The follow-up LP to “Leftoverture” was “Point of Know Return” which featured two singles that charted in the Top 40: the title cut and their biggest single to date, “Dust in the Wind.” If you are going to own only two Kansas LPs – "Leftoverture" and "Point of Know Return" are the two to have. Unfortunately with bands like Kansas, equally good older material sometimes is lost in the shuffle because of the lack of discernible hits.

To the public, it is almost as though an artist did not exist prior to positive chart activity. It reminds me of a scene I witnessed in a record store in the mid to late seventies. As I was perusing the bins for something of worth, I heard a young boy exclaim to his parent, “Mom, did you know Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings?” Ah yes, youth is often wasted on the young.

When “Point of Know Return” was released and the title track was making it to radio, my own naiveté questioned the word choice of “Know,” when “No” appeared to be the logical one. The play on words and the deeper meaning of song was entirely lost on me – a 22 year-old college student.

Yes, youth may be wasted on the young; however, I finally began to appreciate the subtlety of the less obvious homophonic choice that is used in this selection. When I did, I felt like Caine on the TV series “Kung Fu,” as I finally snatched the pebble from Master Po’s hand and was able to continue on with my life’s journey. Grasshopper, indeed.

The cover of the LP leads to one’s understanding of how “know return” relates to “no return.” In a sense they are one in the same. When reading reviews of this song some 31 years later, I realize that people are still confused about its meaning. Before we go any further, we need to read the lyrics.

Lyrical Content Reprinted Here for Educational Purposes Only

I heard the men saying something,
The captains’ tell they pay you well.
And they say they need sailing men to
Show the way, and leave today.
Was it you that said, "How long? How long?"

They say the sea turns so dark that
You know it's time you see the sign.
They say the point demons guard is
An ocean grave for all the brave.
Was it you that say, "How long? How long?
How long to the point of know return?"

Your father, he said he needs you.
Your mother, she says she loves you.
Your brothers, they echo your words:
"How far, to the point of know return ?
To the point of know return?"
"Well, how long? How long?"

Today, I found a message floating
In the sea – from you to me.
Who knows that when you could see it
You cried with fear, the point was near.
Was it you that said, "How long, how long
How long to the point of know return?
How long, how long to the point of know return?
Know return – how long? How long?”

Here’s where the album cover brings the meaning into focus. For generations, there was the false notion that once someone sailed past the horizon they sailed over the edge of the earth. Most Europeans incorrectly perceived that anyone who ventured to the vast unknown of the west never returned. Perhaps they didn’t want to return. The fact remains that the knowledge of what really was out there was never verified because of fear. Or in analogous terms, "How do you know that you do not like Brussels sprouts, unless you taste one?"

When one ventures forward and gains knowledge through experience, there is no turning back. The point of “know return” is a point of “no return” to past ideas and experiences. It becomes similar to Kurt Lewin’s change theory. In the process of changing, we are constantly being challenged by our previously held perspectives and beliefs. Sometimes these challenges come from our friends and family who attempt to influence our path. These obstacles create great discomfort, as cognitive dissonance often accompanies change. Eventually, our mental anguish subsides as we cross that threshold of acceptance and sail over the imaginary edge of the earth.

Kansas places this perspective in form of an ocean voyage. Think of what the men aboard the Nina, the Pinta, the Santa Maria during Columbus’ first journey to the Americas must have thought. These crew members had lived with the understanding that the world was flat, that there were great sea monsters roaming the Atlantic, and that by sailing too far west would constitute certain death. It is highly probable that family attempted to persuade these mariners to remain safe at home.

It really required a paradigm shift for these men to make this initial voyage. Until they were able to set foot upon dry land, the fears continued. That distant land was the point of know return. Old myths were shattered and new perspectives created. They could not return to their previous viewpoint as they crossed the point of know/no return.

So deep a commentary inspired by a commercial message that wasn’t. Have a pleasant Thursday as you venture towards new horizons to the “Point of Know Return.” One word of advice though, watch out for the ever present sea monsters.

Little Boots: Meddle

I know what you’re thinking. Has he completely lost his mind? Is this the same guy that rambles about the music of the faraway past now reviewing someone and something ultra current? Wait, maybe the moderator’s mind is now controlled by aliens and they’re dictating the content of this blog. Well, perhaps . . .

Yes, I confess, it is me, and yes, I picked Little Boots and her song “Meddle” as today’s feature – without duress and without the help of mind control . . . at least not at the present. While I can honestly say that you will not always find me dining at the smorgasbord of the icosarati, it was by waxing nostalgic that ultimately led me to the talents of one Victoria Hesketh, who is known to her adoring fans as Little Boots (but not to be confused with Little Feet).

The name Little Boots came via Victoria’s friend who had seen the movie “Caligula” and learned that the Roman emperor’s name literally meant “Little Boot.” Since Victoria sports very small feet, the friend began referring to her as “Little Boots.” The identity stuck and has become her permanent nom de plume.

As previously mentioned, I discovered her music of today by contemplating the music of yesterday. Although this is not an unusual activity for me, the issue that brought me to Little Boots in the first place, however, is a little different. That subject is an illustrious instrument from the late 60s and early 70s called (drum roll please) – the Stylophone. Stylophone, what the heck is a Stylophone? Well, before we continue, take a listen to and watch Little Boots live and you’ll see her play the Stylophone at the beginning (at :36) of her tune “Meddle.”

I was first consciously introduced to the Stylophone in 1973 when I played one owned by my brother Chuck to accompany him during the Moody Blues’ song “I Never Thought I’d Live to Be A Million.” Unlike Little Boots (and others) who mike the instrument, we ran it through an amp using a miniature plug to quarter inch jack converter – and it worked rather nicely. I think I used it for three gigs in 1973 and 1974, and I had a great deal of fun playing it.

In 1976 when Chuck was divesting himself of several of his instruments, I purchased an acoustic guitar, a five string banjo, and an Autoharp. In the process, he threw in a 1960s era fuzz tone and the Stylophone. I still have it all – with the exception maybe of the fuzz pedal as I have no idea where it has ended in the 30+ years since then.

Over the years, I have had an opportunity to experiment with the Stylophone by running it through my Sequential Circuits Pro One synthesizer and using the synth’s filters to modify the envelope of the attack, decay, sustain, and release of the notes that were being played. I’ve also played it through a variety of pedals such as a phase shifter, chorus, flanger, compression, and distortion to see how much could be done with the sound – quite a lot, I might add.

While we called it (as Little Boots does) a synthesizer, the Stylophone was marketed as an organ. While it has some similarities to earlier synthesizers, as it was monophonic (capable of only playing one not at a time), its tone generation was more like that of the electronic organs on the market in the late 1960s. It does have a faux portemento effect (which is really glissando) when you slide the stylus up or down the metal keyboard. David Bowie used this effect on “Space Oddity.” In fact, in the accompanying recording – you can hear the Stylophone with vibrato throughout the song.

David Bowie "Space Oddity"

I always liked the effect of the Stylophone in Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” but I didn’t know what it was until I got the “ChangesOneBowie” compilation in the early 80s and saw in the credits for “Space Oddity” – the humble Stylophone and it all began to make sense. In fact, I had originally considered doing the feature on Bowie’s tune until I discovered Little Boots while doing research on the instrument back in November 2009.

When Bowie played the Stylophone on British television in 1968, it boosted the sales of what was developed originally as an inexpensive toy. He wasn't the only one to use the instrument on a recording, but he was the first. Little Boots has become the latest and perhaps greatest champion, of this fun little instrument. Her usage has inspired a company that has been dormant for 30 years to resurface under a new name and has reintroduced an improved version of the Stylophone.

The Stylophone Story Parts 1 & 2

In the above video, Boots explained her love of the Stylophone, “I think it doesn’t sound like anything else . . . No other synthesizer or instrument really sounds like that. I think, in isolation, it can be quite piercing . . . It is, kind of like, the most annoying, but the best sound in the world.”

After a few listens, I was blown away by Little Boots' music, and while that may sound a little odd, it really isn’t. My philosophy is that excellent music can be found anywhere and in any genre – in any generation. Her technopop/electropop (you choose) genre is reminiscent of some of the music that I was listening to, performing in bands, and playing on the radio in the early 80s. Several of these same artists were her influences.

In 1981, a friend of mine named Geoff Gardner introduced me to several of the newer technopop bands, as well as to ska, punk, and new wave music that I would have never heard. Some of the technopop artists included the Human League, Soft Cell, the Eurythmics, and others who would shortly be climbing the US charts. Our band at the time incorporated as many of these songs as possible into our repertoire.

Back in my electronic keyboard days in 1982 (I was the same age as Little Boots is today)
Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Ace Tone Organ, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 & Pro One.
I would later add the following: Roland Controller, Korg Poly 800, &  Ensoniq Mirage &  ESQ-1.

The music of Little Boots strikes a nostalgic chord (how about G Demolished) in my memory. I find her sound refreshing, but also strikingly familiar. And what’s not to like about Little Boots? She is control of her destiny. Her big break was due to her hard work in becoming a YouTube success story. This occurred after she posted songs that she recorded in her own bedroom. Her use of old technology (the Stylophone) with newer technology (the Tenori-On) emphasizes her versatility. The following shows Little Boots using both, as well as a sampled piano on an early bedroom demo of “Meddle.”

”Meddle” Bedroom Demo

The Tenori-On, designed by Yamaha’s Music and Human Interface Group in Japan, combines sight and sound, rhythm, notes, arpeggios, and samples into one digital instrument. It is a very unique idea that fuses a color organ (I’ve got one of those) with a sequencer (that too) and drum machine (and one of those too). It’s a light show – no, it’s a metronome – it’s two toys in one.

Little Boots' Demonstrating a Tenori-On on “Ready for the Fun”

Besides all of the above, Little Boots is loaded with natural talent as she is an awesome keyboardist, an excellent vocalist, a competent arranger, and is techno savvy. Her technical abilities afforded her the ability to design an I-Phone app and she is currently building a laser harp. From the interviews I’ve watched, she also exhibits that she has personality that carries over to her natural stage presence.

Little Boots in her pre-blond days.

What more can you ask for? She has talent, personality, brains, and, oh yeah, she is very easy on the eyes (and I hope my wife isn’t reading this). While she has yet to make her mark in the US, perhaps Atlantic Records will get behind her and get her really noticed on this side of the pond.

Dominique Rivière: Rimbaud ä Djibouti

Today’s Traditional Tuesday pick is an original instrumental that Parisian resident Dominique Rivière wrote to feature the mandocello. With the exception of the violins provided by Robert Le Gall, Rivière plays all of the instruments. Today’s featured tune is “Rimbaud ä Djibouti.”

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I became acquainted with Dominique Rivière when I received my combined birthday/Christmas present of an Irish bouzouki in 2007. Although he plays guitar and accordion, Rivière is known for his virtuosity on a family of instruments called CBOM (sometimes pronounced as C-Bomb). CBOM is an acronym for Cittern, Bouzouki, Octave Mandolin, and Mandocello. (Although, some would leave out the mandocello preferring that OM is for octave mandolin). These four instruments have similarity in construction and often times they are similar in tuning.

The author playing his CBOM - a Johnson MA-500 Bouzouki

I am not sure exactly what Dominique is playing on this particular recording besides his mandocello; but it could include cittern, bouzouki, and/or guitar, as he plays all of these. The percussion must be him hitting the top of one of his instruments. I also have difficulty determining which these instruments he is playing, as they all appear to have a similar tonality to the bouzouki.  Note, the term bouzouki here forward is used for references to the Irish/Celtic bouzouki and not the Greek instrument from whence it was descended (think of the song "Never on Sunday").

His cittern, a Stephen Sobell model, is a four-course (8 string) instrument that is tuned like an octave mandolin (GDAE) – which is tuned the same as he tunes his bouzouki (although the cittern does not have the octave strings in the G & D courses). Sobell makes a five-course model that people generally tune to an open chord.

On today's featured tune, Rivière plays a Paul Hathway mandocello. A mandocello typically is tuned one fifth lower than an octave mandolin or a bouzouki or an octave below a mandola (CGDA).

Typically the mandocello is the equal to a ‘cello, while mandolas and mandolins are the equivalent plectrum instruments to violas and violins respectively. Before you ask, yes Virginia, there is a beast called a mandobass that is tuned the same as the bass in fourths (EADG).

To understand how Dominique strings his mandocello, I turned to the manufacturer’s web site. Paul Hathway, who makes this instrument, suggests the use of a bouzouki tuning (GDAE) as being optional for his mandocellos.

According to Hathaway, “Because the mandocello has a string length of 660mm [about 26 inches], the same as a bouzouki, it can be strung with bouzouki strings and tuned G D A E. This will give you a bouzouki with a much bigger body and a much fuller sound.” This is apparently what Dominique Rivière has done with his instrument as it is much higher than a typically tuned mandocello.

I will admit, the instrument has the girth that a bouzouki doesn’t have. The larger sized body is evidenced in that many mandocellos have either 12 or 14 frets to the body, while Irish bouzoukis often have 15 frets to the body. While the scale length (from bridge to nut) is about the same - the difference is offset with the larger body on the mandocello.

When comparing bouzoukis and mandocellos, the Irish bouzouki neck is thinner than its older brother. I would assume (as I haven't had the pleasure to handle one) that a mandocello is probably a sturdier instrument.  The body of my own bouzouki is rather light & thin and appears to not have as study of construction as other instruments in my collection.  This may be blamed on cheaper construction as mine is a Chinese assembly line instrument and better bouzoukis are probably heavier.

Tuning Schmuning & What's the Darn Thing Called

I guess it boils down to two things - how you tune it and what you call it. Tuning an instrument is often one of personal preference, and tuning a guitar to anything but EADGBE does not make it less of a guitar. We didn't even consider tenor guitars and tenor banjos in this discussion. These two instruments are often tuned in fifths like CBOMs.

If you want to cause an uproar, go to the tenor guitar Yahoo group and be adamant about tuning. This discussion occurs about twice a year and there are proponents of CGDA, GDAE, DGBE, and to a lesser extent GCEA. For my tenor guitar, I prefer CGDA.  It can get quite maddening. The tenor banjo, which  is typically tuned CGDA, is often tuned to GDAE for use in Irish music.

Often what differentiates a bouzouki from an octave mandolin is scale length and the presence of octave strings on the G & D courses. Octave mandolins are typically between 20 and 23 inches in scale length (nut to bridge) while bouzoukis are 26-27 inches for the same. Often the terms become interchangeable. On the instruction tape, "The Mandolin and Bouzouki of Tim O'Brien," the instrument that is depicted is of a shorter scale than typical bouzoukis. I would have called it an octave mandolin.

The presence of octave strings in the G & D courses, a holdover from the Greek instrument that inspired the Irish bouzouki can be simply be a matter of preference. I like the octave strings; however, bouzouki virtuoso Beth Patterson doesn't use the octaves because as she told me - as a solo performer she needs to have a little more punch in the low end - so she tunes the G & D in unison. Realizing that this preference exists, string maker John Pearse sells his bouzouki strings with 10 strings that give the player the opportunity to choose either unison or octave configurations.

Beth Patterson live in Lewisburg, WV; February 2008; photo by author

Beth Paterson also uses a tuning that has become standard for the bouzouki (GDAD); however, when the bouzouki was first introduced to Irish mandolinists, they initially adopted the GDAE tuning and many (including myself) still use it today. The GDAD configuration has some advantages over GDAE as it gives an added tonality with a drone like quality from the high D course.

I like to play jazz type chords (such as major 7ths, 9ths, & 13ths) and these are next to impossible to play in GDAD; however, I am experimenting with GDAD. If I ever get an octave mandolin, I will use GDAE on it and GDAD on the bouzouki - until then, I am still toying with GDAD and it is not my current tuning of choice.

Regarding names of these instruments, it can be equally confusing.  This is evidenced, as I mentioned above, with bouzoukis and octave mandolins. In fact, the octave mandolin identification for the shorter scaled instrument in this family is not universally accepted, as some prefer to call it the octave mandola. Even the mandola is referred to in some circles as a tenor mandola. Confused yet, good - we are all on the same page.

Enter Stephen Sobell who began making instruments about the same time the bouzouki was becoming popular in Ireland. In deciding upon a name for his long necked lute, he borrowed its identity from a medieval instrument - the cittern. The cittern was actually in the guitar family and not the lute family, but who is going to quibble about this - I think it was a good choice on his part. Sobell currently offers citterns in both four and five course models.

Beth Patterson, however, plays a five course instrument that she calls a 10-string bouzouki - I personally would have termed this as a cittern and not as a bouzouki - but that may be how the instrument's maker has marketed the beast she owns. In the midst of all of this confusion, someone had the brilliant idea for the appellation that has been placed upon this entire family of instruments - CBOM.

In a perfect world, there might be standardization - but right now there is not. May I suggest the following (knowing good and well that it won't be followed):

• Octave mandolins: 8 strings (20-23 inch scale length) tuned GDAE with unison courses.
• Bouzoukis: 8 strings (26-27 inch scale length) tuned either GDAD or GDAE (octave strings optional).
• Citterns: 10 sting instruments (in a variety of scale lengths) - tuned anyway playable with unison courses.
• Mandocellos: 8 strings (26-27 inch scale length) tuned CGDA with unison courses.

I haven't even tackled those strange mutants of the CBOM world - the blarge, bizzar, Bellzouki, and five string citterns. Even the mandolin family has its anomalies: four, five, and ten-string mandolins; mandriolas; mandolinettos; and piccolo mandolins, oh my.  

All of this aside, it's time we go back to discussing our featured artist. With Rivière's cittern, bouzouki, and mandocello all tuned as GDAE, the only difference between the instruments are the octave strings on the Bouzouki, the size of the body, and the scale length of the instrument.

They all sound very similar via the compressed limitations of YouTube and my own Wal-Mart purchased headphones. I am sure that when played live, they have different tonalities due to individual body size. With that said, does it matter? Not really, as Rivière does an excellent job playing any of these instruments as well as the accordion and guitar.  Check out all of his videos - they are well worth the listen.

Examples of a Mandocello Tuned to CGDA Tuning

Limp Bizkit: Behind Blue Eyes

A couple of weeks ago, I became friends on Facebook with a guy with whom I had attended all 12 years of public school. He commented that he didn’t know that I was so interested in music and he asked me to name my favorite band. This really caused me to think about this particular question, as at different times in my life, it has consisted of different artists.

In the late 60s, it was the Beatles – it started with my purchase of Magical Mystery Tour and moving on to collecting anything Beatles related. I have a Beatles serving tray from 1964; singles and EPs from Canada, Mexico, and the UK; LPs from Germany, the UK, Japan, & the Netherlands: and Beatles albums in a multitude of colored vinyl: red, white, blue, green, yellow, and marble colored (“barftone” to some).

The seventies proved that I was quite fickle with my favorite bands which moved from the Beatles to Pink Floyd, to Fairport Convention, and finally to Emerson, Lake, & Palmer. I’ve seen both ELP and Fairport Convention in concert, but not Floyd or the Beatles. Since the 80s, I have had no particular favorites.

With that in mind, who is my favorite band of all time? Perhaps I should phrase that as an indicative statement rather than an interrogative one: Who is my favorite band of all time. Rather than get into an Abbott and Costello bit here, I must admit that The Who is probably the band that I would place right at the top of the Rock ‘N Roll heap. One of my all time favorite LPs is The Who’s “Who’s Next.” There is not a bad cut on this LP, and one I always liked was “Behind Blue Eyes.” Our cover feature for this Monday is Limp Bizkit’s version of this Pete Townshend composition.

Limp Bizkit, a nu metal band, released this tune in 2003 for the movie "Gothika." Halle Berry played the lead in this movie as well as with Fred Durst, Limp Bizkit’s lead vocalist, in the above music video. Limp Bizkit's rendition of "Behind Blue Eyes" received the K-Rock Best Cover Song Award for 2003.

The Who’s version was originally written for “Lifehouse” -- The Who's ill-fated follow up rock opera to “Tommy.” Much of the “Lifehouse” project appeared on “Who’s Next,” various non-album singles, and Pete Townshend’s first solo LP, “Who Came First.” The remaining songs were scattered throughout other albums.

“Behind Blue Eyes” was written from the perspective of the rock opera’s primary antagonist, Jumbo. Pete Townshend stated that the lyrics from the second portion of the song were written as a prayer. It was inspired by his resistance to the temptations of a groupie.

In Limp Bizkit’s version, there are the additional lyrics of “Discover, L – I – M – P; say it.” This phrase is repeated four times. These were probably samples that were provided by Limp Bizkit member DJ Lethal. All in all, this is a decent rendition of one my favorites by one of my favorites.

The Who’s Version from “Who’s Next”

How Pete Townsend Envisioned the Song for “Lifehouse”

Behind “Behind Blue Eyes”

Lyrics

No one knows what it's like to be the bad man
To be the sad man behind blue eyes
No one knows what it's like
To be hated, to be fated to telling only lies

But my dreams, they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance that's never free

No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings like I do and I blame you!
No one bites back as hard on their anger
None of my pain and woe can show through

But my dreams, they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours only lonely
My love is vengeance, that's never free

When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool

And If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
And If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat

No one knows what it's like to be the bad man
To be the sad man behind blue eyes

Sam Cooke & The Soul Stirrers: Jesus Gave Me Water

Tomorrow evening at 9PM, PBS will be featuring as part of their American Masters series, “Sam Cooke – Crossing Over.” It will feature his music and interviews with numerous individuals who have been influenced and inspired by soulful sound of Sam Cooke. As part of the Spiritual Sunday theme, I am featuring Sam and the Soul Stirrers with “Jesus Gave Me Water.”

Cooke sang with the Soul Stirrers from 1950 to 1957, when he left the group to concentrate on his secular music career. While he had many more hits on the R & B charts, he will be best remembered for scores of singles that charted within the top 20 of the Hot 100 chart. Some of the better known Cooke recordings included the following:

• “You Send Me” 1957 – #1
• “Wonderful World” 1960 – #12
• “Chain Gang” 1960 – #2
• “Cupid” 1961 – #17
• “Twistin’ the Night Away” 1962 – #9
• “Bring it on Home to Me” 1962 – #13
• “Another Saturday Night” 1963 – #10

Cooke also was an early music pioneer as he started his own publishing house and record company (SAR Records) at a time when most performers were not involved in the business side of music industry. Unfortunately, Cooke’s life was cut short in what was ruled by a Los Angeles County Coroner’s inquest as a justifiable homicide.

The ruling sparked controversy as critics deemed the evidence and the case to be circumstantial. Cooke was only 33 when he died from the effects of being shot on December 11, 1964. Within two weeks of his passing, RCA records released his final top 10 hit: “Shake.” The single became a double sided hit as it was backed with what would become a memorable Civil Rights anthem, “A Change is Gonna Come.” Although “Shake” did well charting at #9, its B-side was a #1 hit record.

Truly, the music industry lost one of its great voices.

PBS’ Promo American Master: “Sam Cooke – Crossing Over”

Robin Trower: Bridge of Sighs

Robin Trower’s “Bridge of Sighs” is one of the great LPs in rock history; however, the mainstream listener may not be familiar with the former Procul Harum guitarist’s second solo album. I got my first copy of this album two years after its 1974 release when I purchased another college student’s entire record collection.

This album quickly became one of my favorites and Trower’s playing was reminiscent of the guitar wizardry of Jimi Hendrix. This was something that was not overtly present on Trower’s recordings with Procul Harum, as the band tended to emphasize Matthew Fisher’s organ and Gary Brooker’s piano.

After selecting the album for today, I had an equally difficult time in selecting one song to feature. Eventually, I narrowed it to four of the eight cuts: “Day of the Eagle,” “Bridge of Sighs,” “In this Place,” and “Lady Love.” While the song “Bridge of Sighs” is my particular favorite from this album, the old radio programmer in me suggested that I find something a little more mainstream; and hence, I have chosen “In This Place.”

I first heard this album on WAMX in Ashland, KY when they were playing album rock at night. This was four to five years before I started working there.  The nighttime format often was referred to as being underground.  During the day, WAMX played an adult contemporary mix.

From what I read on my friend Jeff Miller’s site about West Virginia radio, John Davidson was the pioneer of the album rock format on this station; however, I do not remember listening to him. The name I normally associate with the nighttime album format at WAMX was Bob Lee (whose real name was Bobby Leach). Bob would play some of the best music at night and “Bridge of Sighs” was one of the albums I remember hearing Bob play during his shift.

The album features the late James Dewar’s vocals and bass, as well as the drumming of Reg Isidore. Not only did Trower capture the spirit of Hendrix’s talent, the power trio is not unlike the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Trower’s Procul Harum band mate Matthew Fisher produced this album. Originally released in 1974 with a green cover, these began to be replaced by a white colored version of the same image in the late 1970s.

My second copy of “Bridge of Sighs” came into my possession in 1981. That spring, I purchased a used automobile that was equipped with an 8-Track player. So I immediately headed to our local National Record Mart and purchased three 8-Track tapes. “Bridge of Sighs” joined the company of tapes by Bob Marley and Ronnie Laws. If you haven’t figured out already, I am very eclectic in my musical tastes. By the way, the 8-Track had the white photo.

Venice's Bridge of Sighs. Photo by Maria Schnitzmeier. 

Used under permission of Creative Commons License.

Named for the famed structure in Venice, “Bridge of Sighs” topped the American charts at #7 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America during the same year as its release. For your listening pleasure, I have included a YouTube playlist that affords you the opportunity to listen to this album in its entirety.

Elvis: Trying To Get To You

Had he lived, Elvis Presley would have celebrated his 75th birthday today, January 8. To honor this auspicious anniversary, we feature Elvis from his December 3, 1968 comeback concert. The NBC-TV special features today’s song, “Trying to Get to You.”

The 1968 special included five sidemen and was a forum to reunite the King with two of his original backing musicians: guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer DJ Fontana. Only bassist Bill Black, who died in 1965, was missing.

Elvis had previously recorded two versions of “Trying to Get To You.” The recordings occurred at Sam Phillips' Sun Records in Memphis in March and July 1955. Elvis played piano on both recordings; however, Phillips erased the piano track from the March 23 version thinking that Elvis’ playing was not up to par. This sparse version was released on the 1999 album “Sunrise,” while the July 11 recording that included his piano parts appeared on his Elvis Presley LP in 1956, as well as the 1976 release of the “The Sun Sessions.”

Thirteen years of performances are noticed on the 1968 version which is lower (in E) than the 1955 recording which was done in the key of F. As far as the 1968 version is concerned, it is more emotional, polished, and has more energy than the earlier release.

I wonder what would have happened if Elvis had lived. What would have been his opinion of the plastic surgery that destroyed Priscilla’s beauty? Would he have embraced, or we he have been embarrassed of, having Michael Jackson as a son-in-law? Finally, how would he have looked? We’ve seen the “Young Elvis” and the “Fat Elvis,” now FreakingNews.com shows us the “Old Elvis.”

Where Were You When You Found Out Elvis Had Died

When major tragedies strike, we tend remember where we were at the time we heard the news. Can you remember where you were when you heard that Elvis died? I do. I was sitting in traffic on the now defunct/destroyed 6th Street Bridge that linked Chesapeake, Ohio and Huntington, WV.

While traveling from my day job in Ohio to my evening gig, I was listening to WKEE in Huntington. When I heard the news, I bypassed supper and drove immediately to the original studios of WEMM on Hal Greer Boulevard, where I was scheduled to work in an hour. Rushing to the United Press International teletype, I quickly pulled the wire news story. Jim Mann, the afternoon drive announcer, was unaware that Elvis died and had not heard the bells that typically sounded for a major news bulletin such as this. I took him the copy and at his next break, he read it. Upon his finishing the story, I asked for the copy back so that I might keep it as a memento and have it nearly 33 years later.

Notice the errors in this first report.  It has Elvis as 45 when he 
was 42 and it has him dying in the hospital, but not on the can.

Since WEMM had religious programming and only two nightly music shows, I used the evening to play cuts from Elvis’s “How Great Thou Art Album” and various Stamps Quartet LPs. I picked the Stamps as they had backed Elvis during numerous concerts. In addition, I have every wire story about Elvis from that particular evening.

Some say Elvis is alive and well and frequents a Burger King in Kalamazoo, Michigan on a regular basis. I tend, however, to like the explanation given by Tommy Lee Jones in the movie “Men in Black.” Take a listen below.

No, Elvis is not dead, he just went home. sound bite  Will Smith sound bites

Happy Elvis' Birthday, but remember, "Elvis has left the building."