What's Playing Now

[SpeakerLabFan]

J. Geils Band - Ladies Invited
(1973, Atlantic) STERLING; "Mezz is back" / "Pass the word" in the deadwax on side 1/2; mastered at Sterling Sound



5th record from J. Geils features the usual great fun party tunes from these guys, blistering guitar, Magic Dick on the harmonica. .....and a very nice lively warm soundstage on this LP pressing > another prime piece of evidence to make the case for the licorice pizza, in my courtroom.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Kenny Burrell - God Bless The Child
(1971, CTI) VAN GELDER in the deadwax; recording/engineer by Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder Studios



brilliant jazz guitar. w/ Freddie Hubbard, Billy Cobham, Airto Moriera, Ron Carter. An excellent condition $1 thrift store find last week.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Nils Lofgren - self titled
(1975, A&M) KENDUN-A and "Big Deal" in the deadwax; mastered by Kent Duncan Mastering



His first solo LP after breaking up his band Grin. This is a great rollicking set of songs backed by Lofgren's tasty guitar work.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Loggins and Messina - On Stage
(1974, Columbia)



recorded at concerts in 72 & 73 in SF, NYC and Boston. I saw them play at the Univ of Washington in Seattle in April '73. Yeah lots of songs played to death on hit radio like "Your Mama Don't Dance" but they had a good stage show. Especially Jim Messina with his Buffalo Springfield/Poco roots, he led extended versions "Angry Eyes" and "Vahaleva" which raised the roof.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Grin - The Best Of Grin Featuring Nlis Lofgren
(1976, Epic) MASTERED BY CAPITOL in the deadwax



a compilation of songs from the four Grin LPs of the early 70s. Some of these songs are a showcase for Lofgren's tasty guitar playing.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Yes - Yesterdays
(1974, Atlantic) Porky in the deadwax, side 1; mastered by George Peckham



Ah Yes. a compilation mostly of songs from the first couple of albums plus B-side "Dear Father" and a 10 minute cover of Simon & Garfunkel's America that was previously on an Atlantic records sampler. I have a couple of copies; my other copy does not have the "Porky" deadwax inscription.

[SpeakerLabFan]

earlier...

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Pictures At An Exhibition
(1972, Cotillion) AT/GP in the deadwax; mastered by George Piros at Atlantic Studios



recorded live, March 1971; I couldn't pass up another excellent condition copy at the thrift store last week.


now...

Michael Nesmith - And The Hits Just Keep On Coming
(1972, RCA Victor)




I was excited to see this one this week at a thrift store in excellent shape. There were several tasty records in the bins from someone with initials "RE". I think I have most of the Nesmith solo LPs but didn't have this one. Some great introspective songs here, written before and during his time with The Monkees. Looks like he was in good company when shooting pictures for the inner gatefold, "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" is the book title he is holding.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Murray McLauchlan - Boulevard
(1976, True North) KENDUN-A in the deadwax



Canadian singer-songwriter and guitar, piano and backed by "The Silver Tractors". nicely produced pop/rock.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Tracy Nelson - Sweet Soul Music
(1975, MCA) B.D.I. in the deadwax; mastered by Brian Ingoldsby at MCA Recording Studio




Another tasty thrift find this week apparently from the collection of "RE" < initials on the covers Nelson is a singer songwriter ("Down So Low") with a great voice. Her SF band Mother Earth played the Fillmore Auditorium, sharing bills with the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix in the 60s. I have a couple of other Tracy Nelson records, which feature pictures of her with dogs; this well-worn cover includes a picture of her with a calico cat.

[SpeakerLabFan]

earlier...

Tom Waits - Nighthawks At The Diner
(1975, Elektra)



2 LP set recorded live July 1975. Waits was 26 years old at the time with a voice that sounds like he's going on 60. love the seedy characters and the sleazy, cheezy low-brow American scenes that he paints in his songs. Mike Melvoin on piano.



now....

Grateful Dead - self titled
(1971, Warner Bros) Artisan symbol in the deadwax;




aka "Skull And Roses"; 2 LP mostly live recordings. The Dead were just a 5-piece configuration when these were recorded in early '71, with Merl Saunders joining on organ for several tunes. the improvisational magic is there, especially Garcia, Weir, and with Phil Lesh holding the harmony together with that melodic bass while going off on his own excursions.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
(1971, Atlantic) Porky / Pecko Duck in the deadwax, side 1/2; mastered by George Peckham



additional musicians: Sandy Denny – vocals on "The Battle of Evermore"; Ian Stewart – piano on "Rock and Roll" (uncredited)

[SpeakerLabFan]

Funky Kings - self titled
(1976, Arista) mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Studios



Jack Tempchin and Jules Shear's band. Tempchin is a singer/songwriter who worked with the Eagles, wrote a few of their hits including Peaceful Easy Feeling, Already Gone, ..... Shear went on to Jules And The Polar Bears. This record sounds interchangeable with a lot of S. California rock from the time - Eagles, Souther/Hillman/Furay, etc, with a bunch of nice original Tempchin songs.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Jack Tempchin - self titled
(1978, Arista) DP/Woodland in the deadwax; mastered by Denny Purcell at Woodland Studio, Nashville



includes "Peaceful Easy Feeling", which was a hit for The Eagles, as a slower paced duet with Jennifer Warnes and with Glenn Frey on 12 string acoustic guitar, wow, very nice. includes songs co-written with Tom Waits; J.D. Souther. with Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, Pete Carr playing and singing.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Tomita - Pictures At An Exhibition
(1975, RCA Red Seal) STERLING RL in the deadwax; mastered by Robert Ludwig at Sterling Sound




earlier this week, I listened to Emerson Lake & Palmer's performance of "Pictures". I forgot that I picked up this electronic version by Isao Tomita last month from the HPB clearance shelves.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Ry Cooder - self titled
(1970, Reprise) Artisan symbol in the deadwax; "mixdown" by Lee Herschberg



produced by Van Dyke Parks; musicians include Chris Etheridge