Which album will Hepworth *criminally* under-rate or overlook in his forthcoming book? Everyone puts in a fiver. Half the kitty goes to the winner and the other half goes to Syrian refugees. I decide the winner after reading the book.
I am disqualified from taking part but my money would be on the King of Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley. By 1971, he was no longer breaking new ground but his album of that year, Elvis Country or I’m 10,000 Years Old, is one of his very best. He cares about these songs and sings them with the passion and charisma of a true believer. This Southern boy has an intimate knowledge of all things Country: Western Swing, Blues, Traditional, Bluegrass, Gospel, Countrypolitan. As do the band of Nashville’s finest. It is also one of his weirdest LPs (disorientating snippets of I’m 10,000 Years Old are used as a bridge between the songs) with his weirdest cover (a sweet picture of Elvis as a child). I reckon Mr Hepworth will forget it exists, despite its quality.
While you think about your nominations, here’s a virtually piano less Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.
1971 was a crap year for music.
1986 is where it is at as earlier threads have proved.
You might think I’ve been ignoring you, @Uncle-Wheaty, but I’ve spent the time fruitlessly searching for an album released in 1971 called 1986.
Where’s your fiver going, then?
Nursery Chryme
I’ve seen a video clip of the book sleeve and Nursery Cryme is on it. (Please help, @minibreakfast.) It may even get a chapter of its own.
Um, Dolly’s Coat Of Many Colours might not be considered cool enough by ver Hep.
@beany will no doubt put up an argument for A Partridge Family Christmas Card 🙂
I thought you might be able to post the video clip of the book cover with its secret sleeve. It must have been someone else.
Yes it must have been. Still, Dolly eh?
It was me but I forget where I found it.
Oh, wait. https://www.instagram.com/p/BDQ6M0gIhVW/
That’s a relief. I feared I was going insane.
Tigs got you to show him your secret sleeve!
*sniggers helplessly behind the lid of school desk*
Steady now @minibreakfast I was 16 at the time and it would be many years later when I, er, matured that I would acquire that artefact.
I’m not a betting man so I would suggest the Black Widow LP. I’m sure there is much love on the Afterword for the Dame (Hepworth) but perhaps there will be less wholesome chuckles in this mighty tome than Mark’s autobiography.
Black Widow! Heavy, man.
Come To The Sabbat – back in 1971 I genuinely thought that was a misprint.
Tago Mago.
How could he possibly ignore that wonderful cover (dare I say almost Squeezerish in its use of colour)? You must be saying The Hepster thinks the music is shite.
I suspect Da Hippo will not be found grooving along to it even after two glasses of claret.
It’s on the book’s cover, which might be a clue (see instagram link upthread).
Yep, that rendition annoyed me too.
I was 8, so no idea. I’ll go for something by The Osmonds — *hits wikipedia* — let’s say, ooh I dunno, Phase III.
You have a great chance of winning with The Osmonds, MC. I can’t see Heppo even considering them worthy of discussion. However, Phase III was released in 1972.
Now That’s What I Call Thread Curating. Of course you saw my deliberate mistake: Phase III was after their Imperial phase, Homemade is, AAFK, the Sgt Pepper’s of bubblegum pop. Well played Sir.
… and that’s payable to MĂ©decins Sans Frontières, you say?
*flushes with pride*
If those Frenchie types are helping Syrian refugees, that’s fine!
Lost in the Ozone by Commander Cody. And if he does overlook it, he’s wrong, and a dullard to boot.
Is it any good, though?
Nope, it’s feckin’ marvellous, and announced the arrival of a long haired redneck western swing and rockabilly into the otherwise elitist laurel canyon canon of polite country rock.
It is a groundbreaker every bit as much as, say, Sweetheart of the Rodeo was for the singer songwriter intellectuals some years earlier.
An error occurred. Oh dear.
A handy guide: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1971_albums
Anything by black people?
He’s put together a YouTube playlist. Two black people feature in 37 videos, Isaac Hayes and Aretha Franklin.
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1WNv3EEICk918QmSyiE0nwk9WSQXIAmf
Cor two! Hot Buttered Soul?. What was the Aretha – the Filmore West live one?
It was Shaft and Rock Steady. Plus, the Instagram clip above features What’s Goin’ On and Pieces Of A Man.
Denying ‘Al Green Gets Next to You’ would be the act of a churl….
Or a cold fish
It’ll be the Incredible String Band’s Liquid Acrobat as Regards the Air, which is easily their best post-Wee Tam & the Big Huge effort. In fact, Red Hair and Worlds They Rise and Fall are two of their best songs full stop. And Darling Belle is epic.
But I predict it will not get the credit it deserves – all the more ironic, given Mr Hepworth’s latter-day resemblance to Robin Williamson.
I don’t think I’ve wanted to read a book less in my life
I wasn’t even that keen on reading this thread.
To be honest, I was pretty ambivalent about starting it.
Bah. – we will all read it
I’m not.
I’ll box your ears for it when I see you next young fella me lad.
Poor old Heppo. Once so feared.
What a mean-spirited post. Hepworth is someone we all have a connection with via the mag, then the Word blog. Even if you have no interest in the music of the era, why so much bile?
Bile? Really? I can’t speak for others but I’m indulging in a bit of gentle leg-pulling and most of that is directed at Tigg.
Only joking Peter. Just looking for an excuse to use the old Afterword “mean spirited post” standby.
Although there people here who appear to genuinely dislike Heppy.
Fair do’s JC. I thought you’d had a touch too much sun.
This is where it was at
https://youtu.be/pGOHPY3xtmU
This is the way it should be:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b268/Sunburst369/115380366_zpstyxidtlw.jpg
or maybe it’s
That’s the cover I remember and prefer.
You’d rather look at men’s arses than a glorious splash of orange??!!
I’m trying it out as part of my quest for a new hobby.
Oh yes! I mean look at it!!!
A Japanese man singing in English with a German band featuring a most brilliant drummer. That pic says it all to me. It’s also the first cover I saw, it lives with me.
Och jemes, we’re agrrreeing wi’ each other! This is the sleeve I had too, an envelope, opening at the top. I was very disappointed to see the original German design. One thing – look at the size of Jaki’s kit! It’s a Chad Valley toy he got for Christmas! And he made that immense, planetary sound! Yikes!
I notice there are thousands of paying punters. What a crowd!
Er … it’s dark out there?
Hardly a crush at the front. Not like the last Damned gig I went to.
James Last Polka Party. Bet he hasn’t even bothered listening to it.
On a more serious note, Shirley Collins and the Albion Country – No Roses
I don’t know much about folk, but isn’t No Roses regarded as a major event, the first time Collins went electric? It’s bound to get a mention!
It will get a mention, but the issue is whether it will get headline billing over the relatively lacklustre Steelye, Fairport and other folk tunes from 1971 he seems to like judging by the Spotify playlist. On reflection, I suspect that The Gipsy by Mr Fox is the more likely omission or under -rated. In terms of rock, it will be interesting to see if and where Pilgrimage ranks.
Ditto Aqualung
I have a feeling that, as readably great as The Hep is, he may not have the emotional connection to realise how wildly brilliant and era-opening the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s 1971 debut ‘The Inner Mounting Flame’ was:
Was that really as late as 1971? I thought it had been released in the 18th Century!
No, it’s a common mistake, Tigs. The band first got together in 1793 (partly because that was John McLaughlin’s favourite time signature, so it seemed an auspicious date) and began their first rehearsal. One hundred and seventy-eight years later, in mid July 1971, after the fall of several empires, the discovery of a number of new continents and the extinction of various iconic species, the jam on their third number finished and the lads realised they ‘had something’. A studio was booked and the multi-century set was deftly boiled down to around 40 minutes, recorded in a day, and released four months later. The rest was history.
I have a sneaky feeling you might win, Colin. Deservedly so.
A good shout, @Colin_H.
I’ll nominate Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s “Tarkus”. A massive hit at the time but Hepcat won’t mention it, unless with disdain.
Ditto The Moody Blues “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour”.
Well, the cover is on the secret sleeve, illustrated above, so it’s in the book. Is it favourably discussed or not?
He has a track on his 71 Spotify playlist. Only time will tell whether this indicates approval or is there to demonstrate some other point.
Somehow I think ‘The Thrash’ will avoid Hepworths dubious appraisal..
Which is a good thing indeed.
So good they never repeated the process.
Mogul, that is..
Sounds like pretty generic ‘Rock’ to me, with very little thrash involved. Is it possible to *criminally* under-rate it, do you think?
Given his tastes I’d suggest something filed under “Heavy Rock”.
He’ll talk Led Zeppelin IV. I was thinking he would ignore Master of Reality but in a recent post on the Total Rock site (yeah, get me) he mentioned it, as it was the album where Iommi downtuned his strings for the first time (news to me). He probably won’t mention Deep Purple’s Fireball, but that’s ok because I wouldn’t either. Alice Cooper’s Love it to Death deserves a mention, and probably will get it, as it contains I’m Eighteen. As I mentioned before, I’m sure he’ll devote an entire chapter to the first Budgie album.
I bet he won’t mention Satori by the Flower Travelin’ Band, which is a shame because, apart from the Zeppelin and Sabbath albums it was the best hard rock album made that year.
Quality post, Hawkfall! I like the way you worm inside his mind, follow a promising lead and reach a logical conclusion. He’ll mention Alice because of Killer, then add that he released another album in the same year. You tell kids today that acts regularly released two albums a year and they won’t believe you.
Grazie mille Tigger. I had forgotten that Killer was 1971 as well, bravo for remembering. I think I keep thinking it was 1972 because the free calendar that came with it was for 1972. But why would they put a 1972 calendar in a record released in 1972, eh readers?
The Byrds; both Byrdmaniax and Farther Along were released in 1971, but it’s doubtful he’ll want to put his curly head on the block for either. Especially as he’s never heard them because they’re sneered at by his mates.
To be fair to Heppapotamus, whose opinion we don’t even know yet, those albums are both a bit rubbish.
You’ll be much happier with whatever teenage girls are streaming, Tig.
For once your post contains a nugget of truth. I would be much happier, in general, to listen to some kerwality pop than some “hear the beards” dullards, too.
Wonder if he mentions Superstar by The Carpenters. There is a great record. A single though so not really in his remit here.
That’s fine, Mauritz! Not only does your taste mark you out as someone who’s abreast of the changing musical times, but also someone much younger in spirit than his appearance would suggest! I’m sure your kids love swapping quality pop playlists with you – and if you don’t have kids, find somebody else’s!
Don’t teenage girls stream porn these days?
Thanks for that list of releases Mini. Very handy.
Two albums I suspect may not get a mention.
Caetano Veloso’s eponymous third album, written while the Brazilian singer was living in exile in London during Brazil’s military dictatorship. More interesting than essential perhaps?
Carla Bley’s triple LP “jazz opera” Escalator over the Hill was a musically eclectic, wildly adventurous milestone featuring many of the finest jazzers of the time.
A couple of familiar faces feature in this rehearsal film: Jack Bruce and John McLaughlin.
On second thoughts, he can’t possibly ignore that.
Here’s Carla playing on the OGWT with Jack and Mick Taylor from the same era.
Carla Bley’s formative years were eventful! From the Oakland church via roller-skating to Birdland.
“Carla Borg was born in Oakland, California. Her father, a piano teacher and church choirmaster, encouraged her to sing and to learn to play the piano. After giving up the church to immerse herself in roller skating at the age of fourteen, she moved to New York at seventeen and became a cigarette girl at Birdland, where she met jazz pianist Paul Bley, whom she married in 1957.”
The recording process for Escalator involved some complicated logistics with tapes being sent all over the world for the musicians to add their contribution. This article also mentions its very mixed reception. Neither the jazz nor the rock critics knew what to make of it.
http://thegarage13.blogspot.se/2013/11/carla-bley-and-escalator-over-hill.html
Just to be clear, Ka, your fiver is on Carla Bley’s Escalator Over The Hill, yeah?
Decisions decisions! It was so ground-breaking and included so many major players of that time, I can’t really believe that he won’t mention it, Tigger.
Ok provisionally. But I still want to enjoy browsing through that list to see what other neglected masterpieces were released.
It was a fairly extraordinary year for album releases. I feel a Spotify playlist coming on!
The first Budgie album is still up for grabs, KFD. I’m happy to stand aside.
OK. I’ll let you stew for a while. Come back to me when you’ve made your mind up.
Hawkfall, you are the embodiment of generosity.
But what a choice! Budgie or Caetano’s White Bird??
Are they birds of a feather?
It is unlikely to be Harold McMair playing with Caetano. He died in March 1971: a mere 39 years old.
‘Escalator’ (John McLaughlin parts recorded in 1970) is notable for ‘Rawalpindi Blues’ where John’s guitar playing, at last – after a long and winding road of exploration – reaching the Mahavishnu machine-gun sound and style:
Thanks Colin. You’ve probably read this fascinating article about how EOTH came into being.
http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/jm3/eoth_notes_accomp.html
Could this be the first album ever recorded using crowd-sourcing?
Love this quote from the article:
“Sherry and Sue Speeth, who had just moved to India and were giving away all their earthly goods, had donated $15,000 to the project. With that we leaped off the edge and told the record company (who had never been that interested anyway) to forget it. ”
OK Tigs! Sign me UP for the Escalator. A landmark album in many ways.
That’s a good point, Fats – the first crowdfunded album. Certainly, the first one of any significance, I’d imagine. It was a grand folly in a way, but it wasn’t without precedent. By the time it was released Keith Tippett’s 50-piece Centipede had already released their album in Britain – although I doubt Carla was aware of Tippett’s plans when she began the Escalator project. (I think recording may have begun in late 1969 – no time to read any online histories at the mo, unfortunately.) Also, Ginger Baker’s Air Force was an enormo-unit getting huge headlines during 1970 and filling the Albert Hall (hard to believe now, I know). Also, during 1970, Barry Guy had debuted the vast London Jazz Composers Orchestra – there was clearly something in the air circa 1970 inspiring/allowing these vast assemblages to appear. The LJCO lasted for decades, too – since replaced by the Barry Guy New Orchestra, although Howard Riley (a member) told me last year that an uber-fan in Poland had financed an LJCO gig over there within the last two or three years.
Are you sure? There’s no rush.
If you’re talking to me rather than Fatz… I’m embroiled in proofreading a thesis with six-figure wordage from with a pressing deadline just at the mo, so someone else can write the essay on Carla! (HP? Johnny C? DisappointingBob? Beany?)
Of course, the ‘Escalator’ project came into my John McL biography. Curiously, I could find very little contemporary PR around it – a few reviews and one one-page interview, in Down Beat, with Carla.
Carla Bley. Always found her strangely attractive, what with the Queen Of The Jungle barnet and avant-garde aesthetic. Never liked her music much though but. I did try – got Escalator out of the library and wrestled with it for a whole week before it went back.
I was talking to Fats but you interjected.
Now Saucecraft has butted in!
Carla is now 79 years old but still going strong and gigging occasionally. DuCool and I saw her here at the Fasching jazz club a couple of years back. Not only did she play a fine set, but also she couldn’t have been more charming at the merch table afterwards.
We (i.e. YOU) could start a penetrating discussion on the status of her best-known album today: ‘Escalator: Over The Hill?’
You mean like “Carla Bley’s Escalator Over The Hill: Time For A Reappraisal”?
The problem is that Jazz threads don’t attract much comment traffic.
Get kfd to curate your ‘jazz thread’.!You’ll be in ‘Most Commented’ before you know it! Mainly from kfd himself, obvs!
The kfd method to Popular Posting:
1 Think of theme, illustrate with a YouTube clip
2 Post up to a hundred separate YouTube clips related to theme (or not) in comments section
3 Occasionally ask self questions, reply with answers
4 Offer hearty encouragement to anyone else joining in, including self
5 If all else fails, change theme within comments, start over
My fiver is on America by John Fahey.
From that wikipedia list it would be too easy to choose something obscure, but in the spirit of the game I’m choosing a truly great and mesmeric masterpiece. With America, John Fahey took the idea of long form, folk-blues inflected solo guitar instrumentals to a new level of wanton eclecticism. He’s in a genre of one.
And the LP cover is great.
I may be wrong, but I don’t think I’ve heard David Hepworth mention John Fahey before. (Here’s where somebody points out there was a big Word feature on him in 2005 or something).
You aren’t getting much flak nor encouragement for this selection, Arthur. I doubt anyone else has heard of it.
I have. Fahey is an acquired taste. One of those undeniably seminal artistes who is often baffling or unlistenable. I saw him live once – during a period when he seemed intent on annoying his audience – and have heard/own several of his albums. I’m not aware that ‘America’ is held as one of his best – is it? But his composition titles were often brilliant.
Not heard of that album, But Fahey certainly gets a thumbs from me. A very unique guitarist with an uncanny ability to create atmosphere. Bit of a Peel favourite too I believe
John Fahey: not always predictable, as this demonstrates . . . .
I cant believe I’ve unwittingly revealed myself as having hip obscure taste in an artist the collective massive have not heard of.
I feel quite privileged and smug. And also a little confused as I thought Fahey was more well known.
Of the two Zappa LPs released in 1971 (Fillmore East and 200 Motels) I wonder which he’ll choose, if any.
VDGG’s Pawn Hearts was from ’71, but never charted outside of Italy. What chances, I wonder?
One of the tracks is on his Spotify playlist…
My money’s on Alice Coltrane’s Universal Conciousness. Heppo certainly won’t like it.
That’s a good choice. I think he has an aversion to jazz. He may argue that the book is about Rock but that’s a pretty feeble attitude, I’d say.
Or Pharaoh Sanders Black Unity or the Last Poets This Is Madness. I wasn’t expecting Pieces Of A Man so I think there may be some surprises.
Message from the Country by The Move
Incredible that no one has mentioned this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedknobs_and_Broomsticks#Soundtrack
Probably my Xmas listening that year and well in 72.
Well INTO 72. Edit, blah, blah, blah.
I reckon it could be this one:
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd449/jimathomas/TopOfThePopsTheBestOfTopOfThePops71466382.jpg
or maybe this?
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd449/jimathomas/5119670_orig.jpg
There’s probably a really obvious answer to this, and I’m being rather dense … but why is “Mozart Symphony no. 40” included on the Smash Hits ’71 album?
For a start, it was one of the smash hits of 1788, not 1971, so it should’ve been on the Classics for Pleasure label, not Music for Pleasure.
Has someone, like, photoshopped in the title for a joke or something?
See 3rd para: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldo_de_los_R%C3%ADos
Also:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fdmyLRR7i0w
Aha. So that’s it. Thanks for clearing that up, Mini.
Hello @duco01. You don’t appear to have placed your wager.
Okey-dokey … I’ll go for one of Bert Jansch’s very finest albums, “Rosemary Lane”.
Wa-hay! I reckon the kitty must be up to seventy quid for Syria by now.
Funnily enough there were two charting versions of Mozart 40 in 1971.
Waldo De Los Rios reached #5
and
Sovereign Collection peaked at #27
Amazing what you can do with out of copyright stuff, isn’t it?
Of course, the Aussies were less reserved with their shitty compilations . AND they used the original versions (OK it’s 1976, but it’s worth posting)
http://i.imgur.com/jyUDQFT.jpg
And so is this:
http://i.imgur.com/j2ProVl.jpg
Be honest, where else are you going to find Nana Mouskouri rubbing shoulders with Uriah Heep (other than @beany‘s house).
This is My Kind Of Party!
http://imgur.com/Fuwbhzu
You are trying to coax me into posting the photo of my signed Nana LP again. It won’t work. Not when I am busy working on a post about an even stranger compilation…
I just went looking for your blog post, thinking that the above comment was from 9:36am as per the timestamp. Seems the AW isn’t yet in British Summertime, though.
Will check back later, Beany. Am intrigued!
Where I used to work, the clocking-in machines split an hour into 100 ‘minutes’, so 1971 is nearly quarter to eight.
We’re on tenterhooks beany (whatever they are)
I’m on beanyhooks.
Christmas 1971 was when we first got a record player in our house. A stereo, no less. That Top Of The Pops album was the first record my dad bought. I think he got it free with the cabinets to hold up the stereo. I fell in love.
Yesterday I bought Graham Nash’s Songs For Beginners (in a proper crawl-around-on-your-hands-and-knees second hand record shop). I suppose there’s a chance that DH might ignore it in favour of Crosby’s more trumpeted release that year, although going by the dazzling online reviews this could be a risk too far for my fiver. (I haven’t played it yet.)
Danny Baker declares Songs for Beginners as one of the greatest albums ever made. May be praising it a bit too highly, but it is brilliant and has my vote ahead of Crosby’s stoned meanderings.
Thanks! My fiver will remain on Dolly for now.
Oh. I thought you were referring to a cat! Dolly who?
Parton, tigs. Dolly Parton, as mentioned last night upthread.
You feeling alright? 🙂
Um, yes. I’m fine. I’m not familiar with her oeuvre, that’s all.
I believe ‘balcon’ is the French word you seek.
I’m sure he’s familiar with that.
Ah yes. It’s coming back to me now. She’s the lady with the small stature and the massive …. hair.
. . . Embonpoint?
DĂ©colletage, Shirley?
DĂ©collatage? Its a large building, where people get knowledge, but that’s not important now. . .
She is very popular, but she does have her knockers.
Coat Of Many Colors sits at no. 301 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. My money is definitely on this to be overlooked in the book.
You are in with a shout. Well done.
Re: Songs for Beginners
Oh yes, Military Madness, I Used to Be a King, Sleep Song and Chicago are all very fine.
Good stuff.
Criminally under-rate: Faces – A Nod Is As Good As A Wink
Overlook:
Black Sabbath – Masters Of Reality
(not their best, but knocking on the door)
Cat Stevens – Teaser & The Firecat
(again not his best, but still bloody good)
Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tells A Story
(still his best solo work and will probably receive a “oh, and there was also …”)
Two of those are on the cover, so have not been overlooked at least: https://www.instagram.com/p/BDQ6M0gIhVW/
Still a chance the Faces ‘magnificent octopus’ will be derided (the fool!)
Who’s Next may be an easy target, or an attempt to be a proper contrarian at least.
I’m guessing there’ll be no mention of Hawkwind – xIn Search Of Space, and no room for Burt Bacharach – Portrait In Music (probably because it appeared on the cover of Definitely Maybe, and therefore must be ignored)
Mr Digit, please make up your mind. Remember, the book is subtitled Never A Dull Moment, so he might have a fondness for The Faces.
I admire the self-control of everybody who hasn’t checked David Hepworth’s 1971 playlist on Spotify, which looks like it will give a good indication of who he’s going to mention in his book. I haven’t listened to it recently, but as far as I remember Elvis, Can, Al Green, Byrds and John Fahey fans among others will be pleased – or disappointed if they hoped to catch him out.
I’ll read his book as I’m interested in social histories of a time slightly before mine, and I find him an entertaining writer who is both knowledgeable about pop music and doesn’t take it too seriously. He does know how to come up with ideas that provoke, like the best popular journalists. His idea that 1971 was the best year for the rock album, along with the throwaway comment that the Beatles are under-rated seem to generate about a quarter of the threads on this site – which as far as I know he’s never visited.
Yeah, yeah. We know all that. Where’s your fiver going, then?
Well, I was 11 in 1971 so I’m not too sure who was making waves then – the Flaming Groovies, the Art Ensemble of Chicago? I find it hard to remember what came out when in general. Unless it’s a time when you can associate a record with something significant, like punk bringing down Thatcher in 1977, it all tends to merge into one. Part of the interest of this book is that it will probably show what a jumble that year’s music was, like most other years.
YDFMDH
I’ll read the book in spite of the premise, not because of it. Which is probably half the point.
Just asking – “YDFMDH” ?
You Don’t F***ing Mean David Hepworth.
You Don’t Fool Me David Hepworth?
Tigs is Heppo in Disguise, and I hereby claim my prize.
I’m sensing from all the ‘what will he leave out’ stuff that we could be discovering a demand for a different book entirely:
‘UNHEPPED! The Sounds Of 71 That Slipped Through The Hep’
Do you want to write it, Colin?
No.
Thanks Colin. I did a LOL.
Julie Driscoll’s 1969 (actually released in 1971) is a good candidate for a lost classic. Worth checking out if you are in the mood for a bit of prog.
My personal favourite would be Moondog 2. I cant imagine that’s in there.
Surely he must have included Groundhogs’ Split.
I’ll put you down for Moondog 2, Ray.
I suspect Miles’s Jack Johnson mightn’t get its due.
Nor McDonald & Giles.
Nor the debut from Thin Lizzy.
Here are the runners and riders:
James Blast – Nursery Cryme
minibreakfast – Coat Of many Colors
Pencilsqueezer – Tago Mago
MC Escher – The Osmonds’ Homemade
retropath2 – Commander Cody’s Lost in The Ozone
ivylander – Al Green Gets Next To You
Lando Cakes – Incredible String Band Liquid Acrobat
ernietothecentreoftheearth – Shirley Collins & The Albion Country Band’s No Roses
Colin H – Mahavishnu Orchestra
Mike H – ELP Tarkus
The Actual North – Mogul Thrash
Hawkfall – Flower Travelin’ Band
HP Saucecraft – Byrdmaniax
Didley Farquar – The Carpenters
Kaisfatdad – Carla Bley Escalator Over The Hill
Arthur Cowslip – John Fahey America
Johnny C – Frank Zappa
Pessoa – VDGG Pawn Hearts
JQW – Alice Coltrane Universal Consciousness
Mavis Diles – The Move Message From The Country
Alias – Pharoah Sanders Black Unity
ip33 – Bedknobs & Broomsticks Soundtrack
BigJimBob – The Best Of Top Of The Pops ’71
chilli ray virus – Moondog 2
That’s ÂŁ60 to the winner so far!
Yet to make up their minds:
Uncle Wheaty, Dogfacedboy, ianess, Rigid Digit, David Kendall & Declan. Lodestone of Wrongness is out on a limb and currently doesn’t qualify.
Thank you.
Can I make mine more specific? Of the two Zappa LPs released in 1971, I reckon DH will give 200 Motels the elbow.
Surely the only reason to mention the Filmore East album would be to talk about them closing the Filmore East (end of an era, etc etc)
Peaches at Track 74 on the playlist. Only good thing on the album apart from a spirited run through Happy Together.
“I know that in a way it’s sad that Bill Graham is closing down the Fillmore, but I’m sure he’ll get into something better. It’s been lovely working for you this evening, good night boys and girls.”
Of course you can. 200 Motels it is then.
Thank you!
The book doesn’t really go into too much detail about any specific albums really, it (surprisingly) adopts much more of a broad brush approach.
What, he talks about the weather?
I took a look at his very comprehensive playlist and it’s clear that he’s going nowhere near anything remotely jazzy.
Alias, JQW and myself are backing fairly safe horses.
Oh balls, Dolly is track 22 (incidentally, also her waist measurement in inches).
Do Ya by The Move is on there. My only hope is that he will criticise Message From The Country because the singles weren’t on it.
It’s one heck of a playlist… beginning to think he may have a point…
Elvis is on there, too. I have to say David Bowie’s presence is merely a technicality. He released Hunky Dory the week before Christmas. No-one noticed it, nor bought it, until well into 1972.
We can surely expect a sly mention for Mark Ellen’s reliable list of bands that he trots out in the podcasts fairly often… usually as a yardstick for dubious quality…
Mogul Thrash
Amon Duul ii
Tonto’s Expanding Head Band
… all released albums in 1971.
I see you’ve chosen a Michael Buble album cover as your profile pic.
Um… what’s up with that?
I was responsible for the original Pop Stars Breaking Wind thread, and that was my first picture on it.
Parp-tastic!
(In other parp-related news, Herb Alpert is 81 today.)
Crabby Appleton?
Or ‘ow’s about, nah then, The Wackers album “Wackering Heights”? That was a goodie, too.
Despite being on the front cover (can’t believe I only just noticed this), Nash’s Songs For Beginners only merits one very short sentence.
I looked up Dolly and Parton in the index. No joy.
I looked up Coat Of Many Colors. It’s there, but I’ve not read about it yet.
Hmm. It gets a passing mention. Surely this counts as an under-rating?
Depends on it being any good in the first place.
It’s a country classic!
That’s true, but I don’t think the parent album troubled the main US chart ( as opposed to the country chart), which might have set Dave against it.
Nick Drake’s effort didn’t trouble any charts at the time either, but DH devotes six pages to it. In terms of critical acclaim, Dolly’s album is pretty well regarded: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_Many_Colors
I suppose it’s all down to tigger’s judgement in the end (and I hear whispers that he’s pedal steel averse!).
6 pages for Nick Drake.
A prime example of cultural revisionism.
The albums are OK, but are they really that great?
(Cue an Afterword sh*tstorm, and cries of Rigid Digit is a cloth-eared pillock)
I love Nick Drake, but you’re right – 6 pages on an album that sold maybe 300 copies?
Hunky Dory sold even fewer copies in 1971!
Bah! Hoist by me own petard!
Does “Where Im Coming from” by Stevie Wonder get a mention? no mention of it in this thread….
Yes, I’m reading that very page now!
Nice one, its a great album which really sets up Stevies golden run of albums….
That may be so, but entries after the book’s publication are disqualified.