Jul 302015
I went seeking a Blodwyn Pig performance and stumbled on this rare live performance by Juicy Lucy instead. Dig the outdoor hippie scene and see if you don’t settle on a favorite segment or image.
I did find some Blodwyn Pig, as well, which I may come back to at a later date, but the related stuff that showed up in my Bloodwyn Pig search on YouTube led me to a bevy of hippie blooz rock. Here’s a band called Taste, which seems to be a late-’60s band led by Rory Gallagher, before he became one of our friend HVB’s Guitar Tone Heroes:
My goodness. I take it that is the same Chris Farlowe who around 66-67 made a living doing Stones covers and had a hit with “Out of Time”?
I find myself both fascinated and bored to tears with this sort of early 70s Heavy Rock. I really can’t listen to it, but I find the fact of it somewhat interesting. I’m not sure how to explain it.
But certainly all will enjoy the hippy girl doing hand dancing around the 2 minute mark in the Juicy Lucy clip.
I like everything about the drummer’s Look: the shirt with pink stars on it, the fringe vest, the “Older Brother of Maynard G Krebbs” facial hair. Excellent Look.
Yes, the hand dancer was a highlight for me, as well. I should have warned people to turn the volume OFF to better enjoy this stuff.
Am I wrong, or is hippie rock the only musical genre in which the Gibson EB-4 (the “SG bass) allowed?
The Juicy Lucy singer’s voice is SO familiar… no joke, did he go on to do TV commercial work in the 70s and 80s — like for Folger’s or something?
That Gallagher clip is horrible. Ugh.
I admit to feeling partial towards the sartorial splendor of the young man wearing a scarf artfully draped over his bare chest.
Those clips were certainly not of a musical style I enjoyed or enjoy now. However, they did help me think of a band that I should have brought up in the previous thread, except that since I couldn’t remember the name, I couldn’t skip them in the cut out bins.
Spirit.
I had only heard of them based on their brief appearance in the LA/French 1969 counterculture movie, “Model Shop.” Then I heard a bit more about them on one of those “Everything is a Remake” clips. They seemed like yet another velvet-wearing hippie band. But I’m the first to admit not knowing much about that style of music. Please tell me more in that singular RTH discussion style I love so well.
HVB, our most ardent hippie hater, loves them. They make me really uncomfortable, for some reason. I’ll try to put my finger on it…
I’d say more Biker-style hippie band than velvet wearing. Think Easy Rider. HVB specifically loves “Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus” and said it was such a perfect album that he looks forward to long drives to enjoy it in its entirety. I like ’em quite a bit, too, a nice solid rockin’ late psychedelic era band with some variety. Although she may not realize it, I suspect ladymiss has come across Nature’s Way, their best known number, also from the Sardonicus album.
I predict that Mr. Mod’s objection will end up being the possibly true but still pathetic claim that Jimmy Page swiped the opening of Stairway to Heaven from some relatively second rate Spirit number. How could anyone claim that this supposed historical theft makes them more important than their great record “I Got a Line on You”.
Put me down as another who really likes Spirit. Twelve Dreams is a stone classic, but there is plenty to enjoy on the previous albums, too. They reached out beyond most of their psychedelic peers with jazz, R&B, and proto-prog influences.
Want to bet that she’s watching the acid-induced trails streaming from her hands? Far out, man.
Townsman Chickenfrank plays one in the Donuts. I will let him know he needs to switch back to the P-bass, post haste!
I knew “I Got a Line On You” which I’d heard many times and never knew the band’s name. I just started to play “Nature’s Way” and Mr. Royale id’d it in the first few notes. I, alas, couldn’t. However, listening, it seems the arrangement is cleaner and deeper than some of the velvety hippie band tracks I immediately think of.
No, I thought that Stairway swipe charge was bogus. Fingerpick enough minor chords and anyone will stumble on that pattern. I think my beef is centered around suspected jazzbo sympathies.
Oh, I knew you would think that was bogus…and I agree. What I meant was that any band whose value was explained by folks using that silly “Zeppelin stole their greatest hit from them”, must really not have much going on. On the other hand, I’d say that “I Got a Line on You” is arguably a respectable challenger as a song that better satisfies the objectives of rock ‘n roll than The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction”. I mean, what’s not to like?
Yeah, that song is pretty great, but even then it’s got the feel of guys who would rather be playing a Fender Rhodes but who are slumming.
I knew the name Juicy Lucy was familiar, so I looked them up. Their guitarist was Neil Hubbard, and I think that’s him in this clip. He would later go on to be one of Bryan Ferry’s main collaborators from the late 70s through the early 90s. That goes to show that some good can come of this awful music.
My favorite hippiefied moment is when the singer plays congas while the band jams. A set of congas used to be a basic part of every hippie band’s set up.