This past thursday was George Harrison's birthday

After the Beatles split, George Harrison drew first blood by releasing “All Things Must Pass”. It’s single, “My Sweet Lord” was a worldwide #1 hit. The album was #1 in America for the better part of two and a half months.


“All Things Must Pass” tapped into a spiritual vein. It comes from that place where the line between religion and faith blur. Sure the cynic knows that everybody’s a hypocrite on some level or another, but George was among the few artists that actually attempted to deliver guidance, hope and comfort with his music.


Obviously, George accomplished this at least partially in his lyrics. Other artists would talk the talk, but very few took the leap of faith if you will to actually try to put the search for enlightenment across in the songs as subject matter.


“My Sweet Lord” explains how impatient we are to learn life’s mysteries and wonders what happens when we die. “Isn’t It A Pity” reminds us that we are all sinners, and there’s nothing we can do about it. “What Is Life” celebrates the joy of companionship. “The Art Of Dying” and “All Things Must Pass” are sobering reminders that everything is temporary. “Awaiting On You All” says we can see Jesus if we open our hearts.


On the musical side, Phil Spector constructed the church where these hymns would be sung from. His treatments were not without controversy. Harrison himself would say years later that he wishes the record didn’t have “so much echo”. Honestly though , that’s like inviting a skunk to the party and then complaining about the smell. Sure , there are moments when Phil’s treatments get heavy handed. However when it works, it’s truly exhilarating.


“Beatle George” as he liked to refer to himself was indeed a musical God. Bigger than Jesus, just like Lennon said. Only John and Paul were more powerful. With the release of this album though, the scales tilted towards Harrison just a little bit. While an album of good songs alone would have been enough to accomplish this, the real power behind the record lies in the idea that if we seek the spiritual we can expect to keep looking until we’re gone.

Costello leaves Columbia and "Blood And Chocolate" is his parting gift.

Nobody likes everything and when Elvis Costello is mentioned, you’re bound to get strong opinions either way. Lyrically, he can be a little “wordy“. Then there‘s his voice. A nasal sneer if there ever was one, this guy would never be able to cut it if he was in say, Foreigner or Journey. That whole nerdy persona was bound to polarize people, too. How can this guy rock, he doesn’t even LOOK like Robert Plant!

The musical character that became Elvis Costello was no cliché. Sure you’ve read smart ass critics refer to him as the evil Buddy Holly, but that’s too much of an oversimplification. It was more importantly the polar opposite of the soup de’jour, and came along at precisely the right time. He also had the tunes to back it up.

His band toured the world for the better part of seven years. Nine full length albums were recorded during the same time frame , as well as enough single tracks to fill another record. Between the recorded output and live performances, it was inevitable that the band would implode under that much activity and pressure. Elvis had become a monster, and his creator wanted him dead.

1986‘s “King Of America” was the result of that skin shedding, and many Costello fans will tell you it’s their favorite. Breaking from the Attractions, whatever his name is made a solo record of sorts with producer T-Bone Burnett. Late that same year though, another record was released which was arguably more important because although the Elvis “disguise” was pulled back out, it wasn’t exactly the same.

The record company wanted another “Elvis” album. It was probably the last thing he wanted to do, but KOA was not a big enough hit to give him much leverage. So after a three album hiatus, Nick Lowe was welcomed back into the fold and the old gang re-convened at the legendary Olympia Sound Studios, London.

“Blood And Chocolate” sounds like it was worked on fairly quickly, three months in fact. More often than not, that works to it’s advantage. “I Hope You’re Happy Now” is the only song on the album credited to Costello instead of one of his now many nom-de-plumes. It has those clever phrase turns Elvis was so almost famous for, and even though the lyrics seem to be about yet another ex lover it might actually be about his now cantankerous relationship with Columbia Records.

Most of the album was recorded by the full band doing the backing tracks at ear splitting sound level. The few overdubs that were inserted were of the quick slapdash variety. The record seemed predestined to be nothing more than the fulfilling of a contractual obligation. Elvis, the Attractions , and the record company had all grown sick of each other.

The ironic twist here is that the album works. It doesn’t recall any past glories, or try to charm it’s way into your heart. B&C is the black sheep of the family. It’s loud, obnoxious and unapologetic. It for the most part plods along getting louder and more belligerent with each passing track. Even the more tuneful offerings such as “I Want You” and “Crimes Of Paris” have sections within them where they descend into a swirl of dissonance.

With “Blood And Chocolate” the Attractions era ended not with a whimper but a bang. Today, as we listen to it becomes all the more satisfying that they left kicking and screaming.

RCA era Kinks Part 4

Preservation act 2 stands out as a much more muscular affair than it’s predecessor. Dave Davies’s lead guitar takes a front seat more often making these tracks a tad edgier, and the narrative drive allows the wit and humor of Ray Davies to be thrust to the forefront like never before.

Save the comedy for later though because as act 2 begins, The Tramp knows that war is near. “Introduction To Solution “ is where he sings about all that will unfold. Mr. Black is going to “use a little manipulation, and build a new civilization“. Mr. Flash’s reign of greed and corruption will serve as the ideal springboard for him to usher in a new religious morality. His plan is to rise amidst the confusion.

The “manipulation” he speaks of is a type of final solution. Moral cleansing of peoples spirit and free will would scientifically alter the population into an artificial state, allowing them to be more easily monitored and controlled.

Phew, depressing stuff right? Hardly the type of plot line that you’d expect to be set to music. Ultimately, this heavy handed story line is what weighs the record down. Davies himself said it best when he explained that most people in his business at the time would be happy just to make an album. In his case however, he was “creating an entire world“.

This dark comedy is laced with some of the most theatrical music ever created during the rock opera era (or should I say error?). Some of the lyrics are poignant, some are uproariously funny, but all of them are extremely poetic. You can easily dismiss “Preservation 2” as way too far over the top. However, it’s grandiosity is precisely why as a “rock opera”, it blows all the competitors of that short-lived genre away.

Yes, I know that’s not saying much. A record album that tries to be anything else but a record album is doomed at the outset. Especially since there is no visual piece to accompany it. “Preservation” was never made into a musical and sadly, the live performances that hit the UK and US in the summer and fall of 1974 were never filmed. Unfortunately, the piece is only documented in audio format. It’s certainly something to consider when examining this underrated, misunderstood effort.

Desert Island Disc Series "Traffic"

If The Beatles “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band” changed music, then The Band’s “Music From Big Pink” changed it back. Nowhere is this more evident than when comparing Traffic’s first album, “Dear Mr. Fantasy” to their sophomore effort, simply titled “Traffic”.

“Fantasy” came out in December 1967 , and honestly, I’ve always been of two minds on it. On the one hand, there are brilliant tunes like “Dealer”, “Coloured Rain” and “Heaven Is In Your Mind”. On the other hand, there are these other tunes (the Dave Mason ones) that simply reek of psychedelic bandwagon jumping.

By no means am I singling out Traffic here. Many bands, including The Stones (Satanic Majesties) got caught up in the whirlwind of “Pepper”, convinced that this was the future direction of music. So it became the aim of the followers to try to emulate it or even top it.

The smart money went in the other direction, staying true to their country/folk roots or whatever their strong suit was. Moreover, they realized before everyone else that “Pepper” was the culmination of a pop direction, and not the beginning of one.

What made “Big Pink” such an influential album was as much about where it came from as it was about the ingredients inside. It didn’t come out of a scene or a movement, but from a frozen in time place in upstate New York. Intellectually, it came from a place that fostered down-home camaraderie instead of swirling psychedelic imagery.

“Big Pink” came out in July of 1968,and the stories of it’s influence are legendary. One tells of Eric Clapton hearing the LP and quitting Cream almost immediately afterward. Another one tells of George Harrison around the same time yearning to get The Beatles to stop arguing with each other and move toward a more collective approach.

So three months ABP (after Big Pink) comes the self titled LP from Traffic. Gone are the paisley prints, red light bulbs and other decorations that adorned their debut. Replacing them are cowboy hats, suede jackets and illustrations of a big house in a field of green. More important than the visuals, the songs that Dave Mason brought to the table are miles better than the ones he wrote for their debut. The albums opener, “You Can All Join In” is a front porch hootenanny. It’s hard to believe that this song came from the same guy who wrote “House For Everyone” the year before.

The Capaldi/Winwood contributions continue in the Rhythm and Blues meets Jazz tinged vibe they displayed on “Fantasy”. “Pearly Queen”, “40,000 Headmen”, “No Time To Live”, and “Means To An End” all feature stretched out arrangements that catch a groove right at the outset and stay in it all the way through.

The other songs by Mason, “Don’t Be Sad” , “Feelin’ Alright”, and “Cryin’ To Be Heard” effectively put this album over the top. There is simply not a duff track on the record. “Sad” features that wistful harmonica bit , “Feelin Alright” is practically a pop standard, and “Cryin’ To Be Heard” has Winwood on the Hammond organ creating his trademark whirlwind of sound.

Jimmy Miller had been with Steve Winwood on and off professionally all the way back to the Spencer Davis Group days, and he handles production duties here. Miller is most famous for his work with The Rolling Stones,(Honky Tonk Women, Jumpin Jack Flash, Let it Bleed LP, Beggars Banquet and others) but when I give examples of his great work I never fail to mention this album. In addition to his other talents, Miller’s greatest asset to me as a listener is his ability to capture a completed performance on tape of the sound of a band playing in a room. It sounds easy, but that kind of honesty is something that cannot be manufactured. It has to actually happen with tape rolling. This is the main reason why “Traffic” is a D.A.A. Desert Island Disc.