Tag: Classic Rock

So I put Cream’s debut album Fresh Cream and the first Jefferson Airplane album that I bought Crown of Creation. But last night and today I’ve been listening to Fresh Cream and the Airplane’s breakout album Surrealistic Pillow.

Here’s what Wikipedia says about Fresh Cream:

Cream’s debut album, Fresh Cream, was recorded and released in 1966. The album reached #6 in the UK charts and #39 in the United States.[23] It mainly consisted of blues covers, including “Four Until Late”, “Rollin’ and Tumblin'” (an old blues number recorded by Hambone Willie Newbern in 1926, which became a blues standard thanks to versions recorded by Muddy Waters and Elmore James in the early 1950s), “Spoonful” (written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Howlin’ Wolf), “I’m So Glad” (written by Skip James) and “Cat’s Squirrel”. The rest of the album featured songs written (or co-written) by Jack Bruce, most notably “I Feel Free” (which was a UK hit single,[3] but only included on the American edition of the LP), and two by Ginger Baker (one of which, “Toad”, contained one of the earliest examples of a drum solo in rock music). Ginger Baker also collaborated with Jack Bruce’s then-wife Janet Godfrey to write “Sweet Wine”; Godfrey also provided lyrics for the trio’s first original blues composition, her husband’s “Sleepy Time Time.”

My stand out tracks on the album include “I Feel Free”, “I’m So Glad”,  “Spoonful” and “Toad”. While I liked the version of “Spoonful” on this album I think the live version on Wheels of Fire” is the better version, while “Toad” is better at 5 plus minutes rather than 14 on “Wheels of Fire”. I didn’t care for their cover of “Rollin’ and Tumblin’ ‘”

Now Surrealistic Pillow which was  Jefferson Airplane’s break out album and the first to feature Grace Slick. From Wikipedia:

The group’s second LP, Surrealistic Pillow, recorded in Los Angeles with producer Rick Jarrard in only thirteen days at a cost of $8000, launched the Airplane to international fame. Released in February 1967, the LP entered the Billboard 200 album chart on March 25 and remained there for over a year, peaking at #3. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[9] The name “Surrealistic Pillow” was suggested by the ‘shadow’ producer of the album, Jerry Garcia, when he mentioned that, as a whole, the album sounded “as Surrealistic as a pillow is soft.” Although RCA Victor would not acknowledge Garcia’s considerable contributions to the album with a “Producer” credit, he is listed in the album’s credits as “spiritual advisor.”

In addition to the group’s two best-known tracks, “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love”, the album featured “My Best Friend” by former drummer Skip Spence, Balin’s driving “Plastic Fantastic Lover,” and the atmospheric Balin-Kantner ballad “Today”. A reminder of their earlier folk incarnation was Kaukonen’s solo acoustic guitar tour de force, “Embryonic Journey” (his first composition), which referenced contemporary acoustic guitar masters such as John Fahey and helped to establish the popular genre exemplified by acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke.

So with standout tracks like: “Somebody to Love”, “3/5 of a Mile in Ten Seconds”. “White Rabbit”. “Plastic Fantastic Lover”, “Comin’ Back to Me” and “Embryonic Journey”” The winner for me is Surrealistic Pillow.

Here’s one of my favorite tracks from the album “3/5 of a mile in Ten Seconds” Clapton may be “God” but I’ll take Jorma’s guitar work!

So last night when I was listening to Jake Holmes I pulled out the album sleeve and looked at the other artist on the Polydor Label at that time. Some of the names are only familiar and a couple I do have the albums. Area Code 615 and John Mayall’s Empty Rooms and a favorite Mayall’s The Turning Point. Here’s a quick Poll Which Artist’s album do you have? or have you heard of?

[polldaddy poll=2853085]

(polls)

According to my Avalon Ballroom 2010 calender, on this day in 1967 Quicksilver Messenger Service played the Avalon Ballroom and in 1968 Cream, Jeremy and the Satyrs and Blood Sweat and Tears played Winterland. Ok proof that I didn’t just start liking jam bands but liked jam bands before they were labeled jam bands. Quicksilver’s album Happy Trails and their cover of “Who Do You Love” are all time favorites and Cream’s fourteen minute drum solo “Toad” would make any of today’s jam bands proud!