I get a new turntable and dust off some old records. Vinyl Tap Special Edition: Best Reissues of 2009. We're talking pop-rock this year, though in previous years I was more open to persuasion and all things Al Green. Methodology? I missed that day in school.
1) Various Artists - Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-1968 [BOX SET]
Had been there, but been square… well, mostly too young yet to hop over the hill from the Valley into L.A. proper or improper. The Whiskey a Go Go, the Roxy and so would come later, but I sure discovered radio big time, mostly pre-FM rock AM Top 40-style KRLA, KHJ Boss Radio, and weak sister KFWB (big-muscled R&B and brother Wolfman “XERB” Jack, shipped out to Mexico, had to be listened to clandestinely late at night under the covers).
The artists on this Rhino collection of L.A. Nuggets are indeed various and while this box set celebrates a cross-section of commercial Sunset Stripoids with obscurities from the likes of the Doors to Love, the Beach Boys, the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Seeds, and Sonny and Cher, it does take time out to recognize some rarely heard garage rock and psychedelia featuring The Guilloteens, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, Velvet Illusion (“Acid Head”), and Captain Beefheart (“Zig Zag Wanderer”); some intriguing finds like the harmonizing Chymes and the off-kilter folk-rock and horns of Everpresent Fullness (who brought with them a coulda-been career and noteworthy backstory); and some solid reminders such as the Merry Go Round – the infectious L.A. hit “Live” isn’t here, but one-hit wunderkind leader Emitt Rhodes’ “Listen, Listen!” is more than listenable. As are early efforts by Lowell George, Warren Zevon, and startling ones by showbiz kids Peter Fonda and a toughened-up Dino, Desi, and Billy, transformed bubblegummers who have to contend with the fact that they’re now, apparently… “The Rebel Kind”!
Indeed, Los Angeles Nuggets fascinates with parallel-universe hit parade highlights on those familiar artists undertaking the uncharacteristic, such as the”Happy Together” Turtles’ sneering rendition “Grim Reaper of Love” (“Killing the living / And Living to kill / Grim Reaper of Love thrives on pain / People beware” ). And though I have a feeling that Ozzie and Harriet would just say No, the irrepressible Rick Nelson’s “mind starts groovin’” — sitars and all – on “Marshmallow Skies.” I was brought back down to earth, however, by the no-nonsense Buffalo Springfield, for Stephen Stills original “Sit Down I Think I Love You,” but, for what it’s worth, I found that compared to the shimmering pop gem that was Mojo Men’s 1967 hit version, nowadays Furay can’t even sing.
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Article comments
1 - El Bicho
Awesome article with clever turns of phrases. It's wonderful to read something where's it's obvious the author put some thought into the words he chose.
Of course, it would be nice if you didn't restrict yourself to books and music. You can't fool me. I know you must watch things.
2 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Thank you, sir, for the kind words. And yes: I like to watch.