Doom & Gloom Dispatch #19: Eccentric / Organic
Neil S. Kvern, Curtis Mayfield, Gram Parsons, Richard & Linda Thompson, Orange Juice
Neil S. Kvern - Doctor Dancing Mask: Pianoisms
The Freedom To Spend label is on a serious roll these days, bringing us wondrous slices of eccentric / organic minimalism — Cheri Knight, Ernest Hood, Universal Liberation Orchestra and now, the amazing “pianoisms” of Neil S. Kvern. Doctor Dancing Mask was first a cassette released in tiny quantities back in 1983, collecting Kvern’s hypnotic and strange compositions; acoustic piano, lightly fried percussion, marimba, unknown FX and voices, all sculpted into bewitching shapes. Are these pieces unraveling or, uh, raveling? Hard to say! Probably both. But the music’s handmade, visionary qualities are positively spellbinding. You might think at times of Jon Hassell’s Fourth World situations, but to my ears, Kvern is a total original. Give it a spin.
Dogpatch - See Them Seeing Me (Curtis Mayfield Special)
I’ve pointed you in the direction of the always dazzling Dogpatch podcast in the past — allow me to do so again! Dante Carfagna and Jon Kirby don’t do a ton of episodes, but each one is phenomenal, digging into incredible musical zones, filled with insight and expertise. It’s also hilarious, which is nice, too.
The latest Dogpatch takes a heavy look at the mighty Curtis Mayfield, and it’s chock full of unbelievable rarities; the demos of “Hard Times” and “The Makings of You” (which I don’t think have been released anywhere) are particularly astonishing. Dante and Jon make the argument for Curtis as a songwriter / producer / performer / guitarist / singer / personality on a level with any of the greats. And after listening to this hour of Curtis sounds, you might make that argument too.
Gram Parsons - Max’s Kansas City, New York City, March 9, 1973
Just about 50 years ago, Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels were traveling around the U.S. on what would turn out to be their only real tour. There’s an official document — Live 1973 — and a few bootleg recordings out there, including this one taped by an audience member at the venerable Max’s Kansas City in NYC. (There’s also some talk of releasing a previously unheard Philadelphia soundboard this year, which would be cool.)
The Max’s set is an all-too-brief snapshot, with the Fallen Angels in fine form, Gram and Emmylou harmonizing like, well, fallen angels. The supremely dusted “Song For You” here is worth the price of admission alone. You have to wonder what Parsons’ frame of mind was at this point, with Neil Young taking country rock to the top of the charts with Harvest, the Eagles and others waiting in the wings, while Gram played to what sounds like less than 50 people upstairs at Max’s. Maybe he felt like his chance was right around the corner …
Gram says: Even if some critics think GP is all country, it’s not. It ranges in music. I’ve never called anything country rock. The Eagles and some others I would call bubblegum. It’s got too much sugar in it. Life is tougher than they make it out to be. I really think there’s a chance of getting older people and younger people who have had hard times, long-haired, short — no matter what kind of clothes they wear — who also know that life can be tough. Whether they’ve dodged the draft or not paid their income tax or don’t understand why some paternity suit’s being filed against them. They know it’s tough. The Blacks, they know it’s tough. I don’t think showing the real side of life through song has any barriers. Race or age, everyone can dig it. But that’s not to say life is pointless, you see. You have to know yourself. You have to live your own life. Be responsible for yourself. Life has so many points. I think country music can be done with much more than a Baptist look on life. It’s infinite.
Richard & Linda Thompson - Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England, February 7, 1981
The return of Sour Grapes! Here, we’ve got a very nice soundboard recording of Richard and Linda Thompson, plus Fairport stalwart Simon Nicol bringing their comedy routine to Manchester. Oh, they play some songs too! Even if the then-brand-new Shoot Out The Lights material (which wouldn’t be released for at least another year) played here is as turbulent and tortured as can be, the trio sounds like they’re having … a lot of fun? “If anyone laughs during this one, I’ll go BANANAS!!” jokes Linda before a typically devastating “Walking On A Wire.”
“It was actually quite a happy time!” Linda revealed in a recent Uncut interview. “That was quite a happy record, because I was pregnant and we had left the commune. We went to [the Manor in] Chipping Norton and did a record with Gerry Rafferty. I’d sometimes go down in the morning and take a sip of Gerry’s orange juice, which was full of whisky. Whisky and orange juice — God!”
Orange Juice - The Haçienda, Manchester, England, June 15, 1982
We’re staying in early 1980s Manchester for a little bit longer. Did Richard & Linda Thompson pay a visit to the Hacienda? I’m going to say no ... but who knows?! Anyhow, this pro-shot B&W video showed up on the official Orange Juice YouTube channel late last year — not sure if it had circulated previously. Whatever, it’s great, a groovy moment in time. We’ve got a kinda transitional period for OJ here, with new drummer Zeke Manyika behind the kit, giving a little added rhythmic heft to the You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever numbers, which had just been released in February of 1982. The guitars sound glorious here, that perfect strummed-out blend of Chic and “What Goes On.” One more question — were all of The Smiths at this show, furiously taking notes? It’s pretty likely.
Dave Haslam (Hacienda DJ): Walking into the Haçienda, you wouldn’t have thought it was a mainstream commercial operation. I think I would have been more surprised if someone had told me, “They’re making a shitload of money in this venue.” It was passionate, endearing amateurism – the same as John Peel on the radio. It was in the spirit of the club, and the spirit of the record company, that if there was an interesting, talented individual somewhere within orbit, they would take that person into the family and give them pretty much free rein to live out their own little dream. It was a very enabling experience.
From The Doom & Gloom Archives
Neil Young - KMET Radio Interview With B. Mitchell Reed, September 1973
In September of 1973, Neil Young went to the radio interview — but he didn’t end up alone at the microphone! KMET DJ B. Mitchell Reed was there to chat for about an hour or so. I had read quotes from this interview for years, but hadn’t heard it until this week (thank you, Tom H.!). As we’re all still digesting Archives II, this is a good addendum from the same era, recorded right around the time that Neil and the Santa Monica Flyers were debuting Tonight’s the Night at the Roxy. Young doesn’t sound wasted and woozy — he’s pretty lucid, actually, gamely entertaining Reed’s many questions about a possible CSNY reunion.
However, Neil really perks up when the subject of another dude named Reed pops up — Lou Reed, that is. It’s interesting that there’s this intersection right at this point; Young seems pretty taken with Transformer and the overall vibe that Lou, David Bowie and Alice Cooper were bringing to the scene. In some weird way, Neil must’ve seen his lounge lizard Tonight’s the Night character as part of that dark, theatrical 1970s movement in rock. (For the detectives out there, Neil mentions possibly having met Lou “in a motel room on the east coast” about five years prior … when/where would that have happened? And was it actually John Cale? Let’s solve this important mystery.) Anyway, enjoy this rare interview!
Currently Reading: 2666 by Roberto Bolaño
Thanks for this! That Thompson tape looks great