He Said, He Said

On a recent morning, the journalist Bill Wyman received a UPS package containing a typed manuscript. On reading it, he saw that it seemed to be the thoughts, at some length, of singer Mick Jagger on the recently published autobiography of his longtime songwriting partner in the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards. A handwritten note on an old piece of Munro Sounds stationery read: "Bill: For the vault. M."

Hmmm, given that this is 2010 I'm somewhat skeptical that these are the the actual words and thoughts of Mick's reaction to Keef's new autobiography "Life." Nonetheless I found it an interesting read...

Mick Jagger Responds to Keith Richards About His New Autobiography

...I take the point that professionalism, one's word, rock 'n' roll merriment … these are fungible things in our world. It is a fair charge that I have become less tolerant in these matters over the decades. In our organization, inside this rather unusual floating circus we call home, I am forced into the role of martinet, the one who gets blamed for silly arbitrary rules. (Like, for a show in front of 60,000 people for which we are being paid some $6 or $7 million for a few hours' work, I like to suggest to everyone that we start on time, and that we each have in place a personal plan, in whatever way suits us best, to stay conscious for the duration of the show.)...

The Armpit Collection IX

The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies

In light of a previous post, I figured I'd share my favourite Kinks album. I first heard this record around the time I was introduced to Holly Golightly (she actually covers a view Davies tracks on the aforementioned), upstairs on NattyBo's phonograph at the corner of Cary & Lombardy in Richmond, VA. It was the piano/horn combo of track 2 that got me. "Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues" is pure dixieland country-rock that encompasses the paranoia and pressure of modern society, that which I've truly come to know here in NYC. After writing and singing "I'm a 20th century man and I don't want to be here," I wonder how Ray Davies feels having made it to the 21st C. It's like Paul turning 64. Most of the lyrics on the album are quite a drag: life complications, alcoholic memory loss, jailed women, losin' land, losin' weight, no security, it's all pretty weird actually - and real! "Holiday" is a notable track on the lighter side, "I'm leavin' insecurity behind me," great creed for a vacation. Listen for the album's great guitar interplay in a variety of tones, piano & keyboard work, and harmonies.

This is one of those albums that doesn't have a bad track. Some are stronger than others, but each represents a piece of the greater work. A true piece of art really. In the trough of great country-rock records from the late sixties/early seventies, this one doesn't stand out commercially or critically. There are many records in the same vein as this one, reaching some form of a climax in American roots music. These Brits did it just as good as any of the others.

Notables (and feel free to Comment with additions):
The Basement Tapes
Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed
Harvest
Sweetheart of the Rodeo
The Band
American Beauty and Workingman's Dead