Goats Head Soup 2020 Produced by Medford's own JIMMY MILLER Part 1

 

GOATS HEAD SOUP 2020, PART 1
REVIEW BY JOE VIGLIONE

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 THESOMERVILLENEWSWEEKLY LEAVE A COMMENT

Photos:
Tape box with engineer Rob Fraboni’s handwriting
Jimmy Miller in Los Angeles by Meredith Day
Rob Fraboni at the console

The Golden Age of the Rolling Stones is what I call the Jimmy Miller/Mick Taylor period …and the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World lived up to their name. This is the Stones when they’re not competing with the Beatles. You see, after Let it Be and Abbey Road the Beatles got firmly into their solo albums phase while the Stones kept crunching along with the magic that they liked to spin. Exile on Main Street and Goat’s Head Soup, the latter being re-released with bonus tracks first week of September 2020, were just about the conclusion of their “golden era” with producer Jimmy Miller and guitarist Mick Taylor. Taylor stayed on for “It’s Only Rock & Roll” but the band was changing again and things would be vastly different.

The radio friendly pop/blues material with Taylor is a major shift from that which “Dandelion,” “She’s a Rainbow” and “Under My Thumb” offered music lovers. Those three melodic songs are all vital, transcendent masterpieces, as were the Brian Jones/Keith Richards blues based compositions from the earlier days. And as the hardcore Stones fans knew, more songs were recorded for each album than saw the light of day. The quality of the outtakes? As one fan writes on YouTube “some bands would kill to have a song like the ones that the Stones discarded.”

“Fast Talking, Slow Walking” is one of the Jimmy Miller productions from Kingston Jamaica as is “You Should Have Seen Her xxx” and both are brilliant compositions. Like the dude said, some bands would kill to get ahold of stuff this good. But those two songs are not on the new four disc set. That kind of tells me that they’ll box up yet another with the original mixes we all know and love along with more gems for some mammoth sixty year anniversary come the years 2032/2033.

Goats Head Soup actual master including some penmanship from engineer Rob Fraboni

An intriguing bit of marketing by one of the smartest music business executives on the planet, Mick Jagger, is three different versions of “Scarlet,” which appears to be a post-Jimmy Miller production.
One features young actor Paul Mescal dancing around in a video to the album track. It’s all in good fun and does what Mick wants: keeps the Stones contemporary, even with a track almost 50 years of age. The others are clever remixes – one entitled “Scarlet – feat. Jimmy Page [The Killers & Jacques Lu Cont] while yet another is the “War on Drugs Remix.” Keep in mind that this is one of three bonus tracks, and Mick Jagger and Co. are just putting it out there for free on YouTube beating potential bootleggers at their own game. Let’s face it, YouTube is a giant radio station, and as “Angie” and “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” were free on the airwaves for you to cassette tape back in the day, the Stones’ goal is to get you to know the song. It is brilliant marketing by a veteran group. They take it one step further by releasing simultaneously another outtake, “Criss Cross” with the Miller/Fraboni team that brought you the aforementioned “Heartbreaker.”
“Scarlet” was recorded around the time of Goat’s Head Soup in Ronnie Wood’s house, 1973 ish, Mick Jagger talks about it in a recent interview: “… and Jimmy Page turned up for some reason and various other musicians. We ran through this amongst other things, someone said Ginger Baker on drums…Jimmy Page remembered everything, it wasn’t Ginger Baker…”he’s very sweet and he remembered the whole thing.” Page himself turns up on the same interview on the BBC and stated “Yes, some things I do remember, especially if it is something special, and this was. From scratch, and the following day putting the guitar solos on. More recently Mick got in contact and sent me the finished version. It is cool, it always was, my memory’s clear because it was very special.

Jagger talks to Radio 2 on the Breakfast Show

When it comes to the Stones this writer can “Ramble On,” Mr. Page…so let us consider this part one of what could be a three or more part series on this amazing new release.

Heartbreaker
Produced by Jimmy Miller
Engineered by Rob Fraboni

Rob Fraboni engineered the session at the L.A. Recorder and I asked Rob on the phone if he felt, as I did, that this composition was out of character for the Stones? Rob’s opinion was the opposite of mine, that it was very much in character for Mick and Keith and the boys. To this writer and a bit of a Stones historian – my first roundtable interview as features editor of my high school newspaper was the Maysles Brothers when they were promoting the film Gimme Shelter – felt the lyrics were a far cry from “Dandelion,” “Brown Sugar,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” et.al. And for a cool band like the Stones, their song about heroin had a more uptempo rock and roll sound than the Velvet Underground plunging through the dark recesses of “Sister Ray” on White Light/White Heat.

Even the actual title of Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) is a dramatic departure from “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “Sympathy for the Devil,” however the instrumental is simply amazing. So, musically, Mr. Fraboni is right, the tracks – guitar, bass, drums, horns – pure Rolling Stones. Mick Taylor the perfect complement to Keith Richards. The instrumental is included on this new release, Goats Head Soup 2020.

That being said, the live rendition of Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) London Sept 9, 1973 at Wembley Stadium is outrageously wonderful. Five minutes and five seconds of guitar magic https://youtu.be/r6bbnKBVIws Find that gem on YouTube.

“Silver Train” on the album is like Stevie Wonder giving Beck, Bogert and Appice the song “Superstitious” to put out first. The legendary Johnny Winter got to release “Silver Train” from Goat’s Head Soup before the Rolling Stones rendition and – if you think about it – a terrific marketing strategy again from the Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the world. The Winter version features my good friend, the late Moogy Klingman on piano. The energy level is remarkable under boy genius producer Rick Derringer…and it is simply an amazing piano from Klingman … and it isn’t musical sacrilege to say that Winter’s version eclipse’s the Stones themselves with this gem of a take.
What many people do not know is that the late Jimmy Miller lived in Medford in the apartments directly behind Kappy’s Liquors and Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn’s office. Part II will explore more of Goat’s Head Soup, the album, and some of Jimmy’s escapades here in the Medford/Somerville/Malden area.

SHARE THIS:

Working on a new Top 10, Top 40... "Cover Me I'm Going for Milk" by John Powhida with Willie Loco Alexander

 

"Melania" by John Powhida has the voice of Melania sounding like Yoko Ono saying "The greatest privilege on planet earth."   Haven't figured out if this is anti-Trump or pro-Donald, but the music is fascinating and reminds me of when Willie Loco Alexander wrote "Blues for Vanessa" when she was the hot name in the 1980s.

  MELANIA 

https://youtu.be/i9iDkDisLHE

John Powhida on Bandcamp

https://johnpowhidainternationalairport.bandcamp.com/

"Cover Me I'm Going for Milk" does have el Loco on electric piano solo and fills along with Peter Moore on synth strings.  It too has political implications ...interesting Video shot and edited by Amanda Nichols with animation and special effects by Amanda Nichols ... very cool with waves of dreamy, mellow moody instrumentation.

From the full length "Airport Life" J-Po: vocals, electric piano and bass guitar Willie Alexander: electric piano solo and fills Peter Moore: synth strings George Hall- guitar Tony Goddess: ace tone rhythm ace Mixed by Derek Demulling at Mixtree Audio Produced by John Powhida Engineered by Tony Goddess and Jen Morrison at Bang A Song, Gloucester, MA

____________________________________________________

Stars Above - CD Review

This Month August 3019 Last Month July 5790

 Sweet Sorrow CD from Stars Above Stars Above emerged from West Lynn, Massachusetts with a powerful sound, tight groove and smart, concise songs that stick in your head. Take “Sweet, Sweet Sorrow.” The pounding quick rhythms alongside spitfire vocals “Stumble through today…no such thing as sweet, sweet sorrow” propel this frantic post-Nirvana slice of regret over a romantic break-up. The music reflects the desperation with the trio in unison displaying relentless angst. “Some February Day” has melodic guitar reflecting the throbbing basslines, the same tempo as “Sweet Sweet Sorrow” talking about a love affair from two years ago, and the fateful consequence. “Used To Be” could be a militant British punk band from the late 1970s with more clarity in the mix, probably due to Lemonheads engineer/producer Tom Hamilton. Very good stuff. review by Joe Viglione

The second half of Sweet Sorrow by Stars Above (James Morrill – guitars, vocals, bassist Jones Harrington, drummer Andrew Greeley).

4. Some February Day

5. Sweet Sorrow

6. Used to Be

http://www.tmrzoo.com/2014/61449/cd-review-sweet-sorrow-bostons-stars

Hear the band on REVERB NATION https://www.reverbnation.com/starsabove?fbclid=IwAR1Gc1qxvHyQPL6LX-4idnzEzoKD10_YIU5lDglyUsgzRv1Mfy0WPXz4FlA

Artist Bio

Stars Above is a band from the North Shore of Boston, originally a solo project (COAA) started by James Morrill. After the disintegration of his former band Pure Impact, James started recording songs on his own and with fellow Pure Impact guitarist/singer Ian Clark. These songs would be posted on James' MySpace page. Eventually, James called upon bassist Jones Harrington and drummer Andrew Greeley to start playing the songs. They played one show under the COAA moniker and then, not wanting to consider it a solo project, changed their name to Stars Above. There first show as Stars Above was May 10, 2010 @ Charlies Kitchen w/ Johnny Earthquake Band, With A Bullet, and Lesser Evils. Around this time they recorded a self released 4 song demo at Ian's home studio. After the Charlies Kitchen show, Jones left the band and was temporarily replaced by Ian. Ian filled in for a few shows but couldn't commit to the band because of his duties with his other bands. James then found Steve Heddon through Craigslist to fill in on bass. Coincidentally Steve was from the same area and knew much of the same people that James and Andrew knew. Stars Above continued to play the Boston/Cambridge circuit, playing shows at clubs like the MIddle East, T.T. the Bears, the Midway, O'Briens, All Asia, Tavern At the End of the World and others. They also performed a live set and were interviewed on Unregularradio's "The Boston Local Music Show" Sometime after this Steve disappeared and Jones rejoined the band on bass.
Since then, Stars Above have continued to play shows at places like The Rosebud, My House Lounge, Dodge Street, McGanns Pub, etc. They recently began recording an E.P. with local producer Tom Hamilton (producer of Jerry's Kids and The Lemonheads first three records) and are still in the process of finishing it up. They also just did a live set on Unregularradio's local marijuana reform show "the Boston Pot Report".

Currently, Stars Above are finishing up there first studio E.P. w/ local producer of Jerrys Kids and the Lemonheads, Tom Hamilton. They continue to play show's are trying to solidify their line-up.

...the rest has yet to be written.

For booking, contact, hate mail, whatever- email Starsaboveband@yahoo.com

Universal Music Group

 

How do I submit a demo to Universal Music Group?

https://www.universalmusic.com/contact-us/#:~:text=UMG%20has%20offices%20in%20approximately,Avenue%20in%20Santa%20Monica%2C%20California.

Demo submissions should be directed to UMG’s record labels, but kindly note that they are unable to accept unsolicited material. Typically, demos are recommended to one of our labels’ A&R departments by a manager, agent, producer, radio DJ or other industry professional. Another option for unsigned artists is UMG’s site, Spinnup, which offers both digital distribution and has a network of scouts who have a relationship with many of Universal Music’s labels.

Please note that on occasion, we’ve been made aware of individuals who give the false impression they are affiliated with UMG and ask for money from artists in order to submit music on their behalf. It is against our company policy for an employee to accept any form of compensation in return for submitting music to one of our companies. If you are approached by a person that claims to be a UMG employee and who asks for any form of compensation in relation to a demo submission, please contact us here.

I am a company or brand looking to partner with a Universal Music Group label or artist. Where should I direct my inquiry?

Under The Whispering Tree - Rob Benson - Produced by Peter Calo

 

Title: Under the Whispering Tree

Artist: Rob Benson

Site: https://robbenson.hearnow.com/

Preview:  https://tinyurl.com/whisperingtreepreview

 

A CD review from Joe Viglione

 

Have you ever been to an A & R person’s office at a major record label?  Often they would – and from years of experience I can generalize here-  put the tape or CD on and listen for the first twenty seconds, if you’re that lucky.   They want a song that grabs them from the intro and might (most often they do!) skip to the next track …and the next…and your lifetime of work gets a few minutes assessment.  Like Decca showing the Beatles the door, or Bobby Hebb pushing the monster hit “Sunny” to publisher after publisher before landing his deal.  It’s so common in the music industry, just ask Tom Scholz and the band Boston.

 

Opening track “Lay Your Money Down” has that aura that pulls you in immediately.  It’s pop music with a trance-like keyboard and drum alongside guitar that punctuates songwriter/singer Rob Benson’s intriguing storytelling.  

 

Track 6, “Amsterdam,” also has an irresistible tempo, and superb radio-friendly mix. It is one of my favorites of many on this album.

 

“I Need You” is not the famous song by America, but does display the talents of drummer Chris Marshak.  All the musicians on this disc are world class and with Peter Calo’s sublime production and guiding hand Under the Whispering Tree is a compelling album with much to offer.  
“I’ll Take Care of You” could be James Taylor gone country while “Glory and Levi” features the distinctive saxophone of Aaron Heick . It’s a throwback to ballads of the mid 1960’s with a contemporary feel featuring the smooth and sincere vocals of Benson encapsuled in Peter Calo’s lush production.

 

  “My Angel Lady” is equally delicate and in stark contrast to the uptempo and pure country “Outlaws Want Money.”  The times on these musical vignettes span from two and a half minutes to just under five, again precise and ready for radio with the content that delivers.

 

 

“Someone Right For Me” sounds like Alex Taylor, Kate Taylor, Liv Taylor AND James Taylor were sitting around helping Robby sketch this shortest song (2:29) out, and a cover from one of the premiere folk family of music of this would be probably considered an original by their respective fan base. Robby brings that early 1970s glory days of folk into 2020 without skipping a beat.

 

The title track, “Under the Whispering Tree” is the epic – longest production at 4:56 and it introduces itself like one of those Neil Young classics that brings us on a journey that begs you to hit “repeat.”  This is my first introduction to Rob Benson’s music and with Calo on guitar, piano, vocals and mandolin, Johnny Dinklage on violin and the aforementioned Marshak and Heick on drums and saxophone respectively these cats effortlessly create a landscape for Benson's voice and narratives.  Choosing a single would be difficult with so much great and diverse material to pick from, but I would say “Amsterdam,” “Lay Your Money Down,” “Glory and Levi,” or even the main song, “Under the Whispering Tree.”  Many genres are touched upon and all nine tracks work in their own way, perhaps for different formats.

 

·  Lay Your Money Down 3:45

Rob Benson

I Need You 3:17

Rob Benson

I'll Take Care of You 4:36

Rob Benson

Glory and Levi  3:41

Rob Benson

My Angel Lady

Rob Benson 2:36
Amsterdam  3:33

Rob Benson
Outlaws Want Money 3:53

Rob Benson

Someone Right for Me 2:29

Rob Benson
Under the Whispering Tree 4:56

Rob Benson

 

 

Produced by Peter Calo, featuring the talents or Peter, Aaron Heick, Jonny Dinklage and Chris Marshak.

 

 

Boston Globe Article on Boston Rock and Roll Friday August 14, 2020

 

By David ScharfenbergF

irst that sneaky bass line, and the odd, distant howl. Then Kim Deal all quiet and breathy and winking, “And this I know, his teeth as white as snow, what a gas it was to see him. . . .”

Now come the drums and the pregnant hum of a guitar on the verge. And suddenly we are loud. We are very, very loud: “Gigantic! Gigantic! Gigantic! A big, big love!”

I’m listening to the single greatest song this town has ever produced — “Gigantic” by the Pixies — on the concrete stoop outside Nuggets Records in Kenmore Square Globe Staff,Updated August 14, 2020, 1:13 p.m.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/14/opinion/aerosmith-cars-pixies-boston-used-be-rock-n-roll-capital-where-has-all-music-gone/

Rare Kirkland Cafe Photos Uncovered! This Morning 8-14-2020 Macey and Gilligan, Paul Hultman Live @ Club Bohemia at the Kirkland!

294,671 all-time page views as of 6:20 am August 15, 2020

Rare Club Bohemia @ Kirkland Photos FOUND!

All photographs by Joe Viglione 

________________________

Steve Gilligan and Jon Macey circa 2006  Club Bohemia at the Kirkland

Rare Club Bohemia when at Kirkland Cafe possibly May 2006! 

Discovered this morning 8-14-2020 Posted on Bohemia https://clubbohemianews.blogspot.com/2020/08/rare-kirkland-cafe-photos-uncovered.html

Paul Hultman onstage

Paul at WNSH Barn in South Hamilton, MA being interviewed on Doug Mascott's Trax of the Town

____________________________________________________________________

Paul Hultman CD Release party?

May 1, 2006   possibly when photos were developed

Doug Mascott and Kid Faduzula DJ....see Paul Hultman image left of Doug 

SIX PHOTOS FROM WNSH AM 1570  in South Hamilton MA at the barn of the owner,

Keating Wilcox.    Kid Faduzula and Doug Mascott

Paul Hultman, Doug Mascott and DJ Kid Faduzala 

The Beatles and Rockport's Bobby Hebb - the 1966 Tour started August 12, 1966 54 years ago!

Bobby Hebb performing "Sunny" the Candlestick Park final day of the Beatles tour on Where The Action Is television

August 29, 1966

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FECFnSAX4KA

The tour started on August 12

Concluded on August 29

Bobby Hebb and The Beatles!

What a show! 

Bobby's Blog:

http://bobbyhebb.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-12-1966-chicago-bobby-hebb.html

 

________________________________

Chicago Concert Ticket on eBay 

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ALeKk00Spc_gKlgAh7m_zlX22dII8zBRYQ%3A1597165606480&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=920&ei=JtAyX-uwGoTAytMPx4Su0A4&q=the+beatles+tickets+august+12%2C+1966&oq=the+beatles+tickets+august+12%2C+1966&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoECCMQJzoFCAAQsQM6AggAOggIABCxAxCDAToGCAAQCBAeOgQIABAYOgQIABAeUPQLWNhQYLJSaAVwAHgAgAFGiAH6EZIBAjQwmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWc&sclient=img&ved=0ahUKEwjr2_nE0ZPrAhUEoHIEHUeCC-oQ4dUDCAc&uact=5

 

Bobby's Blog:

http://bobbyhebb.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-12-1966-chicago-bobby-hebb.html

 

 

54 years ago tomorrow, Bobby Hebb toured with the Beatles, and "Sunny" made Bobby a true co-headliner as the song was at its peak in its first run and the crowd in Toronto on August 17th screams on the tape like it is the Beatles Shop themselves onstage

https://bobbyhebb.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-12-1966-chicago-bobby-hebb.html?fbclid=IwAR2fXTsiDP_ELfBKtQ99DfBH5jkFgKxzHYRTHxHm5qs3urfywADKOvdH1xk

 

 

Bobby's Blog:

http://bobbyhebb.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-12-1966-chicago-bobby-hebb.html

 

 

Bobby's Blog:

http://bobbyhebb.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-12-1966-chicago-bobby-hebb.html

Bobby's Blog:

http://bobbyhebb.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-12-1966-chicago-bobby-hebb.html

Bobby's Blog:

http://bobbyhebb.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-12-1966-chicago-bobby-hebb.html

Hotline to the Underground August 10, 2020 10:10 pm !

The Club Bohemia Newsletter - 

the Premiere Music Site for New England Musicians

WE SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC!

Today, Tuesday August 11, 2020

 Club Bohemia 11:17 am 8-11-20
All-time 293,290
Today 343 8-11-20
Yesterday 102 Monday evening 10 pm 8-10-2020 

Last Month5790

____________________
Monday August 10, 2020

Pageviews yesterday 102
Pageviews last month 5,556
292,949 Pageviews all time history 

 _________________________________________ 

The club scene might be in suspended animation, frozen this hot summer, but Club Bohemia is probably the only nightclub that has 5,556 readers in the past month (as of 10:21 pm tonight, August 10, 2020) One Hundred and Two views from 8 pm Sunday night to 8 PM Monday, 8/10, and on the verge of Two Hundred and Ninety Three Thousand page views!   We support local artists!

Club owner: Mickey Bliss
Club publicist : Joe Viglione
Club administrator: Nicole Anzuoni 


ClubBohemia.club presents...

Hotline to the Underground

August 10, 2020

By Joe Viglione

ROLLING STONES RELEASE NEW “OLD’ SINGLE, ‘SCARLET”

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-rolling-stones-hinting-at-war-on-drugs-collab/

Continuing with our “back to the future” phase here on the Hotline, the Rolling Stones have a magnificent new single out on YouTube entitled “Scarlet.”  I’m thinking to myself “this is the best thing that Mick and Keith have written in years” only to see that despite the modern video with Irish actor Paul Mescal (Normal People mini-series) the song goes back to the days of producer Jimmy Miller and then-engineer Rob Fraboni (who went on to co-produce Bridges to Babylon.)  Mescal asks Mick Jagger in a marvelous video “So when did you guys write “Scarlet” and how long have you kinda been sitting on it, and why have you chosen to release it now?”  Jagger responds “I mean I remember doing it in many versions…I remember doing it with lots of different people and I don’t remember doing this and I talked to Jimmy Page and he said “Oh yeah, I remember it. We sat in Ronny Wood’s recording basement” Jagger also adding “It wasn’t really a Rolling Stones Record” …. - and mind you, Jagger is supposed to be interviewing Mescal, star of the new video!   Featuring Led Zeppelin’s page, it is a gem.

Recorded on May 10, 1974 and produced by Mick and Keith as “The Glimmer Twins” the stuttering quasi-reggae guitar is vintage Stones from that “Golden Era” of the greatest rock and roll band in the world.  It’s catchy, terrific and is pure evidence of why this amazing group has the staying power it has displayed over the decades.  Love it.

·       * * * * * *

Barry Marshall is one of the originals on the Boston/New England Music Scene and his production skills are always sharp, just ask the great Lavern Baker.   Just re-released on YouTube is a wonderful new song from The Montgomery’s entitled "Mr. Heartache."

Written by Dan Rudack and Peter Montgomery it is from the 2009 album WALKIE TALKIE on Naked Ear Records. Produced by Barry Marshall and Patrick DiCenso, The Montgomerys are: Peter Montgomery - vocals, rhythm guitar Mike Levesque - drums Sean McLaughlin - bass Tony Savarino - lead guitar Andrew Malone - piano and keyboards To learn more about Peter Mongtomery's music, seek out his Facebook group.

“Mr. Heartache” is very Beatles and keep in mind, August 12, 1966 the Beatles along with Bobby Hebb, the Ronettes, the Cyrkle and The Remains embarked on the final Beatles tour.

Kenny Selcer and Steve Gilligan duo (Gilligan of The Stompers/Fox Pass/Hummingbird Syndicate) have a new video out entitled “Tears.”  Written and mixed by Selcer with co-engineering by Billy Mason, the song was recorded 2019/2020 with Gilligan on vocals and bass, Kenny on lead vocals and guitar.  The pair just performed outdoors at the Bull Run in Shirley and as weather – and the Governor – permits, you’ll find them in many a local nightspot…sometimes even during the day.

Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/kennyselcertears

 STEVEN MARK RELEASES NEW E.P.

After a hiatus Steven Mark – one of our favorite artists – is back with an EP on Basset Records.  The opening track, “Under Water,” has heavy piano and reminds me of Pop maestro from the Merry Go Round, Emmit Rhodes.  We lost Emmit July 19, 2020 – not even a month ago, and this work carries on in that superb melodic tradition. “Cloudy” at three minutes and twenty seconds has Mark’s heartfelt lyrics and compelling vocal over a beautiful mix of sweet instrumentation.  The five songs all clock in somewhere from under three minutes to almost three and a half, concise well-crafted essays.  “High from You,” “Lift the Burden” and “Sugar Butterfly” flow in almost thematic fashion. It is elegant work from a veteran artist and is worthy of your time.  Check out Steven’s Hear Now site: https://stevenmark5.hearnow.com/

For the past twelve weeks my writings here on Somerville/Medford News Weekly have not been as efficient as from October 19, 2019 to May 11, 2020.  A bit of a life altering episode in my life, but we soldier on and – thankfully – I’m able to type without the Dragon Software so stay tuned.  You can always find my etchings on www.JoeViglione.com and can find me if you want to send a note @ JoeViglione @ yahoo.com

bonus track   DISTRACTION  CD BY STEVEN MARK

https://www.allmusic.com/album/distraction-mw0000395638

AllMusic Review by Joe Viglione  [-]

The title Distraction is a good example of what this well-defined release from New Yorker Steven Mark is all about. Methodical light pop similar in mood to Jeff Lynne's productions for the Beatles permeates titles like "Under the Covers" and "Another Day Insight." It's an eerie and haunting ambience that harks back to the Bee Gees-inspired groups Tin Tin and Marmalade, though a bit more contemporary à la Gavin Sutherland. If you found intriguing that "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" feel from Paul, Ringo, and George on John's music, you'll flip over this release. Mark cites Lennon as an influence on the www.stevenmarkmusic.com website, and you can hear that among other perspectives on the creative and perplexing "Dumb It Down." On these dozen tunes ranging from under three minutes to just over six minutes in length, Mark has a pensive voice that wistfully gets his point across. "Messiah Complex is a change in style and setting, and brings some rather intriguing sounds to the table that differ dramatically from the earlier offerings on the disc. The riff on "Beer & Nyquil" is as entertaining as the lyrics -- didn't Frank Rowe and the Classic Ruins have a driving rocker that called this toxic combo a "Nyquil Stinger" back in the 1970s? There's not a bad track on this album, almost 50 minutes of music by someone who actually has something to say and knows how to say it. It's a wonderful expression of sound and poetry, perhaps a low-key doppelgänger to Tracy Bonham's extraordinary (and underappreciated) work from 2000, Down Here. Distraction is a very special record sure to reveal more as one explores its possibilities.

_________________________________

i had the honor of interviewing emmit rhodes twenty years ago on WMFO 91.5  MEDFORD.   Let's hope the interview is still in our Varchives - the archives of Varulven Records.  Maybe Ray Paul has a copy as he set the interview up for me.

RIP Emmit Rhodes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emitt_Rhodes