SOME LOVE FROM DAMAGE
This company’s name sounds a bit threatening but Damage Control Music where the loveable chap Robin George reigns supreme means all things tuneful – and a bit raw when it concerns DAMAGE CONTROL the band, the one that the guitarist has with Chris Slade and UFO’s Pete Way. So hot on the heels of "Raw" comes “Make Love not War”, a seasonal song – a very special limited edition download if which will help finance the LovePower and Peace Charity. Details are here.
MIDAS MEN?
Cherry Red Records may have made a great name for themselves to be celebrating the label’s 30th anniversary now, yet sometimes their touch isn’t not golden at all, rather they serve – sorry! – shit. And treat their costumers like shit as well. Many went salivating when it was announced that there would be the RENAISSANCE first-ever live DVD released, because the YouTube clips were all that was available from the great British band video-wise. But then the cover artwork got changed the stylish to the cheap which wouldn’t be so big a problem if the package content was worthy watching. Yet it ain’t. Both concerts there are represented in horrible, grainy black-and-white sometimes bordering on shadow play. Ditto the audio with no high frequences and Annie Haslam‘s voice sounding like it’s a male singing! Seems like something like this could have been downloaded from the Web for free. There is a warning on the DVD cover – but why don’t warn the fans on the label’s site? DME laments the spending of money and recommends everyone not to repeat the mistake. Don’t buy this! Go comment it – and see the covers – on the blog.
SHE FELT LIKE CRYIN’
On December 2nd, the great voice of protest turned into silence. Odetta passed away, aged 77. She was in the center of the civil rights movement and let it be heard by everyone. The lady who sang the blues and much much more influenced Bob Dylan and was arguably the first African-American female singer to record his songs, in 1965, and make them reverberate all around the world and down the years. But there was much much more to Odetta Holmes’ talent that may be rediscovered now that the times are still a-changing.
DAMN THE GORY GLORY SEEKERS
November 29th may have gone in the history of Mumbai as the day when JETHRO TULL did a fantastic job sharing the stage with the high priestess of sitar, Anoushka Shankar yet, unfortunately, other events were stage there and then. God bless the souls of the fallen and be damned the glory Islamic fanatics – but Ian Anderson and his lads couldn’t just cancel their show, it’s been rescheduled as soon as possible, and the band played in Mumbai on December 5th. “Hiding under the bed is not really an option”, said Ian when announcing that the veterans’ peformance pay would benefit the city charity. What a guy!
HEAR THE FLUTTER OF THE WINGS
Among the goodies that the good folks at Angel Air are preparing to release into the world at the new year’s beginning, two are very curious.
The first comes from Rick Derringer whose smash “Rock ‘n’ Roll Hoochie Koo” has long entered the collective unconscious; less known it was him, as Richard Zehringer, playing some ten years before on THE McCOYS’ “Hang On Sloopy”. Both hits and more were brought on stage in 1982 when Rick Derringer’s ROCK SPECTACULAR gave a one-off night-long performance in NY the highlights of which form “Live At The Ritz, New York – 1982” featuring some heavy guests such as the powerhouse rhythm section of Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert.
1. Easy Action 2. Is This A Cool World, Or What? – with Karla DeVito 3. Just Like You – with Karla DeVito 4. Honey Rush – with Southside Johnny 5. Five Long Years – with Southside Johnny 6. Rock ‘n’ Roll Hoochie Koo 7. Have You Heard – with Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert 8. Lady – with Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert 9. Cat Scratch Fever – with Ted Nugent, Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert 10. Oh, Carol – with Ted Nugent, Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert 11. Party At The Hotel 12. Hang On Sloopy – with all the guests |
The other Angel Air’s release continue their fine line in MOTT THE HOOPLE-related products and is “By Tonight – Live 1975/1976” by MOTT who bore Overend Watts, Dale Griffin and Morgan Fisher on board who recruited Ray Major and Nigel Benjamin to fix the holes. Live, they were cool – with the repertoire bolsted with the HOOPLE’s “All The Way From Memphis”, THE DOORS’ “Love Me Two Times” and VELVET UNDEGROUND’s “Sweet Jane”. And here’s the document of how it was on the both sides of Atlantic:
1. Storm 2. Great White Wail 3. Collision Course 4. Hold On, You’re Crazy 5. She Does It 6. Career 7. By Tonight 8. Love Me Two Times 9. Medley: – I Don’t Wanna Discuss It – All The Way From Memphis 10. Born Late 58 11. Love Now 12.Medley: – Rock ‘n’ Roll Queen – It Takes One To Know One – Sweet Jane |