************************************************************************** B Y R D M A N I A X t h e o n l i n e b y r d s d i g e s t Number 37 May 19, 1995 ************************************************************************** To post notes to this digest, send an e-mail message to richruss@gate.net. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an e-mail message to the same address with the appropriate word in the subject field. Previous editions of Byrdmaniax, tour schedules and other Byrds-related items can be retrieved by anonymous FTP at: ftp.gate.net/pub/users/richruss/Byrds. This digest is posted weekly. Problems? Send a message to richruss@gate.net Contents Contributors: Re: Piano on Tambourine Man? Andrew Rogers Re: "Why Not Your Baby?" Richard Russell Tape tree Jerry Fuentes Byrd sightings Gregg Makepeace Tape tree Roy E. Josephson Byrdmaniax tape tree Martin Halpern Re: Tape tree Ralf Narfeldt Tree...maybe...? J W Norris Byrdmaniax #36 Eugene Thacker Re: Byrdmaniax #36 Les Tuttle Re: Byrdmaniax #36 Terrence Boerner Silohuetted In Light Kim Poindexter Byrds Tape Tree Al Drewes tape tree Jon G Donaldson Crosby, Stills and Nash Mailing List Mick Anderson (forwarded) Re: Byrds FAQ Richard Russell Re: Byrds and R&R Hall of Fame Roger McGuinn (forwarded) Re: Byrdmaniax #36 David Crosby Can Post Item? Ron Gorda Re: Crosby, Stills and Nash Mailing List Mick Anderson Re: "ding dang" Sean Courtney (forwarded) Re: "ding dang" and Charles Lloyd Richard Russell Roger McGuinn Itinerary Carrie L Workman (forwarded) Roger McGuinn in Boston Carrie L Workman (forwarded) Re: "ding dang" and Charles Lloyd Roger McGuinn (forwarded) PERRO Tree...Announcement #1 J W Norris The PERRO Tapes J W Norris ************************************************************************** From: rogers@hi.com (Andrew Rogers) Date: Wed, 10 May 95 13:05:26 -0400 To: richruss@gate.net Subject: Re: Piano on Tambourine Man? > ...Now I don't have the best sound system > in the world, but I do have a pretty good ear, and in 30 years of listening, > I have never been able to discern the sound of an electric piano on either > the single or anywhere else on the first album. What gives? You can hear the electric piano - faintly, but it is there - on the true stereo mix (box set or "20 Essential Tracks"). Andrew ************************************************************************** Date: Wed, 10 May 1995 11:09:41 -0600 From: richruss@gate.net (Richard Russell) Subject: Re: "Why Not Your Baby?" >Dear Richard, > I've been trying to find out where Gene Clark's "Why Not Your Baby?" >originally appeared. Velvet Crush did an excellent version of it on their >latest album (very Byrds-ish) and I remember seeing Gene do it at least once >on the two occasions I saw him. A friend told me that it was a b-side of one >of Gene's singles though he didn't remember which one and I can't find it on >any of his albums and I think I have all of them. > Any ideas? Hi, sorry for the long delay replying -- was on vacation, then I've been swamped since returning. Noticed this been discussed some on alt.music.byrds; unfortunately I can't provide an answer either. The words are very, very familiar -- I can almost hear Gene singing them. Perhaps the title is incorrect (Velvet Crush could have used an alternate title)? Can you provide me with some of the lyrics from their song? Richard ************************************************************************** Date: Wed, 10 May 95 10:23:31 PDT From: "Fuentes, Jerry" Subject: Tape tree Richard - I would be interested in this tape tree. I'd also rather have the interview round out the 90 min tape rather than a partial additional show. Welcome back! Hey, I'm also a big Poco fan. Do you ever hear of them playing in your neck of the woods? I know Paul Cotton lives somewhere in Florida, so they do play there on occasion. Of course, I know FLA is a big state so that doesn't mean much. Just wonderin' Jerry ************************************************************************** Date: Wed, 10 May 1995 11:22:26 -0700 From: makepeac@ug.eds.com (Gregg Makepeace) Subject: Byrd sightings While I was waiting for my son's art class to let out I happened to walk across the street to the local crappy music chain store "The Wherehouse." They now carry used CDs and if you dig hard enough you can find some treasures as most of their clients/clerks are more attuned to the Top 40 than the rest of the musical spectrum. I came away with CD copies of "Merle Haggard's Capital Collector's Series Greatest Hits," John Coltrane's "Expressions," plus (obligatory Byrds content follows ;-) "Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde" and "Back from Rio." All were only $2.99 each! I have the box set and some of the Columbia LPs but never heard "Dr. Byrds" in its entirety. Well, after a couple of listens, I'm now ordering "The Notorius Byrd Brothers" (my friend my vinyl copy in his backseat and it warped years ago)and "Untitled" as well. Also, I hear that the "Easy Rider" soundtrack was recently released in Europe?! Any ideas on whether a domestic release is imminent? BTW, I was telling Russ that this is truly a special list. There's a great communal spirit here that many other lists would surely envy. And having Roger posting lyrics and tabs for "Turn Turn Turn" is truly a mind blowing sight! Usually it's some lonely college kid with a computer, a guitar and waaaay tooo much time on his hands. ;-) =========== Gregg Makepeace makepeac@ug.eds.com ************************************************************************** Date: 10 May 95 15:51:00 EDT From: "Roy E. Josephson" <73473.217@compuserve.com> Subject: Tape tree Hi Richard, Enjoyed today's Byrdmaniax. You're doing a great job. What a treat to have McGuinn and Crosby on-line! Yes, put me down as very interested in the tape tree. I'm not sure if my equipment is good enough to make copies, maybe you should detail the requirements in non-audiophile terms. So there's a Neil Young mailing list! Could you pass along that address to me when you have a minute? I looked in my most recent "list of lists" file under n and y but didn't see anything. Thanks - looking forward to some tape treeing. Roy Cocoa Beach ************************************************************************** Date: Thu, 11 May 95 08:41:58 PDT From: mhalpern@lsil.com (Martin Halpern) Subject: Byrdmaniax tape tree Rich, Just a quick one to let you know I'm all for another tape tree on the Byrds list... Besides, you and I need to do some trading anyhow! Cheers, - marty mhalpern@LSIL.com ************************************************************************** From: Ralf_Narfeldt@lector.kth.se Date: Thu, 11 May 1995 21:49:38 MET Subject: Re: Tape tree I think it's a great idea! I'm not in the possession of a great deal of material, it seldom finds its way here to Scandinavia, but I know a couple of BYRDMANIAX round here who also would be interested. best regards Ralf Narfeldt ************************************************************************** Date: Thu, 11 May 1995 17:07:19 -0700 From: jnorris@cello.gina.calstate.edu (J W Norris) Subject: Tree...maybe...? Hey there, Count my vote as a yes... peace...and listen to the music... J W ************************************** * 'What goes around...comes around.' * * jnorris@cello.gina.calstate.edu * ************************************** ************************************************************************** Date: Thu, 11 May 95 23:06:41 EDT From: "Eugene Thacker, Ext " Subject: Byrdmaniax #36 I'd be interested in another tape tree. ************************************************************************** Date: Fri, 12 May 1995 02:18:17 EDT From: NXAN09A@prodigy.com ( LES TUTTLE) Subject: Re: Byrdmaniax #36 Richard, As usual, enjoyed & appreciated the latest Byrdmaniax, especially since I get bounced out of alt.byrds just about every time I go in...must be a prodigy thing. Anyway, I'm glad to see the tree proposal, and would be willing to be a branch if you think my recording equipment is acceptable (a Pioneer CT-W403R dubbing deck). Otherwise I'll be happy to be a leaf (of course) & would keep an eye out for the signup. Thanks! Les ************************************************************************** From: tjbo@intgp1.att.com (Terrence Boerner +1 708 979 5902) Date: 12 May 95 12:24:00 -0500 Subject: Re: Byrdmaniax #36 Richard, I think that's a great idea. My system is a little above average. It would be great to hear vintage McGuinn and Byrds etc. Count me in. Terry ************************************************************************** From: "Poindexter, Kim" Subject: Silohuetted In Light Date: Fri, 12 May 95 16:34:00 PDT ... I got it yesterday. Stunning. Essential. Indispensible. Goose bumps up and down my arms for the entire duration of I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better. Del Gato, Set You Free This Time, Gypsy Rider. I haven't the words. Kim, who is just beginning to understand what a great loss Gene Clark's death really was. ************************************************************************** From: adrewe01@InterServ.Com Date: Fri, 12 May 95 18:25:33 PDT Subject: Byrds Tape Tree Richard: I would be very interested in participating in a tape tree. I can't tell you that I have anything to offer as far as recording other than the fact that I have all of the original Byrds, Burritos etc records. But I do have a half-way decent Sony dual casssette deck so I could make some tapes. Let me know your thoughts. Al Drewes ************************************************************************** Date: Sat, 13 May 1995 14:42:06 EDT From: DJGH76A@prodigy.com (MR JON G DONALDSON) Subject: tape tree Dear Richard, Re: Byrdmaniax #36, did you say Tape Tree? Count me in again. Jon Donaldson p.s. How did you like the three tapes I sent? p.p.s. How was New Orleans and the jazz? ************************************************************************** From: micka@jolt.mpx.com.au (Mick Anderson) Subject: Crosby, Stills and Nash Mailing List Date: 14 May 1995 13:31:11 GMT (forwarded from alt.music.byrds) A new mailing list has just been started. It's called "lee-shore" and is for discussion of CSN and their music. All CSN fans welcome! To subscribe put: subscribe lee-shore in the body of a message and send it to majordomo@blender.digital.com.au (no "subject" is needed). Mick ************************************************************************** Date: Sun, 14 May 1995 11:23:00 -0600 From: richruss@gate.net (Richard Russell) Subject: Re: Byrds FAQ In article <3p581q$6mt@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, rick12str@aol.com (Rick12str) wrote: > The Byrds FAQ is at URL: > > http:www.uark.edu/~kadler/rmcguinn.html > > All the best ..... Roger > Roger McGuinn, founder, leader, lead singer of the BYRDS > mcguinn@ix.netcom.com Roger McGuinn's Byrds FAQ is also available via the Byrdmaniax mailing list's anonymous ftp site, at: ftp.gate.net/pub/users/richruss/Byrds ************************************************************************** From: rick12str@aol.com (Rick12str) Subject: Re: Byrds and R&R Hall of Fame Date: 14 May 1995 22:40:20 -0400 (forwarded from alt.music.byrds) miket.30.2FB561F8@wkar.msu.edu> writes: >I read recently that Roger donated various items from his Byrds days to >the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Hey Roger, would you care >to fill us in as to what we can expect to see when we visit the Hall of >Fame in the fall? Did you really donate an original pair of "granny" >glasses? Well let's see.....there was the Rickenbacker 12-string that I used in the Byrds from 1967 until I got my signature model, a yellow leather jacket that I wore on the Mr. Tambourine Man album cover, some Byrds glasses, the Moog that I used on all those songs, listed in the Byrds FAQ and some posters and photos. I think that's about all. See you at the Hall Of Fame..... Roger Roger McGuinn, founder, leader, lead singer of the BYRDS mcguinn@ix.netcom.com ************************************************************************** From: DCrosby106@aol.com Date: Mon, 15 May 1995 12:34:14 -0400 Subject: Re: Byrdmaniax #36 I don't know how Roger feels but it's OK with me if you want to do a tape tree...... . ************************************************************************** From: "Ron Gorda" Date: 16 May 1995 10:23:57 +0100 Subject: Can Post Item? Subject: Time: 9:54 AM OFFICE MEMO Can Post Item? Date: 5/16/95 Rich, Hope you had a nice vacation. Wanted to check with you about posting a sale item in Byrds newsletter. Have a second copy of a King Biscuit Flower Hour CD radio show featuring McGuinn, Clark and Hillman and a shorter solo set from McGuinn. Aired on radio1993, but obviously recorded earlier. Same set as probably the tape tree was circulating but is an original radio station CD copy along with play list. Cost is $20.00 plus shipping of $3.00 in US. Not a profit item, just wanted to pass along to another collector to enjoy. Let me know, don't think you intended newsletter as merchandise market but my intent is different. Have only 1 copy to part with. ************************************************************************** Date: Tue, 16 May 1995 22:37:59 +1000 (EST) From: Mick Anderson Subject: Re: Crosby, Stills and Nash Mailing List Hi Richard, > That's great! I subscribed yesterday, but I wasn't sure what address to > send regular email to -- the welcome to lee-shore note doesn't say where > to send stuff. (at least I couldn't find it) Yep, you've made it to the list. Nice to meet you. You've picked up a little oversight on my part which has now been fixed. The thing is you can't post to anything yet anyway because I'm disallowing all posts until the subscription rate subsides a little - should be just a couple of more days. I'll let you all now when things are ready.. But since you asked, the address to post to is: lee-shore@blender.digital.com.au Later, Mick ************************************************************************** Subject: Re: "ding dang" From: sean.courtney@hookline.com (Sean Courtney) Date: Wed, 17 May 1995 07:59:35 -1000 (forwarded from alt.music.byrds) (Roger McGuinn writes:) RM> Thanks Dave, Here's the story: RM> In 1972 I was living in Malibu California. By chance I RM> looked at the monitor for the front gate of my security RM> system and noticed an unfamiliar car pull up. The driver RM> rang the bell. RM> "Who is it?" I asked not recognizing the man in the RM> vehicle. RM> "It's Brian Wilson." shouted the voice at the other RM> end, sounding somewhat uncertain. RM> "Come on in!" I hollered, pressing the red button on RM> the intercom box, opening the large electric gate. RM> "I just wanted to see you." He said. "Do you have any speed?" "Why RM> yes." I answered, "Are you sure you should be taking it?" "I'm running RM> away from Dr. Landy today." Brian said with a half smile from the side RM> of his mouth, "So it's okay." Uhh....Roger...Brian didn't even know Landy existed until he started seeing him in 1976. You sure you got the date right?? Especially since the song was released in 1977??? RM> The Beach Boys later recorded the song and it only had that RM> one verse. Were you involved in the recording at all??? ************************************************************************** Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 00:13:17 -0600 From: richruss@gate.net (Richard Russell) Subject: Re: "ding dang" and Charles Lloyd (someone on alt.music.byrds posted this:) > Uhh....Roger...Brian didn't even know Landy existed until he started seeing > him in 1976. You sure you got the date right?? Especially since the song > was released in 1977??? > The reference to Landy does seem a bit early -- I've never seen him mentioned in reference to Brian Wilson before '76. Who knows, could have been some other whacko. However, the date is valid as far as the song goes. According to Brad Elliott's excellent "Surf's Up! The Beach Boys on Record 1961-1981," the song "Ding Dang" (by Brian Wilson and Roger McGuinn) was actually recorded in 1973. It was released several years later, April '77, on the Beach Boys' "Love You" album. Only about 54 seconds of the recording is included. Around this time ('71-'72), both Roger and the Beach Boys did some work with jazz great Charles Lloyd (Check out the album "Waves"). Maybe Roger can fill us in on the Charles Lloyd recordings. Richard ************************************************************************** From: clw@world.std.com (Carrie L Workman) Subject: Roger McGuinn Itinerary Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 17:46:27 GMT (forwarded from alt.music.byrds) ROGER McGUINN ITINERARY DATES CITY ST VENUE 05-19-1995 BUFFALO NY THE MARQUEE 05-21-1995 ALBANY NY VALENTINE'S 05/22-23/1995 PIERMONT NY TURNING POINT 05-24-1995 NORTHAMPTON MA IRON HORSE 05-25-1995 WESTBOROUGH MA OLD VIENNA KAFFEEHAUS 05-28-1995 WEST DENNIS MA CHRISTINE'S 05-30-1995 BOSTON MA BERKLEE PERFORMANCE CENTER 06-19-1995 CARRBORO NC CAT'S CRADLE 06-21-1995 ATLANTA GA VARIETY PLAYHOUSE 06-23-1995 CHATTANOOGA TN RIVERBEND FESTIVAL 06-24-1995 ASHEVILLE NC BE HERE NOW 06-26-1995 NASHVILLE TN MUSIC CITY MIX FACTORY 06-28-1995 OXFORD MS PROUD LARRY'S 08-06-1995 PHILADELPHIA PA CLUB MAUI 08-10-1995 BOSTON MA COPLEY SQUARE PARK 08-13-1995 AMAGANSETT NY STEPHEN TALKHOUSE ************************************************************************** From: clw@world.std.com (Carrie L Workman) Subject: Roger McGuinn in Boston Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 17:49:35 GMT (forwarded from alt.music.byrds) Hello! I just wanted to share some information about Roger's upcoming appearance at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on May 30. The show is a benefit for the Boston Womens' Community Cancer Project in honor of the birthday of Roger's agent, Elizabeth Rush. In addition to Roger, the show will feature performances by Richard Thompson, Ronny Cox and Ellie Marshall, with additional special guests to be announced. If you have any questions about the show, feel free to e-mail me directly or post a question here. Regards, Carrie Workman ************************************************************************** From: mcguinn@ix.netcom.com (Roger McGuinn) Subject: Re: "ding dang" and Charles Lloyd Date: 19 May 1995 03:28:32 GMT (forwarded from alt.music.byrds) > >> Uhh....Roger...Brian didn't even know Landy existed until he started >> seeing him in 1976. You sure you got the date right?? Especially >> since the song was released in 1977 ??? >> Well maybe it wasn't Landy but it was some shrink.... I thought it was Landy. > > >The reference to Landy does seem a bit early -- I've never seen him >mentioned in reference to Brian Wilson before '76. Who knows, could >have been some other whacko. > >However, the date is valid as far as the song goes. > According to Brad Elliott's excellent "Surf's Up! The Beach Boys on Record 1961-1981," the song "Ding Dang" (by Brian Wilson and Roger McGuinn) was actually recorded in 1973. It was released several years later, April '77, on the Beach Boys' "Love You" album. Only about 54 seconds of the recording is included. Around this time ('71-'72), both Roger and the Beach Boys did some work with jazz great Charles Lloyd (Check out the album "Waves"). Maybe Roger can fill us in on the Charles Lloyd recordings. Charles Lloyd was a friend and fellow Malibu resident. He worked with me on my first solo album. -Roger ************************************************************************** Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 13:25:21 -0700 From: jnorris@cello.gina.calstate.edu (J W Norris) Subject: PERRO Tree...Announcement #1 Hey all, I thought that you might be interested in a tree being run out of the 2400FULTON mail list. Also read PERRO (Planet Earth Rock ÔnÕ Roll Orchestra) history post for alittle background information. If you are interested in this tree, add *Byrdmaniax* to the subject. peace...and listen to the music... J W >As I can see >from the latest rash of PERRO posts there is great interest in these >outtakes. I will try to get this tree off the ground and running by the >start of the summer season. Even though I have an .edu address, I will be >here all year. > >And now to the important part... > >Recordings received on these tape trees are NOT to be sold. (Reimbursement >for cost of blanks and postage is fine, but these trees are not being >established to provide a source of revenue for producers of bootleg CDs, >etc.) If you are looking for tapes to sell, please look elsewhere. > >The most common criticism of net tape trees is that they take too long. >Please do not sign up to do more copies than you will be able to get done >within two weeks after you receive your copies. Quicker turnaround, if >possible, will be greatly appreciated by your children (and theirs, if they >have any.) > >Please use one of the following two headers, depending on whether you can >make copies or not, when signing up: > > PERRO Tree - Branch > PERRO Tree - Leaf > >If any other header is used, mail could be deleted [although I will try to >be careful]. > >The Signup Form (PLEASE use this - thanks): > >---- cut here ----- cut here ----- cut here ----- cut here ----- > >PERRO Tape Tree signup form >Return to jnorris@cello.gina.calstate.edu > > Name: > > Email Address(es): > > Snail mail address: > > Phone or FAX number(s): > >Moving and/or losing net.access soon (for summer, etc.)? > If "yes", on what date? > and when will you be returning? > >If there are enough of you losing access for the summer we may run a delayed >branch or maybe a vine. > >How many copies are you willing/able to make (within no more than two weeks >of receiving your tapes): X number of sets of analog cassettes > >Brief description of your tape copying setup >(required if volunteering to make copies): > >Anything else you think the tree administrator might find interesting, >relevant or amusing: > > >---- cut here ----- cut here ----- cut here ----- cut here ----- > >peace...and listen to the music... > >J W ************************************************************************** Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 13:25:31 -0700 From: jnorris@cello.gina.calstate.edu (J W Norris) Subject: The PERRO Tapes Here's the article on the PERRO tapes (from ÒHolding TogetherÓ Jefferson Airplane fan newsletter) ----- The Original Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra Tapes When the Crosby, Stills & Nash box-set was being put together a couple of years ago, three reels of 8-track tape labelled 'Kantner' were uncovered and dusted off. These were forwarded to the Doktor of Space for his consideration and in due course Holding Together was fortunate enough to get to hear two of the tapes. (Paul has decided that there's nothing of any great worth on the third. Maybe one day he'll let us have a listen to that one too?) The tapes in question are of excellent quality. They were recorded at Wally Heider's studio in the summer of 1971 with Sleve Barncard at the controls and they captured the Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra working on some material that would later surface on 'solo' recordings by David Crosby, Jerry Garcia, Paul Kantner and Grace Slick. On Kantner's 'solo' album of 1983. entitled 'Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra', he dedicated 'Mountain Song' ...'to David C, Jerry G, Graham N, Grace S, David F, Billy K and Mickey H and to one summer when all of our schedules almost didn't conflict.' The title track from that record also contained the verse 'Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra, Everybody Here Can Be In The Band, Planet Earth Rock And Roll Dream ' and it is quite clear that Paul, with his Tribal/Hippy/SciFi orientation, was the keenest to engender the 'you can all join in' approach - maybe because the Airplane was never quite the extended farnily that the Grateful Dead became. However, the roots of PER&RO go back a lot further than the summer of 1971. 1 guess it had its inception in the early years of the '60s (prior to the Airplane, the Byrds et al) when Kantner, Crosby and Freiberg used to hang out, play music, get high and rap together around Venice Beach. That was the initial bond, the start of it all. Later, when they were in bands of their own, there were occasional points of interactioo - like Garcia sitting in on the 'Surrealistic Pillow' sessions, like Crosby giving "Triad" to tbe Airplane when he couldn't get the Byrds to record it, like Kantner, Crosby and Stills writing "Wooden Ships". Then, as the '60s drew to a close, two sets of circurnstances combined to bring the Planet Earth Rock And Roll Dream a whole lot nearer One was the opening of Wally Heider's studio in San Francisco - because now the local SF musicians (Airplane, Quicksilver, Dead) had a place on their doorstep where they could record. This gave ltem freedom from the corporate studios to record and produce as they saw fit, to come and go more as they pleased and to invite the musical neighbourhood in if they chose. (It hadn't been so easy wben they were holed up at RCA's or Warner's studios in Hollywood.) The other catalyst was the state of flux that a Iot of bands were falling into by 1969/1970, for Crosby had left the Byrds, the Airplane was a less cohesive force with Dryden out and Hot Tuna splitting off, and Dino Valenti's arrival had unsettled QMS. Things had come pretty much full circle by the end of the decade. Kantner was again hanging out witb Crosby (quite often on the latter's yacht) and with David Freiberg - and, when Paul came to assemble musicians to record 'Blows Against The Empire', it wasn't just to his Airplane cohorts that he turned but also to Crosby and Garcia and even Graham Nash - who'd just bought a house in Frisco and ended up producing the whole second side of the 'Blows...' album at Heider's studio. 'Blows..." was the first album by that collection of musicians wbom Paul liked to term the Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra. The fact that he billed the album as being by Jefferson Starship shouldn't mislead anyone. Kantner, Crosby, Slick, Freiberg, Nash, Garcia, Kaukonen, Lesh, Casady, Kreutzman, Hart - these people were the Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra, supporting each other on key projects. As Grace recalls, "These sessions were like 'Uh, do you wanna play guitar on this one?' 'No, man, I have to go to the bathroom.' 'Okay, David, you wanna play?' 'Sure'. Whoever felt like doing something did it. Parts interchanged, people interchanged." Graham Nash says "They asked me my opinion and I just jumped right in. Grace, Paul, David - they let me do whatever I heard. I was searching for this kind of environment when I came to America and when I was mixing in the studio our imaginations were running rampant. We were creating virtual kingdoms with music." Paul's recollection of proceedings is that "The combinations that happened on these records will probably never happen again." Let's hope he's wrong - but the Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra was, for a couple of years, a free-wheeling and quite radical musical concept. The second such PER&RO project was David Crosby's debut solo album, 'If I Could Only Remember My Name', which features all of the above-mentioned Planet Earthers plus the likes of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Greg Rolie and Mike Shrieve. Rumour has it that the third project was going to be another Kantner album entitled 'Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra'. Here at HT Towers we have a distant memory of Melody Maker announcing the impending release of such a work circa 1972. Of course, nothing answering to that name appeared for another ten years - by which time it was a different beast entirely...except for the concept and the inclusion of 'Mountain Song'. (it's just possible that the third project is what materialised as Grace's solo album 'Manhole'. Perhaps we shall never know. ) But enough of this preamble, and on to the tapes in question. They come from sesions at Wally Heider's San Francisco studios in 1971. Crosby had sailed his boat up to Sausalito harbour. Nash was resident in the Haight. Kantner and Slick had moved out to Bolinas and the Dead were in Mill Valley but they would all head for Wally's of an evening to work on PER&RO songs. Some of these things ended up on Crosby's solo, a couple on Garcia's solo, one on Grace's album, one on Paul's 1983 'Planet Earth...' album - and some have never seen the light of day, in whicb case we've had to guess at what they might be title. Roll the PER&RO tapcs. "Walkin' In The Mountains" (1' 47n): A Crosby composition featuring typically attractive chordings, but little in the way of finished lyrics. "All the words we got so far are just ideas of places we'd like to go,- he tells Garcia at the start of this... "I went walkin' out last summer Tryin' to find a breath of air. I went walkin' in the mountains A friend had told me I'd find you there" comprises just about all the words he has, but the feel is so airy and open you can almost smell that mountain air. The sequence makes a surprise reappearance later in the tape, as an intro to version four of 'The Mountain Song'. "Is It Really Monday?" (4' 55"): Crosby again, and this one begins with his acoustic guitar and the composer scat- singing the abstruse melody. When the lyrics arrive, he asks: "Is it really Monday? I must have been here before. Is it really Monday? I think the walls begin to speak." The tempo is very slow, in a country blues vein and Garcia adds some restrained picking. The lugubrious bass sounds like that of Phil Lesh. "Under Anaesthesia" (5' 14"): The timing includes a false start of about 45 seconds, after which Crosby calls a halt and announces 'No, that's not it. Started too slow, it's outta time and I didn't get the right words!" When he does, it's another hugely impressive song, the lyrical angle of which is to bemoan the inertia of the common man - who is portrayed as stupefied by beer and TV. At the conclusion, Crosby launches into a brief sequence on guitar and comments 'I thought I'd try something original...if I write another song in E Minor, man, I'm gonna get fired!' "Loser" (8' 41"): The timing includes several restarts and Jerry explaining - and indeed demonstrating - the chord progression to his colleagues, who could well be Crosby, Lesh and Papa John. There's certairlly a violin in here and it works especially well, counterpointing the three guitars most effectively. It's obviously an early run through the song as Jerry doesn't have much more than the first verse written. The second crack has more audible vocals, but Garcia still resorts to "da da das" from the second verse on. The bridge is there, at least intact musically, even if the only line Jerry seems sure about is the closing "Don't let that deal go down" The genesis of a great song. "Over Jordan" (3' 30"): Another Crosby song, replete with a beautiful structure, but short on completed Iyrics. It begins with David's rippling acoustic guitar which is soon joined by that of Garcia for some impressive picking. "I'm only going over Jordan, Just a-goin" to my home" sings the Cros, but after a couple of minutes he declares that he's forgotten the changes, so re-starts the performance at the bridge. This is a delightful half-song which the composer should really have compleled and recorded at some stage. "The Mountain Song - 1" (5' 11"): This is the first of several attempts at what would eventually become a slice of classic Airmachine. However, at this stage, the only fragment of the song they had to work with was the line "Gonna make the mountains be my home" and the chord-sequence that supported it, so it's quite amazing that from such a meagre base Kantner, Slick, Crosby and Garcia (possibly wilh Casady and Hart) are able to conjure 23 minites of undulating beauty. There's a banjo featured prominently, plus two acoustic guitars and Grace's distinctive piano. The banjo could be Jerry but I suspect that, because some of the acoustic touches are so accomplisbed, it's Kantner on the five- string wilh Garcia and Crosby on guitars. Surprisingly, there's no trace of Paul's vocal - though the other three take care of that handsomely enough. Early on, it's Jerry singing the line in orthodox fashion, while Grace embellishes with some improvised lyrics around the theme. Then Crosby takes Grace's place and scats around Jerry's vocal for a while. As you'd expect, the playing is loose and slightly tentative on this first version, but no less affecting for all tbat. "The Mountain Song - 2" (5' 17"): Grace is back providing an improvised descant to Jerry's straight vocal at the start here, and she's singing about the sky and the river as he eulogises the mountains. After a minute or so, Crosby introduces his scat and Grace leaves the chorus to concentrate on her keyboards. Her vocal chords are re- engaged towards the close. "The Mountain Song - 3" (3' 44"): This version begins with Jerry and David singing the line and Grace gliding around them. Briefly, Crosby supersedes her in this role but soon the two of them are improvising around the structure as Jerry perseveres in the middle. At the end of this effort, Paul is heard to remark "It sounds like everybody's going in and out of time" to which Crosby responds "No, no, no, it's all working - and it works perfectly." The listener is strongly inclined to agree with him. "The Mountain Song - 4" (8' 20"): As you'll see, this is the longest version and undoubtedly the most satisfying of the four. This is where Crosby's embryonic "Walkin' In The Mountains" suddenly re-emerges and he goes through the verse and various chord sequences as an introduction to "The Mountain Song," to which it bridges seamlessly and beautifully. It's a remarkable segue which makes the listener keenly aware of how the song could have developed in a very different direction had Crosby stayed to contribute throughout its evolution. Speculation aside, what we do have is a return to the familiar pattern of banjo, guitars, bass, piano and percussion. Crosby reverts to his scatted counterpoint before it slips into a stunning instrumental section. Herein, the music weaves a genuinely hypnotic spell as it rolls effortlessly along the bed of Paul's banjo and Grace's piano, with Garcia picking exquisitely. After several minutes of this, the vocal pattem is re- introduced, now in a more restrained vein against instrumentation which has become subdued, wilh Grace and the Cros gently dancing around Jerry to the finale of a wonderful excursion. "Wild Turkey" (4' 20"): An interesling improvisation with Jorma and Jack at the controls, this may or may not be an early styling of what became the dynamic duo's "Bark" instrumental. It certainly starts off that way, with Kaukonen roaring out some aggressive electric noise and Casady on a familiar rumble. But soon it settles into something much gentler, employing a more reflective chord progression. Jorma's playing rises and falls in a fairly relaxed manner - until the finale, when he stirs it back towards the "Turkey" structure with some more combative lead guitar. It could well be that Jack and Jorma decided the split- mood approach didn't work and restructured the number as the wholly aggressive strut we encountered on 'Bark'. Whatever, it's a nicely balanced piece and a pleasure to hear. "Jorma & Jerry's Jam - 1" (14' 22"): If the previous outing was a pleasure, this jam is a sensation! As readers will be aware, there's little recorded evidence of Mr Kaukonen and Mr Garcia essaying their remarkable skills together, so this is a rare chance to hear the fruits of one such collaboration. Backed up by the supple bass of Jack Casady plus solid percussion (Mickey Hart?), this is a quarter-hour of incisive and responsive musicianship - intuitively structured and beautifully realised. Jorma leads it off on electric guitar, his playing funky and rich in wah-wah, whilst Jerry complements it with a more subdued style. Casady is well mixed and excellent, but it's Jorma's sprawling mass of notes which take centre stage in this section; hot, handy and winding all over the soundscape in unfettered rampage. Having played a disciplined supporting role for the first half of the jam - his accomplished touches providing the perfect foil to Jorma's aggression - Jerry assumes control for the second phase. Initially calm after the Kaukonen storm, this movement gradually builds over several minutes into a fabulous jam, delightftlly evolved and transfixing the listener as it develops. Jerry's playing gets less lyrical, more earthy, until it is stylistically much closer to his partner's earlier contribution. Naturally, Jorma then resumes the lead and steers the ensemble to a niceiy judged conclusion. It would be perfectly reasonable to hail this exarnple of superlative sparring as San Francisco jamming at its very finest. "The Wall Song -1" (6' 00"): After a waggish intro from the composer, we're into a captivating version of a Crosby song which appeared in 1972 on the LP 'Graham Nash David Crosby.' On that take, the duo were backed by Garcia, Lesh and Kreutzman and there's no reason to suppose that the same trio isn't in support here. The real distinction between the released version and this is the absense of Nash - though this is more than ably compensated for by the double-tracking of Crosby's wonderful voice, which provides an imaginative and memorable harmony. But there's a bonus. Just when listeners familiar with the 1972 record expect the track to finish, there's a lovely instrumental excursion with Garcia in winning form, shuffling percussion from Bill and a gentle ripple from Lesh. Really, this is so good it eclipses the official release by some distance - and should clearly have been included in the CS&N box of 1991. "The Wall Song - 2" (4' 27"): Again, David is doubly tracked, but this time there's only his own acoustic guitar in support, and the perforrnance is generally a little lazier than before. "Eep Hour" (4' 44"): A very dissimilar reading from the one which appeared on 'Garcia' and which had keyboard and pedal steel dominating the sound. This is just the acoustic guitars and bass and has a very Spanish ambience. Presuming that Jerry isn't multi-tracked and playing everything himself - as he did on his album - we might take the other participants to be Lesh and either Kantner or Crosby. At the close, there's a whoop of triumph from somebody and what sounds like Kantner's voice saying 'everybody just have a little break from their guitar strings!' "Shuffle" (2' 20"): Two guitars (one electric), bass and drums glide effortlessly down a four-chord structure for a couple of minutes. The drums shuffle effectively but nothing much happens and the piece sounds more like an intro to something more substantial than an entity in itself. "Jorma & Jerry's Jam - 2" (14' 29"): This has a slightly longer introduction than its earlier incarnation (i.e. it starts a few seconds before) but is otherwise identical to the first version. "Banjo Instrumental" (6' 31"): This begins with the musicians already in full flow but soon collapses and they begin afresh. The slightly startling proposition of a banjo taking the lead throws the listener at first but it becomes apparent that this is actually the reflective segment of "Wild Turkey" again. Confirmation is given after a few minutes when Jorma appears to add a brief burst of the aggressive electric movement before the banjo takes it back. The five-string player could be Jerry or Paul - it's hard to tell because the figures played are rather routine and not particularly distinguished. When the track ends, rather precipitously, so does the recording - and that's it. These tapes are a fabulous find, showing as they do the formative stages of some classic songs and hinting at others, notably by Crosby, that could have been among the best things he never recorded. It's a mild disappointment thal there isn't more of Paul Kantner's material on here - what I wouldn't give to hear that third secreted tape - but the reproduction is so good and the quality of the playing so exceptional that the whole thing is an aural treat and one feels both excited and honoured to be able to eavesdrop in this way. One can only hope that these musicians will reconvene at some point (preferably in the studio so we can all legitimately enjoy the results) and that the Planet Earth Rock And Roll Orchestra hasn't run its course. The recent SEVA benefit (see Carry The Fire) and Paul's (still-) projected 'Blows' extravaganza suggest that it's not a hopeless dream, that it could happen again if all of their schedules can be made to almost not conflict one more time! Here's to that day when the members of the Orchestra will meet again and see each other's minds, turn up the band and start another story... Bill Parry and Steve Rowland ************************************************************************** -end